The value of attending the World Energy Engineering Congress (WEEC) in Atlanta, GA from September 27-29, is clear – it is the largest energy conference and technical expo held in the U.S. specifically for business, industrial, and institutional energy users. However, with so many tracks to choose from, it can be difficult to know which sessions to dedicate one’s time to.

Better Plants partners and other industrial energy users can look forward to a dedicated track within WEEC focused on expanding and exchanging knowledge on energy efficiency, facility optimization, and sustainability related to industrial energy management. A major value of the Better Plants program is that it convenes a community of industrial leaders committed to boosting their competitiveness through energy intensity reductions. Throughout the three day conference and expo, the Better Plants program team will facilitate conference sessions, host events, and showcase tools and early-stage R&D projects. Through these activities, attendees will hear from DOE leaders, national laboratory experts, and industrial peers about technical partnership opportunities and innovative approaches to energy management.  

The Better Plants track offers four key opportunities for learning and growth at this year’s WEEC:

1. Solutions –Through case studies, lessons learned, and best practices, partners can provide valuable insight into which energy management solutions work and mistakes to avoid. Better Plants track sessions will address challenges such as meeting workforce needs, implementing energy management systems, driving innovation, and strategies for ensuring resiliency and energy security.
2. Tools – While replicable solutions provide the blueprint for partners to improve energy efficiency, they need to be equipped with the right tools to help them succeed. A variety of tools and demonstrations will be on display at the Better Plants booth (#649) including the 50001 Ready Navigator, Plant Water Profiler Tool, and a compressed air system demo and combustion technology demo. Technology managers will be on site to answer questions about the tools and help partners identify how tools can be used to meet their specific needs.
3. People – One of the benefits of large, national conferences like WEEC is the opportunity to network with other Better Plants partners that could yield new solutions. Partners and stakeholders also have the opportunity to provide feedback to help shape the program’s direction.
4. Recognition – Throughout WEEC, Better Plants will recognize achievements of individual partners who have met or exceeded their program goals in an awards ceremony.

The 2017 Better Plants Progress Update, which will highlight the recent program developments and the collective achievements of all partners, will also be distributed to participants and will be available for download after the conference.

While Better Plants partners have year-round access to resources in the Better Buildings Solution Center, events like WEEC serve as a reminder that Better Plants partners aren’t just working toward their own energy efficiency goals, they are part of the Advanced Manufacturing Office’s larger mission to work with public- and private-sector partners to drive competitiveness and foster innovation within the entire U.S. manufacturing sector.

Check out the Better Plants track agenda and plan your WEEC experience today.