The ARC Manual

Assessment Recommendation Code System for the DOE Industrial Assessment Center Database

Version 9.1
Written by Dr. Michael R. Muller, Donald J. Kasten

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The database resulting from assessments carried out by Universities for the Department of Energy's Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) program contain a list of recommendations involving enhancements in energy efficiency, waste minimization and manufacturing productivity. In order to organize the data in a useful way, a coding system called the Assessment Recommendation Code (ARC) has been developed to list each recommendation.

The list is assembled and is maintained by the Center for Advanced Energy Systems (CAES) at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. The majority of the recommendations for increased energy efficiency come, in some part, from the list presented in the early Department of Commerce Guidebook (EPIC)¹. The recommendations for waste reduction used, in part, a list assembled by Professor Richard J. Jendrucko, Thomas N. Coleman and Todd M. Thomas of the University of Tennessee and their contribution is gratefully acknowledged.

Most recommendations can be collected into groups that focus either on the same system or on the same general strategy for enhancement. Attempts were made to develop a coding scheme which would be consistent along either one of these lines, but neither approach proved satisfactory. The resulting organization of recommendations has been done in an "expert system" fashion. Therefore, the code has been assembled to best collect recommendations which would be considered together by an experienced professional. For example, recommendations for energy savings for air compressors (a system) are grouped. In a similar fashion, recommendations for waste heat recovery (a strategy) are collected together.

A coding system like this will change frequently as new technologies and strategies reach the manufacturing floor. Therefore it is important that the database version being used match the ARC code version.

 The ARC consists of a code as follows: X.YYYY.Z

The first number, "X" is the recommendation type. Examples are 2 for energy savings, 3 for waste reduction, etc. The second four numbers, "YYYY", detail the strategy being employed. The final number, "Z" is the application of the strategy, indicating whether the recommendation impacts the process, the building and grounds, or other application.

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¹Energy Conservation Program Guide For Industry and Commerce; National Bureau of Standards Handbook 115; US. Government Printing Office, Washington, 1974