The New Alternative Officing Solutions

While such things as computer and telecommunications systems have traditionally been outside the designer's responsibility, they are fundamental elements of alternative design. Designers must become technology-savvy to truly serve their clients and offer real alternative officing solutions.

Work and Life Coming Together

Business people, armed with cellular phones and portable computers, no longer depend on a company office to be productive, and thus can spend more time in the field with customers and on other key business activities. Additionally, a number of people who still go to "the office" on a daily basis reported using their laptops and cell phones to work while traveling, commuting and at home. We're definitely seeing major changes in how, when and where people are doing their work. Whether they work for a big company, a small one, or for themselves, what they need from the company workplace is also changing.

During the industrial revolution, work and the rest of life separated for the first time. Now that we work at home, in our car and just about everywhere else, work and life are coming together again. Because of this distributed work environment, we're much less dependent on our company facility as a place to perform our individual work, and much more dependent on it as a place to collaborate and work in groups.

That clear delineation between work and life is going away. With many employers encouraging their employees to work from virtual and home offices, it's important for the company to provide them with a suitable place to interact. In fact, according to one industry source, almost two-thirds of Fortune 1000 companies already have telecommuting programs in place.

Companies make it easy for these virtual and home office workers to interact with others over the internet. But, while we give them the means to converse in both professional and social contexts, people need more than virtual interaction and the company's facility design should be responsive to that need.

Thus, it appears that by one name or another and to one extent or another, alternative officing is here to stay. But, how architects and interior designers will deal with the technologies that make effective alternative office design possible remains to be seen.

The Learning Curve

With a few notable exceptions, most designers I know still view technology as residing outside their responsibility and competence, and generally defer technology questions and decisions to consultants or, in some cases, back to their clients.

Nevertheless, just as a growing number of design firms are realizing the importance of understanding and participating in work process decisions, it seems inevitable that they'll need to develop a similar perspective on technology.

A lot of designers have had a very narrow definition of alternative officing, using it to describe, for example, the extent to which people are home officing, hoteling, etc., when, in fact, techniques like hoteling really only work for a very limited number of jobs. But, alternative officing has a much broader definition. When you start seeing alternative workspace design as including such issues as information technology, work process and culture, and then add in strategic intent, alternative officing becomes consulting, not just design. We're seeing more cases where the CEO is calling in the consultants first, then the architect.

Yet many companies lack either the desire or the resources to add a high-powered management consultant to their facilities team, particularly when they want some of the benefits of alternative officing without reengineering their entire organization.

As a result, they will indeed turn to architects and interior designers as their alternative officing experts. And, while most designers will still need the assistance of specialized technology consultants, a practical understanding of the subject will be critical, particularly if the designer is to function as project leader.

While design firms can't expect to replace (or compete with) the real technology experts, it will be essential for us to develop the knowledge and experience to start the technology discussion, understand its implications, and make informed recommendations. We owe it to our clients.

A growing number of such clients, anxious to increase productivity, decrease real estate costs and develop competitive advantages, are coming to the understanding that technology truly pays off only when seen as part of a bigger picture, a picture that includes both work process and workplace design.

Thus, the widespread acceptance and use of alternative design strategies seems inevitable, presenting the design profession with a tremendous challenge as well as a major opportunity, not just in terms of developing new business, but also in terms of expanding beyond traditional capabilities.

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.

IndustrialSAVER Acquires ArriveNEWS, IndustrialMRO and Other Trade Portals

The online manufacturing marketplace IndustrialSAVER was busy last week acquiring multiple websites serving manufacturing and engineering communities in effort to promote over 7,000 industrial suppliers promoted on the site at IndustrialSAVER.com. The company said it merged with IndustrialMRO, the plant maintenance, repair & operations portal as well as the online manufacturing news and virtual trade show publisher ArriveNEWS, founder of the International Industrial Trade Show (IITS) which was first introduced in 2006. Other acquisitions included the take over of Buy American, the social networking site designed to help U.S. manufacturers enter or expand overseas as well as the Industrial Trade Portal, an online international trade site connecting industrial importers and exporters worldwide.

Complete details of the social networking mergers and acquisitions is available on the company’s website at http://www.industrialsaver.com/mergers-acquisitions/.

According to IndustrialSAVER.com spokesperson Conrad Bailey, the mergers enabled the company to grows its online industrial marketplace faster than it every enjoyed before in a quarterly period, increasing the user base of its network by nearly 70%. Bailey said the company is most excited to take over the International Industrial Trade Show (IITS) which he said was a concept from editors of ArriveNEWS designed to showcase exhibitors of various industrial equipment, systems and innovative tools being introduced to technical, engineering, scientific and other professionals in the manufacturing community. Bailey said expo will be seamlessly integrated into IndustrialSAVER’s online B2B trade portal along with all articles, blog postings, comments and other content formerly hosted on the site.

“IndustrialSAVER is equally excited about its merger with Buy American, IndustrialMRO, ArriveNews and most recently the Industrial Trade Forum which all served similar markets and had a moderate to large following among those in the manufacturing profession,” said Bailey. He continued, “The primary reason for the acquisitions was to generate a larger user base the Web’s first industrial-focused B-to-B marketplace in effort to generate more business opportunities and trading partnerships by connecting thousands of buyers and suppliers of industrial goods and services in national and international markets.” Bailey went on to say all content formerly hosted on each site taken over by IndustrialSAVER is now hosted on either the company’s marketplace, forum or blog.

About The Company

IndustrialSAVER, a division of Industrial Leaders is a free international online B2B marketplace for companies looking to buy and sell industrial supplies, equipment and machinery. Users are able to post and explore offerings for a wide range of industrial products and manufacturing services and other solutions for the industrial marketplace at http://industrialsaver.com/classifieds/

Spotlight On Best Practices For Facilities Managers

Some argue that benchmarking and best practices are essentially two sides of the same coin. The search can result in companies in like industries swapping FM information, or one company ferreting out best practices through nose-to-the-grindstone research.

Many measures of success

After hashing out all the semantics and definitions, what, exactly, are some of the day-to-day functions facilities professionals should be measuring? The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) lists items that are typically benchmarked, such as square footage per occupant; building efficiency rates (the ratio of usable space to rentable space); workstation utilization rates; maintenance costs; janitorial costs; utility costs; environmental costs (the costs of providing satisfactory air and water quality, waste removal, and regulatory compliance); security costs; project costs (improvements to or reconfigurations of existing space); overall cost of operations; and occupancy cost. Other benchmarked items include equipment downtime; the percentage of preventive maintenance vs. repair maintenance; and overtime costs.

But benchmarking can extend to other more nebulous FM tasks such as "vendor contracting" and "planning process." Customer-driven benchmarks include response time, cycle time, satisfaction, and downtime. The customer has to be happy, and the culture in different companies is based on senior management's view. Consider what your customer thinks is important. You (the FM) may have an attendance problem in your department that is being benchmarked, but your customer may not know about it, or care.

Look in the mirror

Where should FMs look when collecting data? While gut instinct might tell an FM department to immediately look externally and measure itself against other companies, FMs may want to review their own practices first. For example, a manufacturer might compare the facility operations of its plant in Toledo to its plant in Seattle.

Another benefit of internally focused benchmarking is that companies can zero in on operations that are truly vital. You have to know what's important to your own business. You can't say one benchmark is critical to everyone. Take "equipment downtime," for example. This benchmark obviously would have a different level of importance depending on the company in question. In a company that strives for 24-hour equipment operation, downtime statistics are far more telling than they are for a facility where only some equipment is used some of the time.

Things get trickier when FMs start measuring their department's methods versus outside companies. If they become too numbers-obsessed, FMs can drive themselves to distraction just trying to keep up with the Joneses. Critical benchmark indicators can vary by industry or market sector and can even vary within an industry, based on local conditions, business culture, geographic location, and age of facilities. As a result, the major focus of benchmarking should be on the process not the numbers. If you know exactly what you do, then you can look at other companies' numbers and see how they got there.

Measuring only cost is a losing approach.The better approach is to compare practice. The payoff is not in the cost, it's in the process. The facilities profession is to hung up on square feet. The only people who should care about square feet are real estate people. The better measure for FMs and senior management is 'cost per head' or 'cost per seat'. When you move up the chain of complexity, that's where benchmarking data starts falling apart.

The best in class for facility operations is a difficult concept. For example, allocating the least amount of space for offices may be best in class in terms of efficient use of space, but it may have a detrimental effect on employee morale and productivity.

What's in it for me?

The original impetus for benchmarking was the Total Quality Management (TQM) movement, in which tangible measurements and hard data were often the yardsticks used. But now people are doing it for more experiential reasons. They are benchmarking for the same reason they go to conferences - to learn.

Furthermore, facilities professionals, who may not be particularly adept at corporate politics, can't be shy about trumpeting their benchmarking efforts. Today's facility management professional must be able to promote and market his contributions to the organization.

List of customer-oriented marketing initiatives that can be undertaken by facilities departments:

• Involve facilities departments in employee orientation;


• Publish FM department newsletters for clients and management;

• Offer facility tours and presentations;

• Use surveys, report cards, customer interviews, and focus groups to evaluate the facilities department's performance.

The good news is that senior management may be willing to invest in benchmarking and best practices. They're building it into their budgets. It's hard for senior management to say 'we don't want to compare ourselves to our competitors'.

Benchmarking is only half the job. After the best in class practices are identified, the organization must be ready to implement them. Too often novice FMs stop the process after comparing their performance with others and learning they are ahead.

Maybe not quite perfect, but benchmarking and the adoption of best practices can help facilities departments get a better handle on both operations and customer service.

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.

Benchmarking And Expert System Software Can Help Companies Quantify Their Security Programs

Meet Company X. It has no formal, written security procedures and essentially handles security-related incidents on an ad hoc, case-by-case basis.

Our next contestant is Company Y. This organization has a formal security program in place and has distributed written procedures to all its employees.

Finally, behind Door No. 3, is Company Z. Not only does it have a spelled-out security program, but it measures its results internally and against other companies in a quest to adopt best practices.

What you have above are three companies at various points along the evolutionary scale of facility security. Where does your company fall in this spectrum? Judging from a recent survey of facilities professionals, you probably don't "wing it" like Company X, but you're also not as sophisticated as Company Z. Welcome to the world of Y.

In short, benchmarking can make the case that your group is providing "added value" to the company. The philosophy behind benchmarking is:

• To compare ourselves to competitors, knowing that the CEO values that comparison;


• To calibrate the quality and effectiveness of our processes with the best in the business;

• To spark our own creativity;

• To accelerate change by learning from other people's mistakes.

Security services in the company are splintered into three reporting areas: Worldwide security (legal); information technology security (business); and physical security (building management).

One technique is "secondary research" - a look at public information and the Internet is a great source on different processes. The goal here is to pick and choose the best elements from different sources to build your own model, rather than simply adopting someone else's program lock, stock, and barrel.

After best practices were identified came the fun part: site visits. The key here is to share information on your own processes, as well.

Benchmarking is just one way to measure security effectiveness. Technology, in this case computer software, can be part of the package, as well. The challenges range from the practical - whether the data collected on an employee can be transferred from one employer to the next - to the philosophical-whether the entire process constitutes an invasion of privacy.

Think back, for a moment, to Company Z mentioned above. It's dotting all the "I"s and crossing all the "T"s when it comes to security. Benchmarking is underway but there's just one problem. The employees have only a vague sense of what the security policies are, and compliance is half-hearted, at best.

Old-fashioned methods for measuring security awareness among employees, such as poster campaigns, audio-visual aids, and clean-desk tests, are not enough. Instead, companies can more accurately measure the security climate within the organization by using a "security thermometer"-a questionnaire for employees that relates to corporate culture and attitudes.

We need to dispense with the negative aura surrounding the term "security awareness." Security awareness is a buzzword we use when things are not going well. It has a negative, excuse kind of meaning-it becomes a garbage bin where we throw our problems. Are employees who don't cooperate with security procedures stupid, lazy, or unwilling? No, their inability to follow security policy probably results from unclear procedures or a lack of buy-in from upper management, which can undermine the policy.

The road to buy-in can be easier if your asset protection approach fits the culture, management style, and business planning of your company, and if the outcomes are measurable. The security thermometer allows security personnel to present quantitative, not just qualitative, data. The thermometer makes manageable the intangible aspects of security awareness of employees and managers.

Here's how it works. The survey is used to gauge perceptions and attitudes, using a five-point scale to rate open-ended questions. The answers can range from strongly disagree to strongly agree. For example, a group of questions might have to do with the protection of documents. Specific survey statements might read as follows: "In my office, I am equipped to take care of secure storage of confidential company documents," or "In my department, the secure storage of confidential documents is discussed at least once every three months."

Calling the thermometer a prevention tool rather than a crime-solving tool, the companies must use only positive statements/questions, not "cop-like, did you do it?"-type questions. As for methodology, it is advised using a questionnaire tailored to one's specific needs, sending it to the employee's home, and then sending a follow-up letter to increase the response rate, which can exceed 50 percent. After the surveys are returned, companies perform the statistical analysis, follow-up with interviews, and write the formal report, which includes improvement steps and an action plan.

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.

Innovative Green Roofs For Healthy Green Buildings

Breathing clean, oxygen-rich air is easier on the respiratory system, and the vegetation on green roofs helps to re-oxygenate the air through the photosynthesis process of transforming carbon dioxide into oxygen. At higher temperatures, dry air can make breathing difficult, even when the air is clean. The natural evaporation of moisture from vegetation into the air can provide for easier breathing and a less stifling micro-climate.

Furthermore, some breathing troubles can be attributed to the dust that is constantly present in the air. In cases of allergies and asthma, breathing can also become aggravated by this atmospheric dust. Plant vegetation reduces atmospheric dust by attracting it to leaves and other plant surfaces and holding the dust until it is washed off into the soil by precipitation. The larger and more numerous the leaves, the more effective they are at removing dust from the air. In some parks and gardens, the air has been shown to contain 85 percent less dust than elsewhere.

Keep The Noise Down

There are advantages to the work environment, as well. Green roofs have been shown to allow less noise transmission into the buildings they cover. A higher level of external noise pollution is absorbed by the soil and vegetation of the roof garden than by a traditional roof system. Although the exact amount of noise reduction depends on the thickness of the substrate layer and other factors, such as existing sound leaks that can come from skylights, it is not uncommon to realize noise reductions of up to 50 dB from a green roof.

Green roofs can also protect the roof membrane from punishment caused by weather and the elements. The vegetation, soil, and walking surfaces, such as pavers, can help protect the waterproofing membrane from temperature extremes, solar degradation, thermal shock, wind, hail, and mechanical damage.

Insulation Requirements

Because of the presence of vegetation, it is important that green roofs be able to store water and not dry out too rapidly. If a green roof does not hold a certain amount of free water in the soil, then additional piping and watering systems must be used in order to keep the vegetation alive.

However, because the soil on a green roof is capable of storing water, problems can occur if excess moisture leaks into the insulation envelope. Although a tapered waterproofing layer can be recommended in order to drain this excess moisture, a flat roof system allows for greater water storage capacity. If a flat roof is chosen for the green roof, the membrane/insulation system must be highly resistant to moisture and its destructive effects.

Since the reliability of a green roof is highly dependent on the waterproofing system applied, an impermeable closed-cell insulation material is especially critical.

Combining a sealed insulation material, such as cellular glass, with the roof membrane is one option for flat roof systems. Since water cannot accumulate in cellular glass insulation, the danger of root invasion is eliminated. Plant roots follow paths of moisture and have been known to perforate insulation that has become damp; they are even capable of penetrating into the building itself in order to seek out whatever water source they can find.

Loss of thermal efficiency is a major problem associated with damp insulation. The layers of waterproofing material in a green roof are designed to keep moisture from entering the building, while the insulation is meant to prevent water already in the green roof system from extracting heat in the winter or cool air in the summer from the building. If an insulation absorbs only 4 percent moisture by volume, it can lose 70 percent of its thermal efficiency.

Another factor in insulation selection is that green roofs can add an enormous amount of weight to the roof of a building. The weight of the soil, drainage material, plants and walking surfaces will compact weak insulation, and loss of membrane support will occur. This will also result in local depressions where water will pond and accumulate on the flat roof. Cellular glass insulation, with its high compressive strength of 100 lb. per sq. in., will not compact under the weight of the overlying layers of the roof garden.

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.

One Size Does Not Fit All When It Comes To The Applicability Of Code Issues And Compliance

Whether using one of the model codes or a site-specific code, such as New York City's Building Code, the task of analyzing and applying the applicable code requirement for a particular situation is best suited to a professional code consultant who understands the variations in codes from location to location. Owners and facility managers, primarily concerned with minimizing their risk on any scale of a project, need to understand which design professional is responsible for ensuring code compliance where the project is being built.

Domestic codes

The applicability of various domestic and international building codes reveals why owners should become aware of the assignment of responsibility for building code standards and/or oversee building code compliance for the projects they develop. A building code is a set of specifications and procedures designed to cover all aspects of construction. These codes stipulate the products or materials that can be used for a building or structure, what construction processes are permissible, and who can perform specific construction activities. Underlying all principles applicable to building codes is the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare as it relates to the following design/construction disciplines: structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, life safety (egress), fire safety (protection and suppression), natural light and air, accessibility standards, and energy conservation.

Since standards are at the heart of any building code, they attempt to be exact but they also allow flexibility for improvement. Building codes represent a composite of three sets of discrete information: (1) definitions of terms; (2) licensing requirements; and (3) the building standards themselves. These standards find their way into local codes either through one of the model code associations discussed below, federal law, or through direct lobbying at the local level.

There currently exists a complex web of hundreds of divergent national, regional, and local codes, which are all in a constant state of flux. This collection of building codes makes it extremely difficult for owners to provide oversight and building code expertise for the numerous projects it may undertake locally or globally.

For the reasons set forth below and because of the complexities and associated liabilities involved with assuming responsibility for the various codes, owners are encouraged to take more active roles in the preparation of their design services agreements to ensure who is responsible for code compliance for their projects. Responsibility for this area should be placed in the hands of local architectural and construction professionals retained for each project. Furthermore, owners who create a contractual framework which indemnifies owners from claims and liabilities associated with the services performed by architectural and construction professionals will be better protected should the project not pass inspection.

One project does not fit all

Despite the push towards one universal code, every community in the United States has adopted one of many building standards. Building code regulation, like construction itself, has long been considered a local activity. The prevailing pattern of regulatory use in the United States regarding building codes is one best described as being laissez faire, with each community determining its own building code requirements. Even with state codes, a pattern of local independence has evolved and efforts in achieving an all-encompassing national measure that is reciprocal among states has, for the most part, been difficult to adopt universally.

There are three model code associations in the United States which actively solicit member cities and municipalities to adopt their model code. While there is some overlap regarding the jurisdiction of these code associations, the country is generally divided into areas dominated by one of the model codes: (1) the International Conference of Building Officials ("ICBO") predominately is adopted in the West; (2) Building Officials and Code Administrators ("BOCA") in the Northeast; and (3) Southern Building Code Congress ("SBCC") in the South.

There has been a push over the last several years by a fourth model code association, the International Code Council (ICC), to consolidate the three major codes into a single unified national code. Despite the ICC's attempt to draft and seek endorsement of a single national building code, known as the International Building Code ("IBC"), many municipalities have hesitated to adopt the new code because it was merged too quickly, and as a result, lacks the specificity most local jurisdictions want in their code.

Furthermore, the possible emergence of a universal building code has given rise to the development of an alternative model code based on performance. As the ICC struggles to merge the three model codes, a subgroup of the ICC has prepared the International Code Council Performance Code for adoption by municipalities as an alternative to the IBC. The fundamental difference between the two codes is found in their structure. The IBC is a conventional prescriptive code that details exactly how a building component or system must be designed. The performance code, on the other hand, explains the intent of a code in a specific situation and lets the designer figure out how to meet that objective. This fundamental difference in the structure of these codes adds a new level of complexity for design/construction professionals charged with code compliance and interpretation.

The reality of complying with local codes

While the adoption of model codes at the municipal level has been an ongoing trend dating to the early 1960s, the elimination of locally drafted codes will most likely never take place as long as municipalities and cities choose to retain their unique identity and character owing to each location's practice of design and construction. The existence of a wide variety of building code requirements from one city to another, even among neighboring cities, will likely remain in the construction industry. Many municipalities in the United States have retained their local codes and show no sign of adopting model codes to replace their own because of their particular unique social, political, and building environment.

A considerable measure of variation has produced divergent building codes where regions differ characteristically by way of urban planning, built environment, local climate, and geology. For example, northern cities must provide for snow loads while southern cities must contend with other environmental conditions such as solar heat gain and hurricane/tornado season. Furthermore, many of the largest cities in the United States evidence special code requirements that manifest their own special problems. For example, New York City, has a unique high-rise/high-density urban condition not found in other large cities. As a result, New York City applies its own code as separate and distinct from New York State and Federal regulations.

The international building code jungle

Building code compliance becomes more complex for projects located outside the United States. As in the United States, many of the countries we researched have no one unified national standard. Rather, each region or municipality customarily applies its own unique building code.

What makes providing building code expertise more complicated abroad, is the potential lack of understanding of foreign municipal resources which work hand-in-hand with any design/construction discipline. For example, if one is not aware of a local jurisdiction's fire-emergency protocols such as the correct sizing and fittings for the standpipe connections, then it is difficult to determine fire-safety standards. Additionally, without the basic understanding of an area's regional sewage treatment infrastructure and its unique irregularities, it is impossible to identify the appropriate building sanitation system.

Compounding the problems when working internationally is that foreign countries often assert direct governmental oversight which infuse political restrictions over the applicable building code. For example, Japan applies stringent import restrictions which bar foreign building materials which would otherwise be preferable or acceptable for a particular project.

Performance-written building codes versus design-written codes, local codes versus national codes, and required or non-required filing with building authorities, are just a few of the issues owners are faced with when dealing with assignments of responsibility. If the owner retains a licensed professional, will that entity retain a code consultant? In some cases, the owner is unaware of third-party relationships formed by the architect or engineer, unless counsel has addressed this issue with the owner. If so, who assumes liability concerning the code compliance of the design drawings, the architect or its code-consultant? Reliance on the architect does not always guarantee that he or she will also be fluent in relevant code meaning and interpretation.

Steps owners should take

It is difficult, if not impossible, for owners to effectively monitor and be responsible for providing code compliance services in the diverse jurisdictions, as well as for future projects and their existing facilities. For those issues which involve code compliance obligations owners should take the following steps:

a. Require each local owner to contractually obligate the local architect and construction professionals to assume responsibility for code compliance and interpretation obligations.

b. Require sufficient professional liability and general liability insurance coverage, naming the owner as an additional insured, for each project covering claims for design and construction defects.

c. Recommend that local code standards be substituted for the general, or non-site specific "boiler plate," owner-written building standards.

d. Seek indemnification from the applicable design and construction entities for future liability related to code compliance and interpretation issues.

e. Require indemnification provisions in all agreements with design and construction professionals charged with code compliance and interpretation issues such that the owner is indemnified and held harmless from and against all liabilities, damages, losses, claims, demands, and actions of any nature whatsoever which arise out of or are connected with the performance of such design and construction services.

f. Ensure that all agreements with design and construction professional, who provides code compliance services, provide for adequate insurances which name the owner as an additional insured to cover any claims which may arise out of code compliance issues.

From the owner's perspective, a discussion on code compliance is often placed on the back burner until many other design-related issues are resolved. Discussions about code compliance are not glorious or fashionable and are rarely, if not implicitly, the arena where owners want to invest great quantities of time and energy. However unpopular, the assignment of responsibility for code compliance is an important reason why owners and their in-house facilities and design professionals should be aware of the code and liability issues that arise during the planning stages of a project.

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.

How to Choose the Correct Water, Drop By Drop

There is no single solution to all water-quality concerns; the best response is the safest and most cost-effective approach for your facility. When questions about water quality arise, the first step is diagnosis. Start by getting a free copy of the latest water-quality report from the local water supplier. The report should note any contaminants that are in excess of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.

To find out more, have a professional such as a water specialist certified by the Water Quality Association (WQA) analyze your water for aesthetic problems such as taste, odor, or hardness. A state-certified or other laboratory can test water for health-related contaminants such as lead, nitrates, and bacteria.

Once you've determined the problem, the next step is to select the most appropriate solution. Generally, there are three approaches: drinking fountains, bottled water, and filtration devices. Possibly the most common option, drinking fountains suffer from a bad rap. While they are increasingly adaptable to filtration systems that help ensure clean water, many consumers worry about sanitation because hands and mouths directly touch the faucet.

Bottled water, by contrast, tops the list of consumer favorites. Bottled water is protected by a multi-barrier approach that is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA). Water coolers can provide cool and hot water as well as spring, filtered, distilled, and even carbonated water. They are effective even in the event of a water system shutdown. And coolers can be placed anywhere in the building, regardless of structural constraints. But this flexibility can create logistical nightmares for the delivery person or maintenance, who may have to maneuver around a series of docks, elevator banks, and corridors to deliver the 20-gallon bottles. Plus, bottled water is often the most expensive option, especially when you add in the cost of a maintenance agreement to sanitize dispensers, which helps prevent bacterial growth.

While the water is purified, once the bottles are open, germs can enter as the bottle is uncapped and as it bubbles, sucking in nearby air and airborne germs. The IBWA recommends cleaning the dispenser every two to three months. Filtration devices can treat the water as it enters the facility (called Point of Entry or POE) or at the individual tap (known as Point of Use or POU). POE equipment typically takes care of health contaminants such as Volatile organic compounds (VOC) and provides water softening. POUs generally treat health contaminants like lead and aesthetic contaminants such as sulfur, explains the WQA. A variety of technologies provide filtration solutions, but no one device treats every problem. Facility managers should pick the most cost-effective solution for the type of water problem at the facility. Also, be sure to choose a product or system that has been tested by an independent regulatory agency such as the National Sanitation Foundation.

Like bottled water dispensers, POE/POU systems require regular maintenance, including sanitizing the cooler and changing the filters; manufacturers provide detailed information. We recommend using an appliance with a pressurized system and no reservoir-and changing the filters regularly to prevent bacterial growth.

While it may seem like a daunting project, all it takes is a little research and some expert advice to tap into safe, clean drinking water.

Common water problems, according to the WQA, include:

• Aesthetics (harmless contaminants that affect taste, color, and odor);


• Hardness (excessive levels of calcium and magnesium that shorten the life of plumbing and water-using appliances and decrease the efficiency of water heaters);

• Lead (linked to learning disabilities in young children and hypertension in adults);

• Biological pathogens (waterborne organisms which can cause minor intestinal disorders or can pose a significant threat to the immune impaired);

• Nitrates (can interfere with the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood, and are linked to high incidences of miscarriages);

• Heavy metals (can cause physiological damage to the body, especially the central nervous system);

• Low/high pH (can be corrosive or cause aesthetic problems); and

• Other items linked to cancer (e.g., radium/radon, volatile organic compounds,etc)

The most common water treatment technologies are:

• Carbon/granular activated carbon filters (absorbs or screens chlorine, sulfur, iron, manganese, lead and other heavy metals, radon, some pesticides and fungicides, volatile organic compounds,etc);


• Reverse osmosis or RO (forces pressurized water through a semi-permeable membrane to get rid of organic compounds, ferrous iron, chlorine, fluoride, nitrate, heavy metals, and unpleasant odors and tastes);

• Distillation (heats the raw water to steam and then condenses it back into water to eliminate heavy metals, nitrates, some pesticides and fungicides, some organic compounds, and some bacteria); and

• Ultraviolet (particularly effective on bacteria and micro-organisms, most common in developing countries).

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.

How Dimmers Save Energy

The magnetic dimming systems first introduced in the 1970s were cumbersome, noisy, and inefficient. And the electronic fluorescent dimming ballasts produced in the late 1980s were cost prohibitive and often excluded from Demand Side Management program rebates. However, today's systems provide a viable alternative that has, in turn, made daylight harvesting and energy management more attractive.

Many facilities install skylights or large window walls with photocells and dimming ballasts to reduce lamps when natural light is available. Using a full system-including T8 lamps, electronic fluorescent dimming ballasts, and a control mechanism-can result in sizable energy savings from 55 to 80 percent.

A Look At System Features

Fluorescent electronic dimming ballasts can be connected to standard automatic wall switches or relays, photocells and/or occupancy sensors and can be integrated into building energy-management systems that control lighting, heating, and air conditioning. In addition to dimming ballasts, the combination of daylight harvesting, occupancy sensors, load scheduling, and load shedding contribute to reducing energy consumption.

Daylight harvesting uses photocells or light sensors to capitalize on "free" sunlight and lower the cost of supporting light through dimming. Photocells measure the light level in an area, ensuring an adequate number of foot-candles is present. If daylight falls below the required level, the lamps/ballast system is engaged to compensate with artificial light. Typical harvesting applications are in large facilities with window walls and in commercial and institutional buildings using skylights.

Load schedules are used to determine light levels needed in building space(s) to minimize energy consumption. For example, a facility manager may recognize that the conference room is used every day from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The lighting system could be programmed to dim the lights for the hours that the room is not occupied.

Load shedding is used to determine appropriate light levels while minimizing energy consumption and lowering operating costs during peak hours. Utility companies often charge premiums for energy usage during these times. Load shedding generally operates with daylight harvesting by employing natural light and dimming the lighting as a system, therefore "shedding" energy. Facilities operating with set schedules can reduce energy consumption with load schedules. Maintaining proper light levels and dimming the lighting system when appropriate also support facility energy management.

Maintenance is easy on these systems. Most fluorescent electronic dimming ballasts now include circuitry that monitors lamp cathode voltage, which protects lamp life and safeguards the ballast against improper installation. The ballasts also ignite lamps at any preset level, so the ballast no longer has to be on 100 percent to ignite the lamp.

Dimming models maintain light levels over the life of a system. Normal systems' levels (at full output) tend to decrease over time due to lamp lumen depreciation and dirt and dust accumulation. Since dimming ballasts used in conjunction with photocells do not usually operate at full output, the system can adjust automatically to maintain light levels even with lamp lumen depreciation and dirt accumulation.

The Right Approach

The two main types of fluorescent dimming systems are continuous and light level switching. Continuous allows the user to set the lighting at any desired level. Light level switching, on the other hand, uses preset levels and standard wall switches that let the user manually adjust the dimming to preset levels or wire the switch with a photocell that will automatically adjust the light to the established preset levels.

Continuous systems maintain full range dimming from 100 to five percent. The user can manually set the light level at a preferred output. Typical applications for continuous systems are conference rooms that require darkness for presentations, but also must yield enough light for writing. They provide a cost-effective solution for new construction as well as renovations, with energy savings up to 80 percent.

Light level switching uses preset levels. This system can operate with two regular wall switches instead of installing a low voltage dimming control. Two types are available: 100 to 50 percent; and 100 to 60 to 30 percent. Light level switching is an ideal alternative for inboard/outboard switching and low voltage dimming controls.

Better aesthetics are achieved because all lamps in the fixture dim to the fixed light level, compared to inboard/outboard switching which turns off one or two lamps. Both new construction and renovations benefit from light level switching with savings of up to 55 percent.

Fluorescent dimming systems provide creative energy-efficient options for lighting commercial, institutional, and even industrial facilities. Every building, no matter how small, can benefit by incorporating such a system. With energy concerns becoming more prominent, the realized energy savings dimming systems provide make them an ideal lighting application solution.

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.

How Hospitals Can Reach Out To The Community And Bring Services To The Doorstep Of The Patient

Whether providers choose to acquire, affiliate, or ally, many of them are seeking to "own" all of the components of an integrated care network. Like the marriage that follows an initial courtship, they vow to provide for all of the healthcare needs during a lifetime-from neo-natal care to playground injuries; from heart surgery to step-down rehabilitation; from physical therapy to nursing homes, hospice, and home care. Within an integrated network, the provider can move the customer through its system, up and down levels of care, to deliver a quality outcome in an appropriate setting at the lowest possible cost. Each link in the chain of care must be in place, with a primary physician group as the essential key to the chain.

As business initiatives move toward integration, hospital management is being challenged to develop and maintain competitive facilities that will serve a continuum of care. Working together with expert physical planners and designers, savvy facilities managers are creating flexible environments that accommodate a variety of care needs and the dynamics of today's rapidly changing delivery modalities, both on- and off-site at satellite locations.

Addressing the two basic customer populations of the critically ill and the ambulatory, the hospital environment itself is being radically transformed through more efficient operations, cross-disciplinary staffing, and optimized space utilization. Creative design strategies are helping to achieve lower space requirements, initial capital outlay, and operating costs necessitated by shrinking budgets. For example, hospitals of the past decade, divided into a series of distinct territories, such as surgical care or medical care units, are being replaced by designs based on platforms without boundaries, such as critical care units that accept both surgical or medical cases. The number of new patient beds is diminishing, while diagnostic scanning and imaging, surgeries, and other revenue-producing services are rising.

Under-utilized, inpatient space is being reused, and major campus expansion programs are being undertaken to fill the gaps in the continuum of care: ambulatory pavilions with their own entrances, amenities, and conveniences; handsome medical office buildings that attract physician groups and patients alike; clearly understood, safe parking garages that provide ease of access; sub-acute and transitional care centers that reassuringly assist patients in the transition home; and rehabilitation units and revenue-producing wellness centers designed to keep the patient away from inpatient beds but within the system of care.

Integration is also spurring the provider beyond the hospital's campus to reach out to the community and to bring services to the doorstep of the patient. Moving patients out of the inpatient unit as early as possible is creating demands for lower-cost transitional settings, home and hospice care, and telephone case management. The emphasis on prevention, wellness, and education is giving rise to outreach programs, family medicine, community-based primary care clinics, and smaller primary satellites in accessible locations. The increasing aging of the population is driving a full range of developments, from traditional nursing homes to luxurious retirement communities for independent, extended, and assisted living. Medicine and self-care programs are being utilized with electronic connections back to the provider, creating global networks of specialists.

As the vision for a network of care comes into focus, healthcare facilities are being designed as integrated environments for the healthy, as well as healing environments for the ill.

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.

Change and Technology In Real Estate and Construction

This summary highlights a number of the principal underlying trends and initiatives which are currently shaping the long-term characteristics of the US construction industry. The hypothesis is that such can only be realized through the simultaneous combination of business process change and the complementary implementation of new IT support systems.

The most encouraging aspect of such initiatives is that, for the most part, they are being undertaken on an integrated and cohesive basis and address the same set of underlying criteria.Those taking part and driving such change include leading commercial, consultancy, trade and professional organizations and universities. The funding for such activities is being made available via a variety of sources including US Government research programs, direct commercial sponsorship and the subscription to more generic studies and initiatives by joint industry-academic bodies.

Technology As A Major Change Enabler

(a) The Potential

As demonstrated by the varied (but nevertheless interrelated) objectives identified by studies, there are now several major areas of strategic industry focus currently gathering pace and high level commercial, professional and governmental support within the US.

A common underlying factor in nearly all cases however is the importance and value of information and the implementation of new communication networks such as intranets to support client and project team information management, access, flow and exchange between both remote office based staff and the construction site itself. In addition there is also the increasing potential for the introduction of other leading edge technologies such as PC based video conferencing and electronic whiteboards for group working, 24 hour access to live site based 'birds eye' video, 3D virtual reality modelling and augmented reality applications all of which have on-line project oriented capability.

Furthermore, there are emerging portable technologies such as bar coding and the use of portable digital assistants for site based staff use with support for sending and receiving data such as work- in-progress valuations and materials delivery recording. The real added value however is in approaching all such systems strategically and ensuring their interoperability and integration in operation across a common project communication network.

Construction organizations are proving themselves to be increasingly ready, willing and able to invest in proven administrative based, proprietary office systems developed by the major IT hardware and software vendors and which admirably cater for everyday operational tasks such as accounting, sales and marketing presentations. Where it is more difficult for such organizations however, is in relation to more strategic and industry specific applications and especially those which require a fundamental review of predominant and traditional methods and processes and the acquisition of new technical skills at both managerial, consultant and site-level.

The US is particularly well supported by high level university based construction research which have close relationships with the industry and where a good number of leading edge initiatives are being investigated and modeled for commercial application.

In addition, because of the scale of funding and the publicity that tends to be generated as a result, knowledge dissemination of such projects is guaranteed useful profile via the press, conferences and exhibitions etc. In this way, the gospel of strategic industry thinking and trends towards cultural and process related paradigm shifts and the application of new technology, tends to permeate through to all levels of commercial and professional representation with individual organizations and practitioners focusing on specific elements relevant to their own specific areas of operational interest.

But what are the technologies under development and how are they being applied specifically in relation to construction?

(b) Technological Convergence

One of the keywords used in current technology circles is 'convergence'. Convergence accurately describes the trend towards the integration, interrelationship and blurring of the distinction between computing and communication technologies. Such convergence is simply the result of the ability to convert all kinds of different information into digital format. (E.g: text, sound, video, speech, graphical images and drawings).

This means that particularly when coupled with new dedicated digital based communication infrastructures the diversity of possible new domestic and industry-specific applications and services is now leading to the introduction of such technologies as digital interactive TV, video-on-demand,etc. What we are really talking about of course is Multimedia.

(c) Multimedia Applications

The fact that multimedia technologies are now only beginning to filter through into everyday life actually belies the underlying development that has occurred during the last three years to the point where multimedia technologies and networks are being utilized to support a wide variety of serious commercial applications in all manner of business sectors.

Multimedia technologies have particular potential within the property and construction industry not only in a general business management sense but also in relation to industry specific activities such as surveying, design, project management, information gathering and sales and marketing.

The early multimedia applications proven popular via CD-ROM and first generation Internet/World Wide Web services running over existing copper telephone lines, have helped to identify a strong potential long- term market for multimedia. This has in turn given greater confidence to public and private network providers who, following global telecommunication liberalization and deregulation, are now investing heavily in designing and developing a high hierarchy of different local, regional, national and international networks capable of supporting a variety of combined digital multimedia data and telephony services.

Such networks offer different levels of speed and capacity to suit different end-user needs and utilize a variety of clever compression techniques designed to help achieve an optimum balance between quality, speed and cost.

As a result of the development of such networks, this in turn has stimulated a new round of multimedia application and service development geared to the specific capabilities of different network technologies. These network technologies are aimed at the different needs of demanding, high-end group work based business users such as the construction industry.

By now we had reached the point where multimedia represents the single most important global focus for both the information technology and telecommunication industries. The increasing potential for both business and domestic related multimedia applications and the means by which they can be delivered, received and interacted with means that mass market development is occurring at a point where many of the aspects of using such technology have already been resolved.

In addition, the required level of average user understanding and ability to access and utilize a whole new range of multimedia based applications and services is really no more than is required to cope with the latest generation of TV set.

The marketing and promotion of such multimedia applications and services will therefore focus on their user-friendly functionality and cost-effective benefits rather than the nature of the underlying technologies themselves. The most successful services and applications will be those which are seamless and transparent and 'just work'.

(d) Multimedia Technologies

Multimedia technologies are now being used to develop all kinds of diverse general and specialist applications and which in relation to the construction industry include, for example, PC video conferencing based group working, 3D virtual reality, on-line construction product and cost data information, survey data gathering using PDA's (portable digital assistants) and training and education. One of the most important multimedia software applications is the Web browser.

The web browser represents the most potent single source interface to online multimedia communications, products and services and its development has been phenomenal. Web browsers are increasingly being developed as project management interfaces, capable of supporting a variety of integrated and seamless applications such as video conferencing and electronic whiteboards for group working. Web browsers are also able to act as the interface to server push based technologies such as web casting which enable new and highly potent methods for delivering commercial and educational multimedia web-based content automatically to a wide range of industry and specific project based clients and individual consumers.

Delivery systems will include a wide range of cable, digital broadcast, satellite, and intranet based multimedia networks serving both PC and TV. Web casting will even provide the ability to combine conventional TV program content with interactive web page support information which can be supplied as part of the overall broadcast signal and displayed in a separate part of the screen.

Multimedia Networks

• Intranets


The move to using Internet-based protocols on internal networks has given rise to the concept of Intranets which are effectively private multimedia networks.

Intranets provide the means for both the controlled internal access to multimedia information and resources and the control of external access to on-line services such as the WWW. In addition, gateways can be provided which permit intranet interconnection so that a particular company's intranet can be connected to that of a major client or supplier for example.

• Mobile Multimedia

As part of the online multimedia revolution, no review would be complete without briefly considering current developments in relation to mobile technologies and their supporting networks.

There is recognition of a growing need for more potent mobile capability and the need for a wider range of mobile and handheld devices which have a greater degree of integration and interoperability with fixed desktops and "back at base" networks. This particular area has great potential for use in relation to on-site based real estate, estate management, facilities management and construction applications.

• Broadband Delivery Systems

The latest generation of broadband networks will not only provide the means for more potent access to on-line PC related networked multimedia resources but also introduce more consumer services such as interactive digital TV and video-on-demand.

Optical fiber will play an increasingly important role in the establishment of broadband networks. As far as the domestic market is concerned installation will mostly be provided on a Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTM) basis for the future. For commercial users however, some providers are now providing full Fiber-to-the-Building (FTTB) connection and this is an increasingly important consideration in relation to building specifications for owner occupiers and tenants.

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.

How To Be Lucky In The New Business Environment

A commonly held view is that luck is something we cannot control. Either you have it or you don't. However there are some people who appear to always get lucky in life and in business. They seem to just fall into opportunity after opportunity. They make everything look easy.

Upon closer inspection of these extraordinarily lucky people we find that they really are no different from the rest of us. So what is it that time and time again tips fate in their direction? In reality, these people are not just waiting for good fortune to fall upon them. They are constantly taking steps to improve their odds. By improving their odds and limiting their bad luck, these people are making their own good fortune. You can too.

"A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds."
Francis Bacon

Ways to tip the luck scale in your favor:

- Adopt a winning attitude -- In today's business world we often hear about the win/win relationship. By constantly striving to have a winning attitude yourself, you will find that your relationship with your customers, your suppliers and even your employees will be favorable. Favorable relationships create an atmosphere ripe for good luck. As the owner of a contracting business, you set the standard. Usually your employees will follow suit. It also helps to surround yourself with positive thinking people. Often your employees will have a close connection with your customers, so it is important that they too are tipping the scale in your favor. This positive attitude brings many business opportunities that would otherwise be missed.

- View daily chance encounters as opportunities -- Daily chance encounters are here and gone before we know it. View each one as an opportunity for enhancing your good luck quotient. Whether you are talking with a supplier about a recall on a product or discussing options on a maintenance agreement with a customer, each contact you make is a chance for you to get lucky and may provide your company with future business. The network that you create is like a spider's web attracting luck and tipping the scale in your favor.

- Go the extra mile -- In making your own luck, you still need to persevere and strive for excellence in your position, by working hard, getting organized and going the extra mile. While we all have strengths and weaknesses, the people who find ways to work around their weaknesses and provide outstanding customer service, will have greater control over their luck. (For example: if being organized is simply not one of your strengths, find someone or something to help you in this arena.) It may be that the software you are using for your business is not adequate for the job. Consider making a change to a software vendor that provides a product specifically designed for your industry. With the right software product you can greatly control the accuracy and ease with which you can retrieve customers' data. The accuracy of the data at your fingertips can tip the "lucky scale" in either direction.

- Be enthusiastic and passionate about what you do -- If you like what you are doing, it shows. Your passion for the HVAC/R industry may not be shared by all, but that passion can be contagious to everyone you encounter. When an individual is truly excited about the industry they work in and the job they do, others often have a desire to be supportive. If you are not happy in what you are doing, consider why you started in the business in the first place. Your unhappiness will have an effect on the luck that you make for your business and it will show in your company's bottom line. Find a way to regain your enthusiasm and boost sales.

Ways to minimize your bad luck:

- Accept human error -- In the hectic, deceptive world that we live in, it is easy to forget that sometimes honesty is still the best policy. When you make an error, own up to it and find a way to remedy the situation. Your customer will value your integrity and remember you for it. Accept that your employees will make errors as well. By accepting and acknowledging the error, you can better help them find a solution. Although human errors will occur, how you react to them makes a difference in whether your luck turns bad or becomes a positive influence for you.

- View the glass as "half full" -- This can be a mental exercise or game that you continually play with yourself. As problems arise, take an introspective look and consider how it may have been worse. By considering how it could have been worse you automatically shift your current thinking into a more positive light. If you allow yourself to slip into "the glass is half empty" thinking it can become a dangerous slide toward creating bad luck. Consistently challenge yourself to find a way to view daily situations with a positive perspective. Remind yourself that "the glass is always half full" and it will be. In fact you may find that with this frame of mind - your cup runneth over.

- Know when to stay away from a bad deal -- There are some situations that you will run across that simply will lead you toward future bad luck. Knowing when to stay away from a deal is as important as knowing when to stand up and grab it. By staying away from people or business situations that have the potential to lead into negative consequences, you minimize the odds of bad luck following you.

By finding ways to continually tip the luck scale in your direction you will make your own good fortune. The right software could be the biggest factor in tipping the scale in your favor. If you are looking to get ahead in the contracting business, consider how you are balancing the scale on a daily basis. A wealth of opportunities are out there waiting for those who know how to take advantage of them. The good fortune that follows you will impact your company's growth. Soon others will be wondering why everything you touch turns to gold. Let 'em keep guessing!

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.

What Does Internet-Enabled Mean To The Average Construction Professional?

Expanding your usage of Internet tools, like intranets, will bring your business new opportunities to work smarter, and in certain cases, generate new revenue streams.

Is it something that must be provided for and demanded from software providers?

Not necessarily. Software providers can pre-package solutions only within certain parameters. Three parameters that stand out are value, scope and time.

The first parameter, the perception of value, means if you can get Internet software for free that is developed for the masses, will a vertical market like the AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) industry be willing to pay for AEC focused Internet tools? This is a tough question for software providers to answer as the perception in the AEC market is that Internet software should remain free, no matter what the added value. Large software vendors like are addressing this issue by integrating Internet technologies within their traditional software offerings. As for fully developed solutions that you can purchase off the shelf, they do not exist yet.

Internet technologies are not just about software. So software providers that claim total solutions are not telling the entire story. The second, and more important element, of integrating Internet technologies within your business is Cultural. The ease of use and low initial cost of implementation make the cultural shift into the Information Age (aka: Internet-enabled) an easier shift than any previous Information Technology phase we have gone through as an industry. But just because it's easier, does not mean that it's without its difficulties. Getting your business to adopt to performing their traditional jobs electronically can be a daunting task. Add into the issues that the majority of AEC work is performed remotely outside the office, and you have a huge challenge.

Another parameter is scope. The Internet and its associated technologies are best implemented when you combine business goals (ie: communicating more effectively to the field) with the proper level of technology (ie: an Internet connection to the field). This brings a difficult level of detail to the software vendors. If there is no one way that all businesses perform tasks, than how do you write computer code to handle all possible scenarios? The Internet allows you to quickly and easily perform functions of your job without the need for proprietary software. But it does make sense that certain tasks, like CAD production, become Internet-enabled by your existing software.

An additional parameter is time. If Internet technologies change on the average of every 12 weeks, how can an established software vendor react to the changing technologies in a timely manner. Getting AEC-specific Internet products to market is a major hurdle that our existing AEC software manufacturers are struggling with. One solution that is being considered is software distribution over the Internet as a download. The complex issues of traditional software and other software team members will have to be addressed before this means of getting tools to the AEC community can be addressed in earnest.
Are there different levels of Internet-enabled that a contractor should look for?

There are three distinct levels of Internet-enabled that a contractor can benchmark themselves to.

One: Computer-Aided Business

Our industry began its integration of Information technology by embracing computers to automate manual tasks. We began to use computers to write letters, compose specifications, electronically draft through Computer Assisted Drafting (CAD) and numerous other tasks that we used to do manually. This period of technology expansion has been known as Computer-Aided Business. While a necessary first period of evolution, the Computer-Aided Business model has limitations. During this period, individual's create digital information available to only themselves on individual computers. This has lead to "Islands of Automation" within our business environment. In the Internet environment, this can be related to a company putting up a Website that acts as an electronic brochure.

Two: Computer Integrated Business

The next evolutionary step can be called connections. We bring our "Island's of Automation" together by allowing computers to communicate with each other through computer networks. By connecting our different computer hardware, different software programs, and different locations, we pull together a collective knowledge that we could not have had using traditional methods. We are beginning to see computer integration's infinite power and value by connecting different locations through the Internet. As we, and the technology, mature through time we ask the technology to perform tasks that can not be accomplished manually. Technology brings with it new ideas and thoughts on how we can perform our tasks more productively and efficiently. As we become more comfortable with technology, we allow it to integrate into our businesses. We begin to utilize the potential of technology beyond traditional methods. This period of growth is known as Computer Integrated Business. No longer are we held captive to traditional manual solutions to problems within our business. We begin to expect that the technology will provide a solution.

Three: Information Based Business

The final phase is when technology becomes transparent to the business. During this period, it's no longer a strategic competitive advantage to have the latest and greatest computer hardware and software. It's expected as a natural fact. The use of technology and information during this phase becomes as transparent and factual as the four walls that define the office. This final goal is known as the Information Based Business. The simplification of hardware, software and connectivity brings to you and your business the true power of information technology in a cost and time effective way. Applied technologies such as Intranets and Extranets are the forerunners of this concept. Web-enabled Construction Documents are an outgrowth of this concept. The implications of "live" specifications and drawings by linking information in your computer, on your network and on the Internet are already being utilized by firms worldwide. Implementation of Virtual Private Networks (VPN's), Virtual Job Trailer's and Electronic Plan Rooms are also the results of an Information Based Business.

What industry trends will make the use of Internet-like media critical to the majority of the construction profession?

The integration and coordination of distributed, digital project information is one of the great challenges to our industry. This has been exacerbated by the growing use of the design/build method of project delivery where timely information is critical to the overall success of the project and its team. The Internet brings a cost-effective and powerful solution to every person on the project team, no matter what level of computer-literacy one may have.

Just competition?

Competition is always a driver to adoption of concepts into action. Of course, if your main competition has found a competitive advantage by using Internet technologies, you will adopt these technologies yourself. But a more important driver is Internet usage as a requirement by owners and clients.

Owner/operator involvement?

A remarkable trend that has come to the forefront in the past few years are the announcements from major corporate clients that knowledge of how to use the Internet is now considered a requirement to continue to do business with them.

The only team member that will directly benefit from implementing Internet technologies on a project is the owner. The time saved by using these technologies directly affects the overall production of the building. In other words, the quicker the owner can occupy the building, the more aggressively the solution will be implemented. The different ways you can implement Internet technologies within your own business will be the differentiating factor between you and your competition.

What are the limitations of the Internet today and how will those be resolved in the near future?

Two major limitations are perception of The Internet's capabilities and bandwidth.

Too much hype and not enough AEC business adaptation have hurt the image of the Internet. Having a Website doe not guarantee business growth. Only through a carefully planned strategic Internet/Information Technology plan can a business hope to leverage the power of the Internet. It will not be leveraged by "Brochure-ware" Web sites, but by implementation into the everyday process of each AEC business. This problem is being addressed and led by owner/clients who are requiring these technologies, just to remain doing business with them. It's remarkable how fast a technology will be adopted and cultural issues go away when a client requires a technology.

What are some other ideas regarding the implementation of the Internet?

There are 10 powerful emerging trends on our industry that the Internet is having a direct effect:

1. Client IT Demands/ Project Extranets
2. Value Migration
3. Construction Information Management (CIM): Systems Integration
4. Powerful Remote Devices
5. Paper Is Not Going Away
6. Virtual Private Networks
7. Architectural Information Systems (IS) as Profit Centers
8. IP Addressable Objects
9. Franchised AEC Service & Information Centers
10. Wireless access

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.

Benchmarking Energy Use And Management Opportunities

Before managers can develop a program to cut energy use, they must determine their facility's potential energy savings. One method of assessing that potential is to benchmark energy requirements against those of similar facilities. Before undertaking benchmarking, however, they must determine the energy use levels in their facility.

Determining energy use

Facilities use energy in a number of different forms. Managers should review energy use records and add them by fuel type for a one-year period. To determine total facility energy use, convert each annual fuel use total to its Btu equivalent, then add them up.

It is important to include all fuel - electricity, natural gas, propane and oil - in the calculations. Once the total energy use has been determined, managers should normalize it to allow for comparisons with use in other facilities.

Managers can use several techniques to compare facility energy use, but a widely accepted measure is the energy use index (EUI). The EUI, expressed in Btu per square foot per year, is the total energy use of a facility divided by its total occupied or conditioned square footage. Unconditioned spaces are generally excluded.

The EUI has drawbacks. It doesn't normalize energy use for climate changes. Also, the EUI doesn't account for variations in the use of similar facilities. For example, two office buildings may have different EUI values, due to different occupancy schedules. One may be occupied for 10 hours each day, while the other is occupied for 24 hours a day.

Benchmarking energy use

The key to successful benchmarking using the EUI is careful selection of facilities. There are two sources for benchmarking EUI data: published data and other maintenance managers.

There are a number of different sources for published EUI data, including government publications, trade association reports and energy management handbooks. One of the most comprehensive sources for such data is Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption and Expenditures from the U.S. the Department of Energy.

The publication lists average EUI values for a range of building types differentiated by such factors as age, size, climate, occupancy schedules, construction and energy source. By selecting the most appropriate building category from the data, maintenance managers can estimate their potential for energy savings in their facility.

Selecting conservation targets

Once a manager has determined a facility's energy savings potential, the next step is deciding on areas of focus. The key to successful reductions is concentrating efforts on areas that offer the greatest potential and highest rates of return on the investment. Once those measures are implemented, managers can look elsewhere. The greatest potential for greater energy efficiency in many facilities lies in the major energy-using systems: chillers, cooling towers, boilers and lights.

Lighting systems offer potential energy savings through changes in operations and maintenance. Before considering major lighting replacement or upgrade programs, though, make certain the existing system operates efficiently and effectively.

Tour the facility. In how many areas are lights left on when nobody is in the space? What controls are installed on lighting systems? If you find more than a few cases in which lights are operating in unoccupied spaces, consider installing automatic lighting controls, such as occupancy sensors. Energy savings achieved by automatic controls typically pay for their installation in one to two years.

Next, review fluorescent lighting system maintenance. In spite of the lower labor costs and higher efficiency associated with group relamping, many facilities continue to replace burnt out lamps on a spot basis. By group relamping when lamps reach 70-80 percent of rated life, labor costs are cut by 90 percent. Average lighting levels also improve, as lamps are replaced before light output has deteriorated.

Finally, consider the efficiency of light sources. Consider replacing incandescent bulbs with fluorescent or compact fluorescent lamps. Upgrade standard fluorescent lamps to lamps with high-efficiency electronic ballasts.

Managers continue the efforts by examining maintenance records for other primary energy-using systems:

• When were they installed?


• Have they experienced significant maintenance problems?

• Do boilers, cooling towers and chillers have an effective water treatment program?

• Are chillers opened every one-two years for inspection/cleaning?

• How often are cooling towers inspected and cleaned?

• Are boilers inspected and cleaned annually?

If maintenance has been deferred for even a few years, large potential energy savings lie in performing required maintenance. The systems may be operating, but not operating efficiently unless maintenance tasks are performed regularly.

Before looking into replacing units with higher-efficiency models or installing energy-efficient controls or variable frequency drives, make sure in-place systems operate efficiently. If existing systems are not properly maintained, the same can happen to new systems.

Replacements and upgrades

Additional savings can be found upgrading or replacing systems with new technology. Direct digital controls, variable-speed drives and automatic combustion controls all can be retrofit to provide additional energy savings, provided existing systems operate efficiently.

In some cases, to gain major energy efficiency improvements, systems must be replaced. If systems are approaching the end of performance life or if they cause major maintenance problems, it may be more cost-effective to replace them than to overhaul them.

Whatever systems are installed today to improve energy efficiency, however, must be properly maintained or efficiency improvements will rapidly disappear.

For managers to deliver energy efficiency gains, they need a program that identifies opportunities for improving performance through proper maintenance of energy-using systems, application of new technologies to existing systems and replacement of inefficient systems with new, high-efficiency ones. By following these steps, managers can make their facilities benchmarks for others.

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.

HVAC Natural Gas Chillers Can Help Manage Peak-Demand Electrical Loads

Choosing a chiller system

Hybrid systems are popular because they offer choices such as gas chiller operation during peak electrical periods and standard electrical chiller usage during off-peak hours. In some instances, standard electrical chillers have not been used because of the efficient operation of the main gas-chiller system.

The process of gas absorption uses an evaporator and condenser much like conventional vapor compression units. However, instead of using a standard electrical compressor and motor, a thermal compression system is used.

Within a simplified thermal compression system, an absorber and generator are integrated along with a pumping system. An evaporator removes heat from the circulating water system to produce cool water. From the evaporator, refrigerant vapor moves to an absorber where it is compressed and absorbed into a solution, usually lithium bromide. This solution then moves to the generator where heat - either direct-fired gas or steam - is added to remove the refrigerant from the solution.

The solution then goes through heat exchangers and is returned to the absorber. The refrigerant returns to the condenser where it is liquefied and sent back to the evaporator. The entire cycle then starts over again.

Gas-fired steam absorption chillers work in much the same manner as direct-fired gas chillers. The main difference is that the heat source for the generator is usually an external gas-fired boiler system. These systems are favorable for facilities that have a boiler system already installed on site.

In addition to being either gas-fired steam absorption or direct-fired gas, chillers are categorized into two different types: Single-effect and double-effect. There is a triple-effect being developed. Single-effect, or single-stage, absorption chillers usually require low internal pressures around 20 psig to produce chilled water. Double-effect, or two-stage, absorption chillers work at a much higher pressure, around 40 to 140 psig. These chillers also have an extra generator integrated into the absorption system that increases the efficiency by about 30 percent. Double-effect chillers are currently more popular than the single-effect types.

Many direct-fired absorption chillers are dual-fuel rated. Natural gas is commonly the primary fuel, however No. 2 fuel oil can be used as an alternate. If for any reason the natural gas supply is interrupted, having the capability to use an emergency fuel may be invaluable. This fuel redundancy may be an important purchasing factor for many facility professionals.

Maintenance requirements for gas-absorption chillers are minimal. Pump seals need inspecting periodically if the pumps are not hermetically rated. In addition, scaling and sludge build-up are areas of concern with this equipment. However, automatic chiller and purge controls, along with periodic general maintenance checks, will alleviate most of these potential problems.

Equipment size can be a concern for some facilities. Typically, gas absorption chillers are larger than standard electrical chillers of the same Btu rating. Adequate space needs to be allowed for any gas chiller retrofit or new installation.

Gas-absorption chillers

One of the benefits of using gas-absorption chillers is that it produces enough heat to also activate certain dehumidification systems, which are becoming important components of HVAC systems. Molds, mildews and bacteria flourish in high-humidity conditions. Controlling humidity reduces risks to human health and ensures that sensitive manufacturing processes can be conducted. Dehumidification also increases cooling efficiency. In some instances, installing a dehumidification system can reduce a building's cooling load by as much as 50 percent.

Solid desiccant dehumidification systems remove moisture from the air by implementing a heat-activated material. Although a complete system contains many components, the main internal component is the desiccant wheel. Usually the desiccant wheel is divided into two halves. One half allows unconditioned air to enter where the air is then dried. When this half becomes saturated with moisture, it is rotated into a heated area that subsequently regenerates the desiccant in that half of the wheel. Within this rotating cycle, one half of the wheel regenerates while the other half absorbs moisture.

Absorption chillers are not the only means in which gas can be adapted to conserve electrical consumption. Gas-driven chillers are another viable means to reduce peak electrical costs. The chiller portion of this unit is really just a standard vapor compression system driven by an externally powered internal combustion engine. Typically, with this type of unit, the engine couples directly to the input shaft of a rotary-type chiller. The engine can be operated with many fuels, including natural gas, LP or diesel. Cogeneration systems are a possible addition when an external engine is used in this way. Hot water, steam, dehumidification, cooling and electricity production all use an internal combustion engine as a power source.

Although most gas chiller systems are not as well-known as the conventional electrically driven chiller systems, they are becoming more popular because of rising electrical costs. Many facility executives are experiencing lower electrical consumption since they have made the transition to gas cooling. When making gas chiller decisions, it may be a good idea to get advice from facility executives that have already made the transition. Their input and the help of qualified energy management engineers will help in making a wise energy choice.

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.

For Facility Executives, The Bottom Line Can’t Be Measured Only In Dollars And Cents

When it comes to the bottom line, there are two ways that organizations can look at the facilities they occupy. The traditional approach is to see facilities as a cost. This focus on the inputs to a business process leads naturally to cost control and expense cuts as organizations strive to reduce expenditures, cut staff, economize and minimize. Many real estate and facility executives report that their organizational culture and priorities drive them to this exclusive focus on cost containment.

But there is another way of looking at facilities, and it gets back to the reason organizations have buildings in the first place: to get work done as efficiently and effectively as possible. Seen from this perspective, the facility can have a positive bottom-line impact by helping improve employee productivity.

We might call the older approach an input-oriented perspective: Corporate real estate and facility executives are simply suppliers of workplaces, providing complex products - buildings, furnishings, technology - and services. These executives have little direct concern about the ultimate impact of their products and services on the organization as a whole.

Contrast that worldview with a newer outlook - output-oriented, if you will. These facilities organizations focus on helping the core business to be more effective and competitive by helping employees to be more productive. To them, the buildings, with their furnishings and support services, are means, not ends. Economy, efficiency and skillful management of physical assets are still necessary, but will no longer suffice. These workplace service providers are committed to outcomes such as improved productivity, rather than inputs such as desks and chairs. Top priority goes to meeting the needs of the occupants, by adding value to core business processes, and responding to changes in the core business workforce, all to best contribute to organizational success.

Top facility executives have only recently started to think about how to increase the added value to the primary process, or core business, of their organization. These executives realize that they must not only address the issues of cost control and income, but also must develop and implement a strategy to support the core business.

What kinds of facility and real estate departments seem to be focusing most on productivity? Interestingly, the move toward productivity generally began in centralized facilities and real estate departments, not departments that are part of individual business units. That's the opposite of what one would have expected: Decentralized departments should, in theory, be closer to their customers and have a better sense of the real needs of the organization. But, in reality, these executives typically focused on cutting costs or on increasing the value of the real estate portfolio.

By contrast, adding value to the core business, or optimizing the core business, became a top priority for a surprising number of centralized facility and real estate departments. This was true even though, in traditional corporate organizations, the central units are the least integrated with specific processes of the business units.

Why did this role reversal happen? Perhaps because the centralized departments saw that their internal customers - the core business units - might decide at some point to buy workplace services and support direct from the marketplace, i.e. not from or through an in-house facilities department. That meant the facilities department had to see itself as competing with firms already in the marketplace - powerful discipline to focus on the customer.

In any case, over the last few years, there have been signs that the decentralized departments have also begun to focus on productivity. To the extent that this trend continues, decentralized departments should be well-positioned to add significant value to their organizations.

Of course, not all organizations - centralized or decentralized - walk the talk when it comes to management priorities. Some do indeed give first priority to serving occupants; for years their management has been building this perspective into their group culture. For the rest, the focus on the customer is the destination, but not yet the achievement, at the hands-on staff levels.

Satisfaction Plus Delight

Adding value to the core business includes meeting the needs of work processes as well as of people; it also includes going beyond what is recognized as necessary and is explicitly asked for. Economy and efficiency are of course necessary but not sufficient. This is periodically confirmed by an ongoing survey of true facility end-users: hundreds of thousands of occupants of facilities provided by the U.S. General Services Administration's Public Buildings Service. The survey has found that good service and good technical performance are expected, even taken for granted. They only become an issue for occupants if significant deficiencies exist.

PBS established a goal of increasing customer satisfaction to a specified level. It found from the survey that a huge increase in effort to upgrade basic technical performance, such as HVAC or cleaning, in thousands of smaller buildings would not bring occupant satisfaction up to target. Nationally, the top driver of overall satisfaction was "responsiveness with regard to procedures for obtaining services" and that was more of an issue in large buildings than small.

The added value, expressed as delight, comes when workplace innovations make it easier for people to do the new necessary tasks that are being invented at the same time. Workplace changes must keep pace with changes in work processes and people while respecting the workers' priorities for quality of life.

Integrating Facilities

To be fully effective, workplace improvements need to be integrated with appropriate technology and work processes. As time goes on, the management of workplaces will be integrated into the management of business processes. Consider the history of corporate management information systems (MIS) over the last two decades. MIS was once a stand-alone department. CEOs relied on their MIS managers to oversee the corporate computerized business systems and the mainframe hardware on which they ran. Business units and headquarters each identified information technology (IT) requirements and relied on the MIS department to develop application programs and deliver information. CEOs and line managers delegated to the MIS people the role of identifying needed IT investments and of recommending priorities in MIS support for the business.

That is no longer good enough for companies that use IT to gain strategic advantage. IT has become a core element of their business plans. It can make viable a widespread empowerment of managers and staff by giving them access to the information they need for decision-making. It can be the core of new products and services. IT is integrated into almost every work process of retailers and petroleum, pharmaceutical, airline and trucking companies.

CEOs are recognizing that strategic management of IT is at the heart of companies' business processes. These processes, such as the order fulfillment cycle or the product delivery process, bridge divisions or departments of the organization. Today, some CEOs are former senior executives of MIS, and many have sufficient expertise to manage IT as an integral part of their role. Further, they are distributing IT expertise and leadership in support of business processes instead of delegating IT responsibilities to a central, separate support group.

As IT becomes pervasive, it enables a transformation of the workplace. Much work that a decade ago could only be done on corporate or government premises has become location-independent. New processes made practicable by IT happen in places chosen for convenience of the buyer, not the seller. For instance, making a bank deposit or transfer was once done by going to a branch bank or mailing paper to the bank; now it is done by the customer, whether at an ATM in a shopping mall or on the street, over the telephone, or from a desktop computer in the customer's office or a notebook computer anywhere.

As with IT a decade ago, workplaces are starting to become an identified component of business competitiveness. They are becoming key to emerging business processes. To some companies, the automobile has already graduated from a transportation vehicle to a primary workplace. A field engineer who has the tools to operate anywhere, anytime, may need an office desk, not a private, permanent office. Indeed, small cubicles in an open-plan office might be shared among several engineers on a part time, as-needed basis.

The corporate paradigm is shifting from command-and-control hierarchies to teams that drive processes. Expertise in providing and supporting workplace facilities and services will be a necessary and accepted component of those teams, as today's CEOs recognize the corporate advantage in their interconnected information processes.

Julian Arhire is a Manager with DtiCorp.com - DtiCorp.com carries more than 35,000 HVAC products, including industrial, commercial and residential parts and equipment from Honeywell, Johnson Contols, Robertshaw, Jandy, Grundfos, Armstrong and more.