Audit Staff

The audit staff at IZ Systems is easily the most experienced in the compressed air and vacuum industry having fully analyzed several thousand compressed air and vacuum systems. It is our goal to provide a comprehensive analysis of each compressed air system and then provide a set of alternative solutions to the client. We then assist in evaluating those alternatives to select that which best suits the clients needs financially and operationally. We clearly define the existing air demand, power requirements, and energy costs which allows us to accurately project the same after completing the recommended upgrades. We believe that in order to be valid, an audit must record the performance of the system to allow independent verification if necessary, particularly in the case of utility incentives and rebates.

The most distinct advantage of the IZ Systems audit method is our in depth analysis of the demand or process side of a system, a thorough examination of the pneumatic production and process applications in the facility. The unique requirements on the production floor determines the operational limitations of the supply side of air and vacuum systems, so our method includes designing specific solutions to these production applications to provide the flexibility required to dramatically improve the system’s efficiency. We then provide a complete analysis of the compressed air supply equipment including cooling water, towers, chillers, condensate drain systems, so we can accurately match the supply system to the reconfigured plant air demand.

Defining the costs of the recommended modifications allows us to provide a preliminary return on investment for evaluating the viability of a system upgrade project. We discuss upgrade alternatives during the audit process so that the clients’ requirements are clearly defined and the most appropriate alternative is developed. We offer services to assist with the implementation of the recommendations including system startup and savings verification for both compressed air and vacuum systems. Because of the thoroughness of our methods, iZ guarantees the return on investment based on our work through full turn-key implementation if desired by the client.

iZ Systems has designed and installed hundreds of compressed air and industrial automation systems which gives us the practical experience of actually making a system run as intended. This experience has strongly influenced our audit and design methods which tend to be very practical and maximize the ROI and provide long term retention of energy savings for the client.

As a result of our extensive experience in auditing and engineering air systems, we provide complete design services for new systems and green field sites including specifications, CAD design, P&ID, bid packages, as well as startup assistance. We also write programming for PLC automation to control virtually any combination of compressor and process requirement.

We will be pleased to provide samples of our work for any industry category, technical articles concerning compressed air, and/or references upon request.

Please see below for a biographical summary of our staff.

Dean Smith - Senior Systems Auditor - Atlanta, GA

dsmith@izsystems.com
(404)307-6836

Dean has experience in a variety of aerospace and tests systems with a variety of temperature, flow, and pressure requirements. He has additional broad experience in plastics blow molding, mining, and heavy industry facilities and specializes in complex multiple pressure or multiple station compressed air systems. Because he has been the principal in organizations which design and install automation systems, he has the practical experience of starting up hundreds of automation systems in compressed air and vacuum applications.

  1. Over 30 years experience as a consultant in compressed air and gas system analysis; conducting complete audits on over 1,000 industrial air and vacuum systems in a variety of industries.
  2. Member of the Core Technical Group which was responsible for writing the training materials for the US DOE Compressed Air Challenge.
  3. Founding member of the Compressed Air Efficiency Council created by industry consultants to promote more efficient use of compressed air in industry.
  4. Written and published multiple articles on compressed air subjects in national industrial publications.
  5. Developed and received patents on compressed air pressure/flow controller.
  6. General Manager of private compressed air distributorship.
  7. Five years experience in industrial process equipment analysis; including chemical, pulp and paper, plastics, and environmental equipment.
  8. Frequent presenter of seminars for the Association of Facilities Engineers, US Department of Energy and others on compressed air topics at national and regional meetings including the Compressed Air Challenge. Training style tends to be low key, interactive approach with questions and problem solving exercises aimed at providing the attendee skills and knowledge which can be applied immediately at their plant.
Dan Bott, MBA - Senior Systems Auditor

dbott@izsystems.com
(251) 609-1429

  1. Twenty years experience in compressed air and vacuum system analysis.
  2. Conducted audits on over 400 industrial compressed air and vacuum systems in a variety of industries.
  3. Author of Industrial Vacuum 101 which is considered the primary technical reference work in industrial vacuum system technology.
  4. Director of Marketing and Systems Technology for major vacuum manufacturer. Developed multiple vacuum pump offerings and associated technology and systems engineering.
  5. Director of Marketing for major compressor manufacturer for vacuum products including inlet filtration and separation, pumps, and systems design.
  6. Expert in vacuum system design and operation.
  7. Vacuum technology training and system optimization seminars.
Jan Zuercher, PE - Senior Systems Auditor

jzuercher@izsystems.com
(251)533-1723

  1. Over thirty four years of compressed air and vacuum industry design and auditing experience.
  2. Licensed Professional Engineer.
  3. Conducted compressed air audits over a wide cross section of industries including chemical, electronics, aerospace, pulp and paper, machining and assembly, rubber products, vinyl products, plastics packaging, sand casting foundry, medical products, ceramic tile and consumer products.
  4. Department of Energy Air Master + Certified Auditor.
  5. Department of Energy Certified Compressed Air Challenge Instructor.
  6. Held Engineering Director and Management positions for several major compressor manufacturers developing industry leading and award winning compressor and vacuum products.
  7. Awarded multiple patents for energy efficient compressor control systems and methods to evaluate air systems.
  8. Authored articles published in trade magazines on compressed air energy savings opportunities.
  9. Conducted numerous compressor technology training and system optimization seminars.
Robert Laine - Senior Systems Auditor

blaine@izsystems.com
(706)288-8900

  1. Twenty five years auditing and analyzing compressed air and vacuum systems.
  2. Conducted audits on over 600 industrial compressed air and vacuum systems in a variety of industries.
  3. Lead consultant for major compressor manufacturer for 5 years
  4. Over twenty years experience working with industrial process equipment analysis; including chemical, pulp and paper, plastics, and environmental equipment.
  5. Frequent presenter of seminars for the Association of Facilities Engineers, US Department of Energy on compressed air topics at national and regional meetings.
Alton Stokes - Senior Systems Auditor

astokes@izsystems.com
(251)490-4981

  1. Twenty years auditing and analyzing compressed air and gas systems.
  2. Conducted audits on over 300 plant compressed air systems in a variety of industries.
  3. Twenty years experience owning and operating an air compressor distributorship covering the Southeastern United States.
  4. Presented multiple seminars energy providers, Association of Facilities Engineers, US Department of Energy and others on compressed air topics at both national and regional meetings.
  5. U.S. Department of Energy Qualified AIRMaster+ Specialist
Jim Morgan - Senior Systems Auditor

jmorgan@izsystems.com
(925)953-3839

  1. Fifteen years experience as a consultant in compressed air and gas system analysis.
  2. Conducted audits on over 300 plant compressed air systems in a variety of industries.
  3. Fifteen years experience owning and operating a compressor distributorship with more than 40 employees.
  4. Presented multiple seminars on compressed air topics at regional meetings.
  5. AirMaster+ certified auditor and trainer
  6. Active member in the local chapter of the Association of Facilities Engineers (AFE)
Jeff Dal Porto - Senior Systems Auditor

jdalporto@izsystems.com
(904)557-5989

  1. Twenty eight years of compressed air application experience. Former owner and sales manager of compressor distributorship.
  2. Regional Sales Manager for large US manufacturer of pneumatic equipment.
  3. Regional Sales Manager for a division of a large US compressor manufacturer.
  4. Presented multiple compressed air and compressed air treatment seminars geared towards increasing overall system efficiency and reliability. Interactive approach to problem solving existing compressed air system with an overall effort to broaden compressed air system knowledge of attendees.
  5. U.S. Department of Energy Qualified AIRMaster+ Specialist.
  6. Twenty + years experience analyzing and auditing compressed air and gas systems.