INNOVATIONS

As the year draws to a close we pause to say thank you for your friendship and goodwill. Our warmest wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

TOP 10 INNOVATIVE ENGINEERING APPROACHES

We're counting down our Top 10 list in INNOVATIONS

#10 - Life-Cycle-Cost Based Decision-Making

#9 - DOAS (Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems

#8 - Radiant Cooling

#7 - DALI Lighting Control Systems

#6 - All-Variable Speed (AVS) Chilled Water Plant

#5 - Web-Based Collaboration and Archive Tools

#4 - Fuel Cells for Building Applications

#3 - Underfloor, Displacement, and Ductless Air Distribution Systems

#2 - A Fresh Approach to Commissioning

As building systems have become more complex, the role of commissioning is important to assure correct and efficient operation, timely completion and fewer call-backs. How can we make the building commissioning process more economical so that owners will want to apply it to all projects? One approach would be to leverage the commissioning effort to provide other financial benefits.

Contractors have dozens of tasks to complete on every subsystem before fill-up, power-up, start-up, owner training, owner operation and final payment. This adds up to thousands of tasks on even a moderately-sized construction project. Identifying and keeping track of all tasks using conventional project management is rarely successful, resulting in schedule delays, equipment damage on start-up and unproductive labor.

Enter database technology -- tasks that are both common to every subsystem and unique to a particular project can be loaded into a commissioning database. The information can be downloaded to electronic workbooks for the contractors to use. When field personnel make periodic updates to the workbooks, reports can be issued throughout the construction period. Reports can be customized to the particular needs of the contractors, construction manager, owner representative and commissioning authority. The reports help guide the construction process and insure timely completion, as well as provide a roadmap for system commissioning.

Hence, this slightly expanded commissioning process keeps everyone informed, aids punchlisting, helps coordinate the trades and avoids equipment start-up problems -- the "other financial benefits" we were seeking.

Computer technology enhancements can make the process easy for contractors and field personnel. Items like tablet computers, spreadsheet interfaces and wireless communication all help make data management easier.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss this unique approach to commissioning with you. Please call Randy Casteel or John Burnside at 1-800-755-6393.

EXPANDED "TECHNOLOGY" SERVICES
The Ins and Outs of CLA - Communications, Life Safety & Automation

A university classroom may have more than a dozen separate CLA systems (HVAC controls, lighting controls, educational network, closed-circuit TV, sound system, fire alarm, etc.). A single secured fire door may have as many as six CLA devices and their related power and signal wiring (smoke detectors, door hold-open, door strike, security keypad, intercom, camera).

A major shift is taking place in the construction industry to address the number of networked systems. What's in: CLA systems engineered and bid as a coordinated group. What's out: individual vendors working independently, extra costs for superfluous cable systems, limited growth potential.

The benefits you achieve from an improved CLA delivery process include:

Coordinated, engineered approach for
- structured cabling (copper, fiber)
- communication systems (data, telephone, intercom, video conferencing, electronic signage, educational systems)
- security systems (CCTV, identification, monitoring)
- open-protocol control systems (for HVAC, lighting, power, occupancy)
- life-safety systems (fire alarm, nurse call, code blue, man down)
Less cabling - many systems can co-exist on the same backbone rather than having several runs of cable to the same area
Vendor neutral - the design incorporates only what you need, not what the vendors want to sell
More economical and fewer headaches - allows bidding a larger complete package rather than piece-mealing smaller subsystems
Designed for the future - able to support system growth and the integration of additional systems
Broad input - engineering team designs the complete system after working with your entire staff, rather than individual vendors only focusing on their system

Our experienced team can bring CLA systems together. We can even build your entire network installation in an open-book arrangement with single-source responsibility and competitive bidding (ThermalTech Engineer-Led Turnkey^TM).

Meet the newest member of our CLA team:

Michael Bunning, RCDD (Registered Communication Distribution Designer)

Mike is a veteran of the IT industry. In 1980, Mike helped start BradBern Network Service and over the next 20 years grew it to one of the leading cabling design and installation firms in the region.

In 1994, Mike became one of the first people in the region to earn RCDD certification. Since 2000, he was with one of the Midwest's leading system integrators, designing a variety of wired/wireless data networks.

Mike's 24 years of cabling and systems integration experience will help him design an economical and robust data, video, communication system for you.

ThermalTech Wins 2003 National Award

ThermalTech has been selected for the ASHRAE National Honorable Mention Award for the Gas Turbine Cogeneration project at Lafarge Gypsum Drywall Plant in Silver Grove, Kentucky. ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers) Technology Awards recognize members who successfully apply innovative building design. The project’s energy efficiency, indoor air quality, technical innovation, operation and maintenance, cost effectiveness and environmental impact are all taken into consideration.

1270 SCFM, 90 to 300-PSIG Gas Compressor

5-mW Gas Combustion Turbine

What's New at ThermalTech?

ThermalTech is pleased to announce the following new hires (from left): Kane Howard, P.E., electrical/controls engineer; Trisha Schumacher, P.E., mechanical engineer; Brian Lloyd, business development manager; Mike Spence, commissioning tech assistant; Michael Wolfe, electrical designer; and Dan Buchanan, controls engineer.

ThermalTech is pleased to announce that eight more members of our staff have achieved LEED^® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation from the U.S. Green Building Council. 20% of our entire staff and 67% of our engineering Principals are LEED^® Accredited Professionals, two of the highest ratios in the country.

Building for the Future

Jeff Phelps, P.E. has become an Associate Principal at ThermalTech. Jeff is an electrical engineer and has been with the firm for over nine years. Along with his new role as Associate Principal, Jeff will continue to be our Electrical Group Leader as well as a production Team Leader.

The Associate Principal status is an intermediate step in our ownership program that was created to allow the firm to continue smoothly and prosperously forever. ThermalTech is dedicated to building strong leaders which translates into real value and service for all of our customers.

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