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The article offers news briefs related to the building industry in the U.S. The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) released contracts that address the issue of design-build project delivery method. The American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) of the American Hospital Association (AHA) published the "Health Care Commissioning Guidelines." The National Institute of Building Sciences earned the recognition as an education provider.

Focuses on the construction of an Energy Resource Center at the Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Selection of ASI to build the chiller plant; Use of condensate systems and steam-powered pumps; Adjustment of chilled water system for energy savings.

The article reports on the study by trade body Associated General Contractors of America Inc. which revealed that employment in the construction industry hsa increased in 224 cities from November 2013 to November 2014.

The article focuses on problems in design specifications and equipment schedule compliance in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) industry in the U.S. The author mentioned some problems in air-handling units and noted that design selections that are too far to the right on the fan curve indicate that the fan operates beyond normal limits. The author stated that paying attention to details is important in laying out a utility fan set.

The article discusses the tools and concepts that will help design engineers in the U.S. proactively manage energy efficiency and the sustainable elements of building during and preconstruction phases of energy retrofit project. It suggests the energy modeling or calibrated energy models. It notes the use of whole-building retrofit integrated approach. It mentions the through real-time monitoring and measurement.

The article discusses the possible server leakage induced by positive differential pressure while using hot and cold aisle containment in data centers in the U.S. It notes that the data center space has been one of the most rapidly evolving spaces based on cooling system design. It further highlights the importance to plan ahead of the realities of information technology (IT) hardware and its variability so that engineers can provide efficient data center cooling system.

The article focuses on the transformation of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) of data centers in the U.S. It mentions the revised and expanded vendor-neutral guidelines for data centers that conform with the environmental requirements. It further highlights the importance to incorporate the methods, such as airside economizers and adiabatic cooling, to control the critical environment while saving energy.

The article offers guidelines about designing data centers in the U.S. It emphasizes the importance of the Recommended Thermal Guidelines from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). It describes a variable-air volume (VAV) approach in maintaining a balanced and efficient data center operation.

The article discusses the need for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment provider to improve the cycle thermal efficiency of its chiller designs in the U.S. It notes the growing popularity of energy-efficient HVAC equipment due to the willingness of companies to lower operating cost and minimize the environmental consequences of their operations. It advises HVAC companies to produce carbon neutral hybride chiller, which helps reduce energy consumption.

The article discusses the importance of the new federal building in Tuscaloosa Alabama. It states that the new building is expected to become a symbol of innovation, sustainability and energy savings for governmental buildings because it embraces governmental and national standards and initiatives including the General Services Administration (GSA) requirement of 20% less energy usage. It also notes the incorporation of solutions to meet Region 4 requirements.

The article offers information on how people can understand health care design in the U.S. It discusses the most common issues about health care design including sterile environments, filtration and construction projects. It states that the repetition of mistakes can be avoided by looking at some past design and operation failures.

The article offers the author's view between the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Energy Star programs to data centers in the U.S. He mentions his preference to Energy Star than LEED due to the program's focus on energy, acceptable brand in the marketplace and basis on power usage effectiveness (PUE). Furthermore, the author argues that LEED reinforces creative and aggressive modeling while Energy Star reinforces performance.

The article discusses the recommended temperature and humidity range guide from the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) in the U.S. It states that the guide recommends 68 to 77 degrees and 44 to 55 percent of relative humidity (rh). It also suggests to provide satisfactory environmental conditions for equipment that has been required by manufacturers.

The article focuses on the design of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems for government buildings in the U.S. It states that HVAC designer must regard the operational abilities of the maintenance personnel of the building. It stresses that HVAC systems must be properly monitored and adjusted in order to meet the targeted energy savings. Efficient energy consumption and reutilization of construction materials should also be observed, as well as building commissioning.

The article focuses on the different safety measures to protect staff and other non-flu patients against flu transmission in the U.S. The use of surgical masks has been recommended as a personal protective equipment because flu transmission can be airborne. However, the use of the N95 respirator has been suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a protection against avian influenza even if not use in the U.S. and Canada during a pandemic influenza.

The article discusses the approaches made by the U.S. American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) to reduce the energy consumed in cooling the electronics in data centers. It notes the utilization of outdoor air to wetbulb (wb) and airside economizer cycles to develop the required cold aisle inlet delivery conditions. It also relates to the application of the recirculation air cooling by evaporation (RACE) units in ensuring integrity of the equipment.

The article focuses on humidification strategies for data centers and network rooms in the U.S. It explains how humidity affects equipment and why humidity control is required. It presents quantitative design guidelines for existing and new computing installations and explains the hidden costs associated with over-humidification. Related issues are discussed including humidity measurement.

The article focuses on the flexibility of variable air volume(VAV) systems which proved to be the right fit for the space demands in New York City (NYC). It states that the rising of real estate in NYC have great income potential for commercial applications. It notes that design engineers opted for VAV DX systems for ease of fitout and better control of utility billing. However, the VAV DX systems in the New York high rise help rein in utility bills while maintaining best temperature control.

The article reports on developments related to the heating and ventilation industry in the U.S. A conference is scheduled to address challenges related to the design and operation of facilities. The board of directors of the companies ARI and GAMA have agreed on merger agreements under a new name, The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). The 2008 Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Expo paved the way for the introduction of energy-efficient products in the industry.

The article discusses how the Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) industry in the U.S. is seeking ways to decrease energy costs and lessen their impact on the environment. It states that the HVAC industry advertises its green offerings to help end users save energy, reduce waste and lower emissions. According to the author, aside from the HVAC industry, other businesses are creating ways to turn their facilities into models of environmental sustainability.

The article focuses on the assessment of risks imposed by various threats and hazards of buildings in the U.S. The mechanical and ventilation engineers have become more involved in protecting, hardening, and fortifying both high-profile buildings. One of the first steps in the risk assessment is determining the asset value of the facility being examined.

The article provides information about HVAC system which provides heating, cooling, and outdoor air for ventilation in big box retail store in the U.S. The HVAC system traditionally comprises roof-top units with little or some ductwork runs to terminal diffusion devices. The author also discusses the features of the HVAC systems that present challenges sometimes encountered in a store.

Focuses on the implementation of underfloor air distribution in buildings in the U.S. Sustainability of indoor environmental quality; Ventilation effectiveness; Controllability of systems; Thermal comfort.

Focuses on the use of filtration systems to protect building environments from airborne chemicals, biological or radiological attack in the U.S. Types of threats and filters; Life cycle cost and changeout schedule.

Focuses on the technologically advanced system of North Andover High School in Massachusetts. Life safety and critical equipment emergency generators; Specialized plumbing systems; Computerized building automation startup.

Presents several cases related to sytems engineering in the U.S. Modernization on the fire safety system of Old North Church in Boston, Massachusetts; Issues on the dehumidification system in North Florida; Renovation of an abandoned railroad roundhouse in Kansas City, Kansas.

Focuses on the realization of the concept of building automation in heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry in the U.S. Availability of free-volt relay contacts in the realization of the concept; Use of hypertext markup language in describing how information is to be displayed on the screen for the consumption of the viewers; Suitability of extensible markup language for intersystem and interdevice communication; Participation of the industry in the evolution of the integrated and commercial buildings in the Western world.

Discusses the guidelines of the Commissioning Process School Adoption Guide developed by the Division of State Architect for the procurement of schools in California. Involvement of a commissioning authority in the design and construction of schools; Documentation of the construction phase; Importance of a predesign meeting on the creation of a project design.

Features the data center design of RTKL, an architectural/engineering firm in Baltimore, Maryland. Company background; Creation of a Tower of Cool solution for cooling technology; Importance of saving energy for data centers.

Focuses on the renovation of Widener Memorial Library at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Integration of new engineered systems into the historic buildings; Installation of fire protection systems to protect the books; Primary objective of the renovation.

Presents an information guide to Web-based facilities operational resource in the U.S. Advantages of the complete facility operations to a Web-based model on critical communication; Establishment of a site operating philosophy on accountability network; Benefits of the documental system operating intent using the Hypertext Markup Language. INSET: WHAT DOES THE AUTHOR KNOW ABOUT FACILITY OPERATION?.

Reports the efforts of the Donald Bren Hall on the University of California Santa Barbara on designing a building minimizing environmental impact of the ecosystem in the U.S. Compliance of building and energy code requirements; Design of Donald Bren Hall; Installation of automated building control system to reduce electricity usage.

Features a chiller configuration at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Design parameters of the conventional chiller plant; Configuration of the chiller plant; Characteristics of the chiller plant. INSET: Flow Tactics.

Reports that computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) from Eagle Technology Inc. of Mequon, Wisconsin is helping to maintain the H. Roe Bartle Hall convention center in Kansas City, Missouri. Ability of Eagle CMMS to interface with building automation systems; Tracking of air-handling gear, facility inspection data and elevator/escalator repairs.

Examines the impact of the media coverage of large-award indoor air quality (IAQ) lawsuits in the United States. Coverage changes in policies intended to protect insurance companies from huge claims; Installation of the control units and piping; Upgrade on the electrical system.

The article offers news briefs related to engineering in the U.S. A study suggests that energy use in buildings can be reduced by 10% to 40% by improving operational strategies in buildings. Onset Computer Corp. and Advanced Hydronics Inc. have partnered in establishing the Determining Proper Boiler Sizing with Data Loggers webinar. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is offering a full lineup of seminars for working life safety in Baltimore, Maryland in October 2008.

The article highlights the relief efforts launched by some heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration-related companies in the U.S. for the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast area. The companies that offered financial, moral and logistics supports include Heatcraft Refrigeration Products, ABB, FlatPlate, Takagi Industrial Co. U.S.A. and Danfoss.

Discusses the conversion of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) chillers into non-CFC units and the documentation of efficiency gains made through energy recovery ventilation tactics i the United States. Environmental and cost benefits of converting CFC refrigerators to non-CFC units; Characterization of the performance of energy recovery ventilation components; Methodology for determining the efficiency of energy recovery ventilation systems.

Describes the installation of a dehumidification system and other environmental controls at an army base in Arizona. Maintenance and repair of the base; Dehumidification units; Maintanence of an even climate for the ammunition materials; Programmable microprocessor control system for remote monitoring.

Reports developments in the construction sector in the U.S. as of October 2003. Implementation of a model building and fire codes in California; Issuance of an amended safety codes by the U.S. National Fire Protection Association; Evaluation of building energy performance rating protocols.

Reports developments related to the air conditioning industry in the U.S. as of December 2002. Participants at the 2003 AHR Expo; Acquisition of Aero Environmental Ltd. by Bradford White Corp.; Relocation of the corporate headquarters of El Taller Colaborativo. INSETS: Industry News;Places and Faces;Engineering Beat;Association Agenda

Reports on the highlights of the BuilConn 2004 Exhibition and the premier of the M2M Exposition and Conference held in Dallas, Texas. Participation of some 500 building automation specialists and device connectivity professionals; Exploration of the benefits of total building systems integration; Conferment of awards to industry leaders in recognition for their excellence in building integration.

The article reports on the move of the American Heritage Rivers Initiative (AHRI) to release its Low Global Warming Potential (GWP) Alternative Refrigerants Evaluation Program (Low-GWP AREP) report that provides update on the status of the program in the U.S.

Discusses the installation of Trane cooling systems at the printing facility of "Roanoke Times" newspaper company in Roanoke, Virginia. Use of a Trane air cooled Series R Model RTAC air cooled chiller for cooling bearings, rollers, motor controls and variable speed drive; Reliability and low maintenance requirement of the Trane cooling system; Installation of Trane IntelliPak rooftop units for environmental cooling.

Presents information on U.S. companies specializing in heating, ventilation and engineering recent as of June 2004. Acceptance of entries to the second annual Future Engineers Scholarship Program by Kelly Engineering Resources; Promotion of Jim Bliss as network services manager of the Stellar Group; Corporate growth of Durrant Group Inc.

The article offers information on the National Design-Build Student Competition launched by the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) in the U.S. Topics covered include the procurement of real-life design-build projects. Also mentioned is the importance of the program to encourage students to follow design-build best practices.

The article offers news briefs involving companies in the engineering industry in the U.S. An energy savings performance deal has been signed by the U.S. Navy with engineering firm Johnson Controls Inc. for the former's naval base in Guam. Automated Logic Corp. has revealed to be one of the first to obtain the BACnet Testing Laboratory's Advanced Workstation Software certification. Information on the 10th BACnet International Plugfest to be held on October 13-15, 2009 in Georgia is presented.

The article presents the author's view on various issues related to engineering in the U.S. It discusses the introduction and evolution on the streamlining and applying cloud computing in information technology, as well as the employment of natural ventilation in buildings. It also regards the usage of bagasse as a fuel source and waste energy heat recovery. In addition, it tackles the initiative of conducting webminars about R-22 refrigerant phaseout.

The author reflects on the importance and high recognition given to the engineering profession in the U.S. He states that the survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges & Employers which highlighted the high compensation given to engineers marks their importance in the industry. He believes that the Green Intelligent Buildings Conference is a good opportunity to have a discussion with the engineers and learn about sustainable building design and operation.

A calendar of events in the engineering industry in the U.S. in 2009 is presented which include the Green Intelligent Buildings Conference on September 29-30, the webinars and the seminar on "The Final R-22 Phase: Product & System Implications" on September 23.