October 2009 Product Solutions

Bond solutions

District addresses needs with performance contract

Johnson Controls. Houghton-Portage (Mich.) Township Schools wished to address the need for new technologies, facility improvements, and larger physical education and music facilities.

"Our goal with the upgrades and new construction is to do everything we can to provide the academic environment for students and teachers that the community expects," says Bill Polkinghorne, superintendent.

The district teamed with Johnson Controls to leverage community support through a bond referendum, coupled with a performance contract, resulting in facility and technology upgrades, building expansion and operational cost savings. This approach resulted in more than $12 million of improvements to the district's schools, while delivering 100 percent of the $3 million in energy savings guaranteed under the performance contract back to the district's general fund.

Energy-efficiency upgrades are expected to bring a savings of nearly $110,000 annually over the 20-year contract. Improvements include window and roof replacement, lighting retrofits, water-conservation measures and a building-management system.

The bond included upgrades to classroom and lab computers, monitors, printers and projectors. A wireless network and VoIP system will save $10,000 annually in communications costs. The project also included installation of a security-management system.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 181 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Daylighting solution

Education Center is now glare-free

Nanogel. The main boardroom of the Novato Unified Education Center, Novato, Calif., is a vital part of the city's community. The room is crowned by a grid of 16 skylights that make up a large portion of the ceiling. When the education center was built, the skylights were tinted dark bronze to help eliminate glare. However, this not only made the room too dark, but also did nothing to reduce the thermal discomfort that was making it unbearably hot.

The solution was to install Acralight International Skylight's NanoStar skylighting, a system that incorporates Nanogel aerogel. This translucent granular form of silica aerogel comprises 95 percent air and is a light, insulating solid material. Thirty-nine times more effective than the highest-grade fiberglass insulation, this ingredient increased the skylights' insulating properties from an R value of 1.5 to R-6.5. In addition to providing the vital insulation and solar control, its translucent nature means that the daylight is diffused and distributed evenly as soft museum-quality light, without shadows or glare.

"I knew that the inclusion of Nanogel in the new skylights would make the room brighter, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much additional light was transmitted," says John Silvestrini, executive director of facilities. "The room is now at least twice as bright as before and we never have to turn on the lights during the day. Also, the new skylighting helps keep the room really cool during the summer, and will prevent heat loss during the cooler months."

Nanogel can be used in a wide range of daylighting applications, from skylights to glass walls. When used within translucent cladding systems, it can increase the insulation value up to an R value of 20, equivalent to that of a solid wall, while still diffusing daylight into the building.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 182 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Evaluating expenditures

Waste reduction in restrooms helps district save time and money

Excel Dryer. Situated north of Chicago, Niles Township School District 219 serves more than 4,800 students. The sprawling district, similar to others across the country, is facing cutbacks that force it to examine the use of every dollar.

Administrators recently took advantage of the schools' renovations to re-evaluate expenditures in a number of facility-related areas.

"Restrooms had always been an area where we faced a lot of extra work," says Joe Tomaselli, Aramark director of operations for the district. "Our student restrooms had both paper towels and traditional hand dryers, but we were constantly dealing with vandalism, blocked toilets and more, which translated into an extra four hours of clean-up every night. This was costing us an extra $16,500 per year in restroom maintenance."

Furthermore, the schools were spending about $38,700 per year on paper towels, not including the costs associated with running hand dryers for 30 seconds per use.

After researching alternatives, Tomaselli decided to install high-velocity hand dryers from Excel Dryer in the restrooms. "In terms of energy savings, the hand dryers we installed draw an average of 1,500 watts per use, compared with the traditional 2,300 watts. Annually, this translates into an electrical consumption savings of $52 per unit, or for 80 units, $4,160 per year in savings."

Additionally, the installation of the dryers addressed the schools' desire to incorporate more green products.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 183 for more information on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Piping project

High school science labs convert to CPVC

ChemDrain. The installation of acid waste piping presents a number of challenges above and beyond a typical piping project. Zeen Plumbing, based in La Habra, Calif., knows that better than most contractors because of its plumbing experience with area schools. Science labs need to safely and cost-effectively dispose of highly corrosive and sometimes toxic chemicals.

As part of the science lab updates at San Dimas High School in Los Angeles County, a new chemical-waste system was required. The challenge was to transition the ChemDrain CPVC piping to the lab's existing glass piping. The advantages of the CPVC product were considerable, starting with a lower materials cost compared with the cost of glass piping.

The team also benefited from a faster, easier installation that required no electrofusion. The solvent cement joints were faster and also proved more reliable because it was easy for the installers to visually inspect the joints as they progressed.

CPVC has been used successfully in a variety of elevated-temperature, high-pressure chemical-processing piping system applications for nearly 50 years. It has proven to be well-suited for chemical-waste drainage applications as a result of its resistance to a broad range of chemicals, including strong and dilute acids, bases, caustics, salts, aliphatic solutions and other common laboratory reagents. In addition, the CPVC can convey liquids in gravity drainage applications safely at temperatures up to 210°F.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 184 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Waterfree urinal

Falcon Waterfree Technologies. The new F7000 waterfree urinal has a splash-free bowl design that ensures a dry experience. It also includes a special area for messaging, which can be used to describe water savings and other environmental accomplishments of the facility, or it can be employed as revenue-generating advertising space. The hyper-hygienic urinal helps protect and preserve the environment by conserving up to 40,000 gallons of fresh water per urinal, per year.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 160 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Cleaning systems training

ProTeam. Cleaning Systems Training Group helps organizations improve the quality and productivity of their on-site cleaning and maintenance practices. The program gives leaders a systematic approach for improving cleaning quality, establishing control of supply costs and maximizing labor while minimizing overall costs. The program provides concrete tools for leaders to address opposition from a resistant workforce in positive, constructive ways. All training is done on-site and customized to each institution.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 161 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Paper-towel dispenser

Bobrick Washroom Equipment, Inc. New dispensers feature non-proprietary, automatic, universal roll towel dispensing, saving as much as 30 percent or more compared with proprietary roll towel purchasing agreements. Available in five models, units dispense universal, 1½-inch to 2-inch diameter core, up to 8-inch diameter, 8-inch wide, non-perforated, nonproprietary rolls, eliminating proprietary purchase agreements. Additional features: automatic, touch-free dispensing; extended 300,000 cycle, one-year battery life; available AC adapter; and 50 to 70 percent recycled stainless-steel fabrication.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 162 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Energy savings tool

WattStopper. The Energy Calculator Web-based energy savings tool enables users to calculate the potential energy savings available with occupancy sensors. The calculator is designed to help users identify lighting-control strategies that best match energy-savings goals for retrofit or new construction projects. It provides a list of pre-defined lighting control measures (LCMs) that help users compare different control methods to identify how best to achieve additional maximum energy lighting savings. Energy-savings percentages are based on third-party published documents and research, and other industry case studies. The Energy Calculator offers two assessment levels: quick assessment and full assessment.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 163 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Fire-rated glass floor

Technical Glass Products (TGP). The Fireframes ClearFloor advanced glass floor system is impact-resistant and fire-rated for two hours. It can be used as a durable, non-slip walking surface, and is approved for loads up to 150 psf. The floor enables glazing in spaces that previously would have required alternative opaque fire-stopping materials like concrete and corrugated steel, which enables more design options.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 164 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Ventilation pool

Munters. The Ventilation Pool unit is an enhanced energy-recovery system for natatorium dehumidification. By using outdoor air, the pool's heat exchanger provides effective natatorium dehumidification up to about 60°F dew point. This enables the system to maintain and control the desired space humidity under most conditions with no need for mechanical dehumidification.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 165 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Software-as-a-Service winner

SchoolDude.com. The company has been named the latest winner of the Best of SaaS Showplace (BoSS) Awards program, which promotes the measurable business benefits delivered by Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions. It is being recognized for its suite of on-demand operations- management tools that helps institutions save money and time. The suite includes solutions for preventive maintenance, facility work-order management, inventory management, IT incident and asset management, community use, field-trip scheduling, capital planning, and utility use tracking and analysis.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 166 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

GREENGUARD certification

Wenger Corporation. The company has achieved GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification for its musical instrument and equipment storage solutions. The certification is among the most stringent in the world and takes into account the special sensitivities of children. It requires all products be tested annually for more than 10,000 different chemicals and meet rigorous health-based criteria for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including phthalates and formaldehyde.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 167 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Compact unit

MicroFridge. The new unit combines a spacious refrigerator, freezer and microwave in a single unit and is ideal for residence hall rooms where space is limited. The stylish, space-saving, and ENERGY STAR-rated unit features patent-pending Safe Plug Technology, which automatically shuts off the refrigerator and charging station when the microwave is on, limiting the maximum electrical draw of the unit to just 11 amps. A Dual-Outlet Charge Station enables students to charge their electronic devices such as laptop computers, MP3 players, cell phones and digital cameras.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 168 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Portable conditioners

Atlas Sales & Rentals, Inc. An upgraded line of portable air conditioners that use environmentally friendly refrigerant R-410A is available for rental or purchase. Manufactured by MovinCool/DENSO Sales California, Inc., all models of Office Pro, Classic and Classic Plus portable coolers are available with the green R-410A refrigerant. The air conditioners can be used for primary, supplemental or emergency cooling. Applications include data centers, server rooms and telecom closets, offices, warehouses and special-event locations.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 169 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Electronic faucet

Chicago Faucets. The E-Tronic 40 faucet features hermetically sealed, above-deck electronics for easy maintenance and long-term reliability, with a choice of a CRP2 battery or an AC adaptor. An efficient, dual-beam infrared sensor has multiple modes and ranges that can be adjusted by manual teach-in, or remotely from a palm-enabled device. This remote technology also makes monitoring battery levels and troubleshooting accurate and convenient. Other features include a water-saving, vandal-resistant 0.5 GPM outlet, a polished chrome-plated finish and solid, metal spout construction.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 170 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Access controller

Sielox Access Control. The AC-1700 access controller can be deployed as a main or terminal controller. Used as a main controller, the AC-1700 can control up to 16 terminal controllers, including one on-board, providing regional anti pass-back functionality and regional input/output linking. Featuring a removable secure digital card (SD), the AC-1700 has storage capacity ranging from 128 MBytes to 8 GBytes for controller database and events storage. Equipped with a Web-based maintenance port, technicians can perform infield diagnostics and updates on the AC-1700 using a Web browser.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 171 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Table technology

PS Furniture. The new Revolution Table uses a new patented ultra-lightweight composite core technology that produces an incredibly strong top at a fraction of the weight of conventional table top materials like particleboard or plywood.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 172 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Precast wall panels

Fabcon. The VersaCore Emerald panel consists of up to 68 percent post-consumer/post-industrial recycled material, improving the green attributes of wall panels while maintaining their structural integrity and cost-effectiveness. The panels contains 10 percent more recycled material and are more energy-efficient than the company's previous line, providing increased R-Values across all temperature zones and product configurations, up to a maximum of R-24. The wall panels help reduce heating and cooling costs, fossil-fuel emissions and manufacturing waste.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 173 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Architectural lever

Sargent Manufacturing Company. The Studio Collection line has been expanded with the introduction of seven architectural levers. The new additions provide a solution for areas requiring return-to-door levers, as well as offer architects and designers more style options. Return-to-door levers are required in some jurisdictions to prevent clothing from being caught on the door while exiting the building during an emergency. They also help meet accessibility guidelines by stopping the hand from slipping off the end of the lever.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 174 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Fan-coil unit

Greenheck. The new Model VSH vertical stack high-rise fan-coil unit provides space heating and cooling for residence halls and other multi-story buildings where a small footprint and quiet operation are required. The units are available with concealed or exposed housings and can be configured with 2- or 4-pipe water coils and electric heaters with optional silent contactors.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 175 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Raised-access flooring

Tate. New engineered hardwood tiles are a 3mm natural wood laminate bonded to an 11mm Versacore wood veneer backer. Available in four patterns, the laminate can be made from a variety of species of hardwoods in optional strip sizes. The surface of the tile is sanded smooth and finished with a UV-cured ecological oil that penetrates into the wood, providing a long-lasting, durable finish. The hardwood tiles also contribute to good indoor air quality. The VOC-free tiles do not require harsh chemicals. Routine maintenance is a simple process of sweeping and damp mopping with oil soap.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 176 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Pre-taped EPDM

Mule-Hide Products Co. Inc. New Mule-Hide Pre-Taped EPDM makes achieving wrinkle-free seams faster and easier. Application of the tape to the membrane in a factory-controlled environment ensures uniform width and thickness of the adhesive, resulting in more reliable seams with 30 percent greater peel and sheer strength and no entrapped air bubbles. It is available in 14 combinations of sheet size, tape width, membrane thickness, membrane type and color.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 177 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Cloth color coding

ERC Wiping Products, Inc. Colordentify is a proactive color-coding program to help identify different colored wiping cloths for different departments and wiping applications. The main goal is to prevent cross contamination between departments and wiping applications, resulting in safer, cleaner and more healthful environments. Other benefits of color coding include infection control, keeping track of inventory, simplifying employee training and helping to bridge the language barrier.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 178 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Door coating

Besam Entrance Solutions. MicroShield Antimicrobial Coating for manual sliding ICU/CCU latches and door packages is available. The imperceptible coating uses silver-based technology from Agion to stem the spread of bacteria and other microbes. It is effective against a broad range of germs, including bacteria, mold, mildew, algae and fungi. Bacteria and other microbes can live on hardware surfaces for hours, transferring from one person to another, so the coating helps prevent the spread of bacteria. The door finish destroys organisms continuously in three ways: by attacking the cell wall, interrupting metabolism and preventing reproduction. It is effective, natural, safe (EPA-approved) and long-lasting.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 179 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.

Wall-mounted scoreboards

Bison. New wall-mounted scoreboards with unlimited graphic options now are available. A sturdy aluminum extrusion frame with a black finish encases 100 percent solid-state electronics on both the 13-foot by 5-foot and 12-foot by 3-foot scoreboards. Packages include a tabletop control console and control cable. A remote-control console and receiver are optional. Both scoreboards have 12-inch red clock and yellow score digits, green period digit and bonus possessions.

Select the October 2009 issue RSN number 180 on AS&U's Product Information site for more information.