SMART ITAC UCI was proud to participate in the UCI International Semiconductor Workshop, an applied, hands-on program hosted at UCI’s Calit2 cleanroom facilities. Our team led a training session on building energy efficiency, giving visiting students from Korea hands-on experience with instrumentation, equipment use, and real-world data collection. In addition to the technical programming,...
SMART ITAC UCI had the opportunity to visit Georg Fischer’s Irwindale facility, one of our valued partners and a global leader in innovative and sustainable piping and flow solutions. The site itself was not only highly impressive from an operational standpoint, but also remarkably modern, clean, and thoughtfully designed—a facility that truly reflects...
SMART ITAC UCI had the opportunity to conduct an on-site energy assessment at the DoubleTree by Hilton San Pedro on December 11, 2025. Located near the Port of Los Angeles and overlooking the San Pedro Marina, this waterfront hotel plays an important role in supporting tourism, events, and daily operations along the Southern California...
SMART ITAC UCI had the privilege of conducting an on-site energy assessment at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on November 7th. Touring this world-famous landmark—celebrated for its striking architecture, nearly 100 years of cultural influence, and its role in countless major film premieres—gave our team a unique opportunity to analyze how a...
No-cost Energy Assessments for Manufacturers The Sustainable Manufacturing Alliance for Research and Training Industrial Assessment Center (SMART IAC) is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Industrial Assessment Program. We provide no-cost energy consulting services to manufacturers focusing on energy, waste, and productivity. Assessments are performed by teams of engineering faculty and students. We...
On Tuesday April 15th UCI’s SMART ITAC team had the amazing opportunity to visit Panasonic Avionics, a global company that develops innovative solutions for the aviation industry. During our visit, Panasonic showcased their cutting-edge technologies, reflecting a long-standing commitment to making a positive impact on society and the planet. As a global leader in...
Welcoming Kern County to the SMART IAC Family! On Saturday, January 11th, UCI’s SMART IAC team had the pleasure of hosting and training Kern County College’s new branch of the SMART IAC program right here on campus. This hands-on event featured UCI students leading instructional presentations, guiding facility tours, and simulating a full energy...
April 29, 2025 From heat pump adoption to clean hydrogen to net zero energy accessory dwelling units, the CalPlug/ITAC Earth Day workshop ran the gamut of energy efficiency solutions. The April 22 event grabbed the interest of 60 plus registrants with interactions between the speakers and audience members. Sarah Outcault is the market transformation research...
Nov. 5, 2024 The UC Irvine SMART Industrial Training and Assessment Center has been busy this year. Here are a few noteworthy updates: Kern Community College District ITAC Training The Department of Energy ITAC program is expanding! The Kern Community College District was awarded a DOE grant for establishing a new ITAC in Central...
October 31, 2024 October brought the 24th installment of the semiannual CalPlug Workshop. The morning kicked off with CALIT2 technical professionals from the California Plug Load Research Center and the SMART Industrial Assessment Center giving the workshop attendees an update on the progress they have made since last spring’s meeting. They were followed by...
May 6, 2024 A small, but loyal group of semiannual CalPlug workshop attendees celebrated Earth Day at CALIT2 in April. They engaged with experts in innovative sustainable technologies. Morning sessions featured CalPlug research and projects, as well as a presentation from Walter W. Haase, general manager of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority. In 2008,...
On Tuesday April 2nd UCI’s Smart IAC team had the opportunity to visit Delicias de Michoacan. Delicias de Michoacan manufactures Mexican style frozen fruit bars and offers over 25 flavors. Excited to have our UCI Smart IAC team partnering with their amazing company to conduct an energy assessment, allowing our students to learn and...
CalPlug Workshop Focuses on Batteries Nov. 6, 2023 On Oct. 24, CalPlug hosted their semi-annual workshop at CALIT2. The event focused on batteries as a device, as a plug load, and as storage in relation to energy efficiency and renewable energy. The CalPlug workshop series was launched in 2011 with the goal to maximize...
SMART ITAC Summer Interns Showcase Innovative Research Sept. 13, 2023 SMART ITAC (Industrial Training and Assessment Center) summer interns, John Pham, chemical engineering major and Daniela Ruiz, mechanical engineering, PhD student, presented findings from their research projects at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Intern Symposium on July 31 in Golden, Colorado. Pham’s research...
On Apr. 17, CalPlug hosted their 21st semi-annual workshop at CALIT2. The event focused on the centers commitment “to find applicable technology solutions to address the climate crisis via decarbonization for our one planet and all its inhabitants.” The CalPlug workshop series was launched in 2011 with the goal to maximize communication of the...
April 8, 2023 Earlier this year, members of UCI’s SMART Industrial Assessment Center (SMART ITAC) visited PARPRO Technologies, Inc. (PTI) to assess opportunities related to energy conservation, waste reduction, and productivity enhancements. Since 1981, PARPRO Technologies (formerly Cal Quality Electronics) has been a leader in the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry serving OEM customers...
Jan. 23, 2023 James Russell, director of Energy Transition Practice with CLEAResult, spoke with students at the first ITAC Chats session held on Jan. 18 at CALIT2. Russell discussed his role at CLEAResult– the largest provider of energy efficiency, transition and decarbonization solutions in North America, and presented an overview of how government policies,...
Five UCI undergraduates and one master’s degree student were recognized for completing the 2022 CALIT2 Summer Student Research program, Sept. 30. This CALIT2 project was a pilot program, designed to match talented students with the needs of partnering companies. The students concluded the summer program by sharing presentations that examined their work. Farhan Saeed,...
UCI’s SMART Industrial Training and Assessment Center (ITAC) was recently awarded $25,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office, in the Eighth Annual ITAC Awards for Excellence in Applied Energy Engineering Research competition. The goal of the award effort is to create funding for undergraduate and graduate students to pursue energy assessment-inspired...
The United States’ manufacturing sector is massive – accounting for 12% of the nation’s economy, employing nearly 13 million people (8% of the workforce) and generating 57% of U.S. exports. It also consumes about one-third of all energy produced in the U.S. – a high cost financially as well as environmentally. Industries are facing...
(Irvine, CA) UC Irvine will receive nearly $2.25 million of a $60 million investment by the U.S. Department of Energy to assist small- and medium-sized manufacturers in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and lowering energy costs, while training the next generation of energy-efficiency workers. UCI is one of 32 universities nationwide selected to become...