» Feb. 1, 2010: SMACNA Chicago Trade Show to Focus on BIM and Sustainable Technology
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» ASHRAE Makes Information on Datacenters More Accessible in CD Form
ASHRAE Makes Information on Datacenters More Accessible in CD Form

October 12, 2009, ATLANTA?It is estimated that $2 billion is wasted nationally due to data center inefficiencies. That?s why the valuable information found in ASHRAE?s Datacom Series?which provides guidance on ways to plan, build and monitor datacenters in ways that are both energy efficient and cost effective?has been compiled into one easily searchable CD.

The ?Data Center Design and Operation-ASHRAE Datacom Series? CD will allow a user to search across all previous published books in the Datacom Series simultaneously, as well as have the option to either print information directly from the CD or copy or paste into another document.
The need for guidance on data center energy is enormous?in 2006 alone, for every dollar spent worldwide on new servers, another 50 cents was spent on energy to power and cool them. Datacenters in the United States consume 1.5 percent of all electricity used in the country and with historical trends this consumption is predicted to rise to 2.9 percent by 2011.

?ASHRAE Technical Committee 9.9 has taken the lead in the IT and HVAC communities by producing a series of publications that provide the necessary guidance,? Stephen Comstock, ASHRAE publisher, said. ?The intent of the CD is to bring these resources together in a format which allows for easy search and quick access. Annual updates will be available so users have the most current information available.?

The ASHRAE Datacom series provides a comprehensive treatment of datacenter cooling, energy efficiency and related subjects, such as structural and vibration guidelines and equipment power trends.

Currently, the titles that make up the new CD include the following, though the CD will be updated as more books are released in the series:

* Thermal Guidelines for Data Processing Environments, Second Edition
* Best Practices for Datacom Facility Energy Efficiency, Second Edition
* High Density Data Centers
* Datacom Equipment Power Trends and Cooling Applications
* Design Considerations for Datacom Equipment Centers, Second Edition
* Liquid Cooling Guidelines for Datacom Equipment Centers
* Structural and Vibration Guidelines for Datacom Equipment Centers
* Particulate and Gaseous Contamination in Datacom Environments

The Datacom CD costs $235, $199 for ASHRAE members, and can be purchased through ASHRAE?s online bookstore at www.ashrae.com/bookstore. More information about the entire Datacom Series can be found at www.ashrae.com/datacom.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of some 50,000 persons. ASHRAE fulfills its mission of advancing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education.

» Memorandum of Understanding with IGBC to Promote Sustainability around the World
Memorandum of Understanding with IGBC to Promote Sustainability around the World

ATLANTA?The signing of a memorandum of understanding between ASHRAE and the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) represents the country?s potential as a market for constructing energy efficient buildings.

The MOU between ASHRAE and IGBC, a not-for-profit organization that promotes energy efficiency in buildings, allows the two societies to share products, jointly promote educational programs and, where appropriate, cross-market each other?s products and services.

?IGBC and ASHRAE signed the MOU to share their best practices and information on their research and development; codes and standards for climate change initiatives; and net-zero and energy-plus built environment,? Prem Jain, Fellow ASHRAE, Life Member, chair of the IGBC, said. ?This will help the international community of designers, builders and researchers to partake in the best of the two eminent organizations dedicated in improving the health of the planet Earth and her inhabitants.?

The memorandum is the latest in strengthening ASHRAE?s ties with India, a country that?s fast growing population demands an even faster growing construction industry; ASHRAE has some 700 members in India with four chapters?India, Western India, South India and Chennai.

?ASHRAE is looking forward to working closely with IGBC,? Gordon Holness, ASHRAE president, said. ?This memorandum of understanding opens doors to resources, educational material and member expertise that will benefit ASHRAE and IGBC members alike. Most important, a broader knowledge of energy efficient and sustainable building practices will be gained on both sides.?

IGBC was formed in 2001 and is a consensus not-for-profit organization representing the building industry, consisting of architects, builders, consultants, manufacturers, institutions and others. The vision of the Council is to facilitate India to become one of the world leaders in green buildings by 2010.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of some 50,000 persons. ASHRAE fulfills its mission of advancing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education.

» Feb. 4, 2010: Danfoss Signs Agreement With Procon
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» Craton Equity Partners Invests in Petra Solar
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Craton Equity Partners, a leading California clean technology fund, has made a $15 million investment commitment to Petra Solar, a clean energy technology company that provides solar and smart grid solutions for utilities. Petra Solar's core technology is the SunW

» Panasonic Home & Environment Company: Metal Grille
A metal grille is available for various ventilation fans — WhisperGreen®, WhisperCeiling™, WhisperFit™, WhisperValue™, and radiation damper PC-RD05C3. The durable and decorative FV-GL3MTL grille is an addition to the company’s optional Shaker and Victorian grille line.

» Judges Selected for Clean Energy Prize Final Rounds
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The judges who will determine the winner of the 2009-2010 Clean Energy Prize know what it takes to turn a new idea into a successful business. Clean Energy Prize organizers have assembled 13 leaders from venture capital firms, major industrial companies and n

» ASHRAE Design Competition Gives Students Hands-On Experience in Practical Design
ASHRAE Design Competition Gives Students Hands-On Experience in Practical Design

ATLANTA?The 2009 ASHRAE Student Design Competition, which encourages students to become more involved with their chosen major through practical design, saw the largest number of entries to date.

This year?s Student Design Competition featured a 15,650-square-foot office building with first floor parking, second floor retail and office space and third floor offices. Among the 32 schools that submitted entries, three in particular stood out as first place winners in the three categories that the Competition offers.

First place in HVAC System Design is awarded to Craig Allen, BrianSybesma, Chan Kim, William Raschefsky and Elyse Widin, of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Ca. Their faculty advisor is Jesse Maddren, Ph.D.

The students chose a ground-source heat pump with an energy recovery ventilation system for the building, citing the benefits of a GSHP?s minimal energy use and long life-span.

?The primary driving factors for the GSHP system were its low life cycle cost and minimal energy consumption,? the students wrote. ?Combining GSHPs with an energy recovery ventilator reduces the size of the equipment needed, thus lowering the strain on natural resources and keeping energy costs low,? they added.

First place in HVAC System Selection is awarded to Kelly Griffith, James Newman, Phillip Podlasek and Darren Rottinghaus, of Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan. Their faculty advisors are Fred Hasler, P.E. and Julia Keen, P.E.

The students also selected a ground-source heat pump, with each heat pump piped in a direct return loop, rather than reverse return, in order to save on the amount of piping used. The GSHP also utilizes variable frequency drives to control the hydronic pump, which would decrease the energy consumption of said pumps.

?The option is the most efficient and has the lowest environmental impact throughout the life of the building,? the students wrote. ?The [building] owner will be very pleased because of the system?s highly green design and the number of LEED points that can be achieved through its design.?

Perhaps this year?s large number of entries was due in part to the new Integrated Sustainable Building Design (ISBD) category, which encouraged collaboration between engineering and architectural students. Students who chose to participate in the ISBD category were asked to redesign the office building to their own local climate, with the ultimate goal being a zero-energy building.

First place in ISBD is awarded to Troy White, Edward Wood, Jaime Gonsalves and Ivan Fernandes of Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Their advisor is Filimon Tsionas.

The students designed an office building that would be made up of 5 percent recycled materials collected from abandoned buildings on the construction site. A solar wall, curtain windows and chilled beams would be utilized for heating and cooling. The building would also feature an open concept atrium, acting as a solar chimney to reduce the number of ducts necessary, and in turn the number of fans and energy needed to power them. Grey water collected in a green roof would be used in sinks, toilets and irrigation of landscaping.

?The design group feels that the product of this design problem has been greatly influenced by the solution methodology and the end product exceeds that of a more conventional approach,? the students wrote of their collaborative experience.

A representative from each winning team will be presented with their awards at ASHRAE?s 2010 Winter Conference, to be held in Orlando, Fla.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of some 50,000 persons. ASHRAE fulfills its mission of advancing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education.