Construction Prices Sky Rocket Inflation - GineersNow Construction digital magazine

JULY 2022
N E W S
Building an Addition Onto
Your House: Everything You
Need to Know
Building Success: 3
Essential Tools for All Civil
Engineering Owners in 2022
Keeping the Future Clean:
Top Advancements in
Janitorial Technology
44 48 56

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E D I T O R ‘ S N O T E
Inflation is wreaking havoc on
the construction market as
much as it is on the rest of
the economy. The Associated
General Contractors of America
(AGC) analyzed government
data and found that construction
material costs jumped 20%
between January 2021 and
January 2022.
Materials prices in the
construction sector are indeed
growing rapidly, aggravated
by substantial supply-chain
disruptions and a scarcity
of available workers—a
combination that threatens the
financial sustainability of many
construction firms. Government
authorities, owners, and
contractors can all take action
to mitigate the impact of the
crisis, but no one solution will
be found.
Import taxes and quotas can be
eliminated at any time by federal
trade policy authorities. To
temper the overheated pricing
spiral, importing more goods
at lower rates from countries
like China and India will allow
many customers of goods in
short supply to avoid layoffs and
shutdowns.
Construction Prices Sky
Rocket Inflation
necessary. As for new and planned projects, owners should
expect a wide range of pricing options and may want to consider
including more design flexibility, a more flexible timeline, or
cost-sharing arrangements.
Contractors must keep an eye on costs and delivery schedules
for materials and communicate with owners throughout the
construction process, both before and after they submit bids.
Prices for raw materials eventually level off. It’s a win-win
situation for everyone involved if that happens. The damage can
be minimized while waiting for a solution to be found through
cooperation and open communication.
Officials at every level of
government should analyze any
rules, policies, and enforcement
actions that may be unduly
pushing up prices and stifling
the importation of raw materials,
components, and finished
products into and out of the
country.
The owners of projects that
were awarded or started before
the pandemic should be aware
that major price or delivery
date revisions are likely to be

C O N T E N T S
8
Power Up Your Site With
Typhoon-Ready Essentials
20
Lg Launches New Virtual
Platform For Air Solution ...
24
Construction Prices Sky
Rocket Inflation
56
Big data and Artificial
Intelligence to control algal
blooms
64
Prestigious Springer Quartier
building project
72
How To Find The Best
Engineers For Your Projects?
44
Building an Addition Onto Your
House: Everything You ...
48
uilding Success: 3 Essential
Tools for All Civil ...
80
Global Virus Network (GVN)
Adds Four Preeminent ...
88
Efficient Generation for
Sustainable Power
52
Keeping the Future Clean: Top
Advancements in Janitorial
Technology
96
Studies Indicating T-Cells May
Be Needed For Long-Term ...

FEATURE STORY
POWER UP YOUR SITE WITH
TYPHOON-READY ESSENTIALS
Typhoons occur and why every construction site needs to be a Typhoon-Ready. Click here to see the
list of essential equipment.
A typhoon is one of the most typical natural disasters that challenge human capabilities and can be
destructive to any construction site. It is necessary for engineers, architects, and construction workers
to be prepared and plan ahead to determine or survey the area with potential exposure to high winds,
heavy rains, and flooding.
With severe weather events, there will be cases of emergency and site-specific risks. We need the right
equipment and gear to help minimize the risk and prevent losses of the project. Two of the must-have
emergency equipment are flashlights and generators. Invest in high-grade equipment to withstand the
typhoon’s strength and aid site emergencies that needs power.
Here are the top picks for spotlights and navigators to get you
ahead before a typhoon:
Pelican Spotlight Remote Area
Lighting System (8-LED light)
PL9480YLW
This spotlight is a sound investment for every
construction site. It has a running time of 28 hours
with a 50,000-hour life expectancy. It also has a light
output of 4,000 lumens and a low-battery indicator
that will help you determine when to change the
batteries.
An amazing feature of this product is that it can be
paired with an iPhone application to control multiple
units. It also has a 12-volt power supply.
You can also walk around with this product with no
problem since it has a convenient shoulder strap and
a quick-release function.
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Pelican Spotlight Remote Area
Lighting System (6-LED light)
PL9460YLW
Its advanced Remote Area Lighting System (RALS)
gives off a light output of 12,000 lumens, which by
calculation is 6,000 lumens per light head. It has a
Bluetooth function that allows the user to control
the light intensity from 0%-100%.
It has rechargeable batteries that it cannot easily run
out of power. However, its batteries are made of lead
batteries that are sealed, which can emit hydrogen
gas, so remember to charge it with its lid opened.
It can also be left charging to help you prepare in
case you need to use it on a construction site. To top
it off, it can also run continuously on wall power.
Pelican Spotlight Remote Area
Lighting System (24-LED light)
PL2000NCYLW
There might be times when there is a need for a
search-and-rescue operation on a construction site
during a typhoon, and what better way to conduct it
is to have a powerful light that can provide visibility
to the rescuers.
This is the best spotlight that light up an area to a
hundred yards with a running time of 15 hours.
Pelican Flashlight Nemo (Yellow)
PL9430SLBLK
This flashlight comes in handy when you need to
go to various places and look for things in heavy
weather. It comes in yellow color, which is visible
in the dark and it is submersible that it can be use
under the water.
It runs on 4.5 volts, and its size is 19.8cm long. A
must-have, even for the household.
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Saving
lives
every day
Part of Blue Ocean Robotics

FEATURE STORY
Navigator Generator (Gasoline)
NVRD6910EX
Another essential item in terms of
preparedness has a backup power supply.
This generator runs on 11 horsepower and
up to 5000 watts. It is unique from other
generators because it uses gasoline instead
of diesel.
Navigator Generator (60Hz-
Diesel) NVNDG5000SE
This generator gives out a max output of
5000 watts and low noise while it is on
power. It can carry up to 15L of diesel,
giving off 6 hours of power.
Navigator Generator (60-Hz-
Diesel, Max Output of 11KVA)
NVNDG11S
This generator is a more advanced and
more powerful that it can carry up to 42
liters of diesel, giving a continuous running
time of 8 hours. It is an ultra-silent type of
generator.
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Navigator Generator (60Hz-
Diesel, Max Output of 5500W)
NVNDG5500CLE
This generator can hold up to 12 liters of
diesel and give off a running power of 6
hours on ¾ load. Its maximum power can
reach up to 5500 watts. Its motor is also
single-phase.
Ridgid PowerClear Drain
Cleaning Machine RG59138
The powerful, compact and versatile new
PowerClear drain cleaner effortlessly cleans
tub, shower or sink blockages from 3/4”
(20mm) to 1 1/2” (40mm) diameter.
Its lightweight design makes it easy to
maneuver in small spaces like under a sink.
Typhoons has an impact to every livelihood. Protect your construction site,
workers and project by having a concrete weather-proof plan and properly
securing materials and equipment.
These high quality products are essential to any construction site that will
help everyone to be prepared in times of emergency, especially during a
typhoon.
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FEATURE STORY
Co Ban Kiat Hardware, Inc.
Ground Floor, Cobankiat Building II
231 Juan Luna St. Binondo Manila, Philippines.
Phone +632 8243-1931
Phone +632 8242-6925
Phone +632 8894-6561 & +638-272-931-981
Email info@cobankiat.com.ph;
ind@cobankiat.com.ph
Coby’s Design Center
Unit 467 level 4 Shangri-La Plaza
Edsa Corner Shaw Boulevard
Mandaluyong City, Philippines
Phone +632 86364895
Where to Buy?
For over 100 years, Co Ban Kiat Hardware Inc. has been the most trusted distributor of home
improvement and hardware items in the Philippines.
Let’s shop wisely. #StayAtHome and order online at your convenience. Visit us on the following
sites and enjoy deals, discounts, and more!
Lazada Store:
Website: https://shop.cbkhardware.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbkhardware/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cbkhardware
Join our Fast-Growing Viber Community https://bit.ly/39Lngjg
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About CBK Hardware
For over one hundred years, a family’s surname has become synonymous with the country’s
biggest hardware supply company. Co Ban Kiat Hardware Incorporated of the Cobankiat family
has a regular client network of more than 1,500 industrial organizations, 1,600 traditional
community hardware stores, and 584 home building specialty chains of stores across Luzon
Visayas and Mindanao. This ever-growing conglomerate traces its humble roots to Manila
Chinatown, as a pioneer enterprise started by the family’s patriarch, Mr. Cobankiat, in 1920.
Despite the ruins of World War II, the business got back to its feet in 1948, rebuilding a storefront
from the very same spot where it was known for three decades.
While the Filipinos continued to rebuild their lives post-war, CBK Hardware saw the opportunity
to introduce the retail concept once unheard of in the hardware industry. Cobankiat Hardware
brought the first DIY business in Asia. The Hardware Workshop Store is the fruit of this endeavor.
CBK Hardware further cemented its legendary distribution channel with the creation of Coby’
Design Center in Edsa Shangri La in 1996, a specialty store that caters to the discriminating taste
of modern Filipinos.
In 1997, Mr. Johnny Cobankiat, the 4th generation Cobankiat leader, set another milestone for
the company when he brought the franchise of Ace Hardware USA to the Philippines and signed
up CBK Hardware as one of its major suppliers. This further expanded into delivering quality
world-class products nearer to families of Filipino overseas workers in the countryside.
A century’s excellence can quickly pass, and guided by the vision to be the largest network
supplier of the biggest global brands in the hardware industry, CBK Hardware resolves to source
the best products to supply its customers anytime and every time.
17

FEATURE STORY
LG Launches New Virtual
Platform For Air Solution
Technology
The LG HVAC Virtual Experience Provides Visitors with the Opportunity to Explore a Wide Range of
Residential and Commercial Solutions
As consumers and business have looked to online recourses to help influencer their purchase
decision, virtual experiences have become a key trend. In light of this, LG Electronics
(LG) Home Appliance & Air Solution Company has opened a new online showroom,
LG HVAC Virtual Experience. Utilizing the latest in digital technology, this interactive
online showroom lets visitors get to know LG’s diverse range of residential and commercial indoor
environmental solutions from the comfort and safety of their homes.
The showroom delivers an intuitive, virtual experience that lets visitors view the compa-ny’s latest
solutions in a variety of virtual environments to learn about the benefits they provide, such as greater
comfort, improved indoor air quality and seamless control, all important in helping customers make
informed and important decisions for the family or employees.
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Upon entering LG HVAC Virtual Experience, visitors can choose from a range of busi-ness and living
space categories: Residential Apartment, Residential Villa, Office Gen-eral, Office High-Rise, Retail
and Hotel. Customers can roam the 3D environments freely using their mouse or touchscreen. Menus
offer additional information on every model, including specifications, features, product videos and case
studies. Simple to use and navigate, LG’s new virtual platform is a great tool for consumers, industry
profes-sionals and partners looking to create healthier and more comfortable indoor spaces.
What’s more, the virtual showroom allows visitors to see the behind-the-scenes details and technologies.
Press the onscreen Airflow and Piping buttons to see how air travels in an air conditioner or air purifier
and how pipes direct water and refrigerant through a system. Virtually switch operational modes and
observe how airflow changes from one air conditioner to another. Beyond the technology and science,
the showroom is also a great place to check out all the products’ stylish designs to see how they match
various virtual interiors.
LG HVAC Virtual Experience is an open, engaging online resource that will give visi-tors a thorough
understanding of LG’s latest, optimized HVAC solutions for all kinds of spaces, helping them figure out
which products are best suited to their specific needs.
Visit LG Virtual HVAC Experience to discover the company’s latest indoor environ-mental comfort
technologies on your PC or smartphone.
About LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company
The LG Home Appliance & Air Solution Company is a global leader in home appliances, smart home
solutions, air quality systems as well as visionary products featuring artificial intelligence. The company
is creating total solutions for the home with its industry leading core technologies and is committed
to making life better for consumers around the world by developing thoughtfully designed kitchen
appliances, living appliances and air solution products. Together, these products deliver enhanced
convenience, superb performance, efficient operation and compelling health benefits. For more
information, visit www.LG.com.
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22

Easy-to-use,
powerful estimating
software to use with
Asta Powerproject
A scalable, multi-functional
costing tool to help with
projects of all sizes and
levels of complexity
To find out more please visit:
elecosoft.com/bidcon
elecosoft.com/bidcon
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The construction sector in the United States is still
feeling the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, even
after two years have passed. Contractors and project
owners alike have been hit hard by rising material
prices, supply-chain interruptions, and a shrinking labor pool.
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C O V E R
S T O R Y
When construction costs rose sharply in March 2021, the AGC began
posting multiple issues of the Construction Inflation Alert to educate
project owners and government authorities as well as the general public
about the consequences. That Alert has been updated five times already,
indicating that things are far from normal.
In contrast to the rest of the economy, the construction sector has had
a much more uneven recovery in 2021 and seems to be on track for
continued expansion. Various contractors were unable to completely
pass on their increased costs due to a lack of demand for many forms
of non-residential building projects until recently. As a result of several
Covid-19 outbreaks, there has been a significant reduction in production,
distribution, and workforce availability.
It is a mix of supply chain bottlenecks, unexpected prices and delivery
delays, and smaller bid price increases that threatens to put some
enterprises out of business.
In 2021, the cost of materials soared to a new high for contractors. While
certain expenses have decreased recently, others have continued to
climb or have become unpredictable in both directions, which is a
hazard in its own right.
An all-time high increase in the PPI was recorded in 2021. It increased
by 24.1% between June 2020 and June 2021 before dipping marginally.
There was still a 19.6 percent increase in the rate of growth between
December 2020 and December 2021, compared to the 4.4 percent rise
in 2020 and the 1.8% gain in 2019.
Every kind of building project has seen its costs soar. There are PPIs
for inputs to roads and streets, commercial, healthcare, and industrial
buildings, electricity, and communications, education and vocational,
as well as single- and multifamily development. New multifamily
construction had a 14.6 percent rise in these input cost indices between
December 2020 and December 2021, while commercial buildings saw
a 20.7 percent increase.
What is the reason behind these astronomical price rises? In a nutshell,
the data shows practically everything. Steel mill goods saw a 127.2
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C O V E R
S T O R Y
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percent increase in the PPI from December 2020 to December 2021. For plastic
construction materials, the PPIs increased by 34.0 percent; 29.8 percent for
aluminum mill shapes; 23.4 percent for copper and brass mill shapes; 20.7
percent for gypsum products; 17.6 percent for timber and plywood; and 13.9
percent for architectural coatings (paint).
Prices for commodities and services utilized by contractors have increased in
tandem with those for building supplies. As an example, contractors spend a
lot of money on diesel fuel, which they use to power their own trucks and offroad
equipment, as well as fuel surcharges on delivery of various supplies and
equipment, and to cart away dirt, debris, and other construction-related waste.
Truck transportation of freight rose 17.7 percent, but the PPI for diesel fuel rose
54.9 percent from December 2020 to December 2021.
Construction companies have also been dealing with a never-ending string
of logistical issues since the outbreak of the pandemic. A slew of products,
including elevator components, floor tiles, and kitchen appliances, has been in
short supply since manufacturers in China and northern Italy was forced to close
in February 2020.
Firms canceled orders and suppliers lost employment because of COVID-19
or shut down to comply with governors’ edicts when the US economy took a
nosedive. A shortage of labor, ships, port berths, containers, chassis, trucking,
rail, and warehousing personnel meant that commodities couldn’t be produced
or transported.
Although contractors are unable to clear ports or repeal tariffs, it is possible for
them to give project owners fast and trustworthy third-party information regarding
changes in key material pricing as well as supply-chain congestion that may
have an effect on the duration and expense of a project that is currently under
progress or has already received a bid.
Materials and components may also be a topic of discussion between parties.
Purchasing products ahead of schedule might help you avoid price spikes.
Owners and bidders may wish to think about including terms that protect them
against unforeseen changes in the cost of materials, such as price-adjustment
provisions
41

NEWS
Building an Addition Onto
Your House: Everything You
Need to Know
Adding house extensions can
be quite beneficial for you
and your family since it will not
only increase the value of your
house but will also add more space.
The prices for a house extension can
vary depending on the size, type of
extension, and quality. But, before you
start planning your home addition,
you should be aware that home
improvements are not an easy task,
and they require good planning.
Below are some useful things that
might help before you start planning an
extension to your home.
How much would an extension
cost?
An addition to your house depends on
the variables of your home design and
what you want. Note that the bigger
your project, the bigger the costs. If
you’re planning to hire a contractor there
is a wide range of different contractor
estimates, and if you’re confident enough
you can consider this as a DIY project.
Smaller extensions, for example, are the
most affordable and are less complex.
An average house extension cost can be
between £15.000 and £125.000.
The price range can seem quite large
because there are various factors one
should consider. For example, a small
extension cost may be around £21.000 to
£100.000, and it’s usually used for small
additions like adding more space to a
kitchen, living room, patio, or bathroom.
A two-storey extension, for example, can
cost between £72.000 and £114.000 for a
mid-range build. Remember, the location
of your house is also an important factor.
Other costs to consider
There are some important additional
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costs you should consider including
extension groundwork costs, architect
costs, regulation costs, and permissions
costs. If you’re thinking of hiring an
architect to plan and design your new
extension, you may find that the cost is
around £18 to £30 per hour. Regulation
and planning costs are also among the
most important things to keep in mind
when planning an addition to your
house.
You’ll probably need planning
permission if you’re considering a
major project. But, don’t forget to
check with your local council and find
whether you need one depending
on the type of your extension. When
it comes to regulations, remember
various elements must be signed off
by a professional as proof that your
property is safe including flooring,
ventilation, internal and external walls,
and foundations.
How much do the stages of an
extension cost?
There are a couple of stages involved in
building an extension to your house, and
each one has individual costs that you
need to know when setting your budget.
First of all, the building regulations and
designs. As we mentioned, you have
to find out whether you need planning
permission, and if your plans don’t
adhere to the conditions, know that you
will need to pay around £200 to apply
for your extension to be approved.
Before you start building, the ground
also has to be fully prepared, so this
involves excavation which can cost
between £30 and £50 per cubic meter.
You might also consider removing
pipework and installing drainage
which will ensure that your extension is
protected against damages and it may
cost around £700 to £10.000. Finishing
touches like fixtures and fittings may
cost around £1000 to £7000, and you
may also consider costs for windows
and doors.
Types of house extension
There are a few different styles of home
extension including rear extensions,
side return extensions, double-story
extensions, wrap-around extensions,
and dormer extensions. Rear
extensions are usually placed at the
back of your house, extending onto the
garden or patio, and they can usually
be done without planning permission.
The combination of rear and side return
extension means moving outer walls
in two directions which is great for
extending the living space creating an
opportunity to expand your kitchen or
dining area.
Double-storey extensions mean
extending over two floors by using
the rear, side return, or wrap-around
extension. One of the advantages
would be that you will get double the
space but not double the cost. If you
have no use of your attic, then you
should consider a dormer extension. It
removes the pitch of the roof and will
create a flat roof so you can get space
which would be ideal for creating new
rooms.
Final thoughts
Planning to add an extension to your
house can be daunting, so you need
to plan your budget well, and don’t
forget to ask important questions about
your build before you start. House
extensions are excellent since they
boost your home’s space and value,
and can be so satisfying and useful.
So, don’t forget to write down your
plan, think carefully about what you
want to include, and consult with the
right contractors and designers.
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NEWS
Building Success: 3
Essential Tools for All Civil
Engineering Owners in 2022
Making it in the engineering
business world today takes
hard work and determination.
And aside from these essential
traits, becoming successful also requires
knowledge of particular business tools.
With all of the technology we have in the
world today, it’s hard to maintain a traditional
mindset when it comes to networking or
making business tasks more simplified. And
thankfully, the business tools we have today
are fairly easy to use for the most part.
Studies have shown that companies
belonging to big tech hold a combined
worth of over 5 trillion dollars. This is a
nearly unfathomable amount of worth. And
these are the companies largely responsible
for providing engineering business owners
with the tools they need to be successful.
But if you’re jumping into the industrial
business world today, you have to familiarize
yourself with the tools that you’ll need to be
successful. The following will explore a few
essentials that you’ll need heading into 2022.
Inventory Management Tools
One thing that any business owner needs to
keep up with is inventory. And this is just as
true for restaurant owners as it is for those
who own roadside watermelon stands.
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Without adequate means to keep up with
inventory, you’re basically in the dark when
it comes to profit margins and ROI. But
thankfully there are several tools that you
can use to your advantage when it comes to
keeping up with inventory management.
First, having both a paper inventory system
and a spreadsheet will prove vital for keeping
an accurate count for all of your inventory.
Second, there are a variety of software
programs on the market today that specialize
in inventory management.
Project management software will probably
prove to be your most valuable tool for
inventory allocation. And keeping this
software regularly updated is also a best
practice.
Networking Tools
If you’re going to be in business, you’re
going to have to network with others within
your company and outside of it as well. And
to do this, you’ll need to set up a networking
infrastructure.
For example, software such as Hivebright
and Jostle are great tools for community
management and engagement. And you can
use these tools to help build your business
network from within while also keeping
detailed files for customer relations as well.
The bottom line is, a properly running
network operates much more efficiently when
everyone within your enterprise has a sound
means for communication. And utilizing the
latest software tools will get you much better
results than using a company bulletin board
or a wall computer screen covered in Post-It
notes.
IT Support
The only downside to networking and using
the latest technology is that sometimes
glitches occur. And you’re going to need to
be ready to fix any issues that might arise.
The main problem with a malfunctioning
network is that these problems are often
too technically complicated for the average
business owner to solve on the fly. As such,
this is why you’ll need available tech support
for your business when things break down.
The key to tech support is to ensure that you
have a local IT support system available
when you need it. Basically, if you’re a San
Antonio-based business, you’ll need IT
support in San Antonio for the fastest results.
The last thing you’ll want to do is hire a
company that attempts to fix your problems
over the phone. And though sometimes this
can be convenient, you’ll also find that you’re
the one doing most of the work.
Remember, glitches happen in just about
every system from time to time. So having
IT support ready is going to be the key to
resuming business as usual.
All in all, the tools that you’ll need to operate
your business effectively are going to
be largely dictated by the nature of your
business. But keeping the aforementioned
tips in mind will prove beneficial as you grow
your company and reach your business
goals.
49

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NEWS
Keeping the Future Clean:
Top Advancements in
Janitorial Technology
With the ever-evolving threat
of the pandemic, very few of
us can claim any longer that
janitorial work is unimportant.
While the general cultural perception
of janitorial work is still very dismissive,
figuring it to be a low-paying, low-effort job
for people with few ambitions, janitorial work
is in truth essential to every single industry
those same people patronize daily.
Even before we were all deathly afraid
of a rapidly spreading respiratory virus,
janitorial work was the unsung foundation of
a number of industries, maintaining positive
perceptions of the company through general
cleaning and maintenance, upholding
health and safety standards, and cleaning
up after careless customers. While janitorial
workers are currently hard to find, as a direct
result of a lack of thoughtfulness on the part
of employers and low wages, a company
with a skilled janitorial staff is likely to find
that the efficacy of other functions steadily
increases.
Yet, even as the pandemic continues to
surge and new variants begin to come out
of the woodwork, the number of janitors
employed at corporations and cleaning
companies continues to decrease. Despite
the claimed ignorance of business leaders,
the reasons are simple and easy to detect:
not enough pay, not enough respect, and not
having the tools to do their jobs efficiently in
such a dangerous environment. The latter
very much bleeds into the former two, as not
investing in tools that will make janitorial work
easier tends to subtly communicate to those
workers that their role is not that important.
If you’re looking to lure janitorial workers back
into the fold, you may want to consider investing
in top-of-the-line janitorial tech that will help
them do their work safely in these trying times.
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The pandemic has proved that the need for
such work will be constant, as nobody knows
when a new threat may come up, and failing to
do such work can result in disease spreading
like wildfire through your customer base. If
you’re interested in improving the quality of
life of your cleaning staff, here are a few vital
pieces of new janitorial tech you may want to
invest in.
Self-Dumping Hoppers
Taking out the trash can be one of the most
physically arduous duties your janitors will
have, and also one of the most dangerous
if your company specializes in food: coming
into close contact with food waste and other
potentially infected materials is not exactly
appealing for your staff. However, with hoppers
that self-dump, one of the newest innovations
in the janitorial tech market, your janitors will
have limited contact with your garbage and
have to expend less energy physically to do
their duty.
All they have to do is haul the garbage into the
hopper from a designated drop point, cart it to
the dumpster, and then let the hopper dump
itself via automation. In addition to giving your
janitors an easier workload, self-dumping
hoppers tend to be compact, fitting easily into
tight spaces and ensuring you make the most
out of your backroom space.
Smart Dispensers
Already implemented in many a restaurant
and corporate bathroom, adding smart
sanitizer and hand soap dispensers to your
company restrooms (and other frequently
visited hotspots) can be a valuable asset for
your janitorial staff. In addition to dispensing
predetermined amounts of the cleaning
materials, making your staff refill them
less often, implementing these devices in
bathrooms and other high-contact spaces will
decrease the likelihood that pathogens can
spread easily in your workplace. Putting these
in highly visible places also increases the
likelihood that your customers will see your
business as a safe place to patronize in these
trying times.
Roombas, Robots, and Other
Investments
If you work in a less-trafficked office space, it
may also behoove you to invest in automated
cleaning machines like Roombas to patrol your
office during the day. While this is definitely not
a good idea for areas that are highly trafficked
by consumers, like the lobby of a restaurant
(as your more expensive investment is likely
to get trampled and broken), Roombas can
reduce a janitors workload in calmer office
areas by sweeping the floors for detritus and
dust. Automated cleaning companions are
definitely an investment, and one that you
may think renders janitorial staff redundant,
but remember: artificial intelligence only goes
so far, and Roombas are made to lighten the
workload of cleaning staff, not eliminate it.
Pandemic or not, investing in janitorial tech
is a good move for any company looking to
grow with the times and increase the overall
quality of life of their staff. While many of
these innovations will require you to put out
a significant chunk of change, you’ll find
that investment returns tenfold in employee
retention, improved customer perception of
your business, and the like.
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Big data and Artificial
Intelligence to control algal
Toxic algal blooms are a problem
that is globally increasing due to
nutrients pollution and climate
change. Although the use of
chemicals may provide temporary
relief to the problem, it does not offer
a solution. Now an alternative method
for chemical algae control is available.
Based on the acquisition of big data,
artificial intelligence and ultrasound, this
novel method can control algal blooms in
large water surfaces without disrupting
the ecosystem.
blooms
Toxic blooms of algae are increasing
globally in our waterways, causing a
variety of health-related issues and
environmental degradation. Climate
change and pollution lie at the source
of most algal blooms, making it a
problem that is not easy nor quick to
solve. Nitrogen and Phosphorous form
the main food source for algae, which
enters our waterways through pollution
from industrial or urban sources. These
nutrients may build-up in the sediments of
our lakes and waterways, providing food
for algae for years to come, even when
nutrient inflow to the lake has already
stopped.
Blue-green algae, also known as
cyanobacteria, may cause illness in
humans and kill animals because they
canproduce a variety of toxins and release
them in the water. In the production of
drinking water, algae growth may hinder
the treatment process by cloggingup
filters, increased THM formation
and increased use of water treatment
chemicals. In addition, taste and odor
molecules produced by blue-green algae
give a foul taste and odor to the water
which is difficult to remove from the final
product.
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For the last 100 years, the main practice of
water treatment plant operators to remove
algae from their reservoirs has been the
addition of chemicals. Chemicals that
have been dosed in our waterways may
include copper sulfate or other algaecides
as well as metals (Fe, Cu, Ag, Al, Ca).
Although these methods are considered
as fast working and economical, their
impact on the ecological balance of
a waterbody cannot be disregarded.
Effects of chemical algal control may
include toxicity, lysis of the algal cells and
non-target response, which will lead to a
degradation of the overall quality of the
water.
Based on a European Research project,
LG Sonic has developed a method to
selectively control algae in freshwater
lakes and reservoirs called the MPC-
Buoy (Monitor, Predict, Control). In-situ
monitoring equipment is used to detect
and determine algae species, and
predict blooms based on water quality
parameters. The MPC-Buoy controls
algae by using relatively low power, an
ultrasonic signal that is emitted over the
surface of the reservoir. The ultrasound
of one MPC-Buoy system can cover a
surface area of approximately 50 acres.
Algae rely on their buoyancy to float
close enough to the water surface to
take up sunlight. This allows them to
outcompete other organisms in the water
such as plants, that are also depending
on sunlight intake. The ultrasound used
by the MPC-Buoy systems fixes the algal
cells in a deeper layer of the water column,
preventing them to take up sunlight at the
surface.
Why do we need to use data to
control algae?
Many different algal types can bloom in
a water body. Some of these algae are
plant cells, while others are bacteria.
Algae may vary in size, shape and cell
characteristics. Typically, the type of
algae that blooms depends on water
temperature and sun hours. As a
result, algal types may change several
times during a season. In addition to that,
algae are also highly adaptive. Some algal
types can resist extreme temperatures
or pH values and cope with fluctuations
in these conditions better than other
organisms such as plants. Because of
algae’s adaptability, algae can easily
develop resistance to algaecides and
other treatment methods, including
ultrasound.
LG Sonic has been researching the
effect of ultrasound on specific algal
types, different types of water bodies and
variations in water quality since 2005.
In collaboration with different European
universities, they have created a database
defining optimal ultrasonic parameters for
different algal species and water quality
characteristics. By continuously updating
these ultrasonic parameters, the system
prevents algae from becoming resistant
to ultrasound.
The MPC-Buoy automatically monitors,
analyzes and predicts algal presence
in the waterbody. For the collection of
water quality data, near real-time sensors
are used to measure pH, Chlorophyll a,
Phycocyanin, Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen,
and optionally nitrogen and phosphorous.
Based on this information, the MPC-Buoy
can determine the presence of different
algal species and forecast algal blooms.
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N E W S
S T O R I E S
Data Sources
By using different sources of data and
combining those in a unique algorithm,
LG Sonic can forecast algal blooms 3
to 10 days in advance. This allows for
effective mitigation strategies through
the MPC-Buoy systems. The algorithm
can be fed by different data sources,
such as hydrological characteristics of
the water body and meteorological data
sources. The hydrological data consists
of streams of data generated by in-situ
water quality measurement and remote
sensing satellite imagery.
The use of remote sensing has an
unparalleled advantage when forecasting
algal blooms and specifically scum layers
because remote sensing is the only datasource
that provides a spatial overview of
water quality parameters over the entire
lake. For this forecast, mostly data from
Sentinel-2 and Landsat satellites are
used due to the resolution. Sentinel-2
and Landsat satellites can provide a
resolution between 10 and 30 meters and
provide images every 5-8 days. Other
satellites such as MODIS and Sentinel-3
show images on a more frequent basis,
but the resolution is generally lower, which
makes them unsuitable for smaller lakes
and reservoirs.
For the collection of in-situ water quality
data, near real-time sensors are used to
measure pH, Chlorophyll a, Phycocyanin,
Turbidity, Dissolved oxygen, Nitrogen,
and Phosphate. Nutrients, temperature,
and oxygen can be measured at different

depths in the reservoir to identify lake
stratification and nutrient release from
the sediments. Meteorological data is
provided through different data sources.
Sun irradiance is measured through an
irradiance sensor installed on the water
quality monitoring buoys on the lake while
wind speed and rainfall are gathered
through the closest weather station.
Effective algae control
The MPC-Buoy controls algae by using
relatively low power, an ultrasonic signal
that is emitted over the surface of the
reservoir. The ultrasound of one MPC-
Buoy system can cover a surface area
of approximately 50 acres. Algae rely
on their buoyancy to float close enough
to the water surface to take up sunlight.
This allows them to outcompete other
organisms in the water such as plants,
that are also depending on sunlight intake.
The ultrasound used by the MPC-Buoy
systems fixes the algal cells in a deeper
layer of the water column, preventing them
to take up sunlight at the surface. Currently,
LG Sonic is running project in Dubai in
collaboration with Dubai Municipality to
treat algal blooms in Al Quadra lakes. 60
days after the installation of systems, bluegreen
algae concentration was reduced
by 73%.

N E W S
S T O R I E S
Prestigious Springer Quartier
building project
Weight reduced by 1,240 tonnes thanks to much lower use of concrete
In 2015, the MOMENI Group acquired
publisher Axel Springer’s Hamburg
headquarters, built in 1956, intending to
create a premium property with office,
retail, restaurant and residential space in
the SPRINGER QUARTIER. Internationally
renowned architects Gerkan, Marg and
Partner (gmp) took on the challenge of
dynamically renovating the Springer highrise
office block, listed since 1997, and of
expanding it into a modern, contemporary,
urban building. The entire complex is to
earn a gold rating under internationally
recognised LEED system specifications. In
order to achieve this goal and be able to cope
with the particular structural environment,
void former modules from HEINZE Cobiax
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Deutschland GmbH were included in the
plans during the structural design phase
by WTM Engineers Hamburg, in order to
reduce the amount of concrete and building
weight. As a result, it was possible for the
main construction contractors, Ed. Züblin
AG, as general contractors, to reduce the
amount of concrete needed for the new wing
by 496 m³, and to achieve weight savings of
12,400 kN.
The new building’s inner city location and the
various uses for the ground and basement
levels, compared to the uniformly designed
upper floors, presented a challenge for
the architect and structural engineer. The
proximity of adjacent buildings, whose

foundations could not be disturbed during
the civil engineering work, also had to be
taken into account. In order to achieve
gmp architects’ ideas, the structural design
experts at WTM Engineers Hamburg
suggested using Cobiax SL modules, since
using void formers compared to reinforced
concrete allows weight to be reduced
by up to 35 percent. “Our planning office
had already met with positive experiences
using Cobiax products in other projects,
and so they came up with a perfect
solution for this challenging project,” recall
Detlev Haasse and Christopher Gabbert,
Project Managers at WTM Engineers. The
patented Cobiax system, consisting of 250
cm long reinforced steel modules, where
void formers are installed once the halfparts
have been put together, replaces up
to 35 percent of concrete in areas where
no concrete is required for the (bending)
load-bearing ability of the slab. “Significant
savings in materials and weight can be
achieved through using our technology,”
explains Dipl.-Ing. Volkmar Wanninger,
Managing Director of Heinze Cobiax
Deutschland GmbH. “The positive impact
on the building’s structural design provides
the architects with previously unthinkable
opportunities for designing further spaces:
on the one hand through shallower slab
depths, and on the other through spanning
up to 20 m.”
These advantages could be exploited to
the full in the SPRINGER QUARTIER, as
various areas of the building could not have
direct foundations, complicated foundation
issues arose at the property boundaries
and the varied uses on some floors made
it necessary to use different retaining wall
designs. “Weight savings achieved by
using our void former systems made many
of the retaining walls viable in the first
place, as well as constructing some parts
of the building overhanging by up to 8 m,”
explain Gabbert and Müller with one voice.
Any values needed for planning the use of
void former systems were calculated for
the demanding architectural geometry in
the SPRINGER QUARTIER using “Quick
and Light” software, which Cobiax provides
to all structural engineers free of charge.
These structural design specifications
were subsequently incorporated into the
structural and reinforcement plans by the
Ed. Züblin AG Hamburg Technical Office,
and so could be implemented on the
construction site.
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N E W S
S T O R I E S
Inner city location demands
complex logistics
A particular challenge for large-scale
construction sites in inner-city locations
was the limited space available and the
requirement to minimise the impact on
normal city traffic. “Due to the SPRINGER
QUARTIER’s central location, the time slots
when materials could be delivered to the
construction site were very tight. What’s
more, there was only limited space available
on site for unloading delivery vehicles, “
reports Christoph Wieghaus, site manager
for Ed. Züblin AG. Ed. Züblin AG is part of
the STRABAG SE group of companies, one
of Europe’s leading construction services
technology groups.
Since a total of 5,500 tonnes of steel and
about 34,000 m³ of concrete were needed
for shell construction, all deliveries had to
be precisely coordinated to avoid traffic
jams in the surrounding streets. Delivering
the Cobiax SL void former modules to the
construction site over a total of seven loads
was also included in the time planning. We
pre-assembled the void former systems
for the first delivery at the HEINZE Cobiax
Deutschland factory, so the concreting work
could start straight away. For the remaining
six, the individual components were
assembled and processed on site instead.
“After finishing the first mid-layer slabs,
those areas could be used as temporary
storage and assembly space for the Cobiax
modules,” explained Wieghaus. “After preassembling
the void former modules, we
then put them into position on the individual
slab sections.” On the first day using the
void former modules, the Cobiax Team gave
training to all workers on site to ensure quick
and easy assembly. For the laying itself,
plans were drawn up where the slab surfaces
were covered in void formers. These were
drawn up by the Cobiax experts, taking into
account the structural engineering design
calculations, in order to avoid any structural
problems with the slabs.
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Once the modules had been put into position
as specified in the plans, the concreting was
done in two stages. “The pre-concreting for
putting the void former system into position,
to prevent them bouncing around, was
done using the concrete pouring bucket.
Pouring the concrete and assembly work
was suspended in order to concrete in the
Cobiax void formers on the surfaces, and
presented a further challenge in terms of
the limited space,” explains Wieghaus.
“This means the spacers, which also
function as structural parts, create the bond.
Subsequently, in a second step, the slab is
concreted over.”
Potential savings from using
void former modules
The cost of the entire supporting structure of
the building also came down, thanks to the
smaller amount of concrete and reinforcing
steel used. “An added bonus is that the
smaller amount of concrete also reduces
the emission of pollutants toxic to the
environment. For the SPRINGER QUARTIER
project, saving 496 m³ of concrete meant
reducing CO2 by 105 tonnes. Among other
things, this results from eliminating 80
concrete mixer journeys to the construction
site. “Within the next 5 years, we want
to reduce CO2 emissions by a total of 1
million tonnes, through using our products
in reinforced concrete construction, in order
to progress the rethink towards sustainable
construction”, concludes Wanninger. As
more than 14 million square metres of
Cobiax voided flat slabs have already been
produced, corresponding to 2 million tonnes
of concrete saved and a CO2 reduction of
180,000 tonnes, this objective seems quite
realistic.
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N E W S
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How To Find The Best
Engineers For Your
Projects?
engineer that’s looking for work, then pay
attention to all the things listed below. If you
understand how companies hire engineers,
then you can alter your approach to appease
them.
On that note, here’s how you find the best
talent:
Build A Strong Brand Image
The right engineer can make or break
a project. It’s crucial that you recruit
the best person for the job every time.
As a result, you’ll have someone who
can carry your vision forward and help you
achieve all of your goals.
How do you find the top engineers? You have
many considerations and steps to follow. In
this article, you’ll see some of the best tips to
help you find the most talented engineers for
your needs. Additionally, if you’re an upcoming
The hiring process starts from within.
Engineering is an interesting industry in that
there are so many businesses looking for
different engineers. As such, qualified and
talented engineers are in demand. This means
that you may struggle to get people to apply
for jobs or to work for your company as they
may have better job offers from elsewhere.
So, you have to build a strong company image.
Create a brand that engineers can identify
with. Make it clear what your business wants
to do and what your key aims are for the future.
There’s a higher chance of someone wanting
to work for you if they know your company
is moving in the right direction. Give them a
sense of direction, let them know what they’re
in for. Talented engineers want to be part of
something special; they want to have a sense
of purpose. If your brand image is pretty poor
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and doesn’t impress them, then you’ll fail to
find any applicants for your positions.
Attend Networking Events &
Trade Shows
You need to try and connect with as many
engineers as possible. Therefore, trade
shows and networking events are the perfect
situations for this. They give you an excuse
to get amongst engineers and talk to them.
Networking events are particularly effective
at gaining some new contacts within the
industry. From here, you can follow-up with
emails or calls to let them know about an
exciting new position at your company for an
upcoming project.
Trade shows work in a similar way, but
they’re more about getting your business out
there. Engineering trade shows give you the
opportunity to create a little booth and advertise
your business. Use big and bold banners at
your event to draw in the crowds and direct
people to your booth. In essence, you drive
crowds of budding engineers straight to your
business. Here, you can talk about your brand,
disclose information on projects, and provide
people with resources to learn more. Again,
you can generate lots of leads by getting a lot
of contact information from this event. Now,
you’re in a position to speak to lots of talented
engineers about your latest job.
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N E W S
S T O R I E S
Post Online Job Adverts
While a lot of hiring gets done by
connecting with individuals, it’s still worth
putting job adverts out there. This gives
you a chance to find other engineers that
you may not have been able to reach
out to. After all, not everyone can attend
events! Online job adverts are still one of
the most effective ways of finding talented
individuals to be part of your team. There
are lots of websites you can hire engineers
from, so try and put your ads up on as
many as possible. From here, you just wait
for engineers to connect to you.
Make sure you write a compelling advert
for your job. Be clear about the engineer’s
roles and your company mission. Go back
to the point about your brand image;
make them feel like your business is worth
working for. Also, include all the essential
skills, qualifications, and experience that
you’re after. Make candidates list all of
these things as part of their application, so
you can easily vet the ones that don’t tick
all the right boxes.
Ask For A Portfolio
It goes without saying that you need
a portfolio of work before hiring any
engineer. In this line of work, you depend
on experience. You need to know that the
person you’re interested in has the skills
and experience to carry out your project.
The best way to see this is by looking at
their previous jobs. All engineers should
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create their own portfolio - this is a pro
tip for any young engineers reading this
article! It shows businesses what you’re
capable of, and it can be the difference
between getting hired or not.
Ideally, you should look for examples of
projects that are similar to yours. While
any experience is better than none, this is
a great way to separate the best from the
rest. It’s less risky to hire an engineer when
you know they have experience dealing
with projects that are a lot like yours.
Look For Referrals
This last tip is brilliant at both sourcing
potential engineers and vetting them.
Referrals will tell you how good a candidate
is at their job. It lets you know what previous
clients think about them. As such, you
get a feel for how they work and whether
or not they’ll bring something positive to
your business. Ask fellow businesses for
referrals when you’re looking for a new
engineer. Instantly, this can help you
build a shortlist. If you find any from other
sources, then ask them for referrals. They
will put you in touch with their previous
clients, so you can contact them and ask
questions about the engineer.
Ultimately, this gives you peace of mind
that you’re hiring someone you can trust.
Never close a deal and shake someone’s
hand unless you have clear referrals from
elsewhere.
There you have it, this is how you find
the best engineers for your projects. Go
through each of these points and make
sure you cover all of them before hiring
someone. For engineers, look at these
points and use them to improve your
chances of getting jobs.
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N E W S
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Global Virus Network (GVN)
Adds Four Preeminent Academic
Institutions To Strengthen Global
Collaboration In Viral Research
And Response To Pandemics
The Global Virus Network (GVN),
comprising foremost experts around
the world in every class of virus
causing disease in humans and some
animals, today announced the addition of
three new Centers of Excellence including
the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), part of
the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Radboud
University Medical Center in the Netherlands
and the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public
Health in the United States of America (USA),
and one Affiliate, the University of the West
Indies at St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago
through GVN’s Center of Excellence in HIV
and HCV Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory
in the Center for Integrated Global Biomedical
Sciences, at the University at Buffalo, The
State University of New York (SUNY), USA.
The latest additions bolster GVN to 61 Centers
of Excellence, with 11 Affiliates in 34 nations.
The GVN is a global authority and resource
for the identification and investigation,
interpretation and explanation, control and
suppression, of viral diseases posing threats
to mankind.
“We look forward to working with each of
these esteemed new members to combat
the current pandemic emergency and plan
for, and mitigate, future outbreaks,” said Dr.
Christian Bréchot, President of the GVN and
Associate Vice President for International
Partnerships and Innovation, Professor,
Division of Infectious Disease, Department of
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Internal Medicine at the USF Health Morsani
College of Medicine.
“These new Centers and Affiliate offer not just
deeper global reach, but encompass some
of the world’s most cutting-edge science
and thought leadership,” said Dr. Robert
Gallo, GVN co-founder and international
scientific advisor, who is also The Homer &
Martha Gudelsky Distinguished Professor
in Medicine and Director of the Institute of
Human Virology (IHV) at the University of
Maryland School of Medicine.
The Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), Chinese
Academy of Sciences, offers, among other
world-leading expertise, valuable resources
in bat viruses and coronaviruses and will be
an important Center for studying response to
emerging viral diseases.
“I support increasing global collaborations
and transparency in science, particularly
related to this current pandemic crisis,”
said Dr. Zhengli Shi, Professor at WIV and
director of GVN’s new Center in China. “In
addition to sharing our coronavirus research
and any new breakthroughs with my fellow
colleagues at the GVN, I am also looking
forward to sharing my experience in Africa,
particularly the National Museums of Kenya
and the Kenya Wildlife Service, regarding
our surveillance studies in bats, rodents and
camels in East Africa.”
Radboud University Medical Center in the
Netherlands is renowned for conducting
research in innate immunity, non-specific
vaccines, targeting leukocytes, and
metabolic differentiation, especially against
coronaviruses.
“I am looking forward to increasing my
collaborations with the GVN,” said Dr.
Mihai Netea, a GVN Task Force member
who will direct the new Center, and who
also heads the division of Experimental
Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine,
Radboud University Medical Center in the
Netherlands. “I am pleased that our research
in understanding the factors influencing
variability of human immune responses,
the biology of sepsis and immunoparalysis
in bacterial and fungal infections, and the
study of the memory traits of innate immunity
is already helping to shape GVN’s thoughtleadership
on utilizing innate immunity to
mitigate our current pandemic and future
ones.”
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The Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
in the USA leads major genomic studies of
Lassa virus, Ebola virus, and Zika virus and
have carried out extensive work in virology and
microbial diagnostics, including contributions
to the development of innovative technologies.
“My lab has contributed to a range of fields
including human and microbial genomics,
information theory, and infectious disease
diagnostics and surveillance, while
developing new and cutting-edge diagnostic
and computational technologies for outbreak
prevention and response,” said Dr. Pardis
Sabeti, a Professor at the Center for Systems
Biology and Department of Organismic and
Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, the
Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), who
will direct the GVN Center. “Together with the
GVN, we can expand our study of pandemic
resilience in the future.”
The University of the West Indies (UWI) St.
Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago routinely
investigates a variety of important human
and animal pathogens vectored by mosquito,
tick, culicoides and bats including dengue,
Chikungunya, Zika and bat coronaviruses,
and will contribute to many of GVN’s initiatives.
UWI St. Augustine joins the GVN as an Affiliate
through GVN’s Center of Excellence in HIV and
HCV Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, at the
University at Buffalo, SUNY, USA.
“We look forward to working with our GVN
collaborators, particularly at the University
at Buffalo, SUNY to share our expertise in
viral epidemiology research, as well as, to
participating in broader training programs to
enhance our virus research capacity,” said Dr.
Christine Carrington, Professor of Molecular
Genetics and Virology at UWI St. Augustine
and Director of the new GVN Affiliate.
Dr. Gene D. Morse, Distinguished Professor
and Director at the Center for Integrated
Global Biomedical Sciences at the University
at Buffalo, SUNY who leads the GVN Center
of Excellence said, “I am pleased to see my
colleagues from Trinidad and Tobago come
under the GVN umbrella. I look forward to
helping them share resources with the GVN,
test and develop antiviral therapies and
biomarkers, promote translational science and
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build infrastructure and capacity for global
virology research.”
GVN members collaborate on research areas
including immunology and vaccines, antiviral
drug therapy, virus-host interaction, diagnostic
virology and epidemiology, morphogenesis
and structural biology, emerging and reemerging
viruses, viruses as biotechnological
tools and trending topics in virology. GVN is
at the frontline of virology research to share
knowledge, collaborate, and train the next
generation of virologists as effective tools to
combat epidemics of the future.
About the Global Virus Network
(GVN)
The Global Virus Network (GVN) is essential
and critical in the preparedness, defense and
first research response to emerging, existing
and unidentified viruses that pose a clear and
present threat to public health, working in
close coordination with established national
and international institutions. It is a coalition
comprising eminent human and animal
virologists from 61 Centers of Excellence and
11 Affiliates in 34 countries worldwide, working
collaboratively to train the next generation of
virologists, advance knowledge about how
to identify and diagnose pandemic viruses,
mitigate and control how such viruses spread
and make us sick, as well as develop drugs,
vaccines and treatments to combat them. No
single institution in the world has expertise
in all viral areas other than the GVN, which
brings together the finest medical virologists
to leverage their individual expertise and
coalesce global teams of specialists on the
scientific challenges, issues and problems
posed by pandemic viruses.
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N E W S
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Efficient Generation for
Sustainable Power
A
move away from traditional coal
and nuclear energy has created
significant opportunities for combined
heat and power generation (CHP).
Companies such as Yanmar are providing
low carbon solutions that are becoming an
increasing part of the energy mix.
Countries across the world are finally taking
much larger steps to reduce their carbon
footprint. Chief among these is Germany,
which is now going even further by turning
its back on coal-fired and nuclear-powered
generation.
Ambitious targets
As such, heavy-polluting coal plants across
the nation are being closed and nuclear
power is being phased out by 2023. This offers
potential on the one hand for the creation of
fast-reacting natural gas plants that fire up
quickly to ensure a stable energy supply.
On the other hand, there are significant
benefits on a micro-generation level with
combined heat and power (CHP) units such
as Yanmar’s ‘neoTower’ being installed in many
businesses and homes. They create energy
for self-use and feed any excess back into the
grid.
These efficient gas engine power plants can
play an important role in the future energy mix.
In brief, CHP units run on clean natural gas,
which they use to generate electricity and
heat. They gain their high energy efficiency by
capturing and using the excess heat that comes
from the engine during electricity generation,
as the single fuel source provides both heat
and electricity. By generating directly (and
locally), grid transmission losses are avoided,
which also increases the energy efficiency and
lowers the carbon emissions.
The German Government believes that CHP is
the best way forward to help decarbonise its
economy. In addition, it overcomes the potential
problems of intermittent supply to the grid.
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As such, Germany has enacted the CHP
law to support cogeneration by boosting
the number of highly efficient CHP plants in
Germany. It also rewarded owners of CHP
systems with significant financial bonuses
lasting up to ten years for the electricity
generated via their cogeneration ‘plants’. This
support has made consumers and
businesses keen to install ultra-efficient lowcarbon
generation solutions in their homes
and workplaces.
Gas-powered technology for a
better world
Yanmar has a long-standing reputation for
providing quality sustainable power solutions
to a variety of industry sectors, from marine to
agriculture, and from power generation to
air conditioning. It has established a new
company in Germany, Yanmar Energy Systems
Europe, to provide a full manufacturing, sales
and service solutions for a range of heating,
ventilation, air-conditioning (HVAC) and
power generation requirements.
With a mission to deliver clean and efficient
CHP solutions to customers in Germany
and throughout Europe, Yanmar is already
making sufficient strides in helping German
consumers reduce their energy carbon
footprint, according to Chief Executive Officer
Yosuke Tajima.
“Our mission is to provide optimal heat and
power solutions to customers throughout
Europe. Demand for power continues to
rise, along with a significant need to reduce
CO2 emissions. CHP is recognised as highly
efficient, which is why the German Government
is supporting it with customer incentives to
divest from carbon-intensive generation.
Yanmar’s highly efficient solutions will help
meet the challenges of the future.”
Reliable partners for added
value
The Yanmar Group also acquired a majority
holding in RMB AG (RMB), a major German
provider of industry-leading CHP units. This
ensured that its efficient gas-powered solutions
are not only meeting customer needs, but also
supporting Germany’s energy policy goals.
The strategic goal with RMB is the joint
development of cogeneration units with
Yanmar engines. It also aims to continue its
market leadership of the micro-CHP sector,
combining the best of Japanese and German
manufacturing with unrivalled technological
expertise.
It’s a perfect match for RMB’s General Manager
Jens Brake, who has been instrumental in
promoting CHP’s role in the energy mix. An
engineer by trade, he designed his first CHP
system in 2008 and helped to bring RMB’s
revolutionary neoTower unit to the market three
years later. In 2015, the first cogeneration units
with Yanmar engines were unveiled, available
with an electrical capacity of 25 and 30kW.
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“Combined heat and power is the best
current solution for today’s energy needs
in both the commercial and domestic
sectors,” says Jens. “From a business
perspective, if you compare it to the other
energy sources, the biggest driver is the
cost savings for customers. Essentially,
they are producing electrical power and
heat with their own power plant – and doing
it at a low cost.”
A spark of genius?
This business model is known as
“Sparkspread’, which is basically the
difference between the cost of producing
and using your own energy, compared
to the cost of buying it. In the case of a
CHP unit, owners in Germany are paying
roughly four euro cents for one kilowatt hour
of natural gas. This is then used to create
electricity (for their own use) that would
otherwise have cost them around 28 cents
per kilowatt hour to buy.
Therefore, for many people it’s not entirely
about saving the planet. This is because
the cost savings from these reliable, highly
efficient units do stack up, with a return on
investment in less than four years in some
cases.
The proof is with the customer
A good example may be found at a typical
customer installation: the Sportpark
Hilden, near Düsseldorf, which is one of
a successful chain of fitness centres that
have been in operation since 1977. Its
owner, Hans Buschmann, didn’t
need too much convincing about the
benefits of CHP, having installed several
units at various sports centres before.
However, the Sportpark Hilden’s
constantly increasing requirement for heat
and power around the clock, 365 days
of the year, made him choose wisely.
“We’re open 16 hours a day every
day and need energy constantly for
heating the swimming pool, showers and
saunas, as well as our electrical power
requirements,” says Hans.
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“We installed the latest neoTower 30 CHP
system, because of the obvious ecological
and financial benefits, and the ability to
produce our own energy where it is
needed. We have a responsibility to our
customers to work ecologically, but it’s also
in the interests of our company to be costeffective.”
With its busy peak periods
running throughout the year, especially
during the winter season, CHP was the
most efficient option. Furthermore, it was
the CHP’s additional benefit of
being able to use excess heat as an energy
source to warm the centre’s swimming
pool and hot water (a constant, year-round
energy demand) that made sound
economic sense.
“The cost savings are significant – we’ve
been able to reduce our energy bills by
50 per cent – and that makes a huge
difference to the bottom line,” adds Hans.
“Furthermore, the neoTower’s ease of
operation, combined with long maintenance
intervals, means that we don’t need to
worry about it at all.
“In fact, with its quiet operation, we hardly
know it’s there! We’ve used CHP for ten
years with great success and see no
better alternative at present. Based on our
previous experience, we expect a return on
investment in less than three-and-a-half
years.”
Germany’s efforts to support companies
and individuals that invest in energy
efficient technology have to be
commended. As other nations make the
transition to a low-carbon economy, CHP is
expected to play a significant part in this,
with companies like Yanmar committed
to providing efficient and innovative
co-generation technology for a more
sustainable future.
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Studies Indicating T-Cells May Be
Needed For Long-Term Protection
From The SARS-Cov-2 Virus
According to the National Institutes
of Health (NIH), the tide in the
global fight against COVID-19,
the disease caused by the SARS-
CoV-2 virus, may soon begin to turn. Last
month, three pharmaceutical companies
announced promising results from vaccine
trials. Countries around the world are now
poised to begin the largest mass vaccination
campaigns since the 1950s. Researchers led
by Dr. Dan Barouch of Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center used monkeys to look at levels
of antibodies and immune cells required to
prevent reinfection with the virus. NIH
said some questions remain about what types
and amounts of immune system components
are needed to produce long-term immunity
against SARS-CoV-2. This information would be
valuable both for tracking the effectiveness of
vaccines and designing new ones in the future.
It said that This finding suggests that T cells are
needed for long-term protection from the virus.
“Antibodies alone can protect, including at
relatively low levels, but T cells are also helpful
if antibody levels are insufficient,” Barouch
says. “Such knowledge will be important in
the development of next generation vaccines,
antibody-based therapeutics, and public
health strategies for COVID-19.”
Active biotech companies in the Covid-19
developments this week include Sorrento
Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRNE), BioVaxys
Technology Corp. (OTCPK: LMNGF) (CSE:
BIOV), INOVIO (NASDAQ: INO), CytoDyn Inc.
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(OTCQB: CYDY), Novavax, Inc. (NASDAQ:
NVAX).
BMJ. Com reported on a similar test but
humans were the patients here, to find out
how long the T Cells last after an infection.
The results were that Robust cellular immunity
persists for at least for six months after
even mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2
infection, research has shown. The study of
100 people showed that all had a cellular
immune response against SARS-CoV-2 six
months after infection although the size of
response was 50% higher in those who had
experienced symptomatic disease. There
has been concern that the cellular immune
response following covid-19 infection may not
be sustained. “This data is reassuring,” lead
study author Paul Moss, from the University
of Birmingham, told a Science Media Centre
briefing on 2 November. “However, it does not
mean that people cannot be re-infected. We
need to have much larger population studies
to show that.” Moss also added that the
findings “can’t be taken as confirmation that
an ‘immunity passport’ would be feasible.”
BioVaxys Technology Corp.
(OTCPK: LMNGF) (CSE: BIOV.CNQ)
BREAKING NEWS: COVID-T CLINICAL
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INITIATED
REGULATORY ADVISORY GROUP ENGAGED
- BioVaxys Technology Corp. (“BioVaxys”) is
pleased to announce that it has initiated the
clinical development program for Covid-T,
the Company’s novel diagnostic platform for
detecting T-cell activity. The US Food and
Drug Administration (“FDA”) has tentatively
agreed to permit that BioVaxys can file for a
pre-Emergency Use Authorization (“EUA”) for
Covid-T. Under an EUA, FDA may allow
the use of unapproved medical products,
or unapproved uses of approved medical
products in an emergency to diagnose,
treat, or prevent serious or life-threatening
diseases or conditions when certain statutory
criteria have been met, including that there
are no adequate, approved, and available
alternatives. Covid-T addresses an unmet
need for a low-cost, easy-to-administer, and
accurate tool to test for the presence of T-cells
which may offer lasting protection against
SARS-CoV-2. It is believed that detection of
T-cells can potentially identify safe and/or atrisk
populations. Covid-T also provides an
ability to evaluate the effectiveness of any
SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate in stimulating
T-cell immunity. Mass availability of Covid-T
would complement antibody testing and
various public health risk mitigation strategies.
James Passin, CEO
of BioVaxys, stated, “We believe that our
low cost, scalable, easy-to-administer test
for T cell immunity to SARS-CoV-2 may help
solve the urgent global public health crisis of
prioritizing the distribution of Covid-19
vaccines; we look forward to rapidly advancing
Covid-T towards commercialization.”
Current methods of measuring T-cell immunity
require drawing blood from the test subject,
followed by a time-consuming and expensive
analysis of the blood sample at laboratories
possessing specialized equipment. Covid-T
is based on the well-established concept
of Delayed Type Hypersensitivity (“DTH”),
the oldest and most reliable test of human T
lymphocyte function. The process involves an
intradermal “skin prick” of an immunogenic
composition of the SARS-CoV-2 S-protein,
where an inflammatory response develops
24-72 hours after skin exposure to the s-spike
antigen.
BioVaxys
anticipates that once clinical testing is
complete, Covid-T would have the potential
for detecting differences in T-cell responses
between the original SARS-CoVC-2 virus and
the two new strains of SARS-Cov-2 the had
originally been identified in the UK and South
Africa---B.1.1.7 and 501Y.V2, respectively---
but which are spreading worldwide.
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“Although our
vaccine programs are of major importance
to us, Covid-T is a priority for BioVaxys,
especially given the unmet need for such a
simple, disposable, and accurate tool to test
for the presence of T-cells against SARS-
CoV-2,” says BioVaxys President and Chief
Operating Officer Ken Kovan. BioVaxys has
prepared the clinical development plan for
Covid-T, and engaged global regulatory
advisory group Rio Pharmaceutical Services
(“RPS”) of Bridgewater, NJ, to provide
strategic regulatory guidance, prepare an
FDA pre-submission guidance package,
recommend regulatory pathway, and support
BioVaxys on the registration
filing.
RPS has provided pharmaceutical and
medical-device advisory services across
the entire drug, biologic and device
development and approval spectrum of
the pharmaceutical industry since 2000.
Collectively, the RPS team of pharmaceutical
industry executives offers nearly 150 years of
experience in providing advice and support
services for medical, scientific, clinical-trial
and regulatory issues to clients including
a majority of Fortune 500 pharmaceutical
companies.
Read this full release and more
news for BioVaxys Technology at:
https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/newsbiov/
Other recent
developments in the biotech industry
include:
Sorrento
Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRNE) recently
announced positive preliminary results from
its Phase 1b study of human allogeneic
adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells
(COVI-MSC) for patients suffering from
COVID-19-induced acute respiratory distress
(ARD) or acute respiratory distress syndrome
(ARDS). This ongoing study (PSC-CP-004)
is a single arm, non-randomized Phase 1b
study of the safety and preliminary efficacy of
COVI-MSCs administered every other day for
three infusions for a total of 1 x 106 cells/kg.
The primary objective is to evaluate the safety
of intravenous infusion of allogeneic adipose
MSC cells in patients with COVID-19-induced
ARD or ARDS. The secondary objective is to
evaluate efficacy outcome variables to give
guidance
regarding the risk/benefit ratio in patients with
COVID-19 respiratory distress.
The first three
patients enrolled tolerated treatment well and
improved rapidly. Each of the three patients
was discharged from the hospital within a week
of starting the patient’s COVI-MSC infusions
and two patients were discharged on the day of
their last infusion. One of the patients had been
in the hospital for three weeks, unable to be
weaned from significant oxygen support, and
another patient with uncontrolled diabetes had
been discharged previously but had to be
readmitted due to recurrent ARD. Each of the
infusions were well-tolerated and no patient
reported any infusion-related adverse events.
A fourth patient is currently at the beginning of
a course of treatment, with no safety issues
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following the patient’s first infusion. Additional
enrollment continues. INOVIO (NASDAQ:
INO),
a biotechnology company focused on
bringing to market precisely designed
DNA medicines to treat and protect people
from infectious diseases and cancer, and
Advaccine Biopharmaceuticals Suzhou Co.,
Ltd. (“Advaccine”), an emerging biotech
company with next-generation technology in
vaccines, both preventive and therapeutic,
recently announced that they have entered
into a collaboration and license agreement for
COVID-19 DNA vaccine candidate INO-4800.
Under the collaboration and license
agreement, Advaccine will have the
exclusive right to develop, manufacture
and commercialize INO-4800 within Greater
China, inclusive of Mainland China, Hong
Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. Advaccine will
license its plasmid manufacturing process for
use with INO-4800 and other INOVIO pipeline
product candidates to INOVIO with the right
to sublicense to INOVIO’s manufacturing
partners. Additionally, Advaccine will provide
its clinical data to INOVIO in support of
INOVIO’s global INO-4800 regulatory filings
and INOVIO will provide its INO-4800 clinical
data for Advaccine to incorporate into its
marketing applications in Greater China
Advaccine will make to INOVIO an upfront
payment of $3.0 million as well as pay
an aggregate of $108.0 million upon the
achievement of specified development
and sales-based milestones for INO-4800
in Greater China. INOVIO will be entitled to
receive a royalty equal to a high single-digit
percentage of annual net sales in each region
within Greater China.
CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY),
a late-stage biotechnology company
developing Vyrologix (leronlimab-PRO 140),
a CCR5 antagonist with the potential for
multiple therapeutic indications, announced
this month a research manuscript submitted by
Nicholas J. Agresti, M.D. has been accepted
for publication in the Journal of Translational
Autoimmunity. Dr. Agresti’s research findings
were based on four critically ill COVID-19
patients treated with leronlimab under eIND.
The manuscript Ms.
No. JTAUTO-D-20- 00043R1 is entitled
“Disruption of CCR5 Signaling to Treat
COVID-19-Associated Cytokine Storm: Case
Series of Four Critically Ill Patients Treated
with Leronlimab.” Nicholas J. Agresti, M.D.,
stated, “We are very thankful with the clinical
outcomes for these patients and are honored
by the acceptance of our research for
publication. We hope this work will continue
to advance research to understand how to
effectively mitigate the effects of COVID-19.”
Novavax, Inc.
(NASDAQ: NVAX),
a late-stage biotechnology company
developing next-generation vaccines
for serious infectious diseases, recently
announced that it has finalized an agreement
with the Government of Canada to supply up
to 76 million doses of NVX-CoV2373, the
company’s recombinant protein-based
COVID-19 vaccine. Canada has committed to
purchase 52 million doses of the vaccine with
the option for up to an additional 24 million
doses. NVX-CoV2373 is currently in Phase
3 clinical development for the prevention of
COVID-19. “We thank the
Government of Canada for their confidence
in our program and ongoing partnership in
the regulatory review and delivery of a safe,
effective COVID-19 vaccine for the citizens
of Canada,” said John J. Trizzino, Chief
Commercial Officer and Chief Business
Officer, Novavax. “Novavax is proud to play
our part in working tirelessly together with
governments, scientists, regulators and
others in the global effort to put an end to the
pandemic.” The company expects to supply
NVX-CoV2373 to Canada beginning as early
as the second quarter of 2021, following
authorization by Canada’s regulatory agency.
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