Journal of Indoor Environmental Quality

2010 Uponor Convention | Radiant Cooling Engineering Summit , Bellagio Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, April 8-9

 
Join us for the 2010 Uponor Convention — our largest gathering of professionals who install, design and specify PEX radiant cooling and heating systems, plumbing and fire sprinkler systems.

Taking place at the fabulous five-diamond Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, you won’t want to miss our major industry announcement as well as the premiere of the new Uponor Advantage program.

We’ll also offer product and program seminars and exhibits, fun speakers, evening events and of course, lots of fun. Only Uponor can put on an event like this.

Convention Details Date: April 8 and 9, 2010
Time: Kick off meeting Thursday, 2 p.m.; wind down with a reception Friday evening
Cost: $649 USD initial guests; $300 USD each additional companion sharing the same room
Includes: Two nights lodging at the Bellagio, meals, convention activities and a registration gift

To make registration changes, contact the Uponor Travel Team at 866.247.7478.
___

RBc: I'm looking forward to presenting at this convention...lots of great stuff including the opportunity to hear Peter Simmonds, Ph.D. of IBE Consulting Engineers, talk about some of the unique projects he's worked on including New Yorks Cooper Union…bonus for those attending is to see the City Center Las Vegas project with over 500,000 square feet of radiant cooling courtesy of the summit host – Uponor.

Fundamentals of Thermal Comfort and Indoor Air Quality

 

We’ve just uploaded our signature presentation which we do as part of our volunteer activities for the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). This material focuses on the fundamentals of thermal comfort and indoor air quality.

Be sure to sign up for our feed link to stay abreast of new content.

Uponor Westcoast AIA ConEd slides now available

John Siegenthaler and I had the opportunity to work with Uponor, an AIA registered provider in delivering a continuing education program in Seattle, Portland, Oakland and Los Angeles. You can view the slides on indoor environmental quality and radiant cooling and heating at this link:

Thanks to Team Uponor for hosting a great event!
RB

Encore - Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center

Photo Credit: © Jonathan Hillyer/Atlanta

As promised, we've created an entire page at www.healthyheating.com to share some outstanding architectural and mechanical features of an award winning LEED building.

Special thanks to Anne Taylor of Lord, Aeck & Sargent Architecture and Ann Kohut of Kohut Communications for allowing us to share the details of this project with our readers. 

The entire press release, project photos and contact information at this link - click here.

Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center

Photo  Credit: Lord, Aeck & Sargent Architecture

"The building itself reflects the cutting edge of energy saving technology. Constructed to LEED certification standards (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), it features active/passive heating and cooling, radiant floor heating, a "green" roof and other energy efficient features. According to Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Philip Francis "We are excited that in addition to orienting visitors to the region and Parkway, the structure exemplifies natural resources stewardship for the long term." Excerpt from Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center Opens December 17, 2007, Blue Ridge Parkway Guide News.

RBc: Award winning Lord, Aeck & Sargent Architecture is a great site to learn about LEED projects like the Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center. We'll be featuring more on this firm and project in upcoming months.

High Performing Buildings

The first issue of High Performing Buildings published by ASHRAE.

HPB is unique in that it focuses on buildings that not only aim to meet sustainability objectives but that actually achieve them. Case studies include measured performance and lessons learned. All of this is developed through the support of leading practitioners in sustainability.

For more information about High Performing Buildings, visit www.HPBmagazine.org

RBc:  Great magazine and readers will find radiant heating and cooling in several of the noted projects.

Sums it All Up

"The project also proved the inherent value in right-sizing systems: carefully analyzing demand and taking advantage of energy storage opportunities to reduce system size to handle peak period demands. This can reduce the size of the HVAC system without sacrificing comfort. It also allows for strategic cost transfer: using the savings from one cost-saving material or method to invest in other, costlier items.

The effort to reduce energy demand runs in tandem with right-sizing systems. Whether it’s through occupant behavior changes, fixed external shading, or better-performing technologies tied to the use of heating, cooling, lighting, and other major users of energy, this means the supply systems can be smaller and, therefore, less expensive." Excerpt from PLATINUM HEALTHCARE BUILDING ON A CONVENTIONAL BUDGET, This multiuse healthcare center aims to join the world’s green building elite through innovative engineering BY ANDY FRICHTL, PE, AND JERRY YUDELSON, PE

RBc:This is a must read article...two thumbs up. Be sure to check out the authors book...more at this link:

GREEN BUILDING BREAKTHROUGH: Portland Engineering Firm Shows Path To Platinum-LEED On Conventional Budget

Harvard Educates America on Heating

New environmentally friendly science complex for Harvard to meet LEED Gold.

Project architect, Martin Werminghausen of Behnisch Architekten will utilize an innovative heating and cooling systems allowing the multi-building campus to use at least 50 percent less energy than similar structures. Nathalie Beauvais of Harvard's Allston Development Group said “Harvard wants a building that reflects the spirit of the campus-wide sustainability principles adopted in 2004”. The complex will use radiant underfloor heating and cooling, rather than the traditional model in which air is blown into rooms and use geothermal as its source. Ashley M. Mannetta, a co-chair of Sustainable Allston says, "It can set an example”.  The project is expected to be complete in 2010.
Source: Science Complex Design Includes Innovative HVAC, U-WIRE, Jillian M. Bunting, ARCHI-TECHmag.com

.

RBc: We started talking about this years ago - when you put women like Nathalie and Ashley together with education around architecture - better decisions get made.  Once again for those of us with a Y chromosome, step aside and let these Mothers of Earth ‘LEED’ the way.

Thoughtful Things That Add Up And Make A Difference To The Quality Of Your Stay.

"...with the underfloor heating, giant beds made with fine linen and spacious bathrooms equipped with Molton Brown miniatures and Alpine essential oils. "The best holidays are full of little, thoughtful things that add up and make a difference to the quality of your stay in a place," says Justine. Excerpt from Hitting the Heights, by Pauline Diamond, Auslan Cramb & Richard Bath

RBc: Words to focus on..."quality of your stay".
Great Old Cover Shots from Gonzo and Comfort Magazine

Visit HER HOME today.

“Set aside for a moment comfort, versatility and efficiency. If you suffer from allergies, that may be all the reason you need to consider radiant heat! Indoor air quality is improved because dust and allergens aren’t circulating through the ductwork and the registers, as with forced air heating. Households with radiant floor heating host 50 to 80 percent fewer dust mites, according to the Association for Applied and Experimental Research of Allergies. That means you can be more comfortable in your new home, pay less and breathe free in the bargain!” Excerpt from Heat for the Feet, HER HOME magazine.

RBc: I’ve been following Linda Reimer and HER HOME magazine for several years and it has become one of my top recommended sites. Linda, president of Design Basics Inc., recognized a need to publish a magazine for women in the dreaming or planning stage of building a new home or remodeling their present home. Why? Because research shows 80% of homebuilding and remodeling decisions are made by women, and she was amazed there wasn't a single women's magazine on the newsstand at the time with this focus. More than that, she and her friends Susan Conbere and Kate Fried understand the diversity and dynamics in the word comfort and have done a marvelous job presenting the benifts of radiant heating in Heat for the Feet.  I would suggest you spend some time over there where you can read the article and a lot more. Visit HER HOME