Association - News & Trends

NEMA promotes reducing energy use

ROSSLYN, Va.  – The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) is undertaking an initiative aimed at reducing energy use and targeting building owners, operators, and executives who make decisions about upgrading lighting products in un-renovated buildings. For more information, e-mail NEMA at Lightinginfo@nema.org

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OSHA targets high-hazard worksites

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that its 2008 Site-Specific Targeting (SST) plan will focus on approximately 3,800 high-hazard worksites on its primary list for unannounced comprehensive safety inspections over the coming year.

Over the past ten years, OSHA has used a site-specific targeting inspection program based on injury and illness data. This year's program was developed using the agency's Data Initiative for 2007, which surveyed approximately 80,000 employers to obtain their injury and illness numbers for 2006.

This program will initially cover about 3,800 individual worksites on the primary list that reported 11 or more injuries or illnesses resulting in days away from work, restricted work activity, or job transfer for every 100 full-time employees (known as the DART rate). The primary list will also include sites based on a Days Away from Work Injury and Illness (DAFWII) rate of nine or higher (nine or more cases that involve days away from work per 100 full-time employees). Employers not on the primary list, who reported DART rates of between 7.0 and 11.0, or DAFWII rates of between 5.0 and 9.0, will be placed on a secondary list for possible inspection. The national DART rate in 2006 for private industry was 2.3, while the national DAFWII rate was 1.3.

The agency will also randomly select and inspect about 175 large workplaces (with 100 or more employees) across the nation that reported low injury and illness rates for the purpose of reviewing their actual degree of compliance with OSHA requirements. These establishments are selected from those industries with above the national DART and DAFWII rates.

The agency will also include on the primary list some establishments that did not respond to the 2007 data survey. For more information, visit www.osha.gov

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Keeping data centers cool

ATLANTA – Data centers are becoming increasingly difficult to adequately cool, due to increased datacom performance that results in increased heat dissipation, according to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

Even though performance has increased at a more rapid rate than power, the power required and the resulting heat dissipated by the datacom equipment puts a strain on data centers.

Case studies and guidance on cooling data centers is available in a new book from ASHRAE, High Density Data Centers – Case Studies and Best Practices.

 Case studies featured in the book include the National Center for Environmental Prediction, the IBM Test Facility in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., the San Diego Supercomputer Center, the Lawrence Livermore National Lab Data Center, the NYC Financial Services Data Center, the Georgia Institute of Technology Data Center, the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Data Center, and the Hewlett-Packard Richardson Datacool™ Data Center. To order, see www.ashrae.org/bookstore

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ACI issues concrete publications

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – The American Concrete Institute has issued publications on the latest concrete-related information and technology.

• SP-2(07): Manual of Concrete Inspection. This manual is intended to guide, assist, and instruct concrete inspectors and others engaged in concrete construction and testing. Because of the diverse possible uses of the manual and the varied backgrounds of its readers, it includes the reasoning behind the technical instructions.
• 522.1-08: Specification for Pervious Concrete. This specification covers materials, preparation, forming, placing, finishing, jointing, curing, and quality control of pervious concrete pavement. Provisions governing testing, evaluation, and acceptance of pervious concrete pavement are included. It is also available in PDF form.
• ITG-5.1-07: Acceptance Criteria for Special Unbonded Post-Tensioned Precast Structural Walls Based on Validation Testing. This document applies to structures in regions of high seismic risk or to structures assigned to high seismic performance or design categories. It defines the minimum experimental evidence that can be deemed to satisfy the use of unbonded post-tensioned precast structural walls (shearwalls) for bearing wall and building frame special reinforced concrete shear wall systems, as defined in ASCE/SEI 7-05, when those walls do not fully satisfy the intent of the prescriptive requirements of Chapter 21 of ACI 318-05. This document includes mandatory Acceptance Criteria and nonmandatory Commentary, and is written so its requirements can be coordinated directly with the requirements for special precast structural walls in Section 21.8 of ACI 318-05. It is also available in PDF form.
• SP-249: Selected Landmark Paper Collection on Concrete Materials Research. This publication highlights 13 papers that have influenced the field of concrete and cement-based materials over the years.
• SP-250CD: Textile Reinforced Concrete. This CD-ROM contains papers originally presented in a symposium on textile-reinforced concrete (TRC) in 2005. The symposium explored the current state of the art and recent advances in material science, mechanical behavior, production methods, and practical applications of TRC. Important topics covered include material science and technology of textile reinforcement and cementitious matrix used in TRC, design methods for TRC, structural behavior of TRC, applications of TRC, production methods of TRC, and numerical modeling of TRC composites. The papers presented in this publication have been peer reviewed.
• SP-251CD: Design and Applications of Textile Reinforced Concrete. This CD-ROM contains seven papers that provide insight into the state-of-the-art design and application of textile-reinforced concrete (TRC). The topics cover the materials aspects related to serviceability; strength and damage accumulation; TRC for flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete structures - structural behavior, design model, and application for a concrete shell; use of TRC as a subsequently applied waterproof structure; application of TRC for lightweight structures; and sandwich panels with thin-walled TRC facings for structural exterior walls and nonstructural façades.
• SP-252CD: Health Monitoring Systems and Sensors for Assessing Concrete. This CD-ROM cover a broad range of topics from development of specific types of embedded sensors for concrete to implementation of wireless sensor networks to managing infrastructure systems.

Publications can be ordered online at www.concrete.org

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ARI and GAMA join forces

ARLINGTON, Va. – Members of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) and the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA) have voted to approve the merger of the two trade associations to represent the interests of cooling, heating and commercial refrigeration equipment manufacturers.

The merged association will become the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). It will be headquartered in Arlington, Va. For more information, see www.ari.org

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ASHRAE names 15 lecturers

ATLANTA – The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has named 15 new Distinguished Lecturers who provide ASHRAE chapters with noted authorities who speak on relevant topics that impact the HVAC&R industry.

This marks the 12th year of the Distinguished Lecturer Program. The new lecturers and their areas of expertise are:

• Roberto Aguilo, Estuido Ing. Aguilo and Asso., Buenos Aires, Argentina – The Refrigeration Process in the Food Industry; Supermarket Refrigeration Systems and Sustainability; and Refrigerant Flow Control Methods in Industrial Refrigeration.
• Robert Baker, RGB Group, Ruskin, Fla. – Green Maintenance Needed to Keep HVAC Systems Green; Standard 180: A New Approach to HVAC System Maintenance; and Excellence in HVAC System Hygiene: a Wise Investment.
• Dru Crawley, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. – Advanced Energy Design Guides; Are High Performance Buildings Really Performing?; Future Trends in Buildings and Energy Simulation; Energy Plus, DOE’s New Generation Building Energy Simulation Program; and Impacts of Climate Change and Urbanization on Future Building Performance.
• Gordon Holness, P.E., consulting engineer, Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich. – Energy Conservation in Existing Buildings; Standard 100-2006, Energy Conservation in Existing Commercial Buildings; ASHRAE and Building Information Modeling: Where Are We at and Where Are We Going?; and Business Management and Operational Metrics for Engineers.
• K.S. Kannan, Ph.D., P.Eng., Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur – Code of Practice for Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings; Design Features of Energy Efficient Building Construction in Malaysia; and Malaysia Industrial Energy Efficiency Improvement Project: Experiences and Lessons Learned.
• Marlene Linders, Philders Group International, Heathrow, Fla. – Infection Control Risk Assessment 101: Understanding the Basics of Liability and Risk During Health Care Construction; and Preparing for the Unthinkable: Seven Components in Preparing for Business Continuity in the Advent of a Pandemic.
• Merle McBride, Ph.D., P.E., Owens Corning, Granville, Ohio – Advanced Energy Design Guides.
• Tim McGinn, P.Eng., Cohos Evamy, Calgary, Alberta, Canada – A Green Building Primer; Low-Impact Mechanical Systems; Setting Fees for Profitable Green Building Projects; Participating in the Integrated Design Process; and European Technologies and Their Application in North America.
• Dan Nall, FAIA, P.E., Flack + Kurtz, New York, N.Y. – Advanced Energy Design Guides; Thermally Active Floors for Space Conditioning; and Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis for Building Comfort Systems Design.
• Vincent Sakraida, P.E., Merrick and Co., Denver, Colo. – Cleanroom Design in 10 Easy Steps; Designing Bio-Containment HVAC Sequence of Operations to Fail; and Mechanical Systems Commissioning Fundamentals.
• S.A. Sherif, Ph.D., University of Florida, Gainesville – Ice Fog and Psychrometrics: the Missing Link in Industrial Freezer Design.
• Kecha Thirakomen, EEC Academy, Bangkok, Thailand – Stabilizing Chilled Water Distribution; Why the Building has to be Airtight; and Case Study: the New Government Center Project, Bangkok.
• Silvio Toro, Refrigeraton Engineering Co., Bogota D.C., Colombia – Construction Characteristics of Refrigerated Spaces; Mid- and Low-Temperature Equipment; Biochemical Refrigerants; Cooling and Freezing Periods of Agricultural Products; Fruit and Vegetable Cold Chain; Ammonia Recirculation Systems, Refrigeration Cycles P-H Diagram; and Energy Saving in Commercial Parallel Refrigeration Systems with LPA Liquid Amplification.
• Terry Townsend, P.E., Townsend Engineering, Chattanooga, Tenn. – ASHRAE: Leading the World to an Independent and Sustainable Future; Sustainable Applications That Work; Advanced Energy Conservation and IEQ Design Guidance and Applications; and Building Performance: Tools, Metrics and Protocols for Global Applications.
• Gildardo Yanez, Refrigerantes Tlalnepantla SA de CV, Mexico City, Mexico – Ozone Depletion and Global Warming.

The new lecturers will serve a two-year term beginning in July. There are 61 Distinguished Lecturers for 2008-09. Visit www.ashrae.org for a complete listing of lecturers and detailed procedures to arrange a lecturer visit.

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BIFM agrees on strategy to 2012

LONDON – The British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) has developed a new strategic plan for the medium-term.

The strategic direction involves fully integrating the business plans of the Institute’s two joint ventures, BIFM Training and FM World. The focus in 2008 and 2009 will be on generating resources to ensure a significant impact on member-focused activity in 2010 to 2012. The Institute expects to grow total annual income from £2.7m in 2007 to £3.9m in 2011.  
The Institute will focus on two initiatives in 2008:

• Achieving Qualifications & Curriculum Authority (QCA) by remodelling the Institute’s examinations for accreditation in the national framework, and developing new entry level qualifications. 
• Creating a new ‘enterprise unit’ to focus on increasing non-subscription income through increased engagement with the joint ventures as well as new activity. 

For more information, see www.bifm.org.uk

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OSHA allies with certification organizations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has formed an Alliance with the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP), the Council on Certification of Health, Environmental and Safety Technologists (CCHEST), and the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH).

The groups will work collectively to help enhance the education and expertise of safety professionals and industrial hygienists, as well as promote the value of safety and health accredited certifications.

The Alliance will produce materials and programs that promote the benefits of achieving safety and health certifications. Alliance representatives will collaborate to distribute information to employers and employees through print and electronic media, conferences, meetings and other events. For more information, visit osha.gov

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