UTech, Jamaica and the PCJ Partner to Provide Energy Audit Training for Public Sector Facilities Managers

Affixing their signatures to the Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Technology, Jamaica and  The Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) from left, are Ms. Jody Grizzle, Project Manager, Energy Efficiency and Conservation, PCJ, Mr. Robert Clarke, Group General Manager (Acting), PCJ, Professor Stephen Vasciannie, President, UTech, Jamaica and Dr. Therese Chambers, Head, School of Engineering.

 

The University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech, Ja.) and The Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide energy audit training for some 100 public sector facilities managers through the PCJ's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programme (EECP).  The MoU agreement was formally signed on September 12, 2018 by President, UTech, Jamaica, Professor Stephen Vasciannie and Mr. Robert Clarke, Group General Manager (Acting), PCJ at a ceremony held at the university's Papine Campus.

Through this special training project, the PCJ aims to facilitate the development of critical technical skills which will support the Corporation's thrust to lower the public sector's energy consumption at Government of Jamaica facilities.

Training will be delivered by a team of UTech, Jamaica experts in its School of Engineering.  These will be delivered through three-day workshops.  The first workshop was held in July, with others scheduled for September 19-21 and October 31 to November 2, 2018. 

Participants will benefit from practical, hands-on training in areas including the Value of Energy Management, the Principles of Energy Management, Components of an Energy Audit, Energy Planning and Preparing Energy Management Reports.  Participants will also be required to conduct a walk through energy audit of an assigned area which will equip them to identify Energy Saving Opportunities (ESO), conduct analyses and make recommendations.

Following the workshops, the participating entity that achieves the highest level of savings by implementing efficiency measures can win $500,000 worth of energy efficient lighting and equipment.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Robert Clarke, Acting Group General Manager, PCJ said, "in addition to our ongoing energy intervention projects, PCJ, through the EECP is actively working to develop the necessary technical skills and increase capacity building within the Public Sector that will enable the government to drive down its energy costs and tangibly demonstrate the impact of effective efficiency and conservation measures.  We believe that this training will empower participants to play a role in that effort as the Government takes the lead in energy efficiency and conservation."

Professor Stephen Vasciannie in his remarks thanked all persons within the Faculty of Engineering and Computing and the PCJ who are lending their expertise to the programme to ensure the realization of the objectives and outcomes of this partnership.

The President noted that "the University of Technology, Jamaica and the Petroleum Cooperation of Jamaica have enjoyed a very productive and long-standing partnership on initiatives aimed at capacity building in engineering education, scholarship and research.  This new partnership, together with the forerunner partnerships forged between our two institutions will undoubtedly serve our country well."

President Vasciannie pointed to the success of some of these previous partnerships with the PCJ including a scholarship programme established in March 2017 whereby the PCJ provided $1M in grant funding for the execution of research projects by UTech, Jamaica students under the guidance of faculty members from the School of Engineering.  The PCJ at that time also established an annual Renewable Energy Scholarship valued at approximately $4M which has since been awarded to engineering student, Mr. Shanroy Dennis who is pursuing the Master of Science degree in Renewable Energy Engineering.

Professor Vasciannie also mentioned the university’s recent partnership with the PCJ this past summer on an Internship Programme with three batches of about 650 young persons from various communities across Jamaica.  The interns had the opportunity to live on the Halls of Residences on the Papine Campus, benefitting from exposure to life in a university setting, while pursuing training in Pre-University courses which included Engineering and Computing, Management Principles and Life Skills.

Project Lead, Dr. Therese Chambers, Head, School of Engineering who chaired the signing ceremony, acknowledged the team of trainers on the project from the School – Dr. Paul Campbell, Mr. Kirkland Rowe and Mr. Noel Sinclair.   Dr. Chambers noted that the project will help to increase the awareness of energy use, conservation and conducting energy audits among the participating public sector facilities managers.

Partners from UTech, Jamaica and the PCJ pose for a group photograph following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between both institutions. (L-R), Mr. Kirkland Rowe, Senior Lecturer, School of Engineering, Professor Felix Akinladejo, Associate Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Computing,  Ms. Jody Grizzle, Project Manager, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programme, PCJ, Mr. Robert Clarke, Group General Manager(Acting), PCJ, Professor Stephen Vasciannie, President, UTech, Jamaica, Dr. Therese Chambers, Head, School of Engineering and Project Lead, Professor Nilza Aples, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Computing, Mr. Martin Henry, Manager, Operations and Projects, School of Graduate Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship (SGSRE) and Dr. Paul Ivey, Associate Professor, SGSRE.

End.

Contact:
Michelle Beckford (Mrs.)
Corporate Communications Manager
University of Technology, Jamaica
Telephone: 970-5299
Email: mbeckford@utech.edu.jm