ME Researchers helped the Tupelo Automotive Museum reduced energy and cost of operation
October 18, 2012
The Tupelo Automobile Museum operates in downtown Tupelo, MS, and houses more than 100 antique/classic car displays in its 120,000 square foot facility. The museum’s executive director, Ms. Jane Spain, was investigating several energy efficiency projects to reduce the energy consumption and cost of operation of the museum. Researchers from the Mechanical Engineering Department conducted an energy audit at the beginning of this year and they were successful in identifying energy savings totaling more than 16% of the museum’s annual energy consumption and 13% of the annual energy costs. Many of the energy saving recommendations have been already installed, and the museum is already seeing a notable reduction in their utility bills.
This project was performed through the Southeastern Center for Industrial Energy Intensity Reduction which is a project supported by the US Department of Energy. This center is a joint effort among Mississippi State University (Mechanical Engineering Department), North Carolina State University, the University of Florida, and the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA). The Center supports the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) goals of reducing energy intensity by 2.5% annually through 2017. This Center is part of the Energy Institute at Mississippi State University.
For more information about the center visit www.secieir.org or contact: Dr. Pedro J. Mago (Co-Director), Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, at mago@me.msstate.edu.