Fastrack November 2007

Just What the Doctor Ordered: Fully Integrated Control System
By Rick Hombsch, PE, Jim Koehler, and Roger Lautz, PE, HFDP
All-digital environment enables Wisconsin medical center to go 'chartless'...[MORE]

The Joy of Writing Control Sequences
By David A. Sellers, PE
Designers in best position to write sequences that integrate HVAC systems...[MORE]

Heat Transfer Software
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's free THERM software can help reduce building thermal loads and provide accurate thermal-performance values for comfort-system load calculations and designs. Also, it can allow the consideration of radiant-heating and cooling loads inside of a building's perimeter zones and the proper application of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy...[MORE]

Refrigerant Webinar
A refrigerant Webinar for the supermarket industry is available to download on Emerson Climate Technologies' Website. The Webinar Overview of Refrigerants and Refrigerant Regulations in the Supermarket Industry addresses developments regarding refrigerants and refrigerant regulations. The Webinar discusses the R-22 phase-out, the total equivalent warming impact, refrigerant selection, retrofits, and testing of other potential refrigerants. It also discusses potential Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fines resulting from new refrigerant standards as well as the environmental impact of refrigerants....[MORE]

The State of Building Performance
Learn how today's buildings perform against key energy and comfort metrics in AirAdvice's "State of Commercial Buildings Performance Report 2007." This report reveals the state of more than 200 commercial buildings in North America and recommends improvements that can reduce energy use as well as improve the comfort in buildings…[MORE]

Emergency and Continuous Exposure Guidance Levels for 10 Submarine Contaminants
U.S. Navy personnel who work in submarines can be in enclosed and isolated environments for days or weeks. To protect workers from potential adverse health effects from 24/7 exposure to air contaminants, the U.S. Navy has established exposure levels for a number of contaminants. The Navy asked a subcommittee of the National Research Council to review and develop exposure levels for 10 contaminants...[MORE]

Indoor Environemntal Quality of Pig Houses
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is funding research to update heat- and moisture-production rates for pig-housing facilities. Available data on heat- and moisture-production rates is nearly 50 years old. Since this data was published, swine production has undergone changes in terms of genetic potential, nutrition, housing strategies, and production systems--all of which affect swine heat and moisture production. To comment on the draft, click here…[MORE]

Energy Transport Corridor Designations Draft
The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BALM) and the U.S. departments of Energy, Agriculture, Commerce, and Defense released for public review and comment "Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement." This draft proposes designations of energy-transport corridors on federal lands in 11 western states in accordance with Section 368 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The proposed energy corridors would facilitate future siting of oil, gas, and hydrogen pipelines and electricity transmission and distribution on federal lands in the West to help address growing energy demand while protecting the environment…[MORE]

Engineering Green Buildings in the News
For monthly updates on green-building projects in the news, feature articles on energy-efficient ways engineers are incorporating green-building solutions into their designs, and innovative ideas for promoting a green-building future, sign up for HPAC Engineering's Engineering Green Buildings Newsletter...[MORE]