Back in the 1980s, when I was a computer science student, I was taught that a good systems designer would design him- or herself out of the system. This meant that the system worked, it was well documented, operators were well trained, and the system could be maintained. The system designer, like a house builder, could close the door on a project with a clear conscience and whistle while walking away, content with a job well done.rnIn the world of energy efficiency, there's a word for that: persistence. Persistence is the ability of an energy conservation measure (ECM) to last-for the energy, financial, and carbon savings to accrue over time, as planned. In the parlance of systems engineering, energy engineers will round off an ECM project with persistence measures with performance benchmarks, documentation, and training.
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