Bruce Applegate Archives - Oak Ridge Today

ORNL, City of Oak Ridge partner on sensor project to capture city trends

Posted at 5:30 pm October 30, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

UrbanSense passively collects anonymous, open-source data from cellular towers to generate real-time estimates of population density in cities. Insights on how people interact with urban infrastructure helps cities like Oak Ridge, above, assess their needs and plan effectively for future development. (Image by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy)

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are partnering with the City of Oak Ridge to develop UrbanSense, a comprehensive sensor network and real-time visualization platform that helps cities evaluate trends in urban activity.

The project, initiated by ORNL’s Urban Dynamics Institute, centers on addressing cities’ real-world challenges through applied urban science. Oak Ridge is the first city to test the new technology, which uses open-source, anonymous data from virtual and physical sensors.

“Preparing for urban growth and planning for future infrastructure development and resource demands are global problems, but cities need ways to be proactive on a local level,” said UDI Director Budhendra Bhaduri. “Our goal in bringing science to cities is to put the right tools and resources in the hands of city managers and urban planners so that they can assess local impacts and make strategic decisions to get the best return on future investments.”

UDI researchers Teja Kuruganti and Gautam Thakur from ORNL’s Computer Science and Engineering Division are collaborating with Oak Ridge Director of Administrative Services Bruce Applegate on the design and deployment of UrbanSense.

The prototype designed for Oak Ridge monitors population density, traffic flow, and environmental data including air and water quality, with a total of seven sensors to be installed in the city. “The longer they are in place and the more data they collect, the better the city’s sense of its trends will be,” Thakur said. [Read more…]

Applegate named Oak Ridge director of administrative services

Posted at 1:20 pm June 13, 2017
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Bruce Applegate

Bruce Applegate, who had been interim personnel director, has been named director of administrative services for the City of Oak Ridge, a press release said.

Applegate is a former assistant to the city manager. He had been leading the Personnel Department after the retirement of long-time Personnel Director Penelope Sissom in the summer of 2016, the press release said. Applegate was named interim department director while the city launched its search for a new personnel director.

Applegate has been selected to fill that position, although Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said he chose to “re-title and re-tool the position” as director of administrative services. That decision came after careful consideration of the future of the position and how it can best serve the needs of all departments, the press release said. The new position will continue to oversee all Human Resources processes and personnel, but will also focus on strategic projects that have major impacts on the city. [Read more…]

MORE2 provides much-needed home energy improvements to Oak Ridge home

Posted at 12:41 pm May 10, 2017
By Annie Cacheiro Leave a Comment

Submitted

Oak Ridge resident Peggy Brummett is just one of many happy participants in the MORE2 Program offered in our community and she urges others to apply.

“I would highly recommend this to anyone!” Brummett said in a recent interview. “I don’t understand why there aren’t a whole lot more Oak Ridgers applying. It’s made a huge difference in our home.”

Brummett applied for the MORE2 program, hoping it would help with her utility bills and, more importantly, with her peace of mind.

“I can now sleep better knowing I can rely on our heat or air conditioning and knowing it won’t cost us so much in the future,” Brummett said. “And as a bonus, there is less dust in our house.”

She suspected her old heating, ventilation, and air conditioner (HVAC) wasn’t working effectively, and her utility bills were proof she was correct. Her home was losing a great deal of costly energy due to air leakage, inadequate insulation, and the poorly working HVAC unit.

At no cost, the MORE2 Program provided a new HVAC unit, new insulated ductwork, and performed air sealing throughout the home. Brummett is recently retired from a large retail establishment in Oak Ridge, where she worked in customer service. Having worked in customer service, she knows good service when she sees it and commented on the program. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge home owner shares energy efficiency success story

Posted at 11:33 pm March 18, 2017
By Annie Cacheiro Leave a Comment

“I have won the lottery!” That is an emotional response from one Oak Ridge homeowner who recently received a Make Oak Ridge Energy Efficient, or MORE2, home energy makeover.

Ronald Jackson, an Oak Ridge resident for nearly 50 years, said he “could not believe my luck in finding this program.” Jackson, who has lived in his home for 10 years, learned about the MORE2 program from a poster while visiting the Oak Ridge Library and decided it was worth a try to apply. His application was approved, and in recent months, his home has received a new HVAC unit as well as new duct work and insulation—all at no cost to Jackson.

“This program is so wonderful I want to tell everyone about it!” Jackson said in a press release.

The program responsible for his enthusiasm is called MORE2, and it is helping Oak Ridgers lower their home energy use and their electric bills, the press release said. [Read more…]

A MORE2 success story, providing free energy-efficiency upgrades

Posted at 11:18 pm January 22, 2017
By Annie Cacheiro Leave a Comment

Before and after photos of Lacey’s attic insulation (see other photo below).

As winter sets in, Make Oak Ridge Energy Efficient, or MORE2, is helping Oak Ridgers lower their home energy use and their electric bills.

Mary Kate Lacey, a retired licensed practical nurse, rents an Oak Ridge home that she hopes to someday own. After taking part in MORE2, she said her home is more comfortable now than in the last five years and that her electric bill is reflecting energy savings.

“My heat pump just doesn’t run all the time now like it used to,” she explained. “And my utility bill is already a little lower than in earlier years.” [Read more…]

Council to discuss city marketing, eighth rowing lane, housing, Main Street

Posted at 11:38 am July 16, 2016
By John Huotari 8 Comments

Officials and referees monitor races on the seven-lane rowing course at the 2016 SIRA Championship Regatta in Oak Ridge on Sunday, April 17, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday will discuss city marketing, the potential eighth lane at the rowing course, housing, and Main Street Oak Ridge.

The issues will be discussed during a non-voting work session of the Oak Ridge City Council at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 19, in the Multipurpose Room of the Central Services Complex on Woodbury Lane, which is behind the Kmart shopping center.

There are other agenda items that could also be discussed: pending U.S. Department of Energy projects and public comment requests, and updates on the Oak Ridge Senior Center and Friendship Bell.

The report on visitation marketing will be presented by Marc DeRose, executive director of Explore Oak Ridge (the Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau). [Read more…]

Longest-serving city employee, first female personnel director in Tennessee to retire Friday

Posted at 5:32 pm July 12, 2016
By John Huotari 4 Comments

Penelope “Penny” Sissom (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

Penelope “Penny” Sissom, the longest-serving city employee and the first female personnel director in Tennessee, will retire Friday. Sissom is Oak Ridge’s personnel director, and she has worked for the city for 52 years.

On June 8, 1964, Sissom accepted a job as a personnel clerk and embarked on a career-long journey with the City of Oak Ridge as a community activist and a devoted employee, a press release said.

During her time with the city, Sissom helped organize the schools’ Student-in-Government Day. She played a significant role during the successful campaign for a new public library and community recreation center.

Sissom’s unadulterated passion for community engagement and leadership skills accelerated her career, the press release said. She was promoted from human resources manager, to personnel administrator, to personnel director, the position she holds today. [Read more…]