Articles for August 10, 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
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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.
BUILDINGS - LEED (LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN)
"ASU
LEED Biodesign GIOS ISTB2" is a short video (just under two minutes)
showing Arizona State University's commitment to greening its campus. As the
blurb to the right of the video frame reports, eleven buildings on the ASU
campus are already LEED certified, and all new buildings must meet LEED Silver
certification requirements. The video highlights two facilities: a remodeled
1960s building that now houses the Global Institute of Sustainability (GIOS)
and the new Biodesign Institute which earned LEED Platinum certification. See
the April 15, 2009, video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2qvL8L6cD8.
COGENERATION
"Cogen
Comes to Australian Offices - Changing Conditions Make the Technology Right for
Eastern States," by staff, describes the three catalysts that account for
Australia's serious interest in cogeneration. First, a long-term drought
seriously affected coal production, thereby increasing energy prices. Second,
interest in protecting the environment resulted in a demand for green
buildings, by both high-end renters and the government, which found support in
government regulations and government ratification, in 2007, of the Kyoto
Protocol. Finally, with the stage set, a company applied a new business model
that works in a new cogen world. See this article in Cogeneration &
On-Site Power Production, May-June 2009, at http://www.cospp.com/display_article/362677/122/CRTIS/none/none/1/Cogen-comes-to-Australian-offices---changing-conditions-make-the-technology-right-for-eastern-states/.
CONTROLS
"From
Simple Rules, Complex Behavior: Focus on Intelligent Controls" was written
by Alan S. Brown, Associate Editor, Mechanical Engineering. The author
points out that, currently, control systems in buildings are based on
meticulous programming that integrates parts of systems and integrates whole systems
with other systems. The autonomous robotic research described in this article
takes a completely different approach that could, in time, lead to autonomous
building controls. See this article in Mechanical Engineering, July
2009, at http://memagazine.asme.org/Articles/2009/July/From_Simple_Rules_Complex.cfm.
HVAC (HEATING, VENTILATION, and AIR CONDITIONING)
"BAS Design Issues"
was co-authored by Richard L. Kronick and Michael Ivanovich, Editor-in-Chief, Consulting-Specifying Engineer. The authors offer advice to the BAS (building
automated systems) designer on specifying, commissioning, selecting bids, and
much more. See this article, which includes a list of related online
resources, in Consulting-Specifying Engineer, June 2009, at http://www.csemag.com/article/294691-BAS_design_issues.php.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT)
"Symantec Study Reveals Green IT Now Essential
IT Practice" is a May 27, 2009, press release from Symantec. Information
technology (IT) practitioners report that they have more money to spend in
support of sustainable practices and that they are interested in a greener IT-world
to gain energy savings and to support a healthier environment. The press
release includes a link directly to the 23-page study, 2009 Green IT Report,
and, also, to a November 20, 2007 press release, "Symantec Study Reveals Global 2000 Struggle To Adopt 'Green' Data
Centers," which is about an earlier study, Green Data Centers.
View the May 27, 2009, press release at http://www.symantec.com/about/news/release/article.jsp?prid=20090527_01.
MICRO-CHP (COMBINED HEAT and POWER)
"Micro-CHP
Comes to North America - Devices Include Gas-Fired Generators from Honda" was
written by Michael Paparone, President and CEO, ECR International. The author
presents micro-CHP as a potentially attractive option for U.S. and Canadian homes requiring heating for more of the year than cooling. Micro-CHP
would be an improvement over traditional heating methods in terms of long-term
costs, energy savings, environmental advantages, and energy generation that
reduces the load on the grid and offers protection from grid brown- or
black-outs. See this article in Cogeneration & On-Site Power Production,
May-June 2009, at http://www.cospp.com/display_article/362678/122/CRTIS/none/none/1/Micro-CHP-comes-to-North-America---devices-include-gas-fired-generators-from-Honda/.
TRANSPORTATION
"Hydrogen Powered River Simple Urban Car Built
in Silverstone Launched," by River Simple staff, introduces the new
lightweight, two-seater from the UK. The design and technology are discussed.
See this article on the AboutMyArea website, posted June 16th 2009, at http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Northamptonshire/Towcester/NN12/News/Local-News/133992-Hydrogen-Powered-River-Simple-Urban-Car-Built-in-Silverstone-Launched.
"States Clamor for High-Speed Funding: Forty
States File 278 'Pre-Applications' Totaling $102.5 Billion, but ARRA Only
Provides $8 Billion" was written by Tom Ichniowski, Aileen Cho, and J.T.
Long. This two-web-page article discusses several facets of the stimulus package
money for high-speed rail including the popularity of the idea, the cooperation
of states in applying for funds, and the readiness of the private sector to
contribute. See this article in ENR.com, July 22, 2009, at http://enr.construction.com/infrastructure/transportation/2009/0722-HighSpeedFunding-1.asp.
WASTE-TO-ENERGY
"Advanced
Anaerobic Digestion - More Gas from Sewage Sludge," by staff, is a case
study of a water company using wastewater to generate biogas, which is, then,
used to fuel its combined heat and power system. See this case study in Cogeneration
& On-Site Power Production, May-June 2009, at http://www.cospp.com/display_article/362683/122/CRTIS/none/none/1/Advanced-anaerobic-digestion---more-gas-from-sewage-sludge/.
"The
Growing Role of Waste-to-Energy in the U.S." was written by Angela
Neville, JD. The author explains that generating energy from non-hazardous
waste satisfies the major U.S. policy aims of meeting increased energy demands
without compromising reliability and security, and of reducing energy's
environmental and spatial footprints. See this two-web-page article in Power,
July 2009, at http://www.powermag.com/issues/features/The-Growing-Role-of-Waste-to-Energy-in-the-U-S-_1995.html.
Past issues of Energy Newsbriefs are available at
http://www.energy.wsu.edu/library/newsbriefs.cfm.
Generally, subscription information for the journals cited above can be
found at the home page of their web sites.
© 2009 Washington State University Extension Energy Program. This
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