After being entrusted by Town Meeting with a much larger capital contribution than usual, the schools are gearing up for a busy summer to start fiscal 2014.

Although the district managed to get by with far less in recent years, buildings and grounds director Matt Torti said the infusion of funding is sorely needed.

"This is the amount wed really like to see annually," he said. "Were a long way from being up to speed, but this is a very good start in a positive direction."

The schools $3.6 million capital allocation for fiscal 2014 include $900,000 for two major projects scheduled this upcoming year: $500,000 for another phase of the districts ongoing technology equipment and infrastructure upgrades, and $400,000 for a feasibility study of Fuller Middle School and Farley Middle School. The latter expense is intended to help school officials determine which building currently only Fuller is used as a public school will be Framinghams middle school of the future.

Other planned capital projects, including rooftop HVAC unit replacements, energy conservation control installations, and paving work, are part of continuing programs.

Where the extra capital funding will come in handy is to accomplish some of the tasks that have been put off in recent years, Torti said, like mechanical and plumping upgrades and replacing tiles at some of the schools. The additional capital will also help buildings and grounds buy a new mower and dump truck vehicles the department has had to wait years to replace.

With much more to spend, Torti expects his crews to be busier this summer than last.

"Absolutely," he said, "$3.6 million is more money, therefore we do more work."

Former Fuller Middle School principal Juan Rodriguez is also keeping busy these days thanks to the additional $250,000 that Town Meeting approved for security projects around town, most of which will be spent on the schools. The soon to be retired administrator was tasked by Superintendent Stacy Scott shortly after the December Newtown, Conn., shootings to oversee an audit of Framinghams security system, and Gonzalez said the quarter-million-dollar contribution OKd by voters last month will go a long way to fund the improvements he and other school administrators have identified with the help of town public safety officials.

Some of the expenses officials will start to prioritize at a meeting scheduled today, he said, are new scanning systems at school entrances for employees, building interior cameras that can be accessed by the police and fire departments, and a new ID badge system. In addition, several schools are hoping to buy new walkie-talkies that can be used to contact public safety personnel in addition to other education staff.

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Buildings work, security upgrades will keep schools busy

Summer is always a busy time at Guilford Public Schools, with tons of improvement projects planned at nearly all the district schools, according to Director of Operations and Facilities Cliff Gurnham.

"As always, we do have a large number of projects planned for this summer," said Gurnham.

A.W. Cox School has a number of upgrades taking place, including new windows and doors, as well as renovations to the main entrance and offices and floor and carpet replacements. Gurnham said the cost is estimated at $80,000.

Elisabeth C. Adams Middle School will receive replacements for ventilation, air conditioning, and ceilings. Upgrades to ventilation will be made in the southern section of Adams, formerly considered an open space area. Because that area is now closed in and broken into different sections, the HVAC system needs to be redesigned. Action Air Systems of Manchester was awarded the contract for these improvements for $679,947.

Another improvement is to eight bathrooms at Melissa Jones School. Pat Munger Construction will perform the work for $96,469, which is covered by a 2011-'12 bond issue that still has a $108,847 balance.

Additionally, "At Adams, a whole new clock system will go in...and we're also doing some work at the bus yard to replace the fuel oil tank over there this summer," Gurnham said. "We have a busy summer ahead of us."

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Summer Improvements Coming for Guilford Schools

By SARA PLUMMER World Staff Writer on Jun 10, 2013, at 1:52 AMUpdated on 6/10/13 at 2:58 AM

A rendering shows the proposed renovation of Central Library's exterior at 5th Street and Denver Avenue. Courtesy

The almost $48 million project was necessitated by the building's aging mechanical and electrical systems, said Tulsa City-County Library CEO Gary Shaffer.

"We were having to fabricate parts for our mechanical systems" because replacements aren't made anymore, Shaffer said, and the current facility wasn't built for sustainability. "When this building was built, energy was abundant."

That's all changed with the way buildings are constructed now, and energy efficiency is the norm.

"Newer systems are just more efficient," said Terrell Hoagland, director of sustainable projects at Flintco, the contractor for the project.

The new HVAC system will use high-efficiency boilers and chillers and chilled beam system, which is a relatively new technology in Oklahoma, Hoagland said.

"It's super quiet. It provides a larger amount of air at a slower speed," he said.

There will be new LED lighting, water-efficient fixtures in the bathrooms, preferred parking for fuel-efficient vehicles, new windows that let in more natural light and daylight sensors that turn lights off when daylight is in the building. Rainwater will also be collected and stored and then used for irrigation on the property.

"The strategy behind the renovation, it's not just being more energy efficient, that's just one part of it. There's water consumption, types of materials used" including locally produced products, recycled materials and using carpets and paints that aren't as harmful to the air quality.

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Tulsa's Central Library to get 'green' changes

NEW YORK, June 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Energy Efficient HVAC Systems http://www.reportlinker.com/p0370594/Energy-Efficient-HVAC-Systems.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=HVAC

Unitary Systems, Heat Pumps, Furnaces and Boilers, Ductless Cooling, Engineered Cooling Systems, Radiant Heating and Cooling, and Ventilation Systems for Energy Efficient Buildings

HVAC accounts for roughly 40% of commercial building energy consumption worldwide. As energy costs, pressure on energy resources, and restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase, strong global, national, and local pressure is driving the market for higher-efficiency commercial building HVAC systems. Efficient commercial HVAC systems include technologies and product lines that exceed minimum efficiency standards and requirements for commercial and institutional buildings.

Deployments of specific efficient commercial building HVAC technologies vary considerably by region. Efficient forced air systems overwhelmingly dominate the North American market, but are much less common in Europe and Asia Pacific. Western Europe, where strong regulatory drivers strongly support energy efficient HVAC deployment, has made significant progress with respect to efficient ductless systems and efficient ventilation systems. However, due to a combination of continuing economic development and increasing interest in energy efficiency, Asia Pacific has emerged as the global leader in the deployment of efficient HVAC systems for commercial buildings. Navigant Research forecasts that worldwide revenue from energy efficient HVAC systems will reach $33.2 billion annually by 2020.

This Navigant Research report analyzes the global market opportunity for energy efficient commercial HVAC systems, including unitary systems, heat pumps, furnaces and boilers, ductless cooling, engineered cooling systems, radiant heating and cooling, and ventilation systems. The report provides a comprehensive assessment of the demand drivers, business models, policy and regulatory factors, and technology issues associated with the global market for these systems. Key industry players are profiled in depth, and worldwide revenue forecasts, segmented by application, region, and key countries, extend through 2020.

Key Questions Addressed:

Why are some end users (but not others) paying higher capital costs for efficient HVAC systems? Which technologies lead global and regional efficient commercial HVAC markets? What are the market drivers and barriers for energy efficient HVAC systems? How large will the market for energy efficient HVAC systems be through 2020? Who are the key players in the global market for energy efficient HVAC systems? Will ductless systems become competitive in North America? What is in the future for ducted systems outside of the Americas? How quickly will new energy efficient HVAC technologies develop through 2020? How will the recession of 2008 and its aftermath affect replacement markets in North America through 2020?

Who needs this report?

Commercial HVAC equipment manufacturers and suppliers Energy service companies (ESCOs) Architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) service providers Building owners and managers Utilities Government and institutional agencies Investor community

The rest is here:
Energy Efficient HVAC Systems

(PRWEB) May 29, 2013

Hiring an HVAC service company in Philadelphia to fix an air conditioning system should not have to be an arm and a leg. Hutchinson announces a new special for an AC checkup. Hutchinson will come out to any home in South Jersey or Philadelphia, and service check the air conditioner unit for the low price of $64.95. The best defense against a steaming hot summer, and high utility bill, is a professionally serviced air conditioner. No home needs to put up with an inefficient air conditioner during the hot summer afternoons. Small problems that are ignored and not fixed can raise cooling costs as much as 30%. To save time, money, and energy, people can contact Hutchinson today for their special AC service check-up plan.

Hutchinson provides a 10 Point Service Check to make sure every air conditioner they deal with is in great shape. An experienced technician will perform all stages of the 10 point service check including checking the Thermostat Operation, Coil, Condenser Fan Motor, Voltage & Amperage, Electrical Connections, Operating Pressures, Temperature Drops, Blower Operation, Condensate Drain & Pump, and Overall Maintenance. To take advantage of the 10 Point Service Check, customers can call 1-800-360-5807. Customers can also fill out their service check online by visiting http://www.TrustHutch.com. Once the online form is completed and submitted, Hutchinson will get in touch within minutes.

Hutchinson has been providing complete customer satisfaction to those who inquire about the companies heating, air conditioning, and plumbing services. Each job performed, such as the AC Service Check-Up is completed thoroughly without error. It is this dedication that has kept Hutchinson at the top of the industry for so many years.

About Hutchinson:

Hutchinson is South Jerseys largest heating, ventilation and air conditioning company. For generations they have had the opportunity to provide the community, both residential and commercial with services, repairs and replacements whenever there was an issue. Over the years as a family owned business, Hutchinson continues to stay up to date on all the latest advances, laws and regulations so property owners are receiving the highest quality of services and equipment. With a history of mechanics and engineering the Hutchinson team has what it takes to provide customers with the most practical and affordable solutions when it comes to heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

For more information about Hutchinson, visit http://www.hutchbiz.com.

Continued here:
Hutchinson HVAC Service Company in Philadelphia Announce New Special on AC Service Check Up

Before we ever bought our condo and had a monthly association fee to pay, I was under the impression that I'd really dislike such a regular financial obligation. However, having been in this situation for over a year now, I'm finding our association fee surprisingly beneficial. While such fees can come in differing amounts depending upon location, number of units within the association, and what the fees are meant to cover, I've found that certain factors have come into play in helping us determine whether or not such a fee is worth the cost.

Breaking Down What the Fee Covers

Knowing what an association fee is for and how it will be applied to the various aspects of living in a home is an important part in deciding if it is indeed worthwhile. There are many components of living within a community that an association fee might apply to. Road maintenance, maintaining a community pool, tennis courts or clubhouse, grounds upkeep, repairs, snow removal, trash, water and sewer services, insurance, and a variety of other items could be covered by such a fee.

With our particular association fee, we get our water/sewer/trash services, our condominium's common insurance fee, common area utilities, lawn maintenance and snow removal, repairs to the exterior of the building and common areas paid, and the management company is paid from this fund as well. There is also a reserve fund that is maintained as well. We receive a regular budget that allows us to see how our money is being applied to such items.

Cost Analysis

By knowing what costs an association fee covers, it makes it easier to conduct a cost analysis to decide whether such a fee is indeed worthwhile. In our case, we can compare our current situation, and the cost involved -- a $300 a month association fee -- to the costs we were incurring in our previous single-family home to see if it pays off.

Current Condo

TOTAL -- $300.00

Previous Single-family Home

TOTAL -- $249.82

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First Person: Is a Condo Association Fee Worth the Cost?

ROCKLEIGH - A Connecticut real estate company has acquired 8 King Road, a two-building, 200,000-square-foot diagnostic lab and office property, where it plans to make $30 million in improvements, the company said Thursday.

Marcus Partners of Wilton, Conn., will do the revamp on behalf of the existing tenant, Spectra East Inc. The plan is to upgrade the buildings' infrastructure and expand Spectra into the entire facility under a new long-term lease.

The improvements to 8 King Road, in Rockleigh Corporate Park, will include: new Class A finishes to the lobbies and common areas; laboratory and warehouse expansion; faade enhancements; roof replacement; HVAC and back-up power generator replacements; and site and parking-lot improvements.

Marcus Partners has taken over the management of the property and will provide development and construction management services during all phases of the renovation project.

"This acquisition has the added benefit of being our first major foray into the northern New Jersey market - a market presence we wish to expand further over the next few years," Marcus Partners Principal David Fiore said in a statement.

- Linda Moss

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Rockleigh building to undergo $30 million upgrade

By Penny Czarra - May 21, 2013 | Tickers: BECN, CSTE, WSO | 0 Comments

Penny is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.

Are there any housing recovery stocks out there that are worthy of inclusion in a reasonable growth + reasonable risk + reasonable price portfolio?

Here are 3 prospects I want to study. They straddle the wholesale/retail distribution segment of the building materials sub-industry. They have already enjoyed a fairly good run in share price, so reasonable price may be too much to hope for right now. In any case, reasonable price comes and goes with market fluctuations. An Intentional Investor's first step must be to look for reasonable growth at reasonable riskaka good businesses.

Beacon Roofing Supply (NASDAQ: BECN) has failed to achieve the 10%+ Return on Invested Capital criteria that I insist upon. I must also take a pass on Watsco(NYSE: WSO) which has, in my view, a deteriorating ROIC. CaesarStone(NASDAQ: CSTE) is generating superior profitability on a consistent and improving basis and stands-up to my first test of Tough Love.

My screening process

As an Intentional Investor wannabe, my only competitive advantage is Discipline, focus, and tough love. Im training myself to look for a reason NOT to invest. This goes against my natural grain. Ive long been a patsy for good investment stories.

I use the following four criteria -- in this order -- to make my initial cuts:

1) Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) must exceed 10%. If not, outta here!

2) Free Cash Flows must cover Long-Term Debt within four years. No can do? Cut!

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Intentional Investing: Tough Love on Housing Recovery (Part 6)

Replacement of roofs at Paramus High School (PHS) and West Brook Middle School has been slated for this summer.

The Board of Education awarded contracts for the roof work at its May 6 meeting. The board also approved contracts for an HVAC and control replacement at PHS Community School and switches for generators at PHS and both district middle schools, with all work scheduled to take place this summer, and be completed before the 2013-14 school year.

"We think the timing is good to make that happen," business administrator Steven Cea said.

The contract for the PHS roof went to Clifton & Clark in the amount of $278,300. The contract for West Brook went to Arch Concept Construction, Inc. for $362,711. The district has worked with both vendors, Cea said.

Emergency manual transfer switches for PHS and both middle schools were contracted out to the TSUJ Corporation for $377,027 total. The switches will allow the schools to use portable generators in the case of outages.

The $369,000 contract for the HVAC system replacement was awarded to ACP Contracting..

Funds were drawn from $600,000 in capital reserves and $700,000 from last year's state aid, according to Cea.

The total budget, passed by the BOE in March, is $83.7 million. The budget will fund expanded classroom reading libraries, new instructional initiatives and a new teacher evaluation program.

E-mail: wassel@northjersey.com

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Contractors selected for roof repairs at Paramus schools

The Allendale Board of Education discussed current and upcoming projects on the buildings & grounds and technology front at its May 6 meeting.

Buildings and grounds

For the current school year, Hillside School and Brookside School are undergoing security and telecommunications upgrades. The district expects to save approximately $130,000 by working with Bergen County Special Services of the New Jersey Department of Education, after originally receiving a quote from Promedia Technology Services that was much higher.

"The original budget for this was $261,000," board member Todd Fliegel said. "The percentage of savings on the project is staggering, about 40 to 45 percent. A lot of that has to do with [Superintendent] Dr. Barcadapone working with individual vendors instead of one vendor in a general contract and saved us a lot of money."

The district will also go out for bids to complete HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) control upgrades in Hillside and Brookside. Board of Education President Melissa Duncan said the first part of this project involves boiler and pump replacements with the second phase being centralized control of heat in the building so that temperature throughout the school is regulated.

HVAC pipe covers in the fifth grade classrooms should be done soon.

As for the 2013-2014 school year budget, the exterior door replacement project will be done over the summer and "should not interfere with anybody or anything," Duncan said.

Carpet removal and tile replacement projects will also be competed over the summer, which may impact ALEOOP (Allendale Enrichment and Opportunity Program summer camp).

Technology

The district is preparing to implement the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program, and should be set up by September for grades 6-8, board member Mark McAuliffe said.

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Allendale school board discusses technology upgrades