Showing 18 results for Author: Alex M. Botts
Aug, 2026
Journal
Successful resource management systems require current and detailed feedback on operational and corporate-level performance. As corporate accountability concerns intensify, the precision and reliability of these performance metrics have become crucial. Traditional savings estimation methods can be difficult to understand, particularly linear regression, and can provide var…
Mar, 2026
Conference Paper
The recently released Circularity Gap Report 2023 by Circle Economy Foundation found that the circularity score for the global economy is declining. This indicates that material extraction from virgin sources is climbing over earlier years. As per data released by US Geological Survey, material use in the US economy has increased exponentially with the expanding US economy…
Dec, 2025
Journal
This study examines the effectiveness of the US Department of Energy’s Better Plants Program Bootcamps, which are designed to enhance participants’ technical skills in improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions in manufacturing facilities. Through the analysis of survey data collected from 529 participants across 9 bootcamps, the research investigates the motivatio…
Oct, 2025
Journal
While industrial emissions research has historically focused on energy-intensive sectors like steel, cement, and chemicals, this study addresses a critical gap by examining barriers across all the manufacturing industry in the U.S. Sectors like food processing, retail, plastics, and transportation face unique challenges distinct from heavy industry, operating on thin margi…
Jun, 2025
Journal
The recently released Circularity Gap Report 2023 by the Circle Economy Foundation states that the circularity score for the global economy is declining. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tracked municipal solid waste from 1960 to 2018 and found that 50% of the waste was destined for landfills. EPA estimates that US industry is responsible for 2.7 Gt of solid no…
Mar, 2025
Journal
The increasing global demand for energy underscores the importance of energy efficiency and sustainability. To address these challenges in the US manufacturing sector, the US Department of Energy has implemented the Better Plants and Better Climate Challenge programs. These initiatives aim to reduce energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and water usage in industria…
Feb, 2025
Journal
Standards and practices around compressed air systems are evolving as previous golden rules become outdated and unhelpful. One of the most referenced guidelines gives us the perfect example: The previous rule of thumb for compressed air storage – 1-3 gal/cfm1,2 – is now accepted to be 3-5 gal/cfm. This change in recommended storage is only one of many in the industry, resu…
Sep, 2024
Journal
The US manufacturing sector faces critical challenges: improving sustainability, reducing energy consumption, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Energy Treasure Hunt (ETH) training, a service provided by the US Department of Energy’s Better Plants program, offers a compelling solution. Although ETHs have traditionally focused on energy and cost savings, data indicate t…
May, 2024
Journal
This paper highlights the importance of improving compressed air systems, outlines the tool’s development and features, and underscores its value as a nonbiased resource for system evaluation and optimization. Additionally, the paper presents a case study based on a food manufacturing facility to demonstrate the practical application of the tool. Furthermore, the paper dis…
May, 2024
ORNL Report
The report includes resources that were developed for the FEMP treasure hunt program
Dec, 2023
Journal
Most industrial compressed air systems (CASs) use multicompressor systems to supply air in a common header to be distributed to end users. Screw compressors are reliable and relatively less maintenance-intensive and thus are widely popular. However, CASs with high flow requirements invariably employ centrifugal compressors because of economic power consumption characterist…