Miami University

Smith named Energy Manager of the Year

11/19/1999

Michael D. Smith, energy management engineer in Miami University's department of physical facilities, has been named Energy Manager of the Year by Energy Manager magazine.

Smith was honored for multiple cost-saving contributions, most notably a new contract with Cinergy that saved the university 10 percent--almost $250,000 --of its total electric budget for 1998.

"It's a great honor for me and my colleagues," Smith said. "I'm getting phone calls from people all over the country wanting to know how we do things at Miami."

Miami has been actively involved with energy conservation programs for years. Smith, along with his colleagues in physical facilities, has been instrumental in implementing several energy-related projects, resulting in substantial savings to the university, said Jim Haley, associate vice president for facilities.

Under Smith's leadership, Miami has accumulated an impressive list of upgrades, including:

• A renegotiated contract for natural gas on the Hamilton campus resulting in $40,000 annual savings.
• Performance contracting, including envelope seals installed in two buildings, resulting in $78,000 annual savings.
• A new on-demand distilled water system in the chemistry laboratories resulting in $30,000 annual savings.
• Updating the six miles of steam and condensed and chilled water lines in Miami's tunnel system resulting in $32,000 annual savings.
• Testing of a nonchemical treatment system in one of Miami's many cooling towers, which successfully cleaned up the badly scaled tower, resulting in $6,000 annual savings. (Smith says this method could eventually replace the use of harsh cleaning chemicals on campus and result in $50,000 in additional savings every year.)

Energy Manager also praised Smith for converting outdoor lighting from Cinergy power to the campus system, eliminating outdated utility accounts and instituting an educational Energy Fair.

"Miami is putting a lot of effort in energy conservation and Mike Smith is a part of the campuswide team that is making it happen," Haley said.