Leading Heated and Cooling Sports Bench Provider Brings the #1 Bench in Sports to Americas Pastime

Bourne Creations Inc., dba "Dragon Seats", the manufacturer and provider of patented heated and cooling sports benches to 19 NFL Member Clubs, 41 Division I college programs, 2 XFL franchises, and NHL Winter Classics has officially installed its first set of heated sports benches for the Iowa Hawkeyes mens baseball program within the home dugout at Duane Banks Field. The fully customized set of Dragon Seats heated seats includes three 12-foot sports benches and one six-foot sports bench, which will provide a continuous, temperature-controlled heated surface to keep players and coaches warm in the dugout.

Dragon Seats heated and portable sports benches are trusted by athletes across the country who play in both extremely cold and hot scenarios. During the first half of the Iowa baseball season, many games are played in below-freezing or near-freezing temperatures. Dragon Seats ergonomically designed heated sports benches provide a comfortable, heated surface to rest on, even in the most extreme conditions. With baseball, starters may sit for upwards of 10-15 minutes at a time before retaking the diamond or batters box, so staying warm and loose is imperative to stave off muscle tightness and prevent muscle injuries.

"The new year is off to an incredible start for Dragon Seats and we couldnt be happier to bring our player benches into a new sport at a top-tier baseball program that Coach Heller is building. The custom installation in the dugout is a major step forward for us," said New York City-based Franklin Floyd, chief operating officer at Dragon Seats. "Were confident that our sports benches will help reduce the risk of muscle injury, and keep the Hawkeye student-athletes loose and ready to play even in the coldest conditions."

Led by Coach Rick Heller, the Iowa Hawkeyes mens baseball team has grown into a perennial Big Ten Conference and NCAA championship contender. Much of the success can be attributed to Hellers efforts to inject new life into the Iowa baseball program and provide a holistic and exciting atmosphere for the team. This includes using best-in-class equipment that can help improve player safety, performance, and comfort.

"One area of focus is on providing the team with the best and highest-quality equipment so our players can be confident when they step into the batter's box or onto the field. Given the conditions we play in, Dragon Seats benches will play a critical role in giving our athletes that edge," Coach Heller said.

To learn more about Dragon Seats and their patented heating and cooling technology please click here. Dragon Seats can also be found on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

About Dragon Seats

Based in Cleveland, Ohio, and with satellite offices in New York City and south Florida, Bourne Creation Inc. dba "Dragon Seats" started as the heated sideline bench provider for the Cleveland Browns in 2005 and now has a 15-year track record providing safety, performance, and comfort to athletes across the NFL, NCAA, XFL, and NHL. The companys patented heated and cooling portable sports bench technology has helped it become the #1 bench in sports. Dragon Seats sports benches can be found on the sidelines of 19 NFL Member Clubs, 41 NCAA Division I football programs, 2 XFL Clubs, NHL Winter Classics, hospitality spaces, and most recently in baseball dugouts. In total Dragon Seats provides over 400 portable heated and cooling benches in 75 locations across the United States at all levels of competition. To learn more visit http://www.dragonseats.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200303005224/en/

Contacts

Dragon Seats Franklin Floyd, COOPhone: 216.286.5042Email: press@dragonseats.com

Iowa HawkeyesName: Rick Heller, Head Baseball Coach for the Iowa HawkeyesPhone: 319-335-9259Email: rick-heller@iowabaseball.com

Originally posted here:
Dragon Seats Announces Partnership with University of Iowa Baseball Program; Hawkeyes are First to Install Custom, Heated Benches in Dugout - Yahoo...

Smart buildings are not just buildings equipped with separate applications that can turn on the lights in response to vocal instructions or adjust room temperatures as the weather changes. Rather, in a smart building, various systems heating, ventilation, lighting and security are connected to each other to facilitate efficient and environmentally sound operations. Indeed, it is already possible to establish a system via the Internet of Things (IoT) that interconnects several smart buildings. New applications in space management, environmental monitoring, asset management, hygiene management and other emerging areas are forecasted to create US$ 2 billion in software and services revenues by 2026.

These connected devices generate valuable data, which owners and operators can aggregate, analyze and apply not only to improve building performance and understand occupants needs, but to predict larger market trends.

On the other hand, smart buildings raise operational cybersecurity issues since any entity that connects into a system can, if compromised, become a vector for an attack. The massive volumes of data generated by connected devices also bring with them serious concerns: not only operational issues, involving sensors, network connectivity, and storage power, but concerns about analytics understanding what all the data means and about security protecting all of that data from those who want to steal and misuse it.

To address these risks, some companies have started embracing modern-scale technology as part of their everyday operations, with a particular focus on the security, privacy and reliability of their IoT devices. Meanwhile, regulators are entering the arena, expressing concerns about the potential threat to valuable personal data, and calling for heightened accountability for the property owners and operators of smart buildings.

In this article, we analyze the legal implications of operating smart buildings.

Smart buildings are smart

In a smart building system, a network of devices, empowered by sensing, processing, and communication units, detects real-world events, exchanges data, and reacts to the outside environment, monitoring certain processes and making corresponding decisions without human intervention. The data generated from such a network is a valuable asset that can be used to guide future management decisions and provide a foundation for even stronger building performance.

For example, many developers now offer myriad amenities to occupants of office buildings, such as multimedia entertainment rooms, rooftop decks, fitness centers and bars. They install and maintain such amenities not because they are following fads but because data analytics indicate their tenants or employees want them and will use and enjoy them. Long gone are the days when companies made decisions based on subjective thinking, guesswork, or the majority votes of senior managers. More and more often, real estate companies are relying on sensors and devices installed in their buildings to determine whether the amenities they provide represent the optimal use of building space. These devices give property managers real-time occupancy rates and historical usage data. A smart building system can also send notifications to occupants, unlock doors, and provide guidance in the event of an emergency by managing access control, security systems, and camera systems. Other smart building features include automatic control of routine maintenance tasks, such as ordering new light bulbs, optimizing HVAC systems by instantly streamlining heating and cooling of a space, detecting malfunctions and defects, and measuring and adjusting energy consumption via artificial intelligence-based machine learning. Smart buildings facilitate real-time data collection and provide automatic and remote control mechanisms, working far beyond the capabilities of conventional building control systems.

PropTech-equipped smart building systems resolve security and privacy issues

Such interconnected systems, however, make smart buildings more vulnerable to cyberattacks. One example is a 2017 incident in a Las Vegas casino, which was hacked via an Internet-connected thermometer in a lobby fish tank. Sensors in the fish tank, connected to the casinos computer network, monitored the temperature, food levels, and cleanliness of the tank. The network connection, however, gave hackers a gateway into the casinos main database, through which they were able to access high rollers personal information.

These cyber incidents may become more common as buildings incorporate technology and connected equipment to automate building operations. And, to make things worse, todays hackers are going beyond basic ransomware (which holds a system hostage until a ransom is paid) to deploy siegeware software that can take control of smart building devices, shutting down critical operations such as HVAC, lighting or security systems, and denying physical access to and from the building by occupants and, in such siegeware cases, the control wont be rescinded unless the hackers receive a ransom.

The typical responses to such cyberattacks include deploying a cyber-response team and carrying cyber-risk insurance to compensate for business losses that occur in the wake of a breach. In addition to these conventional methods, propTech-equipped companies are taking proactive steps, strengthening their IoT security by using heightened and advanced identity and access systems.

Networks are vulnerable to hacking mainly because of single points of gateway access. Emerging technology such as blockchain uses a distributed ledger to store recorded data, thereby decentralizing and securing data independently and lessening the range and degree of risk even if one of the interconnected devices is hacked. Further, blockchains resistance to data alteration significantly blocks attempts at IP address forgery, so that hackers cannot mask their identities and malicious intent by using fake access identities or otherwise temper a networks setting. In terms of data privacy, all transactions stored on the blockchain are encrypted and are protected by a secure authentication mechanism to restrict data access. This zero knowledge technology ensures a verifiable proof of the private datas validity without revealing any additional information other than the truth of the verified property. Thus, any usage or data is not easily traceable to sensitive personal information or the identity of a particular person. Highly confidential information can be stored off-chain and only transaction IDs (hashes) are recorded on the blockchain for verification purposes, providing a higher level of privacy for purposes of authorizing and issuing restricted permissions.

Smart tech, smart regulations

As new technologies are emerging, so, too, are new regulations and guidelines which largely focus on accountability and liability, given concerns that the collection and storage of digitized building data may disclose sensitive personal data. Unlike the European Union, the United States has not yet implemented comprehensive privacy and data protection laws. With a few exceptions (as noted in the below FTC recap), issues of privacy and the security of personal information are primarily regulated at the state level. There is currently no federal-level privacy law that would preempt state privacy laws. Many states have implemented laws regarding safeguarding data, disposal of data, privacy policies, appropriate use of personal information, and data breach notification.

State privacy laws

The most significant state privacy law is the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA), effective January 1, 2020. The CCPA imposes substantial requirements on the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information. CCPA applies to any business that collects personal data about California residents. CCPA defines a business as a for-profit legal entity that collects and determines how California residents personal data is processed and meets one of the following requirements: (1) has annual gross revenue in excess of $25 million (revenue of the company in total, not solely revenue derived from California); (2) annually buys, sells, receives, or shares the personal data of 50,000 California residents; or (3) derives 50 percent of its annual revenues from selling California residents personal data. A business also includes any entity that is controlled by the business and shares common branding. CCPA requires businesses to provide a detailed notice to California residents that describes the businesss personal data processing and rights. Businesses are required to provide California residents, upon request, detailed descriptions of how the business discloses their personal data to service providers and third parties.

California IoT law

Californias Internet of Things (IoT) Security Law went into effect on January 1, 2020 (SB-327). It is the first IoT-specific security law in the United States, requiring manufacturers of connected devices that sell their products in California to incorporate reasonable security features appropriate to the nature and function of the device and the information it may collect or transmit. The law is designed to protect the device and any information from unauthorized access, destruction, use, modification or disclosure, wherever the device is made.

Both manufacturing companies and companies contracted to manufacture IoT devices sold in California need to comply with the new law. The law does contain several exclusions, including security vulnerabilities caused by user installation of third-party software although, since the interconnectivity of third-party software may be the source of a security breach, it remains uncertain whether manufacturers are liable for connected device interactions with such third-party software. A connected device is defined quite broadly and means any device or other physical object that is capable of connecting to the internet (even by being paired with another device) and assigned an IP or Bluetooth address. The law is not limited to mere consumer devices. This definition potentially covers features used in a smart building, such as smart thermostats, keycard readers, security cameras, environmental control panels and light bulbs.

The reasonable security features requirement also includes broad standards. But SB-327 offers some clarifications. If the device is subject to authentication outside a local area network, then the law clarifies that reasonable security means the device should contain a unique preprogrammed password or require a user to generate a new means of authentication prior to initial access being granted. For devices without means for authentication outside a local area network, the standard will be industry- and device-specific, recognizing the ever-evolving nature of cybersecurity technologies by requiring features appropriate to the nature of the device and the information it collects. But note that this guidance relates only to the authentication aspect of the device. The remaining requirements of the law still mandate broadly defined reasonable security features beyond just authentication.

State breach notification laws

All 50 states plus two territories and the District of Columbia in the United States have enacted mandatory data breach notification laws. Such laws apply if certain data elements are accessed or acquired by unauthorized parties. In the event of a data security breach, the state laws require data owners to provide written notification to affected individuals. Several states laws require notification to be made within a certain time period and require the notifications to include specific information about the security breach. Approximately half of the states also require notice to a state regulator.

States that require notices to include certain content typically require the notice to individuals to include: (i) the identity of the notifying entity, including contact information; (ii) a description of the incident, including the date it was discovered; (iii) the categories of personal data affected; (iv) steps the individual can take to protect themselves against identity theft; and (v) contact information for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the national consumer reporting agencies. The majority of state data security breach notification laws also provide a safe harbor from the laws notification requirements if the personal data affected by the security breach was encrypted and the encryption key was not affected by the security breach.

Certain states, such as Maryland, extend the liable parties to those who maintain the data. The Maryland Personal Information Protection Act Amendment (effective October 1, 2019) extends the states existing data breach requirements to personal information maintained by a business in addition to personal information owned or licensed by a business. Those businesses that simply maintain personal data may not charge the owner or licensee a fee for providing the information needed to notify Maryland residents.

State data security laws

Several state laws require data owners to implement reasonable proactive security measures to protect the personal data they collect from their states residents. These laws generally require a data owner to implement reasonable security procedures and practices appropriate to the nature of the information, and to protect the personal data from unauthorized access, destruction, use, modification or disclosure and apply in the context of information maintained about both customers and employees.

New Yorks Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act (the first four provisions went into effect on October 23, 2019, while the last one mandating security requirements goes into effect on March 21, 2020) expands the states current data breach law and imposes affirmative cybersecurity obligations on covered entities. It expands the scope of information subject to the current data breach notification law to include biometric information and email addresses and their corresponding passwords or security questions and answers. Further, it broadens the definition of a data breach to include unauthorized access to private information. It applies the notification requirement to any business with private information of a New York resident, not just to those that conduct business in New York State.

The Maryland Personal Information Protection Act requires businesses to conduct, in good faith, a reasonable and prompt investigation following a data breach to determine the likelihood that personal information of the individual has been or will be misused as a result of the breach.

Massachusetts law requires companies to maintain an preventative incident response plan that addresses how a company would respond to a cybersecurity incident.

Certain states, in addition to requiring an entity to maintain appropriate security measures, extend contractual obligations and liabilities to covered third-party entities. For example, Massachusetts data security regulations require that contracts with third-party service providers should, at a minimum, require the provider to implement and maintain reasonable security procedures and practices appropriate to the nature of the information and to protect the personal data from unauthorized access, destruction, use, modification or disclosure; and require the third-party provider to notify the data owner in the event of a security breach so the data owner can comply with the state data security breach notification requirements.

More and more real estate companies have started adding data protection and privacy provisions to their property management agreements and third party vendor agreements and imposing obligations upon property managers to comply with such regulations and implement appropriate security measures.

The privacy or security practice may be subject to FTCs unfair and deceptive trade practices

At the federal level, the FTC which has trade and regulatory jurisdiction over non-bank financial institutions expects data owners to implement and maintain reasonable security procedures and practices appropriate to the nature of the personal data they collect and to protect the personal data from unauthorized access, destruction, use, modification or disclosure. To this end, the FTC has released a set of guidelines for businesses to follow to better protect consumer privacy and security. In recent years, the FTC has focused more on security measures, emphasizing that companies should take measures to safeguard personal data, maintain cyber response processes, and train on those processes.

For companies security measures, the FTC uses Section 5 of the FTC Acts prohibition on unfair and deceptive trade practices as the basis of enforcement for privacy- and data security-related issues. When alleging that a privacy or security practice is deceptive, the FTC reviews the representations that a company makes (or fails to make) to consumers about its privacy or security practices. A statement is deceptive if there is a representation, omission or practice that is likely to mislead the consumer acting reasonably in the circumstances, to the consumers detriment. Under Section 5 of the FTC Act and the FTCs guidance, a company must provide accurate and complete disclosures to, and for certain practices, obtain consent from, consumers regarding the companys collection, use and disclosure of personal data. The FTC has enforced its guidance against companies that did not follow such guidance or that engaged in practices similar to those found to be unfair or deceptive in prior consent decrees.

In addition to the federal FTC Act, each state has also enacted so-called mini-FTC Acts that provide state regulators with the ability to take actions against unfair and deceptive trade practices, which state regulators use to address privacy and data security related issues.

Getting there

Historically, the three most important concerns in the real estate industry were location, location and location. Now location, data and security is becoming the new norm. Real estate companies can enjoy a competitive advantage in setting up data-driven services, but need to be mindful that data security and privacy will have a decisive impact on the success of their new business models.

The manufacturers and technology companies who design and implement IoT and the building owners and operators who contract with such IoT services in their smart buildings are being called upon to ensure greater transparency and accountability transparency about how occupants data and information is used and accountability for actions to safeguard privacy.

In the coming years, we will see advanced standards for IoT device security and development of system-wide cybersecurity for smart buildings to ensure that all connected devices can communicate securely. We will also see rapid change in the data security and privacy legal landscape that regulates technology companies, owners and operators.

Prudent owners and operators of smart buildings are already taking important and necessary steps in this direction by implementing protocols to safeguard electronic data and enforcing data management guidelines that include clarity on whos managing the data, what the data will be used for, and whether it will be sold to third parties.

But more work remains to be done. Such measures will require a comprehensive implementation strategy adopted by businesses to monitor data flow, enhance security measures, conduct periodic risk evaluations, minimize the collection and sharing of personal data, and prevent unauthorized use of personal and sensitive information. And any such successful strategy will require a systematic mechanism to identify vulnerabilities through the supply chain and reduce the potential for harm to the owners and operators systems.

See the original post:
PropTech in the United States - where we're heading Part 3: Smart buildings - data is the new gold. Keep it secure. - Lexology

Deep energy retrofit can be defined as an energy conservation measure in an existing building, leading to overall improvement in the performance of the building.

It is a whole-building analysis and construction process that aims at achieving on-site energy use minimisation in a building by 50% or more, compared to the baseline energy use calculated through the analysis of utility bills, by making use of latest technologies, materials and good construction practices.

Deep energy retrofit also involves remodelling the building to achieve harmony in energy, indoor air quality, durability, and thermal comfort. An integrated project delivery method is recommended for a deep energy retrofit project.

Deep Retrofit is the significant upgrade of building towards the near zero energy requirement, which is practically feasible and achievable.

By going for deep energy retrofit we can create most value out of investments in the long-term because of the saving potential.

Conventional energy retrofits focus on isolated system upgrades (lighting and HVAC equipment, pumps and motors, ventilation system etc).

These retrofits are generally simple and fast, but they often miss opportunity for saving more energy cost effectively.

Deep energy retrofits require a systems-thinking approach rather than the traditional approach followed for a conventional retrofit.

A systems thinking approach is evaluating the interaction between different isolated components in the building.

For example, Home Performance with Energy Star offers a comprehensive, whole-house approach to improving your homes energy efficiency, comfort and safety while helping to reduce the energy costs by 15%-20%.

In addition to the efficiency measures taken for a building, a deep energy retrofit requires occupants proactive role in energy conservation to understand energy uses in the home, as well as the activities of the occupants.

Most retrofit approaches are considered light because they focus only on upgrading lighting equipment and adding new motors to the heating and cooling systems.

This leaves out bigger savings stemming from deeper measures, like new windows, which can reduce heating and cooling loads to the point where big-dollar value equipments can be reduced in size and cost.

Such interventions are typically not considered because of high up-front cost and perceived higher risk. Those implementing a deep energy retrofit consider all major capital needed in the building over the next several years and plan interventions to this business-as-usual scenario to create higher efficiencies.

Deep energy retrofit can significantly reduce household energy consumption by taking into consideration space heating and cooling, hot water, lighting, appliances and electric loads as part of retrofit.

Studying the utility bills covering at least one year, and preferably more, is a good start and it acts as the base line.

Blower-door testing, Infra-Red imaging and duct-blaster testing offer valuable information about current energy consumption pattern. An assessment of existing conditions of the building envelope is also important.

A deep energy retrofit probably will include changes to the entire building envelope as well as heating and cooling equipment. Moisture must also be carefully managed by adding perimeter drains in the basement.

Exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom, or a whole-house ventilation system, where those features are lacking, play critical roles too. Both the site and the structure should be examined with an eye toward adding rooftop- or ground-mounted solar-energy installations, solar hot water collectors, or a wind turbine.

With a sharp reduction in heating and cooling loads it might be possible to downsize or even eliminate some heating and cooling equipment.

Most of the living spaces will be involved in retrofitting, so its important to minimise the disruption by starting from the outside of the house and then moving inside.

Approaching the project from outside also makes it easier to keep the insulation and air barrier continuous. If air leaks in at the bottom of the house, it leaks out at the top, which makes the house cold and drafty in winter.

A poorly insulated roof can also make a house hot in summer. Insulate the slab and walls and provide air sealing.

Replace doors and windows with energy-efficient joinery, and specify glazing based on the houses exposure to the sun. Old windows are like big holes in the walls and often leak both air and water while functioning poorly.

Properly installed, Energy Star (or better) windows seal the holes in the walls to keep out water and weather extremes.

Filling empty wall cavities with cellulose is a cheap, easy, effective way to warm up an old house.

Blowing cellulose into existing wall cavities is an art. In fact, there are now inexpensive ways to check with Infra-Red cameras to make sure that all voids have been filled without disturbing the existing plaster or sheathing on outside walls.

Use high-efficiency mechanical equipment and heat pumps where possible with appropriate controls. Also, provide proper ventilation for combustion equipment.

Replacing window air conditioners/split units, with a central system wherever possible can also save energy right away, as long as the ductwork has been placed in the conditioned space.

Reconfigure plumbing to distribute hot water efficiently with proper insulation of water pipes, and choose a high-efficiency water heater.

All the sanitary wares and fixtures should be chosen as per the Energy Conservation and Building Code guidelines. Use low flow fixtures as far as possible.

Increase natural daylighting wherever it is possible. Install energy-efficient lighting systems and controls. Replace CFL with LED lights of same the luminosity.

Fixtures, appliances, and lighting once you have reduced space conditioning and water-heating loads, the lighting, appliance, and plug load is the next big-ticket energy item.

A new Energy Star refrigerator will use 15% less energy than a standard model. Replacing old light fixtures with LED fixtures helps to lower electricity bills by up to 25%-30%.

Once your energy consumption has been reduced significantly, it becomes reasonable to produce energy at site with systems such as photovoltaics, wind power, hybrid system(wind and solar) or hydro, if you have a water stream nearby.

Until you slash energy usage, though, its not worth the investment in renewable power sources. Conservation is still the cheapest game in town.

One of the most common barriers facing the energy retrofit market is the lack of accountable information and benchmarks to assist energy experts and consultants in creating a clear-cut financial case to demonstrate that investing in energy reduction measures can provide profitable growth.

A few governments/energy research institutes have started taking lead in this field. Deep energy retrofit requires a multi-disciplinary team with a can-do attitude where the disciplines can constructively collaborate with each other.

Design professionals, in particular, should be experienced with integrative design.

In the end I would like to summarise that a successful deep energy retrofit can produce a long-term strategy to phase out energy use in a building to make it super efficient, more desirable to its occupants, and more valuable to owners.

Our endeavour should be to transition from near zero energy buildings to zero energy buildings, and further to energy plus buildings, which will produce surplus energy than what is required in the building.

Reach Ashok by sending an email to ashokjha@universalvoltas.com.

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Studying utility bills covering at least one year, or more, is a good start and it acts as the base line... - MEP MiddleEast

The Edward Marks Building Advisory Committee at its February 5 meeting discussed lower-cost alternatives to the $160,000 variable refrigerant flow system proposed earlier by Trane, a heating and ventilation system manufacturer.

Selectman Douglas C. Brown and building committee member Christian Valle visited the former poorhouse to see if a cheaper system could be installed.

When we met over there, my HVAC guy said he is planning on going with a high-velocity AC from the attic, fed down into the basement, Mr. Brown said.

The cost of this system is to be determined. Mr. Valle presented a second alternative.

What my guy specked was a hydro-air system with the furnace and two air handlers in the basement, and running the duct work out and coming up to the first floor, he said. There would need to be some trenching and concrete cutting work, but wed basically be using the boiler for the heat and putting condensers outside.

The system costs an estimated $38,000. That figure does not include the cost of excavation or concrete cutting.

There would be some additional work we would need to figure out to add to that $38,000, Mr. Valle said. It is still going to be significantly less than what the mini-split system is.

Mr. Brown said the same is true of his proposal, as piping would run down from the attic. This would require the committee to make a decision about the second floor.

No one decided yet who is in charge of figuring out the use of the second floor, Mr. Brown said. I think wed have to come to a consensus as to what type of walls we want to use up there, whether it is minimal walls just to cover this, or whether we have some kind of layout. That is the snag with the proposal my guy has come up with. The advantage of Christians guys idea is it is all in the basement.

Committee member Thomas H. Renshaw said the three-inch tubes needed to run heating from the attic to the first floor could be enclosed within a column rather than a wall, preventing the need to fully lay out the second floor.

Both alternatives avoid the need to inatall exterior piping running down the building.

Committee chairwoman Barbara M. Weyand said, We have serious concerns about anything going on on the exterior.

Mr. Brown said the group will determine the cost of these various alternative options.

It seems like either one will be $100,000 less than the original proposal, he said.

Ms. Weyand said she will invite Town Manager Julian M. Suso and Assistant Town Manager Peter Johnson-Staub to a future meeting of the committee to discuss these options. She said the options demonstrate there is a more cost-effective way to heat and cool the building that respects the historic nature of the structure.

Weve shown there are other ways to get heating and cooling there that is cheaper, Mr. Valle said. Once we know what the duct runs will be, we will know what we need to get that excavated and fully completed.

Mr. Renshaw said the committee should also consider the existing radiator system within the building.

There is gas service, he said. There is a perfectly good, functional boiler that feeds the radiators. My overwhelming opinion is we should not mess with the heat.

Though the existing radiator system works, he said, they would need to install an air conditioning system. Noting the changing floor plan for the first floor, Mr. Valle asked if the existing radiator system could serve all future office space.

Wed need to add baseboard radiation in a few areas not served by the existing radiators, Mr. Renshaw said. Most of that floor plan is covered by the radiators as they exist where they are. I dont believe they should be touched.

Read the original:
Cheaper Alternatives Sought To Heat And Cool Marks Building - CapeNews.net

AMD has released some intuitive features for their Radeon graphics cards in the more recent releases of the Adrenalin software suites but despite its best effort, there are many underlying issues associated with the drivers that have yet to be fixed and are swaying users away from Radeon RX series graphics cards.

The AMD Radeon RX 5000 series lineup, specifically based on the Navi GPU architecture, launched in July last year. It has been at least 7 months since the Navi architecture-based cards have been shipping in the retail channel giving AMD enough time to fine-tune and optimize drivers around them but it looks like that has not been the case.

NVIDIA Will Announce Earnings Results Tomorrow And Heres What To Expect (NASDAQ: NVDA)

From AMD's own subreddit, there are multiple reports from users who are experiencing various issues with their Radeon RX 5000 series 'Navi' graphics cards. The Navi lineup currently includes the following graphics cards which are all but based on the same architecture:

Now coming to the issues, the first and most prominent bug which users have been experiencing since August 2019 is the black screen issue. AMD has yet to isolate the issue since it's known to occur randomly. Most users have reported a black screen to occur while playing gamers or during driver installation. The first issue could arise due to a driver crash which doesn't reboot the PC but to fix it, you'd have to do it regardless. The second issue occurs due to a buggy driver installation which means that users have to clean all existing entries of the driver install using a utility such as DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller), try to reinstall the drivers again and hope that this time it doesn't lead to a black screen.

There are also some fixes mentioned by the community such as disabling hardware acceleration or disabling/uninstalling background 3rd party applications and while they have worked for some, there are many users who still haven't gone past the black screen issues despite following the fixes mentioned above.

In its recent blog post, AMD stated that they are currently investigating the black screen issues along with a handful of other bugs and fixes which would be added in upcoming releases of the Radeon Software.

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"The stability of our drivers is a key priority for our software team. They are monitoring forum discussions closely, including the black screen and other issues users are reporting, and we are actively identifying and working on fixes. As soon as we have more information to share, we will let you know."

Note -If you have a Radeon RX graphics card and facing black screen issues recently, then make sure to fill up this survey in accordance with your issue.

You can also head over to AMD's own bug reporting page directly to report and issues you are facing.

Radeon Driver Issues User Report

AMD also claimed to have fixed the black screen issue very recently but it looks like that is not the case as many users are still affected by it and it's not just specific to Navi based graphics cards but also their older Polaris and Vega cards as many Reddit posts point out:

An intermittent black screen or loss of display may occur when performing parallel actions such as web browsing, gaming or watching video.

An intermittent black screen or loss of display may occur when the system is left idle at desktop.

- AMD

If black screen issues are bugging you out, then other users are also reporting pink & green screen issues which sound even more concerning. A pink and green screen may be due to various reason but the most common reason would be a memory heating problem. This might be specific to some AIB variants where we have seen the memory cooling is very inadequate and revised variants had to be released to sort out the heating problems. Despite the memory running at temperatures under the maximum threshold, it still manages to cross 100C on some variants which are not ideal for GDDR6 when playing games for a longer duration.

But if you're facing this issue while installing, you're lucky as that's just a minor installation bug which can be fixed by rebooting the PC and a clean install of the drivers as mentioned above. There have also been reports of hard locks while doing nothing at all which requires a PC reboot too. The reports of buggy fan profiles, downclocking, GPU throttle and the flickering is also not unheard of as many tech reporters such as Steve from GamersNexus and Steven from HardwareUboxed have reported these issues in their respective videos which are provided below:

Now it should be stated that NVIDIA has also had its fair share of issues with Turing based GeForce RTX and GTX cards but they have since ironed out the more teething issues and we don't hear major black screen bugs with their lineup. This is important to mention because AMD's Radeon RX Navi lineup positioned against Turing is entirely under the $500 US range with graphics cards such as the RX 5500 XT, RX 5600 XT and the RX 5700 only holding up in sales figures due to their better value proposition.

In my own review, I mentioned that the Adrenaline 2020 software suite and the feature set is one reason alone for getting a Radeon card but NVIDIA also has their own share of features which are hardware-accelerated such as the likes of DLSS and RTX. NVIDIA has recently started a price war with AMD, bringing out the likes of the $230 US GTX 1660 SUPER, the $159 US GTX 1650 SUPER and the $299 US RTX 2060. Even the Radeon RX 5600 XT didn't have the most flawless launch with the whole BIOS-shenanigans pushing users to flash their cards with the correct 'free-performance update' BIOS, despite it being one great performer in the sub $300 US segment.

This and the aforementioned driver bugs put a lot of pressure on AMD as it would push more users away from Radeon RX graphics cards. Even AMD's mobility lineup of GPUs (Integrated & discrete) is affected by driver issues and major inconsistency between the mobility drivers and desktop drivers. If these driver issues remain unfixed and un-checked by AMD, they could result in a major market share loss for team red which they really need right now.

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Despite All The Efforts, AMD Radeon GPU Drivers Reportedly Still A Mess Black Screens, Stuttering, Flickering, Inconsistent Clocks & More Issues...

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The flick of a switch or a slow transition, how do you like your light? Dimmers vs. traditional light switches create ambiance and can reduce the number of times you get up from the sofa to turn the lights on and off.

Noel Pena, electrician, Fox Valley Electric, a Rosie-Certified partner explains the real difference between traditional and dimmer switches.

A traditional light switch simply supplies or cuts the power to the lamp or bulb. A dimmer switch used to work by means of a variable resistor, the more resistance, less energy to the bulb and more heat at the dimmer switch therefore dimmer light, Pena said.

Modern dimmers work differently by rapidly shutting off the light bulb circuit every time the AC current reverses direction 120 times per second. Depending on where the dimmer is set changes how long the circuit is off in milliseconds. The higher the switch is set, the faster the circuit turns back on. This changes the amount of energy supplied to the bulb, and thus the brightness of the light.

If you are considering changing to a dimmer switch, the first thing to ask is whether it will be compatible with your current lighting system.

There are three primary styles of dimmer switches.

This lets the user turn the dial to gradually change the brightness of the bulb.

(Shuttershock Photo)

The user simply touches a plate on top to turn the light up or the bottom to decrease brightness until the preferred setting is reached.

(Shuttershock Photo)

This allows for controlling two or more different sets of lights by remote control. If you are lounging on the sofa or your favorite chair, you probably dont want to get up multiple times to change the lighting as the sun comes up or goes down, so this is an ideal option. They can be installed anywhere and sometimes without the need for wiring. Some feature wireless controls via computer or cell phone. Oftentimes they can integrate with other smart home systems, such as heating/cooling and security. Voice control is even automated. We can help set all of that up for you, said Pena.

Many dimmer switches are not compatible with energy-saving light bulbs. An energy-saving bulb contains glass tubes coated in phosphor, said Pena. When electricity passes through the bulb, the gas emits ultraviolet rays which light up the phosphor. When used with a dimmer switch, these bulbs simply flicker on and off. We recommend switches that let you choose from two or three fixed levels of brightness.

Additionally, incompatible bulbs will limit the dimming range and cause humming, buzzing, and flickering. Unless the manufacturer indicates the bulb is dimmable, do not install any LED or compact fluorescent bulb in a socket controlled by a dimmer.

There are also tabletop dimmers that are equipped with a cord, plug, and socket. Though the bulbs in the fixture must be compatible with the dimmer.

Ever notice interference to nearby televisions and radios when you turn the lights on? That happens because the rapid changes in the voltage supplied to the bulb can cause excessive vibrations in its filament, which is magnetic. Higher quality dimmer switches will include inductor chokes or interference capacitors that can smooth the effects of the changing voltage.

Look for LED bulbs that state they are dimmable. There are several types and color quality available. Manufacturers publish lists of bulbs that are compatible with dimmer products.

Each dimmer switch comes with a wattage rating that tells you the maximum watts of bulbs you can control with it. Follow the instructions otherwise serious damage or injury can occur. Also, if you will be controlling multiple bulbs from one switch, you need to add up the wattage of each bulb concerned.

When installing a dimmer, we highly recommend you hire a licensed, bonded, and insured electrician. Electricity is a safety issue, and should really not be left as a DIY project or to a handyman, said Pena.

A professional electrician will Inspect the wall box in which the dimmer will be installed and take measurements to be sure the dimmer will physically fit. Confirm that the dimmer intended can be used with the type of bulb in your application. Check if the dimmer requires a neutral connection (a wall box with a ground connection and at least two other wires). Help you choose a dimmer with sufficient power capacity by calculating the total wattage of the bulbs to be controlled and choose a dimmer rated for at least a 20 to 30 percent higher power capacity. Check the dimming range with a visual test to ensure it is suitable for a given application. Check labels or markings on the dimmer, packaging or installation instructions for an electrical safety rating such as UL-1472.

You can mix brands and types of bulbs for simple control situations. With interconnected systems where light is controlled from more than one location or wirelessly, the parts of the system need to talk to each other. In that case, only use products of the same brand or compatible products that are approved for your system.

Now that you are not dim about dimmers, go ahead and set the mood in your favorite room.

Join Rosie on the House every Saturday morning from 7 to 11 a.m. on KTAR News 92.3 FM. If youd like to send us questions or comments, emailInfo@RosieontheHouse.com. Follow us onTwitterand like us onFacebook.

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Heres how to install lighting dimmers in your home - KTAR.com

What Makes a Thermostat Smart?

Back in 2011, the original Nest Learning Thermostat took the world by storm, offering Wi-Fi connectivity in a stylish puck-shaped device that could learn your daily routine and create heating and cooling schedules accordingly. While the Nest wasn't the first connected thermostat to hit the market (Canadian-based Ecobee beat it by two years), it was nonetheless a game changer that helped spawn a new market. Both Ecobee and Nest are still at it, but now face stiff competition from HVAC industry mainstays such as Carrier, Honeywell, Trane, and others.

If you're looking to smarten up your home, your thermostat is a good place to start and can help you save a considerable chunk of money by reducing your heating and cooling costs. However, not all smart thermostats are created equal; some are designed for simple heating and cooling systems and offer basic scheduling and programming options, while others are designed for complex multi-stage systems and will control heating, cooling, dehumidifier, and ventilation systems. As is the case with most smart home devices, prices vary depending on features and capabilities. Read on to find out what to look for when shopping for your smart thermostat, and our favorite models we've tested.

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Smart thermostats offer a variety of features that will not only help keep your home comfortable, but can reduce heating and cooling costs. The most basic models are relatively inexpensive, but are still equipped with Wi-Fi circuitry that allows you to connect the device to your home network and the internet. They can be controlled from a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet using a free mobile app, and some models also let you control things from a web browser.

Basic controls allow you to raise and lower the temperature, create a seven-day heating and cooling schedule, override the schedule if you or a family member will be returning home early, and turn the system on and off. Nest thermostats take scheduling a step further; they track your daily comings and goings, as well as heating trends over time, and create a heating and cooling schedule based on when you are usually home or away and what temperature you prefer during those times.

As is usually the case, you'll pay more for more features. A bright colorful touch display makes it easy to configure and program the thermostat and gives it a touch of style, and it can usually be read from across a room. Moderately priced thermostats like the Honeywell Lyric T5 display the current time and temperature until you tap the screen, at which point it will display temperature and menu settings, while more expensive devices such as the Nest Learning Thermostat contain motion sensors that will light up the display when you enter the room.

Many of the latest smart thermostats contain humidity sensors that will trigger an alert when it detects high or low humidity levels, and some models will display your local weather forecast. The Ecobee4 comes with wireless room sensors that measure the temperature in the room where they are placed to ensure that the room is heated or cooled to the house temperature setting. They also use motion detection to bring the room up to temperature when it is occupied and suspend heating and cooling when it is empty.

If you want your thermostat to automatically lower the temperature when you leave your house and kick back in when you arrive home, look for a model that supports geofencing technology. Geofencing uses your phone's location services to let the thermostat know when you have entered or exited a virtual perimeter around the house. Using the mobile app, you can set your preferred Home and Away temperatures and the thermostat will be triggered when you enter and leave the perimeter. Just make sure you have your phone with you when you leave the house.

Usage reporting is another helpful feature that lets you see a historical view of how often your system is running and how long it takes to meet its target temperature. Some thermostats even tell you what the outside temperature was at the time so you can see how it impacted your HVAC system. Other common features to look for include reminders for maintenance and replacing things like air filters, vacation scheduling capabilities, and power cycle alerts that let you know if your system is acting erratically.

If you have other smart devices installed around your home, look for a thermostat that will work with as many of those devices as possible. Nest thermostats work with other Nest devices such as the Protect smoke alarm and Nest Indoor and Outdoor cameras, as well as numerous third-party devices including smart switches, fans, and lighting systems. IFTTT (If This Then That) support is a popular feature that allows you to have the thermostat trigger, or be triggered, by other IFTTT-enabled devices or services. For example, you can create an applet that turns on a smart air conditioner when your thermostat reaches a certain temperature.

Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, and Google Assistant voice commands are supported by many of the latest smart thermostats and allow you to do things like change temperature settings and find out the current temperature using your voice. Some of the most feature-rich smart thermostats out there, the Ecobee 4 and Ecobee Smart, have built-in Alexa voice control and can do just about everything that an Echo speaker does; you can ask them to play music from your Amazon library, get the latest news and sports scores, find out the weather forecast, change temperature settings, and much more.

Smart thermostats are usually very easy to install, but it's important to know how your system is wired before you begin. Always make note of your wiring before you remove your old thermostat, and if possible, take a picture. Most of the latest devices come with pre-printed labels that you can attach to the wires to help identify them during the installation. You should also know what type of system you have as you'll be asked to enter that information during setup. Commonly supported HVAC system types include gas, oil, electric, propane, forced air, and radiant.

Most smart thermostats can be used with multi-stage heating and cooling systems, but if you'll be controlling other components such as whole-house dehumidifiers, heat pumps, and ventilation systems, make sure you select a thermostat that supports those devices. In fact, if you have a complex multi-component HVAC system, it's a good idea to have a professional HVAC technician install the thermostat for you to avoid damage to your system.

Another factor to consider is whether or not your system contains a C (common) wire, which is used to supply constant power to the thermostat. Almost all smart thermostats require a C wire to work, but older houses with older heating systems usually don't have a C wire because older thermostats did not require one. Some smart thermostats come with a power extender kit that you can install yourself to supply power to the device. Other devices, including Nest thermostats, can be installed without a C wire, but will steal power from the furnace control circuits in order to provide enough power to keep the internal battery charged. While this usually works without issue, it has been known to cause problems with certain HVAC systems and may actually cycle on the system in order to steal power. If you'd rather not take a chance on frying your furnaces circuit boards, you can have a professional technician run a C wire for around $150 or so.

Between installation and the device itself, the cost of a smart thermostat can carry a significant premium over a traditional model. But keep in mind that it can actually save you money on heating and cooling costs over time, not to mention the flexibility it provides when you're both in and out of the house.

Pros: Advanced Alexa functionality. Remote room sensor. Dual-band Wi-Fi. Lots of third-party integrations. Easy to install.

Cons: Pricey.

Bottom Line: The Ecobee Smart Thermostat With Voice Control is loaded with features including Alexa support, a touch display, a remote room sensor, and interoperability with lots of other smart home devices.

Pros: Embedded Alexa voice service. Remote room sensor. Works with other connected devices. Easy to install.

Cons: Pricey. Middling audio quality.

Bottom Line: Built-in Alexa voice technology, integration with other connected home products, a remote room sensor, and numerous wiring options make the Ecobee4 the smart thermostat to beat.

Pros: Sleek design. Easy to install. Loaded with features. Interacts with other Nest and third-party devices. Support for Alexa, Google Home, and IFTTT.

Cons: Lacks remote room sensors. Pricey.

Bottom Line: The third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat has all the smarts of its predecessors and adds some new features including a larger display, geofencing support, a furnace monitor, and a few more sensors.

Pros: Easy to install. Remote room sensor. Works with Alexa, Cortana, and Google voice commands. Dual-band Wi-Fi.

Cons: No HomeKit support. Doesn't integrate directly with other Honeywell smart devices. Limited IFTTT functionality.

Bottom Line: The Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat is a dual-band Wi-Fi thermostat that uses long-range sensors to provide uniform temperatures throughout your home.

Pros: Easy to install. Stylish design. Geofencing support. Mobile app and Web browser support. Lots of scheduling options.

Cons: Lacks remote room sensors. Does not support IFTTT.

Bottom Line: The Lux/Geo Wi-Fi Thermostat offers plenty of scheduling options and uses geofencing to automatically switch between heating modes depending on your location, but it lacks some of the useful features you'll find in competitors.

Pros: Stylish, customizable design. Easy to install. Supports multiple voice platforms. Works with Apple HomeKit. Usage reporting. Geofencing.

Cons: Does not integrate with other smart home devices. Lacks IFTTT support. No external room sensors.

Bottom Line: The Lux Kono Smart is a sharp-looking, HomeKit-enabled thermostat that you can control with a number of voice assistants or with a thoughtfully designed mobile app.

Pros: Reasonably priced. Easy to install. Stylish design. Works with other Nest and third-party smart home devices. Supports Alexa and Google Home voice commands and IFTTT applets.

Cons: Frosted display can be difficult to read. Does not support as many HVAC components as the Nest Learning Thermostat. No remote sensors.

Bottom Line: The Nest Thermostat E offers most of the same smart features as its more expensive siblings, but it can't control complex multi-stage HVAC systems.

Pros: Easy to install. Large color touch screen. Works with Alexa. Threshold alerts.

Cons: Doesn't integrate with other smart home devices. Lacks IFTTT support and geofencing capabilities.

Bottom Line: The Bosch Connected Control BCC100 is a serviceable thermostat that you can control from anywhere, but it's not quite as smart as its competitors.

Pros: Reasonably priced. Uses geofencing. Supports Siri and Alexa voice commands. Easy to install.

Cons: No motion or humidity detection. Lacks usage reports. No IFTTT support (yet).

Bottom Line: The Honeywell Lyric T5 is a reasonably priced smart thermostat that works with Apple HomeKit and can be controlled with Siri and Amazon Alexa voice commands, but it lacks many of the features you get with more expensive models.

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The Best Smart Thermostats for 2020 - PCMag India

Heat generation is developing into a significant contributor to our economy, accounting for around a third of UK carbon emissions. To meet the UKs carbon reduction targets, we must significantly cut our emissions from heat. This requires us to move to cleaner and more efficient ways of heating our homes, buildings, and industry. Heat networks are an important part of this transition to clean growth and will allow us to make progress on reducing heating emissions.

Heat networks are shared heating systems which provide a more energy-efficient alternative to domestic boiler heating systems. They incorporate systems where water is heated or chilled at a central source (such as a boiler or plant room) and then channelled to customers through a pipe network for heating, cooling or hot water use. There are two types of heat network. Communal networks serve a single building containing multiple customers, such as a block of flats or offices. District networks serve multiple buildings, such as a housing estate or university campus.

Heat networks are very popular in northern Europe but currently supply only a small percentage of the UKs heat demand. However, the government is promoting this technology as an important contributor towards its carbon-cutting targets. Consumer charging within this sector was largely unregulated until the introduction of the Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations in 2014, which sought to establish some uniformity among operators in the way they bill customers (i.e. according to their actual consumption of heat) while also giving customers an incentive to reduce their consumption. The 2014 Regulations are also being used to create the first detailed register of heat networks in operation throughout the UK.

The Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations were introduced by the UK Government as part of the European Unions Energy Efficiency Directive in 2014, and relate to the distribution of thermal energy from a central source to more than one end user for the purposes of heating, cooling or hot water supply.

Under the existing regulations, for any new or significantly renovated dwellings where heating, cooling or hot water is supplied from a district heat network to more than one final customer. The heat supplier must ensure that point-of-entry meters and final customer meters are installed to measure consumption and facilitate billing.

The law also requires heat suppliers to notify the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) regarding the location, capacity and supply figures of any existing district heat network or communal heating scheme.

In addition to new and significantly renovated buildings, BEIS are also planning to legislate for the installation of energy meters in existing buildings which are supplied by a heat network.

BEIS estimate that there are currently between 25-50 thousand heat networks within the UK. As explained above, it is now a legal requirement to have registered these heat networks or communal heating schemes with BEIS.

BEIS expects a significant number of these existing heat networks to require retrofit heat meters, with circa 200,000 meters expected to be installed over the coming 2-3 years.

A heat meter or energy meter is a device which measures thermal energy provided by a source like a Heat Interface Unit or Heat Network boiler output. It accurately records energy usage is kWh by measuring the flow rate of the heat transfer fluid, and then calculating this against the changes in temperature between the flow and return legs of the heating system. It is typically used in any application where heat is generated, and for district heating systems to measure the heat delivered to consumers.

The key approvals required for Heat Meters within Heat Networks are that they are MID (Metering Instrument Directive) and Class 2 approved. This means that only Ultrasonic or Superstatic meters are permissible (mechanical water meters used together with a Heat Integrator are now allowed!)

There are numerous meter data collection or advanced meter reading systems available on the market. These are used to consolidate the meter reading data from each location, and come in various forms, including hard wired, wireless and GSM. Hard wired systems generally work well within new build sites, but can be problematic to install in retrofit applications, where wireless or GSM communications can be more practical.

There are also multiple communication protocols available, including (to name a few) M-Bus, Modbus, Zigbee, Lora & Sigfox. M-Bus is the most common format for data to be obtained from most Heat Networks, this provides the most flexible billing cycles to customers for accuracy instead of following the standard utility read cycles (quarterly/yearly).

Meter reading systems can also be teamed with billing, prepayment or pay as you go (PAYG) accounts for individual residents. Everyone benefits from the heat network because it enables bulk buying of gas and more efficient generation of heat. As well as cost-effective heating and hot water, you can implement a billing solution which brings benefits for each resident as well as the Managing Agent, Landlord, Housing Association and any other party responsible for heat supply to the property.

It is important that you engage a company who specialises in the provision of metering and metering systems, in order to ensure the right technical solution is selected for the application.

DMS are an independent supplier of metering and control solutions, principally operating within the Building Services, Renewables and Utility market sectors, with a proven track record for excellent customer service and support spanning 20 years. Initially, specialising in energy (heating or cooling), gas, water & electricity metering, we have now extended our scope of supply to include data collection (AMR) & billing systems.

Our business ethos is to be selective in supplying only high-quality products and services some of which are exclusive to DMS within the UK, including the Sontex Swiss range of SuperStatic technology energy meters for heating or cooling applications.

All our products and services are backed up by an experienced technical team, who will ensure that your enquiry is responded to the same day wherever possible. Additionally, we offer a comprehensive support service, including onsite technical support and commissioning.

DMS Metering Solutions

Tel: +44 (0) 1773534555

sales@dmsltd.com

http://www.dmsltd.com

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Heat Network Metering: The key to success - Open Access Government

A traditional four-year college degree is not the only route to a high-paying career.

You dont need a four-year degree to score these jobs.

A traditional four-year college degree is not the only route to a high-paying career. Among the U.S. News list of the 100 Best Jobs, these 25 offered the highest pay without requiring a degree. An important note: Most of these jobs do require some form of postsecondary training, be it on-the-job experience, coursework at a technical college or other credentialing and licensure. Data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Solar Photovoltaic Installer

Median Salary: $42,680Expected Job Growth by 2028: 63.6%

These clean-energy experts build, install and repair solar panels on buildings. Many installers take courses at community colleges, technical schools or as part of an apprenticeship program, although a high school diploma is typically the only educational requirement to get started in this career. Some companies will offer on-the-job training.

Its a job that is mostly conducted outside. If youre working inside, you may be in an attic or crawl space, connecting panels to the electric grid. You also will have to do some traveling, locally and regionally, since youll always go to the customer, rather than them coming to you.

Learn more about solar photovoltaic installers.

Auto Mechanic

Median Salary: $40,710Expected Job Growth by 2028: -1%

Auto mechanics, also called service technicians, inspect and fix cars and light trucks, focusing on engines, transmissions and braking and steering systems.

There may not be a lot of growth, currently, in the auto mechanic industry the -1% really means little to no change, according to the numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics but its still a profession that requires qualified, skilled people to work on cars. If working on engines is in your wheelhouse, you should be able to get a job.

You dont need a college degree, but most automotive service technicians and mechanics complete a program at a postsecondary institution, according to the BLS. Industry certification is often required after you get a job.

Learn more about auto mechanics.

Insulation Contractor

Median Salary: $41,910Expected Job Growth by 2028: 5.3%

Insulation contractors keep us dry during thunderstorms, warm in the winter and cool in the summer. In other words, their work protects us from the elements whether were at home or in an office building.

The work tends to be physically challenging, requiring bending in tight spaces, and its not for the claustrophobic. But its also a job that requires you to use your brain. These workers read blueprints, measure materials and install and replace insulation. They may need hazardous material training.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most insulators, especially those who specialize in floor, ceiling and wall insulation, learn their trades on the job. Many mechanical insulators finish an apprentice program after they earn a high school diploma or an equivalency degree.

Learn more about insulation contractors.

Massage Therapist

Median Salary: $41,420Expected Job Growth by 2028: 22%

Using their bodies and various methods of touch, massage therapists relieve client pain and help people relax.

Why is this an in-demand career? Because were all getting older, and many health care providers are recognizing the benefits of massage. That said, you may not work in, say, a hospital or at a physicians office. Many massage therapists work at hotels, franchised health care clinics and fitness centers. Some are self-employed and visit clients homes or offices to give massages.

Its a job that often requires a postsecondary education program of 500 or more hours of study and experience, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, although what youre required to do for training is going to hinge upon your state or local jurisdictions requirements.

Learn more about massage therapists.

Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher

Median Salary: $44,810Expected Job Growth by 2028: 11%

Its easy to take a cement mason or concrete finishers work for granted. We see what they produce everywhere when we drive on roads or walk in the city. These workers use power tools to finish the surfaces of poured concrete used for sidewalks, roads, curbs and floors.

Most people in this profession have a high school diploma or an equivalent degree and learn through an apprenticeship program or through on-the-job training.

Its a physically demanding job since youll often be lifting heavy materials. You may be bending or kneeling a lot. But if you like exercise, you may love this job. Its also a career often spent outdoors.

Learn more about cement masons and concrete finishers.

Bus Driver

Median Salary: $34,450Expected Job Growth by 2028: 5%

Transit and intercity bus drivers carry passengers where they need to go, sometimes collecting tickets and helping with luggage. School bus drivers take children to and from school.

Being a bus driver isnt an easy job, but its an extremely important one. City administrators arent interested in putting just anybody behind the wheel, and so if you do your job well, youll likely have a lot of job security.

Youll probably be required to have a high school diploma, or something equivalent to that, and youll need to have a commercial drivers license, which you may be able to earn through on-the-job training. Youll also need to have a good driving record as well as meet the physical, hearing and vision requirements for the job. You may have to pass a background check as well; as noted, they dont let just anybody get behind the wheel.

Learn more about bus drivers.

Glazier

Median Salary: $43,550Expected Job Growth by 2028: 11%

These workers read blueprints, remove old panes and cut and install glass for doors, windows, mirrors and display cases. If it involves glass in a building, a glazier is probably involved.

Its a physically taxing job, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You may be climbing up ladders or on scaffolding, which means its a potentially dangerous job.

Youll probably be able to get this job with your high school diploma, though you can learn the trade through an apprenticeship, on-the-job training or a vocational program. Theres more to this job than you might think; you may need to know something about math and design and be able to work with construction equipment. As you might expect, the most demanding and best-paying jobs are often on high-rise buildings.

Learn more about glaziers.

Licensed Practical Nurse and Licensed Vocational Nurse

Median Salary: $46,240Expected Job Growth by 2028: 10.7%

In schools, nursing homes, clinics and hospitals, these nurses offer basic medical care.

Licensed practice nurses and licensed vocation nurses are basically the same jobs. In California and Texas, these positions are called LVNs; everywhere else, its an LPN.

If youre an LPN or LVN, youll be doing crucial, life-saving tasks such as checking vital signs, performing enemas, installing catheters, dressing wounds, delivering medicine, massaging muscles, assisting patients in maintaining their hygiene, helping with feeding (for infants to the elderly), starting IVs, monitoring medical equipment and so much more. Youre also helping adults and children, often when theyre at their most vulnerable. Its a very important job.

Learn more about licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses.

Carpenter

Median Salary: $46,590Expected Job Growth by 2028: 8%

Carpenters read directions and use tools to build, fix and install wooden frameworks. You typically dont need any more than a high school diploma to be a carpenter, but it will help if you know basic math to calculate floor space and wall heights, and more complex trigonometric formulas to make right angle cuts. They also use muscle and endurance to do their jobs well.

Carpenters are everywhere new and older homes and buildings are. They mostly construct and repair building frameworks and structures such as stairways and door frames.

Learn more about carpenters.

Real Estate Agent

Median Salary: $50,300Expected Job Growth by 2028: 7%

When homebuyers or renters are looking to buy, sell or rent a home, these professionals are available to help with the process. Training requirements vary by state, but all require licensure.

Technically, you can get by with no more than a high school diploma for this job but plenty of college graduates become real estate agents, and its a field where you use just about every skill you can imagine. Many real estate agents run their own businesses. You have to be a people person. You need to have a deep knowledge of the real estate market and the communities in your area. You have to know the ins and outs of buying, selling and renting properties. Theres a lot to this career.

You will need to get a real estate license, though specific requirements vary by state. Youll probably need to be at least 18 years old and complete real estate courses and pass a licensing exam.

Learn more about real estate agents.

Surgical Technologist

Median Salary: $47,300Expected Job Growth by 2028: 8.7%

Surgical technologists help doctors during stressful procedures in the operating room. They organize tools and disinfect incision sites.

It may sound simple, but these are people who are basically the surgeons right hand during operations. You might be suturing wounds, suctioning incisions and, of course, handing any tool to the doctor that he or she asks for.

Generally, to do this, youll need a postsecondary nondegree award or an associate degree. The BLS points out that getting certified might help your job prospects and that a small number of states regulate surgical technologists. As you would imagine, youll likely work in a hospital, if you take on this career, and youll spend a lot of time on your feet. And while the surgeon may get all of the glory, you will be helping to save lives.

Learn more about surgical technologists.

Equipment Operator

Median Salary: $46,990Expected Job Growth by 2028: 10%

On construction sites, equipment operators drive and control heavy machines such as bulldozers, trench excavators and pile drivers. If as a kid you were the one in the sandbox with a toy bulldozer, well, this job may be for you. Its a career in which you often do get dirty, working in all sorts of conditions, such as construction sites and in all kinds of weather.

You may also work a lot at night, if youre involved in building roads.

Youll likely need a high school diploma or equivalent education, and you may be able to learn how to operate equipment by taking vocational courses or through on-the-job training.

Learn more about equipment operators.

Sheet Metal Worker

Median Salary: $48,460Expected Job Growth by 2028: 8%

Sheet metal workers work with thin layers of metal to create and install ducts used in heating and cooling.

Its what some might call a good honest days work. Meaning, youll work hard, lifting heavy sheets of metal with a lot of physical activity involved. But by the end of the day, youll have made some indispensable products, such as having made and assembled heating or cooling equipment. Or you might make vent hoods for a stove or countertops for a commercial kitchen. You might make signs or automobile parts. If its made of metal, you may help make it.

You often learn this type of trade on the job or at technical school.

Learn more about sheet metal workers.

Choreographer

Median Salary: $47,800Expected Job Growth by 2028: -1%

Choreographers select movements and music to design new dances for performers.

The market for this career isnt expected to grow much throughout much of the 2020s, unfortunately, but according to the BLS, a -1% growth is little to no change. So at least the career field isnt shrinking, or shrinking much.

The good news is that if you get a job as a choreographer, youre probably going to be very happy.

After all, youre helping to put on a show, possibly a musical, presumably working hard, but doing something you love. But choreographers are needed elsewhere, too. Interest in dance and choreography is diversifying across other platforms such as television, theme parks and casinos. You might also land a job at a dance school.

As for schooling, choreographers may not have a college degree (although plenty do), but they do tend to have years of formal training and usually have a lot of experience as a dancer.

Learn more about choreographers.

Insurance Sales Agent

Median Salary: $50,600Expected Job Growth by 2026: 10%

These professionals are insurance know-it-alls who sell a range of policies, including auto, health, home and life insurance, as well as various commercial products. Youll want to be a person who enjoys being immersed in details; insurance often isnt an easy topic for a layman to understand.

Many insurance sales agents have a college degree, but you may not need one. Before becoming an insurance sales agent, youll have to get a license to sell insurance.

If you become an insurance sales agent, youll likely work in an office and spend time shuttling around to visit clients. You may have some irregular hours, if you need to meet clients in the evenings.

Learn more about insurance agents.

Brickmason and Blockmason

Median Salary: $50,950Expected Job Growth by 2028: 9.7%

These workers use bricks and other materials to construct or repair walls and various structures. Brickmasons and blockmasons may gain skills through on-the-job training, technical college programs and apprenticeships.

As with so many jobs, its harder than it may appear. Masons must be able to follow detailed building instructions, break or cut brick and stone to the proper sizes, mix and apply mortar and grout, assemble and finish the required structures.

Brickmasons do predominantly residential work, and blockmasons tend to do more commercial work.

If you work as a blockmason, doing commercial jobs, those tend to be longer projects as much as two years, possibly. Residential work is much shorter.

Learn more about brickmasons and blockmasons.

Read the original:
25 highest paying jobs without a degree - WTOP

REVIA Hybrid Solar Roofing Tiles.

F-Wave LLC, a roofing provider founded by roofing industry veterans in search of a better shingle, is looking to innovate the solar roof in the same way. The Texas-based company is introducing its new REVIA Hybrid Solar Roof Tiles at the International Roofing Expo Feb. 4-6, and the company is making some bold claims about its performance. We have reached to learn more and will update this post when we do, [updates below] here is what we know so far.

F-Wave has developed its Hybrid tile to provide a cost-effective Net Zero Energy House. They are designed to install easily, eliminating the need for specialized labor and tools. F-Waves patented manufacturing processes and its proprietary blend of engineered polymers deliver durability and all-weather performance.

The REVIA Hybrid Solar Roof Tiles will harvest both photovoltaic and thermal energy. Because of that dual purpose, F-Wave says its Hybrid tiles are up to 40% efficient. The energy generated mirrors the energy demand of typical homes across the USA, which require one-third electrical and two-thirds thermal energy with the majority of the thermal energy consumed for hot water and space heating, the company notes.

UPDATE on that efficiency calculation from Kelsea Davis, marketing communications specialist for F-Wave: This number is the total efficiency of the Hybrid tile which includes both PV and thermal. The thermal component contributes over two thirds of the total efficiency for the Hybrid tile. The PV cells are F-Waves proprietary thin film flexible cells which were developed and are manufactured in F-Waves own facility in Japan. Although independent testing has already been undertaken, at this stage we are not releasing a specification sheet as both thermal and PV certifications are currently underway. Once certification is completed, we will release the full specification sheet.

UPDATE on manufacturing capacity:We do not have a supply constraint as we own the cell production facility in Japan. Our facility is able to currently produce sufficient output for the foreseeable future to supply thousands of homes in the U.S. and Japan which is also able to be ramped up as required.

The patented Hybrid Thermal system supplies heated air from between the roof surface and the roofing underlayment into F-Waves proprietary heat exchanger. The system includes both an air-to-water passive heat exchanger and an air-to-water heat pump providing the home with highly efficient hot water, space heating and cooling.

The PV part of the Hybrid photovoltaic system is F-Waves own lightweight, flexible, thin film silicon solar cells made of Flexible Double Junction Amorphous Silicon, suitable for south, east and west facing roof surfaces. F-Wave points to the cells superior temperature tolerance as a big key, so that the tiles maintain their efficiency during hot summer months.

UPDATE: One important feature of F-Waves PV is the kWhs produced per Watt installed. F-Waves cells have a very high specific yield, especially during hot summer months.

This system also significantly increases the homes total efficiency by reducing the thermal load from the sun. The thermal system achieves a Coefficient of Performance of up to 29 for space heating and 19 for passive water heating. Summer and winter modes operate automatically or can be easily adjusted by the home owner via a smart thermostat or its own iOS or Android App.

The electrical wiring and connectors are pre-mounted, color coded and polarity exclusive. F-Wave says this system enables the roofing contractor to complete the roof installation without the need for an electrical contractor on the roof.

F-Waves electrical system optimizes power output from both large and small roof surfaces by using one microinverter to control up to 30 tiles at less than 60 volts, which in turn makes the system intrinsically safe.

Complementary non-photovoltaic Hybrid tiles are also part of the system. These non-photovoltaic tiles can be easily cut to length or shape on site using a standard craft knife. All tiles can be either screwed or nailed to the decking.

Continue reading here:
Details on a new solar roofing system debuting at the 2020 International Roofing Expo - Solar Builder