The OSU-IAC is one of 26 centers supported by the U.S. Department of Energy at universities across the country. We provide no cost energy, waste and productivity assessments to small and medium-sized manufacturers primarily in WA, OR and ID. Oregon IAC is located in Corvallis, the heart of the Willamette Valley. Engineering and business students and faculty conduct the assessments and provide a report to summarize their findings and recommendations.

The Industrial Assessment Center at OSU has been commended by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for its work. We also contributed to a national award for Environmental Sustainability presented to DOE by Renew America, Inc. IAC teams have visited more than 500 Northwest manufacturers, and have made recommendations totaling more than $86 million in annual savings.

Who wins?

• Participating Companies

  On average, IAC assessments yield recommendations that can save a manufacturer $183,000 annually. Payback on implementation costs averages a fast 1.0 years ... and the savings keep falling right to the bottom line, year after year.

• Participating Universities

  Through the IACs, universities build valuable local industry relationships to maintain a practical focus in their engineering curriculum. They also gain an edge in attracting and retaining top undergraduate and graduate engineering students.

• Participating Students

  The next generation of energy-savvy engineers is being prepared in today's IAC program. Each year, 150 students participate nationally, gaining valuable hands-on experience in auditing key industrial operations, systems, and processes--- experience that can jump-start their engineering careers.

• U.S. Taxpayers

  The Department of Energy's Office of Industrial Technologies provides financial and technical support to the IACs. The nation's economy benefits from more competitive small and medium-sized manufacturers--- a sector that accounts for over 50 percent of U.S. manufacturing employment. Other returns? Enhanced energy security and environmental benefits from decreased energy and resource use.

The primary objective of the IAC is to identify and evaluate opportunities for increased productivity, energy conservation and waste minimization through visits to industrial sites.

Record of Success

As of September 2005, the national IAC program had conducted more than 11,000 assessments saving U.S. companies more than $700 million through efficiency and productivity improvements. The Oregon State University IAC has recommended more than $86 million in annual cost savings to over 500 manufacturers, fifty-five percent of which have been implemented, equaling $26 million in savings to manufacturers. The companies that implement our recommendations not only save money, but also help reduce pollution.

History

Industrial Assessment Centers were created by the Office of Industrial Technology (OIT), a division of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Waste minimization, pollution prevention and productivity were added to the program's scope in the 1990's. Greg Wheeler has been the Director of the Oregon State University Center since its inception in 1986. Oregon State University's Industrial Assessment Center has performed Northwest assessments in Oregon, Washington, Northern California, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Alaska.

Contact Information

Please feel free to contact us with any requests, comments, or questions.