January 1, 2012
Features
HPAC Engineering spoke with a design engineer, a facility engineer, and a manufacturer and found a market poised for positive change in 2012 and beyond, one that will do so with technology ranging from building information modeling and 24-hour energy analysis replacing outdated technologies. ...
The GGBP is part of PlaNYC, an effort undertaken by New York City’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability to prepare the city for 1 million more residents, strengthen the local economy, combat climate change, and enhance quality of life. So far, PlaNYC has built and preserved parks and housing, enhanced mass transit, and made existing buildings more energy-efficient....
This article will clarify the relationship between CO2 level and ventilation rate and offer suggestions for improving traditional single-setpoint CO2 DCV through the addition of a direct outdoor-airflow-measuring device....
Understanding the acoustical benefits of duct liners and the available choices in liner materials helps in specifying a system that is efficient and effective, both in terms of noise performance and HVAC performance....
Boiler Systems Engineering
One-third of a facility's energy bill can be directly attributed to the boiler room. Replacing an older boiler system is one way to achieve energy savings. Retrofitting is another....
To David Bowles, owner of Environmental Services of Charlotte Inc., a full-service HVAC company based in Charlotte, N.C., a nearby former corporate facility was more than an abandoned eyesore; it was an opportunity....
The Southeast Alaska Discovery Center in Ketchikan, which provides information to more than a million visitors each year, is the site of a pilot biomass boiler system now coming to life. Two oil-fired boilers serving the 250,000-sq-ft center were replaced with a highly efficient system fueled by local wood. ...
Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson (JBER), near Anchorage, Alaska, is home to the United States Air Force's 3rd Wing. The unit, which is ready to deploy at a moment’s notice, includes F-22 Raptors—the world's most advanced stealth fighter aircraft. ...
Located in Houston, the 150-acre campus of Texas Southern University (TSU) comprises more than 40 buildings. Hot water and—during winter months—steam heat is piped to the buildings from two central steam plants via underground tunnels. Recently, one of the plants was upgraded with the installation of four gas-fired LX-200 boilers from Miura....
Boilers experience cyclic stresses every time a burner starts and stops. Those stresses occur because the boiler structure resists the expansion and contraction that otherwise would occur from temperature change. The higher the firing rate, the greater the stress. ...
The Fulton Cos., manufacturer of steam, hydronic, and thermal-fluid heat-transfer systems, recently announced the completion of construction of a $10.5 million expansion of its headquarters in Pulaski, N.Y. ...
Spirax Sarco Inc., the Blythewood, S.C.-based provider of expertise and solutions for the control and efficient use of steam, air, and other industrial fluids, recently introduced a new logo and branding initiative....
AERCO International Inc., the Blauvelt, N.Y.-based supplier of boilers and water-heating products and originator of semi-instantaneous water heating, recently was named Manufacturer of the Year by Rockland Economic Development Corp. ...
Columns
When the rock band R.E.M. introduced its 1987 album, "Document"” to the world, one song stood out and quickly became, in my opinion, one of its most remarkable hits. The song, "It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)," is known for its quick-moving, stream-of-consciousness rant with a number of diverse political and historical references....
When it comes to energy procurement, many facility owners and managers ask themselves, 'Should I stay (with the utility) or should I go?' Many are asking themselves this question, but the best answer won't come without some research...
I note your editorial comment regarding climate warming (“Global Warming: A Lot of Hot Air?” by Michael Weil, Weil I’m Thinking of It ..., November 2011, http://bit.ly/Weil_1111), in particular, “Much of the data used to come to this conclusion is based on ... modeling.”...
Departments
At St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Dallastown, Pa., 16 1960s-era through-the-wall hydronic-electric air-conditioning units were noisy and allowed drafts to enter the sanctuary. What's more, the hydronic coils—over several brutal winters—had endured many freeze/split/repair episodes. ...
News & Notes
Dec. 8, 2011, marks the 100-year anniversary of the rational psychrometric formulae, the cornerstone of all fundamental calculations in the air-conditioning industry, developed by Willis Carrier, founder of Carrier Corp., the Farmington, Conn.-based provider of air-conditioning, heating, and refrigeration systems. ...
The U.S. Green Building Council recently launched the App Lab, a searchable catalog of software tools intended to support the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification process....
Guidance on increasing energy efficiency in existing buildings is provided in a new book from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE); The American Institute of Architects; the Illuminating Engineering Society; and the U.S. Green Building Council, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy and assistance from Building Owners and Managers Association International and the U.S. General Services Administration. ...
Experts in the field of water efficiency are invited to submit an abstract for an oral presentation, a panel discussion, or a workshop to be given during the fifth annual WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition, scheduled for Oct. 3-5 in Las Vegas. ...
Aquatherm Inc., the Lindon, Utah-based importer, marketer, and seller of German-manufactured polypropylene-random (PP-R) pipe systems, was named one of “America’s Most Promising Companies” by Forbes magazine. ...
Aquatherm Inc. recently announced that Zurich Insurance increased the coverage amounts on Aquatherm polypropylene-random (PP-R) pipes and fittings from $18.5 million to $41 million because of an extremely low loss ratio for Aquatherm installations around the world....
Despite ongoing economic difficulties in most developed countries, the global rebound of green building will continue in 2012, green-building and sustainability consultant Jerry Yudelson predicts in his annual list of top 10 green-building “MegaTrends.” ...
2011 has been a year of “unparalleled weather extremes” in the United States, as at least 2,941 monthly weather records have been broken, a new interactive mapping tool developed by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) reveals. ...
Existing buildings certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC’s) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green-building rating system are outpacing their newly built counterparts: In December 2011, the square footage of LEED-certified existing buildings surpassed that of LEED-certified new construction by 15 million sq ft on a cumulative basis. ...
The facility-management professional of today, on average, is college-educated, manages more than 1 million sq ft of space and multiple employees, has experienced an increase in job responsibilities over the last two years, and is enjoying a base-salary increase of 8 percent from 2007 levels, the International Facility Management Association’s (IFMA’s) “Profiles 2011: Salary and Demographics Report” reveals. ...
HPAC Engineering will serve as media co-sponsor of Carrier’s 2012 Global Engineering Conference, to be held March 18-20 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. ...
Senior executives from HVAC, government, and industry associations explored the broad potential of the smart grid and the smart grid’s impact on U.S. buildings and building systems during the 16th Danfoss EnVisioneering Symposium, held Nov. 11 in Bonita Springs, Fla. ...
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