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Weekly Energy Newsbriefs

Articles for May 11, 2009


ENERGY NEWSBRIEFS is a weekly current awareness service provided by the Washington State University Extension Energy Program Library and written by Angela Santamaria, WSU Energy Library Manager, to assist users in tracking developments in the energy field. To view past issues or to subscribe to receive an email notification of the publication of a new issue, go to Energy Newsbriefs archives at http://www.energy.wsu.edu/library/newsbriefs.cfm.

Please be aware that although every URL is checked for accuracy prior to the publication of Energy Newsbriefs, URLs are, for various reasons, subject to change. Further, servers sometimes fail to connect to working URLs.



BUILDING RETROFIT

"Empire State Building Getting Energy Efficiency Overhaul" is an article describing the massive energy retrofit of the Empire State Building which is only part of an even larger renovation. The energy retrofit of $20 million is expected to pay for itself in less than five years in energy cost reductions. Additionally, the carbon footprint of the building will be drastically reduced. The aim is for the entire project to achieve LEED Gold certification. View this article in the Environmental Leader, April 6, 2009, at http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/04/06/empire-state-building-getting-energy-efficiency-overhaul/.


DATA CENTERS

"Business-Continuity Planning with Limited Resources" was written by Ronald H. Bowman Jr., Executive Vice President, Tishman Technologies. It describes the current economic challenges to data centers, including their high-energy needs, and suggests likely trends that may solve the data center problems that businesses must face. See this article in Business, April 2009, at http://www.buildings.com/Default.aspx?TabId=3413&ArticleID=8271.

The following two articles appeared in the April 2009 issue of Engineered Systems (ES):

  1. "Energy In Data Centers: Benchmarking and Lessons Learned," by Dr. Munther Salim PH.D., Principal of Energy Efficiency & Sustainability for Hewlett Packard Critical Facilities Services EYP MCF. The author provides explanations for and comparisons of the power use effectiveness (PUI) of small, medium, and large data centers. He also shows how to improve PUI and at what cost. See this article at http://www.esmagazine.com/Articles/Cover_Story/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000561125.

  2. "Reduce Data Center Cooling Cost by 75%," was jointly authored by C. Mike Scofield P.E., FASHRAE, President of Conservation Mechanical Systems; Tom Weaver P.E. and Keith Dunnavant P.E., both Partners at Conservation Mechanical Systems; and Mark Fisher, Applications Engineer, Munters/DesChamps. The authors discuss data center efficiencies in the context of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) recommendations and newer technologies that are described. See this article at http://www.esmagazine.com/Articles/Feature_Article/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000561587.



FACILITY MANAGEMENT

"Even in a Recession, Facility Managers Can Get Approval for Efficiency Projects" was jointly composed by the staffs of the Alliance to Save Energy and Building Operating Management. It offers suggestions that can sway building executives toward the facility manager's point of view. These include both direct cost savings and other less tangible but important benefits. See this article in Building Operating Management , April 2009, at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/Even-in-a-Recession-Facility-Managers-Can-Get-Approval-For-Efficiency-Projects--10780.


GENERATION

"Fossil Fuels + Solar Energy = The Future of Electricity Generation," was co-authored by Dave Ugolini and Dr. Justin Zachary, Bechtel Power Corp., and Hyung Joon Park, Bechtel Enterprises. They present the unresolved challenges of relying on renewables and suggest an approach to use until those challenges can be met. See this four web-page article in Power, April 2009, at http://www.powermag.com/issues/features/Fossil-Fuels-+-Solar-Energy-The-Future-of-Electricity-Generation_1797.html.


INDUSTRIAL THERMAL TECHNOLOGIES

The following three articles appeared in the April 2009 issue of Industrial Heating :

  1. "Optimizing Graphite Insulation TCO [total cost of ownership]" was written by Jamie Snipes, Business Development Manager, Morgan AM&T. The author describes the types of graphite insulation that are used in high-temperature furnaces. He warns against using a type which is initially cheaper but may more easily fail, thus, increasing the TCO. Insulation failure may have serious and detrimental consequences to products, plant equipment, and operator safety. See this article at http://www.industrialheating.com/Articles/Feature_Article/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000564419.

  2. "Strategies for Eliminating Decarburization" was authored by Paul Stratton, CEng CSci FIMMM, Heat-Treatment and Electronic-Packaging Application Development, Linde Gas, Sheffield, UK. Unwanted loss of surface carbon can be avoided. The author explains what the condition is, how to tell if decarburization has occurred, and what to do about it. Interestingly, it is not possible to tell by sight or feel whether there has been surface carbon loss (decarburization) or carbon gain (indicated by the presence of retained austenite). See this valuable article at http://www.industrialheating.com/Articles/Feature_Article/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000565435.

  3. "Martensite and Retained Austenite" was written by George Vander Voort, Director of Research & Technology, Buehler Ltd. Following on the article, immediately above, the issue of retained austenite in steel heat treating is addressed. See this article at http://www.industrialheating.com/Articles/Feature_Article/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000564292.




SCHOOLS

"Fossil Ridge High School - Fort Collins, Colorado" is a four-page, September 2008, EnergySmart Schools, case study of a new high school built sustainably with energy efficiencies incorporated into the design without extra costs. This case study is from the Building Technologies Program of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. See it at http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/energysmartschools/ess_fossil-ridge_cs.pdf.