GreenClips.172 07.18.01 ADDRESSING BUILDING OCCUPANTS' HEALTH COMPLAINTS Responding to health complaints from building occupants can be a complex endeavor for a facility manager. At its simplest, an indoor air investigation involves an uncomplicated inspection and minimal corrections. But some situations require more intensive investigation and analysis. By following these three steps, major delays and high costs associated with solving indoor health problems can potentially be averted. First, select a consultant with care. A team of consultants that includes physicians/toxicologists, industrial hygienists and engineers may be necessary. Second, have the health complaints verified by a qualified physician/toxicologist who can rule out alternative causes and document effects known to be associated with environmental conditions in the building. And third, verify that the proposed remediation plan is practical and scientifically valid, and that it addresses the actual source of the problem. When selecting a consultant, find out if that consultant is involved with an analytical laboratory. If so, then the recommendations about the quantity and diversity of environmental sampling and laboratory analysis could be suspect. Also consider whether the remediation goals of the consultant and the owner are the same, and find out if the consultant has health litigation experience. Too often a consultant will rush to find a solution without considering the long-term ramifications of the process chosen. Facilities Management Journal (FMJ), Jul-Aug 01, p 46, by R.E. Gotts and S.W. Pirages. SILICON VALLEY GROWTH ISN'T DRIVING CALIFORNIA'S ENERGY CRISIS Rapidly growing Silicon Valley businesses demand energy reliability, and not necessarily efficiency, to power computers around the clock. This has fuelled perceptions that high-tech companies played a key role in creating California's power shortage. But the industry's energy usage hasn't increased that much. Technology companies now consume 4.1 percent of the electricity in Pacific Gas and Electric Company's service area, which covers from central California to the Oregon border. A decade ago, it was 3.9 percent. One Silicon Valley company that's paying attention to energy efficiency is Electronics for Imaging (EFI) in Foster City, which uses a high-tech network of dampers and fans to draw air into its 10-story headquarters, keeping workers comfortable and saving tens of thousands of dollars in energy costs each month. EFI's headquarters, one of the most energy-efficient buildings in California, also includes air-circulation motors that shift to lower speeds when they don't need to work as hard to reach a desired temperature, and elevators that learn usage patterns so they don't have to go up and down as frequently. EFI spent about $1 million extra for the conservation systems in its $57-million headquarters. "We could have spent that extra money on a lot of marble in the lobby and fancy paintings on the wall, but what does that do for anyone?" says Fred Rosenzweig, EFI's president and chief operating officer. The Vancouver Sun, 5 Jul 01, p D4, by Michael Liedtke. POST-OCCUPANCY BUILDING ANALYSIS YIELDS VALUABLE RESULTS At Northland College's new environmental center, a yearlong, post-occupancy evaluation and monitoring project was conducted to determine the building's actual energy performance and to evaluate which sustainable design features did and did not work. The Wendy and Malcolm McLean Environmental Living and Learning Center in Ashland, Wisconsin, which opened in 1999, underwent a detailed analysis, with over 70 different energy-monitoring devices installed. Overall, the building has 54 percent greater energy efficiency than is called for by the Wisconsin energy code, resulting in $18,900 in savings in the first year. Energy modeling originally predicted the project could achieve 40 percent greater energy efficiency beyond code. One lesson learned during monitoring was that a mechanical air-handling unit was running continuously and was designed without variable speed drives (VSDs). This may not have been discovered if monitoring were not included in the post-project review. VSDs have since been added. Also, the evaluation revealed that occupancy sensors and daylight sensors were over-used on the building's high-performance fluorescent lighting. If these bulbs are switched off very frequently, their life expectancy is significantly reduced. The project cost for the Environmental Living and Learning Center was $102.51 per square foot; in comparison, Northland's average residence hall in 1998 was constructed for $112 per square foot. Program evaluation information and energy monitoring results can be downloaded from the Publications section of http://www.ecw.org. The Construction Specifier, Jul 01, p 42, by James S. Brew. CEE PUBLISHES GUIDELINES FOR ENERGY-EFFICIENT HVAC SYSTEMS According to the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), HVAC system efficiency can be increased up to 50 percent through proper installation, sizing and maintenance. CEE recently released its 42-page "Guidelines for Energy-Efficient Commercial Unitary HVAC Systems," which apply to commercial HVAC systems up to 30 tons, including replacement equipment and new construction. The guidelines can be downloaded for free from http://www.ceeformt.org/com/com-main.php3. Green Business Letter, Jul 01, p 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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