Energy conservation

Electrical Apparatus, Jun 1999 by Nailen, Richard L

Plant Engineers and Managers Guide to Energy Conservation. By Albert Thumann. The Fairmont Press, Inc., 700 Indian Trail, Lilburn, Ga. 30247; (770) 925-9388. $95 (hardbound). 411 pages.

Managing energy means managing costs. In industrial and commercial buildings, that means much more than just turning off lights at night. Author Thumann, who has written 25 books on energy use, has for 20 years been executive director of the Association of Energy Engineers, which he founded in 1977. This guide-first published in that year-deals with all forms of energy: heating and cooling, steam, gas, and air, and electric power.

Much of the text is devoted to optimization of process systems, heat transfer, and HVAC efficiency. Numerous worked-out examples show readers how to apply the principles involved.

Several chapters added in this edition involve economics: financing of energy efficiency projects, including life-cycle costing; tax laws and depreciation; evaluating solutions to power quality problems; and electricity purchasing strategies for a deregulated marketplace. The down-toearth, well-illustrated treatment of investment decision-making in Chapter 2 is particularly helpful.

Other chapters explore techniques of managing conservation programs, as well as instrumentation and methods for making energy audits. The importance of equipment maintenance, all too often over