The QUESTOR Centre

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The QUESTOR Centre

• An International Industry/University
• Cooperative Research Centre for
• Industry Driven Environmental Research
  Development

• Partner Institutions
• Queens University Belfast
• Dublin City University
• Stevens Institute of Technology
• Dalhousie University
• University of Duisburg-Essen
• IWW- The North Rhine- Westphalia Institute for
  Water Research
• Cranfield University

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General Information

• Founded in 1989
• The only Centre outside the US to be part of the
  National Science Foundations (NSF) Programme
  for Industry/University Co-operative Research
  Centres (I/UCRCs)
• The I/UCRC concept is a highly successful model
  developed by the NSF where more than 50 such
  Centres have been operating in the US for 20
  years
• Key Activitity
• Industry driven multi-discipline environmental
  research with a clear emphasis on technology
  transfer and exploitation

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Mission
To become an International Partnership for
Environmental Research and Development with a
network of academic partners and member
companies/organisations
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Current Potential International Academic
Partners

• Dublin City University (RoI) 2005
• Stevens Institute of Technology (US) 2006
• Dalhousie University (Canada) Nov 2007
• University of Duisburg Essen Nov 2007
• The North Rhine Westphalia Institute for Water
  Research (Germany) Nov 2007
• Cranfield University (UK) May 2008
• AFBI (NI) Under Discussion

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QUESTOR Members

• Northern Ireland
• Applied Silicate Technologies Ltd
• Alpha Environmental Group
• B9 Energy Ltd
• Belfast City Council
• Bombardier Aerospace
• CDE Ireland Ltd
• Central Chemical Supplies Ltd
• Chemvite Ltd
• Cleanfield Technology Ltd
• Coca Cola Bottlers (Ulster) Ltd
• DoE Environment Heritage Service
• EdaPhon S-oil Tec Ltd
• Glenfarm Holdings Ltd
• NI Water Ltd
• Northern Innovation Ltd
• Natural Energies Ireland Ltd
• Precision Processes Services Ltd

• Great Britain
• BP
• Environment Agency
• Shell Global Solutions
• Modern Water Ltd
• United States
• Exxon Mobil Research Engineering
• Republic of Ireland
• Enva Ireland Ltd
• Astellas Ireland Ltd
• FLI Environmental Ltd
• T.E. Laboratories Ltd

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Research Capabilities
Remediation of Contaminated Land
Analysis/ Monitoring Sensors
Water Wastewater Treatment
The QUESTOR Centre
Resource Management/ Recycling
Clean Technology
CoE for Biorenewables
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Technology Transfer Exploitation

• Applied Technology Unit (ATU)
• Unique group of 12 scientists and engineers with
  access to QUESTOR facilities
• Monitoring, technical consultancy, new product
  and process development
• Work in partnership with members to
  demonstrate/commercialise technology
• QUESTOR Technologies Ltd
• Established to develop products/processes derived
  from technologies developed within the QUESTOR
  Centre

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The QUESTOR Model
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• Energy Management Raising Staff Awareness

Control monitor
Implement
Plan organise
Understand
Get Commitment
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Factors for success
Obtain senior management support for the campaign
Obtain senior management support for the campaign
Start small and build up
Start small and build up
Ensure help is available to staff who request it
Report on the outcomes (i.e. energy savings) in
meaningful terms
Timing is important - October and February are
key times of year
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Raising staff awareness

• Different people will respond to different
  reasons for saving energy
• Start with one simple change that will have quick
  and obvious results
• Start an energy awareness campaign

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An awareness campaign should address two things

• Motivation a willingness to save energy
• Why, what is in it for me?
• What is in it for my organisation?

• Awareness of how to save energy
• Where do we use energy?
• How much do we use and what does it cost?
• What can be done and how much can we save?

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Establish whether awareness, motivation or both
should be targeted
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Establish the barriers to motivation

• Im too busy to do anything
• I dont pay the bills
• Management doesnt care, why should I?
• Its not my job to save energy

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Target areas of known waste
Ask staff to report defects and other issues

• Every business has them
• Rooms with windows open when the heating is on
• Equipment left running when no one is using them
• Use or need for supplementary heating
• Defects to TRVs, controls etc.

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Top Ten low-cost ways to start saving energy

• Turn off unnecessary lighting equipment
• Adjust heating controls to suit occupation
• Keep doors and windows closed when heating or
  cooling
• Replace lights with energy saving equivalents
• Regularly maintain plant and equipment
• Draught proofing
• Insulate heating pipework and fittings
• Check building insulation is sufficient
• Fit water conservation devices
• Inform colleagues on all of the above!

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Dispel the myths
Turning monitors off is bad for them It uses
less energy to leave the light on Screensavers
save energy Photocopiers should be left
on Better to leave heating on than let
building go cold and heat up again
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Raising awareness

• Include energy within job descriptions and
  performance appraisal
• Induction training and other regular training
  initiatives
• Make use of company newsletters, email and web
  sites
• Invite energy efficiency ideas within suggestion
  schemes
• Monitor and target energy consumption
• Incorporate within maintenance procedures
• Environmental management (EMAS, ISO14001)

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Creating a new culture

• Being part of the solution rather than part of
  the problem
• Critical mass needed to change attitudes
• Acceptance/Congruence

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On most sites these four types of energy wastage
can be commonly identified
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Contact Details
The QUESTOR Centre David Keir BuildingStranmillis
RoadBelfast, BT9 5AG Tel [phone]
5577 Fax [phone] J.a.hanna_at_qub.ac.uk

http//questor.qub.ac.uk/