KNOXVILLE — The University of Tennessee and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory are helping the U.S. Department of Energy link energy managers for a nationwide training program.
UT’s Video and Photography Center recently completed broadcasting via satellite the Energy Management Teleworkshop for DOE’s Office of Federal Energy Management Programs.
Heather Schoonmaker, DOE contractor, and teleworkshop coordinator, said the training seeks to help federal facility personnel achieve and maintain Energy Policy Act of 1992 and Executive Order 13123 objectives for energy and water savings and alternative financing.
The workshops provide overviews on how to implement practical, technologically feasible, and economically sound energy conservation measures, Schoonmaker said.
UT’s satellite uplink services allow the training to reach thousands of federal, military, state, community, and university energy related personnel at hundreds of U.S. sites, she said.
“The host uplink services provided by UT deliver the instructor’s lectures to an international audience and dramatically increase the number of attendees that can participate in the annual training in comparison to a traditional classroom format,” Schoonmaker said.
“Since this training is relevant to a very diversified audience who are geographically dispersed, accessibility is critical.”
UT Center for Video and Photography provided broadcast studios, technical support, professional production and recording, and satellite uplink of the sessions’ broadcasts.
“We are pleased to contribute our expertise toward helping the nation achieve its energy efficiency goals,” Tom Owens, executive director of UT Video and Photography Services, said.
Performance Plus International, Inc., an East Tennessee-based small business specializing in distance learning and training solutions, designed the original training model and continues to develop and coordinate the annual teleworkshop for DOE FEMP and ORNL.
The program includes 12 hours of interactive live satellite broadcasts over 3 days, a comprehensive Web-based self-study tutorial, graphics, links, photos, discussion forum, and e-mail to instructors. New for 2003 is a real-time streaming video of the satellite broadcasts.
Course content includes modules for life-cycle costing methodology, energy savings performance contracting, utility energy services contracting, water resource management, and energy conservation opportunities in purchasing, maintenance and design areas.
The instructors are experienced energy engineers and professionals from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
For more information, go to: http://www.energyworkshops.org/