Engineered Systems articles from November 2008

Engineered Systems archives from November 2008

The bailout buys into efficiency: change we can believe in: Congress, Bush extend energy-related incentives.(Editor's Note)(Editorial)
November 1, 2008... "The light in this place is really bad Any minute now, I expect to wake up from a dream... " That's what Bob Dylan was singing as I started working on this month's column (the song is "Dreaming Of You" from the Tell Tale Signs outtakes...

ES webinars.
November 1, 2008... All webinars are free. Registration and archives at http://webinars.esmagazine.com DECEMBER 17 Back2Basics, Vol 5: 3-Story Dormitory Howard McKew, P.E. and Amanda McKew Sponsored by Danfoss

Industry Calendar.(Conference news)(Calendar)
November 1, 2008... NOVEMBER 12-13 AFEC Conference 2008 Advanced Facilities Management & Engineering Conference Denver. For info, visit www.afec.biz. NOVEMBER 16-18 AHRI First Annual Meeting Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute...

White papers.
November 1, 2008... Available at www.esmagazine.com "Green-Up HVAC & Cooling Tower Systems While Obtaining More LEED NC & EB Credits" from Air Solution Company "Grease Ducts Will Never Be The Same: Major Code Changes" from Metal-Fab, Inc.

Engineering in the construction phase.(Back 2 Basics: Based on Cx-3 ATC/FPT software)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... * The designer should manage the design phase fee so that he has adequate funds to participate in the field coordination drawing phase of construction. Refer to "Design and Construction for the 21st Century," in the August 2007 issue of...

Third-party Cx and TAB engineering in the construction phase.(Back 2 Basics: Based on Cx-3 ATC/FPT software)
November 1, 2008... * Those who contract for commissioning services in the construction phase of the job usually interpret commissioning as being start-up. When the commissioning firm is hired, it is time to perform functional performance testing (FPT). Experience...

Test 240 HVAC dormitory application.
November 1, 2008... Test 240 HVAC DORMITORY APPLICATION Status: Airside Min Heat-Occ FPT ERU-1 with RTU-1 Economizer Cycle Mode: 4 5...

Saint Xavier: a model student for getting the most from CFD.(Case In Point)
November 1, 2008... * Rather than simply adding another residence hall to their southwest Chicago campus using traditional design and building methods, Saint Xavier University seized the opportunity to create a performance structure using the highest standards of...

Fire protection pointed in right direction at Staybridge hotel.(Case In Point)
November 1, 2008... Staybridge Suites is a company going in the right direction. An all-suite hotel brand for extended-stay guests looking for a residential-style hotel for business, relocation, or leisure, Staybridge boasts an impressive 10,655 rooms in 94...

Filtration test teaches Homewood schools how to pocket a profit.(Case In Point)
November 1, 2008... * According to the EPA, in terms of air quality, Jefferson County, AL had the highest number of "unhealthy days" of any county in the state, in 2007. Residents also experienced the state's highest concentrations of air pollutants associated...

Design-phase: commissioning by the numbers: better late than never, but cheaper early than late.(Commissioning)(Column)
November 1, 2008... Last month, I presented benefits associated with beginning the commissioning process during the design phase. This month, I would like to present some numbers that might help quantify the value to building owners of starting early. I...

Data center: building automation: the solution is complex when the equation is "N+1 = which controls?".(Building Automation)
November 1, 2008... Now that the dot.com bubble has been dimmed by history, it is interesting to reflect on how mission critical buildings have influenced BAS design. Looking back at the crazy days of the late '90s, we may recall that it was not a good time to put...

Equipment startup checklist--energy recovery unit: hotels, motels, and dormitories.(HVACR Designer Tips)
November 1, 2008... Equipment type: Energy recovery unit Equipment designation: ERU-1 Barcode designation: ####### Note: Refer to upcoming December project closeout checklist DESIGN REVIEW [Y] [N]...

Show me the motor money! Making costs and savings clearer speeds project approval.(Efficiency Incentives)
November 1, 2008... Show me an organization that has an enviable track record of making its operations more energy-efficient, and I'll show you a team that has figured out how to link its boiler room to its boardroom so that actionable communication flows in both...

The IAQ top 10: from dealing with soiled diffusers to offering a memorable rule of thumb about building pressure, this IAQ consultant and veteran expert witness testifies with this list of critical topics. Designers, operators, and owners can all pick up some tips here to boost occupant satisfaction and ensure that you're not courting trouble with your ventilation.
November 1, 2008... The following are my top 10 topics for reducing and fixing IAQ complaints. These 10 items were derived from my 30 years experience in over 2,000 IAQ investigations as well as the opinions collected during a meeting I had with other expert IAQ...

Putting a damper on tragedy: it's impossible to put a price on life. However, the fact that sometimes it must be done should be a further motivator to owners and engineers to get fire/smoke protection right. Revisit the past and then skip to the present, where one firm's proactive approach meets standards, simplifies design and maintenance, and even reduces labor costs.
November 1, 2008... Building owners, managers, and industry professionals widely recognize that fire dampers, smoke dampers, and combination fire/smoke dampers are essential to any active fire protection and smoke control system. People responsible for these...

New bearing protection ring kits speed field installation/retrofit.
November 1, 2008... To simplify predictive/preventive motor maintenance programs, Electro Static Technology introduces two new Split-Ring[TM] AEGIS SGR Bearing Protection kits--one for NEMA motors and one for IEC motors. Developed for easy field installation...

Retrofitting yesterday's building with today's lighting controls.(INTELLIGENT LIGHTING)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The message of building automation as a cure for energy-inefficient buildings is beginning to stick. While the increased demand for and diminishing supply of energy has forced the word green into our language;...

Lighting controls for daylight spaces provide tremendous benefits.(INTELLIGENT LIGHTING)
November 1, 2008... Daylit areas in a wide variety of buildings offer terrific energy saving opportunities. Numerous case studies document savings of 30% to more than 40% when day-lighting controls are used to reduce electric light usage. At the same time,...

Accountegration--proven integration at a lower cost.(INTELLIGENT LIGHTING)
November 1, 2008... For many engineers and building owners, integrating lighting control with the BAS has been a game of chance with very poor odds. Those disappointing results are supported by an industry survey that reveals less than 6% of all BAS installations...

Lighting intelligence in small, medium, or large.(INTELLIGENT LIGHTING)
November 1, 2008... The increasing cost of energy and the need to consider it as a limited-use resource enlighten the saving opportunities that lighting control solutions bring to businesses and to building owners and managers. Indeed, lighting control systems are...

Filters.(Products In Focus)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The company's DP40 and DPMax pleated filters meet MERV 8 performance parameters before and after a conditioning step. Features include lower initial resistance, 100% synthetic fibers, a new diecut with twice as many...

Dataloggers.(Products In Focus)
November 1, 2008... The FlashLink[R] CT datalogger, Models CT and CTX, support 5-, 15-, 45-, or 75-day temperature tracking. Recorded data can be printed using the CT graphics printer, downloaded to a PC, and/or uploaded to a Web hosting server for visualization...

Fans.(Products In Focus)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The company has added MultiMode control capability to is AtlAir High Volume --Low-Speed industrial ceiling fan. Users can now run the fans in multiple modes including manual, EcoMode, DeStrat Mode, AutoMode, and EXT...

Drives.(Products In Focus)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The E-Clipse Bypass embedded Fieldbus unit is International Building Code certified and can be set up to accept control for the ACH550 drive and/or the E-Clipse Bypass from an external system using standard serial...

Dataloggers: Omega Engineering, Inc.(Products In Focus)
November 1, 2008... The OM-CP-PR2000 pressure datalogger features a large, backlit LCD. The battery-powered recorder operates in real-time and features a non-volative memory to retain recorded data, even if AC and battery power are lost. [ILLUSTRATION...

Chiller systems.(Products In Focus)
November 1, 2008... The outdoor air cooled central chiller is designed for exterior installation, freeing up valuable indoor equipment space. The unit is available in sizes ranging from 10 ton up to 500 ton capacities. The unit is 100% factory-wired, and each...

Glossary.(Glossary)
November 1, 2008... Here are some common abbreviations and terms found in the pages of Engineered Systems. A A/C--air conditioning ach--air changes per hour AE--architectural and engineering; or architect and engineer AFD--adjustable-frequency drive...

One small step for the TAB industry: procedure and software work to tap TAB's full potential.(Tomorrow's Environment)
November 1, 2008... * Regular readers are aware of my quest to elevate the air and water testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) contractor to a third-party TAB firm working in sync with the third-party commissioning firm instead of a being a subcontractor to the...