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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Out-Of-Classroom Experiences: Bridging The Disconnect Between The Classroom, The Engineering Workforce, And Ethical Development, Brian A. Burt, Donald D. Carpenter, Matthew A. Holsapple, Cynthia J. Finelli, Rob M. Bielby, Janel A. Sutkus, Trevors S. Harding Jan 2013

Out-Of-Classroom Experiences: Bridging The Disconnect Between The Classroom, The Engineering Workforce, And Ethical Development, Brian A. Burt, Donald D. Carpenter, Matthew A. Holsapple, Cynthia J. Finelli, Rob M. Bielby, Janel A. Sutkus, Trevors S. Harding

Brian Burt A.

The extant research on engineering ethics instruction shows that students receive ethics instruction within the engineering curricula. Unfortunately, the methods used in engineering undergraduate classrooms are described as ‘‘abstract’’ and have mixed results related to impacting students’ ethical development. Thus, exploring how out-of-classroom experiences—as a curricular alternative—influences students’ ethical development is warranted. This is an exploratory investigation to determine how out-of-classroom experiences influence students’ ethical development. The authors define ethical development using three constructs: knowledge of ethics, ethical reasoning, and ethical behavior. We draw upon a conceptual model that suggests students’ ethical development is impacted by what takes place inside …


E-Mentoring For Employability, Andrea S. Wheeler, Simon Austin, Jacqui Glass Sep 2012

E-Mentoring For Employability, Andrea S. Wheeler, Simon Austin, Jacqui Glass

Andrea S. Wheeler

Recession and higher costs of higher education have over the past few years increased concerns over employability amongst engineering and construction students.


The Honour House Project: Reservist Re-Entry Program, Sarah A. Rajala, Kevin J. Wainwright, Barbara E. Endicott-Popovsky Jun 2011

The Honour House Project: Reservist Re-Entry Program, Sarah A. Rajala, Kevin J. Wainwright, Barbara E. Endicott-Popovsky

Sarah A. Rajala

Both the United States and Canada invest a great deal of resources in the training of their military personal. Many of the skills and experiences accumulated by soldiers are those that are highly valued by civilian employers. Further, these skills are often embodied in academic programs, suggesting soldiers would have a comparative advantage in such programs; however, despite the efforts of government agencies, many soldiers are unable to convert their skills and training into meaningful careers. While there are several reasons why individuals leaving military duty have trouble re-integrating into work and education, one of the major obstacles is the …


Alternative Approach To Assessing Military Training For Advanced Placement Into Engineering And Technology Programs, Kevin James Wainwright, Barbara Ellen Endicott-Popovsky, Sarah A. Rajala Jun 2011

Alternative Approach To Assessing Military Training For Advanced Placement Into Engineering And Technology Programs, Kevin James Wainwright, Barbara Ellen Endicott-Popovsky, Sarah A. Rajala

Sarah A. Rajala

Both the United States and Canada invest a great deal of resources in the training of their military personal. Many of the skills and experiences accumulated by soldiers are those that are highly valued by civilian employers. Further, these skills are often embodied in academic programs, suggesting soldiers would have a comparative advantage in such programs; however, despite the efforts of government agencies, many soldiers are unable to convert their skills and training into meaningful careers. While there are several reasons why individuals leaving military duty have trouble re-integrating into work and education, one of the major obstacles is the …


Nanotechnology Education—First Step In Implementing A Spiral Curriculum, Ganesh Balasubramanian, Vinod K. Lohani, Ishwar K. Puri, Scott W. Case, Roop L. Mahajan Jan 2011

Nanotechnology Education—First Step In Implementing A Spiral Curriculum, Ganesh Balasubramanian, Vinod K. Lohani, Ishwar K. Puri, Scott W. Case, Roop L. Mahajan

Ganesh Balasubramanian

A nanotechnology learning module was implemented into a freshman engineering course at Virginia Tech. The novelty of our approach is that an established spiral curriculum model has been employed, for the first time to the best of authors’ knowledge, to design the nanotechnology option. The module was piloted in a freshman class (180 students) during spring ‘08. The key components included (1) a prior knowledge survey, (2) a 40-minute in-class presentation on basic nanotechnology concepts, (3) an activity that involves nanoscale image analysis and the plotting of molecular forces usingLabVIEWsoftware,and(4)apost-modulesurvey.Lessonslearnedfromthepilotimplementationwereincorporated appropriately to expose roughly 1450 freshmen to nanotechnology basics in …


Greening The Curriculum: Augmenting Engineering And Technology Courses With Sustainability Topics, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Elif Kongar Jan 2010

Greening The Curriculum: Augmenting Engineering And Technology Courses With Sustainability Topics, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Elif Kongar

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Duties of engineers and technologists often entail designing and implementing solutions to problems. It is their responsibility to be cognizant of the impacts of their designs on and thus, their accountability to society in general. They must also be aware of subsequent effects upon the environment. They need to be able to concurrently satisfy these often competing priorities as well as constraints specific to the technical challenges at hand. Responding to these contending forces are the growing fields of green engineering and sustainable engineering. Both of these areas encompass many concepts, ideas and tools all of which are essential for …


The Development And Implementation Of A Nanotechnology Module Into A Large, Freshman Engineering Course, Vinod Lohani, Ganesh Balasubramanian, Ishwar Puri, Scott Case, Roop Mahajan Jan 2009

The Development And Implementation Of A Nanotechnology Module Into A Large, Freshman Engineering Course, Vinod Lohani, Ganesh Balasubramanian, Ishwar Puri, Scott Case, Roop Mahajan

Ganesh Balasubramanian

The development and implementation of a nanotechnology learning module into a freshman engineering course in Virginia Tech’s large engineering program is discussed. This module, a part of a spiral theory based nanotechnology option that will be implemented in the curriculum of the Engineering Science Mechanics (ESM) department at Virginia Tech, was piloted with ~180 freshmen in Spring ’08. The pilot included a prior knowledge survey, a 40-minute in-class presentation on nanotechnology, a hands-on module involving analysis of nanoscale images, plotting of force functions at atomic scale using LABVIEW, and a post-module survey. Students’ misconceptions, observed through the prior knowledge survey, …


Ifees: Enhancing Engineering Education At A Global Scale, Lueny Morrell, Claudio Borri, Hans J. Hoyer, Sarah A. Rajala, Seeram Ramakrishna, Xavier Fouger, Bruno Laporte, José Carlos Quadrado, Maria M. Larrondo Petrie, Duncan Mckenzie Frasier Oct 2008

Ifees: Enhancing Engineering Education At A Global Scale, Lueny Morrell, Claudio Borri, Hans J. Hoyer, Sarah A. Rajala, Seeram Ramakrishna, Xavier Fouger, Bruno Laporte, José Carlos Quadrado, Maria M. Larrondo Petrie, Duncan Mckenzie Frasier

Sarah A. Rajala

Engineering and technology play a key role in globalization as developed and developing countries develop and implement effective and efficient strategies that advance their economies and social development. Engineering has played a critical role in economic development in the history of civilization, because engineers are important not only in solving local problems but also in knowledge creation and knowledge transfer. Thus, science and technology education need to be in continuous evolvement in order to keep assisting countries reduce poverty, boost socio-economic development and make the right decisions for sustainable and environmentally compatible development. In a flat world, a global approach …


Not Just Informative, But Necessary: Infusing Green And Sustainable Topics Into Engineering And Technology Curricula, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Elif Kongar Jun 2008

Not Just Informative, But Necessary: Infusing Green And Sustainable Topics Into Engineering And Technology Curricula, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Elif Kongar

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Generally accepted duties of engineers and technologists encompass designing and implementing solutions to problems. When so doing, it is their responsibility to be cognizant of the impacts of their designs on, and thus their accountability to, not only society in general, but also subsequent effects upon the environment. They need to be able to concurrently satisfy these competing needs, as well as constraints specific to the design challenges at hand. Responding to these requirements are the growing fields of green engineering and sustainable engineering. Both of these areas encompass many concepts, ideas, and tools, all of which are essential information …


The Biomass Bandwagon: Three Ideas For Engineering And Technology Programs To Get Onboard, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Jerry Visser Jun 2008

The Biomass Bandwagon: Three Ideas For Engineering And Technology Programs To Get Onboard, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Jerry Visser

Kurt A. Rosentrater

As society demands more energy and material goods, engineers and technologists will be relied upon to design and implement systems to produce and deliver these. There is growing interest in using renewable resources to produce fuels, chemicals, and finished products to meet these increasing needs. Additionally, popularity is gaining, both in research as well as industry, in developing and commercializing biobased products. Within this arena, there are tremendous opportunities for teaching innovations as well. To date, very limited discussions at ASEE regarding these potentials have occurred. The goal of this paper is to discuss possibilities for augmenting engineering and technology …


Engineering Education Societies Becoming Global: The Evolving Development Of The International Federation Of Engineering Education Societies (Ifees), Lueny Morell, Claudio Borri, Sarah A. Rajala, Bruno Laporte, Maira M. Larrondo Petrie, Seeram Ramakrishna, Xavier Fouger, Adriana Garboan, Jose Carlos Quadrado, Duncan Fraser, Hans Hoyer Jun 2008

Engineering Education Societies Becoming Global: The Evolving Development Of The International Federation Of Engineering Education Societies (Ifees), Lueny Morell, Claudio Borri, Sarah A. Rajala, Bruno Laporte, Maira M. Larrondo Petrie, Seeram Ramakrishna, Xavier Fouger, Adriana Garboan, Jose Carlos Quadrado, Duncan Fraser, Hans Hoyer

Sarah A. Rajala

Globalization is making both developed and developing countries think about effective and efficient strategies that will advance their economies and social development. Throughout the history of civilization, engineering has played a critical role in economic development. Engineers are key not only in solving local problems but also in knowledge creation and knowledge transfer. Thus, it is imperative that technical know-how be supplemented with professional skills to develop an ‘adaptive leader’ who is capable of addressing the multiple challenges of an ever changing world. The key-question posed by the 21st century global economy to engineering educators and stake-holders is this: “How …


An Integrated Living And Learning Community For First And Second Year Undergraduate Women In Science & Engineering, Katherine Titus-Becker, Sarah A. Rajala, Laura Bottomley, Dianne Raubenheimer, Jo-Ann Cohen, Kala Bullett, Susan Grant, Fay Cobb Payton, Barbara Kirby, Adrianna Kirkman, Wendy Krause, Carrie Thomas Jun 2007

An Integrated Living And Learning Community For First And Second Year Undergraduate Women In Science & Engineering, Katherine Titus-Becker, Sarah A. Rajala, Laura Bottomley, Dianne Raubenheimer, Jo-Ann Cohen, Kala Bullett, Susan Grant, Fay Cobb Payton, Barbara Kirby, Adrianna Kirkman, Wendy Krause, Carrie Thomas

Sarah A. Rajala

The Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Village combines a group living experience with resident, upper-class mentors who assist in the transition to university life. Programs for the WISE community are designed to promote academic success, foster the formation of lasting relationships with fellow students, professors and mentors, and provide out-of-classroom experiences. The WISE Village is a supportive environment in which women engage in focused inquiry within their disciplines and develop the skills and talents necessary to become successful students and professionals in STEM fields. When the WISE Village began in 2003, it was as a partnership with University Housing, …


The Development Of Undergraduate Distance Education Engineering Programs In North Carolina, Sarah A. Rajala, Tom Miller Jun 2007

The Development Of Undergraduate Distance Education Engineering Programs In North Carolina, Sarah A. Rajala, Tom Miller

Sarah A. Rajala

The College of Engineering at North Carolina State University has a strong track record in providing distance education to the citizens in North Carolina through credit-based courses and degree programs. To provide increased access to engineering education on the undergraduate level and enhance the success of the student transfer population, the College of Engineering developed two new 2+2 engineering programs and a distance education bachelor of science in engineering program. The 2+2 programs are designed to provide students enrolled at institutions without engineering programs the opportunity to take some of the fundamental engineering courses in addition to their general education …


Simulation As A Means To Infuse Manufacturing Education With Statistics And Doe—A Case Study Using Injection Molding, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Jerry Visser Jun 2007

Simulation As A Means To Infuse Manufacturing Education With Statistics And Doe—A Case Study Using Injection Molding, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Jerry Visser

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Modern manufacturing systems continue to evolve and in so doing can produce many unique products using both traditional as well as novel raw materials. This is especially true in the processing of plastic products. In these environments, there is the need to critically examine material compatibility and to optimize methods of manufacture to realize economic success. Key to these endeavors is the ability to conduct product development efforts in a logical fashion. Experimentation is an important component to this process. Graduates of manufacturing engineering and technology programs should thus have knowledge of formal Design of Experiments (DOE) and statistical procedures. …


Partnership In Undergraduate Research Experience, Jerry Visser, Kurt A. Rosentrater Jun 2007

Partnership In Undergraduate Research Experience, Jerry Visser, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Practical laboratory and work experience has been helpful in reinforcing the undergraduate educational experience. With limited resources, individual organizations may struggle to give a student a well rounded opportunity. Most undergraduates work within internships or cooperative educational frameworks with one entity. At South Dakota State University, the Product Development Center (PDC) has initiated a collaborative research project with the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Brookings for the benefit of undergraduate students. This collaborative framework with the United States Department of Agriculture ARS grows from three key aspects. First, the students at both the ARS and the PDC exchange concepts …


A New Course To Teach Microcontrollers And Embedded Networking To Biosystems And Agricultural Engineers, Matthew J. Darr, Timothy S. Stombaugh, Scott A. Shearer, Richard S. Gates Jan 2007

A New Course To Teach Microcontrollers And Embedded Networking To Biosystems And Agricultural Engineers, Matthew J. Darr, Timothy S. Stombaugh, Scott A. Shearer, Richard S. Gates

Matthew J. Darr

One of the fundamental skills required of biosystems and agricultural engineers is an ability to interact with systems that affect the production and processing of biological materials. This involves monitoring and controlling parameters within complex biological systems. Also, there is often a need to link multiple systems over a network to allow control and feedback data to be shared at several points. These monitoring systems and more sophisticated embedded networks are enhancing the ability of biosystems and agricultural engineers to solve problems by facilitating real-time data collection and enabling control actions. The use of microcontrollers in industry applications is growing …


Mass Customization And Its Curricular Implications For Four-Year Degree Programs In Manufacturing Technologies, R. Balamuralikrishma, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Mark Rajai Oct 2006

Mass Customization And Its Curricular Implications For Four-Year Degree Programs In Manufacturing Technologies, R. Balamuralikrishma, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Mark Rajai

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Mass customization is fast emerging as a popular business strategy which aims to also cater to individual expressed needs of end users at prices closely comparable to mass produced items. Companies are able to switch to this mode of operation by primarily making their own operations demand-driven, flexible systems and asking their suppliers to do the same. Customers by and large are delighted to be part of this new kind of supply chain and are willing to invest time to specify what exactly they want provided businesses are willing to keep their end of the bargain in terms of high …


The Global Relevance Of Bio-Based Industries To Engineering And Technology Education, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Radha Balamuralikrishma Jun 2006

The Global Relevance Of Bio-Based Industries To Engineering And Technology Education, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Radha Balamuralikrishma

Kurt A. Rosentrater

The society in which we live has developed an insatiable demand for energy and material goods. In particular, recent data reveals that the aggressive pursuit of improved standards of living in the highly populated countries of India and China has contributed to increased demand for fossil fuels, which has exacerbated the recent spike in energy costs. Historically, these needs have been met primarily by fossil fuels and other non-renewable raw materials. As environmental concerns grow, however, renewable resources are gaining increased attention. This paper examines the emergence and importance that bio-based industries are increasingly beginning to play. A bio-based enterprise, …


An Evaluation Of An Established Case Study For Engineering Technology Education, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Radha Balamuralikrishma Jun 2006

An Evaluation Of An Established Case Study For Engineering Technology Education, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Radha Balamuralikrishma

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Engineering and technology educators focus on meeting existing and future needs of industry when designing the content domain and planning instructional methods in their discipline. However, undergraduate students in engineering and technology rarely have an opportunity to solve real world problems that require integration across several disciplinary branches of engineering and those outside of engineering. This makes it difficult for students to make the transition from academia to industry especially in an era where the principles of concurrent engineering are employed in new product design and development. Therefore, there is a strong need to bring challenging, industry involved problems into …


Biorefining Of Renewable Resources—Emerging Opportunities For Engineering Education, Kurt A. Rosentrater Jun 2006

Biorefining Of Renewable Resources—Emerging Opportunities For Engineering Education, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

The society in which we live has developed an insatiable demand for energy and material goods. Historically these needs have primarily been met by utilizing fossil fuels and other nonrenewable raw materials. As environmental concerns grow, however, renewable resources are gaining increased attention. This paper examines industrial biorefineries, which are at the leading edge of the development of emerging biobased industries. Biorefineries, similar in concept to traditional petroleum refineries, utilize various conversion technologies to produce multiple products, including fuels, chemicals, industrial products, and electrical power from renewable biomass sources, such as corn stover, residue straw, perennial grasses, legumes, and other …


Preparing New Faculty Members To Be Successful: A No-Brainer And Yet A Radical Concept, Rebecca Brent, Sarah A. Rajala, Richard M. Felder Jun 2006

Preparing New Faculty Members To Be Successful: A No-Brainer And Yet A Radical Concept, Rebecca Brent, Sarah A. Rajala, Richard M. Felder

Sarah A. Rajala

A multifaceted program at North Carolina State University involving workshops and mentorships helps prepare new faculty members and graduate students for successful academic careers. This paper describes the elements of the program, reviews assessment data for each element, and offers recommendations to engineering schools wishing to establish their own programs for new and future faculty members.


Ethics For Industrial Technology Majors: Need And Plan Of Action, Kurt A. Rosentrater, R. Balamuralikrishma Jun 2005

Ethics For Industrial Technology Majors: Need And Plan Of Action, Kurt A. Rosentrater, R. Balamuralikrishma

Kurt A. Rosentrater

The recent introduction of sessions dedicated to “Industrial Technology” in the annual ASEE conference is testimony that this discipline has gained its rightful place in the company of engineering and engineering technology. This new level of partnership and collaboration between engineering and technology programs promises to be a step in the right direction for society at large. Engineering and technology majors both supplement and complement each other’s knowledge and skills and it is crucial for educators to build bridges of active interaction. This paper takes aim at one specific as well as basic need in teamwork and interdisciplinary projects – …


Essential Highlights Of The History Of Fluid Mechanics, Kurt A. Rosentrater, R. Balamuralikrishma Jun 2005

Essential Highlights Of The History Of Fluid Mechanics, Kurt A. Rosentrater, R. Balamuralikrishma

Kurt A. Rosentrater

To achieve accreditation, engineering and technology programs throughout the United States must meet guidelines established by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). One of these requirements is that departments demonstrate that they provide students with an understanding of engineering in a broad, societal context. Examination of engineering history can be an essential element to this endeavor, because the development of modern theories and practices have diverse and complex evolutions which are often intimately intertwined with the development of societies themselves. Fluid mechanics is a key field of engineering, whose body of knowledge has had a significant influence on …


Renewable Energy Alternatives: Current Status And Capacities, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Youakim Al-Kalaani Apr 2005

Renewable Energy Alternatives: Current Status And Capacities, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Youakim Al-Kalaani

Kurt A. Rosentrater

A key to the United States’ economic growth is an ever-increasing demand for energy, which has traditionally been met primarily by combusting the hydrocarbons found in fossil fuels. As environmental concerns grow, renewable energy resources are gaining increasing attention. To aid both researchers as well as educators, this paper examines historical energy data for both traditional as well as alternative energy sources. Even with the progressive developments of non-traditional energy sources over the years, the U.S. still receives more than 90% of its energy from fossil and nuclear fuels. Explicit examination of the alternative energy sector has revealed that hydroelectric …


Ethics For Industrial Technology, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Radha Balamuralikrishma Jan 2005

Ethics For Industrial Technology, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Radha Balamuralikrishma

Kurt A. Rosentrater

This paper takes aim at one specific, as well as basic, need in teamwork and interdisciplinary projects – ethics and its implications for professional practice. A preliminary study suggests that students majoring in industrial technology degree programs may not have adequate opportunity to formally study and engage in ethical aspects of technology vis-à-vis the practices of the profession. It is reasonable to assume that the ethical dilemmas faced by an industrial technologist would parallel those of engineers and managers. To address this issue, this paper identifies a domain of knowledge that would constitute a necessary background in ethics for industrial …


An Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum For Agri-Industrial Facility Designers, David R. Bohnhoff, Sundaram Gunasekaran, Gregory D. Williams, Kurt A. Rosentrater Aug 2004

An Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum For Agri-Industrial Facility Designers, David R. Bohnhoff, Sundaram Gunasekaran, Gregory D. Williams, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Faculty of the Biological Systems Engineering Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are considering modifications to their undergraduate engineering curriculum that will result in graduates who are better prepared for positions as agri-industrial facility designers.


Educational Needs For Agri-Industrial Facility Designers And Managers, Gregory D. Williams, Kurt A. Rosentrater, David R. Bohnhoff Aug 2004

Educational Needs For Agri-Industrial Facility Designers And Managers, Gregory D. Williams, Kurt A. Rosentrater, David R. Bohnhoff

Kurt A. Rosentrater

This paper summarizes educational needs for agri-industrial facility designers and mangers. Relevant skills required for the design, planning, and operation of agri-industrial facilities are discussed. Continuing and University educational needs for facility designers and managers are also presented.


The North Carolina State University Women In Science And Engineering Program: A Community For Living And Learning, Sarah A. Rajala, Laura J. Bottomley, E. A. Parry, J. D. Cohen, Susan C. Grant, C. J. Thomas, T. M. Doxey, G. Perez, R. E. Collins, J. E. Spurlin Jun 2004

The North Carolina State University Women In Science And Engineering Program: A Community For Living And Learning, Sarah A. Rajala, Laura J. Bottomley, E. A. Parry, J. D. Cohen, Susan C. Grant, C. J. Thomas, T. M. Doxey, G. Perez, R. E. Collins, J. E. Spurlin

Sarah A. Rajala

Women are underrepresented in many of the disciplines in engineering, the mathematical sciences, and the physical and natural sciences, both at the undergraduate and the graduate levels. Depending upon the discipline, we lose women at varying points along the way. The pipeline of women interested in studying in engineering disciplines and in physics, for example, narrows considerably at the undergraduate level. In other disciplines such as mathematics, the retention rate for women at major research universities is much lower than at liberal arts institutions and the percentage of women who pursue graduate studies is much lower than that of their …


Assessment Of Introduction To Engineering And Problem-Solving Course, Joni E. Spurlin, Jerome P. Lavelle, Mary Clare Robbins, Sarah A. Rajala Jun 2003

Assessment Of Introduction To Engineering And Problem-Solving Course, Joni E. Spurlin, Jerome P. Lavelle, Mary Clare Robbins, Sarah A. Rajala

Sarah A. Rajala

At North Carolina State University, the freshmen’s first course in engineering is E101, Introduction to Engineering and Problem-Solving. It is offered each fall to over 1,100 first year engineering students. In an effort to continuously improve the course, we put into place a plan to assess the course's learning outcomes. Assessment data collected in fall 2001 and fall 2002 through surveys, rubrics, and class assignments were evaluated to determine how well students met learning outcomes related to communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. This paper presents the assessment methods used in this course and provides examples of how the assessment findings were …


The Engineering Economics Of Energy Use And Capital Investment, Janis P. Terpenny, Lawrence L. Ambs, John R. Dixon, Julia L. Sullivan, William G. Sullivan Jan 2003

The Engineering Economics Of Energy Use And Capital Investment, Janis P. Terpenny, Lawrence L. Ambs, John R. Dixon, Julia L. Sullivan, William G. Sullivan

Janis P. Terpenny

A potential capital investment involving energy use or energy conservation is always in competition with other possible uses of the same available capital. The competition may come from other energy related projects, or from proposals for, say new production equipment. The situation of “Pay Now - Save Later” is common for energy related decision problems. The comparison of competing energy-related projects is often complicated with unequal useful lives and typically includes substantial initial investments and a variety of recurring costs. Methods of comparison that are frequently used include payback period, return on investment (ROI), and net present value. Further, unit …