Blog

Data Center Energy

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:22:00 GMT

A typical data center uses about as much energy for cooling as it does to power the servers. Some data centers however use significantly less. Google generally uses only about 20% of the cooling energy that a typical data center does.

The two biggest items that allow them to operate so efficiently are allowing a higher temperature, and using outdoor air for cooling. The American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has worked with the equipment manufacturers to determine what temperatures and humidity can be used. The current recommendation is for temperatures between 64 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The minimum humidity level has also been expanded and a minimum of 30% is allowable at the higher end of the temperature range. The maximum temperatures require an adjustment based on the elevation above sea level. The allowable maximum temperature for the most critical equipment is 89 degrees.

For operations that are classified less than mission critical, even wider temperature and humidity ranges allow outside air to be used without mechanical cooling or humidity control for many months of the year. Since this is the least energy intensive method of cooling significant energy savings can be realized.

Of course higher temperatures shorten the lifespan of the servers. On the other hand the cooler temperatures lengthen the life span. A study showed blade hardware server failures in the range of 2.5 to 3.8% over twelve months in two different data centers with supply temperatures of approximately 68⁰ F. In a similar data center that included an air-side economizer with temperatures occasionally ranging to 95⁰ F (at an elevation around 5200 feet) the failure rate was 4.5%. Failure in that study was defined as anytime a server required hardware attention. No attempt to categorize the failure mechanisms was made. In some areas of the country 95 degrees could be maintained without the use of any mechanical cooling which may make a 1% increase in the failure rate look attractive.

Since tape storage and printing operations have more stringent temperature and humidity control levels they should be separated from the rest of the data center.

Of course there are caveats. The wider temperature ranges are only for new equipment. At the lower humidity levels static electricity must be dealt with. Redundancy of the cooling equipment must be considered and noise levels in the room actually go up significantly as all the server fans speed up.

2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) Changes

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:08:00 GMT

The International Code Council (ICC) was established in 1994 as a non-profit organization dedicated to developing a single set of broad and coordinated national construction codes. The three founders of the ICC are Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc. (BOCA), International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO), and Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc. (SBCCI). Because construction codes varied too much from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, there was a need to make all jurisdictional codes similar for the safety of the public. So, the nation’s three code groups created the International Code Council and the International Codes or I-Codes without regional limitations.

The publications included:
-         The International Building Code (IBC)
-         International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)
-         International Existing Building Code (IEBC)
-         International Fire Code (IFC)
-         International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC)
-         International Mechanical Code (IMC)
-         International Plumbing Code (IPC)
-         International Private Sewage Disposal Code (IPSDC)
-         International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC)
-         International Residential Code (IRC)
-         International Wild land Urban Interface Code (IWUIC)
-         International Zoning Code (IZC)
-         ICC Performance Code

The International Codes, or I-Codes, published by ICC, are to protect the health, safety and welfare of people by creating safe buildings and communities. The I-Codes are a complete set of comprehensive, coordinated building safety and fire prevention codes. Fifty states and the District of Columbia have adopted the I-Codes at the state or jurisdictional level. Federal agencies including the Architect of the Capitol, General Services Administration, National Park Service, Department of State, U.S. Forest Service and the Veterans Administration also enforce the I-Codes. The Department of Defense references the International Building Code for constructing military facilities, including those that house U.S. troops, domestically and abroad. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands enforce one or more of the I-Codes.

In 1998, the ICC released the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), followed by a 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009 version. The IECC is a model energy code that covers lighting in addition to other energy using building systems. Every year the building industry gains more knowledge and technology that helps reduce the building energy consumptions. So in turn, the ICC makes changes that reflect those technological advances in new updated codes. Currently most jurisdictions are changing from the 2006 to the 2009 IECC. Below is a list of the code changes that require design changes in commercial applications.

505.2.2.3. Daylight zone control. Daylight zones, as defined by this code, shall be provided with individual controls that control the lights independent of general area lighting. Contiguous daylight zones adjacent to vertical fenestration are allowed to be controlled by a single controlling device provided that they do not include zones facing more than two adjacent cardinal orientations (i.e., north, east, south, and west). Daylight zones under skylights more than 15 ft. from the perimeter shall be controlled separately from daylight zones adjacent to vertical fenestration.

Exception: Daylight spaces enclosed by walls or ceiling height partitions and containing two or fewer light fixtures are not required to have a separate switch for general area lighting.

505.2.4 Exterior lighting controls. Lighting not designated for dusk-to-dawn operation shall be controlled by either a combination of a photo-sensor and a time switch, or an astronomical time switch. Lighting designated for dusk-to-dawn operation shall be controlled by an astronomical time switch or photo-sensor. All time switches shall be capable of retaining programming and the time setting during loss of power for a period of at least 10 hours.

505.5.1 Total connected interior lighting power. The total connected interior lighting power (watts) shall be the sum of the watts of all interior lighting equipment as determined in accordance with Sections 505.5.1.1 through 505.5.1.4.

Exceptions:
1. The connected power associated with the following lighting equipment is not included in calculating total connected lighting power.
1.1 Professional sports arena playing field lighting.
1.2 Sleeping unit lighting in hotels, motels, boarding houses or similar buildings.
1.3 Emergency lighting automatically off during normal business operation.
1.4 Lighting in spaces specifically designed for use by occupants with special lighting needs including the visually impaired visual impairment and other medical and age related issues.
1.5 Lighting in interior spaces that have been specifically designated as a registered interior historic landmark.
1.6 Casino gaming areas.
2. Lighting equipment used for the following shall be exempt provided that it is in addition to general lighting and is controlled by an independent control device:
2.1. Task lighting for medical and dental purposes.
2.2. Display lighting for exhibits in galleries, museums and monuments.
3. Lighting for theatrical purposes, including performance, stage, film production and video production.
4. Lighting for photographic processes.
5. Lighting integral to equipment or instrumentation and is installed by the manufacturer.
6. Task lighting for plant growth or maintenance.
7. Advertising signage or directional signage.
8. In restaurant buildings and areas, lighting for food warming or integral to food reparation equipment.
9. Lighting equipment that is for sale.
10. Lighting demonstration equipment in lighting education facilities.
11. Lighting approved because of safety or emergency considerations, inclusive of exit lights.
12. Lighting integral to both open and glass-enclosed refrigerator and freezer cases.
13. Lighting in retail display windows, provided the display area is enclosed by ceiling- eight partitions.
14. Furniture mounted supplemental task lighting that is controlled by automatic shutoff.

505.5.1.4 Line-voltage lighting track and plug-in busway. The wattage shall be:
1. The specified wattage of the luminaires included in the system with a minimum of 30 W/lin ft. (98 W/lin. M);
2. The wattage limit of the system’s circuit breaker; or
3. The wattage limit of other permanent current limiting device(s) on the system.

Interior Lighting Power Allowances. Where lighting equipment is specified to be installed to highlight specific merchandise in addition to lighting equipment specified for general lighting and is switched or dimmed on circuits different from the circuits for general lighting, the smaller of the actual wattage of the lighting equipment installed specifically for merchandise, or additional lighting power as determined below shall be added to the interior lighting power determined in accordance with this line item. Calculate the additional lighting power as follows:

Additional interior Lighting Power Allowance = 1000 watts + (Retail Area 1x 0.6 W/ft2 ) + (Retail Area 2x 0.6W/ft2) + (Retail Area 3x 1.4W/ft2) + (Retail Area 4x 2.5W/ft2).

Where:
Retail Area 1 = The floor area for all products not listed in Retail Area 2, 3, or 4.
Retail Area 2 = The floor area used for the sale of vehicles, sporting goods and small electronics.
Retail Area 3 = The floor area used for the sale of furniture, clothing, cosmetics and artwork.
Retail Area 4 = The floor area used for the sale of jewelry, crystal and china.

Exception: Other merchandise categories are permitted to be included in Retail Areas 2 through 4 above, provided that justification documenting the need for additional lighting power based on visual inspection, contrast, or other critical display is approved by the authority having jurisdiction.

505.6.2 Exterior building lighting power. The total exterior lighting power allowance for all exterior building applications is the sum of the base site allowance plus the individual allowances for areas that are to be illuminated and are permitted in Table 505.6.2.(2) for the applicable lighting zone. Tradeoffs are allowed only among exterior lighting applications listed in Table 505.6.2(2), Tradable Surfaces section. The lighting zone for the building exterior is determined from Table 505.6.2(1) unless otherwise specified by the local jurisdiction. Exterior lighting for all applications (except those included in the exceptions to Section 505.6.2) shall comply with the requirements of Section 505.6.1.

Exceptions: Lighting used for the following exterior applications is exempt when equipped with a control device independent of the control of the nonexempt lighting:
1. Specialized signal, directional, and marker lighting associated with transportation;
2. Advertising signage or directional signage;
3. Integral to equipment or instrumentation and is installed by its manufacturer;
4. Theatrical purposes, including performance, stage, film production and video production;
5. Athletic playing areas;
6. Temporary lighting;
7. Industrial production, material handling, transportation sites, and associated storage areas;
8. Theme elements in theme/amusement parks; and
9. Used to highlight features of public monuments and registered historic landmark structures or buildings.

TABLE 505.6.2(1) EXTERIOR LIGHTING ZONES
LIGHTING ZONE	DESCRIPTION
1	Developed areas of national parks, state parks, forest land, and rural areas
2	Areas predominantly consisting of residential zoning, neighborhood business districts, light industrial with limited nighttime use and residential mixed use areas
3	All other areas
4	High-activity commercial districts in major metropolitan areas as designated by the local land use planning authority

Final Weigh In = 134.8 Pounds of Food!

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:37:00 GMT

MEP Engineering is excited to have this opportunity to join with Food Bank of the Rockies in giving back to Colorado families this year. Earlier this month we started a food drive at our office and encouraged our staff as well as our clients to join in and help us reach our goal of collecting 100 pounds of food.

We are happy to report that we exceeded that goal and have collected 134.8 pounds of food which will be donated today!

A huge thank you goes out to all of you who participated in helping us reach out to those in need.

We wish you a very Happy Holidays!

Backflow Prevention in Commercial Buildings

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:13:00 GMT

One of the most precious natural resources for human survival is fresh water. Here in the United States, it is assumed that cities, municipalities, counties and special districts within our governing agencies will provide clean fresh water to the citizens residing in these places. We consume fresh water for several uses such as drinking, washing and commercial or industrial purposes. It is our duty as educated citizens, neighbors and engineers to protect this valuable resource as much as possible. One way to protect our fresh water system is to provide backflow prevention devices in our commercial and residential buildings.

A backflow condition in the domestic water system is the unwanted reversal of the flow of water or mixtures of water and other unwanted substances from any source. Sources would include waste water, industrial waste water, or any substance harmful to the domestic water system.

There are several types of backflow conditions that can occur: cross connection, backpressure and backsiphonage. The following definitions are from the American Water Works Association (AWWA).

Cross connection: any unprotected actual or potential connection or structural arrangement between a public or consumer's potable water system and any other source or system through which it is possible to introduce into any part of the potable system any used water, industrial fluid, gas, or substance other than the intended potable water with which the system is supplied.

Backsiphonage: backflow caused by negative or reduced pressure in the supply piping

Backpressure: A potable system connected to a non-potable supply operating under higher pressure by means of a pump, boiler, elevation difference, air or steam pressure has a high risk that non-potable water may be forced into the potable system whenever these interconnections are not properly protected.

The Safe Drinking Water Act, signed into law by President Ford, placed more emphasis on the responsibility for drinking water protection. Backflow prevention devices protect the public safety by preventing potable water contamination.

There are several backflow manufacturer’s available in the industry. A few are listed below:

Febco (Watts) www.febcoonline.com
Zurn www.zurn.com (formerly Wilkins)
Conbraco www.conbraco.com

Sizes of backflow preventers range from 24” long for a 1” to 2” device, and 43” for a 2-1/2” and

3” device and 47” for a 4” device. The size of the backflow preventer shall match the pipe size diameter of the water service coming into the building.

Today’s building codes, plumbing codes and city ordinances require the installation of backflow prevention device to be installed on domestic water service piping and fire protection piping in all new commercial buildings. It is also required to retrofit such building water services with a backflow prevention device in existing buildings.

Backflow preventers are installed in plumbing and fire protection systems to protect the city water supply or they can be installed to protect the water supply within a building. There are numerous types of backflow prevention devises available and it’s the plumbing engineer’s responsibility to determine the severity of the possible backflow condition and design a device that will protect the public drinking water system in the best possible way.

MEP Engineering Adds New Staff

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 23:18:00 GMT

Contact:
Adrienne Pool
MEP Engineering
303-936-1633
adrienne@mep-eng.com

FOR IMMEDATE RELEASE:

MEP Engineering Adds New Staff

Denver, CO – December 2, 2011 – Please help us in welcoming our newest team members. We look forward to having them on board!

Naomi Saliman is joining the team as a Mechanical Design Engineer and a graduate from the University of Colorado Boulder with over 5 years of experience. She is a Registered Professional Engineer and LEED Accredited Professional. Sustainable design is important to her and as such, has educated other team members in understanding the importance of LEED and environmentally friendly design.
Fun Tidbits: fellow rock climber, loves ice cream and enjoys crafting.

Troy Mangrich has come on board as a Mechanical Design Engineer and recent graduate from Iowa State University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Troy has his FE certification in preparation to sit for his licensing exam. He will be a great addition to the design team. Fun Tidbits: likes to travel and looks forward to getting stuck in the mountains during a blizzard.

Joe Davis is MEP Engineering’s new HR Generalist and a welcome member of the crew. He has over 15 years experience in the Human Resource field and we look forward to the knowledge and leadership he brings. Fun Tidbits: rugby player and telemark skier.

Paul Sukow is a Mechanical Design Engineer and recent graduate from the University of Colorado at Denver with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Paul has passed his FE exam with the intent to sit for his licensing exam. We look forward to his fresh new outlook and the new ideas he brings to the team.
Fun Tidbits: backpacked across Europe for 4 ½ months.

MEP Engineering is a full service mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering consulting firm. To read more about our firm and the services we provide please visit us at www.mep-eng.com.

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Giving Back to Colorado Families During the Holidays

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:42:00 GMT

MEP Engineering Teams with Food Bank of the Rockies!

Join us in giving back to our Colorado community and donate a non-perishable food item or make a monetary donation. Hunger is a very real concern in the Rocky Mountains with 1 in 8 Coloradoans suffering from hunger.

Did you know?

Nearly half of those receiving the food from donations are children
Over half of households have at least one adult working full time
Nearly half of the households must choose between paying for food or other necessities

Help Us Reach Our Goal: 50 pounds of food!

MEP will be collecting donations at our office until December 16^th. Please feel free to stop by, say hello and drop off an item or check (made payable to Food Bank of the Rockies).

Lone Tree Park and Tennis Facility Receives Honor

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:25:00 GMT

An article in the Denver Post announces a recent award was given to the Lone Tree Park and Tennis Facility from the U.S. Tennis Association. MEP Engineering provided electrical and lighting engineering design services for the new tennis courts and 1,400 square foot administrative building.

http://yourhub.denverpost.com/highlandsranch/lone-tree-park-and-tennis-center-named-outstanding/46IOsKRfhvFDKedpfpMuiI-story?source=DPWidget

Determining Server Room Heat Load

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:33:00 GMT

With advances in technology, servers are becoming faster and more powerful. They are also generating significantly more heat. Server equipment is designed to operate within a specific temperature range and staying within this range will ensure reliable operation and extend the life of the equipment. On the other hand, exceeding these limits could lead to catastrophic server failure which can cost companies in equipment replacement, lost time, lost data and lost business.

Often, cooling systems are over-sized to provide a “factor of safety” against catastrophic failure. However, more isn’t always better because an over-sized cooling system wastes energy and operates inefficiently. The additional cooling capacity will bring the server room temperature down quickly. The compressor associated with the cooling unit will cycle on and off rapidly over the course of a day to maintain the server room temperature set-point. This is known as short-cycling, which will reduce the life expectancy of the compressor. In addition, drastic temperature swings can be damaging to the server equipment.

To determine the size of the cooling system required, all heat sources must be identified. Anyone that will be working in the space needs to be accounted for along with heat generated from lights. Most data centers are located in the interior of the building; however, if there are any outside exposures (walls, roof, windows) these will need to be taken into account. The largest and most difficult heat source to calculate is the equipment load.

Typically, engineers will estimate the heat load generated by computing the power consumption of each piece of equipment. With nameplate data for the amperage and voltage, the wattage can be determined using Ohm’s Law (Watts = Volts x Amps). However, this usually results in loads 30-40% higher than actually present. There are several contributing factors to these inaccuracies:

Manufacturers list the highest rated amperage that the equipment is capable of drawing. This is based on full load operation of the equipment which is not expected in real life for extended periods of time.
The amperage listed on the nameplate can be rounded up. For example, 3.6 amps might be shown as 4 amps.
The nameplate amperage does not occur at the nameplate voltage. Power consumption by the equipment remains constant. According to Ohm’s Law, as the current increases the voltage must decrease to maintain the same wattage. Therefore, the nameplate amperage is based on this reduced voltage which is unknown.

A more accurate method is to obtain heat output ratings of the equipment from the hardware manufacturers whenever possible. It is important to model the actual equipment operation. For example, any equipment that is provided for redundancy will not operate simultaneously to its counterpart and should not be added to the expected heat load. Additionally, it is extremely rare for equipment to operate at full load capacity for extended periods of time. If the hardware is currently installed and operating it is sometimes possible to measure the actual heat load. Many racks have the ability to measure the power consumption of associated equipment. It is important to average multiple readings over the course of the day to ensure that you are getting an accurate representation of equipment utilization. Finally, accounting for any future growth up front should be considered as there is a potential to save considerable time and money.

MEP Engineering Adds Staff

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:56:00 GMT

Contact:
Adrienne Pool
MEP Engineering, Inc.
adrienne@mep-eng.com

FOR IMMEDATE RELEASE:

MEP Engineering Adds New Staff

Denver, CO – September 6, 2011 – MEP Engineering is pleased to announce the addition of our newest team of professionals.

We would like to take this moment to introduce you to our newest staff members and welcome them to MEP Engineering: Amanda Finneran, Stuart Foster, Anna-Lisa Conners, Scott Payne, Chris Geipel, Clara Muller, Galina Pampalone and Dennis Moyer.

Amanda Finneran has accepted a position as the new Receptionist and Administrative Support for our office. She has a substantial amount of administrative experience and provides an exceptional level of customer service to our clients. Her educational background is in photography and liberal arts. Amanda will be a great addition to the administrative team. Fun Tidbits: enjoys knitting and volunteering at the local animal shelter.

Stuart Foster joins our firm as a CADD Operator and will provide tremendous support to the design team. His education as well as hands-on experience in HVAC/Plumbing design will be invaluable. Stuart has worked on a variety of commercial projects such as Google, 1800 Larimer, One Steamboat Place and USAF Academy. Fun Tidbits: similarities to Garfield, loves lasagna and is not a fan of Monday’s.

Anna-Lisa Conners joins us as a CADD Operator and will provide a wealth of value. She has her B.S. of Architectural Engineering degree and has been an owner/principal of her own lighting company. Her expertise in lighting design is a tremendous boost to our electrical team. Fun Tidbits: a fan of Chinese food and lover of dance, especially jazz, modern and ballet.

Scott Payne is joining us as an Electrical Designer with over 20 years experience and expertise. He is a Registered Professional Engineer with a specialty in lighting design. Scott has work on numerous projects locally and internationally and currently sits on the Education Committee of the RMIES. Fun Tidbits: loves to cook and enjoys writing.

Chris Geipel is a Mechanical Designer with MEP Engineering and a graduate of Metropolitan State College. He has passed his fundamentals of engineering exam and is a certified E.I.. Fun Tidbits: camper/backpacker and in the process of getting his pilots license for a single engine Cessna.

Clara Muller is an Electrical Designer with over 10 years of experience. She has her B.S in Architectural Engineering and is a certified E.I.. Clara has extensive experience in managing and designing projects of all sizes and will play a major leadership role on the design team. Fun Tidbits: energy outlet – kick boxing

Galina Pampalone is coming on board as an Electrical Designer. Her project design focus has been in the commercial industry with various project types. Her additional knowledge and skill set in Revit will be a great asset to the design team. Fun Tidbits: helicopter mom; hikes 14ers and enjoys traveling.

Dennis Moyer joins our staff as a Senior Electrical Quality Control Engineer with over 40 years of experience in the engineering industry. Dennis is a registered Professional Engineer licensed in Colorado and Utah. As a former owner/principal of his own consulting engineering firm, he will bring a unique perspective to the operations of our engineering team. Dennis’ understanding of all aspects of the business is both beneficial in-house and to our client base. Fun Tidbits: enjoys hiking with their dogs and a great burger at “My Brother’s Bar” in Denver.

MEP Engineering is a full service mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering consulting firm. To read more about our firm and the services we provide please visit us at www.mep-eng.com.

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RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEMS - SUSTAINABILITY AND LEED CREDITS

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:18:00 GMT

As the demand for efficiency and LEED compliance in design increases, the importance of reducing initial construction costs continues to rise. The use of reclaimed water systems can provide clients with large irrigation or industrial process water requirements with an opportunity to qualify for LEED points under credits WE1 and WE2. In addition, reclaimed water systems can reduce domestic water tap fees, reduce ongoing operating costs and diminish impacts to municipal drinking water systems and the environment.

Reclaimed water is treated wastewater drawn from the municipal stream prior to discharge into the environment. It is further cleaned and disinfected before distribution to secondary users. Standards for the quality of reclaimed water are more stringent than those for surface water and streams and are overseen by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment and the Environmental Protection Agency. Reclaimed water is suitable for large-scale irrigation, industrial processing, cooling towers, fire protection and other non-potable uses, such as water closets and urinal supplies. Typically, reclaimed water is sold for approximately 80% of the cost of potable water. Some providers offer additional incentives to large volume users who participate in these programs.

Each jurisdiction should be consulted for locally accepted applications. The availability of reclaimed water varies substantially between programs and early coordination is required with local authorities to determine the requirements for connecting to existing infrastructures.

There are currently more than a dozen reclaimed water systems in Colorado including Arapahoe County and the Cities of Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs and Westminster. For more information, please see the following:

Denver Water - http://www.denverwater.org/WaterQuality/RecycledWater/FAQs/

Aurora Water- https://www.auroragov.org/AuroraGov/Departments/AuroraWater/
WaterConservation/ReclaimedWater/index.htm

Westminster – http://www.ci.westminster.co.us/353.htm

Arapahoe County – http://www.arapahoewater.org/faq

2011 National Electrical Code - Adoption and Key Changes

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 18:54:00 GMT

It is now coming up on the time of year where several local jurisdictions will officially adopt the 2011 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC). The City and County of Denver typically adopts the new NEC code anywhere from August to October of the year the new code is published. Many of the other larger local jurisdictions usually follow suit, either officially adopting the code around the same time frame or soon thereafter.

There have been some significant updates and changes from the 2008 NEC. The following items are an excerpt of the changes that will most affect the design team in all upcoming projects that are submitted for permit after the jurisdictional adoption of the code:

· 110.26(D) Illumination about Electrical Equipment:

Added language to the code which states that illumination provided around electrical equipment shall not be controlled by an automatic means only such as an occupancy sensor.

· 210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI’s):

These devices are now required to be readily accessible, so a GFCI device located behind a vending machine or a refrigerator will now require and accessible means to test and reset the GFCI mechanism.

· 210.52(E)(3) Balconies, Decks and Porches:

The exception was removed. A receptacle outlet is now required, regardless of the size of the balcony, deck or porch.

· 406.12 Tamper Resistant Receptacles for Dwelling Units:

An exception was added for receptacles located more than 5-1/2’ above the floor. These receptacles are not required to be tamper resistant.

· 406.13 Tamper Resistant Receptacles in Guest Rooms and Guest Suites:

Tamper resistant receptacles are now required for guest suites in hotels and motels.

· 406.14 Tamper Resistant Receptacles in Child Care Facilities:

Tamper resistant receptacles are now required for all child care facilities.

· 408.4(B) Field Identification – Source of Supply:

All switchboards and panelboards supplied by an electrical feeder in commercial applications are now required to be marked to indicate the location of their source of electrical supply.

· 410.16 Luminaires in Clothes Closets:

Surface mounted LED luminaires are now permitted in clothes closets.

· 410.130(G)(1) General (Electric Discharge Lighting Systems of 1000 Volts or Less):

A disconnecting means is now required to be installed in existing fluorescent luminaires when the ballast is removed and replaced.

· 424.44(G) Installation of Cables in Concrete or Poured Masonry Floors (Electric Space Heating Cables):

Ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection is now required for cables installed in electrically heated floors of kitchens.

· 450.14 Disconnecting Means (Transformers):

New disconnecting means requirements were added for transformers (other than class 2 and class 3). Where located in a remote location (out of sight or greater than 50 feet away), the disconnecting means must be capable of being locked in the open position and the location of the disconnecting means must be field marked on the transformer.

· 517.16 Receptacles with Insulated Grounding Terminals (Health Care Facilities):

The installation of Isolated Grounding (IG) type receptacles in patient care areas of health care facilities is now prohibited.

There are several books available for reference regarding the changes to the 2008 National Electrical Code. Please refer to the 2011 National Electrical Code, Analysis of Changes to the National Electrical Code and the 2011 National Electrical Code Handbook for clarifications of these changes and for more information.

"Major Trends in University Residence Halls"

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:16:00 GMT

Colorado State University - Pueblo has made it to the press once again in a recent article featured in Building Design + Construction's May 2011 issue. The cover story, "Major Trends in University Residence Halls", highlights a few select schools around the United States who are leading the way.

Check out the featured article here Building Design + Construction May 2011 Issue.

The 5 Ws and 1 H of Energy Star for Commercial Buildings

Tue, 31 May 2011 18:24:00 GMT

Who: The Energy Star Program is a joint program between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

What is the EPA’s Energy Star for Commercial Buildings: Energy Star provides a Current Performance Rating for a building based on the type of building, the size and its current utility usage. This performance rating for a facility is on a scale of 1-100 relative to similar buildings nationwide using EPA’s national energy performance rating system. The performance rating is based on the facility’s source energy used, level of business activity and geographical location. A performance rating of 75 or higher qualifies for Energy Star.

Where: Eligible building types for Energy Star are: Bank/Financial Institutions, Courthouses, Data Centers, Hospitals (acute care and children’s), Hotels/Motels, Houses of Worship, K-12 Schools, Medical Office Buildings, Offices, Residence Halls/Dormitories, Retail Stores, Senior Care, Supermarkets/Grocery Stores and Warehouses (refrigerated and unrefrigerated).

Other Eligibility Criteria includes:

Located in the United States
Not a waste water or water facility
90% or more of the facility’s gross floor area must be owned or managed
12 months from period ending date of previously approved Energy Star application
A Performance Rating of 75 or more
Space attributes cannot use system default data
Temporary energy meter values cannot be used in the 12 months preceding the Period End Date
The current Period End Date must be no older than 120 days from today’s date

Why pursue an Energy Star certification: The EPA provides the building with a plague that displays the building is conveying superior performance to tenants, customers and employees. It sends a positive message to lenders, appraisers, owners, investors, and potential tenants and customers. Also the Energy Star program offers Energy Management Strategies that help in measuring energy performance, setting goals, tracking savings and rewarding improvements.

How: Log onto www. Energystar.gov and apply to join Energy Star, there is no cost to join. Then once the application is accepted you can use all the tools provided on the website. With the building’s general information and utility usage for the past 12 months in hand, you can input the building’s information and find out what Performance Rating the building gets, if the Performance Rating is 75 or above then you can apply for the Energy Star Certification for the building.

The website will help guide you through the applications process, but the basic steps are:

Generate an eligible Statement of Energy Performance (SEP) and Data Checklist (MEP Engineering can assist with this step also)
Hire a certified Licensed Professional Engineer (Like MEP Engineering) or Registered Architect to walk the building with the operations manager or building engineer, etc. to certify the information in the statement by observing temperatures, light levels, etc.
Get the stamped and signed SEP and Data Checklist from the Licensed Professional.
Complete the Energy Star Recognition form
Download and sign a copy of the Letter of Agreement
Mail in the signed SEP, checklist and Letter of Agreement

Some examples of the information that will be needed to generate the SEP are:

Building name and type
Building location
Annual Occupancy rate
Gross floor area
Weekly operating hours
Workers on main shift
Number of PC’s
Percent cooled and heated
Area of enclosed and non-enclosed parking and hours of access
Fuel types and energy consumption of each type

When: Well now of course, the sooner the better.
MEP Engineering has assisted many clients and completing the Energy Star Certification process and would love to assist you also.

Some buildings MEP Engineering has provided this service on are:

One DTC; Greenwood Village, CO
Colorado Center Point II; Denver, CO
The Lowry Building, Denver; CO
Parker Hospital Medical Office Building; Parker, CO
4600 South Syracuse; Greenwood Village, CO
Atrium II; Greenwood Village, CO
Agilent; Englewood, CO
Aurora Medical Office Building; Aurora, CO
Skyridge Hospital Medical Office Building; Lone Tree, CO
499 E. Hampden Ave.; Englewood, CO
701 E. Hampden Ave.; Englewood, CO

MEP Engineering Adds More Staff

Tue, 31 May 2011 18:44:00 GMT

Contact:
Adrienne Pool
MEP Engineering
303-936-1633
adrienne@mep-eng.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MEP Engineering Adds New Staff

Denver, CO – May 25, 2011 – MEP Engineering, Inc. continues to grow, adding two new employees to our team. Please join us in welcoming Mike Mooney and Spencer Hinton.

Mike Mooney joins us with over 20 years in the engineering industry. His wealth of experience and education will be invaluable as a Senior Mechanical Quality Control Engineer. Mike’s project experience spans across a variety of project types with an emphasis in health care. He has been successful at leading teams of designers on large projects throughout his career and will be great in a mentorship role here at MEP.

Spencer Hinton will be providing additional support to our design team as an Electrical Design Engineer. Spencer has a B.S. Degree in Electrical Engineering and has recently passed his fundamentals of engineering exam.

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MEP Gets in the Game!

Wed, 11 May 2011 18:31:00 GMT

MEP Engineering joins Facebook! We invite you to visit us there for the latest industry news and happenings going on at MEP Engineering and look forward to connecting with you. Feel free to click on the Facebook link at the bottom of our website to take you directly to our page.