Journal of Indoor Environmental Quality

Preventive Mold Medicine by Monitoring Moisture

I had the chance recently to spend a few hours with Lew Harriman, Director of Research & Consulting at Mason-Grant Consulting who just happened to be the lead author for ASHRAE's Humidity Control Design Guide. Lew was gracious enough to share with me his wisdom on moisture and during the course of our meeting; he suggested I familiarize myself with Chris Hoogenboom of OmniSense.

OmniSense offer a Facility Monitoring System using wireless moisture and temperature sensors that transmit data to a gateway that sends data over the internet. I’ve been using OmniSense product to monitor a water damaged job that turned into a mold remediation project. We’re in the drying phase and will soon be ready to repair the room…we’ll known when it’s time through the moisture data we’re recording. I’m duly impressed with the simplicity to get this system up and running including the ease at which to access that data from the internet and the ability set up alarms to alert building operators and owners of potential problems. Learn more about our remediation project and the details of the OmniSense products and services...and if you're in need of a moisture consutant be sure to contact Lew - he's top notch.

 

 

The story behind energy, entropy, efficiency, exergy and efficacy

We just released our long awaited simplified summary of energy, entropy, efficiency, exergy and efficacy based on our brand new presentation on sustainability and early feedback from industry leaders has been great. It’s all consolidated into a single web page – written of course in basic easy to understand language and linked back to numerous pages within the www.healthyheating.com website.

If you missed the HRAI of Canada’s annual general meeting in Kananaskis, Alberta, saw the sustainability slides posted earlier but wanted the descriptive language – well now you have it.

Also be sure to check out our updated Indoor Air Quality presentation, Inspecting Hydronic Systems and Skill Sets slides from the Canadian Hydronic Council meeting held in the spring.

Indoor Air Quality Images

We've added a number of new indoor air quality images with descriptions from Science Photo Library. Included are new high res images of mold spores, asbestos, bacteria, viruses, particulate matter, mercury, lead and arsenic. We would like to extend our appreciation to our supporters whom without their donations we could not bring our readers these excellent photographs. You can access the images and their description by locating them on the righthand column under features or from the www.healthyheating.com site.

Radiant Heating Design Tools

We’ve uploaded new content to the site that should be of interest to our students.

The first page features two new design tools that we’ll be using to validate student projects. The Excel tool will allow us to check and demonstrate from a numerical approach the various temperatures within a radiant cooling or heating panel due to changes in conductivities, spacing, depth and fluid temperatures. The second uses finite element analysis to do a more detail model with the added color coded illustrations. The FEA tool has been validated against the ISO 11855-3 Standards for the design, construction, and operation of radiant heating and cooling systems.

The second called Factor E5, is our summary on the principles of energy, efficiency, entropy, exergy and efficacy. A single page summary of a very big topic - consolidated down into a few simple to understand paragraphs supported by some very cool pictures. Check them out.

 

Thermal Signatures from the Sky

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to interview Gregory R. Stockton, President and Founder of Stockton Infrared Thermographic Services, Inc.™ based out of Randleman, NC.

Greg has been a practicing infrared thermographer since 1989 and is a Certified Infrared Thermographer with twenty-six years experience in the construction industry, specializing in maintenance and energy-related technologies.

I’ll leave readers to dig through his businesses and personal accomplishments at your own speed because I want to focus on one of Greg’s specialties which is aerial thermography. We’re not just talking about roof scans though that’s part of it …we’re talking about everything from recovering stolen energy taken from utilities, to animal surveys, to heat leaks in steam and water lines. Essentially anything that emits an infrared wave length can be picked up from Stockton’s eye in the sky. Greg’s also got some impressive people working with him and you ought to check out their credentials and while you’re there check out some of the highest tech toys these guys play with…many fine instruments coming out of the world leaders in infrared camera such as FLIR.

Greg is a leader in the industry and takes great pride in his people and services and has a special passion for illuminating in his own way the energy use in America’s inventory of buildings so they may be repaired to the benefit of future generations.

Image credit: Thermal Signature of Dallas Texas, Stockton Infrared Thermographic Services, Inc.™ and Google Earth

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

There’s cause for celebration today on the Gulf Coast. The celebration is for a research and education center on the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), which was just awarded LEED Gold certification and is the first state government-owned LEED project in Mississippi.

Back in August 2005, the site of the building, called the Grand Bay Coastal Resources Center, was covered in 10-foot-high floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina. But that didn’t stop the design of the facility, which supports the NERR’s charter to promote stewardship of coastal resources – among them several rare plant and animal species as well as numerous commercial and recreational fish species – via an integrated program of research, long-term monitoring, training and education.

The $7 million, 20,000-square-foot Center, which opened in December 2009, is a green demonstration facility that teaches through its architecture what sustainable design is about and shows how land can be developed responsibly in sensitive areas.

You can read more about the Grand Bay Coastal Resources Center – designed by Lord, Aeck & Sargent in collaboration with Studio South Architects at this link: http://pitchengine.com/pitch/80457

Annie Kohut | Kohut Communications Consulting
(tel) 770-913-9747 | (cell) 404-786-6062 (fax) 770-913-3197 | annielk(at)bellsouth.net www.kohutcommunications.com
Follow me at http://twitter.com/kohutcomm

RBc: “…green demonstration facility that teaches through its architecture what sustainable design is about…” this is a Yoda moment…not try - DO

see Yoda wisdom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE8PieLJttY&feature=related - fast forward to time 4:10 - 4:35

World of Warmth

This week we’re featuring the works of Arno Vlooswijk , an industry colleague whom I have had the privilege of corresponding with over the years. Arno is from the Netherlands and specializes in thermography…but we’re not talking your basic everyday stuff…Arno has taken the application of thermographic images into an arena few have ventured before - spanning the range from video to large scale bulletin boards featuring our everyday world and the wild kingdom. Through his view of the world from a thermographic camera, Arno has also given much thought about mankind and has this to say about the thermoregulation system of people… “Buildings and installations should support this system, not take it over completely.” We couldn’t agree more.

He has a number of websites related to his passions (see below) and also a publisher of iPhone apps…you should make some time to see what he’s doing…it's very enlightening.

• www.worldofwarmth.com
• www.treesforgrannies.com
• www.nutscode.eu

Also be sure to check our site pages on using thermography with radiant based HVAC systems.

• http://www.healthyheating.com/Radiant_Thermography/Radiant_Thermography2.htm
• http://www.healthyheating.com/Radiant_Thermography.htm

Next week we'll be covering another fine project from Lord, Aeck & Sargent and featuring Greg Stockton from Stockton Infrared who has literally taken infrared imaging to new heights.

Tips from Rosalind Dall

As readers know we typically feature documents and resources that are associated with research institutes or professional design firms. This week however we’re going to feature Rosalind Dall who contacted us with this message;

“Hi, My name is Rosalind and I'm one of healthyheating.com readers. I'd like to thank you for the excellent information I've found on healthyheating.com, it's one of my favorite readings on the web. I live in Florida where I have the passion to share with family and friends some tips to increase awareness on energy efficiency and promote a healthier indoor air quality. I figured you might be interested in including a guest article for healthyheating.com about a new research from the Purdue University that promises the opportunity to reduce AC heating bills by 50%.”

Well the information Rosalind speaks of from Purdue is interesting stuff as are the additional tips she provides in her writings over at her blog http://www.ductlessairconditioners.org

Rosalind joins our list of influential women we’ve featured here at the JIEQ who are making a difference one blog at a time.

Thanks for writing in Rosalind.

RB

See Rosalind's article in our guest editorial section and at her blog.

Centennial Edition of Wood Handbook - Now Available

The Forest Products Laboratory is proud to present this edition of the Wood Handbook—Wood as an Engineering Material, prepared and updated to include fascinating new developments in the field of wood utilization and released as part of the celebration of the Forest Products Laboratory’s first 100 years of service to the public.

Efficient use of our nation’s timber is of critical importance. This handbook is intended to serve as a primary reference on the use of wood in a variety of applications from general construction to use of wood for decorative purposes. It provides engineers, architects, and others who use wood with a source of information on the various properties of wood, its relationship with moisture, and characteristics of various wood-based materials. Continuing research holds promise for wider and more efficient utilization of wood in an increasing number of applications.

This handbook was prepared by the Forest Products Laboratory (FPL), a research unit within the USDA Forest Service. The FPL, first established in 1910 in Madison, Wisconsin, was the first institution in the world to conduct general research on wood and its utilization. The information that resulted from many of its scientific investigations of wood and wood prodcts over the past century is the primary basis for this handbook.

The Wood Handbook was first issued in 1935, and slightly revised in 1939, as an unnumbered publication. Further revisions in 1955, 1974, and 1987 were published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as Agriculture Handbook No. 72. The 1999 revision was published by the FPL as General Technical Report FPL–GTR–113 and reprinted for broader distribution by the Forest Products Society. Citation: Forest Products Laboratory. 2010. Wood handbook—Wood as an engineering material. General Technical Report FPL-GTR-190. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. 508 p.

RBc: The Wood Handbook can be downloaded for free from the  Forest Products Laboratory (FPL)

Learn more about wood, moisture and radiant heated hardwood floors.

Particulate Matter Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease

Particulate Matter Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease An Update to the Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Abstract Excerpt: In 2004, the first American Heart Association scientific statement on "Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease" concluded that exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution contributes to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In the interim, numerous studies have expanded our understanding of this association and further elucidated the physiological and molecular mechanisms involved.

The main objective of this updated American Heart Association scientific statement is to provide a comprehensive review of the new evidence linking PM exposure with cardiovascular disease, with a specific focus on highlighting the clinical implications for researchers and healthcare providers.

RBc: “…exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution contributes to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.” Once again environments can be hurtful or healing – you have little control over the outdoor conditions but you do have a choice over your indoor environment.

See our previous comments on homes as miniature health care facilities and the need to reposition elements of architecture such as interior design and HVAC as part of the healthcare industry and removed out from under the control of the construction industry.

Learn more about: Particulate Matter, Allergens , Sneezing 

Air Pollution and Seniors

Air Pollution and Seniors - A Health and Air Quality Bulletin from Health Canada

Further to our post below on Blueprints for Senior Living July 2010 Edition, we bring your attention to a Health and Air Quality Bulletin from Health Canada.

Excerpt: If you are a senior, air pollution could have a negative impact on your health. This is because seniors are more likely than other adults to have health problems such as heart and lung disease. You can better protect yourself when you know that air pollution affects your health.

For more details download this docuement: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/alt_formats/hecs-sesc/pdf/pubs/air/seniors-personne_agees-eng.pdf

Also, published recently from Statistics Canada’s Canadian Community Health Survey: Healthy Aging The Canadian Community Health Survey focuses on the health of Canadians aged 45 and over by examining the various factors that have an impact on healthy aging, such as general health and well being, the use of health care services, social participation, and work and retirement transitions. The data were collected from December 2008 to November 2009, and about 30,900 individuals aged 45 years and older in the provinces were interviewed. The data are now available through the Statistics Canada website:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/100512/dq100512f-eng.htm

Blueprints for Senior Living July 2010 Edition

Just released by the AIA Design for Aging Knowledge Community: Blueprints for Senior Living 07/10 edition

The mission of the AIA Design for Aging Knowledge Community (DFA) is to foster design innovation and disseminate knowledge necessary to enhance the built environment and quality of life for an aging society. This includes relevant research on characteristics, planning, and costs associated with innovative design for aging. In addition, DFA provides outcome data on the value of these design solutions and environments.

For more information about the Design for Aging please contact your local chapter or the Design for Aging Advisory Group. More information can be found on www.aia.org/dfa or www.aiadesignforaging.org.

RBc: We've been a big fan of this group for the insight and creativity they bring to this very special topic. A highly recommended resource worthy of your support.

See our pages on Design for Aging and be sure to read the abstract titled, "Supportive living environments: A first concept of a dwelling designed for older adults with dementia."

Dwellings by Dilbert...

First let me say I have a love hate relationship with Dilbert…I love his cynicism and hate the fact that he’s right about many things.  When it comes to home building here’s what Dilbert creator Scott Adams says… “As you probably know, most of the people who design houses hate your guts…Any decent engineer could tell you that the way to design a house is to first gather the requirements about the occupant's lifestyle and THEN design the house, taking into consideration the best thinking in energy efficiency, economy, and maintenance.”  In his search for the Ultimate Dilbert House, Scott Adams list a scream room, solar panels, always-warm water and radiant floor heating among the list of desirable features.

via blogs.healthyheating.com

Nudges For Energy Conservation

Project Energy Code facilitates a discussion among energy professionals and while many individuals have goals to save energy, they often fall short of social scientists about the “green gap” between consumers’ stated intentions and their purchasing behavior. In this paper, Professor Dean Karlan from Yale University explains why individuals fail to follow through with their plans, and suggests that policymakers and relevant businesses can employ “nudges” to help communities generate measurable energy savings. This paper is intended to help policymakers and businesses understand what makes for a good nudge and why nudges work, along with the experimental evidence to date and some ideas for further innovation specifically using commitment devices.

RBc: I’ve always like the data that Ecoalign distributes through their ecopinion and project energy code reports – it’s well researched and delivered in a way that the average person can understand…so this is my nudge to encourage you to read their latest paper – “Nudges For Energy Conservation”.

When it comes to home building and energy conservation, this is our benchmark for performance for any type and any size of building…this is a big nudge with big results…but even little nudges when put together with lots of other little nudges can create big results – it all counts:

Benchmark in design: The Un-Minimum System   

Differences between Young Adults and Elderly in Thermal Comfort, Productivity, and Thermal Physiology

Differences between young adults and elderly in thermal comfort, productivity, and thermal physiology in response to a moderate temperature drift and a steady-state condition

Overview/edited excerpt: Results from naturally ventilated buildings show that allowing the indoor temperature to drift does not necessarily result in thermal discomfort and may allow for a reduction in energy use. However, for stationary conditions, several studies indicate that the thermal neutral temperature and optimum thermal condition differ between young adults and elderly.

In this study, the effect of a moderate temperature drift on physiological responses, thermal comfort, and productivity of eight young adults (age 22–25 year) and eight older subjects (age 67–73 year) was investigated. They were exposed to two different conditions and the results indicate that thermal sensation of the elderly was, in general, 0.5 scale units lower in comparison with their younger counterparts. Furthermore, the elderly showed more distal vasoconstriction during both conditions.

Practical Implications

Because the stock of fossil fuels is limited, energy savings play an important role. Thermal comfort is one of the most important performance indicators to successfully apply measures to reduce the energy need in buildings. Allowing drifts in indoor temperature is one of the options to reduce the energy demand. This study contributes to the knowledge concerning the effects of a moderate temperature drift and the age of the inhabitants on their thermal comfort.

Published in the International Journal of Indoor environment and Health on behalf of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate, April 2010

RBc: This document does an effective job in pointing out the differences between age groups as it relates to indoor environments and the corresponding physiological and psychological responses to temperature changes.

We have said before that the traditional run of the mill contractor built home was/is constructed for the youth and not the elderly and yet it will be the elderly that someday will occupy these homes.

We have pointed out before that residential homes will become miniture healthcare centers for the elderly and have asked, “if we know a home will be operated as a miniature healthcare center why don’t we build it as such?” What does this mean? It means designing to healthcare standards with better ventilation and thermal comfort systems…instead of budgeting a meager 5% of construction costs on HVAC it means you have to spend 15%.

5% gets you bottom of the barrel minimum requirements…15% gets you into healthcare standards.

Read our past article in AIA’s, Blueprints for Senior Living, called, “The Human Element in Design for Aging” Additional reading includes:

1. Cortical, thalamic, and hypothalamic responses to cooling and warming the skin in awake humans: A positron-emission tomography study
2. Homes are miniature healthcare facilities
3. The Cost of HVAC Systems - Are You Paying Too Much for Downgrades?
4. The Total Comfort System - The "Un-minimum" System