Fast-Tracking with 3D CAD

When officials at Wyckoff Inc., a chemical manufacturer with facilities in South Haven, Mich., wanted to expand production capacity by building an additional 18,000-square-foot plant, they challenged the project team to design, build and commission the new facility in nine months. The result was a fast-track project with design and construction efforts running in parallel.

Building Corporate Backbone

When the owners of ING Investment Products Group decided to build a new headquarters in West Chester, Pa., cabling infrastructure was a big concern. Recognizing the fast pace of technological developments and how difficult it is to avoid rapid obsolescence, they wanted a voice and data infrastructure that gave them not only reliable performance, but also longevity.

Clean Lamps = Big Savings

The results are in. Commercial building owners in the United States could save between $2.7 and $3.6 billion dollars per year by simply cleaning fixtures on a regular basis, according to a federally-funded four-year building-lighting study conducted by the InterNational Association of Lighting Management Companies (NALMCO), Des Moines, Iowa.

Taking Lighting to Extremes

Die-casting plants are hot, dirty environments that require frequent cleaning with high-power water jets to produce quality castings. The combination can take its toll on lighting systems. At the Abeco die-casting plant in Lewisburg, Tenn., low-bay luminaires were not tolerating the harsh and demanding environment and could not withstand the heavy cleaning-water spray without breach or ingress.

The Need for Steam

As is the case with many health-care institutions, Kaiser Hospital in Sunnyside, Ore., periodically requires large amounts of steam for heating and sterilization. However, in the past, the difficulty was that one boiler was not sufficient to handle the sudden load swing. "In the wintertime, our two 300-hp fire-tube boilers would not hold the load, so we'd have to run our 500-hp boiler with a 30...

Best of the Web – Editor’s Pix – 1970-01-01

Valuable Internet resources for engineers.EPA Upgrade Analysis Softwarehttp://yosemite1.epa.gov/estar/business.nsf/content/multiarea_tools_softwaretools_main.htmA variety of analysis tools assess the feasibility of variable-air-volume, chiller and lighting upgrades.Library of Continuing Education Courseswww.

New products literature

Magnetic-drive pumps are specifically designed to handle difficult fluids such as corrosives, pollutants, ultrapure liquids and toxics. This seamless pump can handle flows up to 1,500 gpm at 2,900 rpm and 1,760 gpm at 3,500 rpm. (Model ICM by Goulds Pumps) Circle 1 Structured cabling system doubles the bandwidth of the proposed category-6 standard, tested to perform at up to 400 MHz.

Software Helps Tidy Up Clean Rooms

Concern over cross-contamination between different cleanliness classes within a clean-room garment-changing area led an in-house engineering team at the Belgium facilities of Alcon Laboratories, a pharmaceutical company based in Ft. Worth, Texas, to carry out a design study simulating air movement, heat transfer and distribution of contaminants through the rooms.

Log On For Lamp Recycling

Engineers and lighting designers can now access useful information on fluorescent and high-intensity-discharge lamp recycling at a new Web site—www.lamprecycle.org—sponsored by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, Rosslyn, Va. The Web site includes information about federal and state regulatory lamp management requirements, state regulatory contacts, a list of compan...

ARI Sees Flaws in DOE’s Energy-Efficiency Plan

If the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) fails to reconsider its decision to mandate a 30-percent energy-efficiency increase for central air conditioners and heat pumps, 84 percent of all central air conditioners and 86 percent of all heat- pump models on the market will be rendered obsolete, according to Ed Dooley, director of communications for the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute ...

Superconductivity Gains Some Super Backing

The U.S. Dept. of Energy is betting that high-temperature superconductors have reached technical maturity with recently announced $51.8 million in funding for five projects involving superconducting cables and fault current limiters. Funding for the “Modern Grid Initiative” will be matched by participating research-team members, making the projects' total cost $103.

California Enacts Renewables Tracking System

Renewable-energy portfolio standards, which require utilities to ensure targeted percentages of their overall electricity sales come from renewable resources, are becoming the law in many states. California has mandated that 20% of electricity sales in the state meet this standard, and regulators recently launched a system to register and track acceptable resources in the larger Western Interco...

Solar Researchers Concentrating Their Efforts

As any child who's played with mirrors and magnifying lenses outdoors knows, such simple devices, when paired with sunlight, can generate significant energy. Researchers currently are looking at new ways to adapt similar principles to improving solar-energy production. Resulting products are showing promise in both improving photovoltaics' performance and reducing overall system costs.

A Mighty Wind is Pushing U.S. Renewable Energy Success

The United States is expected to be home to an anticipated 49,000 MW of installed wind-power capacity by 2015, making it the world's largest wind-power producer, according to a recent report. Developers are expected to invest more than $65 billion between 2007 and 2015 in wind-power facilities, researchers say.

Healthcare facilities go green, combat energy waste

The Green Patient Room, a healthcare exhibit using ecologically friendly design and materials and designed to show just how green hospital facilities can go, will be featured at the International Facility Management Assn.'s World Workplace 2007 Conference & Expo, Oct. 24 through Oct. 26, in New Orleans.

ARC Awards applications due Oct. 15

There's still time to participate in this year's ARC Awards, CSE's annual competition for top MEP projects of the year. Download the 2007 application for Consulting-Specifying Engineer's ARC Awards at www.csemag.com. This program recognizes the firms and engineers winning or placing in two categories: Most Innovative New Construction Project and Most Innovative Rehab/Reconstruction Project.

In the blogs at csemag.com – 2007-09-01

David Sellers, P.E., senior engineer with the Portland, Ore. office of Facility Dynamics Engineering, and CSE's “A Field Guide for Engineers” blogger, in a new series of postings, shares the results of a retrocommissioning project. “In the course of beginning a retrocommissioning process on a lab facility, I came across a bit of an anomaly and in the course of exploring it, di...

New Power Technologies— But Same Old Transmission Problems

Alternative energy has become a growth industry, with announcements for new wind, solar and geothermal projects an almost daily event. But getting the clean electricity these facilities produce to market poses the same challenge faced by traditional power plants: gaining approval for new transmission lines.

Florida Utility Seeking Nuclear-Plant Approval

Saying it wants to keep its options for meeting future power demand open, Miami-based FPL has begun seeking approval to build a nuclear generating station on its Turkey Point facility near Key Largo, in southeast Miami-Dade County. The approval process could take up to 12 years. FPL currently operates two 1970s-era nuclear generators at Turkey Point, along with two oil-or-gas plants a...

Look Ma, No Wires!

There's something very inefficient in the way we power many of our portable electronic devices, periodically attaching them to adapter-cord tethers so batteries can be recharged and operation can once again become truly “portable.” Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed the basis for a technology that could bring wireless convenience to battery ...

ASHRAE Healthcare Certification

Twenty-nine engineers made up the first group to earn a new certification for healthcare facility design. Developed by ASHRAE in cooperation with the American Society for Healthcare Engineering, these healthcare design professionals earned certification after passing the exam at ASHRAE's 2007 Annual Meeting in Long Beach, Calif.

Economic outlook from AMCA Intl.

The Air Movement and Control Assn. Intl. released a quarterly forecast newsletter for the third quarter of 2007 authored by consulting economist, Hans Zigmund. The industry's principal economic indicators continue to provide mixed results. Housing markets continue to struggle, Zigmund said. According to the U.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2007-09-01

Data center fire protection I just read your article entitled “Data Center Technology Past, Present and Future” (CSE 07/07, p. 38). Very interesting. I am a fire protection engineer with more than 30 years of experience in the field. I hope that I am up-to-date on extinguishing agents. As such, I would like to comment on a paragraph found in your informative article.

ARI chairman’s goal: solve world’s energy issues

Speaking on Aug. 22 to an audience of air conditioning and refrigeration engineers attending the International Congress of Refrigeration in Beijing, Robert Wilkins, president of Danfoss, Inc. and 2007 chairman of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), issued a call to action for the air conditioning and commercial refrigeration industry.

New Products – 2007-09-01

Emergency power system supply testing and reporting system is designed to meet Joint Commission requirements. System provides secure, certified record of all EPSS activities through a single web-based application, and is compatible with other manufacturers' equipment, including legacy switches and generators and existing IT infrastructure.

Washington inspires eWeek

National Engineers Week, scheduled for Feb. 17 to Feb. 23 in Washington, D.C., traces its roots back to 1951. It was founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers and has grown to a coalition of more than 70 engineering societies and more than 50 major corporations and government agencies.

Energy forum: wide range of views

This year's 18th Annual Energy Efficiency Forum, in June at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., co-sponsored by Johnson Controls, Milwaukee, and the U.S. Energy Assn., couldn't have been more timely. Major congressional hearings on energy convened the same day. And the forum followed immediately upon the G-8 Summit's discussions on climate change.

It’s official: Burj Dubai tallest

It was always known that the Burj Dubai skyscraper being built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, would be the world's tallest, but developers have been keeping the final figure under wraps. The figures are finally in. The Burg Dubai has reached 1,680 ft., surpassing Taiwan's Taipei 101, which stands at 1,671 ft.

In the blogs at csemag.com – 2007-08-01

David Sellers, P.E., senior engineer with the Portland, Ore. office of Facility Dynamics Engineering, and CSE's “A Field Guide for Engineers” blogger, has several valuable new postings. Sellers has rapidly followed up a seven-part series on damper tests with several posts, including the following: “Controlling the Environment Requires Understanding the Environment,” foc...

New Products – 2007-08-01

Variable frequency drives feature open communications and an enhanced user interface and display to provide an English-language menu graphical readout. The HVAC energy box, MCT 10 and USB-port interface enhance the accessibility and use of the product. VFDs are available from 1.5 hp through 600 hp at 460 volts AC and 600 volts AC, and 1.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2007-08-01

Engineering shortage On the subject article (05/07), it is similar to an engineering survey I read recently. In that article, it stated that mechanical engineers with 10 years of experience had an average annual salary of $58,000 and the lowest average professional engineering salary in the United States (electrical engineers salary was about $68,000).

Download application for ARC Awards

Download the 2007 application for Consulting-Specifying Engineer's ARC Awards. This program recognizes the firms and engineers winning or placing in two categories: Most Innovative New Construction Project and Most Innovative Rehab/Reconstruction Project. Gold, Silver and Bronze awards will be given in each category.

Last Chance to Vote

This year marks the third annual staging of the Consulting-Specifying Engineer Product of the Year competition, with more finalists than ever. As in the past, CSE convened a panel of consulting engineers as judges to determine the finalists. Our judges decided that 48 entrants deserved to enter the final competition.

Notes from ASHRAE Summer Meeting in Long Beach, Calif.

Energy efficiency and sustainability are central topics at ASHRAE meetings. But with general public concern and awareness of these issues continuing to grow, it is the ASHRAE leadership's goal to be in the forefront on these topics. The topic dominated the ASHRAE annual meeting held in Long Beach, Calif.

EWeek 2008 At-a-Glance

Engineers Week 2008 aims to offer a broad program of outreach and education efforts to encourage more women and other diverse groups to consider engineering careers. EWeek 2008, scheduled for Feb. 17 to Feb. 23 in Washington, D.C., is co-chaired by IBM and the Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA. Throughout the next months, CSE will bring its readers information on Engineers Week 2008 through p...

Oregon: 25% Renewable by 2025?

In June, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed into law a bill creating a renewable energy standard that requires the state's largest utilities to meet 25% of their electric load with new renewable energy sources by 2025. “This bill is the most significant environmental legislation we can enact in more than 30 years that also will stimulate billions of dollars in investment—creating...

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2007-07-01

More on “Engineering Shortage: Employers to Blame?” I was shaking my head up and down saying yes to myself as I was reading your article. Unfortunately, many companies are public and have to work on a quarter-to-quarter basis for “shareholder wealth.” That's no way to run a company properly, but it's the way most businesses are run—even if they're private.

In the Blogs at csemag.com – 2007-07-01

David Sellers, who blogs “A Field Guide For Engineers” posted the first part of a discussion on damper tests at the end of May, and has already posted Part 7B. “I recently had a chance to test the flow vs. damper blade position characteristics for the AHU1 economizer dampers at the Pacific Energy Center (PEC),” Sellers said.

San Diego’s CleanTECH

Mayor Jerry Sanders of San Diego in June announced the official formation of CleanTECH San Diego, a non-profit trade association that is intended to foster and build an energy and environmental technology cluster in the greater San Diego region. The organization will be incubated at CONNECT, a public benefits organization that promotes entrepreneurship in the San Diego region by supporting the ...

Site Highlights…

“How to Address Integration and Interoperability for Campus Mass-Notification Systems,” a CSE live webcast on www.csemag.com. Security-system expert William Sako, executive vice president, RJA, is the instructor for this how-to webcast that is archived on the website and available free-of-charge to all interested users.

Briefly… – 2007-07-01

• Four post-secondary HVAC/R programs have earned national accreditation through the Partnership for Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Accreditation program. These programs include: Mount San Antonio College, Walnut, Calif.; Oakton Community College, Des Plaines, Ill.; Community College of Southern Nevada, Henderson, Nev.

New Products – 2007-07-01

Adjustable speed drives include sensorless and closed loop vector drives, plus three microdrives that offer a cost-effective solution for basic adjustable speed applications. The sensorless and closed-loop vector drives offer removable keypads that provide text information. The microdrive models range from ½ hp to 10 hp (Baldor V*S Drive by Baldor Electric) www.

Energy Efficiency May Offer Florida Big Savings

Florida could save $28 billion—enough to cover this year's entire education and transportation budgets—by using energy efficiency strategies that are available now, says a study released by the Washington, D.C.-based American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The ACEEE study is said to show that using energy efficiency policies alone, such as efficient windows, compa...

New Products – 2007-06-01

TVSS module is now available in a 40mm version that can be easily integrated inside panelboards, cabinets and switchgear equipment. The fuseless design enables direct installation on busbars on the load side of a circuit breaker, eliminating the need to install additional interconnection wires or circuit breakers or fuses.

3-D Solar Cells Boost Efficiency, Reduce Size

A type of 3-D solar cell that captures nearly all of the light that strikes it could boost the efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) systems while reducing their size, weight and mechanical complexity. The new 3-D solar cells capture photons from sunlight using an array of miniature “tower” structures that resemble high-rise buildings in a city street grid.

U.S., China Collaborate on Clean Coal

Scientists from China met with their counterparts in the United States in April to advance the science needed to use coal—the No. 1 domestic energy resource for each country—cleanly and more economically. The U.S. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, along with China's Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics and Institute of Coal Chemistry are establishing a new partnership called t...

A System for Peak Demand Reduction

The utility Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has chosen Cooper Power Systems, a division of Cooper Industries, Ltd., to provide a system for peak demand reduction designed for PG&E's residential and small commercial customers. The solution will enable PG&E to gain at least five megawatts of clean energy capacity by June 15, 2007, and can be expanded to ultimately provide mor...

New Websites…

• Expesite, Columbus, Ohio, provider of end-to-end program and project management software, launched a strategic sourcing solution to help users of Expesite locate and qualify vendors/suppliers for their projects: www.EndtoEndSourcing.com. • Ferraz Shawmut, Newburyport, Mass., announced the completion of its new website for the company’s North American division at us.

DOE to Invest up to $8.2 Million for Hydrogen Storage Research

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman announced earlier this year DOE plans to provide up to $8.2 million over four years—FY07 to FY10—for six hydrogen storage research projects, directly supporting President Bush's Advanced Energy Initiative (AEI). The aim is to increase U.

Lamp Recycling

Dallas-based Rexel, an electrical and datacom equipment distributor, announced that its customers can now take advantage of lamp, ballast and battery recycling services offered through the company's 325 locations across the United States. Working with Veolia Environmental Services, Rexel will offer RECYCLEPAK kits and bulk recycling services.

Briefly… – 2007-06-01

• Johnson Controls, Milwaukee, announced that its Metasys system field gear is now BACnet Testing Laboratory (BTL) certified, a status that confirms the components’ interoperability with other BACnet devices. For more information, go to www.johnsoncontrols.com. • ABB Drives, New Berlin, Wis.

ICC Adopts ASHRAE 62.1

Approval of ASHRAE's Standard 62.1 ventilation rate calculation procedure for the International Mechanical Code (IMC) in May marks a milestone for the high-profile mandatory-language standard after years of development aimed at code adoption. The International Code Council approved an ASHRAE proposal to incorporate the prescriptive ventilation rate procedure from ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.

In the Blogs at csemag.com – 2007-06-01

Blogs at csemag.com are getting up to speed now. Blogger David Sellers weighed in recently with the first part of a continuing discussion on damper tests. “I recently had a chance to test the flow vs. damper blade position characteristics for the AHU1 economizer dampers at the Pacific Energy Center (PEC),” said Sellers.

Global Experts Convene in Beijing to Lay Roadmaps for Ultra High Voltage Technology

In places where electric demand is growing but room for transmission lines is limited, a new technology known as ultra high voltage (UHV) offers an important viable solution. Delivering voltages of 1,000 kV AC or higher and a minimum of 800 kV DC, UHV technology can carry large quantities of electricity long distances over a single power line corridor and with minimal loss of power.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2007-06-01

Talent Search Regarding the editorial, “Engineering Shortage: Employers to Blame?” (Editor's Viewpoint, 05/07, p. 9), more people need to publicly make those comments! I am an employer. I regularly search the National Society of Professional Engineers [salary survey] for what is reasonable pay for me and my only engineer employee, although it is nearly impossible to judge if the inf...

Critical Facilities Consulting

One of the nation's major mission-critical design firms, New York City-based EYP MCF, reports that it is ushering in a new era of reliability with the formal establishment of Critical Facilities Consulting (CFC). Firm officials report that the impetus behind the launch of the CFC division is driven by significant changes taking place within the mission critical industry.

Berkeley Lab Tracks Energy Services Growth

A recently issued report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the National Assn. of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO) documents that the revenues of energy service companies (ESCOs) grew by 20% per year from 2004 to 2006 and totaled about $3.6 billion in 2006. According to the study, “A Survey of the U.

Taking off into the Blogosphere

In his inaugural csemag.com blog posting on April 19, CSE Editor-in-Chief Michael Ivanovich boasts, “You're going to love this blog, and you're going to come back to it at least once a week. I know this because I'm going to ensure that it's interesting, entertaining, timely and relevant. My goal here is simple: inform you, empower you and get out of the way.

More Blogs, Polls and Other Tools at csemag.com

We've already described many of the useful tools and resources on the newly redesigned csemag.com website: organization into easily searched communities, the editor-in-chief's blog, intended as a forum for the entire M/E/P engineering community to express opinions and offer comments on any type of professional issue.

Coming Soon—eNews for Codes and Green

Consulting-Specifying Engineer is adding two more choices to its staple of eNewsletters covering industry news, business and management, and all the specific M/E/P disciplines. CSE Green Scene will offer updates on the latest in green building technology, applications, case studies, product releases, new literature announcements, commentary and events.

Sloan Goes 100% Renewable

Sloan Valve, Chicago, manufacturer of commercial plumbing systems, has made a purchase of renewable energy credits to offset 100% percent of the electricity used in its manufacturing facility in Franklin Park, Ill. Company officials claim that this is the largest renewable energy purchase in the plumbing industry, making Sloan the first flush valve manufacturer to purchase renewable energy cred...

ARI Achievement Awards

The Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), Arlington, Va., has announced the winners of its inaugural Standards Achievement Awardd: Larry Howington, director of engineering at Hill PHOENIX, Conyers, Ga., serves as chairman of the CRMD Engineering Committee and was recognized for guiding ARI's Commercial Refrigeration Manufacturers Division (CRMD) Engineering Committee through impo...

Award-Winning Jump

The New York Landmarks Conservancy has honored A/E design firm STV for its renovation of the Coney Island Parachute Jump Tower with the Lucy G. Moses Preservation Awards for 2006, the Conservancy's highest honor for outstanding preservation efforts. In addition to providing condition assessment, planning, design, structural rehabilitation and construction oversight services, STV oversaw the lig...

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2007-05-01

Codes & Standards—Friend or Foe? Codes and standards, for all basic purposes, are supposed to be the basis of design. The one thing we must remember is that codes are laws, and standards evolve through financial investment in research and development. There have been occasions when standards have been adopted by various codes and are considered law.

New Products – 2007-05-01

Bypass packages are electronically controlled and feature automatic bypass, common start/stop in drive or bypass modes, and advanced override that performs in coordination with the drive and bypass for improved protection. All features are programmed through the drive keypad. The packages provide improved protection and operation through a bypass 24-volt DC switch-mode power supply.

Searching csemag.com

The new csemag.com site provides expanded search capabilities with an industry leading enterprise search technology. The Zibb.com product is a large index that contains content collected by crawling HTML pages via RSS feeds and Google site maps. Special tags are exposed to Zibb to provide better control over content.

Climate Changing on Energy Efficiency

Some 40 experts from the HVAC/R industry, U.S. Senate and several federal agencies discussed the global energy situation at the fourth Danfoss EnVisioneering Symposium, “Energy Efficiency Investment and the Emerging Global Cost Paradigm,” held April 17 in Washington, D.C. The symposium touched on a variety of complex energy issues, from global warming and the future of power prices,...

Debate Heats Up on Class C Extinguishants

Dupont, Wilmington, Del., is asking that Comment ROC 2001-61a, which proposes changes to the minimum Class C design concentration requirements, not be adopted. Comment ROC 2001-61a is up for floor vote at the National Fire Protection Assn. (NFPA) meeting during the NFPA World Safety Conference and Expo, scheduled for June 3 to June 7, in Boston.

Winners of Energy Challenge Announced

This year's winners of the Igniting Creative Energy Challenge were announced last month. The challenge is an educational competition sponsored and funded through a grant by Johnson Controls, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., with additional support from Philips Lighting and the United States Energy Assoc. (USEA).

Licensed Engineers for 100 Years

The National Society of Professional Engineers, in celebration of “100 Years of Licensure,” has posted a number of interesting related features on its website. One document offers an interesting timeline for the history of engineering licensure: 1907 – Wyoming passes the first engineering registration law.

Forum – 2007-04-01

BE Conference 2007, sponsored by Bentley Systems, offers hundreds of sessions and hours of accredited learning, in Los Angeles from April 29 through May 3.www.be.org/BEConference LonMark Intl., a trade and interoperability association for the controls industry, has announced its LonMark Sessions 2007 Global Educational Seminar Program.

New Products – 2007-04-01

Busway provides modular, overhead, build-as-you-go. It supplies more power to larger machine tools such as welders, soldering equipment, heaters and chillers. Installed above computer cabinets, the busway eliminates the need for costly raised floors. It also makes air handling for cooling systems more effective by eliminating under-floor cable whips.

China, U.K. Leading Design Markets

China and the United Kingdom are the top international markets for U.S. architecture firms, according to a recent market research survey of 629 U.S. architects commissioned by building product manufacturer PPG and reported by sister publication Building Design + Construction on its website at www.bdcnetwork.

Web Threads – 2007-04-01 – 2007-04-01

“Reducing AFD-Caused Harmonics at Partial-Load Conditions,” a white paper from ABB, discusses the need for controlling the level of harmonic current in power distribution systems, widely recognized as an important factor in selecting and applying adjustable speed drives and other non-linear load equipment.

Metering Matters

In June 2006, CSE took a look at how the city of Toronto has capitalized on a valuable asset lying 272 ft. below the surface of Lake Ontario—icy cold water that remains at a constant 39.2ºF all year round. Since August 2004, this previously untapped resource has been supplying economical and environmentally friendly air conditioning to large buildings in the city's downtown.

A/E Enhances Business Model to Advance Technology

In a strategic move that responds to emerging design technologies, Philadelphia-based A/E EwingCole has formed EwingCole Digital Media Group (DMG). Formerly a EwingCole wholly owned subsidiary called AEI Digital, DMG transfers experience, tools and talent into the broader realm of technological capabilities and comprehensive services of the firm.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2007-04-01

More on Walter Reed You must be a Democrat! In your Editor's Viewpoint (CSE, 03/07, p. 7), you applaud the dismissal of the administrators in the first part of your diatribe, but at the end you address the real problem... Congress' appropriation of money to fix the problems (purge to splurge). Don't you agree that if the administrators had the money, the facilities would have been kept up in b...

Greening Mexico

KMD Architects was selected in March as the winner of an international design competition for its design of the new “Green” Cinepolis Headquarters in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico. Cinepolis is the sixth largest multiplex cinema chain in the world and the leading operator in Mexico. The new headquarters is a 75,000-sq.

Briefly… – 2007-04-01

• Lawrence Berkeley National Lab researchers are working with industry experts to develop technologies to make electronic networks—for the Internet, consumer electronics or both—more energy-efficient. They also are developing specifications and information programs to speed the adoption of energy-efficient technologies in the marketplace.

Electronic HID

In a recently posted article, author Tim Hill with Advance Transformer argues lighting plays an important role in establishing a retail facility's ambiance and appeal—helping to improve store traffic and sales, enhancing the customers' experience, and influencing their desire to return. In an era where retailers are under pressure to differentiate their in-store experience in ways other t...

Web Threads – 2007-03-01

• In order to assist consumers in the architectural design process and the considerations involved in selecting and working with an architect, The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has launched a new online resource. The site incorporates streaming videos that depict the design process from the initial discussion with an architect: www.

AASHE Requires LEED Silver

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) has established a policy requiring all campus construction be built to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Silver standard as part of AASHE's support of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment.

Scientists confirm Montreal Protocol

DuPont, Wilmington, Del., has reinforced the findings of a group of leading scientists that show the Montreal Protocol treaty, signed in Sept. 1987, has had a significant impact on protecting the Earth's climate, as well as its ozone layer. In the article, “The Importance of the Montreal Protocol in Protecting Climate,” published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Science...

Critical Power for Healthcare Facilities

CSE: When do you make the decision to either upgrade a power system or rebuild it? What are its risks and issues? WILLEY: Probably the biggest issue for us, as we started looking at rebuilding our power system—especially emergency power—was cost. In today's world, we must be able to operate all the time. It's part of being competitive.

Briefly… – 2007-03-01

• In late 2005, the National Fire Protection Assn. published an alert notice entitled “PASS alarm signals can fail at high temperatures“ on the NFPA website, advising emergency responders, especially firefighters, of high temperature exposures causing the loudness of PASS alarm signals to be reduced.

Letters : Reader Feedback

Sustainability predictions In response to the story, “Architects Predict Significant Increases in Sustainable Design, Singling Out the Importance of HVAC” (Sustainability News, csemag.com, 11/20/2006), the architects are missing the point. Using more energy-efficient HVAC equipment only saves miniscule amounts of building energy use.

New Products – 2007-03-01

Valve actuator provides users with reliable and safe operation in extreme applications. It includes a patented absolute encoder that does not require battery backup, patented circuit protection technology and menus in six languages. The enhanced model offers actuators for torques as large as 1,700 ft.

Ecobuild America and AEC-ST 2007

Consulting engineers, facility engineers, commissioning providers and facility managers who are involved with or looking into green-building projects should consider attending the Ecobuild America and AEC Science & Technology conference being held at the Anaheim Convention Center on May 15 to May 17.

International Code Council Supports Green

The International Code Council (ICC) board of directors recently issued a policy position on green building/sustainable communities to emphasize its commitment to social responsibility and expand the boundaries of public safety. “Building safety professionals and others in the construction industry have long had a positive impact on the environment,” said ICC Board President Wally B...

Engineering Partnership

As part of its “100 Years of Licensure” celebration activities, the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) has partnered with the National Council of Engineering Examiners and Surveyors (NCEES) to continue the promotion of licensure and its importance to both the engineering profession and the public health, safety and welfare.

Autodesk, IES Become Partners on Revit Software Platform

Autodesk Inc., San Rafael, Calif., announced Jan. 30 that it partnered with Integrated Environmental Solutions Ltd. (IES), Glasgow, Scotland, to enhance the Revit software platform for building information modeling (BIM) to support sustainable design. At the 2007 AHR Expo in Dallas, Autodesk demonstrated a prototype of how the IES building performance analysis tools are used with Autodesk Re...

Web Threads – 2007-02-01

• Lighting in hotels and senior living centers is frequently turned on for extended periods—either due to forgetfulness or deliberately Two new products developed at the California Lighting Technology Center address these problems. For the full story, click on the green “electrical” button at www.

Product of the Week

CSE's Product of the Year is an annual showcase of readers' choices for the most innovative equipment and systems of the year. But specifiers can't wait for a year to discover the best products out there. So, coming soon to the homepage of www.csemag.com, we will offer an ongoing “Product of the Week” spotlight feature.

New Products – 2007-02-01

Vacancy sensors meet California Title 24 energy code standards and offer an option in achieving lighting efficiency. The devices handle incandescent, electronic low voltage, magnetic low voltage, fluorescent and compact fluorescent loads. There is no minimum load requirement, and each sensor accommodates as large as an 800 watt load.

Briefly … – 2007-02-01 – 2007-02-01

Engineers Week, a formal coalition of more than 75 engineering, professional and technical societies and more than 50 corporations and government agencies, takes place this year Feb. 18 to Feb. 24. Founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers, the program is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2007-02-01

Green Predictions In response to the story “Green Building Consultant Makes 2007 Predictions,” (Top Engineering News, www.csemag.com, 01/25/07), green guru Jerry Yudelson's predictions for sustainability left me with one question: Have the builders also been developing low voltage DC homes that can run on storage batteries recharged by wind or solar, or overnight by local power serv...

In the Webcast Archives

Don't forget to keep an eye on the Webcast button at www.csemag.com, and to call up our archived webcasts. In December, CSE editors hosted “Beyond Generators and UPS: Delivering Reliability in Data Centers,” which explored new and innovative topology strategies, with special attention on the movement of two-stage vs.

Stephen Yurek Named ARI President

The Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), Arlington, Va., named Stephen R. Yurek president of the association. Yurek previously served as chief operating officer and general counsel for ARI. He replaces William G. “Woody” Sutton, who will resign at the end of the month. Yurek came to ARI from the education community, having served as vice president of business develop...

Emergency Power in Healthcare

CSE: Lets talk about codes. For electrical system design, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) mandates National Fire Protection Assn. (NFPA) 70, 110 and 99. What are the basics under NFPA 70 that hospitals have to meet? GILSON: Hospitals are required to provide emergency power for life-safety purposes, which often is confused with patient safety.

A Perfect 10

It's time once again to submit entries for CSE's annual “Perfect 10” Product of the Year award. The entry form is now available on our website at www.csemag.com and all submissions must be received by April 13, 5:00 p.m. central time (no exceptions). Readers might want to let their manufacturing contacts know about this competition.

Briefly … – 2007-01-01

• ASHRAE has received a $510,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to provide guidance for designing and building healthier buildings with effective operation and maintenance programs that reduce exposure to toxics and asthma/allergy triggers. • The search is on for the Portland, Ore.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2007-01-01

Editor’s Note: On Dec. 13, CSE hosted a webcast entitled, “Beyond Generators and UPS,” which addressed issues of emergency backup power in data centers. (Readers are urged to view the webcast; it can be accessed from the CSE homepage at csemag.com.) As is always the case, we were not able to accommodate all participant questions in the Q&A session following the webcast.

CSE to Launch “Online Connection”

With all of the new electronic media available these days, the store of M/E/P engineering information is so vast—and growing—that we cannot possibly fit it all into our print edition. But no matter. That's where the Internet can help. The csemag.com website offers us a virtually unlimited repository of information and data.

Construction Costs Cool

Construction material costs took a pleasing plunge in November, while other producer prices rose, according to a recent announcement by Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America. “But the next 12 months are still likely to show higher costs for construction than for the economy as a whole,” he cautioned.

Power Gen Abuzz About Emissions Standards

The big buzz at this year's PowerGen show in Orlando this past month was meeting or addressing new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards, notably TIER 3 requirements for diesel generator sets. “The U.S. is moving toward what will be a TIER 3-only level [for gensets] so we're getting out of producing a lot of the older TIER 1 stuff and shifting our newer products to meet...

New Products – 2006-12-01

Enclosed disconnect switches are offered in fusible and non-fusible versions. The non-fused type can be used to comply with NEC Article 430, which requires a disconnect switch to be provided within 15 ft. of the sight of a motor to ensure a safe means of disconnection and lockout capability. Up to 400 amps, the fusible type disconnects both the line and load sides of the fuses using two double...

Briefly … – 2006-12-01

• Tucson, Ariz.-based Yudelson Assocs., a green building consulting firm, announced its blog for practitioners in the green building industry at www.greenbuildconsult.com. The blog allows for RSS feed. • Construction spending lost momentum in October, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2006-12-01

Green thoughts Following the Greenbuild conference in Denver last month, CSE's Newswatch ran a story titled “Architects Predict Significant Increases in Sustainable Design, Singling Out the Importance of HVAC.” The story reported on the results of the 2006 Autodesk Green Index, which provides a measure of the adoption of sustainable design techniques by architects.

Displaced Ventilation in Hospitals?

As facility operators continue to figure out where they fit in the green building movement it can be a challenge for building and system designers to help said clients choose what truly sustainable technologies make sense for their operations. To date, natural ventilation and displaced ventilation have gotten a lot of buzz in green designs, but never in association with hospitals—until now.

Green News Aplenty

This year's recent Green Build Conference in Denver proved a major success with more than 13,500 attendees and over 700 exhibitors. Officials for the U.S. Green Building Council expect almost double the numbers for next year's conference in Los Angeles. “We're expecting next year to be the Green Build conference's biggest year yet and LA is the perfect place for it,” said Peter Temp...

Briefly … – 2006-11-01

• ASHRAE has released the Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small Retail Buildings. Intended for use by builders, contractors and architects, the guide covers energy-efficient design for retail buildings up to 20,000 sq. ft. • The Building Security Council has established the Building Security Certified Professional (BSCP) certification, which addresses the security of buildings agai...

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2006-11-01

Fire strobe and seizures The story “Strobe Coverage May Need to Go Beyond NFPA 72 to Ensure Safety,” in the October edition of the Fire and Life Safety newsletter offered some disturbing news in the discussion of some AHJs requiring increased strobe lighting intensity levels for fire alarm systems in retail operations.

ASPE Highlights: Touch-Based Faucets; Better Toilets; Piping

The most unusual sight on the floor of the biennial American Society of Plumbing Engineers convention and Engineered Plumbing Exposition, held in Tampa last month, were the oversized beriatric toilets which were available in both traditional ceramic and stainless steel. The neatest product on the floor was a set of prototype touch-based faucets also capable of automatic shut-off.

IT Experts Expound on Data Centers

Top IT experts from the likes of IBM, Sun and Intel, addressing a packed room of professionals involved in the design, operation and construction of data centers, talked about growing heat densities associated with computer equipment in these facilities. “The question is not whether we can put 50 kW in a rack but whether we should,” said John Pfluegler, a technology strategist with ...

Data Centers Still Hot

Without question many of the top players in the computer world realize something has to be done about better cooling for data centers and computer rooms. “We have a non-commercial data center users group to advance the state of the art of the DC [data center] community,” said Scott Dysert, president of Columbus, Ohio-based Liebert North America.

New Products – 2006-11-01

Single-lever lavatory faucet features ceramic control components, aerator and single-hole mount. Available in polished chrome, satin nickel or polished brass, the faucet operates at a flow rate of 2.2 gpm and complies with all applicable U.S. and Canadian codes and standards, including ANSI A112.18.

Schneider Execs Take a Look at the Markets for 2007

Executives from Schneider Electric's North American Operating Division, headquartered in Palatine, Ill., shared their views recently on the hot markets of the near future. The occasion was “Initi@tive 2006: the Gateway to the New Electric World,” a conference and tradeshow attended by 1,400 Schneider dealers and customers and convened Sept. 28-30 in Orlando, Fla. Schneider officials claim to be in a good position to read the markets: “We're number one in the low-voltage market, number two in ultra-terminal (controls) and number two in medium-voltage,” boasted Dave Petratis, president and CEO of Schneider Electric North American Operating Division. In fact, the exhibit floor and educational sessions were designed to illustrate the applicability of the company's solutions in several specific industries, including water and wastewater treatment, distribution center automation, packaging, control panel building, automation systems and HVAC, among others. “We especially see key growth opportunities for 2007 in water, wastewater and HVAC,” said Andy Gravit, vice president for automation and controls.

Parents Weigh in on School IAQ

While industry organizations and the HVAC engineering community are certainly concerned with classroom indoor air quality, it's not surprising that parents have an opinion on the issue as well. Increased absenteeism, decreased concentration levels and declining academic performance—all resulting from poor school IAQ—were revealed as areas of concern for parents of school-aged children. A national survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation on behalf of Kimberly-Clark Filtration Products found that half of 476 parents polled were concerned with air quality at their children's schools. And an even higher number, 80%, said they believe that poor school IAQ can have a direct negative effect on a child's performance and health.

New Products – 2006-10-01

Sidewall sprinkler for light hazard applications relies on a “flow shaper” design that is said to be the key to coverages of 14 ft. x 26 ft. and 18 ft. x 22 ft. A recessed model is available in 135°F, 155°F and 175°F temperature ratings, while domed concealed units are offered in 135°F and 175°F.

Technology Trends in Real Estate

The National Assn. of Building Owners and Managers, in conjunction with RealComm, asked more than 7,000 BOMA members in June how new technologies and business solutions are affecting the way they manage and operate their commercial properties. The results are enlightening. Broken down into two main categories of questions—solutions for company/business and for buildings—the Realcomm/BOMA Technology Survey findings regarding indispensable building technologies included the following: As one might expect, 86% reported having Internet connectivity of T1 or higher, supporting the increased dependency on high-speed broadband over the last five to 10 years.

BACnet Eyes Security

An addendum to extend BACnet to support access control systems is being proposed by ASHRAE. The proposed addendum f to Standard 135 establishes a standard BACnet object, which represents a door operated as part of an access control system. According to Bill Swan, chair of ASHRAE's BACnet committee, it presents information and alarms about the door, such as its status—open or closed, door open too long, door forced open—and provides means for controlling the door—lock, unlock, etc. This object is the first access control work item to come out of the BACnet committee's Life-Safety and Security Working Group. The group is working to develop full support for access control in BACnet, with more extensions to BACnet to follow.

Health-care Security a Lot to Tackle

Providing security and life safety in health-care facilities is much more than just posting armed guards. In fact, according to a panel of security experts, that's the last thing one should do. At the recent American Society of Industrial Security conference and tradeshow in San Diego, a panel of health-care security managers provided a brief glimpse into the world of protecting hospitals. “We really should be looked at as a partner in a hospital, not law enforcement,” said Marylin Holjer, who heads security operations at the University of Michigan Hospital. “And hospitals don't want guns in a facility or even cuffs for that matter.

ASIS Recap: Anti-Predator School Security Exists

In a sad, ironic parallel to the school violence that rocked the country last month, one of the more interesting security products shown on the floor of the American Society of Industrial Security's annual conference and tradeshow in San Diego this past month was a solution designed to better protect students. Johnson Controls demonstrated its new STAR system, which has just been adopted by Broward County Public Schools in Florida. The system, which uses Sisco's Fast-pass technology, is designed to comply with Florida's Jessica Lunsford Act. The legislation, which went into effect in September of 2005, set requirements for schools to prevent sexual offenders or predators from having access to Florida public school campuses. The way the technology works, according to Steve Thompson, JCI's director of marketing for fire and security solutions, is that anyone who visits a school is required to check in and present their driver's license.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2006-10-01

Texas umbrage FYI, regarding the story “A Texas-sized Sprinkler Installation, (CSE 9/06, p. 50), I'd like to clarify that the largest university residential complex in the United States is the 1,093,468-sq.-ft. Joseph Ellicott Complex at the University at Buffalo, which houses approximately 3,300 residents.

Sealing the Cracks in IAQ

Editor’s Note : The following is excerpted and adapted from “Commissioning Buildings in Hot, Humid Climates: Design and Construction Guidelines,” by J. David Odom, vice president of IAQ Services, and George Dubose, mechanical engineer, with CH2M Hill, Orlando, Fla. In addition to passages from the manual’s introduction and a section on mechanical considerations at the schematic design stage, comments from an interview with Odom are also included.

New Products – 2006-09-01

High-BTU gas connector is designed for large-demand appliances such as tankless water heaters. The connector has a 3/4-in. diameter (1-in. O.D.) that delivers a minimum of 290,000 BTU/h natural gas in a 24-in. length. The connector is also available in 36-in. (255,900 Btu/h) and 48-in. (215,000 BTU/h) lengths.

Katrina Impacting K-12 Design

The Gulf Coast has been battered by hurricanes and tropical storms for years, yet local school officials haven't always taken building design guidelines for natural disaster mitigation to heart. But a year after the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, one K-12 school designer says things are improving. “Initially, many K-12 districts we worked with were slow to embrace the EHPA [Enhanced Hurricane Protection Area] requirements, viewing these 'added' building requirements as an unfunded mandate to increase their facility's initial cost while providing no source of revenue to pay for it,” said Jim Keohane, P.E., a principal and senior mechanical engineer with the Ft. Myers, Fla.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2006-09-01

Washer worries Referencing the article “Washing Away Electrical Costs” (CSE 7/06, p.31), and specifically the sidebar “Saving Dollars by Giving Back Heat,” this short story mentioned that conventional dryers exhaust about 175 to 225 cu. ft. per minute of air, and ventless systems do not.

Sustainable Venture

ASHRAE and APPA, the association serving educational facilities professionals, have signed an agreement to provide mutual support in promoting sustainable higher education facilities. “This agreement brings together the providers of equipment and technology and the owners and operators of that equipment and technology with a focus on improvement and environmental responsibility,” said Jack Colby, immediate past-president of APPA. The memorandum of understanding announces both organization's intent to share resources to jointly promote educational programs, encourage continuing professional development and create new products—something ASHRAE president Terry Townsend, called “crucial” for furthering new advancements in HVAC technology. “This collaboration will enhance the efficiency of our facilities and improve our operations so that we may continue to provide a comfortable and welcoming experience for those people who work, study and play in the environments we maintain,” added Colby.

2006 Giants Index

2006 Giants Index Click here for the Giants list organized by ranking. Firm A. Epstein and Sons International, Inc., Chicago 62 Affiliated Engineers, Inc., Madison, Wis. 10 Albert Kahn Associates, Inc., Detroit 59 Allen & Shariff Corporation, Columbus, Md. 49 Baird, Hampton & Brown, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas 90 Bala Consulting Engineers, Inc., King of Prussia, Pa. 71 Ballinger, Philadelphia 98 Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon, Nashville 100 Bridgers & Paxton Consulting Engineers, Albuquerque 54 Brinjac, Harrisburg, Pa. 79 Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, Mo. 1 Burns and Roe, Oradell, N.J. 4 Burt Hill, Butler, Pa. 42 Cannon Design, Grand Island, N.Y. 23 Carter & Burgess, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas 3 Clark-Nexsen Architecture & Engineering, Norfolk, Va. 47 CMTA Inc., Louisville 86 Concord Engineering Group, Voorhees, N.J. 92 Cosentini Associates, New York 17 CRB Consulting Engineers, Kansas City, Mo. 34 DiClemente Siegel Design Inc., Southfield, Mich. 80 Dynamix Engineering Ltd., Columbus 87 Einhorn Yaffee Prescott Architecture & Engineering, Albany, N.Y. 50 Ellerbe Becket, Minneapolis 9 EMC Engineers, Inc., Lakewood, Colo. 83 Environmental Systems Design, Inc., Chicago 31 EwingCole, Philadelphia 28 EYP Mission Critical Facilities, New York 32 Fanning/Howey Associates, Celina, Ohio 84 Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc., Grand Rapids 97 Flack + Kurtz, New York 8 FreemanWhite, Inc., Charlotte 99 GHAFARI Associates, LLC, Dearborn, Mich. 68 GHT Limited, Arlington, Va. 40 Goetting and Associates, Inc., San Antonio 82 GRW Engineers, Inc., Lexington, Ky. 66 H.F.

Intelligent Buildings: Why is it Taking So Long?

Realcomm, a San Diego-based organization dedicated to improving the management and use of commercial real estate, recently released the results of a study conducted in conjunction with i & i limited, a U.K.-based research firm, examining the state of building intelligence in North America. The study, dubbed “IT-Convergence in Buildings,” is based on the experience and opinions, collected through face-to-face interviews, of some of the largest building owners across the United States. According to i & i limited's James McHale, there are three main reasons why it is taking so long for intelligent buildings to come of age: First, building automation system suppliers have all too often failed to prove the business case to the satisfaction of the building owner. They have failed, he said, to benchmark against the value propositions set by the owner and in some cases have not even considered them. Second, McHale said, vendors have failed to convince their buyers that their solutions are based on proven technology and that they are low-risk, delivered by partnerships with all the relevant skills.

Letters – 2006-08-01

Credit earned, credit due We must take exception to an incorrect statement in the May 2006 issue. In discussing the McCormick Place West Expansion, the article, “Trading Up for Flexibility,” (CSE 5/06, p. 28) states, “the chilled-water-and-air system designed by ESD for the McCormick Center expansion.

2006 Giants Report

2006 Giants Report Click here for an alphabetical Giants list. Ranking Company Total Revenue ($US) 2006 M/E Design Revenue 2005 M/E Design Revenue 1 Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, Mo. 500,000,000 272,000,000 195,650,000 2 URS Corporation, San Francisco 3,917,565,000 264,240,000 569,980,000 3 Carter & Burgess, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas 424,460,600 116,493,657 78,600,000 4 Burns and Roe, Oradell, N.J. 189,513,213 94,756,606 — 5 Parsons Brinckerhoff, New York 1,448,000,000 94,650,000 107,330,000 6 Syska Hennessy Group, New York 125,427,000 88,500,000 79,100,000 7 POWER Engineers, Inc., Hailey, Idaho 95,800,000 81,840,000 76,560,000 8 Flack + Kurtz, New York 58,400,000 58,400,000 36,400,000 9 Ellerbe Becket, Minneapolis 70,000,000 50,500,000 15,300,000 10 Affiliated Engineers, Inc., Madison, Wis. 54,500,000 50,496,000 49,200,000 11 SSOE, Inc., Toledo 66,000,000 49,500,000 30,800,000 12 The Benham Companies, LLC, Oklahoma City 123,900,000 46,295,000 44,900,000 13 Paulus, Sokolowski and Sartor, LLC, Warren, N.J. 75,300,000 45,180,000 45,450,000 14 TLC Engineering for Architecture, Orlando, Fla. 46,418,537 44,097,610 35,640,000 15 Vanderweil Engineers, Boston 46,262,000 42,060,200 42,410,000 16 HDR, Omaha 158,422,000 39,605,500 38,790,000 17 Cosentini Associates, New York 48,262,000 39,574,840 42,300,000 18 Wink Companies, LLC, Baton Rouge 47,720,000 37,221,600 32,210,000 19 Schirmer Engineering, Deerfield, Ill. 36,058,000 36,058,000 30,900,000 20 Stantec Inc., Edmonton, Alberta 510,170,000 34,427,400 26,840,000 21 Henderson Engineers, Inc., Lenexa, Kan. 36,900,000 33,465,000 26,970,000 22 SmithGroup, Detroit 131,700,000 32,925,000 28,900,000 23 Cannon Design, Grand Island, N.Y. 101,968,000 32,629,760 29,060,000 24 M-E Engineers, Inc., Wheat Ridge, Colo. 32,500,000 32,500,000 — 25 Rolf Jensen & Assocs., Chicago 32,500,000 32,500,000 29,000,000 26 STV Group, Inc., Douglassville, Pa. 215,914,000 31,487,250 29,180,000 27 Stanley Consultants, Muscatine, Iowa 152,651,000 30,530,200 60,060,000 28 EwingCole, Philadelphia 50,000,000 30,000,000 23,400,000 29 Sebesta Blomberg & Associates, Inc., Roseville, Minn. 35,700,000 27,832,000 28,030,000 30 KJWW Engineering Consultants, Rock Island, Ill. 30,800,000 27,720,000 23,290,000 31 Environmental Systems Design, Inc., Chicago 27,000,000 26,190,000 24,900,000 32 EYP Mission Critical Facilities, New York 39,000,000 25,600,000 31,200,000 33 Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern, Roanoke, Va. 79,769,000 25,526,080 16,930,000 34 CRB Consulting Engineers, Kansas City, Mo. 46,635,000 23,783,850 22,500,000 35 Teng & Associates, Inc., Chicago 59,300,000 22,534,000 17,480,000 36 HGA Architects & Engineers, Minneapolis 64,700,000 20,704,000 12,430,000 37 Leo A Daly, Omaha 143,000,000 20,020,000 46,330,000 38 H.F. Lenz Company, Johnstown, Pa. 21,021,120 19,950,000 13,800,000 39 Harley Ellis Devereaux, Southfield, Mich. 65,683,000 19,704,900 11,190,000 40 GHT Limited, Arlington, Va. 18,500,000 18,500,000 15,000,000 41 Kling, Philadelphia 73,000,000 18,270,000 23,800,000 42 Burt Hill, Butler, Pa. 55,857,000 17,315,670 13,860,000 43 KTA Group, Inc., Herndon, Va. 18,170,643 16,353,578 11,840,000 44 M/E Engineering, P.C., Rochester, N.Y. 16,260,000 16,260,000 13,560,000 45 Ross & Baruzzini, Inc., St.

New Products – 2006-08-01

Steam turbine installs in a high-pressure steam distribution system in parallel with existing pressure-reducing valves to drive an electric generator. Components include a high-efficiency turbine, epicyclic speed-reduction gear and 460-volt induction generator. The system can produce 275 kW of electrical power.

New Products – 2006-07-01

Stainless steel motors are available in 0.5-hp through 10-hp models. In addition to stainless steel housing, features include a conduit box welded to the motor, conduit box cover, shaft, base, fan cover and slinger. The motors are impervious to rust and deterioration caused by frequent high-pressure caustic sanitizing.

Fairview Health Services Proves the Value of “the Matrix”

As an integrated health-care system, Fairview's six community hospitals, academic medical center, children's hospital, 31 primary care clinics, 25 specialty clinics, four urgent-care clinics and specialty service centers across the state of Minnesota provide a complete range of health-care services. In partnership with University of Minnesota Physicians, Fairview plans to open the Maple Grove Outpatient Specialty Care Center in 2007, a 135,000-sq.-ft. specialty care center that comprises six operating rooms, a diagnostic center, a cancer center and outpatient clinic. Fairview, Walker and Assocs.—the owner's representative—and the M/E/P firm, Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, Inc., Minneapolis, decided that the mechanical systems and equipment would be dedicated to serving the Phase I ambulatory care center, with space allotted for a central plant to house the heating plant, water-cooled chillers, cooling towers and other equipment to meet the future building's needs. The present system will then be tied into the central plant. Fairview used an objective approach and decision-making matrix to select among four options for the mechanical system: Option 1: Rooftop units (RTUs), with cooling provided by a refrigerant cooling coil, compressor and air-cooled condensing unit; gas-fired heating; and ventilation in one package; with screening. Option 2: Improved RTUs with an integral hallway for each RTU to provide better access to the roof and enable maintenance to be performed indoors. Option 3: Rooftop-level air-handling units (AHUs) providing ventilation, with cooling provided by a cooling coil and basement-level chiller, and heating provided by a heating coil and basement-level boiler. Option 4: Similar equipment to Option 3, but with the AHU located in the basement, with shafts for outside air and relief air. The building user group and members of HGA's project team identified and weighted 12 financial and performance criteria, which included several high priorities: patient and staff safety; patient and staff comfort; initial cost; energy efficiency/payback; flexibility for vertical expansion; and sustainable design.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2006-07-01

Electrical addendum Editor's note: This past year, CSE has reissued George Farrell and Frank Valvoda's classic "Art of Protecting Electrical Systems" series in our monthly electrical e-newsletter, archived in the electrical community at csemag.com. In the March Editor's Viewpoint, it was noted that Mr.

Data Center Market Sustainable

For those involved with the design and construction of data centers, it's good news all around. Leading experts report no foreseeable end to the need to build and upgrade these critical facilities. Speaking at a supply chain event in Nashville, sponsored by Turner Logistics, key executives from EYP Mission Critical Facilities, one of the nation's top data center design firms, addressed key trends in this market sector. According to Rick Einhorn, the firm's chief marketing officer, advances in distributed computing and a potential lack of proper facilities to house this increasingly sophisticated—and power-consuming/heat-generating—equipment will continue to drive the market for at least the next three years. "At least 18 of the top 20 financial institutions are in some kind of build-out right now," said Einhorn. And it's not just banks: Hospitals, big box retailers, the government, universities, Internet companies, telecom, pharma, oil services and even broadcast companies are all building data centers.

Connecticut Offering DG Grants

Even with two new transmission lines now under construction, Connecticut is seeing electricity demand approaching its supply limits, so the state has begun a program to encourage onsite generation. Grants of $450 per kW generated—or $500 per kW in the southwest part of the state, where demand is especially high—are now available through the State Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC). The grants are available for base-load power systems up to 65 MW, with no lower limit, and a new low interest loan program through Bank of America is available for financing these projects. Additionally, grants of $200 per kilowatt are now available for new emergency backup generating systems. The grants will be paid by ratepayers, but DPUC officials say these costs will be offset by reductions in the fees charged to state ratepayers by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) because of the state's lack of adequate generating capacity.

Fuel Cell Market Powering Up

The fuel cell market is expected to reach more than $18.6 billion by 2013, and could hit almost $35 billion by that time, according to a new report. Residential and small stationary applications are the latest target for manufacturers, researchers say. The report, "Fuel Cell Technology and Market Potential 2006," was developed by Dublin, Ireland-based Research and Markets. Automotive, stationary and portable applications will provide the majority of sales. Proton exchange membrane products remain dominant in the overall market, the study reports, with molten carbonate cells taking the lead in larger installations.

Transmission Projects Spark Opposition

Electric transmission capacity continues to be a problem in several areas of the United States as summer's peak-demand period approaches. Though several large-scale projects are getting underway, transmission operators still are fighting for community and regulator approval for new power-line construction in many regions. Transmission capacity to Michigan's Upper Peninsula will more than double—to 500 MW from the current 220 MW—by 2010, according to developers of the $641 million "Northern Umbrella" plan, undertaken by Waukesha, Wis.-based American Transmission Company (ATC). The plan will boost the ability to carry electricity into the region from Wisconsin and help secure connections to the more than 30 small and large power plants within the network. Currently under construction, the project has faced significant opposition.

Safety Expo Highlights

The theme of this year's annual NFPA World Safety Conference & Exposition, which convened in Orlando, June 4-8, was: act individually when it comes to making a difference in life safety. NFPA President Jim Shannon set the tone of the conference with his opening remarks in the general session imploring members that it was "a personal responsibility" to help overcome the forces who stand in the way of life safety. A secondary theme was NFPA's push to promote fire-safe cigarettes, something a number of states are considering, with Shannon reporting that New York and Illinois have already enacted such legislation. One thing the NFPA membership did act upon was a number of proposed changes to the association's standards. Among the biggies was NPFA 72, National Fire Alarm Code , which was also the subject of a couple of sessions.

UL 864 in Full Force

The effects of UL's 9th edition to its fire alarm standard—UL 864—were visible at this year's NFPA World Safety Conference in Orlando. A number of manufacturers had placards and pamphlets explaining the standard's new requirements, and specifically how their particular product now complies or is outright approved. "I know it's very critical for us," said Jeff Hendrickson with Silent Knight. "Everything we're showing is UL-compliant." For the record, the new UL requirements call for a number of improvements, including more stringent power supply testing, more battery monitoring and better synchronization with notification appliances. FireLite saw the change as an opportunity to roll out a whole new line of products.

NECA Releases New Standard, Standards Yearbook

The National Electrical Contractors Assn. (NECA) has released NECA 410-2005, "Standard for Installing and Maintaining Liquid-Filled Transformers," which covers, among other subjects, special procedures to be used during adverse operating conditions, such as short-circuit, ground-fault or immersion in water. This standard is included in NECA's 2005 Yearbook of National Electrical Installation Standards . The yearbook, including 31 standards, is available on CD.

A Big Push for Control at Lightfair

There were even more dazzling lights than usual in Las Vegas last month, as once again, Lightfair rolled into town. But in the shadows of the glow, a subject on many people's mind was energy efficiency—specifically, the drive to have lighting systems adhere to the requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1. A big part of this compliance initiative means lighting fixtures need to be controllable. As such, many exhibitors touted their products' control capabilities.

Miami-Dade Gas Stations Now Need Generators

Gas station owners across Miami-Dade County, Fla. , are now required to equip their stations with backup generation , to help prevent the gas shortages that plagued the region after last year's Hurricane Wilma . The storm knocked out electricity to many stations, shutting down their pumps.

Rising Fuel Costs Sparking Nuclear Reaction

Nuclear power, a technology long thought dead in this country, is gaining renewed interest from electric utilities and regulators as a way to address both rising fuel costs and plant emissions concerns. Utilities have announced plans to build 17 new nuclear reactors, and government officials are promoting such plants as one way to counter concerns regarding emissions from coal- and oil-fired plants. However, waste concerns continue to plague developers. Fifteen of the 17 proposed new plants would be sited in the southeastern United States, including three in South Carolina.

NERC Files ERO Applications in the United States and Canada

On April 4, North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) filed its application to become the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in compliance with the final FERC rules governing the formation and approval of an ERO, which were established in accordance with the reliability provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 . Concurrently with its FERC application, NERC made filings seeking comparable recognition from government authorities in Canada , including the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, and the National Energy Board . NERC's goal is to have the authority to develop and enforce reliability standards for the bulk power system in both countries. NERC is working to receive all approvals necessary for it to begin operations as the ERO on January 1, 2007.

New Approach Could Bring Superconductors to More Applications

Researchers using nanotechnology have demonstrated a way to maintain high-temperature superconducting capabilities even in the presence of applied magnetic fields, such as those present in motors, generators and other equipment. Scientists say this discovery could lead to next-generation superconductors with broader applicability in the electric power sector of the economy. Magnetic fields in the past have disrupted superconductor operation by disrupting naturally occurring vortices present in superconducting materials, resulting in electrical resistance and power dissipation. Investigators at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tenn., addressed this problem by adding non-superconductive "nanodots" throughout the thickness of the superconducting material.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2006-06-01

Curbing contaminant carryover I was interested in and enjoyed your article "A New Lab Formula" (CSE 3/06, p. 24). I am curious about the heat wheel technology you refer to. How do you get around the cross-contamination between airstreams? GREG HOLMES, P.E., R.P.A. OPERATIONS MANAGER, JONES LANG LASALLE CORPORATE, PROPERTY SERVICES Michael J.

Cheaper Fuel Cells

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a new material for proton-exchange membranes in PEM fuel cells . PEMs are used in fuel cells to allow protons to pass through from one electrode to the other. At the same time, they block electrons, which are then forced to travel an external circuit between electrodes. Researchers claim that their new material conducts protons nearly three times as well as currently used material, greatly increasing power density.

Supply Chain Blues

Two big issues in the construction of any project are costs and schedule. In an ideal world, there would be a way to meet the demands of both in a manner that satisfies all parties. Of course, that's easier said than done.

LEDs Bountiful at Lightfair

This year's Lightfair provided plenty of products to look at and certainly a lot of information to digest. Thankfully, plenty of engineering expertise was on hand to help analyze the latest in lighting technologies. "My first impression of Lightfair is that it should be called LEDfair," joked Siva K. Haran, P.E., LC, a principal lighting designer with A.

Utility Researching Microgrid Interconnections

New power-electronics control technology will be part of a microgrid installation to be studied at a research facility owned by Columbus, Ohio-based American Electric Power (AEP), beginning this summer. The utility, along with scientists from Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory's Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions (CERT), will be investigating microgrids as one approach for minimizing the impact of system-wide outages. Microgrids are localized electric grid systems designed to serve small communities, commercial developments or industrial sites from a centralized generator or other device. AEP and the CERTS researchers will be studying how well the installed system is able to engage with, and disengage from, the larger utility-operated grid. The new control technology, developed by Robert Lasseter, a professor emeritus of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is designed to enable peer-to-peer and plug-and-play connections for each microgrid component.

Waste-To-Energy Plant To Take a Tire-d Approach

Toms River, N.J. , will be the site of the first tires-to-ethanol plant , scheduled to go online in 2007, according to facility developers. The plant will bring together two technologies—one that produces a gas product called "plasma converted gas," and a second that converts that gas into commercial-grade ethanol for resale. The $84 million facility will be financed by bonds issued by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority .

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2006-05-01

Kudos on defining switchgear vs. switchboard I am not in the habit of writing to magazines, but I felt compelled to compliment CSE and especially author Brian Rener for writing "Switchboard or Switchgear?" (Spring '06 Pure Power, pg. 10). The difference between these two pieces of electrical distribution equipment has been well defined by IEEE over the years, but has been ignored by most engine...

Changes to 90.1?

ASHRAE has proposed that the portions of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, dealing with lighting be adopted in the International Energy Conservation Code published by the International Code Council. Specific proposals: Address reasonable alternatives to showing compliance with line-voltage lighting track and plug-in busway lighting requirements; Provide additional control options for exterior lighting.Additional proposals from 90.1 unrelated to lighting include: Add a table of U-factors to match the prescriptive R-value table in the code; Strengthen the requirements for hot gas bypass. Address HVAC system completion and commissioning requirements. The proposed changes are scheduled to be evaluated in September for possible inclusion in the 2007 IECC Supplement.

Briefly … – 2006-05-01

USGBC's website has recently been revamped with a series of enhancements including a searchable workshop calendar, the ability to manage email subscriptions online and access to LEED-Online for Commercial Interiors and Operations of Existing Buildings projects. Visit www.usgbc.org for more. In other green news, ASHRAE is currently studying whether to renovate its headquarters in Atlanta as a sustainable building and has created a webpage, www.ashrae.org/building , so members and others can follow the progress of the project. Pipe-joining company Victaulic also announced a new web page, www.compressedschedule.com , which offers information, tips and solutions for engineers, contractors and other professionals dealing with compressed schedule projects. XML web services company Gridlogix, Inc.'s EnNET solution has been chosen as the integration vehicle for an enterprise-wide integrated network for The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (see "Carolina Connectivity," CSE 1/06, p. 44, for more on UNC's BAS).

Celebrating Women in Engineering

The first Women in Engineering Banquet, sponsored by the Dubuque, Iowa-based Durrant Group, was recently held at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville to spotlight women in the school's science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program. According to Kevin Eipperle, managing principal for Durrant's Dubuque office, it's the goal of the 300-employee engineering firm, whose ranks are made up of many UWP alumni, to help diversify the workforce. "This was a great event. I think it accomplished a lot. I am pleasantly surprised at the turnout; it shows me how strong the program is," said Eipperle. Kimberly Marinelli, a UWP grad and former Durrant engineer, was the night's keynote speaker.

Briefly … – 2006-04-01

The 17th Annual Energy Efficiency Forum will be held June 14 at the National Press Club, Washington, D.C. Co-sponsored by the U.S Energy Assn. and Johnson Controls, this year's theme, "Energy Efficiency: The Path Towards Independence," reflects growing awareness of energy's impact on the global economy and security in today's world.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2006-04-01

Observations on VFDs In "Saving Energy and Water with VFDs" (CSE 2/06, p. 57) author Jeff Lovelace uses the cube of the horse power to determine the reduction in energy. This may be true in a perfect world, but in applications with closed-loop pumping and VAV air handlers, it's not true, since one needs to maintain a pressure.

’06 Construction ‘Strong’

According to the Associated General Contractors of America, construction spending is hitting on all cylinders with "strong, balanced growth." Reacting to a Census Bureau report that construction spending in February was at a record seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.19 trillion—up 0.8% from January and 7.4% from February 2005—Ken Simonson, AGC chief economist, noted that not only was the overall total up significantly from a year ago, but all major segments showed similar growth. "For the first time since the 2001 recession, private nonresidential construction led the parade with a 9.6% increase from a year ago. Private residential construction was 7.1% higher, and public construction, 6% higher," he said. On the flip side, Simonson said the biggest worries right now are materials costs and availability.

The Good (Google) Earth

Many readers have probably heard of Google Earth. But besides being a cool web program to play with, does it offer any professional application for consulting engineers? Yes, says Bentley Systems. The Exton, Pa.-based CAD software company has debuted a new, and free, visual tool for subscribers of its Microstation Select program. Users can import real images of places from Google Earth into their 2-D or 3-D building models. The idea, according to Joe Croser, global marketing director, is that you can make more exciting, or at least more realistic, renderings for non-CAD users of how buildings, bridges or power plants will actually look in a placed environment. Users can create hyperlinks that will take them to more details about a building, such as the CAD drawings of a cladding system.

New York Data Center Conference is ‘Cool’

Data center managers and design experts convened in Manhattan last month to discuss the latest trends driving these mission-critical facilities. The conference, Datacenter Dynamics New York, touched upon a number of topics, including power and cooling. Regarding the latter, it was noted that many designers are seeing a return of chilled water to cool server rooms.

Wind Energy Interconnection Standards, Technology Now Maturing

The variability of wind-turbine output can raise problems for the interconnections between wind farms and electricity grids, and standards have been lacking to address these designs. However, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a ruling in December establishing new interconnection standards for large generators with capacities of 20 MW and above. And new equipment now being tested could help address special considerations that exist when wind resources constitute an especially high proportion of a grid's overall load. The new FERC standard— Order No.

Wireless Making Waves

Wireless technology for HVAC systems is becoming a regular point of discussion for facility managers. At least that's what one industry expert had to say following the recent National Facilities Management & Technology Conference in Baltimore earlier this month. According to Jim Kohl, senior product manager, wireless and sensor products for Trane, who presented an overview of wireless syste...

Solar Industry Reps Promise Growth Following California Rebate Plan

Photovoltaics makers are planning for expansion in the wake of an announcement by California regulators in January that the state will offer $3.2 billion in rebates for solar. The plan, which puts California second only to Germany in terms of governmental spending on solar power, will span the next 11 years and could enable the installation of up to 3,000 MW of solar-based generating capacity. The program includes $2.8 billion in incentives for solar-equipment installation on existing residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural buildings. An additional $400 million will provide incentives for residential builders to incorporate PV into new-home designs. Solar manufacturers indicated the move could lead to expansions of existing manufacturing facilities, according to interviews reported on the Renewable Energy Access website.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2006-03-01

Move Beyond Talk Per your "America Is Addicted to Oil" column last month, I also want to applaud the president for his championing of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. But the hard fact is that energy efficiency is really the Rodney Dangerfield of energy solutions—it gets no repsect.

Wyoming Seeks To Make Power an Export Crop

A recently announced study is intended to help Wyoming planners determine the transmission facilities needed to make the state a larger power exporter to the western United States . The Wyoming-West study will build on previous efforts to determine future energy needs in the region. Several major transmission projects have been either proposed or initiated in the last year to create new interconnections between Wyoming and other states in the area, including California , Nevada , Utah , Wyoming and Arizona . This new study will identify infrastructure requirements to meet the needs of these new interconnections. The study is being sponsored by the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority , a quasi-governmental group formed in 2004 to plan and fund new transmission capacity, and National Grid , a British-based power company whose U.S.

Eminent-Domain Debate Could Affect Georgia Power Lines

The populist movement against municipal eminent-domain actions could add fire to a Georgia group's efforts to rein in the right of power companies to site new transmission lines on private property. Homeowners Opposing Powerline Encroachment (HOPE) is hoping to gain new support as the Georgia legislature begins debate on several bills seeking to curb the ability of towns and cities to seize pri...

Briefly … – 2006-03-01

Papers are being sought for CLIMA 2007, which will focus on creating well-being in indoor environments in an environmentally sustainable manner. The conference will be held June 10—14, 2007 in Helsinki, Finland. Papers are also being invited for the first Symposium on Common Ground, Consensus Building and Continual Improvement: International Standards and Sustainable Building, sponsored by ASTM Committee E06 on Performance of Buildings and its Subcommittee E06.71 on Sustainability. The symposium will be held April 19—20, 2007 at the U.S.

DOE Boosts FSU’s Grid Research Efforts

The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) awarded Florida State University (FSU) a $4.7 million grant in late 2005 to aid the research efforts of the school's Center for Advanced Power Systems (CAPS). CAPS is already a leading power-system research center, focusing on both land- and ship-based equipment and systems.

From Russia with Love (for BACnet)

Last issue, we noted that our friends from north of the border were involved in interesting developments on the intelligent building front. But just as the Russians took exception to Canada being the favorite to win Olympic hockey gold this year, eliminating them in the quarterfinals, they also aren't to be upstaged by the Canadians when it comes to open and intelligent buildings.

New England Facing Energy Shortfall, Report Says

New England's energy infrastructure—including natural gas facilities, electric transmission lines and generating capacity—may be unable to meet growing energy needs in as little as two or three years, a new report argues. The report, "New England Energy Infrastructure—Adequacy Assessment and Policy Review," states that the region is at a critical point, with shortages of both natural gas and electricity possible by 2008. Report authors say that new investment is stalled by investor uncertainty regarding government energy policies. The report was prepared by Boston-based Analysis Group, Inc. , and sponsored by the New England Energy Alliance , a Boston-based coalition of energy providers, businesses and trade organizations. Report authors state that investment in new and existing power plants, transmission lines and renewable-energy projects are needed to improve reliability and pricing competitiveness. The region's energy prices currently are among the nation's highest, the report notes.

Website Offers Efficiency Tax-Break Info

Commercial building owners who want to learn more about new tax deductions for energy-efficiency investments have a new online resource, developed by a coalition of industry trade associations. The new website, www.efficientbuildings.org, provides background information and other resources for building owners.

Texas Utility To Offer Internet Access Via Power Lines

The largest utility in Texas, TXU Corp. , is planning to begin offering broadband Internet access over its power lines this year. The utility is turning to Germantown, Md.-based Current Communications for the technology underpinning the new service. In addition to providing a new revenue potential, Current Communications' "Smart Grid" system promises to offer real-time monitoring of TXU's grid for power-quality problems, as well as automated restoration detection.

BACnet, LON in Full Force

Backers of open building systems were in full force at AHR preaching the gospel of open systems. The folks from the Lon-Mark Americas Assn. conducted a day-long seminar on open systems including truly open specifications. Ron Bernstein, vice chairman of the group, presented a session on the "Good, the Bad and the Ugly," on specification practices where he laid out 10 questions every specifier should ask when selecting products and building automation systems.

Briefly … – 2006-02-01

The Thermostat Recycling Corp. recently announced it has recovered close to 88,000 thermostats containing more than 819 lbs. of mercury in 2005—up 10% and 12% respectively from the devices collected in 2004. Engineers searching for government project opportunities can now take advantage of an enhanced version of the U.S.

Solar Growing?

Proponents of solar power won a recent victory in the campaign for photovoltaics when national retailer Walgreens recently announced it will install PV systems on 96 stores and two distribution centers in California and 16 stores in New Jersey. The new systems will generate more than 13.8 million kilowatt-hours per year, making this the largest solar project ever completed in the United States. The first systems are expected to be operational in early 2006.

Arc Flash Labeling Setback

Going into hearings last month for proposed revisions to the 2008 edition of the National Electrical Code, our correspondent discovered much anticipation about new requirements for arc flash hazards, particularly mandatory labeling on electrical equipment regarding incident energy. A number of manufacturers, notably Square D, have already taken steps toward this end. But in preliminary committee balloting of the 2008 NEC, in Hiltonhead, S.C., these more rigorous requirements for labeling flash hazard suffered a significant loss of support. According to Mike Anthony, P.E., a senior electrical engineer with Architectural and Engineering Services at the University of Michigan, and a member of the panel considering the code change, the proposal was defeated seven to one and incident energy labeling will remain as spelled out in the 2005 code cycle.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2006-02-01

Editor's note: From August through October we ran a three-part analysis of the 2005 revision of the National Electrical Code in our Codes and Standards column. In its conclusion, author Keith Lane made some observations on fused distribution. In the December column, reader and fellow author George Farrell expressed his opinions on the subject in a rebuttal.

Intelligent Solutions from the Great White North

A good guide for buying imports from Canada these days is to look for products with four-letter acronyms; comedy fans can't go wrong with boxed sets of the '80s television classic SCTV, finally available for U.S. consumption. But fans of intelligent buildings should be aware of another four-letter import: CABA (Continental Automated Buildings Assn.), as this Ottawa-based group has a number of initiatives that are helping the cause of smart buildings north and south of the border. During ASHRAE's annual winter meeting in Chicago last month, the group, which does include some U.S.

AHR Busting at the Seams

It seemed no matter whom one talked with at the AHR Expo in Chicago last month, two themes kept coming up: economy of space and ease of installation. On top of that, two technologies also seemed to garner a lion's share of attention: ductless air conditioning and BACnet. While Davis Watkins, VP of sales and marketing, Applied Product Division, Sanyo, concedes that the U.S. is a "ducted society," he definitely sees inroads for ductless AC, such as in health-care facilities, schools and commercial expansions.

Wireless and Cable Coexist Hand-in-Glove

On its face, the notion of wireless and wired systems working in harmony seems crazy, but proponents of both sides see neither technology as mutually exclusive. During the AHR expo in Chicago last month, a day-long seminar on intelligent buildings was conducted. One of the speakers was Rob Conant, vice president of business development with Dust Networks, Hayward, Calif., who presented a case study on a wireless application at an existing medical facility in Chicago.

The Future is Now

With some manufacturers at this year's AHR Expo promoting new products with tactics right out of a bad sci-fi flick, those walking the show floor in Chicago last month got an eyeful of how the future is perceived—at least from a 1960s perspective. That said, tales of building innovations in the Far East right now could be an indicator that certain romantic visions of tomorrow aren't so far-fetched. Speaking at an all day seminar on building intelligence at the ASHRAE Winter Meeting, Jim Young of San Diego-based RealComm regaled attendees with strange but true images of things he saw on a tour of buildings in Asia, such as one man buying a Coca-Cola with his cell phone. With stories of rampant digital signage to control rooms that look like Vegas sports books, Young, whose consulting business is primarily oriented toward the real-estate development community, said he returned from Asia with a strange feeling in his belly. "Everyone who knows me knows I'm typically very enthusiastic, but I have to say that enthusiasm has been mixed with fear in that I think the U.S.

Sprinkler Connection First to be Seismically Qualified

Flexible fire protection connection manufacturer FlexHead Industries, Holliston, Mass., recently completed full-scale seismic qualification testing at the Structural Engineering Earthquake Simulation Laboratory at the University at Buffalo, N.Y. using the International Code Council Evaluation Services (ICC-ES) testing standard ICC AC-156 Seismic Qualification Testing of Nonstructural Components . According to FlexHead, this was the first time a sprinkler component has been successfully tested in accordance with the acceptance test criteria of ICC-ES and is the only flexible sprinkler connection to satisfy these testing requirements. For the test, a fire sprinkler system was installed pursuant to NFPA13 requirements, and the company's flexible sprinklers were connected to the branch lines and installed in suspended ceilings to meet code requirements for Seismic Design Categories C, D, E and F. The suspended ceilings were then subjected to the seismic accelerations determined for each category.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2006-01-01 – 2006-01-01 – 2006-01-01

Kudos for commissioning; Ethics talk excellent The article "Diary of a Commissioning Agent" (CSE 11/05, p. 29) by Joseph Sather is excellent. This is a perfect testimonial on why commissioning of equipment is so important. It is also very typical of how difficult it can be to make additions to or modify the infrastructure of a health-care facility.

Congress Cool with VSDs

With recent passage of the new Energy Policy Act, some congressional officials are putting their money where their mouth is. A new variable-speed drive for small heating and cooling air-handling units was placed in the Longworth House of Representatives Office Building in Washington, D.C., part of the U.S. Capitol building complex. While large institutions are generally aggressive in pursuing central plant energy efficiency, individual room AHUs, according to Carrier, the drive's manufacturer, have been frequently overlooked as a potential source of savings, especially in retrofits of older buildings, where, frankly, there can be lack of a solution that does not require the entire replacement of inefficient systems. The upgraded energy-saving unit provides precise heating or cooling to the occupied space based on comfort needs.

Hilton Hospitable

For helping to restore critical fire and life-safety protection in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, a major industry player is tipping its hat to the Hilton Hotels Corp. According to Michael Lohr, director of service marketing for SimplexGrinnell, the hotel chain stepped forward to provide the fire-protection and life-safety company with hotel space to support its displaced employees and to provide a staging base for the service technicians repairing and retesting fire and life-safety systems damaged by the disaster and subsequent flooding. "This gesture says a lot about Hilton as a company and about the strength of our relationship," said Lohr, who added the two have had a longtime business relationship. "It helped some of our employees whose own lives were affected by Hurricane Katrina. At the same time, Hilton has contributed to the well-being of the community by supporting SimplexGrinnell's efforts, under the most difficult of circumstances, to provide fire and life-safety protection.".

Briefly … – 2006-01-01

Multi-loop electronic temperature controllers, for multi-zone applications, are seeing an increase in number of loops, according to a new study by Natick, Mass.-based Venture Development. Researchers say this results from users purchasing more expensive controllers. The Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small Office Buildings and Building for the Future , a supplement to the ASHRAE Journal , both received honorable mentions from the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council's Best Sustainable Practice Awards. VRTX Technologies LLC has won the first Greenovation Award—a new category in the annual AHR Expo Innovation Awards competition—for its VRTX System, which treats industrial cooling water from condensers and cooling towers. Commercial real estate technology solutions company Realcomm will launch a web portal early this year as an outlet for sharing information and resources. Information can be sent to the organization at [email protected] .

Power-Gen Shows Off Its Muscle

In a crowded Sands Convention Center—cohabited by the Cowboy Christmas Show—Detroit Diesel appeared to be the hands-down winner of the biggest generator on the Power-Gen floor with an impressive 2,800-kW unit. Not to be outdone, but keeping it under wraps until the end of day two, Waukesha Engine unveiled a 3,000-kW natural gas unit during a news conference. But the real buzz of the show was how to get to the lower emissions the EPA is now requiring of genset manufacturers. Regarding that last subject, Caterpillar debuted its ACERT line.

Security Awareness and Rating Group Created

While the effort to secure federal buildings against terrorism is well underway, more than 85% of non-residential U.S. buildings are neither owned nor leased by the federal government. In an effort to fill the security gap, a new group has been formed to promote security awareness and measures. Led by the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Architectural Engineering Institute—and supported by numerous building, design, management and ownership organizations—the Building Security Council (BSC) is dedicated to enhancing public safety by promoting building security.

BAS Growing; IT an Upcoming Challenge

According to a new study by i&i - Proplan Limited, a European research consultant specializing in intelligent buildings, the North American market for environmental control systems in buildings reached $3.2 billion in 2004, returning to growth after a three-year decline. Demand is forecasted to continue growing over the next three years on the back of strong activity in the construction of new buildings, participation in a rapidly growing market for IT convergence and rising energy prices. A fourth factor, according to the study, is increased demand for sustainable buildings. At the same time, the study noted the full potential of this market is simply not being realized and that the penetration of advanced controls should be much larger than it is today, when it is considerably greater in Europe. Besides a push for better IAQ and energy efficiency, convergence with IT networks enabled by web services and XML will also drive the need for more advanced control systems. The study noted that over the last two years in North America, there has been a significant move to converge building controls with IT networks and that business is moving away from a foundation solely built upon controls, to one committed to delivering information and services to improve the value and performance of their clients' buildings. The report estimates that by 2010 approximately $1.7 billion of environmental control system sales will be fully IP-based, which would account for 40% of all buildings control systems. For further information and a synopsis of the study, contact Allan McHale .

Hospital Study: Light and Good M/E/P Engineering a Potent Patient Rx

Natural light is a good thing: Some studies indicate it makes people feel better and even recover more quickly from surgery. Within buildings, daylighting has proven to save energy and even make workers more productive. But a recent study by the University of Oregon's Daylighting Lab, at least concerning hospitals, found that unless the whole equation is studied—HVAC, plumbing, electric lighting, lighting controls and even the structural system and shape of a room—you'll end up with uncomfortable, squinting occupants. With funding from Portland-based Better Bricks, researchers from the lab, in conjunction with ZGF Partnership, Portland, Ore., set out to test daylighting conditions in hospital patient rooms.

News from Power-Gen: EPA Regs, IBC and CHP

Codes and regulations for standby and emergency generators were among the hottest topics of discussion at the Power-Gen International conference and expo, held in Las Vegas in early December. And one of the most widely discussed issues was the recent announcement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concerning its New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for stationary generator sets.

Letters: Reader Feedback – 2005-12-01 – 2005-12-01

Codes = Safety As one of the authors of The Art of Overcurrent Protection, published by CSE (the series last ran in the early '90s), and as a member of NFPA, IEEE and the International Assn. of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI), I remain puzzled by the attitude of far too many engineers toward NFPA and ANSI standards.

Energy Storage Projects Take Large-Scale Approach

No longer relegated to backup status, energy storage technologies are expanding into grid-connected applications for peak shaving and frequency regulation . Two recent projects illustrate how energy-storage products are gaining respect as distributed energy resources. Columbus, Ohio-based utility American Electric Power will be installing a 1.2-MW stationary sodium-sulfur battery-based system at a substation owned by its Appalachian Power operating unit, near Charleston W.Va. Expected to be operational by early summer 2006, it will be able to supply 7.2 MWh of electricity.

Tech-Development Efforts Hope To See Green From Clean Energy

Recently announced ventures in New York, Michigan and California are proof that regional development authorities are starting to see clean-energy technology development as a possible jobs booster. Managers of the programs, which include two recently opened technology centers and a proposed venture-capital competition, hope to spur the same kind of economic growth from these alternative-energy efforts as was seen by high-tech incubators in the 1980s. At the Troy, N.Y. , campus of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute this summer, New York state officials opened a $20 million Center for Future Energy Systems , developed in partnership with Cornell University and the Brookhaven National Laboratory .

NECA Publishes New CCTV, Fiber-Optic Lighting Standards

The National Electrical Contractors Assn. (NECA) has announced publication of two additions to its National Electrical Installation Standards . NECA 303-2005, " Standard for Installing Closed-Circuit Television ," describes installation procedures for video-surveillance cameras used in a wide range of security applications, including shopping malls, parking garages and prisons. Among other requirements, the standard outlines procedures for working with possible site constraints, such as lighting, and how equipment may tie into other building systems, such as alarms. NECA 503-2005, " Standard for Installing Fiber Optic Lighting Systems ," details installation procedures for fiber-optic lighting systems.

OSHA Extends Comment Time for Proposed Line Construction Rules

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has extended the cut-off date for comments on its proposed rule changes to standards for transmission and distribution work to Jan. 13, 2006. The original Oct.

ARC Honorable Mentions

Every year for this competition, CSE gets submissions for a number of outstanding projects. Indeed, each binder often reveals a very neat system, technology or application that's worthy of being called out. Unfortunately, we can only pick one overall ARC winner per category for project of the year and the individual systems—even when the judging is close, as it was this year.

Keeping the Stage Lights On—And Audience Safe

Whether they go to Las Vegas to see Wayne Newton, Celine Dion or Cirque du Soleil, the last thing that the public wants is a theater that goes dark in the middle of the show. But this isn't just about losing money on an expensive ticket. More importantly, there's the matter of fire, life-safety and emergency egress lighting systems functioning correctly. The owners of these venues have a two-fold challenge.

Katrina Charettes

Several members of the AEC community joined together at the recent Greenbuild conference in Atlanta to brainstorm on what the building design and construction industry can do to provide some answers in the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast. Scholarships were also arranged for 30 Gulf Coast community leaders to come and be part of the proceedings.

Composite Power Line Offers Hope to Strained Systems

A new type of transmission line promises utilities more than twice the transmission capacity of conventional lines while using existing towers and other equipment. The aluminum conductor composite reinforced (ACCR) line, developed by 3M , was first installed in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area in May.

Wal-Mart Goes Green with Two Sustainable Stores

Simultaneously in Atlanta and Denver, proponents of taking sustainability to a mass level hyped events at two stores run by retail giant Wal-Mart. In the Denver suburb of Aurora, the chain launched its second experimental store Nov. 8. The store was designed by Arup and built by Turner Construction, and both companies prominently displayed and discussed the project and its predecessor in McKinney, Texas, at their booths at Greenbuild. CSE filmed a roundtable discussion with several key members of the project at the McKinney store's debut earlier this year.

LonWorld a Success

More than 1,000 people gathered in Paris, France this past month for the annual LonWorld Expo and Conference and LonMark meetings. At the four-day event, the organization launched a number of new initiatives designed to extend LonMark open systems in building automation, home control, street lighting, network tools and network connectivity. Among the highlights of the conference, according to the organization, was the finalization of plans to release a profile for data-logging devices and controllers used in building automation systems. The new profile will allow for remotely extracting information that is collected and stored locally in Lon-certified devices. The group also agreed to create a method for testing and certifying programmable devices commonly used in buildings and industrial environments.

Wind-Power Backers Seek New Planning Ideas

The Atlantic coastline offers great potential for offshore wind farms, but as wind-power developers in Cape Cod and Nantucket Island are finding, the area also features more than its share of hot air. Now a new consortium, bringing together government, universities and private industry, is working to develop a framework for developing wind-power projects that make economic—and regulatory—sense. The effort is being led by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative , the state's development agency for renewable energy, along with turbine manufacturer General Electric and the U.S. Dept.

Briefly … – 2005-12-01

Siemens Building Technologies, Inc., Buffalo Grove, Ill., announced the introduction of the first commercially ready wireless building automation system, APOGEE Wireless, which uses a mesh topology. U.S. Dept. of Energy and Social Security Administration officials last month dedicated a new solar array atop SSA's downtown Chicago office building, the city's largest federal solar energy installation and also one of the largest in the Midwest. The University of Texas at San Antonio College of Engineering last month was awarded the 2005 Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Presidential Award for Diversity.

Climate-Related Blackouts Could Have California Seeing Red

Californians are expected to see more frequent and intense heat waves over the next century, researchers are saying, and that could lead to an overburdened electricity grid and rolling blackouts. Scientists at the U.S. Dept. of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory studied several greenhouse-gas emission scenarios developed by the United Nations-formed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change .

New Test Lab Designed To Simulate Data Center Conditions

A new factory-acceptance testing lab is designed to provide performance testing for power systems serving server rooms and large-scale data centers. The facility was developed at American Power Conversion 's headquarters in West Kingston, R. I.