SKUDAI, 28 November – UTM has this story to tell about the UTM’s Sustainable Energy Management team’s latest engagement with PETRONAS on 27-28 November.

UTM’s experience in turning its campus into a living lab under its Sustainable Campus Initiative (UTM-SCI) has drawn the attention of regional and global organisations.

The UTM Vice Chancellor, Prof Ir Dr Wahid Omar says that “we are creating an environment of the new academia who are committed towards developing home-grown-and-tested innovative technologies, using UTM’s ground as the showcase for our living labs, the staff and students as the inventors, researchers and entrepreneurs. This is the UTM’s defining edge and brand.  This is what draws people across the world to UTM”.

One of the most massive initiatives is the implementation of the UTM Sustainable Energy Management Program (UTM-SEM) that has thus far managed to save UTM a total of RM 5 million in energy bills in less than three years.

The UTM’s initiative was showcased this week during the November 27 launching of the Energy Day by PETRONAS Chemical Group based in Kerteh– in particular PETRONAS Chemicals Olefin-Glycol Derivatives (PC OGD).

At the request of PETRONAS, UTM set up a booth to showcase the UTM-SEM program.  UTM also interactively shared its journey in “Sustaining the Energy Conservation Culture” via its innovative best practices in its living labs.  The sharing session was delivered to more than 200 PETRONAS personnel from PCOGD as well as PETRONAS OPUs from the East Coast Region of Malaysia.

Present at the Energy Day event was the PCOGD CEO, En Mohd Yusri Mohd Yusof, the PCOGD top management, representatives of the Malaysia Green Technolgy Corporation and PETRONAS Group technology Solution (GTS), PCOGD staff and representatives of PETRONAS OPUs from the East Coast Region and other company representatives. UTM was represented by a multi-disciplinary team comprising of academic and non-academic staff that includes researchers, facility managers, engineers – Prof Dr Zainuddin Abdul Manan, Engr Masilah Bandi, Engr Zulhairi Jaafar, and Dr Kamaruddin Abdul Hamid.

In order to translate the UTM-PETRONAS engagement into action, UTM and PCOGD hold a special meeting on November 28 at PCOGD’s office with the PETRONAS to discuss R & D collaboration as well as co-operative efforts in implementing SEM.

Among the understanding reached include providing human resources, and initiating R & D co-operation in Energy Optimisation projects, co-operation in the establishment of SEM system for PETRONAS operations, including the setting up of ISO 50001; Provision of UTM’s training modules for PETRONAS to consider adapting in their skill development programs; PETRONAS staff to enroll in UTM’s postgraduate programs such as MSc Process Plant Management, MSc Energy Management, MSc Safety, Health and Environment and PhD Industry.

Facts about UTM as a Regional Centre for Sustainable Energy Management

• UTM is the only organisation regionally, with 30 Certified Energy Managers (CEM).  The CEMs comprising of academicians and non-academicians are now undergoing 2^nd Certification – conversion to the Registered Electrical Energy Manager (REEM) under the Energy Commission.
• UTM is the first organization to be awarded the 1^st EMGS (Energy Management Gold Standard) AEMAS (ASEAN Energy Management Accreditation Scheme – Equivalent of ISO50001) at Greentech Energy Seminar in 19 July 2011U – This was secured after the AEMAS 1 STAR Audit on UTM Energy management systems on 5-6 July, 2011.
• UTM was the winner of ASEAN Energy Award 2012 – Large Building Category (UTM competed with multi-nationals such as Toyota, Samsung, Hyundai, Sheraton hotels and many more industries and conglomerates to secure the first place.
• UTM is the first organization in ASEAN awarded 2^nd STAR EMGS at AEMAS Energy Conference 29 January 2013.  EMGS AEMAS 2nd STAR Audit was conducted on 14-15 January, 2013.
• UTM signed an MOU and MOA with Green Tech Malaysia as the national centre for Certification of Energy Managers for the Southern Region, on cost-sharing basis.  The first batch of Certification Training for 32 participants will be held next week.
• This semester, UTM start to offer a regionally unique MSc Energy Management program that combines Master degree and Energy Manager certification – that builds upon the best practices in Energy Management that starts in UTM campus.
• UTM has been consulted by regional companies overseas and multinationals for advise on setting up Energy Management System and ISO 50001.
• Implementation of the UTM Sustainable Energy Management Program since the middle of 2011 has resulted in savings of RM 5 million to date.