Engineered Systems - January 2009 - (Page 86) Issues&Events cation for quite sometime, since bodies can lose as much fluid in cold environments as in a hot one. In the NHS’ Water for Health Hydration: Best Practice Toolkit for Hospitals and Healthcare pamphlet, it states that, “In some indoor environments, there may be a risk of low humidity, for example if there is a poor air conditioning system … This can dry the air to unacceptable levels … The relative humidity for an office should be between 40% to 70%, with the lower end being the most comfortable in warmer offices.” Chilled beams, K-12 trends get the webinar treatment in February February may be a short month, but it’s long on webinar quality as ES has two timely topics on the calendar. Things kick off on February 12, with “Applying Chilled Beams – What, Why and How” presented by Mike O’Loughlin of Semco Inc. Chilled beam cooling products are designed for use in non-residential applications where there is a high cooling load and/or rooms that require individual temperature control. Chilled beams combine radiant cooling with conventional overhead ventilation to reduce energy usage, improve comfort levels, and reduce the architectural impact of ductwork and other mechanical systems. Ideal for classrooms, auditoriums, hotels, office spaces, laboratories, or any space that has an open floor plan, chilled beam products are flexible, very quiet, simple to install and maintain, and provides an energy efficient, cost effective alternative to traditional cooling systems. The discussion will include a basic overview of how passive and active chilled beams function and suitable applications for each, benefits and concerns associated with chilled beam systems, and system design and product application tips. Then on February 25, we leap into the K-12 world with a Trane event focusing on better design in the educational sector. School buildings represent the largest construction sector in the U.S.—$80 billion in 2006-2008 alone. Unfortunately they are also responsible for 38% of carbon dioxide emissions in the US, a major contributor to global warming. Designing and constructing green schools can significantly reduce their impact on the environment and lower the Schools District’s operational costs while improving student health and test scores. Gary Luepke, senior principal systems engineer with Trane, will take a three-point approach to tackling this situation. In this webinar, attendees will receive an update on the latest projections and trends in green school construction, learn more about how to effectively use ASHRAE’s recently published Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 Schools, and review the latest developments in acoustics and IAQ as they pertain to securing CHPS (Collaboration for High Performance Schools) and LEED for Schools credits. As with the Semco webinar, “Green Schools – Right For Our Kids, Right For The Environment” is one hour and requires only a quick, free registration, so drop by www. esmagazine.com and sign up today. Both events will be moderated by ES editor Robert Beverly and will feature the usual Q&A opportunities for attendees following the main presentation. OUTSIDE THE OR Only last year, the Spanish paper La Vanguardia reported that 619 employees were allegedly suffering from muscle lesions in Catalunya as a direct result of static buildup in the work environment, and that adequate humidification could have prevented the problem. Humidification systems are already present in operating suites where the control of air movement and humidity is essential. By their very nature, these areas have to be regarded as cleanrooms, and the cleanest area is working above floor level at the height of the operating table and at elbow height of the surgeon. Correctly balanced humidity helps keep contaminants at low levels. Hospitals and associated engineering teams can tap the knowledge of manufacturers in the sector as well as professional literature and existing standards in the effort to create the healthiest environment possible in this inherently challenging area. (ed. note -- This is an edit of a report by Eaton-Williams, a branch of whom some U.S. engineers may recognize as Vapac. Vapac has developed selection software to guide engineers through the selection process, offering an online psychrometric calculator and a load calculation tool at www.vapachumidification.com.) Courses on energy, IAQ, new technologies offered at ASHRAE ’09 A full slate of ASHRAE instructional courses are available for attendees at the ASHRAE 2009 Winter Conference. Eleven three-hour courses, along with four six-hour courses, are being offered by the ASHRAE Learning Institute, Jan. 24-28. Some events take place at the ASHRAE Winter Meeting site, while others are located at the AHR Expo. Professional development courses taking place Saturday, January 24, at the Palmer House Hilton: • Complying with Requirements of ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2007 • Exceeding Standard 90.1-2007, Testing, Adjusting, & Balancing • The Commissioning Process in New & Existing Buildings Short courses taking place Sunday-Tuesday, January 25-27, at McCormick Place in conjunction with the AHR Expo: • Humidity Control: Basic Principles, Loads, & Equipment • The Basics of a Proposed Standard on High Performance Green Buildings (Standard 189.1P) • Introduction to Green Buildings & Sustainable Construction • Energy Management in New & Existing Buildings • Chilled Beam Technology • Low-Temperature Radiant Heating & High Temperature Radiant 86 En gi neer ed S y stem s January 2009 Cooling Systems • Installation of Residential Ventilation Systems (Standard 62.2) • Healthcare Facilities: Best Practice HVAC Design Considerations & Criteria • Humidity Control: Applications, Control Levels, & Mold Avoidance http://www.vapachumidification.com http://www.esmagazine.com http://www.esmagazine.com
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