Engineered Systems articles from April 2006

Engineered Systems archives from April 2006

Opening with a full house.(editor's note)
April 1, 2006... Stacking the deck isn't always cheating. With the help of our friend Paul Ehrlich, P.E., of the Building Intelligence Group, our first-ever Building Automation Conference offered a slew of industry "face cards" to provide some presentation...

Calendar of events: May 2006.(Calendar)
April 1, 2006... For more events and details, visit ESOnline at www.esmagazine.com. April 30-May 2 2006 Niagara Summit Tridium Wesley Chapel, FL. For info, visit www.niagarasummit.com. 10 Datacenter Dynamics Conference & Expo ...

The trouble with system integration.(letters to the editor)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... I thought Howard McKew's "Tomorrow's Engineer" column on commissioning services ("How Do You Sell Commissioning Services?" July 2005, page 70) was informative, but I feel it failed to mention a problematic area that has been occurring on larger...

Making the upper case for accuracy.(letters to the editor)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... The article in the October 2005 issue of Engineered Systems titled "Fort Bragg's Arsenal of Efficiency"(by Joanna R. Turpin, page 26) was very interesting, but the author (or possibly editor) fell into a trap. The article refers to a solar...

Kudos on commissioning coverage.(letters to the editor)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... I wanted to drop Rebecca Ellis a note to say that I enjoy her columns on commissioning. The information she provides is very useful and right on the money. She has a good grasp of this subject. Keep up the good work, and I'm looking forward...

Specifying suggestions.(letters to the editor)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed Steve Liescheidt's "PerSPECtives" column titled, "Methods of Specifying" in the January issue of Engineered Systems (page 32). As an engineer who has been trying to help engineers write...

Back to basics.
April 1, 2006... For April's "Back to Basics" and "HVACR Designer Tips," the HVAC system will be the replacement of a 400-ton electric centrifugal chiller with a new 400-ton centrifugal chiller. The existing chiller plant consists of one 400-ton centrifugal...

Dehumidification restores senior community's 'warm, home-like' environment.(case in point)
April 1, 2006... "We operate Barclay Friends Senior Living Community under the principles and traditions of the Religious Society of Friends or 'Quakers,' so that our actions contribute to a welcoming, family-like community," said executive director Carol...

Boiler installation boosts Idaho school's classy project.(CASE IN POINT)
April 1, 2006... The Joint School District #2 of Meridian, ID, serves over 30,000 students and is one of the largest and fastest growing school districts in Idaho. When the district was in the process of designing its newest elementary school --Hunter...

Temporary fix goes permanent as Fairfield dries up a dorm problem.(CASE IN POINT)
April 1, 2006... Schools and universities are a prime candidate for moisture-related problems. Fresh air requirements for classrooms have changed dramatically in the past few years. Where 5 cfm of flesh air per student was once allowed and was adequately...

Hydronic two-pipe system provides equitable alternative for Indiana Middle School.(CASE IN POINT)
April 1, 2006... Floyd County faced a unique set of challenges when tasked with the design of a climate control system for the 274,952-sq-ft Highland Hills Middle School in Floyds Knobs, IN. The county had a limited budget, no access to natural gas, and only...

Radiant heating/cooling proves a natural fit at Earth Rangers Centre.(CASE IN POINT)
April 1, 2006... The Earth Rangers Centre in Woodbridge, ON, Canada, functions as a wildlife refuge and hospital and as an education center for children. The 60,000-sq-ft facility, which opened in October 2004, houses a world-class veterinarian research and...

Presenting pre-commissioning: how about if we all know exactly what we're getting into?(commissioning)
April 1, 2006... The commissioning lexicon currently includes terms such as recommissioning, retro-commissioning, and continuous commissioning. This month, I'd like to explore a concept that may not be new, but which I believe is an integral part of...

Forecast: connectivity clouds on the horizon: but industry events can help you catch lightning in a bottle.(building automation)
April 1, 2006... The wireless storm that blew out of the windy city at this year's AHR Expo is forming connectivity clouds on our horizons. Is this a change in the weather? I am not sure. A change in our industry? Absolutely. The excitement that was in...

Be in control of code requirements: here's one panel discussion you don't want to miss.(current affairs)(Discussion)
April 1, 2006... In my experience, one of the trouble spots in project specifications is coordinating the control panels furnished with mechanical equipment with the standards that apply to the balance of electrical equipment on the project. Regardless of what...

Design review and equipment startup checklist for chiller replacement/retrofit.(hvacr designer tips)
April 1, 2006... Equipment type: Type of chiller Bar code designation: 111111 Equipment location: Chiller room 1-110 Equipment designation: CH-1 Area served: Base building REPLACEMENT PHASING CONSIDERATIONS YES...

Schools tackle humidity problems: seasonal occupancy and district budget pressures are two hurdles in the average schools quest for good IAQ. Add stodgy design attitudes, or outside air arriving in adequate amounts but receiving inadequate conditioning, and the assignment gets even tougher. Here, several industry experts weigh in about the perpetual problems and sensible solutions.(Cover story)
April 1, 2006... From 1995 to 1997, the United States General Accounting Office (GAO) issued seven reports on the condition of American school facilities. At that point in time, the reports stated that it would cost approximately $112 billion to bring schools...

Photocatalysis: consideration for IAQ-sensitive engineering designs.
April 1, 2006... Heterogenous photocatlysis, alos referred to as photocatalytic oxidation, or PCO, is an emerging advanced oxidizing technology that offers many application opportunities in the HVAC industry. One of the most highly anticipated uses is in...

The right place for displacement: if your school's climate and design are appropriate, then displacement ventilation (DV) could be the correct answer for an improved indoor environment and better attendance, not to mention the possibility for energy savings and LEED[R] benefits. See if DV can help your existing or upcoming school to improve its IAQ IQ.
April 1, 2006... Poor environments in schools influence the health, performance, and attendance of students. Many existing space conditioning systems in schools using conventional mixed ventilation systems fail to provide the IAQ, acoustics, and comfort that...

The quick chill: being able to rent temporary cooling equipment doesn't do much good if you're caught without a strategy for exactly how to implement it when an emergency hits. Critical advantages of a contingency plan, questions to ask while creating that plan, and even non-emergency scenarios to consider follow for anyone who would prefer to feel as little heat as possible regardless of the situation.
April 1, 2006... BY ES STAFF Temporary cooling require-arise from a variety of situations. Although rental temperature control equipment is frequently associated with emergencies, it is also quite common in a number of planned applications, where cooling...

The Myth about fan static pressure: the message is possibly controversial, yet quite simple: selection is all about fan total pressure. The article is a bit more complex, with discussion of what the author sees as confused logic, accompanied by multiple illustrations to back up his premise. Take a look for yourself--when it comes to proper selection methodology, the pressure is on.
April 1, 2006... The selection of a proper fan for a vent system must pursue the proper basis. This is an essential element in the engineering design phase of a vent system. However, many controversial articles in engineering journals and other literature...

Humidification online: manufactures of humidification equipment stock their websites with plenty of info about the several types of product lines out there. But what resources can a designer find on the Internet to create the right system for the application at hand? Interested engineers can use a plethora of online options, downloadable and otherwise, to help them get the right amount of moisture into the right space in the right way.
April 1, 2006... DRISTEEM (www.dristeem. com) weighs in with the latest version of its own engineer software, Dri-calc Version 3.0. The software is designed to assist with load sizing and equipment sizing, writing specifications, generating instructions for...

CABA event to spur discussion on intelligent buildings market.(issues and events)
April 1, 2006... During times of change and complexity, business leaders are called upon by their companies to provide a clear and responsible direction and competent management concerning the implementation and operation of intelligent building (IB)...

Streamlined LEED[R] certification process goes online.(issues and events)
April 1, 2006... The entire LEED[R] documentation and certification process has gone online to reduce the time and cost of getting LEED certification, the USGBC announced recently. "Gone are the days when project teams were required to submit binders of...

MAMAC Systems, a global manufacturer of industrial and commercial sensors and control peripherals, announced the purchase of WV-based Redpoint Controls.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... MAMAC Systems, a global manufacturer of industrial and commercial sensors and control peripherals, announced the purchase of WV-based Redpoint Controls, a company dedicated to embedded Ethernet-based, Web-enabling products, and also the...

Desert Aire recently announced that it is partnering with MSP[R]Technology.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... Desert Aire recently announced that it is partnering with MSP[R]Technology to build energy-efficient dehumidifiers for the big box and natatorium markets.

Dectron Internationale named manufacture's representative Kilmer Environmental (Toronto).(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... Dectron Internationale named manufacture's representative Kilmer Environmental (Toronto) as its "Rep of Year" for 2005.

Munters Dehumidification Division--Industrial.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... Munters Dehumidification Division--Industrial has introduced PowerPurge[TM], an energy recovery option for Munters Integrated Custom Air Handling (ICA) units.

Richards-Zeta Building Intelligence, Inc., Panduit and Cisco Systems, Inc.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... Richards-Zeta Building Intelligence, Inc., Panduit and Cisco Systems, Inc., were collectively represented at the Building Intelligence Tour (BIT) (www.buildingintelligencetour.com) as joint co-sponsors of the educational seminar at a Platinum...

Ward Manufacturing, Inc. has acquired the assets of Wisconsin Nipple and Fitting Corporation.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... Ward Manufacturing, Inc. has acquired the assets of Wisconsin Nipple and Fitting Corporation of Milwaukee.

ANSYS, a global innovator of simulation software and technologies designed to optimize product development processes, recently announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Fluent, Inc.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... ANSYS, a global innovator of simulation software and technologies designed to optimize product development processes, recently announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Fluent, Inc., a global provider of computer-aided engineering (CAE)...

ABB.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... ABB recently released a new white paper entitled, "Energy Efficiency? The Other Fuel Alternative," which discusses the forces driving energy prices now and into the future, and explains why waiting for a solution to be developed later on could...

Fluke Electronics Corporation announced that it has agreed to acquire Infrared Solutions.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... Fluke Electronics Corporation announced that it has agreed to acquire Infrared Solutions, a leading provider of portable thermography products.

TAC.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... TAC announced that the new bCXl controller/router series of building controllers has earned a BACnet[R] Testing Laboratories (BTL) listing as a BACnet Building Controller.

Bradford White Corporation.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... Bradford White Corporation announced that beginning January 1, 2006, many of its power-vented, through-the-wall water heaters are being manufactured with the Defender Safety System[R], which will comply with new ANSI standards regarding...

Kansas City Power & Light, a subsidiary of Great Plains Energy, and Honeywell recently announced a three-year, $5.3 million contract to implement a peak-load management program that will work with KCP&L customers to manage energy consumption from May to September.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... Kansas City Power & Light, a subsidiary of Great Plains Energy, and Honeywell recently announced a three-year, $5.3 million contract to implement a peak-load management program that will work with KCP&L customers to manage energy consumption...

Johnson Controls, Inc.(Industry News)
April 1, 2006... Johnson Controls, Inc. announced that it has earned the H. Bruce Russell Global Innovator's Award for its Solutions Navigator[TM] facility assessment and planning tool.

Affiliated Engineers, Inc.(Engineering Beat)
April 1, 2006... Affiliated Engineers, Inc. announced that Jeff Pollei has re-joined their Madison, WI headquarters as project manager for utility infrastructure projects.

Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects.(Engineering Beat)
April 1, 2006... Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects announced the opening of Phase I of the Brightwood Elementary School renovation in Washington, which will expand and modernize the existing 1926-era building.

The Colorado Chapter of the Society of Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) presented Durrant with two prestigious awards.(Engineering Beat)
April 1, 2006... The Colorado Chapter of the Society of Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) presented Durrant with two prestigious awards; the Excellence in Marketing award for their new corporate identity; and another for the firm's newly redesigned website...

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.(Engineering Beat)
April 1, 2006... McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. announced the opening of its full-service office in Atlanta.

RDK.(Engineering Beat)
April 1, 2006... RDK announced that Regis Gaughan, RE., has joined the firm as a principal.

SEi Companies.(Engineering Beat)
April 1, 2006... James N. Polando, RE., recently joined SEi Companies as senior associate, senior project manager.

HDR.(Engineering Beat)
April 1, 2006... HDR has been recognized in Texas Construction magazine's Best of 2005 Awards issue, for its work on the Baylor Radiosurgery Center project at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas.

Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. (SSR).(Engineering Beat)
April 1, 2006... Smith Seckman Reid, Inc.(SSR) has added four new employees to its Memphis office: Francois van Eck, PE., as civil engineer; Adlai Johnson, Jr. as mechanical engineer; Sean Jackson as process and automation designer; and Jaret Gaither as...

Patrick Engineering Inc.(Engineering Beat)
April 1, 2006... Patrick Engineering Inc. announced the addition of Thomas L. Kirkpatrick as vice president of utility services for the company.

Peter Basso Associates.(Engineering Beat)
April 1, 2006... Peter Basso Associates announced that Gary P. Wallace, P.E., has joined the firm's Ohio office as electrical project leader, and Scott Collins and Jennifer Deskins have joined its Michigan office as electrical designer, and a mechanical...

Fire panel changes offer real-time fire status data.(ISSUES AND EVENTS)
April 1, 2006... Fire panels, or "annunciators," are electronic devices that display data on building conditions in one easily accessible location. When used by first responders during emergencies, the devices can save fives. In December 2005, the National...

Over 2,500 buildings earn Energy Star in 2005.(ISSUES AND EVENTS)
April 1, 2006... Energy Star status was conferred on more than 2,500 office buildings, schools, hospitals, and public buildings for superior energy and environmental performance in 2005 by the EPA. The buildings, representing 482 million sq ft of space, are...

NASA assesses strategies to 'turn off the heat' in New York City.(ISSUES AND EVENTS)
April 1, 2006... The "heat is on" in New York City, whether it's summer or winter. This is due to a phenomenon called the urban heat island effect that causes air temperatures in New York City and other major cities to be warmer than in neighboring suburbs and...

StrionAir.(Places and Faces)
April 1, 2006... StrionAir announced that Robert E.G. Ractliffe has joined the company as the chairman of its board of directors.

Selkirk LLC.(Places and Faces)
April 1, 2006... Selkirk LLC recently announced the promotion of Parrish Johnson to transportation manager.

AMS Controls.(Places and Faces)
April 1, 2006... AMS Controls announced that vice-president of engineering Andy Allman has been promoted to president.

Mitsubishi Electric HVAC.(Places and Faces)
April 1, 2006... Mitsubishi Electric HVAC Advanced Products Division has promoted D. Michael Smith to the position of senior marketing manager.

Hays Fluid Controls.(Places and Faces)
April 1, 2006... Timothy England has been named regional manager for Hays Fluid Controls.

Faulkner/Haynes Company has been named the exclusive representative for ABB Drives Commercial HVAC drive products.(Places and Faces)
April 1, 2006... Faulkner/Haynes Company has been named the exclusive representative for ABB Drives Commercial HVAC drive products throughout North and South Carolina.

Truland Systems Corporation.(Places and Faces)
April 1, 2006... Truland Systems Corporation announced the promotion of Nazeeh A. Kiblawi, P.E., to president.

Synergis Technologies.(Places and Faces)
April 1, 2006... Synergis Technologies' Engineering Design Solutions Division announced the appointment of Mark Mahovich and Peter Gehring as solutions directors for the Manufacturing and Building/Infrastructure teams, respectively.

ESS.(Places and Faces)
April 1, 2006... ESS has appointed Ian AchterKirch as senior vice president of sales for both Essential Suite[TM] and Compliance Suite[TM], and Dorney Douglass has been named Essential Suite sales director.

Bradford White Corporation.(Places and Faces)
April 1, 2006... Bradford White Corporation recently announced that Eric D. Cytrynowicz was hired as the company's new product manager at its corporate facilities in Ambler, PA.

Danfoss.(Places and Faces)
April 1, 2006... George E. Moore has joined Danfoss in North America as key account manager for the company's Industrial Refrigeration Business Area.

The National Air Filtration Association (NAFA).(Association Agenda)
April 1, 2006... The National Air Filtration Association (NAFA) elected David Goss, CAFS, as president; Steve Nicholas, CAFS, as president-elect; Jeff Holt, CAFS, as treasurer; and Paula Levasseur, CAFS, as secretary.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE).(Association Agenda)
April 1, 2006... North American Technician Excellence (NATE) elected board of trustees officers Scott Boxer, chairman; Herman Kling and Bob Hawkins, vice chairman; Ray Isaac, secretary/treasurer; and Ray Tice, immediate past chairman.

Refrigeration Management Canada (RMC).(Association Agenda)
April 1, 2006... Refrigeration Management Canada (RMC) reappointed Fred Dawson as chair and Tom Boutette, past chair; Dennis Larson, secretary/treasurer; and Warren Heeley, president.

The International Code Council (ICC).(Association Agenda)
April 1, 2006... The International Code Council (ICC) recently elected Henry Green to president of the board.

AMCA International announced that the board of standards review of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved the following document as an American National Standard.(Association Agenda)
April 1, 2006... AMCA International announced that the board of standards review of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved the following document as an American National Standard: ANSI/AMCA 220-2005, Laboratory Methods of Testing Air Curtain...

NFPA.(Association Agenda)
April 1, 2006... Nancy McNabb has joined the Washington office of NFPA as director of government affairs.

ASHRAE.(Association Agenda)
April 1, 2006... ASHRAE recognized 38 people for their contributions to the organization and the HVACR industry at the society's 2006 Winter Meeting. The association also presented its Technology Awards, which recognized projects for innovative design ranging...

ASHRAE research program hits $50 million milestone.(ISSUES AND EVENTS)
April 1, 2006... With approval of projects at the society's 2006 Winter Meeting, ASHRAE has funded $50 million in research since the merger of its two predecessor societies in 1959. "ASHRAE research furthers technology to help keep indoor environments...

Service broker for wireless sensors.(computers & software)
April 1, 2006... The company announced that it has begun shipping its Service Broker v1.0 on a second low-power wireless network platform--the EmberZNet 2.0 ZigBee-compliant network stack. The Service Broker is also compliant with the EmberNet proprietary...

Control valve sizing and selection.(computers & software)
April 1, 2006... The 9.3.0 release of Performance![TM], the company's control valve sizing and selection software, uses industry-standard ISA sizing equations, among other measures, to specify the company's control valves and similar competing valve products....

Emergency response system.(computers & software)
April 1, 2006... The company has designed and patented the NetTalon System 3000, which networks local fire departments with the buildings they protect. Firefighters can examine details of a fire and begin to form strategies before leaving the firehouse. The...

Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES) Limited.(BITS & BYTES)
April 1, 2006... has launched version 5.4.1 of its building performance software suite.

Compass Technologies'.(BITS & BYTES)
April 1, 2006... Compass Technologies' next generation of access control software, Compass 6E, is fully backward compatible with the company's 5E system hardware, and offers Advanced Security State-of-the-Art Simplicity[TM].

WinMagic[R] Inc.(BITS & BYTES)
April 1, 2006... WinMagic[R] Inc. announced the release of the latest version of its SecureDoc[R] line of Windows[R]-based disk encryption software which protects information stored on desktops and laptops by encrypting it during a computer's pre-boot sequence...

Fluent Inc., which was recently purchased by ANSYS, announced the launch of its new solution for data center cooling.(BITS & BYTES)
April 1, 2006... Fluent Inc., which was recently purchased by ANSYS, announced the launch of its new solution for data center cooling, CoolSim, which is designed to help dramatically reduce the risk of thermal-related equipment failures by enabling data center...

Owens Corning.(BITS & BYTES)
April 1, 2006... Owens Corning recently introduced the Builder Energy Solutions Calculator, a new software tool that not only provides the ability to better understand how to most economically improve the energy efficiency of projects, but also provides a...

Honeywell.(BITS & BYTES)
April 1, 2006... Honeywell recently released a new version of its Enterprise Buildings integrator (FBI) management system, the EBI R310, which features several enhancements, including improved Web client access, more flexible integration options for open...

MicroMain Corporation.(BITS & BYTES)
April 1, 2006... MicroMain Corporation announced the expansion of its computer-aided facility management (CAFM) services to include allowing users to visualize facilities and manage more efficiently using data-enabled facility drawings.

Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.(World Wide Web)
April 1, 2006... Siemens Building Technologies, Inc. announced a new HVAC product Internet site, www.sbt.siemens.com/ hvp/components, which offers visitors quick access to detailed product information on valves, actuators, sensors, thermostats, controllers,...

ASHRAE's website, www.ashrae.org, earned an award of excellence.(World Wide Web)
April 1, 2006... ASHRAE's website, www.ashrae.org, earned an award of excellence from the Web Marketing Association.

Ice (US) Inc.(World Wide Web)
April 1, 2006... Ice (US) Inc.'s website, located at www.ice-us.com, provides information about the company's commercial and industrial heating, cooling, and filtration units.

Bell & Gossett.(World Wide Web)
April 1, 2006... Bell & Gossett has unveiled the industry's first wireless pump monitoring system capable of monitoring critical equipment operations from anywhere around the globe on a 24/7 basis at www.bellgossett.com.

Rotronic Instrument Corp.(World Wide Web)
April 1, 2006... Rotronic Instrument Corp., which offers a comprehensive line of humidity instruments, generators, probes, and sensors for the measurement and calibration of relative humidity, dewpoint, water activity, and other humidity parameters, provides...