Barbara Horwitz, Associate Editor
Articles
Beam Me Up, Scotty … Or is it Down?
We're all familiar with AM and FM radio. Now, "XM" digital satellite radio—being touted as the biggest advancement in radio technology in decades—has hit the airwaves, with thousands of subscribers signing up nationwide. A big part of XM's success can be attributed to the completion of its highly secured, mission-critical digital broadcast center in Washington, D.
Deregulation Drives Need for Interval Metering
The changing landscape of the power generation market has resulted in an increased need for interval metering—also known as automated meter reading—which is the practice of utilities and end users to measure energy use in short time intervals. Demand-response programs, particularly in New York and California, allow end users the option to voluntarily shed load at times when the elec...
Engineers to Manufacturers: Let’s Do Lunch
Cold calls, noncurrent technical information and pushy salespeople are among the pet peeves of consulting engineers when called on by manufacturer representatives. But vendors can score major points when they offer consistently updated and comprehensive product information on their web sites, educational lunch 'n' learn sessions and timely follow-up and product support.
The State of Sprinklers: MIC, Recalls and New NFPA Standards
CONSULTING-SPECIFYING ENGINEER (CSE): Central Sprinkler's recall of 5 million Omega sprinklers, the recall of dry-pendant sprinklers and now o-ring replacements in glass-bulb and solder-link sprinklers potentially affecting 35 million in- stalled sprinklers brings into question sprinkler reliability.
The Many Advantages of Fabric Duct
Delivering a wide range of installation and operating benefits, fabric duct has slowly been finding its way into a number of projects involving open spaces, such as food processing plants, supermarkets, indoor swimming pool facilities, gymnasiums and convention centers. As an alternative to traditional metal ductwork—which often requires dozens of grills and diffusers for air distribution...
Singapore’s Savvy New Tower
With a tenant's ability to use his or her own PC to monitor and set the office temperature, find an open parking space via an intelligent parking guidance system and catch up on the latest financial news while taking a ride in an elevator, Singapore's Capital Tower seems to have raised the bar for intelligent buildings.
Global BAS: Where is the U.S. Holding?
Although U.S. equipment manufacturers and system integrators have made great strides in the development of controls systems and protocols, the likelihood that the average American will experience such cutting-edge technology in action is somewhat greater overseas than it is at home. "Although the U.S.
Daylighting and Dimming
Although natural daylight can offer significant energy savings, this can only be achieved with proper "harvesting" and integration into a dimming control system. This month's panel describes how to best specify sensors and control systems, along with other important issues of lighting design and technology.
ERs, ORs and PEs
If you haven't visited a hospital in a while, you may be surprised to find some very high-tech gadgetry, such as the latest in diagnostic imaging equipment; architecture and décor resembling a hotel more than a health-care facility; and patient rooms equipped with data ports for medical professionals to download patient information to a personal digital assistant (PDA) instead of a c...
M/E Roundtable: Boiling it Down
The demand for modular boilers, thought-out control strategies and better service are a few trends driving boiler specifications