Articles for August 31, 2009
ENERGY NEWSBRIEFS is a weekly current awareness service provided by the
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DATA CENTERS
"Data Center Targets LEED Gold Certification" is a three-part article written by Sunny Puri, PE, LEED AP Vice President, Environmental Systems Design, and Michael Kuppinger, PE, Senior Vice President, Mission Critical and Technology Group, Environmental Systems Design. The article was published in the August 2009 issue of Building Operating Management:
Part 1: Allstate Aims for Improved Reliability and Flexibility with New Data Center. The new center represents a merger of four others. It was to be sustainable and, despite its increased workload, be more reliable and flexible than the ones it replaced were. See Part 1 at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/datacenters/article/Allstate-Aims-for-Improved-Reliability-and-Flexibility-with-New-Data-Center--11064.
Part 2: Commissioning: Best Way to Ensure Data Center Reliability. The new data center followed an approach that combines energy efficiency and reliability. See Part 2 at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/datacenters/article/Commissioning-Best-Way-to-Ensure-Data-Center-Reliability--11065.
Part 3: Data Center Operations Require Increasing FM, IT Collaboration. Facilities managers have to take reliability seriously and IT groups have to attend to energy efficiency leading both groups to cooperate with one another. See Part 3 at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/datacenters/article/Data-Center-Operations-Require-Increasing-FM-IT-Collaboration--11066.
GREEN BUILDINGS
"Sustaina-bling-ity: A New Headquarters Building Is Not Shy about Its Green Stance," by David Sokol, is a case study of the LEED Platinum headquarters for a landscaping firm in Chicago. The energy efficiencies achieved are dramatic. Solar was used both for water heating and to supplement the geothermal system for Chicagos very cold winters. See this case study in GreenSource, August 2009, at http://greensource.construction.com/features/solutions/0908/0908_Christy-Weber.asp.
GREEN INTERIORS
"Interior Design Can Effect Health and Productivity; Here's How to Get It Right" was written by Melissa Mizell, IIDA, LEED AP; Senior Associate, Gensler. The emphasis here is to design and specify for interiors in the context of integrated building design. Specifically, selections for interiors should have low impacts on energy and water resources, minimal carbon footprints, and be sustainable. The author lists and describes seven guidelines that lead interiors selections in the right direction. See this article in Building Operating Management, August 2009, at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/designconstruction/article/Interior-Design-Can-Effect-Health-and-Productivity-Heres-How-to-Get-it-Right--11063.
GREEN PRODUCTS
"A New Breed of Eco-Designers Reimagines the Detritus Of Our Daily Lives: Eco-Designers Are Crafting Clever Solutions That Will Divert Tons Of Waste From Landfills," by Anne C. Lee, briefly presents several eco-products including compostable dinnerware, greeting cards that grow plants, organic packing material, and a box that triples as a pizza container, four dinner plates, and a case for refrigerated leftovers. See these products in Fast Company, September 2009, at http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/138/transformers.html.
HVAC (HEATING, VENTILATION, and AIR CONDITIONING)
"Calculate HVAC Loads with BIM: 3-D Building Information Modeling Tools [BIM] Are Improving the Process of Calculating Peak Cooling and Heating Loads for Buildings" was written by Stephen Roth, PE, LEED AP, President, Carmel Software Corp. The author describes both the conventional calculating method and the newer 3-D one that replaces it. The flaws of the older approach are shown and the advantages of the newer one are highlighted. See this in-depth article in Consulting-Specifying Engineer, August 2009, at http://www.csemag.com/article/327277-Calculate_HVAC_loads_with_BIM.php.
MILITARY BUILDINGS -- U.S. NAVY
"Sustainability Guidelines for Reconstruction of Navy Facilities" is a July 2009, ten-page publication from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) to prepare disaster recovery teams to use sustainable approaches in dismantling and discarding beyond-repair facilities and in replacing them. The guide includes a bulleted list of nine aspects of a sustainable structure and several checklists to help with planning, site selection, architectural considerations, interior design, structural concerns, mechanical systems, electrical equipment, and systems for fire, security, and communications. See this publication at http://www.wbdg.org/docs/sustain_reconstr_guide_v2.doc.
MILITARY VEHICLES -- U.S. ARM
"New US Army Laboratory Will Support Next-Generation Ground Vehicles; Hybrid-Electric and Fuel Cell Configurations" is an article about the research to be conducted by the army in this testing facility. The armys very specialized vehicles require unusual or to-be-developed technologies to satisfy extremely high power needs, among other things. The article lists a number of promising technologies to be investigated including hybrid electric parts, advanced energy storage, fuel cells, heat exchangers, and air filtration. See this article in Green Car Congress, August 18, 2009, at http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/08/gspel-20090818.html#more.
POLICY
"The Manhattan Project, the Apollo Program, and Federal Energy Technology R&D Programs: A Comparative Analysis" was authored by Deborah D. Stine, Specialist in Science and Technology Policy, Congressional Research Service. This telling analysis compares funding, project goals, and other issues. See this June 30, 2009, 13-PDF-page (10-document-page) publication at http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL34645_20090630.pdf.
"Cities, States Begin Mandates for Energy Benchmarking" is a four-part article written by Naomi Millán, Associate Editor, Building Operating Management; the article appears in that publications August 2009 issue:
Part 1 - California AB 1103 Requires Energy Benchmarking Data Released During Sales. Part 1 begins with a brief overview of the topic of mandated energy benchmarking citing Portfolio Manager (part of the U.S. EPAs Energy Star Program) as a free software program that easily tracks the data. Then, the California mandate, enacted into law in 2007, is described. See Part 1 at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/California-AB-1103-Requires-Energy-Benchmarking-Data-Released-During-Sales--11020.
Part 2 - Washington D.C.'s Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2008 Explained. Part 2 covers the capitals approach and how it differs from Californias. The major difference is a public disclosure requirement, absent in Californias mandate. See Part 2 at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/Washington-D-Cs-Clean-and-Affordable-Energy-Act-of-2008-Explained--11021.
Part 3 - Energy Star Portfolio Manager: How It Is Used for Benchmarking. The author explains that Portfolio Manager is the benchmarking software of choice and why Portfolio Manager holds the key to a buildings achieving an Energy Star label for energy efficiency. Alternative approaches are mentioned, as is the status of federal legislation regarding national benchmarking. See Part 3 at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/Energy-Star-Portfolio-Manager-How-It-is-Used-for-Benchmarking--11022.
Part 4 - States and Cities that Require Benchmarking. Part 4 includes a list of four localities that require it. It also provides a link to a more complete listing. See Part 4 at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/States-and-Cities-that-Require-Benchmarking--11023.
UTILITIES and RESIDENTIAL WATER CONSERVATION
"Making It Count," by Ken Wysocky, describes the public education effort by a utility to promote water conservation among its residential customers. The program includes the free replacement of shower heads to low-flow ones to save about five gallons of water per minute, a water-bill credit of $150 for the installation of a water-efficient toilet in place of a traditional one, and much more. To see this article in Municipal Sewer and Water, August 2009, scroll down a bit to the article title at http://www.mswmag.com/editorial/1886/2009/08.
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