Electrical
Calculating Carbon Emissions
Even a though significant reduction in carbon emissions on the part of utilities is deemed feasible, it is going to require "flexibility mechanisms" such as emissions trading and offsets in order to keep electricity affordable, concludes a recent study conducted by ICF Consulting, a Fairfax, Va.-based firm specializing in global resource management.
Fast-Track Growth for Fiber-Optic Cable
The average annual growth rate for cable consumption will increase 10 percent over the next five years, reaching $39.4 billion by 2005, according to projections made by ElectroniCast Corporation, a telecommunications market research firm based in San Mateo, Calif.
Lighting Techniques: The Short List
Lighting designers and engineers take advantage of a number of techniques and tricks to make illumination design work...
Important References
IEEE Std. 493-1997, IEEE Recommended Practice for Design of Industrial and Commercial Power SystemsIEEE Std. 141-1993, IEEE Recommended Practice for Electric Power Distribution for Industrial Plants (ANSI)
Letters to the editor
It is quite unsettling to read the theme implicit in "Where There's Fire, There's Smoke," (January, 2001). That "Health-care facilities aren't typically evacuated in the event of a fire ..." might be true (evidence would be welcomed), [but] mechanical smoke control is not the prime means of reducing the level of risk of death or injury as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).
Ten Tips for Quality Compressed Air
These suggestions are some of the most effective actions that a design professional can take to design a quality pneumatic-air system-and to ensure that it is maintained correctly: Maintain a low dew point, but not lower than what is needed. Filter the air of harmful particulates. Avoid bypasses to filters and dryers. Get as much of the oil out as possible.
ARI Activity
As part of an initiative to conduct precompetitive, industry-wide research, the HVAC&R Research for the 21st Century program is soliciting bids for two new research projects: High-condensing temperature heat transfer performance of low critical temperature refrigerants.Automated integration of real-time information into building management systems.
The Power of Peak Shaving-and Life-Cycle Costing
Power outages caused by thunderstorms, blackouts and brownouts have always been a cause of financial losses for businesses. The impact of utility deregulation can also be high-as the California energy crisis attests.
Natatorium Design Saves Space and Money
The new 85,000-square-foot Oak Point recreation center in Plano proves the old adage that everything is bigger in Texas. However, thanks to new technology and natatorium design concepts, designers managed to make the pool equipment room for the complex's 50-meter indoor pool significantly smaller than a typical natatorium.
Turf Wars Between Design Professionals
As if architects and engineers did not have enough of their own problems in the form of liability suits, competition from contractors and the growth of design/build, the design professionals are now "at war" with other sectors of their own community.A few years ago the battleground involved architects and engineers, and focused on which profession had the legal right to design buildings.
