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In the shadow of two outdated smokestacks and four antiquated coal-fired boilers, Muncie, IN-based Ball State University has started the second and final phase of converting the campus to a geothermal ground-source heat-pump system—the largest project of its kind in the United States.

The conversion, started in 2009 to replace the coal boilers, now provides heating and cooling to nearly half the campus. This phase of the project was dedicated in March.

When the system is complete, the shift from fossil fuels to a renewable energy source will reduce the university's carbon footprint by nearly half while saving $2 million a year in operating costs. When the system is fully operational, it will heat and cool 47 buildings.

Ball State is installing a vertical, closed-loop district system that uses only fresh water. The system uses the Earth's ability to store heat in the ground and water thermal masses. A geothermal heat pump uses the Earth as either a heat source, when operating in heating mode, or a heat sink, when operating in cooling mode.

Water heated by the Earth began flowing through a new geothermal district heating and cooling system in spring. The project provides several hundred contractors and suppliers employment and an opportunity for an estimated 2,300 direct and indirect jobs, according to a study conducted by Ball State’s Center for Business and Economic Research.

To create the system, Ball State is drilling approximately 3,600 boreholes in borehole fields around campus, which will not be seen after construction is complete. During Phase 1, 1,800 boreholes were drilled and an additional 1,800 will be drilled throughout Phase 2. Each borehole will be covered and the area restored to its previous use, retaining campus beauty. The system’s implementation demonstrates that geothermal energy coupled with ground-source heat-pump technology can be used on a large-scale district distribution system. Since ground-source geothermal energy can be used in every state, the environmental and economic implications have a national reach.

Under the direction of Jim Lowe, Director of Engineering, Construction and Operations, work has begun on Phase 2, which includes installation of 780 of the remaining 1,800 boreholes in a field on the south area of campus.

Construction will continue throughout 2013–2014 and will include a new District Energy Station South containing two 2,500-ton heat-pump chillers and a hot-water loop around the south portion of campus. The system will then connect to all buildings on campus—eventually providing heating and cooling to 5.5 million sq ft.

“When costs began to escalate for the installation of a new fossil-fuel-burning boiler, the university began to evaluate other renewable energy options,” Lowe says. “This led to the decision to convert the campus to a more efficient geothermal-based heating and cooling system.”

Two energy stations will house large-capacity heat-pump chillers to move water through the system. The North District Energy Station was built in 2011. The other will be housed within the current Central Chilling Plant. The buildings were not constructed on the borehole fields. When the project is complete, the four existing boilers will be removed.

Modest changes will be made inside campus buildings, involving mostly upgrades to current systems and installations of new piping for the hot-water system, which will be connected to the district hot-water loop. A newly designed heat-exchange interface will be necessary for each building. Upgrades will be made to the electrical distributions systems to ensure reliability.

Ball State's geothermal system was funded with assistance from federal and state governments. The U.S. Department of Energy provided a grant of $5 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Indiana General Assembly authorized nearly $45 million in state capital funding.

Geothermal Project: By the Numbers

• Estimated 2,300 jobs created (direct and indirect)
• $2 million operating costs saved annually by the university
• 85,000 tons carbon dioxide reduction into the atmosphere
• Nearly 50% reduction of university’s carbon footprint
• 3,600 boreholes
• 1,000 miles of loop field pipe
• 10 miles of buried distribution pipe
• 650% increase in system efficiency
• 47 buildings to use geothermal
• 5.5 million sq ft of heated and cooled space
• 63 years average age of coal-fired boilers

The project has caught the attention of universities and communities across the nation. Lowe is sharing information about the university's new operation with others who want learn how they, too, can benefit from a geothermal system.

For more information, visit cms.bsu.edu/About/Geothermal.aspx or contact Jim Lowe at 765-285-2805 or jlowe@bsu.edu. To learn more about geothermal energy, click here.]]> urn:uuid:20120504050000 2012-05-04T05:00:00Z

CEO Dominick Guarino presents MyNCI to members during the NCI 9th Annual Summit. The National Comfort Institute Inc.’s 9th Annual Summit held Feb. 5–10, 2012, in Palm Harbor, FL, was the stage for unveiling the transformation of a membership and training organization with a level-based membership structure to “MyNCI, A New Way to Have It Your Way.”

MyNCI was introduced during the Summit opening general session by NCI CEO Dominick Guarino, President Rob Falke and the NCI staff. According to Guarino, there was a great need for restructuring the organization.

“Numerous members have been giving NCI valuable feedback about what they need most from us—almost unanimously they have asked for better tools to help make Performance-Based Contracting a profitable, growing part of their businesses,” he said. “MyNCI breaks down the walls between membership levels and incorporates the changes members requested, allowing each member to choose the benefits best suited for his or her company. Plus, NCI has added a number of new member benefits and tools such as apps created and optimized for use on iPads. These apps will improve accuracy, professionalism and productivity for the contractors who use them.”

Breakout sessions following the opening general session featured experts sharing their knowledge about a wide range of topics—from technology (Doing Business with an iPad) to technical (Home Performance and HVAC Performance—Point & Counterpoint).

New Brainstorming Work Group Sessions were an integral part of the Summit curriculum. Attendees had the opportunity to choose two out of four sessions focusing on areas critical to the success of a performance-based organization: Management & Leadership, Sales & Service Management, Marketing a Performance-Based Company and Implementing Performance-Based Technical Processes.

Contractor of the Year and other awards were distributed at the awards banquet. For more information, visit www.nationalcomfortinstitute.com.
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It provides for regular consultation between the two organizations on issues of mutual interest and also for attendance at each other’s meetings.

In other news, AHRI launched a new online directory of AHRI Certified Forced Circulation Air-Cooling and Air-Heating Coils. The AHRI Certification Program tests this equipment to AHRI Standard 410-2001 with Addendum 3, Forced-Circulation Air-Heating and Air-Cooling Coils (formerly ARI 410).

The new ACHC directory includes software tracking and a unique model designation for forced-circulation air-cooling coils under non-frosting conditions and forced-circulation air-cooling and air-heating coils intended for field installation and use in central station air-handling units. Certification ratings verified by test are: average total capacity; air pressure drop; and water (or glycol) pressure drop.

For more information, visit www.ahrinet.org.
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This ability to train, certify and employ testing, adjusting and balancing skilled craftsmen is a tremendous benefit for the St. Louis region, according to Dan Andrews, Training Coordinator for Local 36.

Many cities’ codes require that HVAC systems be checked by TABB or a similar organization before a certificate of occupancy will be issued. The need for skilled TAB craftsmanship is increasing as HVAC systems become more complex and energy-focused. New systems are designed with many more individually controlled temperature zones and variable-speed fans and pumps. New-occupant air ventilation codes are more restrictive and building envelopes are becoming tighter. Constantly changing HVAC airflow rates and increased demand for fresh- and filtered-ventilation air requires more emphasis on fine-tuning the HVAC operation.

The TABB certification program was developed by NEMIC, a not-for-profit corporation sponsored by the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association and SMACNA.

TABB certification standards and procedures for certification are set by a policy-making body—the International Certification Board of NEMIC, with SMWIA as the training arm, the International Training Institute as the testing body and TABB as the certification body.

The ICB is a group of HVAC professionals including engineers with membership in ASHRAE, contractors from SMACNA and labor representatives from SMWIA.

Since October 2011, Local 36 has helped 32 people to obtain the ICB/TABB certification.

For more information, visit www.sheetmetal36.org.
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Programs Spending More Than $1 Billion Annually.

States and utilities invested more than $811 million in industrial energy-efficiency programs in 2010, far exceeding the spending by the federal government and other national-level programs, according to a report released April 5, 2012, by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

Nationwide, all industrial energy-efficiency programs spent well over $1.1 billion in 2010, according to the report, Money Well Spent: Industrial Energy Efficiency Program Spending in 2010.

The report details a first-time ever estimate of total industrial energy-efficiency deployment and technical assistance at the federal, state and utility levels. States and utilities were responsible for about two-thirds of all industrial energy-efficiency program spending in 2010, reflecting a strong prioritization of industrial energy efficiency by certain state lawmakers and regulators.

“Industrial energy efficiency is one of the cheapest, most cost-effective efficiency resources available to us today according to ACEEE research,” said Anna Chittum, Lead Author of the report and Senior Analyst at ACEEE. “As a country, our states are putting significant resources toward capturing industrial efficiency, but they have still only harnessed a fraction of the potential.”

The study captures annual spending by a wide variety of state and utility programs across the country, including utilities and ratepayer-funded public benefit fund organizations, state agencies, public universities, nonprofit organizations and locally administered federal programs.

“Our research shows that utilities and public benefit fund organizations are already playing a major role in realizing industrial energy-efficiency opportunities,” said Seth Nowak, Co-author of the report and Senior Analyst at ACEEE.

Industrial energy-efficiency program spending varied considerably from state to state. New York ranked first in overall industrial program spending, bolstered by strong utility spending and the significant impacts of the programs run by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The next five biggest spenders on industrial energy efficiency were California, Pennsylvania, Washington, Massachusetts and Oregon.

Industrial energy-efficiency program spending in 2010 was enhanced by spending at the state level as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, or stimulus. ACEEE’s study estimated that ARRA funding to industrial energy-efficiency efforts accounted for about $228 million or 20% of the total in 2010. These funds helped to encourage the establishment of new industrial energy-efficiency programs around the country, including financing and technical assistance programs that have helped jump-start a cleaner and more energy-efficient economic recovery.

Despite the short-term nature of the ARRA funds, utilities and public benefit fund organizations’ continued spending positions industrial energy efficiency in a strong place for future growth. As energy-efficiency goals ramp up and efficiency becomes even more cost-effective when compared to the cost of new energy generation, the industrial sector will continue to offer opportunities for critical energy-efficiency improvements that benefit all energy users.

“States that have prioritized industrial energy efficiency are showing that they are attuned to the economic and environmental benefits of these programs, and that they value the contributions industrial sectors can make to their energy-efficiency portfolios,” said R. Neal Elliott, ACEEE’s Associate Director for Research. “We anticipate that these states will increase funding in the future and be joined by others as they come to appreciate the low cost of industrial energy-efficiency resources and the competitive benefits of investing in their manufacturing companies.”

For more information, visit www.aceee.org.
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"This change regarding data centers represents a building block as we work to build on the foundation of energy conservation in the standard," 90.1 Vice Chair Drake Erbe said. "We recognize that equipment used in buildings is reaching maximum capabilities in energy efficiency. We now must examine the role that system efficiencies play in saving energy. Inclusion of data centers in the standard was a step in that direction."

With publication of the 2010 standard, ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, data centers were included within its scope for the first time. Most data centers were required to have economizers, but some in the data center industry disagreed with the requirement, maintaining that economizers are subject to static discharge due to low humidity, gaseous contaminants and reliability.

Erbe said the 90.1 committee worked with the data center industry and ASHRAE’s technical committee on mission control facilities, technology spaces and electronic equipment to develop an alternative path known as power usage effectiveness to allow use of developing technologies for which there are no energy modeling tools available. The path is addressed in proposed addendum ap, which is currently open for public comment.

"This is a significant issue to design professionals in that without a simulation program available to model these systems they have to receive approval from the authority having jurisdiction for an exceptional calculation method, which, in most cases, is beyond the jurisdiction’s knowledge level," Erbe said. "The PUE values were developed using water-cooled chillers with water-side economizers and air-cooled chillers with air-side economizers, using prescriptive requirements currently in the standard. The PUE values for all climate zones are able to be achieved by both of these conventional system types."

In total, 15 proposed addenda to Standard 90.1 are open for public review. For more information, visit www.ashrae.org/publicreviews.

Also open for public comment is addendum ao, which offers an alternative compliance path for lighting requirements aimed at the large number of smaller, simpler buildings that make up a majority of new construction and retrofit activity, according to Eric Richman, Chair of the standard’s lighting subcommittee. It provides a less-complicated set of requirements that should be easier to apply to these types of facilities, and also includes more stringent Lighting Power Density limits that may restrict the application of more lavish-space lighting designs not commonly found in these facilities.

This compliance path will replace the current whole-building LPD table and only applies to a subset of building types that encompass many of the smaller, simpler buildings. The use of this method is optional and the full space-by-space method used by most designers for larger, more complex facilities still remains for application to any building type, Richman said.

In addition, addendum al is open for public review. Users of Appendix G of the standard have noted that the baseline energy budget is different depending on whether electricity or natural gas is chosen for either space heating and water heating, according to Don Brundage, a Member of the Energy Cost Budget subcommittee. In some cases, this can provide greater energy savings estimates from Appendix G when using one fuel vs. another, and provides a strong incentive to specify the fuel that will provide the greatest energy savings using Appendix G.

"Proposed addendum al would make the baseline building energy budget (the minimum code baseline for determining energy savings) the same regardless of the choice of fuel in the proposed building, eliminating this bias," Brundage said. "This is done by setting rules to determine the fuel to be used in the baseline building for space and water heating. These rules are based on climate zones for space heating and type of building usage for water heating. This would make energy savings estimates using Appendix G more consistent and fair than under the current version of the standard."

In addition to addendum al, ao and ap, eight other addenda are open for public review from March 23 until May 7. They are addenda af, ag, ai, am, an, aq, ar and at.

Four addenda were open for public review from March 23 until April 22. They are addenda ad, ah, aj and as.

For more information, visit www.ashrae.org.
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By the end of 2011, the nearly 16,500 Energy Star certified buildings across America have helped save nearly $2.3 billion in annual utility bills and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equal to emissions from the annual energy use of more than 1.5 million homes.

"More and more organizations are discovering the value of Energy Star as they work to cut costs and reduce their energy use," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "This year marked the 20^th anniversary of the Energy Star program, and today Energy Star certified buildings in cities across America are helping to strengthen local economies and protect the planet for decades to come."

First released in 2008, the list of cities with the most Energy Star certified buildings continues to show how cities across America, with help from Energy Star, are embracing energy efficiency as a simple and effective way to save money and prevent pollution. Los Angeles has remained the top city since 2008, while Washington, D.C., continues to hold onto second place for the third year in a row. Atlanta moved up from the number six spot in 2010 to third place this year and Boston and Riverside broke into the top ten. Tampa, FL, Colorado Springs, CO, and Salt Lake City, UT, all are new to the list in 2011. California has six cities on the 2011 list—more than any other state.

Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for nearly 20% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion per year. Commercial buildings that earn EPA’s Energy Star must perform in the top 25% of similar buildings nationwide and must be independently verified by a licensed professional engineer or a registered architect. Energy Star certified buildings use an average of 35% less energy and are responsible for 35% less carbon dioxide emissions than typical buildings. Fifteen types of commercial buildings can earn the Energy Star, including office buildings, K-12 schools and retail stores.

For more information, visit www.energystar.gov or www.epa.gov.
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Perhaps as a sign for optimism in 2012, however, all eight HARDI regions reported higher inventory levels than the same time last year.

HARDI Economist Andrew Duguay warned against reading too much into January’s numbers though. "Distributor Sales recovered moderately in January. On average, sales improved 6.2% from last January, but the actual results were quite varied, with just over one-third of distributors (35%) showing a negative January comparison to last year.”

Diverse strategies and inventory positions on R-22 refrigerant likely played a role in January’s sale disparities in the wake of confusing and delayed regulatory guidance issued on Jan. 20, 2012, reducing R-22 refrigerant production and importation by nearly half of last year’s levels. Many distributors also cited the mild weather as a drag on heating sales.

Days Sales Outstanding (a measure of how quickly customers pay their bills) crept up for the fifth time in six months, crossing the 50-day barrier. Distributor productivity reflected by sales per employee backtracked for the seventh consecutive month down 6% from last month and over 35% from its July 2011 peak.

HARDI also announced its 2012 HVACR Market and Unitary Forecast is now available to member and non-member companies with details at www.hardinet.org/2012forecast.
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For more information on EPA’s proposals, including a summary factsheet, visit www.epa.gov/NSR/actions.html#2012 under Proposed Step 3 for the GHG Tailoring Rule Continues to Focus Permitting on the Largest Emitters.
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By accelerating scientific breakthroughs, these research teams support the Department’s SunShot Initiative goal to make solar energy cost competitive with other forms of energy by the end of the decade—creating jobs, enhancing U.S. energy security and boosting American competitiveness in the global clean-energy economy.

The past decade has seen much global solar installations growth. For American companies to remain competitive in this growing market, they must lower the cost of existing products while transitioning breakthrough technologies into production. The Bridging Research Interactions through Collaborative Development Grants in Energy funding announced will enable applied researchers to leverage the tools and expertise of scientists at the DOE research facilities.

The BRIDGE program is the first within the SunShot Initiative to provide engineers and scientists developing
photovoltaic and concentrating solar power technologies with the tools and expertise of the Department’s Office of Science research facilities, including major facilities for X-ray and neutron scattering, nanoscale science, advanced microcharacterization, environmental molecular sciences and advanced scientific computing. This collaborative approach will accelerate innovations to lower the cost of PV and CSP technologies.

Letters of intent are requested from potential applicants no later than April 25, 2012. Full applications are due May 21, 2012. For more information and application requirements, visit https://eere-exchange.energy.gov.
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Largest indirect evaporative cooling project in the state.

David Chaplin, Technical Support Specialist, with one of the units.

Four indirect evaporative cooling units were recently installed at the California Department of General Services, Office of State Publishing in Sacramento—making it the largest indirect evaporative cooling project in the state. The Munters Oasis indirect evaporative cooling modules, with a total air-flow capacity of 354,000 cfm and a sensible cooling production of more than 704 tons of cooling, provide preconditioning for the 100% outdoor air required for the plant’s production area.

The state’s dilemma
For 50 years, the state of California’s publishing facility pre-cooled outdoor air entering the facility with 57°F water pumped from a well and fed to chilled water coils located in the two penthouse mechanical rooms on the roof. The warm water leaving the coils was discharged into the American River.

This process had to be altered when it was discovered that the well water was polluted, and the EPA threatened to assess fines to the state for polluting the American River. The plant required a quick solution to the problem. With summer approaching, plant employees would not stay on the job without proper pre-cooling of the outdoor air.

The plant turned to Munters, a leader in air treatment solutions, to develop a solution. Munters suggested use of its dry evaporative cooling technology.

Indirect evaporative cooling technology
Unlike direct evaporative cooling systems that cool outdoor air by the evaporation of water that enters the building, indirect evaporative cooling or dry evaporative cooling uses a horizontal polymer-tube air-to-air heat exchanger. Scavenger outdoor air is drawn upward across the outside of the horizontal tubes while water is sprayed through the tube bundle. The outside surface of the tubes is chilled to the ambient wb temperature which, on a hot day in Sacramento, is usually 30°F lower than the ambient db condition. Air entering the building is drawn through the inside of the horizontal polymer tubes and dry cooled without the addition of any moisture.

The cooling process is identical to that of refrigeration cooling in that the energy level or enthalpy of the dry-cooled air is reduced as it travels through the air-to-air heat exchanger. The hot and humid scavenger air is exhausted to the atmosphere off the top of the indirect evaporative cooling module.

The amount of heat exchanger surface area in the polymer tubes is critical to the heat transfer performance of the air-to-air heat exchanger just as it is in any thermodynamic process. It is estimated that the horizontal polymer tubes installed in the four Munters indirect evaporative cooling modules, if laid end to end, would stretch for 28 miles.

The efficiency of the system is measured by the approach of the entering air ambient db temperature to the ambient wb temperature with full air flow through both sides of the air-to-air heat exchanger. Project specifications called for a 70% approach of the db to the wb condition. As an example, if ambient db is 100°F and the wb is 70°F, the outdoor air should be cooled from 100°F db to 79°F db within the horizontal wetted tubes.

Energy savings realized
Originally, personnel at the plant evaluated an air-cooled water chiller as a solution to solve the pre-cooling problem. This plan required the installation of a 700-ton chiller in the parking lot on grade, and the chilled water piped up to the two rooftop penthouses and connected to the pre-cooling coils.

The parking lot air-cooled chiller would have consumed 1.2 kW of electrical energy per ton including the water pumping energy up to the rooftop. The indirect evaporative cooling modules, with an energy consumption of only 0.2 kW per ton, were not only more energy efficient but would cost the state of California less to install. Estimated peak electrical demand reduction on the hottest days of summer would exceed 700 kW compared to the air-cooled water chiller.

Saving water
In addition to resolving its EPA problem with the termination of well-water usage, the state was intent on minimizing the potable makeup water consumed by the evaporative cooling systems.

A Dolphin non-chemical water treatment system was specified for the water recirculation sumps of both the indirect evaporative cooling systems to be installed on the roof and the existing air washers in the penthouse mechanical equipment rooms. These pulse power water treatment systems were originally developed for cold pasteurization in the liquid food industry.

The device encapsulates water hardness minerals and particulate into a non-adherent powder that is harmlessly deposited in the bottom of the sump. The Dolphin unit controls scaling of the wetted heat-exchanger surfaces and reduces biological growth in the sump water. Under proper operation, the pulse power component will maintain clean sump water with low bacteria counts free of biofilm and will eliminate the breeding ground for the amplification of Legionella and other waterborne pathogens.

Also, the polymer-tube indirect evaporative cooling systems have been tested more than six years in California’s most severe evaporative cooling environment: Death Valley. With summer design temperatures above 121°F and potable water with an average hardness of 1500 ppm, two systems installed at the CALTRANS Cow Creek Maintenance Facility, near the town of Bad Water, demonstrated a self-cleaning feature that helps keep the wetted surfaces of the polymer tube free of water-hardness deposits. During start-up of the supply and scavenger fans, the heat-exchanger tubes flex slightly due to air pressure differences from the wet- to the dry-side of each tube. The flexing causes the calcium deposits to drop harmlessly into the sump.

The combination of the Dolphin and the self-cleaning feature of the polymer tubes will allow the state to operate its indirect evaporative cooling water sumps at higher cycles of concentration, thereby reducing the amount of wasted water required for purging the minerals and particulate matter from the water recirculation system.

Measured performance
In late August, a test was run on the indirect evaporative cooling module Marked IEC-3. Ambient temperatures at 2 p.m. were 95.5°F db and 68.5°F wb. The Munters indirect evaporative cooling unit was cooling the outdoor air leaving the dry-side polymer tubes down to 74.1°F db and 61.5°F wb. This represents an approach to the ambient wb condition of 79.26%, 11% above the specified performance requirements with full cfm flow through both sides of the air-to-air heat exchanger.

The dry-side flow through the heat exchanger is 98,200 cfm constant volume. The sensible cooling produced is calculated to be 192.6 tons. Assuming an 80% saturation efficiency for the air washers located downstream of the indirect evaporative cooling module, the supply air to the building would be in the range 64°F db, ignoring fan heat.

The sprays on the air washers are modulated on and off to maintain a room relative humidity of around 60%, which is optimal for the printing process. Leaving air temperature set point off the indirect evaporative cooling coolers is controlled by varying the wet-side air mass flow with VFDs on the scavenger fans.

For more information, contact Mike Scofield or visit www.munters.us.
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It remains uncertain what aspects of the President’s budget that Congress would actually take up this year, but SMACNA's support of the tax incentives for commercial building renovation and construction will be a major part of the current 2012 legislative agenda for their members.

The FY 2013 budget initiative includes a proposed tax credit for energy-efficient commercial building property expenditures in place of the existing tax deduction. The proposal would replace the existing deduction for energy-efficient commercial building property expenditures with a tax credit and also allow taxpayers to take an alternative credit for placing in service specified property that meets certain energy-efficiency standards. Special rules would be provided that would allow the credit to benefit a real estate investment trust or its shareholders. The tax credit would be available for property placed in service in 2013.

For more information, visit www.smacna.org.
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  Square feet Per capita DC 18,954,022 31.50 CO 13,803,113 2.74 IL 34,567,585 2.69 VA 19,358,193 2.42 WA 14,667,558 2.18 MD 11,970,869 2.07 MA 13,087,625 2.00 TX 50,001,476 1.99 CA 71,551,296 1.92 NY 36,538,981 1.89 MN 9,591,445 1.81 The USGBC released Jan. 19, 2012, its 2011 list of top 10 states for LEED-certified commercial and institutional green buildings per capita, based on the U.S. 2010 Census information. The District of Columbia leads the nation, with more than 31 ft² of LEED-certified space per person in 2011, with Colorado being the leading state, with 2.74 ft² per person in 2011.

Other top states include Illinois, Virginia and Washington, with 2.69, 2.42 and 2.18 ft² of LEED-certified space per person, respectively.

“Looking past the bricks and mortar, people are at the heart of what buildings are all about,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chair, USGBC. “Examining the per capita value of LEED square footage in these states allows us to focus on what matters most—the human element of green buildings.”

LEED is the internationally recognized mark of green building excellence, with more than 44,000 commercial projects participating, comprising more than 8 billion ft² of construction space in all 50 states and 120 countries. In addition, more than 16,000 homes have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system, with more than 67,000 more homes registered.

“Our local green building chapters from around the country have been instrumental in accelerating the adoption of green building policies and initiatives that drive construction locally,” continued Fedrizzi. “These states should be recognized for working to reinvent their local building landscapes with buildings that enliven and bolster the health of our environment, communities and local economies.”

“This is a great accomplishment for the D.C. metropolitan region and a testament to the drive, commitment and leadership of all those who live, work and play in our community,” said Mike Babcock, Board Chair of the National Capital Region Chapter of USGBC. “We also realize there is still more to do and hope to effectively guide the effort by engaging, educating and encouraging the dialogue around the value of sustainability."

“Being in the top three is a testament to the diversity of stakeholders from across Illinois who understand the significant environmental, economic, and social benefits related to LEED certification,” said Doug Widener, Executive Director of the Illinois Chapter of USGBC. “I applaud Illinois’ diverse green building community on this outstanding achievement.”

Notable newly certified projects in 2011 include the Treasury Building in Washington, D.C., which is distinguished as the oldest LEED-certified project in the world; the LEED-Platinum Casey Middle School in Boulder, CO; the iconic Wrigley Building in Chicago, IL; Frito-Lay in Lynchburg, VA, which earned LEED Gold for the operations and maintenance of an existing building; the LEED Silver Hard Rock Café in Seattle, WA; Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, MD; Yawkey Distribution Center of The Greater Boston Food Bank in Massachusetts; the LEED Gold Austin Convention Center in Texas; SFO’s LEED Gold Terminal 2 in San Francisco, CA; the LEED-Platinum Hotel Skylar in Syracuse, NY; and the LEED Platinum Marquette Plaza in Minneapolis, MN.

In December 2011, USGBC announced that LEED-certified existing buildings outpaced their newly built counterparts by 15 million ft² on a cumulative basis. A focus on heightened building performance through green operations and maintenance is essential to cost-effectively drive improvements in the economy and the environment.

For the full list of LEED-certified projects visit usgbc.org/press.
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^th certification program.

The equipment in the indoor pool dehumidifier program is rated and tested in accordance with AHRI Standard 910, Performance Rating of Indoor Pool Dehumidifiers.

“AHRI’s globally recognized and industry respected certification program is continuing to grow and serve as a resource to contractors and consumers alike,” said Bill Tritsis, AHRI Vice President, Certification. “This program will provide assurance that manufacturers’ performance ratings for the equipment have been independently verified.”

The program applies to all OEM and PBM production models of residential, commercial and industrial indoor pool dehumidifiers rated below a moisture removal capacity of 25.0 kg/h at standard rating conditions per Table 2 of AHRI Standard 910.

AHRI is actively seeking new participants for the program. Manufacturers interested in joining the indoor pool dehumidifier certification program may contact AHRI Standards Engineer Danny Abbate.

For more information, visit www.ahrinet.org.
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Acting outside of its purview, the DOE not only ignored concerns from HARDI about these rule changes, but sidestepped the proper established rule-making procedures, instead choosing to dictate a rule without regard for its serious financial consequences.

Cause of Action, a non-partisan organization dedicated to attacking waste, fraud, mismanagement and corruption in the federal government, took on this issue on behalf of HARDI out of recognition of the abuse of power being demonstrated by the DOE, and the potential precedent this could set for federal agencies.

“The Department of Energy is turning a deaf ear toward American businesses and choosing to enact rules with no regard for proper procedure,” said Dan Epstein, Executive Director of Cause of Action. “Cause of Action chose to intervene on behalf of HARDI and the thousands of Americans they represent against this act of government abuse of power. We urge the Court of Appeals to examine the unprecedented harm the Department of Energy is enacting on businesses and consumers around the country, and ask them to rein in this agency.”

For HARDI, their actions and opposition to the DOE on this issue have been evident since 2008, yet the DOE consistently ignored them.

“For years HARDI members have been discussing regional standards, then the consensus agreement, and now the potential impact of the Department of Energy’s direct final rule on our industry,” said HARDI President Bud Mingledorff. “Over the last several weeks alone, four individual votes were cast among varying levels of HARDI’s membership leaders, each of whom unanimously determined joining this litigation was the right thing to do.”

HARDI joins the American Public Gas Association who has previously filed a petition on the matter with the Court of Appeals.

For more information, visit www.hardinet.org.
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As part of that national and Congressional campaign, SMACNA and many of its firms co-signed a major ad campaign focused on Congress and media outlets boosting job creation through combined heat and power and waste-heat recovery retrofits. The ad campaign, Harness the Heat, is running in Washington, D.C., political media targeted to Congress and is the subject of media across the nation. Every member of Congress has received a copy of this full-page advocacy piece in their office and in the Capitol Hill newspapers Roll Call and Politico.com.

SMACNA has been a key part of the Alliance for Industrial Efficiency effort to pass 30% tax credits for waste-heat recovery in H.R. 2812 sponsored by Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) and co-sponsored by Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), and to pass 30% high-efficiency CHP tax credits in H.R. 2784, also sponsored by Rep. Tonko.

For more information, visit www.smacna.org.
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Manual Zr, the first ANSI-recognized standard for residential zoning, is now available. Manual Zr adds to the stable of ANSI-recognized standards for undertaking proper HVAC design.

OEMs, zoning equipment producers, HVAC contractors and allied industry experts teamed up to develop this manual so that it includes all of the information needed to be successful when designing a zoned HVAC system.

Topics covered in Manual Zr include:

• Zoning advantages and appropriate use of the zoning

concept;

• Types of systems, equipment and components used for

air-damper zoning;

• Zoning metrics and methods;
• Doable owner expectations;
• Guidance for designing entire zone damper systems;
• Limitations in design applications of bypass air;
• Load calculations for zoned systems; and
• Strategies for excess air management.

“Contractors told ACCA that they needed a resource to help them zone systems properly that was not manufacturer specific,” said Paul Stalknecht, ACCA President and CEO. “To meet this need, we brought together the best minds in the industry and came to a consensus on best practices, so that contractors can better serve their customers’ needs. This manual is just another example of how when all sectors of the industry work together, the industry grows stronger.”

In other manual-related news, NAFA announced that the third edition of the Installation, Operation and Maintenance of Air Filtration Systems Manual is now available.

The manual covers correct and proper installation, operation and maintenance of air-filtration systems. The manual’s newest edition has been revised to include the most current and accurate information concerning systems and equipment specifically designed for wide application and all levels of experience. It is published to serve as a resource guide for all building operations personnel and to help educate and accredit HVACR technicians working with air-filter systems.

The third edition includes updated local code, standards and regulations as well as two new chapters:

• Chapter 13—Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation, Photocatalytic Oxidation; and
• Chapter 14—Industrial Finishing Supply and Exhaust Filters.

For more information on Manual Zr, visit www.acca.org/store. The NAFA manual is available at www.nafahq.org.]]> urn:uuid:20120309060000 2012-03-09T06:00:00Z

The NRCan website states the following:

The program has successfully reached its goal of 250,000 registered homeowners. As planned, the program is no longer accepting new registrations. To help ensure registered homeowners have time to get their postretrofit evaluations and receive a grant, the Government of Canada is extending the deadline to June 30, 2012, for homeowners to complete post-retrofit evaluations and apply for a grant. All retrofit renovations must still be completed by March 31, 2012.

Along with its partners in the Save ecoENERGY Coalition, HRAI will continue to encourage the federal government to extend the ecoENERGY Retrofit program for an additional three years as part of the Coalition’s five-part Home Energy Action Plan.

Industry estimates show that, by capping registration, the federal government will invest at most $192 million in total ecoENERGY home-retrofit grants, amounting to less than half of the $400 million the federal government committed in budget 2011.

For more information, visit www.hrai.ca, www.ecoaction.gc.ca or www.nrcan.gc.ca.
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Phase two, Defining the Configurations of Residential Air-Conditioning and Heat Pump Systems Using Hydrocarbons, Ammonia, Carbon Dioxide, and HFO-1234yf as Refrigerants and Meeting Previously Defined Safety Requirements, will summarize the configurations of air-conditioning and heatpump systems using low-GWP refrigerants that can meet the safety requirements of regulations, codes and standards. It also will explore the feasible design options that allow the safe use of low-GWP refrigerants.

Phase one of the study reviewed regulations and standards in the U.S., Europe and Japan relevant to HVACR applications using low-GWP refrigerants. The project is expected to be completed within six months.

For more information, visit www.ahrinet.org.
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“The results of these tests support our belief that our certification participants’ products are being properly rated and should not be the focus of enhanced federal scrutiny,” said AHRI President and CEO Stephen Yurek. “The water heater tests are an excellent indication that AHRI’s private-sector certification program should be relied upon by DOE to verify compliance with federal energy efficiency standards.”

Of the products listed in the table, only tankless water heaters and storage water heaters had perfect results, while no other category had less than 14% of the products requiring further action.

“The complete results indicate that the Department’s focus would be better aimed at other product categories, where there has not been a long history of an industry supported and recognized certification program,” Yurek said.

For more information, visit www.ahrinet.org.

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