T1.5

It has dawned on me that I currently work in a Machine Bureaucracy. I have been participating in an Operating Engineer summer program. An Operating Engineer can be defined as “a tradesman who operates heavy machinery and equipment that provide heat, light, climate control and power. Stationary Engineers are trained in many areas, including mechanical, thermal, chemical,electrical, and metallurgical, computer, and a wide range of safety skills”.This is a program I have participated in for the last three years. However,this summer turned out to be a little different. I was assigned to a building which was smaller (square feet) with a smaller crew. Being put in this situation actually worked in my favor because of the large responsibility I was given. With large responsibility comes a better overview of my work environment.

Working in the Operating Engineering field, you get an inside look on how an actual commercial building operates. Our job revolves around multiple information systems. Most of the energy related systems at work are some sort of information system. Different management companies are always looking for new systems that provide the building with more efficient energy. More efficient energy means, less monthly energy costs. Money can then be spent in different areas where needed. A way of cutting costs in the property management field is to implement more effective “time of day” schedules for lighting and HVAC. When this goal is reached, the Building Management office looks good. This in turn greatly pleases the building owners.

These new systems that are in place in our Engineering office is referred to as an EIS. Energy Information Systems provide real-time data about energy efficiency to personnel in a commercial building. This personnel consists of almost everyone in the organization (Operators, Engineers and management). A prime example would be the Eastman Kodak Company’s effort todrive energy costs down. These systems show a “ real-time view of all sensor and equipment readings throughout the site, monitoring andrecording over 100,000 plant-measured variables and displaying all of them in one easily accessible database. This is a far cry from the silo-like system of the past, when disparate and discrete reports were available only within individual buildings or plants and were rarely shared beyond a narrow populace”.(http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/08/03/energy-information-system-a-key-to-driving-savings/)

With today’s new EIS systems, engineers are capable of overseeing more than one property. The property management company that employees me has a total of eleven properties. Even though these properties are rather close to each other, systems like the improved Energy Information System’shave come as a great help with great value.