Democrats on a U.S. congressional committee have asked the president of a company that oversaw the maintenance of FEMA trailers issued to victims of Louisiana's historic floods in August whether he wants to change or withdraw testimony he made that absolved his company of knowledge that some of the manufactured homes had malfunctioning thermostats.

One of those malfunctioning thermostats is being blamed in the death of a blind military vet, a flood victim who was found dead inside one of the trailers in Baton Rouge.

The Democratic members of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform asserted they have obtained documents that contradict statements David Boone made under oath when he claimed that he wasn't aware of any issues with the thermostats until after the death of Everett Wilson.

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Congress has ordered a review of FEMA's manufactured housing unit program after a Baton Roug

Boone is the president of Capital Services, formerly called Chicago Bridge & Iron Federal Services. The company was sold Friday to private equity firm Veritas Capital.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency contracted with Capital Services to haul, install and maintain the manufactured housing units issued to residents displaced after the devastating floods.

Liza Kelso, the company's spokeswoman, acknowledged receipt of the letter and said they are reviewing the matter and will provide an appropriate response to committee members.

"However, we strongly disagree with any suggestion that false testimony was proffered by Mr. Boone during that hearing," Kelso said in an email Friday. "Various FEMA officials continue to pay compliments to the Capital Services team for the outstanding work in helping the Baton Rouge community recovery from this disaster."

Wilson, an 84-year-old blind U.S. Air Force veteran, was found on Oct. 25 unresponsive in a bed inside the trailer provided to him by FEMA after the August floods. He died from accidental hyperthermia, or overheating.

The temperature inside the mobile home at the time of his death registered at 124.4 degrees fahrenheit, and air coming out of the vents of the trailer's heating and air unit measured as high as 137.9 degrees, officials said previously.

Wilson's caretaker had made calls to authorities to fix the unit's heating and cooling system.

Boone claimed his company fully complied with all its contracted responsibilities from FEMA during an Oversight Committee hearing April 5.

The letter to Boone rehashes a portion of his testimony in which Boone claimed the company had only received "positive comments and glowing accolades" from FEMA about their performance under the contract.

"These claims are overwhelmingly contradicted by numerous documents obtained by the Committee," the letter states. "These documents leave no doubt that your company received significant criticism from FEMA for failing to meet its contractual maintenance obligations and to properly staff and run the maintenance hotline the lifeline that victims relied on to report problems with their housing units."

The committee's Democrats also claims they obtained documents showing that Capital Services knew from August 2016 that multiple thermostats were malfunctioning in the same manner as Wilson's was in his housing unit.

The letter says members of the committee gave Boone multiple opportunities to revise or retract his statements during the April hearing since some of the documents were obtained prior to his testimony.

"Should you decline to take advantage of this opportunity, we may consider alternative measures," the letter states. "Testifying before Congress is a serious endeavor, and the Committee relies on witnesses to be truthful at all times to assist our oversight efforts and ensure that the American people are well-served."

Follow Terry Jones on Twitter, @tjonesreporter.

Originally posted here:
Democrats on US House committee: How much did company know about thermostat problems in FEMA trailers - The Advocate

Smart windows equipped with controllable glazing can augment lighting, cooling and heating systems by varying their tint, saving up to 40 percent in an average building's energy costs.

These smart windows require power for operation, so they are relatively complicated to install in existing buildings. But by applying a new solar cell technology, researchers at Princeton University have developed a different type of smart window: a self-powered version that promises to be inexpensive and easy to apply to existing windows. This system features solar cells that selectively absorb near-ultraviolet (near-UV) light, so the new windows are completely self-powered.

"Sunlight is a mixture of electromagnetic radiation made up of near-UV rays, visible light, and infrared energy, or heat," said Yueh-Lin (Lynn) Loo, director of the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, and the Theodora D. '78 and William H. Walton III '74 Professor in Engineering. "We wanted the smart window to dynamically control the amount of natural light and heat that can come inside, saving on energy cost and making the space more comfortable."

Graduate student Nicholas Davy holds a sample of the special window glass, whichharvests one portion of the light spectrum to control other parts of the spectrum. Specifically, it uses near-ultraviolet light to generate electricity, which powers chemical reactions that lighten or darken the glass as needed. When darkened, the window can block more than 80 percent of light.

The smart window controls the transmission of visible light and infrared heat into the building, while the new type of solar cell uses near-UV light to power the system.

"This new technology is actually smart management of the entire spectrum of sunlight," said Loo, who is a professor of chemical and biological engineering. Loo is one of the authors of a paper, published June 30, that describes this technology, which was developed in her lab.

Because near-UV light is invisible to the human eye, the researchers set out to harness it for the electrical energy needed to activate the tinting technology.

"Using near-UV light to power these windows means that the solar cells can be transparent and occupy the same footprint of the window without competing for the same spectral range or imposing aesthetic and design constraints," Loo added. "Typical solar cells made of silicon are black because they absorb all visible light and some infrared heat so those would be unsuitable for this application."

In the paper published today in Nature Energy, the researchers described how they used organic semiconductors contorted hexabenzocoronene (cHBC) derivatives for constructing the solar cells. The researchers chose the material because its chemical structure could be modified to absorb a narrow range of wavelengths in this case, near-UV light. To construct the solar cell, the semiconductor molecules are deposited as thin films on glass with the same production methods used by organic light-emitting diode manufacturers. When the solar cell is operational, sunlight excites the cHBC semiconductors to produce electricity.

At the same time, the researchers constructed a smart window consisting of electrochromic polymers, which control the tint, and can be operated solely using power produced by the solar cell. When near-UV light from the sun generates an electrical charge in the solar cell, the charge triggers a reaction in the electrochromic window, causing it to change from clear to dark blue. When darkened, the window can block more than 80 percent of light.

Nicholas Davy, a doctoral student in the chemical and biological engineering department and the paper's lead author, said other researchers have already developed transparent solar cells, but those target infrared energy. However, infrared energy carries heat, so using it to generate electricity can conflict with a smart windows function of controlling the flow of heat in or out of a building. Transparent near-UV solar cells, on the other hand, don't generate as much power as the infrared version, but dont impede the transmission of infrared radiation, so they complement the smart windows task.

Davy said that the Princeton teams aim is to create a flexible version of the solar-powered smart window system that can be applied to existing windows via lamination.

"Someone in their house or apartment could take these wireless smart window laminates which could have a sticky backing that is peeled off and install them on the interior of their windows," said Davy. "Then you could control the sunlight passing into your home using an app on your phone, thereby instantly improving energy efficiency, comfort and privacy.

Joseph Berry, senior research scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, who studies solar cells but was not involved in the research, said the project is interesting because the device scales well and targets a specific part of the solar spectrum.

"Integrating the solar cells into the smart windows makes them more attractive for retrofits and you don't have to deal with wiring power," said Berry. "And the voltage performance is quite good. The voltage they have been able to produce can drive electronic devices directly, which is technologically quite interesting."

Davy and Loo have started a new company, called Andluca Technologies, based on the technology described in the paper, and are already exploring other applications for the transparent solar cells. They explained that the near-UV solar cell technology can also power internet-of-things sensors and other low-power consumer products.

"It does not generate enough power for a car, but it can provide auxiliary power for smaller devices, for example, a fan to cool the car while its parked in the hot sun," Loo said.

Besides Loo and Davy, Melda Sezen-Edmonds, a graduate student in chemical and biological engineering, is the co-author responsible for the electrochromic portion of the paper. Other authors are Jia Gao, a postdoctoral researcher in Loos group then, now with Enablence Technologies in California; Xin Lin, a graduate student in electrical engineering; Amy Liu, an undergraduate in computer science; Nan Yao, director of Princeton's Imaging and Analysis Center; and Antoine Kahn, the Stephen C. Macaleer '63 Professor in Engineering and Applied Science and vice dean of Princeton's School of Engineering and Applied Science. Support for the project was provided in part by the National Science Foundation as well as the Wilke Family Fund administered by the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Princeton.

The rest is here:
Self-powered system makes smart windows smarter - Princeton University

Cogeneration technologies are poised to play an increasingly important role in the energy mix of the future.

Cogeneration technology, including combined-heat-and-power (CHP) systems and district heating-and-cooling (DHC) systems, offers many economic and environmental benefits compared to conventional methods of energy production. By simultaneously producing thermal and electric energy from a single fuel source, such as natural gas or biogas, the systems require less total fuel to produce the same amount of energyand generate enormous cost-savings potential.

Because less total fuel is consumed, greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollutants are also reduced. In fact, CHP technologies are estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from new power generation by more than 10 percent by the year 2030.

Cogeneration of energy on-site can also support corporate environmental goals for sustainability and use of renewable resources, while simultaneously reducing the dependence on other regions or countries for imported energy. By increasing energy efficiency and helping to offset costs, cogeneration can give businesses a competitive edge.

Heat Sources Provide Opportunities Cogeneration systems achieve more than 90 percent energy efficiency by extracting and using thermal energy produced during the generation of electricity, heat that would otherwise be wasted. Systems based on gas-fueled reciprocating engines include several potential heat sources, and the ideal use depends on aligning the heat requirements of the facility with the available heat sources on the system.

Exhaust gas, for example, reaches temperatures exceeding 450 degrees Celsius, hot enough to support an absorption chiller, which, in turn, creates cooling energy. Sources such as the lube oil, jacket water or high temperature air/fuel mixture, on the other hand, reach temperatures closer to 90 to 200 degrees C, which makes them ideal for industrial processes, drying processes, building heat and steam production. Other heat sources below 90 degrees C include the low-temperature air/fuel mixture, calorific value boiler and radiator, which are ideal for drying processes, underfloor heating and return temperature heat.

When using all the available heat sources, a cogeneration system from MTU Onsite Energy can achieve overall efficiencies of up to 96 percenta best-in-class rating and a major improvement compared to conventional methods of energy production.

Site-Specific Factors To ensure optimal performance and efficiency, several factors must be considered before installing a cogeneration system.

Methane Number Most gasses are a mix of methane, hydrogen and other gas constituents. The methane number (MN) provides an indication of the gasses, tendency to knockor combust prematurelywhich can damage the engine. For example, pure hydrogen would have an MN of 0. A low MN signifies an extremely explosive gas with the potential to ignite before the spark plug fires, resulting in uncontrolled combustion. Pure methane (CH4), on the other hand, would have an MN of 100. Gasses with a high MN are less explosive, and therefore less likely to ignite before the spark plug fires, resulting in a more controlled combustion.

Natural gas has an MN of 80 to 90, making it ideal for controlled combustion. Gas composites (such as biogas) have an MN between 120 and 130. Understanding the knock resistance is important when specifying an engine for a gas-powered cogeneration plant.

Elevation Smart marathon runners train for the race conditions theyre going to runespecially if higher elevations are involvedotherwise, theyll never be able to catch their breath. Similarly, the altitude of an installation site can significantly influence the power output of a cogeneration system. As elevation increases, air density decreases, and engines need air to breathe.

When specifying a gas-powered cogeneration system for a high-altitude installation, proper preparation and planning are essential to avoid operating below the engines maximum power rating. For instance, a gas-powered MTU Onsite Energy Series 4000 cogeneration system can operate at full load in altitudes up to 6,700 feet without any derating simply by adjusting its turbocharger nozzle ring, which essentially enables the engine to take deeper breaths.

Temperature Like elevation, the ambient temperature of an installation site can significantly impact power output. This is because air volume increases as temperature rises. In warmer climates, if the ambient temperatures exceed a certain point, it can become difficult to provide the necessary volume of intake air for the engine to perform optimally, resulting in lower power output.

Cogeneration system manufacturers frequently offer different equipment models to account for these variations. And in some cases, the equipment will be installed in a temperature controlled (air conditioned) room to help offset the impact of excessive ambient temperatures.

Humidity Air humidity and dew point must also be carefully considered when specifying a cogeneration system. Dew point is the saturation temperature for water and air, the point at which water droplets begin to condense and form. This measure of moisture varies according to atmospheric pressure and humidity. To ensure maximum power output, specifications must include an analysis of humidity and its related dew point temperature based on the climate of the installation site, along with other factors such as methane number and type of gas. Similar to temperature, cogeneration system manufacturers frequently offer different equipment models to account for these variations.

The need for highly efficient electricity, heating and cooling is universal. Cogeneration is a powerful solution that can generate cost savings and environmental benefits just about anywhere in the world. A wide number of applications utilize cogeneration systems, including office buildings, condos, shopping centers, schools, community pools and dairy farms. The key to a successful cogeneration project is proper specification and planning, which should take into account climate- and site-specific factors such as methane number, elevation, temperature and humidity, in addition to thermal and electric requirements. While determining if a facility is an ideal candidate for CHP is an extensive process, exploring the option is a smart move for any facility with simultaneous needs for heat, cooling and electricity. The potential gains of CHP are too great to be ignored.

Author: Christian Mueller Gas Power Systems Sales Engineer, MTU Onsite Energy christian.mueller@mtu-online.com

The rest is here:
Cogeneration as a Universal Power Solution - Biomass Magazine

The West Virginia School Building Authority is giving $6.7 million in Major Improvement Project grant money to public schools in 10 counties.

The grants, awarded at the boards quarterly meeting on June 26, help public schools pay for construction and renovation projects statewide.

Counties requested a total of $9 million from the SBA in this years Major Improvement Project grant cycle.

Fayette County received the $1 million it requested for renovations to Oak Hill High School to accommodate an increase in enrollment from the closure of Fayetteville High School. The work will include a new safe school entrance with a mantrap and visitor processing area, office relocation and expansion, cafeteria expansion, and the creation of a new STEM/STEAM lab in the former shop area. The school system will contribute $397,482 of its own money to the project.

Webster County is getting $930,920 for new ceilings, lights, and lockers throughout the interior of Webster County High School. The project replaces ceilings and lights damaged by a leaking roof that was replaced in 2013. Webster has $10,000 in local funding to complete the project.

Pocahontas County requested and received $925,443 for renovations to Pocahontas County High School that include replacing the sewage treatment system, water tank, and a building-wide fire alarm, as well as new garage doors, windows, entry doors, and a roof over the storage area in the vocational building. SBA documents note the West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection has fined Pocahontas County for noncompliance and faulty operation of the existing sewage treatment system. They also note the county cannot contribute any local funds because voters on Nov. 8, 2016, rejected a capital improvement levy which, in partnership with a SBA Needs Grant, would have resulted in $18 million worth of improvements throughout the county.

Taylor County will use $859,682 plus $300,000 of its own money to add three classrooms and a student restroom to West Taylor Elementary School. Then the system can move 40 Pre-K students that are housed in a collaborative head start program located at a church in Webster, making room for more 3-year-olds to enter Webster Head Start.

Monongalia County sought and received $743,211 for HVAC renovations and installation of new controls and rebalancing of all associated systems at the 26-year-old Mountainview Elementary School. The school system is paying 25 percent of the project cost, which amounts to $247,737.

Lincoln County asked for and received $600,000 to replace sewer plants at Midway Elementary School and Duval PreK-8 School to fix health and safety violations. SBA documents say the Duval facility has been warned it could be permanently closed if its systems retaining wall fails. Lincoln is paying 18.73 percent or $138,306 of the project cost.

Pendleton County intends to put a $50,000 federal Qualified Zone Academy Bond with the $592,353 MIP grant to pay for self-contained heating/cooling units plus duct work and controls in the gymnasiums at Pendleton County Middle/High School and Brandywine Elementary School. The current systems at those schools only heat the facilities and do not provide adequate ventilation or cooling or meet the current standards of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.

Mason County was awarded $384,154 and with $96,038 of local funding will replace and upgrade the HVAC at New Haven Elementary School, Hannan Jr./Sr. High, Roosevelt High School and Point Pleasant Primary.

Mercer County will use $280,830 from the SBA and $25,000 of its own money to renovate restrooms at Mercer Elementary School grades 3-5, including installing adequately equipped stalls to serve students who are wheelchair users or who require the assistance of an aide.

Four counties Kanawha, Cabell, Mingo, and Tucker did not get any of the funding they requested. According to an attachment to the SBA boards meeting agenda, Kanawha County had asked for $433,740 to help replace some windows at Horace Mann Middle School. Cabell County applied for $375,875 to fund half the cost of replacing a cooling tower at Cabell Midland High School. Mingo County had sought $796,776 to replace through wall HVAC units on the second floor of Gilbert Elementary School while salvaging parts for existing units on the first floor. Tucker County had requested $79,932 for masonry cleaning and sealant to prevent water infiltration and damage at Tucker County High School.

Staff comments in the agenda indicated that the other projects might be judged more meritorious than those not receiving funding. In other cases, the projects might have met only a minimum number of criteria used to evaluate the merit of the project.

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School Building Authority awards $6.7 million to 10 counties | The ... - The Exponent Telegram (press release) (registration)

Nine students recently graduated from Surry Community Colleges Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology program. Pictured from left are, front row, Cory Cockerham of State Road, HVAC Lead Instructor Stephen Hammond, John Hatcher of Dobson, Jed Whitaker of Mount Airy, Gerardo Carreon of Mount Airy; back row, Torrence Hubbard of Mount Airy, Arturo Pulido Jr. of Pilot Mountain, Parker Henry of East Bend, and David Anderson Jr. of King. Not pictured: Daniel Crutchfield of Mount Airy.

DOBSON Nine students recently graduated from Surry Community Colleges Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology (HVAC) program.

The graduates were Arturo Pulido Jr. of Pilot Mountain; Gerardo Carreon, Daniel Crutchfield, Torrence Hubbard and Jed Whitaker, all of of Mount Airy; David Anderson Jr. of King, Cory Cockerham of State Road,, John Hatcher of Dobson, and Parker Henry of East Bend.

The colleges HVAC curriculum provides the basic knowledge to develop skills necessary to work with residential and light commercial systems. Topics of instruction include mechanical refrigeration, heating and cooling theory, electricity, controls and safety.

Students enrolled in HVAC courses at Surry gain hands-on experience working on the latest high efficiency equipment as well as older heating and air conditioning systems in order to fully prepare students for anything they might see in the professional field, the school said.

Surry offers an associate of applied science degree, a diploma, and a certificate option for those looking to study air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration.

Those who earn a diploma will be able to do preventive maintenance, service and repair, along with the installation of residential and light commercial systems. Degree graduates will also be able to demonstrate an understanding of systems selection and balance for advanced systems.

Many Surry HVAC graduates go on to work for companies specializing in HVAC or start a business of their own, the school said.

High school juniors and seniors can take HVAC classes tuition-free through the Career & College Promise dual-enrollment program. Registration is open for Fall 2017 classes. Students must register for fall classes before Aug. 1. Those classes start Aug. 15. For additional information contact Student Services at (336) 386-3264 or Surrys Lead Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology Instructor Stephen Hammond at (336) 386-3572 or [emailprotected]

Nine students recently graduated from Surry Community Colleges Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology program. Pictured from left are, front row, Cory Cockerham of State Road, HVAC Lead Instructor Stephen Hammond, John Hatcher of Dobson, Jed Whitaker of Mount Airy, Gerardo Carreon of Mount Airy; back row, Torrence Hubbard of Mount Airy, Arturo Pulido Jr. of Pilot Mountain, Parker Henry of East Bend, and David Anderson Jr. of King. Not pictured: Daniel Crutchfield of Mount Airy.

http://mtairynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_HVAC-Grads.jpgNine students recently graduated from Surry Community Colleges Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology program. Pictured from left are, front row, Cory Cockerham of State Road, HVAC Lead Instructor Stephen Hammond, John Hatcher of Dobson, Jed Whitaker of Mount Airy, Gerardo Carreon of Mount Airy; back row, Torrence Hubbard of Mount Airy, Arturo Pulido Jr. of Pilot Mountain, Parker Henry of East Bend, and David Anderson Jr. of King. Not pictured: Daniel Crutchfield of Mount Airy.

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Mt. Airy News | Nine graduate from HVAC program - Mount Airy News

When Physical Plant Department (PPD) professionals with varying areas of expertise come together, amazing things can happen. PPD Engineering & Energy Services (E&ES) and the Area 1 maintenance group collaborated on an in-house project to upgrade the controls for the heating, cooling, air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC) system at Dane Smith Hall, a 20-year-old building. For the first time, two PPD groups, carried out a large and complex project avoiding contractors, change orders and the complications that can occur while working with entities outside of the University.

This $130,000 project was designed by the engineers in E&ES and the installation was performed by electricians, HVAC technicians and plumbers employed by PPD. Overall, the final cost of the project was $6,000 lower than budgeted, even with the added scope of work due to cost savings.

When we realized we were going to save so much money, we were able to include a lot more upgrades to the building systems than we initially anticipated, said Tommy Tafoya, E&ES manager.

State-of-the-art Variable Frequency Drives, HVAC controls, 90 valves for zone controls and 12 energy valves were installed to improve the efficiency of the six air handlers located in Dane Smith Hall. Area 1 maintenance was also able to explore and document where every controller and valve was located while troubleshooting problem areas based on their knowledge of the buildings unique set of circumstances.

Richard Van Damme, master HVAC tech in Area 1, said it was a nice change to be involved in every aspect of the project because it allows for the maintenance group to have a better understanding of the new technology and how its working in the building.

Now we know where every access point is so we can get to the problem quicker and ultimately provide a better service to our students and staff, said Van Damme.

With the new technology, it is anticipated that the building will require less electricity, steam and chilled water from the Ford Utilities Center, the Universitys power plant.

The most expensive part of operating a building on a daily basis is moving air. In Dane Smith Hall, the air handlers were running at about 68 percent of full fan speed capacity before we upgraded the system, and now they are running at 47 percent. A huge reduction in energy costs, explained Tafoya.

Automated Logic Controls, the computer program used by PPD E&ES allows technicians to see all spaces in the building to monitor the temperatures and the details of how the air-handlers are functioning. From a remote site, technicians can see if a classroom is too hot or too cold and can adjust the temperatures from afar.

Consistent climate-controlled classrooms, energy efficiency, and a complete working knowledge of the buildings systems for maintenance are the main benefits of this project. Another unexpected benefit was the workers were able to coordinate the work with the building occupants and build positive relationships.

There were no complaints throughout the project from occupants because the PPD staff made sure to communicate effectively and work around the classroom schedules, offices and computer labs. Everyone was really impressed by the professionalism of PPD, said Mark Orgeron, UNM graduate student and program coordinator in the UNM Provost office.

E&ES and Area 1 maintenance will begin their next collaborative project to upgrade the HVAC system at the Continuing Education building this summer.

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In-house PPD project saves time, money - UNM Newsroom

Ashburnham and Ashby are among the seven communities to receive Green Communities Competitive Grants, which they'll use to make municipal building more energy efficient.

Sen. Anne M. Gobi, D-Spencer, a member of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, announced the grants last Monday.

"Congratulations to these seven communities on being awarded grant funding through the Green Communities program," Sen. Gobi said in a statement. "It takes hard work on the part of municipalities to be eligible for these awards and these communities all did their part for the greater good on the Commonwealth and the environment."

Ashby was awarded a grant totaling $100,981. The money will be spent installing two new boiler systems, in Town Hall and the Ashby Free Public Library, said Town Administrator Bob Hanson.

The Town Hall heating system costs $65,071 and includes the large-capacity tank and new programmable thermostats. The town will spend $35,910 on a new boiler for the library.

Ashburnham was awarded a $217,300 grant to install a new heating and cooling system in the town library, which, according to Town Administrator Heather Budrewicz, is "by far" the least energy efficient building in the town.

The library's current 30-year-old HVAC system is "obsolete by today's standards," according to Budrewicz.

The grant will help the town inch closer toward a goal set in 2013 to reduce municipal energy consumption by 20 percent.

From 2013 to 2016, the town cut energy expenditure by 11 percent.

The new HVAC system is expected to reduce consumption by another 5 percent, bringing the total amount cut to 16 percent.

The HVAC system is expected to improve air quality in the library and make way for the removal of a 50-year-old underground oil tank. Town plans to apply for additional grant funding to finance the removal of the 3,000 gallon tank.

Green Communities Competitive grants are administered by the Department of Energy Resources.

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Ashburnham, Ashby win 'Green Communities' grants - Sentinel & Enterprise

Today, using the internet-of-things channel for building CRM victories seems to be a demonstration of more hype than reality. But there is vast potential, as early adopters reap wins, executives said at a recent Salesforce IoT demo.

No topic is off limits in this expert guide devoted to Salesforces much-hyped cloud-based BI platform.

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"A lot of companies are still figuring out what their strategy is," Chris Weld, Salesforce IoT Cloud go-to-market director, told SearchSalesforce after presenting at the Boston stop of the Salesforce World Tour. While he acknowledged "not a huge amount of companies" have figured out a game plan for monetizing IoT, many Salesforce customers are trying to figure it out. Today's data systems are more agile, making them more conducive for IoT than just a few years ago, he said, and narrowing the scope of implementations that can affect business goals.

"[Enhancing] service is the low-hanging fruit we've seen for IoT," Weld added. "When you look at the operational change that's required for connected device data, that's where we've seen the highest value."

Some of the early adopters showcased in the Salesforce IoT demo included Emerson Climate Technologies, a connected-thermostat maker that added value to its product by conducting diagnostics on newly installed heating and cooling systems. While many new home heating and cooling systems feature potentially excellent efficiency specifications, Weld said in his presentation, improper installation begets poor performance and inefficient energy use. When a thermostat can measure efficiency and report performance metrics back to consumers, it's a reality check and new data point about the job a household's local installer performed.

In the future, Emerson plans to expand those diagnostics beyond new system installs to more general efficiency tests to help consumers conserve energy and lower their bills. In this way, the company hopes to prove to consumers the worth of its "smart thermostat" that typically costs twice as much as ones that aren't IoT-connected.

Also in the Salesforce IoT demo was a hypothetical large-format printer manufacturer using a combination of Salesforce IoT Cloud and Service Cloud features to track wear and tear on printers and help the businesses using the printers troubleshoot and replace parts as they wear out.

To figure out if investing in IoT to boost CRM capabilities is worthwhile, Weld said Salesforce customers he's worked with on IoT projects have to innovate rapidly. This means, typically, they have to fail fast and iterate again if the original concept doesn't quite work out in real-life tests.

They also need to add customer context -- examples include service history and service-level agreements (SLAs) in place -- to be able to act upon data the IoT sensors are outputting into the CRM system.

It is early in the game, early in the technology evolution. Wayne Kurtzmanresearch director, IDC

The most forward-thinking customers, Weld said, take advantage of real-time tech and thinking about IoT service implementations as proactive instead of reactive. "If we were doing this session four years ago, we'd be talking about Hadoop and HBase and [retrospectively analyzing] this incredible amount of data," Weld said. "We want to shift away from that and say, 'It's great to know what happened two days ago, but I really want to know what's happening right now so I can prevent problems before they occur.'"

The potential problem with IoT for CRM: thinking too big. Wayne Kurtzman, research director for social and experiential solutions at IDC, said the trick for companies to turn their CRM IoT pilots into money-making implementations is picking the right spots. Getting too ambitious too quickly can potentially eat up returns on investment before the projects get off the ground.

"That is a challenge," Kurtzman said. "It is early in the game, early in the technology evolution -- there's some risks at the beginning of any adoption curve. But if you play it right, if you play it where you are versatile, you can in fact reap significant benefits."

Salesforce Einstein: What's the benefit?

Tired of Salesforce password reset tickets?

IoT, Salesforce and VR meet your field service crew

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Salesforce IoT demo shows it's becoming easier to meld CRM and IoT - TechTarget

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) technology is relatively new to the U.S., yet it has quickly become a very popular option in the commercial market.VRF is now moving into the residential market as well as more and more high-end homeowners and custom home builders are learning about the technologys ability to provide on-demand heating or cooling in multiple zones.

Many manufacturers are responding to this trend by offering VRF systems that are designed specifically for residential applications. These units often feature smaller footprints, lower profiles, and quieter operation as well as higher efficiencies, which are designed to appeal to the most discerning homeowner.

Homeowners do not lack options when it comes to choosing HVAC equipment for their high-end homes, so why should they consider VRF? It all comes down to efficiency, said CJ Corbet, southwest sales engineer, Fujitsu General America Inc. Our products, such as the J-II line, use algorithms to optimize highly efficient components, such as variable-speed compressors and fan motors, internal subcooling, and electronic expansion valve modulation, which help VRF systems out-perform traditional central heating and cooling in like-for-like applications.

But in residential applications, zoning is where VRF systems really shine, noted Corbet.

With VRF, we are able to put a unit in each room and only heat or cool the room that is occupied, he said. This eliminates heating or cooling rooms that arent occupied, which saves energy.

Energy savings, precise temperature control, and exceptional comfort definitely make VRF systems attractive to homeowners, said Chuck Hughes, director of commercial sales, LG air conditioning technologies, LG Electronics USA Inc.

Unlike conventional systems, which set a single temperature for an entire home, VRF systems offer the flexibility to create dedicated zones that allow for precise temperature control based on homeowners preferences. This lends itself to increased efficiency and improved comfort in a way that conventional systems simply cant rival.

Some VRF systems, such as LGs Multi V S line, also offer heat recovery technology, which enables homeowners to heat and cool different areas of their homes simultaneously. This is especially beneficial for homes that have gyms, for example, which the owners would like to keep cool during the winter, even though heat is required for the living areas.

In this case, heat recovery systems could repurpose the return heat from the gym to warm up the living area, which in turn, increases the energy efficiency, said Hughes. The return heat can also be used to heat a pool, which means homeowners are getting multiple uses for the energy they are paying for.

In addition to energy efficiency and personalized comfort, VRF systems offer design flexibility and quiet operation, inside and out, said Michelle Robb, director of residential marketing, Mitsubishi Electric US Inc. Cooling & Heating division.

VRF systems feature a compact footprint, which requires less outdoor space, and with long line lengths, the system allows maximum flexibility in installation, she said. There are also a variety of indoor unit styles available depending on the preference of the homeowner or the installation requirements.

While some might think VRF systems are expensive, they can actually cost less over the course of their lifetimes than traditional systems, said Robb. In a retrofit, there is existing infrastructure that may be reused depending on the choice of indoor units. In new construction, the initial cost of the equipment is typically slightly more expensive, but between reduced installation, labor costs, and operational costs due to impressive efficiencies, VRF systems can quickly become a more economical option all while providing better comfort.

Thanks to advancements in cold-climate technology, VRF systems can now be installed in just about any geographic area. For example, Mitsubishi Electrics S-Series and CITY MULTI VRF systems, both of which can be used in residential applications, can provide up to 100 percent heating output at 0F and 83 percent heating capacity at minus 13F, thanks to its Hyper-Heating technology.

With this technology, VRF systems are now a good fit for any home regardless of location, layout, or homeowner needs, said Robb.

It also does not matter whether VRF systems are being installed in existing homes or in new construction, as they work well in both types of applications.

With older homes, space often doesnt allow for the addition of bulky ductwork, but with our duct-free VRF, homeowners are able to preserve architectural features without requiring a redesign of the space or any major construction, said Hughes. In the case of new construction, owners desiring a clean aesthetic can eliminate building soffits for ductwork, which also translates to more usable square footage.

In Corbets opinion, all large homes would benefit from a VRF system rather than a traditional system, because the more rooms there are in a house, the better options there are for zoning.

VRF systems are also very well rounded for both extreme heating and cooling situations, so they cover a wide variety of geographical locations. And homeowners benefit from low energy costs and the comfort of on-demand heating or cooling through zoning.

And the good news for contractors is that VRF design is handled the same way in both residential and commercial applications.

Zone loads are required to select the appropriate unit for specific spaces, and once the units are selected, our design tool is used to lay out the configuration, said Corbet. That tool will catch any limitations that the project might exceed so that each project is designed correctly. For all VRF applications, controls are universal in that they can be used in any configuration.

While the controls for VRF systems are basically the same for all types of applications, residential controls may be slightly different.

Since VRF can be installed in large-scale commercial applications, such as school campuses, we offer additional controls for those types of installations, said Robb. VRF systems are also compatible with our kumo cloud programmable controller app, which offers remote control from anywhere in the U.S. through a smartphone, tablet, or computer. The interface has the ability to control multiple locations and indoor units, program cooling and heating events, indicate filter replacement, and monitor errors in the system.

For any VRF installation, be it residential or commercial, contractors still need to run a room-by-room load calculation to determine the number of indoor units required to appropriately condition the space, said Hughes. Since VRF systems can be ducted or non-ducted, contractors are able to select the systems that work best for each application, and end users can choose the indoor units that best complement their interior dcor. Combine that flexibility with zoning control, energy efficiency, and low maintenance, and there is no question that homeowner demand for VRF will continue to grow.

Publication date: 6/26/2017

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VRF Moving Into High-End Homes - ACHR NEWS

The Northeast branch of the Reading Public Library will be closed for the summer because the building will not have air conditioning.

The library is expecting the installation of a new heating and air conditioning system, but it won't be ready in time for the hot summer months.

Bronwen Gamble, executive library director, said the delay is frustrating for everyone involved.

"The city has been very proactive in trying to get this done, but it's a big project with many moving parts," she said.

The system will cost more than $150,000 to install, which is being paid for in a Keystone grant and community development block grants, each of which have specific requirements in the bidding process.

To lessen the inconvenience, Gamble said the Northeast branch will have outdoor hours on the front porch of the building where people can check out books, including new releases, and a selection of other media.

In addition to the regular hours, the Northwest branch will be open Mondays and Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Gamble said the newly revised bid specifications were released Monday and that the city is eager to expedite the process as quickly as possible.

"We're sorry for the inconvenience," she said. "We know it's frustrating. We're doing the best we can."

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Lack of air conditioning forces Reading's Northeast branch library to close for summer - Reading Eagle