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Industrial Training and Assessment Center

Providing No-Cost Energy Audits to Improve Manufacturing Competitiveness

Group photo of the UD Industrial Training and Assessment Center teamThe University of Dayton Industrial Training and Assessment Center (ITAC) is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy to conduct free energy assessments for small- to mid-sized manufacturers to help save energy, improve productivity and reduce waste.

Since our founding in 1981, we've helped 1,000+ manufacturers reduce energy costs to maintain a competitive advantage. The average savings on energy costs is 10-15%. In a typical year, ITAC saves the equivalent electricity use of 1,300 houses and the equivalent natural gas use of 280 houses.

Why Your Company Should Use UD ITAC

Award-Winning
ITAC has received numerous awards, including these accolades from the past five years:
  • 2022 U.S. Department of Energy Excellence in Applied Energy Engineering Research Award
  • 2022 AES Energy Innovation Challenge, First Place Award, Project Oasis

Client Feedback
  • "Please accept our thanks for the high quality and comprehensive Energy Assessment performed for our company by the University of Dayton Industrial Training and Assessment Center. I would especially like to recognize your department’s program and its student ... They should be commended for preparing one of the more thorough, professional, well-written and substantiated engineering reports that has been prepared for our company." (944)
  • "I just wanted to let you know that we installed 29 variable frequency drives on our Paint Line System and took advantage of the [Dayton Power and Light] rebate program. The payback is 7 months. If you remember, we had most valves throttled back on all of our 29 pumps. The valves were closed in most cases on average 70 percent. With recent installation we now have all the valves open and are operating the pump motors from 32 hertz to 45 hertz. Before the VFDs, all motors were running at 60 hertz. Your students were a great help to get us to this point. The original concept was to install a light curtain to shut the pumps on or off if there was no product running thru the system. ... I am happy to say that we have implemented just about every improvement idea that came from the assessment." (818)
  • "We implemented 15 of your 17 recommendations. In addition, your report provided a good jumping-off point for other energy saving ideas." (726)

Data Confidentiality and Disclosure

We know your data is important, and you want us to exercise care in its use. This is how we may use it:

The data is used to prepare your individual assessment report. Your company's name and address don't appear in the report.

Upon completion, the report will be sent to you. The report will not be sent to the Environmental Protection Agency, Occupational Safety and Health Administration or any regulatory body. In addition, it will not be released to vendors, utilities or anyone else outside of the UD Industrial Training and Assessment Center. However, to ensure continued high quality, all of our reports are reviewed by program managers. In addition, we report our client list to our program sponsor (U.S. Department of Energy).

Some data from the report will be entered into a national database available for public access on the Internet at the Industrial Assessment Center U.S. Department of Energy. View ITAC's national database, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Advanced Manufacturing office. This database is a valuable tool for manufacturers and researchers who want to know the savings of various types of projects.

Data entered into the national database that is available for public access includes the following: 

  • Assessment center performing the assessment (University of Dayton)
  • State where plant is located
  • Assessment date
  • Plant SIC, principal product, floor area and employees
  • Annual sales, volume, production hours and energy cost
  • Name, type, estimated annual resource savings, annual cost savings, implementation cost, simple payback and implementation status of each savings recommendation

Our work in your plant may be a good subject for a future case study; however, such a case study will be subject to your review and approval.
Audit Details

What does the UD Industrial Training and Assessment Center provide?

ITAC provides free energy assessments for regional industries. Assessments are led by a faculty member and an experienced team graduate students from mechanical, industrial, chemical and environmental engineering.

We've performed 1,000+ industrial assessments. Our clients report an average savings of about 10-15% on their energy costs as a result of our assessments.

How is a free assessment possible?

Since 1978, the U.S. Department of Energy has sponsored a program to provide free audits for companies like yours because many small- and medium-sized industries lack the in-house expertise to identify and implement the latest energy efficiency, pollution prevention and productivity measures.

In today's competitive business environment, saving energy, reducing waste and improving productivity are more than just buzz words — they are vital to the success of every manufacturing firm.

How does my facility qualify?

ITAC's industrial assessments are fully funded by the U.S. Department of Energy for medium-sized manufacturers. To qualify for a free assessment, your plant must have

  • Annual energy bills between $100,000 and $2.5 million.
  • Standard Industrial Code between 2000-3999 (i.e. manufacturing/industrial).
  • SIC Code Description: 20xx Food and kindred products; 21xx Tobacco products; 22xx Textile mill products; 23xx Apparel and other textile products; 24xx Lumber and wood products; 25xx Furniture and fixtures; 26xx Paper and allied products; 27xx Printing and publishing; 28xx Chemicals and allied products; 29xx Petroleum and coal products; 30xx Rubber and misc. plastics products; 31xx Leather and leather products; 32xx Stone, clay, and glass products; 33xx Primary metal industries; 34xx Fabricated metal products; 35xx Industrial machinery and equipment; 36xx Electronic and other electric equipment; 37xx Transportation equipment; 38xx Instruments and related products; 39xx Miscellaneous manufacturing industries; SIC and NAICS Descriptions SIC (Standard Industrial Codes) SIC-NAICS Code Conversion.

What does a typical assessment entail?

Before the On-site Audit

  • Phone interview: After agreeing on a convenient date and time for our plant visit, we'll ask a few questions about your process so that we can assemble the most appropriate audit team.
  • Pre-assessment info packet: We request a packet of information in advance of our visit. The packet typically includes: 1) Photocopies of the last one or two years of energy and water bills, 2) Photocopies of your electricity and water rate schedules (if necessary), 3) A list of waste streams with approximate quantities and disposal costs, 4) A schematic of the plant layout, and 5) A map to the plant.

Audit Day

  • Our team: Typically consists of one or two faculty members and up to four students. The students are paid undergraduate and graduate workers from Mechanical, Environmental, Chemical and/or Industrial Engineering. Our team is completely insured, has industrial experience and has been briefed on plant safety issues. We will sign and honor confidentiality agreements and ask permission before taking any photographs.
  • Schedule of activities: We typically arrive about 9 a.m. and leave at about 4 p.m. Our plant visit usually consists of the following activities: 1) An introductory briefing, with management participation (if possible), 2) A plant tour by someone familiar with plant equipment and processes, 3) A brainstorming session to generate savings opportunities, 4) Time for observations and measurements to quantify potential savings, 5) A short debriefing, with management participation (if possible).

After the On-site Audit

  • Final report: Within six weeks, a confidential report will be mailed to you. The report begins with a brief summary of our cost-saving recommendations and includes descriptions of utility data, process, facility, lighting, waste streams, and detailed descriptions of each recommendation showing all assumptions and methods used to generate the savings estimates.
  • Follow up: We'll contact you again in 6-12 months by phone to see which recommendations were implemented and to assess your overall satisfaction level with our service.
ITAC Leadership
Portrait of Jun-Ki Choi

Jun-Ki Choi link-arrow link-arrow

Professor; Director, Industrial Training and Assessment Center (UD-ITAC); O. Jack and Opal Anderson Faculty Fellowship in Engineering Innovation Endowed Chair

Portrait of Andrew Chiasson

Andrew Chiasson link-arrow link-arrow

Associate Professor; Assistant Director, Industrial Training and Assessment Center; HSI Director Catalyzing Institutional Transformation