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Energy Newsbriefs

Articles for July 2, 2012

ENERGY NEWSBRIEFS is a weekly current awareness service provided by the WSU Extension Energy Program Library and written by Angela Santamaria, WSU Energy Library Manager, to assist users in tracking developments in the energy field. To view past issues or to subscribe to receive an email notification of the publication of a new issue, go to the Energy Newsbriefs home.

Please be aware that although every URL is checked for accuracy prior to the publication of Energy Newsbriefs, URLs are, for various reasons, subject to change. Further, servers sometimes fail to connect to working URLs.




HVAC/R (HEATING, VENTILATION, AIR CONDITIONING, AND REFRIGERATION)

"Chilled Beams and UFAD: An Energy-Efficient Team," by Peter Strapp, Tate Inc., was published in the May 2012 issue of HPAC Heating/Piping/AirConditioning Engineering. Bringing the chilled beams down from the ceiling and into the raised floor occupied by an underfloor-air-distribution system continues the efficiency associated with ceiling-mounted, chilled beams and adds other benefits.

MILITARY

"2012 Building Team Awards: Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital" was written by Nicole Bowling, Associate Editor, Building Design + Construction; it was published in the June 2012 issue of that journal. This is a case study of a health-care facility for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. An integrated design approach is credited with cost savings, efficiencies, and other benefits.

Baseline Energy Performance and Opportunities to Improve Energy Efficiency in Family Military Housing is a 111-page, February 2012, research report developed by staffs at the Washington State University Energy Program and at Michael Blasnik and Associates; it was prepared for Building America Building Technologies Program of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. The research findings should increase energy efficiencies at both existing and to-be-built housing for military families at Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) in western Washington State.

"Military Construction: 5 Trends That Could Spell Success for Your Firm" is a five-Web-page article by Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor, Building Design + Construction; it was published in the June 2012 issue of that journal. Three of the trends have to do with energy efficiencies. They include attention to BIM (building information modeling), cost-sensitive sustainability, and net-zero energy, water, and waste.

Renewable Energy Optimization Report for Naval Station Newport is a 145-page, February 2012, technical report by Robi Robichaud, Gail Mosey, and Dan Olis of NREL; it was prepared in partnership with NREL and the EPA. This is about the redevelopment of mine sites and other contaminated land into renewable energy sites. Wind and solar can be developed, but the sites are not suited to other renewables.

MOTORS - PUMPS

"Mechanical Seal Failure in Pumps," by Howard W. Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP, was published in the June 2012 issue of Maintenance Technology. This is a quick, but very useful, examination of where the leakages occur and why.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

"People, Planet, and Profit" was authored by Clare Morris Broderick PE, LEED AP, and Chief Operating Officer, Building Systems Engineering Division - MEP Group, at Birdsall Services Group; it was published in the May 2012 issue of ED+C (Environmental Design + Construction). Attention to the "triple bottom line" (the "people, planet, and profit" of the article's title) by property management businesses can ensure they survive and thrive.

RESIDENTIAL EFFICIENCY STRATEGIES

EnergySavers.gov: Stay Cool, Save Money is a website, revised (and re-named) seasonally, from the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office of the U.S. Department of Energy. The site is now offering many tips for energy savings for the warmer months.

THERMAL TECHNOLOGIES

The following three articles were published in the May 2012 issue of Industrial Heating:
  1. "Induction Hardening – A Quick Guide to Methods and Coils" was co-authored by Kristian Berggren and Leif Markegard, both of EFD Induction Inc. Two types of induction hardening – conventional scanning and single-shot – are well-described. The importance of two components in the induction process, the inductor and magnetic-flux concentrators, is also covered.

  2. "Influence of Alloying Elements on Hardenability," by David Pye, illustrates how different levels of carbon present in steel affect its properties when austenitized and quenched.

  3. "Plasma, Gas Nitriding, and Nitrocarburizing for Engineering Components and Metal-Forming Tools" was jointly written by T. Damirgi, E. Rolinski and G. Sharp, all of Advanced Heat Treat Corp. The differences between plasma nitriding and gas nitriding are explained. These differences inform the discussion of the different applications appropriate to each. Additionally, the role that nitrocarburizing plays in heat treating is shown.

WORKFORCE

"Unlocking Potential" was written by Chris Curtis, President of Schneider Electric U.S. and President and CEO of Schneider Electric North American Operating Division; it was published in the May 2012 issue of ED+C (Environmental Design + Construction). This is a basic discussion of energy savings performance contracts (ESPSs) and the role of ESPSs in the federal Better Buildings Challenge program's efficiency efforts. It is said that these efforts could create tens of thousands of green jobs.



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© 2012 Washington State University Extension Energy Program. This publication contains material written and produced for public distribution. Permission to copy or disseminate all or part of this material is granted, provided that the copies are not made or distributed for commercial advantage, and that each is referenced by title with credit to the Washington State University Extension Energy Program. Copying, reprinting or dissemination, electronic or otherwise, for any other use requires prior written permission from the Washington State University Extension Energy Program.