Engineered Systems articles from March 2007

Engineered Systems archives from March 2007

The expo has left the building: Dallas deals up the excellent and the odd.
March 1, 2007... Last month, we lamented how the realities of publishing prevent us from giving you AHR/ASHRAE news in the February print issue. This month, sure enough, we have several topics to touch on, from Dallas and elsewhere. So fasten your seatbelts and...

Conferences.(Calendar)
March 1, 2007... MARCH 21-22 Spring Building automation Conference Engineered Systems and Energy & Power Management Baltimore. For more info, visit http://bnpevents.com/ES/BAC.

Calendar of events.(Calendar)
March 1, 2007... MARCH 2007 For more events and details, visit ESOnline at www.esmagazine.com. 8-10 ISH-Aircontec--IKK Building Forum Messe Frankfurt, Inc. Frankfurt, Germany. For more info, visit www.messefrankfurt.com. 20-22 National...

Alarming conditions.
March 1, 2007... J. Patrick Banse's article titled "Smoke Control in Health Care Facilities-Part 2," in the November 2006 issue of Engineered Systems (page 46), presents the elements of stairwell pressurization design in some detail. However, I feel that in...

Searching for single source.(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... I wanted to thank Howard McKew for his "Tomorrow's Engineer" column in the November 2006 issue ("The Search For Single Source," page 94). The precise and correct presentation of the differences between construction manager contracts; design,...

Moving UFAD to the side.(underfloor air distribution systems)
March 1, 2007... This is in regards to the article written by Kevin Dickens, P.E. "UFAD UFO" in the January 2007 issue of Engineered Systems (page 74). The article talked about the pros and cons of underfloor air distribution systems. I would like to propose a...

No excuses.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2007... I just read Howard McKew's "Tomorrow's Engineer" column in the January 2007 issue ("Will You Please Listen To Yourself?" page 136) and it could not have be said any better. Too often, engineers take the negative approach to fees and the whole...

Correction.(Correction notice)
March 1, 2007... In the article "Refrigeration Recap" (January 2007, page 96) may have given the incorrect impression that HCFC production will be halted in 2010. In fact, equipment using virgin HCFC-22 cannot be manufactured in the U.S. after January 1, 2010....

Back 2 basics.(Energy control systems)
March 1, 2007... Helpful Hints * Refer to this month's "HVACR Designer Tips" for the project closeout checklist and to the "Application Checklist" for boiler replacement and retrofit system selection scorecard. * Most facilities seldom optimize their...

Middle school ponders a bright educational future with WSHP.(Case In Point)(KJWW Engineering Co. )(Case study)
March 1, 2007... When a new School District 159 middle school was needed in Matteson, IL--located in Cook County among the south Chicago suburbs--topping the district's list of priorities were enduring energy-saving value and ample learning opportunities that...

Controls help school win Governor's Award for efficiency.(Case In Point)(Connolly Middle School)(BAS solutions)
March 1, 2007... Connolly Middle School (Tempe, AZ) won an Arizona Governor's Award for Energy Efficiency for 2005. This annual award is given to the government facilities that exhibit the greatest energy improvement through implementation of innovative energy...

Divide and conquer: high-velocity A/C and energy recovery solve office dilemma.(Case In Point)
March 1, 2007... Reducing cooling equipment size and cost, while still providing sufficient A/C to all the tenants in a building was the dilemma facing Oasis Mechanical of Lanham, MD. The company was being asked to meet the needs of the Greenbriar Community...

Texas district drastically reduces energy use through BAS and a hard look at sequences.(Case In Point)(Case study)
March 1, 2007... The Crosby Independent School District (ISD) serves nearly 4,500 students in Harris County, TX, part of the Houston metropolitan area. The district includes six campuses: a kindergarten plus primary, elementary, intermediate, middle, and high...

Is the did done? Design intent and owner's project requirements: understand the role of each.(Commissioning)(Engineering standards)(Column)
March 1, 2007... I have written a few columns about the all-important DID over the years (July and August 2000 and August, September, and October 2004). The DID has been the backbone of the commissioning process. It represents the objectives of the project from...

Getting GridWise at GridWeek: brain power converges in Washington, April 23-26.(Building Automation)(Anto Budiardjo of Clasma Events, Inc.)(Interview)
March 1, 2007... * How can I be part of modernizing the U.S. electric grid? Become part the GridWise movement and attend GridWeek in Washington. * What is GridWise[TM]? The GridWiseAlliance (http://gridwise.org/) is a consortium of public and private...

Boiler replacement: commissioning and project closeout checklist.(HVAC Designer Tips)
March 1, 2007... Equipment type: Boiler B-1 Equipment designation: Boiler retrofit Bar code designation: 111111 Area served: Office building Equipment location: Equipment room SPECIFICATION REVIEW * Confirm Division 1 mechanical requirements (O&M...

Displaced concern: an effective K-12 retrofit using UFAD and displacement ventilation requires everything from load calculations to Cheerios. Overcoming initial skepticism, these engineers have fine-tuned their designs, figured out where architect involvement is critical, and improved IAQ on the road to reducing throughout this Kansas school district.
March 1, 2007... The goal of most school districts around the country is to enhance the educational environment for the district's children. Enhancing the environment usually involves taking a close look at the HVAC systems, ensuring that each school has...

Passionate professionalism.(ENY Mechanical Corporation; Yeshiva & Mesivta Ch'san Sofer private elementary/ high school )(Case study)
March 1, 2007... A boiler retrofit will only do so much good if the rest of the system is in dire straits. This Brooklyn school benefited from engineers making the case to go beyond simple replacement and look at the big picture. New boilers, piping, and...

To preserve and protect.
March 1, 2007... Older buildings need climate control, too. That's where modernization of older structures can get challenging--maintaining the architectural integrity while performing necessary upgrades. The task of reconfiguring permanent equipment to...

LonMark[R] launches professional certification program.(Issues & Events)(LonMark[R] Americas)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... LonMark[R] Americas (LMA), the North American affiliate of LonMark International (LMI) whose purpose is to promote the integration of open, multi-vendor control systems utilizing ANSI/CEA 709.1 and related standards, announced that the first...

Mechanical system industry leaders and educators form green mechanical council.(Issues & Events)
March 1, 2007... Mechanical system industry manufacturers, labor unions, contractor organizations, educators, students, consultants, individual contractors, and others have joined together to form the Green Mechanical Council (GreenMech). GreenMech, an...

Carrier Corp.(Industy News)
March 1, 2007... Carrier Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., has completed the acquisition of Longville Group Limited. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Engenuity Systems, Inc.(Industy News)
March 1, 2007... Engenuity Systems, Inc. has launched a new division focused entirely on the distribution and support of wireless controls and peripheral products.

Good Housekeeping.(Industy News)
March 1, 2007... Good Housekeeping has granted its Good Housekeeping Seal to hydronic heating manufacturer Weil-McLain.

Johnson Controls, Inc.(Industy News)(mergers of York International Corp. (York, Pennsylvania) celebrated)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Johnson Controls, Inc., last month celebrated the one-year anniversary of its acquisition of York International Corp. and held a "one year later" media event in conjunction with the 2007 AHR Expo in Dallas.

DuPont Refrigerants.(Industy News)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... DuPont Refrigerants exhibited its broad portfolio of cooling technologies designed to lead the industry toward more sustainable environmental and performance solutions at 2007 AHR Expo in Dallas.

Baltimore Aircoil Company's.(Industy News)(2007 AHR Expo Innovation Honorable award for TriArmor[TM] Corrosion Protection System )(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Baltimore Aircoil Company's TriArmor[TM] Corrosion Protection System is the culmination of years of research and development and has now been awarded the 2007 AHR Expo Innovation Honorable Mention for the "Green Building" category.

Emerson Climate Technologies.(Industy News)(Copeland Scroll Digital gets 2007 AHR Expo Product of the Year award)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Emerson Climate Technologies, a business of Emerson, announced that the Copeland Scroll Digital[TM] compressor is the recipient of the 2007 AHR Expo Product of the Year award.

Fluke Corporation.(Industy News)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Fluke Corporation presented 10 educational institutions in Canada and the U.S. with state-of-the-art air quality test instruments (the Fluke 975 AirMeter[TM] Tester) for use in training students in HVAC, industrial hygiene, and IAQ.

Danfoss.(Industy News)
March 1, 2007... Danfoss acquired Aztec Energy Partners, a U.S. market leader within energy management services to the food retail industry.

Desert Aire.(Desert Aire Corp.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Desert Aire announced that it has moved to a new, larger manufacturing plant in Germantown, WI, and now has new contact information: N120 W18485 Freistadt Rd., Germantown, WI 53022, 262-946-7400, Fax: 262-946-7401.

Kimberly-Clark.(Industy News)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Kimberly-Clark Filtration Products has become an Energy Star Partner and will use this partnership in its efforts to help commercial, institutional, and industrial facilities improve their HVAC system energy performance.

American Power Conversion.(Cyber Continuity Center)(American Power Conversion Corp.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... American Power Conversion announced that the Cyber Continuity Center, one of North America's first high-density co-location data centers, will use the company's InfraStruXure architecture for high-density blade server deployments at the new...

Indoor environmental design focus of ASHRAE satellite broadcast.
March 1, 2007... Specific solutions to the everyday challenges of achieving indoor environmental quality within real-world budget constraints will be presented by ASHRAE in an upcoming satellite broadcast/webcast. "Indoor Environmental Design: Practical...

Newcomb & Boyd.(Stephen R. Wiggins)(James D. Stephney)(Jonathan A. Bair)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Newcomb & Boyd announced that Stephen R. Wiggins has become an associate partner in the firm, and that C. Donald Latham, Jr., RCDD, CPP; James D. Stephney, III, P.E.; C. Walter Tanner, CIPE; and Justin L. Ziegler, P.E., have become senior...

Cannon Design.(Engineering Beat)
March 1, 2007... Cannon Design announced that Deborah L. Pease, AIA and Jerome F. Bobak, P.E., LEED[R] have been named associate vice president.

Crafton, Tull & Associates.(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Crafton, Tull & Associates and SPARKS merged into one A/E firm: Crafton, Tull, Sparks & Associates will have 320 employees with offices in Birmingham, AL; Little Rock, AR; Oklahoma City, OK; Rogers, AR; Russellville, AR; Tulsa, OK, and Wichita,...

Stantec.(Stantec Consulting Services Inc. awarded for work on Washington State Veterans Home)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Stantec has been recognized with an international award for its work on the Washington State Veterans Home in Retsil, WA, which recently took first place honors in the 2007 Technology Awards competition sponsored by ASHRAE.

EYP Mission Critical Facilities.(EYP Mission Critical Facilities Inc.)(Data Center Solution Builder program)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... EYP Mission Critical Facilities announced it has joined Hewlett-Packard's recently established Data Center Solution Builder (DCSB) program, which combines leading architecture, engineering, equipment, technology, utility, real estate and...

CMA Architecture, P.A.(Job Corps Center)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... CMA Architecture, P.A., has completed the design of a cafeteria building and a new and renovated child development center and single parent dormitory for the Job Corps Center in St. Paul, MN.

Huckabee's.
March 1, 2007... Huckabee's vice president, Gary Rademacher, AIA and structural engineer, Kyle Burgy, P.E., traveled to Alvaton, KY to research a school that used an insulated concrete form (ICF) block product, and analyze its exterior masonry wall system and...

ASHRAE Technology Awards highlight outstanding buildings.
March 1, 2007... A range of innovative technologies, including natural ventilation, use of grey water, and incorporation of phase change materials, are highlighted in the winning ASHRAE Technology Award projects. The awards recognize members' exceptional...

Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Siemens Building Technologies, Inc. has appointed Mark Halbur as director of sales and operations for their Staefa brand distribution channel and Siemens HVAC Components Group of independent control contractors.

Tomkins.(Tomkins plc)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Tomkins plc announced that effective immediately, Terry O'Halloran, president of the Air Systems Components Division, will assume the additional responsibility of managing both the Lasco Bathware and Philips Products business units.

Superior Radiant Products.(CRL Consulting)(Primary Sales)(Quality Equipment Sales)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Superior Radiant Products welcomed three new rep resentatives in northeastern USA: CRL Consulting in eastern New York City, and Long Island; Primary Sales in New Jersey; and Quality Equipment Sales in eastern Pennsylvania.

Maxitrol Company.(Places And Faces)
March 1, 2007... Maxitrol Company named David M. Holcomb as national sales manager.

PoolPak International.(Places And Faces)
March 1, 2007... PoolPak International has appointed of Abdelhamid Hassan as its international sales manager, a full-time position to be headquartered in Egypt.

Nick Honko.(Places And Faces)
March 1, 2007... Nick Honko is the newest addition to the Bry-Air team, as vice president regional sales, Southeast.

The NFPA.(Association Agenda)
March 1, 2007... The NFPA has appointed Christian Dubay as vice president, codes and standards and chief engineer. He will oversee electrical engineering, fire protection applications and chemical engineering, public fire protection, building and life safety,...

ASHRAE.(Association Agenda)
March 1, 2007... ASHRAE will discuss healthy and sustainable buildings and what exactly defines what a healthy building, in addition to other topics at its IAQ 2007: Healthy and Sustainable Buildings conference in Baltimore October 15-17.

RSES.(Association Agenda)
March 1, 2007... RSES announced that the following members passed the CM exam in November 2006 and were awarded CM status: David J. Hensley, CM, of the Fox Valley Chapter, Elgin, IL; and Jimmy L. Stoops, CM, of the Athens Chapter, Athens, OH.

Thomson Delmar.(Association Agenda)
March 1, 2007... Thomson Delmar renewed its grant to help pay for HVAC Excellence Student Outcome Assessments/Employment Ready Certifications through June of 2007.

The Construction Specifications Institute.(Association Agenda)
March 1, 2007... The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) announced that Walter T. Marlowe, P.E., CAE, has been selected as the new executive director and CEO of CSI.

CABA unveils intelligent building ranking tool.(Continental Automated Buildings Association)
March 1, 2007... CABA unveiled its intelligent building ranking tool: the Building Intelligence Quotient (BIQ). The BIQ ranking tool has three functions. It serves as a means to evaluate and measure the "value" of intelligent building performance; a design...

Project management.
March 1, 2007... PRISM Project Manager is a project management information system designed and developed by professional project managers and project controls engineers. It is suitable for all sizes and types of projects in virtually all industries, and allows...

Voltage drop calculation.(Computers & Software)
March 1, 2007... The Web-based Voltage Drop Calculator provides architects and engineers with easy access to a tool that will assist in the design of audible/visible notification device circuits. This calculator uses data provided by the user to perform the...

Datalogging.(Computers & Software)
March 1, 2007... The latest release of the company's HOBOware[R] Pro datalogger software, V2.3, helps pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies comply with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's 21 CFR Part 11 regulations, which relate to technical and...

Engineered Software, Inc.(BITS & BYTES)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Engineered Software, Inc. was granted a speaking spot at the 2007 AHR Expo New Project Technology Theater, and the company's chief engineer, Ray Hardee, presented "PIPE-FLO Professional 2007--a dynamic problem solving simulation tool" on...

Wrightsoft's.(BITS & BYTES)(Wrightsoft Corp. exhibits software package)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Wrightsoft's new product, Right-Universal (RU), an HVAC software package that combines residential and commercial design capabilities in one product to give customers the power to use a single program for all of their design and sales projects,...

Tridium, Inc. announced that its Niagara Convergence Retail Application has been selected by Wawa Food Markets.(BITS & BYTES)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Tridium, Inc. announced that its Niagara Convergence Retail Application has been selected by Wawa Food Markets, a chain of more than 550 convenience stores located throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia, as its...

Eagle Technology, Inc.(BITS & BYTES)
March 1, 2007... Eagle Technology, Inc. has released of ProLink II, its Web-based service request module, available for shipment to all ProTeus V Professional and Enterprise Edition users.

Autodesk, Inc.(BITS & BYTES)(Autodesk Inc. signs partnership with Integrated Environmental Solutions Inc.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Autodesk, Inc. is partnering with Integrated Environmental Solutions Ltd. (IES) to further enhance the Revit software platform for building information modeling (BIM) to support sustainable design.

Cimmetry Systems, an Agile Software company.(BITS & BYTES)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Cimmetry Systems, an Agile Software company, announced the availability of AutoVue 19.1 Service Pack 1 for Solaris servers 9 and 10, which provides Solaris users with 2-D and 3-D native document visualization for AutoCAD 2007, Autodesk Inventor...

Armstrong International.(WORLD WIDE WEB)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Armstrong International has launched a redesigned website to provide a more enjoyable, user-friendly experience, including quick access to products and services tailored to endusers, engineers, facilities managers, and others seeking energy...

Schneider Electric North American Operating Division introduced, under its Square D[R] brand of power management equipment and software.(WORLD WIDE WEB)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Schneider Electric North American Operating Division introduced, under its Square D[R] brand of power management equipment and software, a new module for its Web-enabled power and EMS software; System Manager Advanced Reports, which is designed...

Airxchange.(WORLD WIDE WEB)(www.airxchange.com)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Airxchange, a provider of energy recovery ventilation components, has launched a new website, www.airxchange.com, featuring a host of new information presented in a crisp, straightforward design that is simple to navigate.

Richards-Zeta.(WORLD WIDE WEB)(www.richards-zeta.com)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Richards-Zeta recently launched its new website (www.richards-zeta.com), which is more advanced and intuitive, and is designed to allow users to find all information on RZ and solutions offerings quickly and easily.

Leviton.(WORLD WIDE WEB)
March 1, 2007... Leviton has unveiled a new website that consolidates its comprehensive product and service offering under a single domain name, located at www.leviton.com.

The Education Construction Catalog.(WORLD WIDE WEB)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... The Education Construction Catalog (www.edconcat.com) is a website registry for construction professionals who provide products and services to the educational community: schools, colleges, and universities, including engineers and facility...

NetServiceBooks.(WORLD WIDE WEB)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... (www.netservicebooks.com) has created a Web-based company management system, which includes scheduling, accounting, job cost and inventory--all of which are completely integrated, and is designed specifically for the HVAC industry.

Micro-ohmmeters.(Products In Focus)
March 1, 2007... The 10A micro-ohmmeter Model 6250 is designed for both plant maintenance and field use. The unit uses a four-lead Kelvin method of testing with results within 0.05%. Resistance measurements are automatically calculated, taking into account the...

Pressure transducers.(Products In Focus)
March 1, 2007... The Model 269 low differential pressure transducer features a removable process head for field certification and accuracies including non-linearity of +0.15% and +0.25% full scale. Installation is achieved with either the base mount or din rail...

Tes.(Products In Focus)
March 1, 2007... The company has included internalized headers and piping on its smaller ice storage tanks: Models 1045C, 1082C, and 1105C. The tanks are designed for retrofit applications and feature a small footprint as well as a high-performance heat...

Boilers.(Products In Focus)
March 1, 2007... The Model FPS four-pass scotch marine boiler features low heat release, low furnace pressure, a large steam space and disengaging area with optimum operating efficiencies. The unit is available in sizes ranging from 70 to 600 bhp for hot water,...

Contactors.(Products In Focus)
March 1, 2007... The DP contactor is designed to improve control of applications such as refrigeration, A/C, ventilation, and resistance heating. The contactors feature a sealed housing which reduces cleanliness issues and is easily removed for contactor...

Cooling solutions.(Products In Focus)
March 1, 2007... The company has expanded its line of XD cooling products (XDO and XDV) with high capacity ceiling and rack-mount cooling modules. The XDO is available with a nominal 20 kW rating and the XDV is available with a nominal 10 kW rating. Both units...

Combustion tools.(Product In Focus)
March 1, 2007... The AOX2 oxygen and C[O.sub.2] combustion check accessory head is designed for combustion testing and displays flue gas %[O.sub.2] temperature and %C[O.sub.2]. The unit features a thermocouple and an aspirator pump with water trap and can be...

Refrigerant leak detectors.(Product In Focus)
March 1, 2007... The D-TEK C[O.sub.2] refrigerant leak detector is designed to detect C[O.sub.2] (R-744). The unit uses an infrared absorption sensing cell that is selective to C[O.sub.2], yet its circuitry allows the instrument to equalize the C[O.sub.2]...

Air filters.(Product In Focus)
March 1, 2007... The RIGA-V air filter is available in three ASHRAE efficiencies, MERV 11, 13, and 14, and is designed to offer high dust holding capacity and low pressure drop. The filter is suited for use in commercial buildings, schools, health care...

Fans.(Product In Focus)
March 1, 2007... The Design 5120 plenum fan is available in wheel sizes from 135 to 807 with capacities to 190,000 cfm and pressures to 80 in. w.g. Fan features include a deep spun inlet cone, hyperbolic wheel cone, and a wider wheel with an improved critical...

Combustion & emissions analyers.(Product In Focus)
March 1, 2007... The GreenLine 6000 portable gas analyzer is suited for industrial service and maintenance purposes, including boilers, burners, and heaters. Features include a CO sensor with manual or automatic protection, a remote control unit with built-in...

Hydro separator.(Product In Focus)
March 1, 2007... The company's Hydro Separator enables the connected primary and secondary loops of a hydronic system to be independent of each other so the flow in one circuit does not create flow in another. The unit can be connected to 1 in. or 4 in. lines,...

Facilities maintenance.(Literature & Catalogs)
March 1, 2007... This catalog features more than 138,000 of the company's facilities maintenance products. This is an increase of 23,000 items over the previous catalog. Products featured include high-grade pipes, valves, and fittings. --Grainger FREE...

Ethernet networks.(Literature & Catalogs)
March 1, 2007... This technical guide titled, The ABCs of Ethernet Troubleshooting, asks 22 common questions to consider when troubleshooting networks. Subjects include TCP/IP, IP addresses, managed switches, and DHCP servers. --Contemporary Controls ...