Energy Star tax creditsBusiness Of A/E/C
While I was thinking about how to calculate the tax benefits of upgrading and changing or upgrading HVAC systems, lighting and hot water heaters, I decided to see if anyone had made a calculator to analyze it already. Sure enough, General Electric had created this EPact calculator I have not had the time to test [...]
A repeat/revisiting of The DEC 16, 2007 Blog entry. This one bears repeating because in this difficult economy, it is important to keep a perspective on the teamwork necessary to execute and implement a building. Building design and construction requires cooperation between a dozen or more actors. There is an architect designing the overall building. [...]
Continue reading about Coordinating differing disciplines: Commitment and accountability?
Change is in the wind. Software and information technology forces a break with the past. For generations, we engineers depended on drawings. The desktop PC, and software, such as Autocad, changed our dependence into a 2-d CAD. Stephen Roth wrote in the recent issue of Consulting Specifying Engineers magazine. HVAC cooling and heating load analysis [...]
Noel Susskind, PE, LEED AP is an experienced mechanical engineer and building energy expert ready to serve you. Commercial, government, educational and healthcare facilities are a focus. He will: Serve as a high level resource on the latest science and art of building, or introduce you to one. Knowledge includes minimizing building energy (carbon) footprint [...]
In my opinion, “The 8th habit”, by Stephen Covey, (Free Press, 2004) should be required reading for all business people, including building owners, managers and designers. He said that successful team work includes all of the following: Focus on the wildly important Create a compelling scoreboard Translate lofty goals into specific actions Hold each other [...]
Continue reading about Accountability and measuring performance: Metering to assure energy savings
Recommissioning an existing building is a very valuable thing. It should be done by real estate owners periodically, not just when it comes time to find a new tenant or a buyer. Recommissioning is basically going over a building’s systems, one by one, checking design and installation, testing various components and operating parts. It often [...]
Homes and small commercial buildings may benefit from the application of ductless mini splits. What the heck is that? I was watching one of those TV programs on renovating homes the other day when a discussion came up about air conditioning an attic room with low ceilings and small windows. Someone suggested a window air [...]
Continue reading about Small is beautiful: Ductless mini splits
The April issue of Building Design and Construction magazine has a pretty interesting article entitled, BIM + IPD: Three Success Stories, by Jeff Yoders. He writes on some recent projects done using the Integrated Project Delivery approach that uses the Building Information Modeling– leveraging the synched database model inside Autodesk‘s REVIT and REVIT MEP software– [...]
I design HVAC most of the time, but for the plumbing designer entry in BIM {{wiki}}, I would like to offer these Advantages of BIM for the plumbing engineer : Fixture schedules can be synchronized or linked to the architects schedule with a mere key stroke. Fixture schedules , plans, riser diagrams, sections and details [...]
Continue reading about for BIM{{wiki}} some Benefits of BIM to the Plumbing Designer
Noel Susskind has been designing and managing the construction of mechanical systems for 30 years. His knowledge of building energy usage and efficiency is wide and deep, as he has analyzed and reported on the HVAC and lighting energy of over a hundred buildings during his career. Additionally, he has had significant or complete engineering [...]
HVAC DATA model from LBNL
BetterBricks.com
Database of Energy and $ Incentives
From Horsepower to Hearpower, Part 1: The Foundations of Power and Energy
Oil Industry started (Drake's well in PA)
The Energy Collective
Architecture 2030
Jerry Yudelson
