Industry News Briefs
September 4, 2008 Headlines
Powerful Consortium Will Fund Energy Efficiency Projects
Collapsed Minnesota Bridge Repaired Ahead of Schedule
U.S. Electrical Power Plant Construction Faces Uncertain Future
Industry News
Powerful Consortium Will Fund Energy Efficiency Projects
Building Operating Management (08/08) Vol. 55, No. 8, P. 74; Kroll, Karen
Facility executives, global energy service companies (ESCOs), and five of the biggest financial institutions on the globe are teaming up under the Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program (EEBR), which is managed by the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), to fund investments in energy-efficiency projects. Under the initiative, a facility executive links up with a specialist from an ESCO, who determines which upgrades will result in reduced energy consumption. The organization then requests financing from one of the financial institutions involved in the program and uses the amount saved on energy to pay back the loan. This process allows facility executives to upgrade their buildings without making a payment in advance. EEBR's goals are significant since commercial and residential buildings are responsible for around 40 percent of the primary energy consumption in North America, according to Dan Williams, director of global product strategy and systems marketing with Carrier Corporation. Facility executives can find out more about EEBR by conversing with a representative from an ESCO or other partners, including the Building Owners and Managers Association International, that are working with CCI. Facilities most likely to be eligible for the program are those that have equipment that is still working, but who would reduce energy consumption using more efficient equipment. The buildings, or cluster of buildings, also must be 100,000 square feet or bigger to qualify for the program, as these can save enough to make the investment worthwhile.
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Collapsed Minnesota Bridge Repaired Ahead of Schedule
Roads & Bridges (08/08) Vol. 46, No. 8, P. 39; Wilson, Bill
The I-35W St. Anthony Falls Bridge project in Minneapolis was a speedy one, with the first segment of the job put into place on May 25 and the final segment on July 10. Many wondered whether the Minnesota weather would halt the project, but even major spring storms did not keep the crews from working. Flatiron-Manson used four temporary shelters that could be moved around the casting yard to shield workers from severe weather. When it was cold, thermal blankets were used during cast-in-place operations. Flatiron further decided to work on all of the cast-in-place elements simultaneously, which boosted efficiency. A thermal control plan ensured that the concrete cured correctly during the winter. Probes placed in the concrete enabled workers to regularly monitor the temperature. Blankets were taken off if temperatures were increasing and additional insulation was added if temperatures were dropping. Swapping cement with fly ash and ground-granulated blast furnace slag also helped during cold pours. While the precast segments were being molded in the sheltered casting beds in the winter, crews worked on the footings of the bridge. They started building the piers in the beginning of March, when temperatures started to rise. As many as six segments were placed on the main span in one day, and all 120 segments were in place within 46 days.
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U.S. Electrical Power Plant Construction Faces Uncertain Future
Insulation Outlook (08/08) Vol. 53, No. 7, P. 16; Hart, Gordon H.
Increasing fuel costs make electric plants powered by less expensive fuels, such as coal or nuclear power, an attractive option for utility executives, but these plants are more expensive to construct than those that use natural gas. Executives are facing many challenges, including an anticipated 30 percent increase in demand by 2030, potential federal legislation that would require a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, and a shortage of engineers and skilled labor. Nuclear power plants do not emit carbon dioxide, however the Environmental Protection Agency requires added cooling equipment that costs hundreds of millions of dollars and there is still not political solution on how to store used fuel rods. Additionally, gaining approval for a new domestic nuclear or coal powered plant would most likely take several years. Energy sources that do not use fuel, such as solar and wind power, are even more expensive to construct and are less reliable. With such a rapid increase in demand, utility executives are focusing on keeping existing plants in operation while building plants powered by a wide range of power sources. In addition to rising fuel costs and the high cost of building new plants, over 500 coal-fueled plants must be outfitted with Air Quality Control Systems, which prevent thermal pollution of nearby waterways. Experts believe that geothermal power offers reliable electricity, but the location best suited for the construction of such a plant are far away from high-demand areas.
Leasing of Landmark Turnpike Puts State at Policy Crossroads
Wall Street Journal (08/26/08) P. A1; Karmin, Craig
After returning from summer recess, the Pennsylvania legislature is expected to vote on a $12.8 billion deal between Governor Edward Rendell and a team of private investors, including Citigroup Inc. and Spanish toll-road operator Abertis, to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike. With the credit crisis, reduced tax bases, and increasing pension, education, and health care spending, state governments across the country have less money than they need for road upkeep, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation estimates that repairing the state's bridges alone will cost $11 billion. The state has 6,000 structurally unsound bridges and about 9,000 miles of highway in "poor condition," but its budget deficit is expected to be $26.5 billion by 2011. The Turnpike Commission and labor unions are critical of the leasing deal, as under the proposal union contracts are guaranteed only until 2011 and the new operators would be permitted to raise tolls 25 percent in 2009. During the proposed leasing period, Abertis and its partners are prepared to spend at least $11 billion on the turnpike. While Governor Rendell admits that the deal is an "underdog," he remains optimistic that it can be passed.
USDOT Awards Road Safety Funds
Traffic World (08/27/08) Gallagher, Thomas L.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded a total of $14.7 million to 14 states, three counties, and two parishes to improve safety on rural roads under the Rural Safety Innovation Program launched in February. "Making one road safer is important. But making rural roads around the country less deadly is absolutely essential," says U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary Thomas J. Barrett. "Thanks to these funds our rural roads are on their way to becoming as safe as they are beautiful." More than half of all vehicle-related fatalities take place on rural roads, which carry less than half of all vehicular traffic in the United States.
Field Software + Tablet PCs = Construction Field Productivity (Finally)
ENR (08/12/08) Kanner, Josh; Omansky, Adam
Despite the proven effectiveness of mobile field devices in everything from package delivery to meter reading, the construction industry has seen few mobile field products that are well adapted for the job site as well as rugged enough for use. Laptop and PDA-based products have do not fit the needs of construction users well, with PDAs' screens too small to view a drawing and laptops' visibility, battery life, and ergonomics all wrong for the job site. Today, however, hardware and software have reached the point of being competitive for the AECO (architects, engineers, contractors and owners) community, which is adopting field software and Tablet PCs on thousands of projects worldwide. The Tablet PCs available today have the long battery life, screen visibility, and handwriting recognition abilities that AECO workers have long needed, and there is field software available that meets the industry's needs well, with user-friendly interfaces and an eye toward the real-world processes workers engage in. They are able to cover such processes as punch lists, field reports, schedule updates, and materials tracking, even without any Internet connectivity on the site, with the ability to upload data automatically when the worker returns to an office or trailer or a wireless hotspot. This hardware and software is now routinely saving users 10 work hours a week and making project delivery times faster, and is also opening up new doors to combining Building Information Modeling (BIM) software with mobile field administration software to produce what is being called "Field BIM." Field BIM can provide a powerful tool for managing the actual state of the job site and what is going on there, automatically distributing field information and producing a more accurate and auditable record while saving eight to 12 hours of time per week at one convention center/hotel project.
Dotting the 'I' in BIM
Constructech (08/18/2008) Finck, Brad
One of the foremost challenges in adopting BIM is avoiding "BIM spillage"--loss of information because of incompleteness, inaccuracy, or software's unwillingness to appropriately pass information along. Examples of information loss include converting a 3D model to 2D for an engineer who uses a 2D CAD package, or processing quantity data from estimating or accounting software that is not linked live to the original 3D model--which means changes in the model do not update the quantity data. The types of companies best suited to adopt BIM right now are large, cash-rich companies that are able to put all employees and outside consultants on the same platform, or small businesses that do most work in-house and do not often need to share 3D data with outside consultants. Meanwhile, the U.K.-based Industry Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) is attempting to eliminate the information loss problem altogether by creating a universal format that all companies can use. IAI includes committees formed by companies like Autodesk and Bentley to create a format for information exchange between analysis, estimating, HVAC, structural, and design software. Until this comes to fruition, it is still a good idea for everyone in the industry to look at a BIM solution for the future and to find ways to manage any information loss between the older platforms and the modern 3D BIM platforms, including deciding ahead of time what kinds of information can be given up right now in order to prepare for BIM success in the future.
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Decisive Planning
Urban Land Magazine (08/08) Vol. 67, No. 8, P. 66; Kirk, Patricia L.
More U.S. cities are embracing mixed-use development and are drawing up specific plans and design standards to direct development, pinpoint land uses, and describe the type and appearance of projects. Because they want high-quality development, many cities will do what it takes to lure private investors, offering a mixture of financial incentives. They are also accelerating and offering other preferred treatment for projects that satisfy city goals, like boosting density in transit corridors and supplying workforce housing. Los Angeles, for instance, cut the parking requirement for residential projects existing within 1,000 feet of a transit center in half, bring the cost per unit down to $25,000 from $30,000, and lowered the average amount of time for preconstruction approvals from over one year to an average of six to eight months for projects that satisfy certain standards. Investing in infrastructure and public facilities is also common in more progressive cities, some of which are also teaming up with developers to create core projects to speed up further development. In 1993, city officials in Oklahoma City developed a plan for redeveloping 700 acres that contains the central business district and started Metropolitan Area Projects to kick off redevelopment with $1.6 billion in public investment in infrastructure and public facilities, paid for by an impermanent one-cent sales tax. This pay-as-you-go initiative led to a ballpark, multipurpose arena, canal, convention building, library, Native American Cultural Center, and streetscape enhancements. Public projects caused private development to boost total investment in the district to $3 billion and produced an active downtown environment.
Drilling Boom Revives Hopes for Natural Gas
International Herald Tribune (08/25/08) Krauss, Clifford
Advanced drilling technology has allowed previously unreachable natural gas to be extracted from shale beds across North America and the world. Robert Ineson, an analyst for Cambridge Energy Research Associates, maintains that how much natural gas is available, and for how long, remains unknown. Some energy analysts, real estate speculators, and natural gas producers are growing more enthusiastic in light of recent natural gas production, which is up about 9 percent this year, a rate not seen since 1984. Navigant Consulting issued a report estimating that there could be as much as 842 trillion cubic feet of available gas in shales across the United States alone, a 40-year supply at the current consumption rate. According to a more conservative 2008 estimates by the US Energy Department, shale gas reserves may eventually produce about 125 trillion cubic feet, but analyst Jeffrey Little said the estimate was based on 2006 data and could increase. The frenzy to drill for natural gas, however, could lead to shortages in the necessary engineers, rigs, pipelines, land, and water, all of which could slow down production.
PTZ Scores!
Security Products (08/08) Vol. 12, No. 8, P. 36; Salvi, Del V.
While renovating their stadiums, the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs and Major League Baseball's Kansas City Royals wanted to remotely watch the progress via an Internet-connected security camera, and both decided that the Canon PTZ VB-C50iR network video system was the best solution. The PTZ cameras feature an optical zoom lens and a 12x digital zoom, +/-170 degrees of pan and +10/-90 degrees of tilt, and a 340K effective pixel CCD that provides sharp 640x480-pixel resolution footage with as much as 30 frame-per-second quality. High-quality video is sent via the Internet or a LAN connection. "What is most attractive about the cameras to us is that we can simply mount them anywhere, plug in a simple Ethernet connection, give it some power, and say they are good to go," said Devin Mudd, president of Digital Planet, the information and support firm that placed the cameras in weatherproof domes to track the Royals' improvements to Kauffman Stadium. "These cameras are mounted on light poles 20 stories up, so there is no way that we can have people climbing up there every day for maintenance. These cameras are easy, reliable, and durable enough to last through the harsh winters of Kansas City." The teams also post video from the cameras on their Web sites so that fans can stay on top of the renovations, which Mudd says is a growing trend.
Water, Water Everywhere
New Scientist (08/23/08) Vol. 199, No. 2670, P. 28; Chenoweth, Jonathan
Jonathan Chenoweth of the U.K.'s University of Surrey Center for Environmental Strategy blames the looming water shortage mostly on mismanagement and poor distribution rather than actual scarcity, and writes that these problems can be addressed "with existing technologies, increased investment and political will." Water scarcity is widely characterized by how self-sufficient a country is in producing food, but Chenoweth contends that greater food supply integration has made this definition invalid, as water-stressed countries are more capable today of compensating for their lack of irrigation by importing food grown elsewhere. He says global fresh water reserves remain adequate, and finds fault with the assumption that water scarcity corresponds to a country's level of economic development. Chenoweth sought to determine how little water people can get by on in their homes and still maintain a decent standard of living by analyzing domestic water usage in countries with a high degree of human development, and found that consumption could be cut down with the deployment of recycling and more water-efficient appliances such as dual-flush toilets. In terms of non-domestic water consumption, the author discovered that the use of recycled waste water for agriculture can be very beneficial. "A country with scarce water supplies could steer its economy away from these areas and rely on trade," Chenoweth observes, adding that "by importing virtual water, a nation could offer a high quality of life with as little as 135 liters of water per person per day--allowing 85 liters for household needs and assuming a well-maintained water supply system with distribution losses of around 10 percent."
Ballast Can Do It All
Buildings (08/08) Fricklas, Richard L.
Ballasted roof systems are an alternative to anchored roof membranes, and it is documented that such structures are resistant to blow-offs and wind scour. Ballasted roofs are advantageous in terms of economy (the roofs can be quickly installed, saving money), aesthetics (they have a nice texture and can support walkways with the combination of pavers), resistance to fire (the rock ballast does not burn), sustainability (the ballast and underlying foam insulation are reusable), and energy efficiency. ANSI/SPRI RP-4 details general design considerations and definitions for ballasted roofs, describing a conventional ballasted roof system as a system comprised of a membrane or membrane and substrate loosely laid over a deck that is held in place by ballast. A protected membrane ballasted roof system is defined as a system that features a roof deck covered by a membrane that is either loosely laid, mechanically affixed, or adhered to the substrate; insulation is then installed over the membrane, and covered with a water- or air-pervious fabric over which ballast is applied. RP-4 additionally describes a number of design options that include specific designs for the roof's perimeter, corners, and field, while parapet height is a key factor in the prevention of wind scour. Owners of buildings with ballasted roofs face several challenges, including the difficulty of spotting leaks because of the ballast, the problems of managing heavy stone for inspection and repair, and vegetative growth that can hamper drainage and is aesthetically unpleasing.
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Technology Profile: Spatial Integrity
POB (08/08)
Colorado Springs Utilities' (SU) adoption of GIS technology helped it attain the highest score ever for power quality and reliability for a medium-sized utility in a 2005 J.D. Power and Associates customer satisfaction poll. SU first started using the technology in 1987. Two years ago, SU's Landbase Services Unit of the Planning and Engineering Department, which keeps records on 189,00 packages and 18,000 right-of-way polygons spanning over 500 square miles of SU service terrain, started testing the ArcGIS Survey Analyst with Cadastral Editor software. The application enables users to add single parcels and subdivision lots, and creates a "Cadastral Fabric" from the pertinent survey and plan information using a Least Squares Adjustment tool for a suitable representation of the parcel layer. SU now uses ArcGIS Survey Analyst to handle land records, parcel mapping, and various cadastral-related issues. Using GIS, SU can view the parcels, rights of way, and easements. The technology is further used to gather, change, and present cadastral data; to act as a base coverage for utility infrastructure; and to distribute information across the organization to various government bodies for cadastral reasons.
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Looking Radiant in Green
Engineered Systems (08/08) Vol. 25, No. 8, P. 34; Switenki, Paul
The California Academy of Sciences, the biggest cultural institution in San Francisco, is opening its new building in September 2008. The new Academy hopes to obtain a LEED Platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council and is also a city of San Francisco Department of the Environment green building pilot project. The walls in the building are made of glass and the roof is a 2.5-acre native green roof. The Academy also contains a rainforest and planetarium. Visitors will be able to see many of the standards of sustainable design and operation, energy performance and production, water and IAQ, sustainable collections management, and the living roof. Three efficient, 240-ton McQuay centrifugal chillers produce the building's chilled water, and a constant flow primary/variable flow secondary pumping system serves the facility's cooling system and the exhibit life support system cooling needs. Sixteen custom Governair AHUs, along with an assortment of variable and constant volume air delivery systems, offer ventilation and comfort condition to the majority of the spaces. The Academy did not mind investing in energy saving components, such as condenser water cooling coils, flat plate heat exchangers and enthalpy wheels, carbon dioxide sensors, and temperature- and enthalpy-based economizers, since the building's life cycle is predicted to be at least 50 years. To satisfy the Academy's space cooling requirements, a natural ventilation system was selected. A radiant slab meets space-heating needs and provides extra cooling. Solar gains are reduced by the roof overhang and the motorized sun shades shielding some of the glass walls and canopies. The large concrete surfaces facing the exhibit space act like a thermal capacitor, lowering peak loads and guaranteeing constant space comfort. To regulate air flow and temperature, high and low level ventilation openings can be found in the glass walls, and roof vent hatches are located above the rainforest and planetarium. If certain conditions, such as weather, prevent the vents from being opened, high-level temperatures will increase and activate the lighting control system. This system turns the lights off so that the exhibit space does not get too warm.
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AMI-The Foundation of the Smart Grid
Energybiz (08/08) Vol. 5, No. 4, P. 52
Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is the bedrock of the smart grid. AMI is foundational to the smart grid concept because it supplies a two-way communications network for smart metering endpoints and intelligent field devices. It also provides utilities the ability to track and communicate with their service endpoints and the operation of their distribution system 24/7. There are three smart metering automation classifications: automated meter reading, AMI-Lite, and SmartGrid AMI. The latter goes a step further than AMI-Lite because it allows higher-resolution data to be taken from meters. SmartGrid AMI needs a meter-based local area network (LAN) that is affordable to deploy and operate, and able to communicate with meters individually in a true two-way method. Also vital are stable communications links and flexibility, which SmartGrid AMI must be to reap the optimum benefits of new and forthcoming communications technologies. The most effective way to ensure flexibility and to provide SmartGrid AMI with the necessary functionality is to combine the meter-based local area network with a wide area network that is both flexible and easy to upgrade to create a multi-tier and distributed SmartGrid AMI system. All of these variables come together to create a sound foundation for utilities to develop new business disciplines that allow them to deal with performance fluctuations in the energy market. AMI is a key part of the program needed to build the smart grid and to comply with smart grid requirements.
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