Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Finish sequences continue throughout the building, with ceiling framing, equipment & accessory install, and MEPF trim making up the bulk of the work on Level 2, while taping, painting, and ceiling framing are wrapping up on Level 1. Rough cleans will begin next week on Level 2, and floor protection will be removed to make ready for flooring install.

At the main entry, preparation for storefront install is taking place this week while the team waits for the remainder of the storefront parts and pieces to arrive. Upon arrival, the storefront will be put in place, access control wiring will be run, and doors and hardware will be installed, fully enclosing the building.

Around the buildings exterior, exterior joint replacement and brick washing is complete, the final windows have been set, and exterior painting is underway. Once painting is complete on a given elevation, the brick will be sealed, wrapping up the waterproofing and visual refresh of the exterior.

Spaces will begin to come ready for final cleaning, AV install, and furniture moving in mid-December. We are currently working with Walsh Construction to determine when spaces will begin to become available to begin these activities.

As a whole, the building will remain closed for full move-in until substantial completion and temporary occupancy on Jan.10, 2024. The construction fence comes down the following week on Jan.17. The project remains on schedule for substantial completion by Jan. 10, and reopening of the building for spring semester on Jan.29, 2024.

Please see below for the full update.

Site & Exterior Work

Interior Finishes, Level 2

Interior Finishes, Level 1

Entry & Lobby

New Restrooms

Existing L1 Restrooms

Upcoming Events, Holidays, and Campus Coordination

Thanksgiving Holiday. Campus closed. No construction activities scheduled forThursday, Nov.23orFriday, Nov.24.

Questions may be emailed toconstruction@groups.pacificu.edu.

Excerpt from:
Pacific Hall Update | Week of Nov. 6 - Pacific University

In recent years, weve witnessed a rise in the popularity of solar in both the residential and commercial roofing industries. A 2023 study by Allied Market Research found the global solar sector on track to generate nearly $241 billion by 2031, a dramatic increase over the $59 billion recorded globally in 2021.

Specifically in the U.S., growth percentages are trending similarly, with estimates of the market valuing more than $900 million by 2025. What does this mean for those of us in the industry?

Its clear the demand for solar is trending upward, so its crucial to remain knowledgeable on all facets of the ever-changing equipment. As the solar market evolves, we expect positive advances in panel and system technology, installation processes and more substantial benefits offered by state and federal governments in the form of tax credits, to name a few.

With a rising demand for solar panels, installation processes are becoming routine for roofers and have progressed with modern technology.

Increased interest in solar continues to spur development in solar technology, specifically in designing the solar system's photovoltaic sheets. With modern advancements, we better understand how solar cells capture light, allowing improved development in the materials used alongside the cells to transmit the captured light to its final destination, such as lighting fixtures within a home or business.

Today, the most common material used in solar systems is silicon, reportedly found in 95% of models sold in the U.S. The lattice design of silicon atoms promotes increased efficiency as the solar cells and panels capture light, and the sheer abundance of silicon contributes to an overall reduced cost.

These attributes have contributed to greater accessibility of solar systems for homeowners and business owners, and we anticipate this trend of increased efficiency and decreased costs to continue in the future.

Another rising trend is the concept of flexible panels, an emerging technology allowing system installation on various surfaces, including cars and windows. Research is still largely underway, but recent developments have shown that flexible panels are inherently lighter, giving way to more diverse install locations.

These flexible panels are also designed with thinner materials that can perform in high-heat environments. We expect continued development into increased efficiency and lowered costs of flexible solar panels to promote even greater accessibility.

As the solar market evolves, (roofers) expect positive advances in panel and system technology, installation processes and more substantial benefits offered by state and federal governments in the form of tax credits, to name a few.

As panel technology improves, so do the system design and installation processes. With lighter-weight systems and faster technologies requiring less wiring and hardware installation, the turnaround time for homeowners and business owners has decreased significantly in recent years.

Before installation can begin, though, we know system design is a critical step in the process. Design tools such as Helioscope, Aurora or OpenSolar allow us to simulate different production scenarios for panel locations. With this technology, we, as professionals, are best equipped to ensure accurate placement and maximized panel efficiency for homeowners and business owners.

With a rising demand for solar panels nationwide, installation processes have become somewhat routine for roofers and have progressed with modern technology. As trends in the roofing industry change, such as introducing new shingle materials, it will be critical for solar experts to note and identify necessary changes to solar system installation processes and requirements. Most recently, weve seen trends in impact-resistant shingles and metal roofs compatible with solar panels.

As system development progresses, we anticipate a reciprocated advancement in design and installation to keep solar at the cutting edge of roofing technology for years.

We know a significant incentive for homeowners and business owners when deciding on solar panels is the variety of available tax credits. For residential owners, the federal residential solar energy tax credit can be claimed on federal income taxes for a percentage of the cost of a solar system, with solar systems installed from 2022-2032 eligible to receive a 30% tax credit.

Additionally, if a homeowner or business chooses to use domestically sourced goods for their roofing project, they may be eligible to receive additional credits. Many states and local municipalities also offer solar incentives that can be combined with federal tax credits.

For commercial properties, the investment tax credit, or ITC, reduces the federal income tax liability for a percentage of the cost of a solar system installed during the tax year. The production tax credit, or PTC, is a per kilowatt-hour tax credit for electricity generated by solar and other qualifying technologies for the first 10 years of a systems operation. The PTC reduces a businesss federal income tax liability and is adjusted annually for inflation.

With recently renewed legislation extending the federal tax credit into 2034, this will remain an important trend in the solar industry looking into the following year.

Our responsibility as field experts is to remain informed on new technologies and trends to ensure satisfaction and peace of mind for our customers. Solar will remain a dominant force as we look ahead in the roofing industry and will continue to develop and change over time as efficiencies are improved.

Go here to see the original:
Solar and Roofing: Current Trends and Looking Ahead - Roofing Contractor

The utility has been replacing copper wires with aluminum ones for years.

On Nov. 3, when Hawaiian Electric unveiled a new wildfire safety strategy to better protect most of the states power grid against future devastating blazes, grid repairs in Lahaina were already well underway and, in some places, completed.

Nonetheless, the states largest power utility says it has been putting that strategy into practice in Lahaina as its crews install new poles and erect transmission lines across the burn area. In fact, some steps in the strategy occurred there for years prior to the Aug. 8 wildfire.

Ever since the disaster, Hawaiian Electric has been installing aluminum wiring there instead of the single-strand copper wiring that tends to become brittle over time and runs along other parts of the grid, company officials said.

Its also been installing new so-called fault current indicators, which can help isolate problems along the line hopefully before they spark a fire.

Both steps are featured in the second phase of the utilitys new strategy. It covers Hawaiian Electrics full power grid, which covers the entire island state except Kauai County.

Neither step is really new in Lahaina, however. Some or all of the original copper lines there were already proactively replaced with aluminum ones over a period of years prior to the Aug. 8 fire, according to utility spokesman Darren Pai.

Further, Hawaiian Electric already had fault current indicators in place in Lahaina prior to the fire, Pai said. But the new ones being installed will shut off power on a line more quickly in response to a fault or a disturbance, he added.

The utility has installed some 240 new fault current indicators across the area since the fire occurred, Pai said.

It isnt clear how much copper wire remained in Lahaina at the time of the fire, if any.

Further, its not clear whether the wiring that ran along Lahainaluna Road near Hookahuna Street contained copper. Thats the site of the well-documented morning blaze sparked by downed power lines on Aug. 8.

Hawaiian Electric, through Pai, did not respond to those questions Thursday. Company offices were closed Friday.

Facing questions from Congress, Hawaiian Electrics CEO Shelee Kimura recently told lawmakers in her written responses that the poles in Lahaina, including those near the site of the morning blaze, had been inspected by the company in 2021 and 2022.

The cause of the wildfire that spread later that day, engulfing the town and killing at least 99 people, has not been determined. Agents with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agency continue to investigate.

The new Hawaiian Electric wildfire safety strategy also calls for replacing some wooden poles with steel ones in some areas.About 1,000 power poles in West Maui were destroyed amid the Aug. 8 windstorms and fires. So far, the 180 or so poles that have gone into the ground in West Maui since the Lahaina fire are all wood, according to Pai.

The utility does plan to upgrade some of its poles to steel as it restores a backup transmission line through central Lahaina, Pai said in an email last week.

The transmission line with those steel poles will provide backup power to West Maui neighborhoods such as Puukolii, Mahinahina, Napili, Kaanapali and Kapalua, he said.

In places where we are installing new wood poles, they are stronger and designed to resist higher wind speeds than the older poles they are replacing, he added. New poles are also being installed with fire-resistant wrapping, according to Pai.

The company is also replacing existing fuses with sparkless fuses, addressing areas where the lines sag and reducing the distance between poles, he added.

Pai and other utility officials have described the new poles and lines as interim and temporary as Maui community members consider what they want a rebuilt Lahaina to look like and whether that includes burying transmission lines underground.

Kimuras testimony before Congress further revealed that Hawaiian Electric had an internal wildfire mitigation plan that it started to develop in 2019 and completed in January 2023.

The plan was not shared with Hawaiis Public Utilities Commission, which regulates Hawaiian Electric, prior to the fires that devastated Lahaina and Upcountry Maui on Aug. 8.

Once it was made public, the plan was criticized for not being sufficiently thorough in examining Hawaiis specific wildfire threats.

Civil Beats coverage of Maui County is supported in part by a grant from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation.

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Go here to see the original:
Some Parts Of HECO's New Wildfire Strategy Were Already In Play - Honolulu Civil Beat

In a world that increasingly leans towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, solar power has unmistakably emerged as a frontrunner in our quest to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. With more PR and marketing going into promoting the benefits of solar panels and solar power, it is more important and ever to truly understand the processes involved. If youre contemplating the installation of solar panels on your property, it is paramount to gain a thorough understanding of the solar panel installation process.

The journey towards solar power typically commences with an initial consultation. During this stage, youll be working closely with a solar installer or a representative from a solar company. The primary purpose here is to evaluate the feasibility of solar power installation to your unique property. This involves several key components:

After youve made the decision to proceed with the installation, the next phase is the design of the solar system and the associated permitting. Whether you are installing solar panels on a commercial property, on your home and even if you are thinking about solar panels for landlords and rental properties, you will need to consider things like the design and installation of the panels.

This phase encompasses the following:

Once the design and permitting phases are completed, its time for the installation of the solar panel themselves. Heres a glimpse of what this stage entails:

Following the physical installation, your solar system will undergo a series of inspections and connections, ensuring a smooth transition to operational status:

View original post here:
4 Things To Expect During the Solar Panel Installation Process - Talk Business

By Tracey Neal, Open Justice journalist of

Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

A judge has found it "incomprehensible" that a man lost his life after an electrician failed to carry out a simple task to remove a wall switch to check the wiring.

In a decision released Monday, Stephen (Steve) Graham Burton has been convicted on a charge related to work he did on a central Nelson property in February 2020.

Much-loved dad and partner Craig Johnston died from an electric shock while working at the same property weeks later.

Judge David Ruth said that while there were complexities involved in Burton's task of installing a new rangehood and fan, if he had carried out the "very simple act" of removing a wall switch unit to check wiring, Johnston's death might have been avoided.

Burton denied he was at fault, and told the Nelson District Court last week that he was competent and reliable, that he'd done all the required testing, and that the installation was safe to use.

One of two charges brought by WorkSafe New Zealand against Burton has now been proven, in that Burton failed to take action knowing it was reasonably likely to cause serious harm to any person or significant property damage, and failed to prevent so far as reasonably practicable serious harm or significant property damage, has now been proven.

No verdict was required for a second, alternative charge of negligently doing an electrical installation in a manner that was dangerous to life because of the finding on the first charge.

On the afternoon of 19 March 2020, 53-year-old Johnston was found motionless on the floor by the homeowner who had hired him to build a casing around a newly installed rangehood above the cooktop.

One of his shoes had come off, both hands were clenched, and his left ring fingernail was ripped off.

The rangehood was hanging partially from the bulkhead.

He was later found to have died of cardiac arrhythmia, triggered by an electric shock after he had touched the rangehood that was "enlivened" by an electrical fault.

His partner of 35 years, Ruth McAlpine told NZME of the added burden of coping with his death just before the country went into Covid-related lockdown, while his son Jamie Johnston said his dad had been the biggest influence in his life.

Electrical inspector Simon Holmes found that the earth conductor of the socket outlet installed by Burton was connected by way of a three-core cable to the live, rather than the earth pin at the wall switch.

Essentially, there were two components of the existing rangehood unit connected individually to the wall switch that Burton should have recognised needed further investigation.

Holmes found that when the wall switch for the circuit to the socket outlet was turned on, electricity flowed through the earth pin of the socket outlet into the rangehood, resulting in the metalwork on the rangehood becoming "electrically enlivened" at a number of points around it.

Further detailed investigations by electrical experts uncovered a method of wiring that was outdated by a law change in the early 2000s, and that Burton would have seen had he done a proper check.

Registered electrical worker and a former vice-president of the New Zealand Electrical Inspectors Association, Stephen Pay, said in evidence that the green earth wire was wrapped in red electrical tape at the wall switch and was therefore being used as a switch wire rather than an earth wire.

Pay said this was not an unusual occurrence prior to a law change in the early 2000s.

The green wire which ought to have been an earth wire between the wall switch and the socket outlet installed by Burton was therefore connected not to the phase pin at the wall switch but to the earth pin of the socket outlet.

This meant that the wire was energised when the wall switch was turned on.

"The law was changed prohibiting that practise for reasons which are in stark relief in this case," Judge Ruth said.

Pay also said there were clues that should have prompted Burton to carry out a closer inspection of the wall switch, which he later said he hadn't done.

Pay said failure to do this was not in itself a breach, but mandatory testing, if carried out after the socket had been fitted and before the circuit was put back into service should have provided a warning.

"It is a reality that had the wall switch been removed and the red tape seen wrapped around the earth wire, the defendant would have immediately recognised that the wiring was not as he first thought it to be.

"That simple step, if taken, might well have prevented the tragedy that occurred on 19 March," Judge Ruth said.

Pay also said there were gaps in Burton's argument over the results shown in mandatory testing he was required to do, against those that investigators found.

WorkSafe NZ said Burton had either failed to carry out, or had failed to carry out properly the required earth continuity test, an earth fault loop impedance test, and a polarity test.

Judge Ruth said Burton's evidence of his earth fault loop testing was of considerable significance in this case, given what it would have revealed if done properly.

The officer in charge of the investigation Paul Kauder, who is also a technical officer with the operations unit of WorkSafe New Zealand, Energy Safety, said Burton had also issued two certificates of compliance, the second one because of problems with his IT programme.

Judge Ruth noted the second certificate was not issued until 29 June 2020, possibly on legal advice.

Burton was also challenged on what he thought was a plausible reason for what had occurred if he wasn't at fault.

Judge Ruth said a suggestion that some unknown person for unknown reasons might have reconfigured the wiring between the dates of 27 February and 19 March 2020, was "fanciful", and not supported by any evidence.

Ultimately, Judge Ruth found him to be a "most unimpressive witness" who was confused over technical questions that the judge himself said he was able to understand as a layperson.

NZME has approached Burton for comment through his lawyer. Michael Vesty, who said Burton's position would be outlined at sentencing.

* This story was first published by the New Zealand Herald.

See more here:
Nelson electrician Stephen Burton's failure to carry out 'simple task ... - RNZ

With lots of Thanksgiving cooking about to take over kitchens, it is a very good time to take another look at gas stoves. This is both for health reasons and the environment. Scientists and health providers have long known about risks associated with fumes given off when the burners are on, and in some cases, even when they are off. In addition, natural gas and propane have a big influence on climate change. In the short term, individuals should be sure to have adequate ventilation in kitchens. Longer-term, switching from gas stoves to electric appears essential. The risks of not doing so are serious.

Research that looked at harmful nitrogen dioxide levels from cooking found it within three parts per billion of the United States Environmental Protection Agencys safety limit for sensitive people. Indoor food preparation using gas is thought to contribute to about 13 percent of childhood asthma cases about equivalent to the rate from secondhand smoke.

Gas stoves also release benzene, a known carcinogen; a recent study of the amount produced during cooking revealed that it moves throughout homes, in some cases elevating bedroom concentrations above chronic health benchmarks for hours after the stove was turned off. Benzene exposure causes both cancer and noncancerous health effects. Shorter-term benzene exposure suppresses blood cell production, and chronic benzene exposure increases the risk of leukemia and lymphoma. Air pollution from tiny particles also from cooking can aggravate heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, and diabetes. Alarmingly, as the United States population gets older, more people will age into the ranks of the vulnerable, increasing the danger.

By far the largest proportion of greenhouse gas effects comes from carbon dioxide, followed by methane, then NO2 all of which come from, or are associated with, producing and using gas. Policymakers know that more Americans should be switching to electric cooking appliances, especially those that use induction as a safe and clean heat source. Induction stoves are expensive, then again, so is natural gas and propane. However, when the societal costs associated with treating illnesses are factored in, government subsidies for conversion make a lot of sense.

New York State was the first state to pass a law banning gas stoves and other gas-powered appliances in new buildings, including houses and apartment buildings. Upstream, though, the benefit will depend greatly on the rate at which electrical generation moves away from fossil fuels. Funding will be key. Later this year, federal rebates of up to $840 for electric stoves, cooktops, and ovens, are expected to bring the cost of conversion from gas or propane within the reach of many more people. The rebates will cover up to $500 for installation; up to $1,600 for insulation, air sealing, and ventilation, up to $2,500 for wiring upgrades, and up to $4,000 for new smart circuit breaker panels.

The money is part of a $4.5 billion package for electric appliances set aside in landmark clean-energy provisions in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. Though many details have yet to be released, the rebates should be available to households making up to 150 percent of their local median income, a number calculated every year by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is promising, but the experts advise waiting to buy until the terms of the rebates become clear.

The point is to consider switching to electric if you can, but not right away, and, in the meantime, keep those vent fans on full or open a window or two whenever the stove is on. Good ventilation to the outdoors is important especially when the Thanksgiving turkey is roasting for hours on end in the oven.

Read the original here:
Pies in the Oven, Problems in the Air - East Hampton Star

In recent years, we've had to deal with a multitude of different smart home hubs to run all our different devices. Thankfully, though, the Matter protocol is quickly allowing us to fold all of our smart-home tech under one central control hub. Those hubs can be an app in your phone, like Google Home, HomeKit, or Alexa, but physical hubs make it easier for everyone in your home to control things. The Brilliant Home Control, a physical hub that can stand alone or replace a wall switch, gives us a sense of whats comingand although theres still room for growth, its pretty awe-inspiring.

Brilliant is a beauty queen. It splits the hub into two parts: a digital touchscreen on the left, and touch sliders on the right. You can choose how many sliders you have, depending on what kind of switch youre replacing. In the wired version, you can choose from one to four switches, and in the plug-in version, you have two sliders. (Since these are not directly wired, youll get to choose what these control). When theres no activity around it, the screen goes to sleep, then uses motion sensors to wake up as people approach, displaying photos of your choice as the screen background. Its so aware that I didnt even realize it slept until I read it in the specs and tested it. Most of the time, youll interact with the sliders to control lights nearby.

While the plug-in Home Control mounts wherever you want it, the wired version takes a little more work. Evenstill, I was impressed with the innovations. As with most smart devices, installation requires a neutral line (the white wire, usually). While the instructional videos didnt match the current version of the wiring panel, it turned out to be much simpler than these installations usually are. That's because Brilliant actually senses which is the load wire and which is the line wire, and it doesnt matter which order you wire them up. This solves the issue with the vast majority of self-installed switches. Even though I live in an old house with terrible wiring, setting this up was easy, and the hub itself snapped right into place.

Once you tap the touchscreen, you can access the first of many interface screens. While theres a lot of functionality packed into this sleek panel, the UI is clean and well-designed, and I was never overwhelmed. The controls offered won't bog you down like other hubs, and youre never more than two swipes from home. From here, you can set up shortcuts to whatever actions you want, whether those are whole routines or simple one-off functions. Along the bottom is a row of icons that allow you to jump to other screens, including scenes, which lets you set up presets similar to Google Home and HomeKit. Perhaps you want a series of actions for first thing in the morning or before bed, or "party mode" for when guests are over. From here, you can jump to "rooms," which separates your devices by room, music, cameras, intercom, or alarms.

Almost immediately after I set up my Home Control, it started finding integrations, alerting me that Sonos was nearby. Moments later, I had limited access to my Sonos devices. (In almost all cases, hubs dont offer all the functions that native apps do.) I could control all my Sonos, and for music, pull from recently used queues. While I couldn't really search for new music, Brilliant did offer a link to open the native Sonos app to complete actions it didnt have in its own hub. It then found my SmartThings devices without me having to do anything, and guided me through integrating those devices. It found my Ring doorbell, and it blew me away by bringing the video from the doorbell to the Home Control.What's more, Brilliant has both a camera and intercom on board. If you have multiple Home Controls installed, you can access video feeds between them, or, alternatively, use them as an intercom system.

You can use the app to control many things the Home Control allows you to, including arranging rooms, adding devices or integrations,and also adding photos to your screensaver on the Brilliant's display.

When you like a device as much as I like the Brilliant, it hurts when you hit a wall. That wall here is integrations. For a hub to work as the only main smart system, it has to integrate with all the things. While Brilliant does support Matter, the standard thatll make that possible, their current integration list is woefully short. Sure, the major players are there: Philips, August, Schlage, Sonos, Ring, and Nest, as well as hubs like Google, HomeKit, and Alexa. But many of us have a circus of devices in our homes, like Meross, Sylvania, SmartLife, Rachio, Midea, LG, and Samsung. Without a way to bring those devices in, those shortcuts, scenes, and rooms don't live up to their potential.

Speaking of Alexa brings up my second issue: Brilliant only works with Google Home and HomeKit in a limited way, and it clearly favors Alexa. In fact, Alexa gets a spot in the bottom row of icons, with no way to delete or edit it. If you have Alexa, great. But if you have Google or HomeKit, all youre getting from the integration is the ability to control the wired-in lights operated by the sliders via Google Assistant or HomeKit. We need triggers and automations, so being able to bring those in from Google and HomeKit are essential. Although its by no means my favorite long-term solution, Id have expected at least an IFTTT integration to get around part of that problem, and you should be able to choose the voice assistant of your liking to replace that icon.

Are those integrations coming? Yes, and even without them, Matter is being deployed to more platforms every year. But if your home is built on a foundation of Meross smart plugs or Levoit switches, this might not be the time to grab a Brilliant yet.

Even with these faults, the Brilliant Home Control is a feature-filled, aesthetically pleasing piece of tech. Over time, I have confidence Brilliant will integrate more products and lines. Again, Matter is coming. Brilliant has committed on paper to the standard. But with prices starting at $399 for the plug-in or one-switch wired version, its an expensive option. If the majority of smart tech in your home isnt on their integration list, wait until next year. Otherwise, this is a worthy hub that will integrate into your home in a way no tablet has yet.

Go here to see the original:
Control (Almost) All of Your Smart-Home Tech With the Brilliant ... - Lifehacker

Pete Armstrong, CEO of Mixergy, says that, as we move towards net-zero, it is crucial that the newest renewables-connected water storage systems remain fast, convenient, and cost-effective for end-users.

The way we heat water in our homes is changing at an increasing pace, and with looming net-zero targets, a fabric-first approach to designing heating systems is growing in importance. However, even though our hot water energy consumption is likely to increase, householders still need fast and convenient hot water that does not become a greater burden on their already volatile energy bills.

As we make the move from heating our homes with gas to electricity, whether we are installing a heat pump, solar panels, or electric storage heaters, the only way of achieving quick-filling baths or running a typical power shower within the capacity of the electrical grid is through storing hot water.

A typical gas supply can easily deliver 30kW of instantaneous power to a combi boiler for the production of on-demand hot water. A typical electricity supply, by comparison, can only deliver a maximum of 18kW, meaning it struggles to deliver the instant power needed for a high flow rate shower, alongside all the other competing demands in the home.

Consider that the future demands on our mains connections also include EV chargers (7.5kW). For this reason, we need to produce hot water more gradually in hot water tanks whichever way we go about it (direct electric or heat pump).

So, when replacing a system or heat-only boiler, where theres already a cylinder in place, its important to engage in a conversation with the homeowner about futureproofing their heating system. For example, the Mixergy smart cylinder has received validation from the Energy Saving Trust for being up to 21% more efficient than traditional cylinders when operating with a standard gas system boiler, while at the same time being heat pump and solar-ready.

This proactive approach allows homeowners to make choices that can contribute to significant cost savings today, while being prepared for either a heat pump or solar panel installation in the future, thanks to easily installed retrofit solutions.

Flexible tariffs

Flexible electricity tariffs are becoming more available as the rollout of the latest generation of smart meters is completed. Second generation smart meters allow energy suppliers to operate real-time dynamic pricing, which means that whenever the wind blows, lower cost electricity can be passed through to the householder.

Were all familiar with Economy 7 tariffs where the cost plummets for seven hours at night, however we are now entering into a world of Economy 24/7, which means the energy supplier can turn on your hot water whenever excess electricity is being generated.

Traditional Economy 7 cylinders would have two heating elements; a bottom heating element connected to the off-peak supply, and a top element connected to a permanently live feed to allow for a quick boost. Tariffs will become much more flexible and this flexibility is core to what Mixergy is about.

Thermal stratification

Exploiting thermal stratification is one way we can make our hot water storage more energy efficient. Simply put, thermal stratification is the result of heat rising; hot air rises above cooler air and hot water floats on top of cooler water.

Most hot water cylinders work by heating the water using coils or a thermostat at the bottom of the cylinder, and then heating all the water in it, like a big kettle, irrespective of how much hot water is actually needed.

The Mixergy cylinder starts by heating a small volume of water at the top of the cylinder and then growing that volume downwards. The Mixergy cylinder therefore behaves a bit like a traditional Economy 7 tariff, but one with an infinite number of heating elements, meaning the user as much control as they like on how much or how little to heat.

Using thermal stratification and smart technology, the tank only heats the water needed, reducing heat losses. And the water gets to a useful temperature quicker. In addition to saving energy, only heating the water needed leaves more space to accommodate surplus solar energy for properties equipped with solar panels, or exploit low cost energy for those on a flexible electricity tariff.

The value of heating engineers

Good heating engineering, refurbishment, and building demands a high level of technical skill. This is true whether were talking system specification from heat loss calculations, making good after upgrading pipework, or making sure that controls operate together seamlessly.

In the UK, we should really consider our tradespeople as craftspeople, as they do in other parts of Europe.

I think we need to break down the delineation between the trades, particularly electrical and plumbing. The idea you need a plumber for pipework and an electrician for wires is prohibitive when installing new technologies.

The first thing I would recommend is that heating engineers get their Part P and 18th Edition Wiring qualifications. Without these, it becomes very difficult to do a heat pump installation with multi-room TRVs, thermostats, and smart technology. For a qualified gas engineer, it isnt a big step to qualify to do electrics.

Having additional skills alongside the core plumbing and heating tickets around MCS, Unvented G3, Gas Safe, and so on, will give heating engineers much more flexibility to deal with a wide range of projects.

Theres a shortage of heating engineers in general and a growing need for renewable installers. We need to find a way to encourage more into the sector. Keeping people warm while helping bring the transition to net-zero is a highly rewarding, appreciated, and sought-after skillset.

In conclusion, I hope that if you are a heating engineer who is reading this, you fully appreciate the value of your skills at this crucial time and that you might consider talking to your customers about the role that smart cylinders can play in getting the best from your gas boiler while being renewable ready, whether thats with a PV installation, a heat pump, or simply flexible tariffs.

See the article here:
Water heating for net-zero: what installers need to know - Heating, Ventilating & Plumbing

My frustrating, yet fruitful journey of ICE'ing up my Ford Figo with the Pioneer DMH-Z6350BT

The purpose of this thread is to take you through my journey of ICEing my Figo and to also serve as a guide for the Figo and the Aspire owners who want to upgrade their infotainment system(non-Android).

Prologue-

The itch to upgrade the ICE started back in 2019 with all the new cars coming with huge screens with support for Android Auto and Carplay. Even the Aspire and the Freestyle had got the updated Sync3 systems. I remember coming across various Android systems during this time but I was concerned with their long-term performance and cheap-looking UI.

And then COVID hit us all and the thoughts of an upgrade quickly left my mind. Of course, the extended warranty also made me wary of such an upgrade.

June 2023-

I came across these 'Woodman' Android systems and started to search more about them and Android stereos in general. While the cheap looking UI was still an issue, there were a lot of positives. However, the deeper I went into this, the more I realised why Androids weren't the way forward for me. My reasons for not going for Android are as follows-

1. Cheap-looking UI. No offense to the Android users but I really hate the generic Android HU UIs. I tried to come up with a different word to substitute the word 'cheap' but none could quite deliver the message more appropriately.

2. Long-term reliability and performance- Most of us are Android users and even with 6, 8, or 12 gigs of RAM, more often than not, in a matter of 2-3 years, our phones do slow down and after 5-6 years, they start to become unusable. Most of these Androids have 2 gigs or 4 gigs of RAM. There are 8GB options available as well but they cost more than 30-35k and even then, with 8 gigs of RAM, the long-term reliability is still a question mark.

3. Updating the apps- Since an Android HU is nothing but an Android tablet adapted to function like an HU, it needs to be updated just like an Android phone. In contrast, the HUs from Sony and Pioneer rarely require updates and when it comes to AA and CP, it is your phone that does all the heavy lifting, and all the apps are updated as long as you update these apps on your phone.

4. Size of the HU- Unless you go for an ancient Android HU, you only get 9'' and 10'' Android HUs. 9'' and 10'' have become the standard size for Android HUs now but the centre console of the Figo is clearly not suited for these sizes. This is how a 9-inch Android HU looks in the Figo-

As you can see, a 9-inch HU looks quite out of place in a Figo or an Aspire. Also, the hazard button switch does not fit properly in the frame.

July 2023-

I got the RCD 360 Pro for my Father's Jetta which comes with wired AA and CP.

This made the itch to upgrade even harder not to scratch.

August 2023-

The itch to upgrade was ever-growing, but a few things kept holding me back.

1. Extended warranty-

My car was and is still under extended warranty. Ford has in fact introduced EW for the 8th year as well. So I can, if I want, have EW until August 2025. Currently, my car is covered until August 2024. And while coupler-to-coupler fitting does not generally void warranty, but you never know. There is always a chance.

2. Stage 2 Remap-

At a lesser cost than an ICE upgrade, I could get my car remapped to Stage 2 from the current Stage 1. However, since my car is under EW, I was hesitant to take this route. And thus, I was caught in this never-ending cycle.

Itch to upgrade ICE- Warranty concerns- Thinking of spending the money for a stage 2 remap- Warranty concerns- Back to square one.

To be very honest, the trigger for me was the introduction of the 8th year EW by Ford. Yes, instead of being a deterrent, it acted as a catalyst since I was quite sure that I didn't wanna wait that long for an upgrade. And thus, started a rather painful journey of ICEing my Figo.

The first step towards getting an ICE was to get a frame suitable for a 7 inch HU. I had posted about it here on my ownership thread-

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ml#post5604700 (Conquering the heart & mind with my Ford Figo 1.5L TDCi Titanium! Now Code6'd)

BHPian SaiSW responded and suggested me to approach Wavehertz, Delhi for the frame. I did message him for the same but was put off by the high quoted price of 4k. They only had 1 frame in stock. So at the end of August, I ordered, a 7 inch Frame suitable for my car from these links on Amazon-

https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B07...ustomerReviews

https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B0B...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

However, the final product which came was actually a 9-inch frame. This is what it looked like-

I reached out again to Wavehertz and by the time I was ready to order, the frame had gone out of stock. Throughout the next couple of days, I contacted at least 15 car accessory vendors throughout India for a 7-inch frame without any success. I was left perplexed and frustrated that my ICE upgrade may not proceed ahead due to the lack of availability of the 7-inch frame. These are the perks of owning a non-popular car from a non-popular brand that has shut shop in India. Call it my luck or whatever, but an accessory shop very close to me in Vashi(Navi Mumbai) had 1 frame in stock and offered the same for 150 bucks. However, this frame was in very poor condition. Pretty sure that this was at least 3-4 years old. This is how it looked-

And with this, I thought that my troubles were over. Oh, how wrong was I?

September 2023-

I was contemplating the HU to go for and had almost finalised the Sony XAV-AX6000. It comes with wireless AA and CP and wired AA. It also comes with HDMI and a single camera input. But then, I saw this post by BHPian Yesterdaysnews-

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-e...a-etios-5.html (ICE upgrade : Toyota Etios)

The above post made me contemplate between the Pioneer DMH-Z6350BT and the Sony XAV-AX6000 but the price at which the Pioneer was being offered made me go for it. I got in touch with BHPian Yesterdaysnews and we agreed on a price of 26k for the HU. I did though also procure an amp and sub from him and paid 31k in total. Meanwhile, I had got the frame Hydro dipped at H20 Graphix in Dadar. Paid 1800 for the same. This is how the frame looked after-

I had also ordered the required accessories to go with the HU, namely, the micro HDMI to HDMI male cable, the USB C cable(male to female, USB OTG cable, the HDMI male to USB C adapter, the aux cable and the front and rear cameras. I have provided the links to all the accessories that I ordered in a later post.

After getting the HU and the frame, I was all excited and went to get the HU fitted on 16th September(Saturday) at Paras Car Decor in Vashi. As soon as the existing HU was opened up, I was told that wire cutting would be required to enable the steering controls. This was not acceptable to me. I asked the fitter as to how we can avoid wire cutting and I was suggested to order a suitable coupler from Delhi. Post this, I was running from pillar to post and going to various other installers and also contacting some others over Whatsapp to get a solution to this. Out of desperation, I went to an installer who wasn't very good and he ended up damaging my HDMI cable. Lesson learned- never make a major decision when you are either very happy or very desperate.

I got in touch with BHPian VWALLstar and he suggested me to get in touch with a different installer in Vashi.

After going to this installer, I got to know that there is a separate wiring harness that is required to get steering controls working in a Pioneer. This is what that harness looks like-

This was missing from the package which was sent to me. The owner at Paras Car Decor had 1 such harness with him but even he wasn't sure if this was the right one. Anyway, I went back to him straight away and got the harness for 500 bucks as a failsafe.

I contacted Wavehertz again and ordered the coupler along with the radio coupler. However, I was told even by Wavehertz that wire cutting shall be needed for Pioneer. Post this, I waited for the harness to arrive patiently.

October 2023-

As they say, An idle mind is the devil's workshop , during my wait for the harness to arrive, I started to think of my upgrade more holistically. I was concerned about the wiring and its positioning. Putting them in the glovebox was the safe route. However, 2 factors made me reconsider this-

1. Putting wires in the glovebox is as good as not having wires in the first place. They never get used.

2. As per the feedback from BHPian SaiSW, the wires in the glovebox get squished when the glovebox is closed.

These factors made me think of an alternate positioning for the wires and this trim in my car caught my attention-

I was initially thinking of ordering this trim which used to come with the Titanium+ trim-

But since I also needed to have an outlet for the HDMI cable, I quickly realised that this shall not work. Finally, I decided to make use of the current trim itself. I ordered this rectangular grommet-

https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B08...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The idea was to make a cut in the existing trim and fit the grommet inside that opening from which the wires shall be routed out-

However, this turned out to be a size too big for the trim. I then ordered this circular grommet(19mm open grommet is out of stock)-

https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B0C...1?ie=UTF8&th=1

I got the trim laser cut and fit this grommet inside the hole(the hole was 21mm in Diameter)-

What I also discovered during this time was that the USB C cable that I had ordered had gone bad, the male part of the cable had gone loose and wouldn't stay put inside any female slot. So I ordered another cable of UGREEN make.

In the meantime, the coupler from Wavehertz had also arrived-

Finally, armed with all the accessories, I headed to the accessory shop to get the fitment done.

Read the original post:
My frustrating, yet fruitful journey of ICE'ing up my Ford Figo with the ... - Team-BHP

Published 11-15-23

Submitted by Pepco

WASHINGTON,November 15, 2023 /CSRwire/- As winter approaches, Pepco is readying the local energy grid by performing essential work to help meet increased customer demand and keep homes and businesses warm and bright all season long.

The company is working to harden the system and increase reliability and performing maintenance and inspections ahead of potential severe winter storms. On the electric grid, this work includes inspecting nearly 850 miles of overhead power lines and 200 underground manholes, upgrading equipment, trimming trees, installing new underground equipment, and installing stronger, tree-resistant aerial cable. Pepco also continues to install smart technologies to improve system reliability, such as specialized equipment that can automatically restore service faster or isolate damage.

Our customers count on us every day for dependable energy that can power a safe, comfortable environment for their homes and businesses, said Tamla Olivier, chief operating officer for Pepco Holdings, which includes Pepco. Our teams are working diligently to prepare and strengthen the local energy grid, making it more resilient against harsh weather conditions, so that we can meet that need throughout the colder winter season. We also urge our customers to take proactive measures to prepare for potential winter storms and have a plan should adverse weather impact our region."

Just as Pepco prepares, the company encourages customers to also be ready for severe weather and offers the following tips:

In addition, customers can visit pepco.com/alerts before winter weather grips the region and sign up to receive updates on their energy usage and information regarding power outages via text, email, or phone, including when power is out, when service is expected to be restored, or when power is restored. Customers can also text ADD OUTAGE to 48710 to enroll in the companys two-way texting program to report outages and check the status of their outage. More tips and storm preparedness information is available at pepco.com/StormPrep.

To learn more about Pepco, visit The Source, Pepcos online newsroom. Find additional information by visiting pepco.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/PepcoConnect on Twitter at twitter.com/PepcoConnect. Pepcos mobile app is available at pepco.com/MobileApp.

# # #

Pepco is a unit of Exelon (Nasdaq: EXC), a Fortune 250 company and the nations largest utility company, serving more than 10 million customers. Pepco provides safe and reliable energy service to approximately 919,000 customers in the District of Columbia and Maryland.

Contact: Rod Wilson Pepco Communications 202-872-2680 (media hotline)

Pepco is a unit of Exelon (Nasdaq: EXC), a Fortune 250 company and the nations largest utility company, serving more than 10 million customers. Pepco provides safe and reliable energy service to approximately 919,000 customers in the District of Columbia and Maryland.

More from Pepco

Read the original post:
Pepco Prepares Energy Grid for Winter Weather and Encourage - CSRwire.com