CEAC-2023-1-January

DON’T LET YOUR BUSINESS GO UP IN FLAMES!
100% TAX DEDUCTIBLE
INSTALL OR RETROFIT FIRE
SPRINKLERS TODAY!
DEDUCT THE FULL COST OF QUALIFIED PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT!
CARES ACT
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES)
Act closed a loophole that was included in the TCJA by
making QIP 15-year property. This change made businesses
of all sizes, regardless of the amounts spent on equipment,
eligible to deduct the full cost of commercial fire sprinkler
systems using bonus depreciation.
The time is now to upgrade your building's fire safety with a
fire sprinkler system or a sprinkler retrofit. Under the new
Section 179 guidelines, the one year deduction period
phases out after 2022. Any new sprinkler system or retrofit
completed between September 27, 2017 and December 31,
2022 will be able to be fully expensed in one year. After
2022, the allowed deduction percentage is as follows:
2021: 100%
2022: 100%
2023: 80%
2024: 60%
2025: 40%
2026: 20%
2027 and after: The depreciation schedule becomes
permanently set at 15 years.
WHAT IS QIP?
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), passed in December,
2017, gave small businesses the ability to deduct the full
cost of Qualified Improvement Property (QIP) up to $1.04
million in the year of installation using Section 179.
QIP is defined as improvements to the interior of an existing
building that is not residential property. Commercial fire
sprinkler systems, including upgrades of existing systems or
retrofitting in existing structures, are considered QIP.
The Section 179 deduction is not phased out over time.
However, there is a phase out of the amount allowed as a
deduction based on a maximum spending amount of $2.59
million on equipment in a year. Businesses that spend over
that amount will see a dollar for dollar reduction of their
eligible deduction. So a business that spends $3.63 million
or more on equipment in a given year would not be allowed
any Section 179 Deduction.
WHAT HAS CHANGED?
Prior to the TCJA allowing Section 179 on qualified
improvement property, including sprinkler systems,
property of this type was only allowed a deduction on a
straight line basis over a period of 39 years. In other words,
a company spending $390,000 on a commercial sprinkler
system prior to the TCJA would only deduct $10,000 per
year for 39 years.
While many believe that the intention of Congress was to
make Qualified Improvement Property 15-year property,
which would have made this property eligible for bonus
depreciation, the TCJA left the life of this property at 39
years. So, a taxpayer who did not elect to use the Section
179 Deduction or who has that deduction phased out would
have been left to depreciate the remaining balance of the
assets over a 39-year period.
Neither of these deductions is currently available for fire
sprinkler systems installed in residential high rises. The
National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) continues to fight
to obtain incentives for residential structures.
For more information on how these tax incentives might impact the business of your
contractors, we would recommend that they contact their tax professionals, as
situations differ based on the facts and circumstances for each business. As a general
rule, we would not recommend that the Local provide tax advice to the contractors.
CALL OR CLICK 708­710­1448 • FireProtectionContractors.com

January 2023
VOLUME 88 • Number 1
Official Magazine of
38
cover story:
Water-tube Boilers Dominate
Commercial/Industrial Markets
Advantages of water-tube boilers have many considering
their benefits in spite of their elevated cost.
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Chief Engineer magazine
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13
29
Stadiums Can Keep Emergency
Communications Out of the “Dead
Zone”
State-of-the-art Emergency Responder Communication
Enhancement Systems (ERCES) ensure reliable two-way radio
communication at stadiums, preventing lost communication
in potential life-or-death situations.
PVC Roofing: Recyclable at End of
Service Life
PVC roofing membranes are the only commercial roofing
material that, after they run through their life cycle, can be
completely reprocessed into the same product, ready for use.
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5 president’s message
6 in brief
8 news
48 member news
50 techline
56 new products
62 events
64 ashrae update
66 american street guide
68 boiler room annex
70 advertisers list
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 3

DON’T LET YOUR
BUSINESS GO UP
IN FLAMES!
The Fire Protection Contractors work on all aspects of fire protection
systems. Starting with the initial design of your system to the installation we
are with you every step of the way. Almost as important as installing a fire
sprinkler system is the routine maintenance. This includes inspection and
testing to ensure the system is working and, in most areas, required by law.
24 Hour Emergency Service
Inspection, Testing and
Maintenance
Fire Pump Testing
Design and Installation –
Residential, Commercial,
Industrial
Retrofit and Remodel
Fire Suppression Systems
CALL OR CLICK ANYTIME FOR
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708­710­1448 • FireProtectionContractors.com

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Dear Members,
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dan Carey
Trustee
312-446-1967
Bryan McLaughlin
Doorkeeper
708-687-6254
Robert Jones
Warden
773-407-5111
Patrick Wawrzyniak
Warden
773-410-2326
OFFICERS
Ken Botta
President
708-952-1879
Douglas Kruczek
Vice President
312-287-4915
Laurence McMahon
Vice President
708-535-7003
Ralph White
Recording Secretary
708-579-0259
Brian Staunton
Treasurer
312-533-1575
Brendan Winters
Financial Secretary
773-457-6403
Barbara Hickey
Sergeant-At-Arms
773-350-9673
Kevin Kenzinger
Corresponding Secretary
312-296-5603
DIRECTORS
John McDonagh
Curator
312-296-7887
Brock Sharapata
Warden
312-617-7115
Michael Collins
Warden
708-712-0126
Sean Casey
Warden
312-890-9282
A new year is upon us, and before
we get down to business, let
me thank everyone who attended
the December meeting at
Maggiano’s and gave so generously
to support the Raddatz-Kulak
family at their time of loss.
The Chief Engineers have always
been generous in such situations,
and it was good to see people
acting in the spirit of the season.
We also need to thank, as always,
our sponsors for the event,
including Air Comfort, BEAR
Construction and LionHeart, for
their generosity and helping our
Christmas event to successful as it
was. As always, we encourage everyone
to give them your support as they support us. And let’s not forget
Alex Boerner, our longtime event planner who helped us to plan this and
so many other memorable Chiefs events, who is moving on to different
opportunities with the start of this new year.
Our January meeting will be held Wednesday, Jan. 18th, at the Embassy
Suites Hotel (Downtown, 511 N. Columbus Drive). We hope to see you
there. A note on sponsoring opportunities: With Alex’s departure, those
organizations seeking to sponsor a Chiefs event can get in touch with me
via phone (number at left) or via email at kbotta@sbcglobal.net.
Even as we plan our January meeting, our popular February Skatefest
is coming together. If you’re a sponsor or vendor and would like to get
involved in this family-friendly event, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
We’ll announce dates and times in due course, but in the meantime, get
those skates sharpened, practice your hockey skills, and we’ll look forward
to seeing you out there.
In the meantime, this month represents a challenging time for us chief
engineers, as you well know, as we balance maintaining our tenants’
comfort levels and coping with the harsh conditions of winter on both
our equipment and our budgets. Remember that should you need them,
our Associate Member organizations are always just a phone call, text or
email away, and are reachable via our biannual Quick Shopper.
All Active members remember to renew your membership for the upcoming
year. If you are having difficulties, please call the office for any help
needed at (708) 293-1430.
As we welcome the new year, please let’s all remember to keep in mind
our men and women of the military and our first responders, on whom
we depend for our freedom and safety.
Sincerely,
Pat Biesty
Warden
312-618-6864
Thomas Phillips
Past President
773-445-7423
Ken Botta
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 5

In Brief
Explosion Tears Through Russian Gas
Pipeline During Repairs
MOSCOW (AP) — An explosion during repairs on a section of
a Europe-bound natural gas pipeline in western Russia killed
three people on Tuesday, Dec. 20, but didn’t affect export
supplies, officials said.
The explosion ripped through a section of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhhorod
pipeline in the Chuvashia region during
repair work. Three repair workers were killed and one was
injured by the blast, which sent a huge plume of burning gas
skyward, regional authorities said.
The pipeline that originates at a gas field in Siberia and
crosses Ukraine along its way to Europe is one of the main
routes for Russian gas exports to the EU.
Chuvashia’s governor, Oleg Nikolayev, said in televised
remarks that it wasn’t immediately clear how long it would
take to fix the section of the pipeline cut by the explosion.
The regional branch of Russia’s state-controlled natural gas
giant, Gazprom, said volumes of gas transit weren’t affected
by the blast as supplies were rerouted along parallel lines.
The pipeline crossing Ukraine has become the main conduit
for Russian natural gas supplies to Europe since an explosion
ripped through the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipeline under the
Baltic Sea in September, causing extensive damage.
Investigators in Sweden have found traces of explosives at
the Baltic Sea site where two natural gas pipelines were
damaged in an act of “gross sabotage,” but they stopped
short of apportioning blame.
West Virginia Poultry Farm Equipped
With 1,400 Solar Panels
OLD FIELDS, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia poultry farm is
now equipped with 1,400 solar panels, the largest such system
so far in the state, a company said.
Solar Holler said it installed the panels at Oak Tree Farm in
Hardy County. The company partnered with Davis Hill Development,
Skyview Ventures and West Virginia Poultry Partners
on the project, which will provide the farm with 941,371
kilowatt hours of energy per year.
Thirty-party power purchase agreements allow companies
like Solar Holler to own and operate a solar panel system
while the farm reaps the benefits of low-cost fixed utility
rates and clean energy.
The farm will see a 10-percent reduction in the cost of its
electricity and the solar panel system will allow for expanded
operations, Shepherdstown-based Solar Holler said in a Dec
20 statement.
“We are thrilled to have reached our latest milestone, building
and turning on the largest solar system in West Virginia
history.” Solar Holler founder and CEO Dan Conant said.
Large Indiana Employers Asking
Utilities for ‘Green Tariffs’
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Several of Indiana’s major employers
want their local utilities to make it easier for them to buy
power generated by wind and solar farms so they can move
closer to their renewable energy goals.
Cummins, Salesforce, Roche and other companies recently
joined with the cities of Indianapolis and Bloomington in
signing a letter that asks Duke Energy and AES Indiana to
offer more options for large customers to source their electricity
through renewable energy.
They want what’s often called a Green Tariff, which would
allow the cities and companies to buy locally produced renewable
energy, The Indianapolis Star reported.
The companies, including Walmart and Rivian, penned the
letter in conjunction with the Advanced Energy Economy
Indiana — the local chapter of a national association of businesses
working to accelerate the transition to clean energy.
Caryl Auslander, executive director of Advanced Energy Economy
Indiana, said large customers “want to choose renewable
energy, and we’re asking Duke and AES to give them
more options.”
All green tariff programs would need to be approved by
the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, the state’s utility
regulator.
Brewery, Salisbury Pair to Rehab Union
Station
SALISBURY, Md. (AP) — Thanks to a landmark $500,000
grant, one of Salisbury’s most iconic structures will finally get
much-needed rehabilitation as part of a bike trail project.
The grant was awarded through the state’s Strategic Demolition
Fund, a program designed to catalyze projects and
activities that accelerate job production and economic development.
Union Station, located at 611 Railway Ave., was
one of 22 projects in the state awarded from this fund, and
the owners of the building, John and Thomas Knorr, have big
plans for the property.
“The initial plan is to stabilize the property by fixing roof
6
| Chief Engineer

window and door damage,” said Thomas Knorr, co-founder
of Evolution Craft Brewing Co. “There are structural parts
of the building that need to be [repaired]. The initial money
will be going to replacing the roof and bring it back to its
condition from 1913 when it was originally built. We want to
separate the building into three different sections.”
Salisbury’s Union Station building will get much-needed
rehabilitation with a landmark grant of $500,000.
World’s Coal Use Creeps to New High
in 2022
BERLIN (AP) — Coal use across the world is set to reach a
new record this year amid persistently high demand for the
heavily polluting fossil fuel, the International Energy Agency
said Friday, Dec. 16.
The Paris-based agency said in a new report that while coal
use grew by only 1.2 percent in 2022, the increase pushed it
to all all-time high of more than 8 billion metric tons, beating
the previous record set in 2013.
“The world’s coal consumption will remain at similar levels
in the following years in the absence of stronger efforts to
accelerate the transition to clean energy,” the agency said,
noting that “robust demand” in emerging Asian economies
would offset declining use in mature markets.
“This means coal will continue to be the global energy
system’s largest single source of carbon dioxide emissions by
far,” the IAE said.
The use of coal and other fossil fuels needs to be cut drastically
to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7
degrees Fahrenheit) this century. Experts say the ambitious
target, which governments agreed to in the 2015 Paris
climate accord, will be hard to meet given that average
temperatures worldwide have already risen by 1.2 degrees
Celsius since pre-industrial times.
Contested Natural Gas Pipeline
Granted Permanent Certificate
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Federal officials on Thursday, Dec. 15,
granted Spire Inc. a permanent certificate to operate a natural
gas pipeline in Missouri and Illinois, angering the environmental
group that had sued over the project.
concerns that the pipeline was approved without adequate
review. Last year, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that FERC had not
adequately demonstrated a need for the project, vacating
approval of the pipeline.
For the past year, the pipeline had been operating under a
temporary certificate while FERC conducted a court-ordered
review.
Scott Smith, president of the Spire STL Pipeline, said in a
statement that he was pleased with the decision. He described
the review the project underwent as “thorough.”
But Ted Kelly, an Environmental Defense Fund attorney,
disagreed, saying that FERC had “again failed to fulfill its
obligation,” alleging that some landowners, ratepayers and
stakeholders were shut out of the review.
He said that FERC should reverse its decision to grant the permanent
certificate and reopen the process with a temporary
certificate in place so there is no disruption in service.
$698M Deal to End Monsanto PCB Pollution
Lawsuit in Oregon
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Bayer, the German pharmaceutical
and biotechnology company, will pay Oregon $698 million
to end a lawsuit over PCB pollution associated with products
made by Monsanto, the agriculture giant it now owns.
It’s the largest environmental damage recovery in Oregon’s
history and “magnitudes larger” than any other state settlement
over PCB contamination by Monsanto, Rosenblum said.
The settlement stems from a lawsuit filed by Oregon against
Monsanto in 2018 for 90 years of pollution in the state until
PCBs were banned in the late 1970s.
PCBs are toxic compounds formerly used in coolants, electrical
equipment such as fluorescent lights, and other devices.
They still contaminate Oregon’s landfills and riverbeds and
show up in fish and wildlife.
“Monsanto’s toxic legacy unfortunately lives on in our lands,
rivers and other waterways — and poses ongoing risks to the
health of our people and our environment,” Rosenblum said.
“This is all the more reason why this settlement is so vitally
important. Oregon and Oregonians will be the better for it.”
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission first granted
approval for the Spire STL Pipeline in 2018 and it became
fully operational in 2019. It connects with another pipeline in
western Illinois and carries natural gas to the St. Louis region,
where Spire serves around 650,000 customers.
But the Environmental Defense Fund sued in 2020, raising
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 7

News
EPA Investigating Colorado for
Discriminatory Air Pollution
By Michael Phillis and Brittany Peterson | Associated Press
DENVER (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency is
investigating whether Colorado’s regulation of air pollution
from industrial facilities discriminates against Hispanic
residents and other racial minorities, according to a letter
released Wednesday, Dec. 28.
That’s a level of scrutiny long sought by Lucy Molina whose
daughter goes to school near Colorado’s only petroleum
refinery. Three years ago Molina had just stepped outdoors
when she noticed a coating of ash on her Nissan Altima that
wiped off on her fingers. Then she received a message that
her daughter’s school was locked down and panicked. She
later learned the refinery had malfunctioned, spewing a
clay-like material into the air. She’d heard of lockdowns for
shootings, but never for pollution.
Since then she’s pushed for community air monitoring and
stronger protections, but says it all feels too late. She’s lived
here for 30 years, and her kids are already young adults.
“If we would have known” years ago, she said. “We would
have moved.”
Advocates say the Suncor refinery too often malfunctions,
spiking emissions. They say Colorado rarely denies permits
to polluters, even in areas where harmful ozone already
exceeds federal standards.
Federal investigators said in the letter they will scrutinize the
state’s oversight of Colorado’s biggest polluters including the
Suncor oil refinery in North Denver where Molina lives, and
whether the effect of that pollution on residents is discriminatory.
Suncor did not respond to a request for comment.
But it is already harder for oil and gas companies to get their
air permits in Colorado than in some other energy-producing
states, said John Jacus, chair of the Colorado Chamber of
Commerce board of directors and an environmental compliance
attorney. He said recent allegations that the state’s
permit review process was faulty had the effect of slowing
air permitting, a blow to business.
“It would be really good for air quality to shut everything
down, but that’s not good for society,” Jacus said, adding
there needed to be a balance between environmental protection
and economic activity.
The EPA launched its investigation under Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964. It has been going on since March but
went little noticed until the letter, which explains its scope.
The Act allows the EPA to negotiate agreements with states
to promote equity. The Biden administration has stepped up
its enforcement of environmental discrimination.
Colorado officials said they welcome the EPA review, more
community participation and are reviewing their permitting
policies to ensure they are focused on environmental justice.
“We’ve always prioritized the health and wellbeing of every
Coloradan no matter their ZIP code, but we know we have
even more to do,” said Trisha Oeth, our Director of Environmental
Health and Protection in a statement.
But the EPA has found those priorities lacking at times.
The agency scrutinized the state’s handling of Suncor. Colorado’s
only oil refinery is roughly 90 years old and is a major
emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the state.
In March, the EPA objected to a key air permit for the facility
that state regulators were still reviewing 10 years after its
original expiration date. The agency raised “significant environmental
justice concerns” and said that the public wasn’t
given enough opportunity to weigh in. The EPA didn’t object
when the state issued a revised permit.
In July, the agency also said the state had issued permits
for a mine, oil and gas wells and other small polluters even
though they could contribute to violations of federal air
quality standards. Colorado said it would improve its reviews,
but balked at revisiting its permitting decisions.
There are some signs the agency chose Colorado because it
could prove a willing partner.
“Colorado has been one of the states that has been a leader
in addressing environmental justice in the legislature,” said
KC Becker, the head of the EPA region that includes Colorado
and a former state legislative leader.
Colorado has strengthened air monitoring requirements.
It increased funding for air permit reviews. The state’s
greenhouse gas reduction plan aims to reduce pollution in
overburdened areas. It also worked with the EPA to ensure
inspections target the most polluted areas and when companies
reach settlements for wrongdoing, they pay for projects
8
| Chief Engineer

A view of the Suncor Energy oil refinery in Commerce City, Colo., on Nov. 23, 2020. The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating whether Colorado’s
regulation of air pollution from industrial facilities discriminates against Hispanic residents and other racial minorities. Federal investigators said in
a letter released Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022, that they will scrutinize the state’s oversight of Colorado’s biggest polluters, like the Suncor oil refinery near
Denver. (Rachel Ellis/The Denver Post via AP, File)
that benefit communities.
The EPA may have an easier time convincing Colorado to
change than it would, say, Texas, said Jeremy Nichols, head
of climate and energy programs at WildEarth Guardians.
Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental
policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of
AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/
climate-and-environment
Colorado’s changes have “given EPA an opening to say, ‘well,
if that is what you are committed to then let’s really test this
out, let’s see you prove your mettle here,’” said Nichols.
Nichols said Colorado is too deferential to industry. He wants
to see the state deny permits much more often.
Ian Coghill, an attorney with Earthjustice that is challenging
the Suncor permit, says the push and pull between the EPA
and state hasn’t yielded major improvements. Revisions to
Suncor’s permit, he said “didn’t change a lot.”
He is hopeful the civil rights investigation will force the state
to make changes and detail the cumulative effect of pollution
from industry on residents of North Denver.
“I’m definitely optimistic,” he said.
The Associated Press receives support from the Walton
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 9

News
Retailers Find Daylighting Reveals
Product’s True Colors for More Sales
Good lighting has always been the retailer’s friend and
scientific research shows that natural light — sunlight — may
be their very best friend. A seminal study, Daylighting and
Productivity, from 1999, by the environmental consulting
firm the Heschong Mahone Group, found that retail spaces
lit with daylight had increased sales by more than 40 percent
over similar spaces selling comparable products.
Wal-Mart further confirmed this approach when it built
its first energy-efficient model store in Kansas in 1993. The
store was constructed with skylights on one half of the store.
Tom Scay, the company’s vice president for real estate at the
time, told the Wall Street Journal in 1995 that the products
illuminated by the skylights sold much better than those
under fluorescent lights. To rule out other factors that might
explain the higher sales volume, Wal-Mart swapped the
products and when they were lit by the skylights, their sales
numbers went up significantly and the previously well-selling
products’ numbers dropped.
Natural lighting or “daylighting” with skylights is also a winwin
generationally. Retailers can stand out in a crowd targeting
millennial shoppers with their sensitivity to energy usage
and climate change. Older customers are accommodated as
well. Studies by the Illuminating Engineering Society have
shown that after 55 people can need 2.3 times more light
and higher quality light than 25-year-olds. The high cost of
artificially providing the full spectrum light needed by older
folks is eliminated by intelligently placed skylights.
The cherry on top for retailers using daylighting, confirmed
by a study done at the Eneref Institute, is increased foot traffic.
Customers interviewed for the study said that the stores
felt more inviting. And having the checkout counters lit with
daylight made those customers feel more at ease. Salespeople
felt more approachable under skylights and overall, the
shopping experience was more pleasant. Customers are more
likely to spend more time in sunlit retail spaces.
Even retail staff working in sunlit environments are happier,
more productive and are absent less often than those working
for long hours under artificial lights.
Artificial light is also a problem for perceiving color accurately
— something that is crucial for selling many products. In
clothing stores, not only are the clothing colors more attractive
under natural lighting, but so are the customers when
they see themselves in mirrors. Paint, home goods, furniture
and flooring retailers similarly benefit from warm, natural
lighting that enables the true colors to shine through.
For these types of businesses especially, daylighting is crucial
because it provides the best color perception available. Sales
Harnessing renewable and free natural light not only cuts the cost of generating
artificial lighting but reduces collateral expenses as well.
go up because the product looks better and is seen more
accurately. Customers’ color perceptions are directly affected
by the full light spectrum. In fact, the only way to see “true”
color is in full-spectrum light.
That is why when custom furniture producer and retailer,
Marlin Gingerich was planning his new showroom space, he
decided that letting the sunshine in was just good business.
“LEDs and fluorescent lighting really distort colors and it is
hard to discern exactly what the true colors of the furniture
pieces are,” he says.
To remedy this, Gingerich installed daylighting skylights
when he built Midwest Woodworks’ new Kalona, IA’s 7,000
square showroom in 2009. These special sun gathering skylights
harvest and amplify sunlight to illuminate the space
below. The technique is called daylighting and its effect is
dramatic, flooding a space with bright light without any
harshness or glare.
For Gingerich, natural light is important because it highlights
the grains and colors in his furniture well.
“Our store was small, the lighting wasn’t great, and we
determined we could probably do a lot more in sales [by
adding natural lighting],” he says, “People bring in wood
samples and ask us to match a specific color. In our previous
store, we always went out into the direct sunlight which was
not convenient especially in the winter. I discouraged doing
any matching in the store just because the colors weren’t
accurate. With our new skylights, we can do accurate color
matching pretty much anywhere in the showroom.”
Gingerich purchased the daylighting system from DayStar
(Continued on pg. 12)
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 11

(Continued from pg. 11)
News
Systems in Campbell Hill, Ill., after seeing their skylights in
local businesses. “There were other natural lighting systems,
but DayStar had the best overall design and appearance,”
Gingerich says.
DayStar engineers have developed high-performance skylight
systems that capture the sun’s natural light and collect,
amplify and diffuse a broad, even pattern of indoor illumination.
This is accomplished using a four-part system. First, sunlight
is gathered and diffused through an ultra-clear outer dome
and inner collimation lens. The dome is supported by insulated
roof curbs of galvalume steel or aluminum continuously
welded for watertight seams. Then a light shaft made of insulated
panels with highly reflective interior surfaces amplify
light as it is captured. And finally, an attractive ceiling lens,
engineered to diffuse highly concentrated light into a broad
lighting pattern, is installed on the interior ceiling.
Each component can be customized for the building’s specifications.
Gingerich worked with DayStar when he was designing
his new showroom to determine how many skylights he
needed, and their optimal placement.
“We wanted to display our bedroom furniture in individual
rooms,” Gingerich says. “So, we had seven bedrooms along
one side of the showroom and each had its own DayStar
skylight. No one ever complained that there was too much
light in there.”
Aaron Petersheim of Shade Mtn Countertops, in McAlisterville,
PA. also found that natural sunlight is his best salesman.
“Natural light is a full-spectrum daylight, where any artificial
lighting would also need to be the full spectrum, or it would
be a handicap,” Petersheim explains. “Artificial light has
limited wavelengths. Lamps can be too yellow or too blue.
You really need the correct lighting for the countertops, and
natural daylight is perfect for it.”
roofs. The DayStar skylights are easy to install and come with
detailed instructions and all the materials required. Petersheim
hired a local DayStar dealer to install the skylights
after an initial trial of seven in a separate fabrication shop in
2014. “The installation process took about a week,” he says.
“They were installed well and are watertight.”
Harnessing renewable and free natural light not only cuts
the cost of generating artificial lighting but reduces collateral
expenses as well. Some artificial light creates greater heat
loads, which must be offset by a building’s cooling system.
Direct sunlight from standard windows can be an issue too.
One thing that Gingerich noticed immediately in the new
showroom was the light was even and diffused and illuminated
the entire showroom. “In the old showroom,” he says
“On a nice sunny day, there was, what I would call a pool of
light inside every window. And the light did not extend very
far into the showroom.”
With a good thermal designed daylighting system, energy
costs can be reduced.
Gingerich found that the skylights provided an additional
benefit even before they were installed. When asking the
bank for the loan he needed to construct the new showroom,
he explained that he expected to increase sales by
installing the DayStar System.
“I told the loan officer that based on what we were hearing
from our clients if we had more natural lighting that our
business would increase,” says Gingerich. “Our sales ended
up higher than I initially projected. So, if you are retailer considering
bringing in more natural lighting, your sales have
nowhere to go but up.”
For more information on natural daylighting systems, visit
www.daystarskylightsystem.com; email roman@daystar1.com
or call (618) 426-1868.
Petersheim has installed more than 40 daylighting skylights
on his countertop showroom and fabrication production
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| Chief Engineer

Stadiums Can Keep Emergency
Communications Out of the “Dead
Zone”
At stadiums across the country, first responders including
police, fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) depend on
reliable two-way radio communication when lives and property
are at risk. In-building radio signals are often blocked or
attenuated by structures that are large and primarily constructed
of metal and concrete and with below grade areas.
When this occurs, weak or obstructed signals result in radio
communication “dead zones” that can jeopardize emergency
coordination among first responders.
Stadiums bring together thousands of spectators and participants
for games, concerts and other gatherings, making
real-time radio coordination among police, fire and EMS
services essential. This is not only necessary for routine
traffic, crowd control and medical services, but also to facilitate
response to the unexpected. Incidents can range from
transporting an injured player to the hospital to responding
immediately to a fire or other emergency on the premises.
When lives are on the line, a quick, coordinated response can
help de-escalate a situation before it intensifies.
“Stadiums often have one or two levels below grade, which
is a major problem for emergency communication,” says
Deron Bone, president of RF DAS Systems, Inc., a national
provider of emergency responder radio coverage systems for
more than 30 years. “Pre-cast walls, pipes, rebar or structural
steel can also disrupt communication, which can be prevalent
in areas such as stairwells or tunnels. Signal failure in any
critical area will require installing an Emergency Responder
Communication Enhancement Systems (ERCES).”
ERCES are mandated by fire code in most places for the
construction of new stadiums and some existing stadiums.
These advanced systems boost the signal within all areas of
the stadium, providing clear, two-way radio communication
without dead spots.
“Basically, all stadiums from high school to college to pro
need an ERCES, since there can be communication dead spots
throughout. Many do not have these systems, so testing is
essential to support safety and compliance,” adds Bone.
State-of-the-art ERCES are available that amplify and accommodate
all the necessary emergency signals required, even
in the largest stadiums. The approach facilitates meeting all
codes while reducing overall installation cost and complexity
— helping to expedite tight project deadlines.
A World-Class Stadium
Recently, RF DAS Systems installed an ERCES at a new West
Coast stadium with more than 30,000 seat capacity, that
hosts both professional and collegiate sports as well as large
festivals, concerts and events.
According to Bone, when RF DAS Systems initially conducted
a pre-test on the stadium, there was no signal in much of the
first floor and the entire lower level, so installing additional
antennas was required in the ERCES system throughout these
areas.
“Even though a radio transmission tower is close, there were
a number of weak points in coverage that needed to be
accommodated,” says Bone.
ERCES were first introduced in the 2009 International Building
Code. The latest version requires all buildings to have an
approved level of emergency communication coverage for
first responders.
ERCES systems function by connecting through an over-theair
link that the installer optimizes to the public safety radio
communications tower network using a rooftop directional
antenna. This antenna is then connected via coaxial cable to
a bi-directional amplifier (BDA), which increases the signal
level to provide sufficient coverage within a stadium based
on life safety standards. The BDA is connected to a distributed
antenna system (DAS), a network of relatively small
antennas installed throughout the structure that serve as repeaters
to improve the signal coverage in any isolated areas.
In stadiums, multiple amplifiers are usually required to drive
an adequate signal level across the system.
Fire, police and EMS frequencies vary across the country. To
increase safety and compliance, the specific radio frequency
used must be customized to the stadium configuration,
the frequencies used by emergency services specifically in
the area, and the geographic topography, i.e., nearby hills,
mountains, etc. The design usually involves tuning the ERCES
to prevent signal interference with other frequencies and
avoid running afoul of the FCC, which can levy significant
fines when violations occur.
To streamline the process, Bone selected the Fiplex by Honeywell
BDA and fiber DAS system.
(Continued on pg. 14)
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 13

(Continued from pg. 13)
News
The compliant, FCC-certified system was developed to reliably
provide superior RF amplification and coverage without
noise, enhancing two-way radio signal strength inside buildings
including stadiums. The system is specifically designed
to meet NFPA and IBC/IFC code compliance with the UL 2524
Second Edition listing.
One vital aspect that sets the Fiplex ERCES apart is that Fiplex
can “tune” the device to the channels used before shipping.
The installer can further optimize the BDA’s RF tuning onsite
to achieve the precise frequency required with channel
selective, software programmable or adjustable bandwidths.
This mitigates the issue of wideband transmission, which can
otherwise cause outside interference in highly congested RF
environments like stadiums and potentially lead to FCC fines.
Bone points out another aspect that distinguishes Fiplex
BDAs from other digital signal boosters: the availability of a
dual-band option for dedicated UHF or VHF models.
“One of the best features of the system is that it can incorporate
both UHF and VHF in one unit, which saves space
and simplifies installation,” says Bone. “Previously, I had to
purchase separate units.”
To meet tight deadlines, companies rely on OEMs to quickly
deliver ERCES system components.
“My customers cannot wait eight weeks, let alone 18 to 20
weeks, for an amplifier,” Bone says. “Although this happens
in the industry, I don't have that problem with Fiplex. They
coordinate with us so we always have a ready supply.”
For the stadium project, RF DAS Systems relayed the specific
fire, police, EMS and public service frequencies to Fiplex,
which programmed the RF signal band.
Bone appreciates how the ERCES system enhances design
flexibility. This can be particularly important after a stadium
project is complete if modifications are made or a certain
material is denser and more prone to blocking RF signals
than originally believed.
“With a BDA software upgrade, I can change the amplifier
At stadiums across the country, weak or obstructed signals result in radio communication “dead zones” that can jeopardize emergency coordination
among first responders.
14 | Chief Engineer

from a half-watt to a two-watt BDA,” he says. “That flexibility
is key because it allows easy adjustment, so I don’t need to
purchase and install another amplifier if a structure is denser
than I thought.”
Additionally, the compact size of the BDA eases installation.
“Fiplex’s BDA is much smaller than the industry norm, and
has its own mounting bracket, which streamlines field installation,”
Bone says. He notes that the system’s DAS and fiber
components are much easier to install than the equipment he
previously used.
For Bone, installing a reliable system that works as expected
is the most important aspect of any project.
“When there’s an incident at a stadium, like an injured player
who is taken off the field by ambulance, it is a communications
frenzy with RF signals flying everywhere — which is
tough on an ERCES system, but if you are installing a quality
system, then everything is OK,” says Bone.
ERCES are mandated, advanced systems that boost the signal within all areas
of the stadium, providing clear, two-way radio communication without
dead spots.
This was put to the test when the final sign-off by the AHJ
(Authority Having Jurisdiction) was the day of the first game,
due to tight timelines for stadium completion.
The inspection went off without a hitch and the fire marshal
signed off on the ERCES.
“The Fiplex system passed with flying colors,” concludes
Bone.
To avoid delays and technical challenges, stadium developers,
architects and engineering firms can benefit from an expert
contractor’s familiarity with ERCES requirements. With quick
shipment of an advanced ERCES tuned by the manufacturer
to the required RF channel, a skilled contractor can install
and further optimize the device to the specific local band
frequencies. The approach expedites the project and compliance,
enhancing safety during an emergency.
For more information, contact Megan McGovern, Director of
External Communications at Honeywell Building Technologies,
email megan.mcgovern@honeywell.com or call
(404) 216-6186.
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 15

News
Industrial-Grade VIZZ Headlamps
Maximize Safety, Reliability
For professional trades like utilities, facility maintenance,
and construction, Princeton Tec’s industrial-grade VIZZ
series headlamps are designed to provide powerful, lasting,
reliable, hands-free illumination to increase operator safety
and productivity in the many low-light work conditions that
require it. Whether the job starts before the sun rises or ends
after it sets, or operators are working in small or large dark
spaces, they need a light that is going to work as hard as
they do in whatever conditions that are thrown their way.
Princeton Tec designs and manufactures its headlamps in
the U.S. with durable thermoplastic material engineered to
withstand drops and rough handling. An IPX7 waterproof
rating means the headlamps are thoroughly protected from
moisture, providing waterproof integrity down to 1 meter
for up to 30 minutes. The U.S. military and numerous utilities
use these products, which offer a lifetime warranty.
Lightweight 3.2oz VIZZ series headlamps flexibly light up the
workspace with two separate modes that the operator can
easily switch between at the push of a button: flood, which
widely illuminates the surroundings, and spot, which focuses
a bright beam on the task at hand.
The operator can dim and adjust the light level to their
personal preference in both modes by holding down the
pushbutton to the desired setting. The dimming capability
also extends battery life. The raised button provides ease of
use when the operator is wearing gloves.
Since battery life is an important consideration for technicians
working 8-to-12-hour shifts, VIZZ series headlamps offers
consistent regulated LED illumination. Traditional lights
are very bright initially, but immediately begin to dim and
continue to dim until the batteries are drained.
These headlamps come with an industrial headlamp kit with
a nylon head strap, a rubber hard hat strap, and double-sided
Velcro to affix the light to a helmet, if preferred. Three
AAA batteries are included.
The VIZZ series is offered in two distinctive headlamp models,
the VIZZ II and VIZZ IND. Both appear in POP packaging
for facility managers that want to display the products in
their vending machines as all specifications are clearly listed.
The VIZZ II
For trades that work in potentially hazardous environments,
the intrinsically safe VIZZ II headlamp meets essentially all
safety requirements whether for OSHA, Zone 0, or state
standards (Classes I, II, III; Divisions 1,2; and Groups A-G). So,
there is nothing from the light that could spark a potential
fire or explosion in a work environment that could have
flammable gases, vapors, materials, or dusts present.
One Maxbright LED creates a powerful 200 lumen spot beam
for long-throw illumination, while 4 Ultrabright LEDs deliver
a dimmable flood beam. At close range, the wide beams simulate
normal daylight conditions, allowing technicians to use
their peripheral vision, while focused narrow beams provide
distance illumination. The smooth, white, wide-beam light
emitted by Ultrabright LEDs is ideal for close to mid-range
tasks. Ultrabright LEDs are usually grouped together to offer
a more powerful light source. The headlamp offers a burn
time of 102 hours.
VIZZ IND
The VIZZ IND headlamp is like the VIZZ II but provides even
brighter illumination with a 550-lumen spot beam. However,
it is not safety-rated for hazardous environments. The headlamp
offers a burn time of 100 hours.
Although professional industrial-grade headlamps cost a little
more up front, the overall cost of ownership is often lower
because the batteries typically last 5-6 times longer and do
not need to be replaced constantly during work shifts.
Since the rugged headlamps are designed to last for many
years in harsh conditions, frequent replacement also is not
necessary the way it is with more fragile consumer-grade
units.
For more info, call 1-800-257-9080; email
questions@princetontec.com; visit princetontec.com; or write
to Princeton Tec, PO Box 8057, Trenton, NJ 08650.
Princeton Tec’s industrial-grade VIZZ
series headlamps provide powerful,
lasting, reliable, hands-free illumination.
Princeton Tec’s VIZZ series
headlamps increase operator
safety and productivity in the
many low-light work conditions
that require it.
16
| Chief Engineer

All-Volunteer Firefighting Team at Point
Pleasant Fire Company #1 Now Trains on
The Fire Chief
SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. — Point Pleasant Fire Company #1 got
a truly great present for its 98th birthday this year — a
30-foot-tall training tower, The Fire Chief. The structure was
first put into service on May 22, 2022, by members of the
all-volunteer fire company to enhance their live fire training
skills.
“Fortunately, we don’t have many structure fires in our
area,” says Battalion Chief/Training Officer Will Dobron with
Point Pleasant Fire Company #1 in Point Pleasant, Pa. “That’s
specifically why it’s so important for us to have a building
where we can train for live fires. We need to continually
hone our skills so that we’re prepared to make an aggressive
attack when a fire does occur, and our firefighters are called
into action.”
Selecting Fire Facilities
The Fire Chief tower selected by the Point Pleasant Fire Co.
#1 features a residential-like design. There’s a burn room on
the first floor with interior stairs leading to multiple floors.
The 60-foot-long structure features an interior ships ladder,
roof-mounted chop-out curbs, and parapet roof guard
with chain opening. The Fire Facilities structure is made of
all-American steel and designed for multiple training exercises,
including hose advancement, fire attack, search and
rescue, rappelling, laddering, confined space, and high-angle
rescue operations.
“We specifically invested in this Fire Facilities structure
because, after much research, it seemed to be the closest
building to a structure that you will see on the streets,” says
Dobron, a fourth-generation firefighter. “The smooth walls
allow you to ladder anywhere on the building. We compared
this to competitor’s buildings where they are corrugated and
need to have metal plates installed for a smooth surface for
ladders to be placed, which is inconvenient.”
#1 was started. A group of concerned citizens formed the
volunteer department after a local fire destroyed a store because
area firefighters were too far away to help. Since that
time the department has relied on volunteers to keep Point
Pleasant safe.
“Our training in the past was on an old homemade tower,
along with a 40-foot overseas container for search and rescue
drills,” says Dobron, a 14-year firefighter veteran. “When
available, we’d use acquired structures too, but they were
few and far between.
“With The Fire Chief, we’re looking forward to the variety of
training scenarios we can perform in this building. From the
normal live fire training, search and rescue, ventilation and
laddering to rappelling, there’s lots of options.
“We custom-designed the three-story tower to be 18-feet
long to give ourselves more room to work around the floor
door area in the tower. This will help us with confined space
rescue training. Every aspect of using The Fire Chief is dedicated
to helping make our volunteer firefighters more skilled
and prepared for handling real emergency situations on a
daily basis.”
Fire Facilities, Inc. (FFI), founded in 1989 and an ISFSI corporate
sponsor, manufactures a full line of steel fire training
structures engineered to withstand real-life firefighting conditions.
From mobile units to burn rooms to high-rise towers,
FFI training models are available in a multitude of configurations.
For more information, visit www.firefacilities.com or
call 800-929-3726.
Dobron relates that the process to procure the structure took
about four years. From initial planning to completion included
many meetings with the township to gain approvals. “For
funding, we were fortunate that past members made wise
investments over the years,” says Dobron. “That made it possible
for the fire company to purchase the training tower.”
Preparing for Service
Getting to the point of having a new Fire Facilities tower all
began back in 1924 when the Point Pleasant Fire Company
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 17

News
Social Ventures and Innovators Around
the World Invited to Apply for the ASME
ISHOW Accelerator
NEW YORK — The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
(ASME) is currently accepting applications from social entrepreneurs
focusing on hardware innovations for the 2023
ASME Innovation Showcase (ISHOW). The prestigious global
hardware accelerator is open to individuals and organizations
taking physical products to market that will have a positive
social and/or environmental impact and that improve
the quality of life around the world.
Applicants should have an existing prototype and interest in
receiving financial/technical support and access to expert networks
that can assist in taking their product to market. ASME
ISHOW finalists receive product exposure, advice, and technical
insights through ISHOW’s rigorous review methodology.
Finalist will have a chance to earn a share of $200,000 in seed
grants, in-kind support, design services, travel stipends, and
marketing and business development assets.
Eight finalists are chosen for each of three regional events
from hundreds of applications received each year. The deadline
for applications is Feb. 7 for entrepreneurs in India and
the Asia Pacific region seeking consideration for ISHOW India.
Finalists for ISHOW India will be invited to present their
pitches as part of ASME India Innovation Week, a weeklong
program of events for engineering educators, students, and
entrepreneurs April 1-4 in Bengaluru.
“We are proud to offer a forum for engineering problem-solving
that truly improves lives,” said ASME Executive
Director/CEO Tom Costabile. “We are continually impressed
by the creative talent of ASME ISHOW participants and their
passion for helping underserved communities around the
world. We look forward to engaging in person with the
vibrant engineering community within India when we return
to Bengaluru this spring.”
“Social enterprises, now more than ever, need the support of
the global impact community,” says Iana Aranda, director of
ASME’s Engineering Global Development sector that houses
ISHOW. “Social entrepreneurs around the world, including
many ISHOW ventures, are on the frontlines of crisis response
and the advancement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development
Goals. We are aggressively focused on providing
these innovators with accessible platforms for capacity building,
expert engagement and co-design of scaling strategies
suited for today’s dynamic markets. Ensuring their success is
of paramount importance.”
The 2023 ISHOW cohort will be invited to the annual ISHOW
Bootcamp in the fall to receive an extensive and customized
design and engineering review by experts recruited to guide
them as they scale to market. They will also have a chance
to earn a second round of seed grants from ASME. They
become part of the ISHOW alumni network, an international
community of hardware innovators and stakeholders with
exclusive access to experts and resources.
ASME ISHOW annually matches up to 24 carefully selected
innovators with appropriate engineering experts to ensure
that the proposed hardware solutions are technologically,
environmentally, culturally and financially sustainable.
ASME’s panel of judges and experts includes successful entrepreneurs,
academics, engineers, designers, investors and
industry representatives from leading organizations in India,
Kenya, and the United States. These subject-area experts provide
technical and strategic guidance based on ISHOW’s four
key pillars: customer/user knowledge, hardware validation,
manufacturing optimization, and implementation strategy.
Earlier this year, ASME launched the Idea Lab incubator,
extending the reach of the ISHOW hardware accelerator
platform.
The application deadline is April 14 for innovators in the
Middle East and Africa seeking consideration for ISHOW Kenya,
a virtual event to be held June 6-14; applications are due
June 1 for social entrepreneurs in the Americas seeking consideration
for ISHOW USA scheduled for July. Three companies
selected at each event will join the ISHOW 2023 cohort.
18
| Chief Engineer

Between ASME’s and Idea Lab incubator and ISHOW showcase, the event covers the full spectrum of tech development, from idea inception to product
launch.
With Idea Lab, ASME moves “upstream” to aid budding
social entrepreneurs in developing and implementing their
social impact hardware concepts from the pre-prototype
stage. Applications for the 2023-2024 Idea Lab class will open
in summer 2023.
To date, ISHOW has enabled more than 200 startups from
30-plus countries to solve critical quality-of-life challenges
for vulnerable populations worldwide. ISHOW alumni have
developed affordable devices to address key issues related to
clean combustion, crop threshing, fetal health, food waste
prevention, health diagnostics, safe drinking water, and
many more that advance the U.N. Sustainable Development
Goals.
ASME is grateful to The Lemelson Foundation for its continued
support of the ISHOW with a three-year strategic
investment and to ISHOW implementation partners around
the globe. Learn more about ISHOW’s global impact in this
dynamic dashboard.
Follow the journeys of ISHOW alumni including PayGo
Energy, PlenOptika, Himalayan Rocket Stove, SAYeTECH and
others here.
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 19

News
Steps to Follow for a Successful School
Renovation by Sam Cicero
PLAINFIELD, Ill. — Renovating a school offers an opportunity
for a community to invest in its own future and provide a
safe, welcoming environment for all students. More importantly,
renovation offers new possibilities to make the school
an academic environment in which children can thrive.
A community has one of two choices when it comes to
an outdated school: renovating the building or tearing it
down to start from scratch with a new facility featuring the
latest learning technologies. Of course, new construction is
considerably more expensive than renovation, and typically
requires a much longer timeline measured in years, rather
than months. Renovations, correctly planned by an experienced
contractor, can have excellent results much faster at a
vastly lower price.
If the community decides on a renovation, the final cost
will be largely dependent on the condition and age of the
existing building. A much older school may need new HVAC,
electrical and plumbing. One that has been in service for
only a decade or two, in contrast, will not need new mechanicals
but may require upgrades such as high-speed Ethernet
cabling to replace an aging coaxial network.
project team will need to address.
Here is a rough overview of the process that you can use for
your school renovation journey:
1. Data Collection: Your in-house project team should gather
all files on the original school design, its electrical, HVAC
and plumbing systems, and any other structural details.
It’s essential to share this information with the renovation
team you’ve hired, including architect, interior designer,
mechanical engineer, and general contractor, to ensure
everything goes smoothly. No detail is too small.
2. Collect Input: Conduct a survey to gauge opinions about
the current state of the school and what changes those
most affected by a renovation — the school’s students,
staff, neighbors — would like to see made. Meet with
school board members to collect ideas on what kind of
environment they believe students need to best succeed.
Renovation costs will also be determined by the goals set
forth by the district. Below are a few that renovation contractors
are often asked to meet:
• Improve student safety and building security
• Expand classrooms and administrative offices
• Redesign floor layouts including additions
• Update mechanical and technological infrastructures
• Reduce building energy consumption and improve sustainability
• Bring the school up to current building codes (fire, accessibility).
A school renovation project should not only enhance the
facility but also student academic performance and job opportunities.
For instance, upgrading the school’s technology
will better prepare students for a life beyond the classroom,
especially where the school space reflects the modern workplace.
Multiple studies have shown that good school design
is a key factor in academic excellence and in improving the
wellbeing of pupils, as well as in helping to attract and retain
the best staff and teachers.
When undertaking a school renovation project, it’s important
to create a plan or “roadmap” that takes you through each
step of the process — from initial planning and budgeting to
final construction and commissioning new equipment. Renovations
of this magnitude can be overwhelming, often filled
with hurdles and hassles the school district and your in-house
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20
| Chief Engineer

3. Initial Design and Layout: Now it is time to work with the
renovation team. Share your goals, structural information
and input so that an initial layout can be created, usually
by the architect and engineer, who are well-versed in local
safety and ADA requirements, community building codes,
and current material costs and availability. This first draft
will likely go through several revisions before being finalized.
4. Prepare the Budget: Establish a detailed budget for a
school board presentation that includes all architectural,
technology and furniture solutions, as well as a timeline
for construction. This budget will be carefully reviewed,
revised and approved by the school board before renovations
can begin.
5. Final Review: Next, it is the responsibility of your in-house
project team to review and approve all final contractor
quotes, construction details and schedule, and to generate
a purchase order.
6. Renovation Begins: School renovations often have a
narrow window to be completed, usually over summer
vacation or extended holiday breaks. Here is where the
renovation contractor’s skills are crucial in areas such as
permitting, material deliveries and storage, scheduling subcontractor
work, and conducting inspections. Every phase
must be sequenced by the contractor to avoid delays. Communications
between your contractor and project team will
ensure problems are quickly resolved.
7. Project Delivery: Your school renovation is now complete
and delivered. Although the work is done, your general
contractor will continue to act as a liaison between the
school and the project’s sub-contractors and material suppliers
should an issue arise.
Whether you’re renovating a single classroom or constructing
a major addition to the school from the foundation up,
Cicero Construction Group can ensure a safe, quality-driven,
cost-effective project. Contact us at
www.cicero-construction.com.
Sam Cicero is president of Cicero Construction Group.
Cicero Construction Group renovating Chicago Math and Science Academy
in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood.
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 21

News
Scientists: Atmospheric Carbon Might
Turn Lakes More Acidic
By John Flesher | AP Environmental Writer
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The Great Lakes have endured
a lot the past century, from supersized algae blobs to invasive
mussels and bloodsucking sea lamprey that nearly wiped
out fish populations.
Now, another danger: They — and other big lakes around
the world — might be getting more acidic, which could make
them less hospitable for some fish and plants.
Scientists are building a sensor network to spot Lake Huron
water chemistry trends. It’s a first step toward a hoped-for
system that would track carbon dioxide and pH in all five
Great Lakes over multiple years, said project co-leader Reagan
Errera of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“If you change things chemically, you’re going to change
how things behave and work and that includes the food
web,” said Errera, a research ecologist with NOAA’s Great
Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor,
Mich.
“Does that mean your favorite fish might not be around anymore?
We don’t know that, but we know things will change.
Maybe where and when they spawn, where they’re located,
what they eat.”
Oceans are becoming more acidic as they absorb carbon
dioxide that human activity pumps into the atmosphere —
the primary cause of climate change. Acidification endangers
coral reefs and other marine life.
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| Chief Engineer
Studies based on computer models suggest the same thing
may be happening in big freshwater systems. But few programs
are conducting long-term monitoring to find out — or
to investigate the ecological ripple effects.
“This doesn’t mean the waters are going to be unsafe to
swim in. It’s not like we’re making super acid battery liquid,”
said Galen McKinley, a Columbia University environmental
sciences professor. “We’re talking about long-term change in
the environment that to humans would be imperceptible.”
A 2018 study of four German reservoirs found their pH levels
had declined — moving closer to acidity — three times faster
in 35 years than in oceans since the Industrial Revolution.
Researchers say Great Lakes also could approach acidity
around the same rate as in oceans by 2100. Data from the
Lake Huron project will help determine if they’re right.
Two sensors have been attached to a floating weather buoy
at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary near Alpena,
Mich. One measures carbon dioxide pressure in the water
column and the other pH. Additionally, crews are collecting
water samples at varying depths within the 4,300-squaremile
area for chemical analysis.
Besides disrupting aquatic life and habitat, acidification
could deteriorate hundreds of wooden shipwrecks believed
resting on the bottom, said Stephanie Gandulla, the sanctuary’s
resource protection coordinator and a study co-leader.
Other monitoring stations and sampling sites are planned,
Errera said. The goal is to take baseline measurements, then
see how they change over time.
Data also is needed from lakes Erie, Michigan, Ontario and
Superior, she said. All are part of the world’s largest surface
freshwater system but have distinct characteristics, including
water chemistry, nutrients and other conditions needed for
healthy biological communities.
Acidification from carbon dioxide overload in the atmosphere
is different than acid rain caused by sulfur dioxide
and nitrogen oxides from fossil fuel burning for electric
power generation or manufacturing.
While more potent, acid rain covers relatively small areas and
can be reduced with scrubbing equipment, as the U.S. Clean
Air Act requires. But the effect of carbon-related acidifica-

tion is worldwide and potentially more damaging because
there’s no easy or quick fix.
“The only solution is a global solution,” McKinley said. “Everyone
cuts their emissions.”
Regardless of how well nations accomplish that, big lakes
probably will continue acidifying as they absorb carbon
dioxide already in the atmosphere, plus carbon-laden water
runoff from land, she said.
Less certain are effects on ecosystems, although initial studies
have raised concerns.
Based on laboratory tests, scientists who documented soaring
acidity in the German reservoirs found it can imperil a type
of water flea by hampering defense from predators. The tiny
crustaceans are an important food for amphibians and fish.
Scientists in Taiwan experimented with Chinese mitten crabs,
an Asian delicacy but an invasive species elsewhere. Increasing
water acidity in lab tanks to projected 2100 levels more
than tripled their mortality rates, according to a report last
year.
Other studies have found freshwater acidification harms
development and growth of young pink salmon, also known
as humpback salmon, an important commercial and sport
fishing species in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.
But it’s unknown how big such problems will get, said Emily
Stanley, a University of Wisconsin freshwater ecology professor.
“I honestly don’t see this as a thing that we as lake scientists
should be freaking out about,” Stanley said. “There are so
many other challenges facing lakes that are larger and more
immediate,” such as invasive species and harmful algae.
Many lakes emit more carbon dioxide than they take in, she
said. But other scientists say even those could acidify because
their outflow will slow as atmospheric concentrations surge.
Either way, tracking lakes’ carbon dioxide levels is a good
idea because the compound is fundamental to processes
including photosynthesis that algae and other aquatic plants
use to make food, Stanley said.
A crucial question is the effect of CO2-related acidification
on microscopic plants called phytoplankton, said Beth
(Continued on pg. 24)
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 23

News
In this photo provided by Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Michigan Sea Grant intern Cassidy Beach collects Lake Huron water samples aboard a
research vessel on July 13, 2022, near Alpena, Mich. Beach was assisting a multi-year project at Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary to determine whether the
lake is becoming more acidic. (Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary/NOAA via AP)
(Continued from pg. 23)
Stauffer, a University of Louisiana at Lafayette biologist
studying the situation around river mouths where fresh and
ocean waters meet.
Studies suggest some of the tiniest phytoplankton may thrive
in acidic waters, while larger types — more nutritious for fish
— fade.
The potential upheaval in freshwater ecosystems is one example
among many of global warming’s long reach, she said.
“Those greenhouse gases we’re putting into the atmosphere
have to go somewhere,” Errera said. “The oceans and large
freshwater bodies are where they’re going, and acidification
happens as a result.”
“It’s like walking into a buffet and instead of having the salad
bar and roast turkey, you have just Skittles,” Stauffer said.
Of particular interest for the Great Lakes are quagga mussels,
said Harvey Bootsma, a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
lake scientist. The prolific invaders have elbowed aside other
plankton eaters and fueled nuisance algae. Acidification
could weaken quaggas’ calcium carbonate shells, as it has
with ocean mussels and clams.
But that’s hardly a silver lining, Errera said. The same fate
could befall native mussels that conservationists are struggling
to protect.
24
| Chief Engineer

Derry Township, Pa., Takes Landmark
Step Toward Organics-to-Energy Vision
HERSHEY, Pa. — The Derry Township Municipal Authority
(DTMA) has taken a significant step on its journey toward
energy and nutrient recovery from organic waste at its Clearwater
Road Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF).
Ongoing upgrades at the five million gallons per day WWTF,
part of a $12 million biosolids facility improvements program,
will expand capacity and increase energy efficiency, boosting
the plant’s sustainability.
Already accepting organic waste from industrial and municipal
sources, and with plans to receive future additional waste
streams, the Authority has a long-term vision to recover and
reuse resources, reduce landfill waste, and generate alternate
revenue sources to lessen the financial burden to customers.
In a landmark step, the Authority has purchased Ecoremedy®’s
Fluid Lift Gasification (FLG) technology. The full-scale
biosolids drying and gasification process is the world’s most
advanced platform for simultaneous gasification and nutrient
and energy recovery from industrial residuals and municipal
biosolids. A major advantage of the state-of-the-art system
is its ability to reduce or eliminate emerging contaminants,
such as PFAS.
“This major investment aligns with our mission to provide
a cost-effective public service to protect and enhance the
water environment and quality of life for our community,”
said DTMA Executive Director William Rehkop. “By implementing
self-sustaining facility improvements and expanding
our hauled waste program, the Authority has generated
alternate revenue sources which have significantly subsidized
operation and maintenance costs to benefit our customers.”
Leading environmental engineering and construction services
firm Brown and Caldwell is providing construction management,
design services, and permitting to accommodate the
new system and development of a biosolids receiving facility
at the plant. Once operational, the FLG system will process
higher amounts of biosolids into renewable thermal energy,
biochar, and concentrated minerals, thus keeping biosolids
out of landfill and creating a sustainable fuel source.
Derry Township, Pa., has moved toward enhanced resource recovery with a
revolutionary biosolids process investment.
As local manufacturer’s representative, Kappe Associates, Inc.
played a pivotal role in developing the system’s scope, performance,
throughput, and capabilities.
“We congratulate DTMA for their visionary approach to
recovering resources and reducing environmental impacts,”
said Brown and Caldwell Project Manager Colin O’Brien. “Our
team is honored to help transform the facility and position
DTMA as a waste-to-energy leader at a time when our industry
seeks innovative ways to manage biosolids.”
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 25

News
Why Modern Electric Boilers Are Safer
Choice
In industry, gas-fired boilers have largely been the standard
for many decades to produce steam as well as heat process
water. However, not all boilers are created equal in terms
of safety. By definition, combustion-fueled boilers can emit
harmful vapors, leak gas, and even cause explosions and
fires.
In a recent example, a natural gas boiler was cited as the
cause of a massive explosion and fire at a food processing
plant in eastern Oregon that injured six and caused severe
damage to the facility’s main building. Given the risks, many
processors are turning to a new generation of electric boilers
to dramatically reduce these hazards.
“With gas burning boilers, any gas leak can increase the risk
of an explosion wherever there are fuel lines, fumes, flames
or storage tanks. So, gas units must be continually monitored
or periodically inspected,” says Robert Presser, Vice President
of Acme Engineering Products, who notes that state and
municipal safety guidelines vary depending on boiler type
and the expected frequency of inspection. Acme Engineering
is a North American manufacturer of boilers for large
industrial and commercial applications. The company is an
ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturer of environmental controls
and systems with integrated mechanical, electrical and
electronic capabilities.
In gas-fired boilers, explosions can result in the ignition and
instantaneous combustion of highly flammable gas, vapor,
or dust that has accumulated in a boiler. The force of the
explosion is often much greater than the boiler combustion
chamber can withstand.
Minor explosions, known as flarebacks or blowbacks, can also
suddenly blow flames many feet from firing doors and observation
ports, seriously burning anyone in the path of a flame.
Natural gas-fired boiler emissions also pose potential hazards
in the form of emissions. This can include nitrogen oxides
(NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrous oxide (N2O), volatile
organic compounds (VOCs), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and particulate
matter (PM), as well as the greenhouse gasses carbon
dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), which accelerate global
warming.
In addition, fossil-fuel-burning boilers can also face potentially
dangerous operational issues stemming from excessive
heat accumulation, particularly if the water is too low in the
system to properly absorb the heat. High heat conditions
can compromise the boiler, electrodes, and other equipment
essential to operation.
To dramatically improve operator and environmental safety,
industry is turning toward modern electric boilers that
eliminate many of these risks. The most advanced electrode
boilers not only match the capacity of large gas or oil-fired
boilers but are safer and more compact, maximizing energy
efficiency, improving reliability, and minimizing maintenance.
Although many facility engineers are familiar with gas-fired
boilers, many believe that electric boilers cannot match the
output of the traditional, fossil-fuel-burning units. Due to
considerable advances in electric boiler technology, however,
such technology can now match the capacity of large gas or
oil-fired boilers in a much smaller footprint.
Presser explains that electric boilers utilize the conductive
and resistive properties of water to carry electric current and
generate steam. An A.C. current flows from an electrode of
one phase to ground using the water as a conductor. Since
chemicals in the water provide conductivity, the current flow
generates heat directly in the water itself. The more current
(amps) that flows, the more heat (BTUs) is generated, and
the more steam produced.
As an example, in Acme’s CEJS High Voltage Electrode Steam
Boiler, almost 100 percent of the electrical energy is converted
into heat with no stack or heat transfer losses. The
electrodes of the jet type electrode steam boiler are vertically
mounted around the inside of the pressure vessel. This
enables the unit to produce maximum amounts of steam in
a minimum amount of floor space, with boiler capacity from
6MW to 52MW. Operating at existing distribution voltages,
4.16 to 25 KV with up to 99.9-percent efficiency, the boiler
can produce up to 170,000 pounds of steam per hour. With
pressure ratings from 105 psig to 500 psig, the boilers are
designed to ASME Section 1, and are certified, registered
pressure vessels at the location of the boiler.
“With the jet-type electrode boilers, there are no combustion
hazards because there are no flames, fumes, fuel lines
or storage tanks, which minimizes the risk of explosions and
fires,” says Presser. In case of an electrical short, the breaker
that protects the high voltage circuit trips in a matter of milliseconds,
protecting the boiler and the electrical network.
There is no chance of electrical mishap or fire from the boiler.
Since the design does not rely on combustion, it does not create
emissions that would endanger the operator or environment.
In addition, the design eliminates many environmental
issues associated with fuel burning boilers such as fuel fumes,
fly ash, and large, obtrusive exhaust stacks.
The approach resolves safety issues related to potentially
excessive heat accumulation with the system as well. Low
26
| Chief Engineer

water protection is absolute since the absence of water
prevents current from flowing and the electrode boiler from
producing steam. Unlike conventional electric boilers or fossil
fuel boilers, nothing in the electrode boiler is at a higher
temperature than the water itself. This prevents the risk of
dangerous heat buildup in the boiler, electrodes, and other
important components even if scaling should occur, and thermal
shock is eliminated.
“Electric boilers, and specifically the electrode units, are
inherently the safest boiler design today. These units do
not need an operator because if anything goes wrong, the
breaker trips, preventing further escalation of the issue,”
explains Presser.
The electric boilers also improve safety by reducing industrial
noise, which is an OSHA-regulated issue. Under OSHA’s Noise
Standard, the employer must lower noise exposure through
engineering controls, administrative controls, or Hearing Protection
Devices (HPDs) to attenuate the occupational noise
received by the employee’s ears to within levels specified.
In this regard, the electric units are also exceptionally quiet
compared to fuel-fired boilers. “Unlike gas-powered burners
that throttle like turbine engines almost continually, electric
boilers keep operational noise levels down,” says Presser.
“Because the loudest boiler component is a circulating pump
motor, you can have a conversation next to one without the
need to elevate your voice.”
As safer, more energy-efficient electrode boilers become more widely available,
companies can protect their people and processes more completely
while minimizing required maintenance.
While safety of the electrode units is superior, there are also
significant benefits in terms of reliability and maintenance.
The absence of excessive temperatures and burnout assures
longer operating life. The boilers have a minimum number
of components and electrical controls. With no fuel residues,
along with fewer parts and simple control systems, cleaning
and maintenance requirements are reduced, and reliability is
enhanced.
Processors have long sought to improve safety, yet options
have been limited. Now, as safer, more energy-efficient
alternatives become more widely available in the form of
state-of-the-art electrode boilers, companies can protect
their people and processes more completely while minimizing
required maintenance.
For more info, contact Robert Presser at Acme Engineering
via e-mail: rpresser@acmeprod.com, phone: (888) 880-5323,
or Web: www.acmeprod.com/.
Del Williams is a technical writer based in Torrance, Calif.
Advanced electrode boilers like those from Acme Engineering dramatically
reduce the risk of explosion, fire and noxious emissions associated with
fossil-fuel-burning units.
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 27

News
EPA to Tighten Nitrogen Oxide Limits
for New Heavy Trucks By Tom Krisher | AP Auto Writer
DETROIT (AP) — In a little over four years, new heavy truck
makers will have to cut harmful nitrogen oxide pollution
more than 80 percent under new standards released Tuesday
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Some environmental and health advocates praised the
standards, but others said they don’t go far enough to curb
nitrogen oxide, which can cause issues including respiratory
illness, cardiovascular problems and even death.
Problems are more acute in industrial and port areas, causing
health problems for low-income residents who live there.
The EPA says 72 million people live near freight routes in the
U.S.
The standards, coupled with greenhouse gas emission limits
coming next year, and government investments, eventually
will lead to zero-emissions electric and hydrogen fuel cell
trucks carrying most of the nation’s freight, the agency said.
“This is just the first action under EPA’s clean trucks plan to
pave the way toward a zero-emission future,” Administrator
Michael Regan said in a prepared statement.
The standards, the first update in more than 20 years, limit
nitrogen oxide emissions from new semis and other heavy
trucks to 35 milligrams per horsepower hour. The current
standard is 200 milligrams, the EPA said.
One horsepower hour is the equivalent of energy consumed
by working at the rate of one horsepower for a single hour.
EPA officials say catalytic reduction technology is available
for truck engine manufacturers to meet the large reduction
when the standards take effect in 2027. The agency also says
the standards can be met at a reasonable cost. The stronger
standard will not change and will remain in place for multiple
years, the EPA said.
As the fleet of heavy trucks is replaced by newer vehicles,
it should reduce nitrogen oxide pollution by 48 percent by
2045, the EPA said.
The agency expects greenhouse gas standards and incentives
in the Inflation Reduction Act to bring the replacement of
all diesel trucks with zero-emissions alternatives, said Margo
Oge, a former director of the EPA’s transportation and air
quality office.
Oge, now a volunteer with the Environmental Protection
Network, expects at least half of all new heavy trucks to be
powered by batteries or hydrogen fuel cells by 2030.
Tractor-trailers are stacked up along the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70
near East Airpark Road, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Aurora, Colo. A massive
winter storm closed roads throughout northeast Colorado. (AP Photo/David
Zalubowski)
The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association said the
new standards will be challenging to put in place, but its
members will work with the EPA.
“Ultimately the success or failure of this rule hinges on the
willingness and ability of trucking fleets to invest in purchasing
the new technology to replace their older, higher-emitting
vehicles,” the association said in a prepared statement.
A group representing independent truck drivers, the Owner
Operator Independent Drivers Association, said small business
truckers won’t be able to afford new trucks, so they’ll
stay with older, less-efficient ones.
The new rule lets the trucking industry keep making vehicles
that pollute the air, the Natural Resources Defense Council
said.
“The agency missed a critical opportunity to slash soot and
smog and accelerate the shift to the cleanest vehicles,” the
group said in a prepared statement.
However, the American Lung Association called the rule an
important step in reducing emissions that can cause lifelong
lung damage.
“Now, EPA must build on today’s rule,” the group said.
“These standards must dramatically reduce greenhouse gas
emissions from trucks to drive a nationwide transition to
zero-emission vehicles.”
28
| Chief Engineer

PVC Roofing: Recyclable at End of
Service Life
For more than 50 years, durable PVC roofing membranes
have cooled and protected buildings in climates around the
world. Their long life cycle has helped earn them excellent
ANSI ratings for sustainability. (To date, PVC materials are
the only products to be rated gold or platinum.) But there’s
more. PVC roofing is the only commercial roofing material
that is being recycled, at the end of decades of service life,
into the feedstock to make new roofing membranes.
PVC has an inherent advantage over many other roofing
materials when it comes to recycling. As a thermoplastic, it
can readily be heated and reprocessed without loss of key
physical properties. Thus, it has long been an industry best
practice to reintroduce production trimmings and scrap as
raw materials into the vinyl roofing membrane manufacturing
processes. In 2021, the member manufacturers of the
Chemical Fabrics & Film Association (CFFA) Vinyl Roofing
Division recycled a combined 20.5 million pounds of pre-consumer
materials.
The Vinyl Roofing Division has a new white paper covering
the topic, “Avoiding the Landfill: The Recycling of PVC Roof
Membranes,” available for download on its website. Focusing
on post-consumer recycling, this paper examines the evolution
and current state of commercial PVC roof membranes
as a sustainable building product at the end of its service life.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
construction and demolition waste from buildings totals an
estimated 332 billion pounds annually. Skyrocketing raw
material costs, higher landfill tipping fees, legislation to
restrict disposal of construction materials, and an architectural
community that demands the lightest environmental
footprint that can be achieved, have led to the mainstreaming
of post-consumer recycling and a vision of the day when
specifiers will routinely call for post-consumer content in a
roof membrane.
In 2021, some participating manufacturers of CFFA’s Vinyl
Roofing Division recycled a combined 758 thousand pounds
of membranes at the end of their service lives. These were
reprocessed into either new PVC roofing membranes (closed
loop recycling) or other non-roofing products such as flooring
(open loop recycling).
For more information on the benefits of cool PVC roofing,
visit https://vinylroofs.org/.
PVC is the only commercial roofing material that can be transformed into
feedstock and manufactured as the same product it previously had been.
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 29

News
Pasternack Celebrates Its 50th
Anniversary
IRVINE, Calif. — Pasternack, an Infinite Electronics brand and
a leading provider of RF, microwave and millimeter-wave
products, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Pasternack was established on Jan. 9, 1972, by its founder
Murray Pasternack, who ran the business out of his home
in southern California. His sole purpose was to address the
unique product needs of RF and microwave engineers.
From its humble beginnings in Murray’s garage, Pasternack
has since grown to become a global leader in the RF and microwave
industry, providing its customers with an extensive
range of actives, passives and cable assemblies.
Many things have changed since the company’s inception in
1972. However, one thing that has not is its customers’ demand
for a reliable source of high-quality RF and microwave
products backed by superior technical and customer service.
Pasternack continues to thrive by aligning its products and
services with the needs of its customers. Its inventory of more
than 40,000 products is always available, granting customer
access to the broadest array of industry standards as well as
rare and hard-to-find specialty items. In addition to thousands
of off-the-shelf products, Pasternack is an expert at
building custom cable assemblies with same-day shipping.
“We are so proud to be celebrating Pasternack’s 50th anniversary,”
said Penny Cotner, President and CEO of Infinite
Electronics. “Our success has come from listening to what our
customers need and by providing responsive, technical and
customer service as well as offering the industry’s broadest
selection of in-stock products to address the urgent needs of
From the garage to the globe — Pasternack celebrates its 50-year legacy in
the RF/microwave industry.
our customers. As the flagship brand of Infinite Electronics,
Pasternack has set the standard of service for our company.”
To commemorate this milestone anniversary, the company
recently interviewed Murray Pasternack to get all the details
on the company’s inception and growth. To read the interview,
visit bit.ly/3YywQKO.
For inquiries, contact Pasternack at (949) 261-1920.
GOT A STORY TO TELL?
Call Chief Engineer at 708-293-1720 or email
editor@chiefengineer.org, and let us know
about your project, product, service, or other
industry news!
www.chiefengineer.org
30
| Chief Engineer

Purdue, Accenture Sign 5-year
Agreement in Support of Smart
Manufacturing
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University and Accenture
have agreed to a five-year commitment supporting Purdue’s
mission to prepare a next-generation smart-manufacturing
workforce.
Accenture has committed to provide funding in support of
two strategic areas:
• The Accenture Smart Factory, which will meet the needs
of a growing College of Engineering and Purdue Polytechnic
Institute student population. Located in Dudley Hall,
the facility will provide instructional laboratories, design
studios and spaces where students from various disciplines
will collaborate on smart-manufacturing projects. The
Smart Factory will also serve as a central hub for joint innovation
among Purdue, Accenture and industry.
• The Accenture Smart Manufacturing Scholars Program,
which will provide funds for select qualified students to
receive the equivalent of in-state tuition every year for up
to four years. The program will include a Women in Manufacturing
scholarship designed to attract more women to
manufacturing fields and drive inclusion and diversity in
the industry.
“With the Accenture Smart Factory and the Accenture
Manufacturing Scholars Program, we can prepare more
students for exciting future careers in smart manufacturing,”
said Daniel Castro, dean of the Purdue Polytechnic
Institute, through which Purdue offers an undergraduate
major in smart manufacturing industrial informatics. “At the
same time, this venture allows Purdue to meet the needs of
our partners in industry who are desperately seeking career-ready
graduates with the skills we will teach in this new
facility.”
Smart manufacturing uses digital technologies such as artificial
intelligence, the cloud, robotics and 5G to build products.
Industry experts believe the United States’ need for a workforce
with core knowledge and skills in this field is growing
faster than the country’s current ability to produce qualified
workers. Fast-track workforce training programs help fill
this gap, and Purdue — a proven leader in manufacturing,
engineering and innovation — is advancing several projects
to meet the long-term need.
“We are excited about this new partnership, particularly the
Women in Manufacturing scholarship, which will help drive
more inclusion and diversity in engineering roles,” said Shiv
Iyer, Accenture’s market unit lead for the U.S. Midwest. “By
Purdue University and Accenture have come together in an attempt to
inspire more students to consider careers in digital manufacturing.
partnering with Purdue, we hope to inspire more students to
pursue a career in digital manufacturing of the future.”
Accenture is a global professional services company with
721,000 employees offering leading capabilities in digital,
cloud and security to clients in more than 120 countries.
“Companies are not just rebuilding manufacturing in North
America, they are reinventing it,” said Aaron Saint, who
leads Accenture’s digital engineering and manufacturing
service, Industry X, in North America. “Factories of the future
will rely on automation, data analysis and digital twin replicas
to enhance productivity, safety and quality. They need a
workforce with those skills. The Accenture Smart Factory will
provide the right platform for innovation in this next era,
and this collaboration with Purdue will equip tomorrow’s
workforce with the skills they need for a successful career in
digital manufacturing.”
Volume 87 · Number 11 | 31

News
California Approves Roadmap for
Carbon Neutrality by 2045
By Sophie Austin | Associated Press/Report for America
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California air regulators voted
unanimously Thursday, Dec. 15, to approve an ambitious plan
to drastically cut reliance on fossil fuels by changing practices
in the energy, transportation and agriculture sectors, but
critics say it doesn’t go far enough to combat climate change.
The plan sets out to achieve so-called carbon neutrality by
2045, meaning the state will remove as many carbon emissions
from the atmosphere as it emits. It aims to do so in part
by reducing fossil fuel demand by 86 percent within that
time frame.
California had previously set this carbon neutrality target,
but Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation making it a mandate
earlier this year. The Democrat has said drastic changes
are needed to position California as a global climate leader.
“We are making history here in California,” Newsom said in
a Dec. 15 statement.
But the plan’s road to approval by the California Air Resources
Board was not without criticism. Capturing large amounts
of carbon and storing it underground is one of the most
controversial elements of the proposal. Critics say it gives the
state’s biggest emitters reason to not do enough on their
part to mitigate climate change.
In a meeting that lasted several hours, activists, residents and
experts used their last chance to weigh in on the plan ahead
of the board’s vote. Many said the latest version, while not
perfect, was an improvement from earlier drafts, committing
the state to do more to curb planet-warming emissions.
Davina Hurt, a board member, said she was proud California
is moving closer to its carbon neutrality goal.
“I’m glad that this plan is bold and aggressive,” Hurt said.
The plan does not commit the state to taking any particular
actions but sets out a broad roadmap for how California can
achieve its goals. Here are the highlights:
Renewable Power
The implementation of the plan hinges on the state’s ability
to transition away from fossil fuels and rely more on renewable
resources for energy. It calls for the state to cut liquid
petroleum fuel demand by 94 percent by 2045, and quadruple
solar and wind capacity along that same timeframe.
Another goal would mean new residential and commercial
buildings will be powered by electric appliances before the
next decade.
The calls for dramatically lowering reliance on oil and gas
come as public officials continue to grapple with how to
avoid blackouts when record-breaking heat waves push Californians
to crank up their air conditioning.
And the Western States Petroleum Association took issue
with the plan’s timeline.
“CARB’s latest draft of the Scoping Plan has acknowledged
what dozens of studies have confirmed — that a complete
phase-out of oil and gas is unrealistic,” said Catherine Reheis-Boyd,
the group’s president, in a statement. “A plan that
isn’t realistic isn’t really a plan at all.”
At the beginning of the Dec. 15 meeting, California Air Resources
Board Chair Liane Randolph touted the latest version
of the plan as the most ambitious to date. It underwent
changes after public comments earlier in the year.
“Ultimately, achieving carbon neutrality requires deploying
all tools available to us to reduce emissions and store carbon,”
Randolph said.
Transportation
Officials hope a move away from gas-powered cars and
trucks reduces greenhouse gas emissions while limiting the
public health impact of chemicals these vehicles release.
In a July letter to the air board, Newsom requested that the
agency approve aggressive cuts to emissions from planes.
This would accompany other reductions in the transportation
sector as the state transitions to all zero-emission vehicle
sales by 2035.
The plan’s targets include having 20 percent of aviation fuel
demand come from electric or hydrogen sources by 2045 and
ensuring all medium-duty vehicles sold are zero-emission by
2040. The board has already passed a policy to ban the sale
of new cars powered solely by gasoline in the state starting
in 2035.
Carbon Capture
The plan refers to carbon capture as a “necessary tool” to
32
| Chief Engineer

Gen Nashimoto, of Luminalt, installs solar panels in Hayward, Calif., on April 29, 2020. California air regulators are set to approve an ambitious plan for
the state to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. Doing so will require a rapid transition away from oil and gas and toward renewable energy to power
everything from cars to buildings. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)
implement in the state alongside other strategies to mitigate
climate change. It calls for the state to capture 100 million
metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent and store it underground
by 2045.
Connie Cho, an attorney for environmental justice group
Communities for a Better Environment, called the plan’s goal
of phasing down oil refining “a huge step forward” to mitigate
climate change and protect public health.
“Our communities have been suffering from chronic disease
and dying at disproportionate rates for far too long because
of the legacy of environmental racism in this country,” Cho
said.
But Cho criticized its carbon capture targets, arguing they
give a pathway for refineries to continue polluting as the
state cuts emissions in other areas.
Agriculture
One of the goals is to achieve a 66 percent reduction in
methane emissions from the agriculture sector by 2045. Cattle
are a significant source for releasing methane — a potent,
planet-warming gas.
The plan’s implementation would also mean less reliance by
the agriculture sector on fossil fuels as an energy source.
Sophie Austin is a corps member for the Associated Press/
Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for
America is a nonprofit national service program that places
journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered
issues.
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Volume 88 · Number 1 | 33

News
Regulators Grant Critical Approval for
Dominion Wind Farm By Sarah Rankin | Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia regulators granted a critical
approval Thursday, Dec. 15, for Dominion Energy’s plans to
construct and operate a 176-turbine wind farm in the Atlantic
Ocean.
The State Corporation Commission effectively signed off on
an agreement Dominion reached this fall with the Virginia
attorney general and other parties, in which the company
agreed to implement several consumer protections in connection
with the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project.
“We thank the Commission for its approval and appreciate
the collaboration of the parties involved to reach an agreement
that advances offshore wind and the clean energy
transition in Virginia,” the Richmond-based company said
in a statement. “Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind has many
benefits for our customers. It is fuel free, emissions free,
diversifies our energy mix and is a transformative economic
development opportunity for Hampton Roads and Virginia.”
In its order, the commission also issued a warning about the
impact the project will have on the electricity bills of Dominion’s
captive electric utility customers.
“The magnitude of this project is so great that it will likely
be the costliest project being undertaken by any regulated
utility in the United States. And the electricity produced
by this Project will be among the most expensive sources
of power — on both a per-kilowatt-of-firm-capacity and a
per-megawatt-hour basis — in the entire United States,” the
order said.
Dominion filed its application to build and recover the costs
Two of the offshore wind turbines, which have been constructed off the coast of Virginia Beach, Va., are seen, June 29, 2020. Virginia regulators granted
a critical approval Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022, for Dominion Energy’s plans to construct and operate a 176-turbine wind farm in the Atlantic Ocean. (AP
Photo/Steve Helber, File)
34 | Chief Engineer

of the project with the State Corporation Commission in
2021. That kicked off a lengthy process before the regulatory
agency, one that has included voluminous filings and an
evidentiary hearing last May.
The commission initially signed off on the project in August,
but it included a consumer protection provision — a performance
guarantee — that Dominion strenuously objected to,
saying it would kill the project.
Several parties to the SCC proceeding, including Walmart,
the AG’s office and conservation groups, began to hash out
a compromise, announcing a proposed agreement in late
October that did away with the performance guarantee but
does include performance reporting requirements and provisions
laying out a degree of construction cost sharing.
The agreement now approved by the SCC calls for a
cost-sharing arrangement for any overruns beyond the
estimated $9.8 billion price tag. The company would cover 50
percent of construction costs between the range of $10.3-
$11.3 billion and 100 percent of costs between $11.3-$13.7
billion. If construction costs were to exceed $13.7 billion, the
issue would go back to the commission.
calls for an in-service date of late 2026 or early 2027. Dominion
expects the project to generate enough clean energy to
power up to 660,000 homes.
The Dec. 15 SCC order noted that while Dominion estimates
the capital cost of the project to be nearly $10 billion, total
project costs, including financing, are estimated to be approximately
$21.5 billion.
Clean Virginia, a clean energy and rate-reform advocacy
group, said in a statement that the approved compromise
would help hold Dominion accountable.
“With its final ruling today, the State Corporation Commission
demonstrated that consumer protection must go hand
in hand with Virginia’s clean energy transition,” Clean Virginia
Energy Policy Manager Laura Gonzalez said. “Absent
the Commission’s leadership and pressure from environmental
groups, the Attorney General, and Walmart, Dominion
Energy would have zero incentive to actually produce clean
energy from its offshore wind project or keep costs reasonable.”
The proposal would not require the company to guarantee
certain energy production levels, like the SCC had initially
ordered. Rather, Dominion will have to report average net
capacity factors annually and “provide a detailed explanation
of the factors contributing to any deficiency.” Capacity
factor is a measure of how often a generating facility runs
during a period of time.
The commission will also have the continuing authority to inspect
Dominion’s expenditures on the project to ensure they
are reasonable and prudent under state law.
The project, which will be located about 27 miles off the
coast of Virginia Beach, has drawn broad support from local
officials, policymakers, business groups and trade unions,
who say it will help fight climate change and create jobs.
The company already has a two-turbine pilot project up and
running. The 2.6-gigawatt, utility-scale project’s schedule
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 35

News
Japanese Court Says 45-Year-Old Nuclear
Reactor Can Operate By Mari Yamaguchi | Associated Press
TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese court ruled Tuesday, Dec. 20, that
a 45-year-old nuclear reactor in central Japan can continue
to operate, rejecting demands by residents that it be suspended
because of safety risks, a decision supportive of the
government’s push for greater use of nuclear energy because
of possible global fuel shortages and the country’s pledge to
reduce carbon emissions.
The Osaka District Court’s decision came just days before
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Cabinet is expected to approve
a new nuclear energy policy that would accelerate
restarts of reactors that were idled after the 2011 Fukushima
nuclear power plant disaster and extend the operating life of
aging reactors.
The Economy and Industry Ministry has drafted a plan to
allow extensions every 10 years for reactors after 30 years of
operation, while also permitting utilities to subtract offline
periods in calculating reactors’ operational life beyond the
current 60-year limit.
The Dec. 20 ruling was the first on the safety of reactors that
have operated more than 40 years.
Chief Judge Naoya Inoue said the operator of the Mihama
No. 3 reactor, Kansai Electric Power Co., has taken adequate
steps to prevent equipment degradation to fulfil the requirements
of the Nuclear Regulation Authority and obtain an
operational permit. The ruling said the reactor’s age doesn’t
require more stringent safety standards than normal.
Nine residents — seven from Fukui prefecture and one each
from neighboring Kyoto and Shiga — filed a lawsuit against
Kansai Electric in June 2021 demanding the suspension of the
Mihama reactor, citing safety risks at the aging facility.
The court also dismissed other safety concerns raised by the
plaintiffs, including earthquake resistance and evacuation
plans, citing a lack of concrete proof of potential risk.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs said it was obvious that aging increases
risks for reactors and said they plan to appeal.
Most nuclear reactors in Japan are more than 30 years old.
While four reactors that have operated more than 40 years
have cleared the Nuclear Regulation Authority’s safety standards
and have received permission to operate, the Mihama
No. 3 reactor is the only one that is currently in operation.
36
| Chief Engineer
Petitioners display banners in front of Osaka District Court in Osaka,
western Japan Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022. A Japanese court ruled Tuesday that
a 45-year-old nuclear reactor in central Japan is safe to operate, rejecting
demands by local residents that it be suspended because of corrosion and
inadequate safety measures — a decision supportive of the government’s
push toward a greater use of nuclear energy amid power crunch concern
and decarbonization obligation. The banners read “Unfair decision cannot
be permitted. Immediate appeal!” right, and “We’ll settle at Osaka Hight
Court.” (Kyodo News via AP)
Anti-nuclear sentiment and safety concerns rose sharply
in Japan after the Fukushima disaster, in which a massive
earthquake and tsunami damaged reactor cooling systems,
causing three to melt and release large amounts of radiation.
The government initially planned to phase out nuclear
power but has since reversed that stance.
Kishida said in August that Japan needs to consider all
options in its energy mix, including nuclear, to secure a
stable energy supply amid potential shortages resulting
from Russia’s war on Ukraine, while strengthening its “green
transformation” to meet greenhouse gas emissions reduction
targets. Japan has pledged to reach carbon neutrality by
2050.
While maintaining a 20-22 percent target for nuclear energy
in its energy mix for 2030, the government previously insisted
it was not planning to build new nuclear plants or replace
aging reactors, apparently to avoid triggering criticism from
a still wary public.
Under the newly adopted nuclear policy, the government
will seek to develop and construct “new innovative reactors”
such as small modular nuclear reactors.
Some experts say extending the operational lifespan of reactors
is not desirable because utility operators would need
to invest in old equipment to keep it working instead of in
new technology or renewables. They also say developing
next-generation reactors involves huge costs and uncertain
prospects.

Company Starting to Recover Oil From
Kansas Pipeline Spill By John Hanna | Associated Press
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The company operating a pipeline
that leaked about 14,000 bathtubs’ worth of crude oil into a
northeastern Kansas creek is recovering at least a small part
of it from what was the largest onshore crude oil spill in nine
years.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday,
Dec. 13, that Canada-based TC Energy has recovered 2,163
barrels of oil mixed with water from the 14,000-barrel spill
on a creek running through rural pastureland in Washington
County, Kansas, about 150 miles northwest of Kansas City.
The EPA also said the company has recovered 435 barrels
from the ruptured pipeline, to bring the total amount of oil
and water recovered to 2,598 barrels, a figure also released
by the company. Each barrel is enough to fill a household
bathtub, and the total spill was 588,000 gallons.
The rupture in Kansas forced the company to shut down the
Keystone system, and it hasn’t said when it will come back
online. It is using trucks with what essentially are large wet
vacuums to suck out the oil. The company said Dec. 15 that
the trucks are operating around the clock. The company and
the EPA say no drinking water was affected, and no one was
evacuated in the wake of the spill.
“Our commitment to the community is that our response
efforts will continue until we have fully remediated the site,”
the company said in a statement.
The company used booms, or barriers, to contain the oil in
the creek and also built an earthen dam to prevent it from
moving into larger waterways. The EPA said the company
built a second earthen dam to helps support the first.
It was the biggest onshore spill since a Tesoro Corp. pipeline
rupture in North Dakota leaked 20,600 barrels in September
2013, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data.
The agency’s data also said it was the largest spill on the
Keystone system since it began operating in 2010 and bigger
than 22 previous spills on the system combined.
The spill prompted the U.S. Department of Transportation’s
pipeline safety arm to order TC Energy to take corrective
action.
It said the company must reduce the operating pressure by
20 percent inside the 96-mile segment running from Steele
City, Neb., south to Hope, Kan. It also said the company cannot
restart operations in that segment without the permission
of the pipeline safety regulators.
The company also must identify the root cause of the spill
and submit a plan for finding similar problems elsewhere
and conducting additional tests by early March.
Bill Caram, executive director of the advocacy Pipeline Safety
Trust, said much of the order is standard “boilerplate,” and it
would be possible for TC Energy to get the 96-mile segment
back online once it does a repair.
“They need to excavate the pipe in such a way that it’s preserved
just for the investigation, for that root-cause analysis,
and that takes probably the most time,” Caram said. “But
the actual repair can be pretty quick.”
Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition
to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline
in the Keystone system, the 1,200-mile Keystone XL, which
would have cut across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska.
Critics also argued that using crude from western Canada’s
oil sands would worsen climate change, and President Joe
Biden’s cancelation of a U.S. permit for the project led the
company to pull the plug last year.
Volume 87 · Number 12 | 37

WATER-TUBE BOILERS
DOMINATE
COMMERCIAL/
INDUSTRIAL MARKETS
by Greg Hughes
Three boiler types loom large among conventional (non-condensing)
commercial water boilers used for process or space
heat, with input sizes of 400 MBH and up: those with cast iron
sectional, fire-tube, and water-tube heat exchangers.
For a variety of reasons, the latter two have been most prevalent
in the commercial process heating market. Advantages
include relatively compact size, lower standby heat loss, and
the speed with which heat can be generated and delivered into
distribution piping.
First out of the gate for a wide range of uses was the fire-tube
boiler — with early design dating back centuries. Hollywood
gave great prominence to horizontal fire-tube boilers, though
few producers, actors or moviegoers were aware of it. Every
time a steam locomotive — aka the iron horse — blew its whistle
or raced across the great plains, an uncelebrated fire-tube
boiler was doing its part.
Still today, fire-tube boilers offer a wide range of uses. Within
these boilers, fire tubes are immersed in water; hot flue gases
produced by the combustion chamber flow inside them. The
hot flue gases transfer their heat to the outside water through
the conduction.
Water-tube boiler designs, introduced later, essentially invert
the fire-tube boiler construct: Water is contained within the
boiler’s internal tubes.
WATER-TUBE ADVANTAGES
In water-tube boilers, combustion occurs within the shell that
surrounds the tubes, forcing combusted gas over the water
tubes for exceptionally fast, efficient heat transfer.
A Thermal Solutions AMP water-tube boiler is rated at 97% efficient.
Water-tube boilers offer quick startup and response time to
changing conditions with very little standby loss. By design,
38 | Chief Engineer

comparatively little water passes through the heat exchanger;
this translates into a smaller footprint and broader range of
capabilities and output ranges.
“Their ability to make steam, or hot water, very rapidly, from a
cold start, and without damaging the boiler is a beneficial asset,”
says Lane Blackwell, Sales Engineer, Service, for Peru, Ind.-based
Thornton & Associates, Inc., a manufacturer’s rep firm. “This is
valuable in applications where the systems aren’t running 24/7.”
Because the burner in a water-tube boiler is located centrally,
most water-tube designs provide higher temperature outputs
and higher operational pressures than fire-tube boilers — key
advantages for process heating application. Another advantage
to the design of these systems is that, as a result of the requirement
for water to flow continuously during operation, hot spots
in the heat exchanger don’t threaten the operation or lifespan of
the boiler.
A Thermal Solutions water-tube boiler is manufactured in Lancaster, Pa.
Water-tube heat exchangers also operate at higher pressures, a
capability that can — for steam-producing systems — produce
saturated or superheated steam depending on the design and
application they’re required for.
Blackwell also points to the advantage of water-tube maintenance,
“Or, rather, lack of it. A surprisingly high number of
water-tube systems may go several years without more than
occasional attention to the water quality [within them],” he says.
“And, if there would be a need to replace individual tubes, that
can be accomplished with hand tools — no rolling or welding.
It’s not uncommon for a well-maintained water-tube boiler to
last 40-plus years with little maintenance.”
“A few years ago, we specified two non-condensing water-tube
boilers for a high school expansion project in Cass County
[Ind.],” Blackwell adds. “The boilers were 72 and 50 HP in size,
and it wasn’t long before facility managers found that they
could provide heat for the rest of the school with them, so they
decommissioned two old, enormous — and way oversized —
fire-tube boilers. The following year, they added another 100 HP
water-tube system, and within a few years, they verified 30 to 40
percent annual fuel savings. I could reel off countless instances
where water-tube boilers have exceeded expectation.”
Water-tube systems are designed to work with high-ash fuels
that, when combined with soot blowers, typically meet environmental
regulations. This also means that they’re well-suited for
biomass applications and waste-to-energy plants.
The primary factor that determines heat transfer is the heat
transfer coefficient, based on the transfer fluid’s flow pattern,
characteristics and chemistry (including density, conductivity
and viscosity), geometry of the flow passage, and surface conditions.
Of these factors, the most important to thermal efficiency
in a water-tube boiler is flow through the water tubes and the
fluid’s velocity and density. When all of these variables are optimal,
water-tube boilers provide exceptionally reliable operation,
while offering performance and efficiency that is difficult to
match with any other heat exchanger design.
For these and other reasons, water-tube boilers are the equipment
of choice for many industrial process applications. Their
ability — in a steam boiler configuration — to handle greater
pressures and very high temperatures provides superior steam
generation in the millions of pounds/hr.
WATER-TUBE CAVEATS
Most advantages come with a counterbalance; water-tube boilers
are no exception.
The initial cost for a water-tube boiler is usually higher than that
of a fire-tube boiler of similar capacity. And, depending on size,
some water-tube boilers can be assembled onsite, which can add
to the cost and the time required for installation.
By design, the concern of heat transfer fouling — typically in
the form of accumulated mineral scale — is heightened. For that
reason, fill-water quality and the steady monitoring and maintenance
of water chemistry are essential to peak operation.
The accumulation of scale is by no means specific only to the
(Continued on pg. 40)
A technician handles a diagnostic check on a water-tube boiler.
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 39

(Continued from pg. 39)
water-tube design. Scale can accumulate faster because of the
water-tube boiler’s lower water mass, but it’s still a concern across
all heat exchanger types. “But reduced water volume also equates to
savings on chemical treatment,” adds Blackwell.
Finally, the reduced volume of water affects the water-tube boiler’s
ability to meet the call for sudden changes in heat demand. This
shortcoming is often remedied by the addition of an indirect water
storage tank.
FIRE-TUBE ADVANTAGES
Advantages to fire-tube boilers include their simple construction
and their ability to easily meet rapid fluctuations in the need for
heat. As a lower-cost alternative to water-tube boilers, they’re often
used for smaller commercial or industrial facilities with lower
operating pressures.
Fire-tube boilers are designed with water in the unit’s main vessel,
achieving higher mass. Because of their higher water volume, system
design also offers the benefit of a less urgent need to maintain
tight control of water quality. If water quality deteriorates and isn’t
corrected quickly, there’s less chance — when compared to water-tube
technology — that system performance will be affected.
Another advantage to fire-tube boilers may be lower upfront cost.
“However, said Blackwell, “In our market, there’s very little, if any,
difference in pricing.”
FIRE-TUBE CAVEATS
A fire-tube boiler’s higher water volume and lower flow rates also
mean that they may offer less efficient heat transfer. Likewise, the
greater water volume requires a longer wait for system start-up, and
may also challenge the boiler’s ability to meet demand for constant
water flow — and heat transfer — at peak conditions. Standby losses
are greater because of the boiler’s higher volume of water.
The main disadvantage of fire-tube boilers is that they tend to have
smaller capacities and can’t handle internal pressures over 250 psig.
(The steam capacity range of fire-tube steam boilers is approximately
5,000 to 75,000 pounds/hr.) Or, if configured as a hot water
boiler, hot water capacity is between 2 million to 100 million BTUs.
Traditional, horizontal fire-tube steam boilers may offer a capacity
as low as 690 pph — pounds (of steam) per hour. Traditional
fire-tube steam boilers in a vertical configuration will go smaller —
offering as little as 207 pph, for example.
BOILER SAFETY — BE WARNED
Operationally, water-tube boilers are known to be safer than firetube
systems. This is because of the much greater volume of water
40
| Chief Engineer
Thermal Solutions’ stainless steel, modulating-condensing boiler line offers a
size range of 1,000-4,000 MBH.
held within fire-tube boilers — containing as much as 10 times the
volume of a water-tube boiler of similar capacity.
When fire-tube boilers are inadvertently operated with low water
volume, very dangerous risks can develop. Initially, the metal in the
boiler warps and contracts. Then, if cold fill-water enters the boiler
in a hot, low-water condition, the metal could rapidly expand,
causing an explosion.
Should a similar scenario take place in a water-tube boiler with
lower internal water volume, an explosion would be much less
severe. In most instances — should fill-water enter a hot water-tube
boiler with an insufficient fluid level — conditions would likely lead
to metal fatigue, a crack, and leakage.
SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE
Some boiler designs are built to facilitate ease of service and
maintenance. The assumption, however, is that a newly installed
boiler is ready for the rigors of duty, 24-7-365. Yet, all mechanical
equipment is not created equal. Service and maintenance work
ideally happens systematically to maintain optimal performance
and efficiency — not to deal with challenges that arise as a result of
faulty or compromised design.
Commercial boilers should be designed to ensure long-term durability
and optimal performance. Ideally, the burner is mounted
front and center, fully accessible and serviceable. Removable panels
around the boiler should provide access to the burner chamber
and entire heat exchanger. There should be no need to disconnect
blowers or gas piping.
COMMERCIAL CONDENSING SYSTEMS
As with all technology, improvements emerge to enhance operation,
durability or efficiency. The emergence of condensing capability
— often going hand-in-hand with “turn-down” (or modulation,
offering very efficient, partial firing) — constitutes the most
substantial enrichment to boiler systems in decades.
Condensing boilers are based on a remarkably simple concept.
They achieve higher efficiencies by condensing the flue gasses. In
contrast — in a conventional boiler, latent heat contained in the

complete access to the entire heat exchanger, byproducts of combustion
can be easily removed with a service brush. This is an
important facet to maintaining a boiler’s original high-efficiency
rating.
Burnham Commercial Boilers offers a convenient solution with
efficient, easily portable, mobile boilers. (Image courtesy of
Burnham Commercial Boilers)
flue gas escapes through the flue vent. They’re also quite effective
at reducing NOx, COx and other harmful emissions.
Modulating condensing boilers (AKA “mod-con” boilers)
earned “greatest achievement” recognition as a result of their
dramatic contribution — pushing fuel efficiency from 80 percent
for non-condensing boilers, and up into the 90-plus-percent
range for mod-con systems. Condensing water-tube boilers
achieve efficiencies of up to 98 percent, higher than most condensing
fire-tube systems — a result of their better heat transfer.
With modulation, they provide a range of firing rates to match
the variable heating load of the building.
However, mod-con boiler efficiency depends on the temperature
of the water returning to the boiler. The lower the return water
temperature, the higher the efficiency. Low boiler return water
temperature depends on the overall boiler system design, not
just the boiler.
Condensing boilers cost 40 to 50 percent more, on average, than
conventional systems. However, the difference in cost is typically
recovered in four months to four years, depending on a wide
range of variables. Substantial cost-saving incentives may apply.
After the initial cost recovery period, the fuel savings are quite
significant over the life of the boiler.
There are a few disadvantages. For instance, one fire-tube boiler
design change involved the arrangement of internal tubing
from a horizontal format, to vertical. The revision was warmly
welcomed by facility owners and installers alike because their
now-smaller size permitted movement through a standard door
frame. As a result, the products of combustion and condensate
were redirected: Rather than gradually absorbing heat as flue
gas passes through tubes, the contemporary vertical fire-tube
burner sits inches away, forcing heat directly on the tube sheet,
welds and tube tops. All materials expand and contract as they’re
heated and cooled, and these internal components of the vertical
fire-tube boiler are no exception. The design tends to concentrate
too much heat on metal components.
CLEANINGS AND REPARABILITY
If a condensing boiler’s panels are easily removed, providing
Should repair work be required, all components of the heat exchanger
should be easily accessible for service or replacement —
including even the possibility of changing one or more internal
tubes in the field.
With properly isolated equipment, service work could and
should be completed within hours, not days or weeks.
Systems that offer the greatest resistance to cleaning are those
with tight, top access and — when opened — may have many
welded tubes. Those that do typically require entirely new heat
exchangers, sometimes costing as much as 60 percent of the
original install.
KNOCKDOWN REWARDS
Knockdown condensing boilers were, for good reason, greeted
enthusiastically by the commercial market. Some of these systems
use no welds in securing tubing to the header.
The “knockdown” moniker stems from the ability to assemble
or disassemble a boiler of any size with relative ease and precise
repeatability. The systems arrive on jobsites, similar to old castiron
sectional boilers, or partially assembled, based on space
requirements.
Even elevator weight constraints pose no challenge to getting
the boilers in place. If there’s a need to maximize mechanical
room space, some systems are available with reverse construction
models to optimize clearance space between units or to be
placed side by side, to be serviced from outside.
Greg Hughes is Internal Sales Manager at Thermal Solutions and
Burnham Commercial, and can be reached at ghughes@heatingsolutionssales.com.
Additional Sources:
Fire-tube merits: Jim Knauss – Engineer for Burnham Commercial.
(Retired, but now consulting.)
jknauss@burnhamcommercial.com
Water-tube merits: Joe Tinney – Internal Sales Manager for Bryan
Boilers. jtinney@heatingsolutionssales.com
Rick Constantino – Owner/COO Boileroom Equipment Company.
rconstantino@bresales.com
Theodore (Ted) Dreyer – Sales, Gardiner.
TDreyer@WHGardiner.com
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 41

News
Nevada Flower Listed as Endangered at
Lithium Mine Site By Scott Sonner | Associated Press
RENO, Nev. (AP) — A Nevada wildflower was declared
endangered at the only place it’s known to exist — on a
high-desert ridge where a lithium mine is planned to help
meet growing demand for electric car batteries, U.S. wildlife
officials announced Wednesday, Dec. 14.
The Fish and Wildlife Service’s formal listing of Tiehm’s
buckwheat and its accompanying designation of 910 acres of
critical habitat for the 6-inch-tall flower with yellow blooms
raises another potential hurdle for President Joe Biden’s
“green energy” agenda.
With an estimated remaining population of only about
16,000 plants, the service concluded that Tiehm’s buckwheat
is on the brink of extinction.
“We find that a threatened species status is not appropriate
because the threats are severe and imminent, and Tiehm’s
buckwheat is in danger of extinction now, as opposed to
likely to become endangered in the future,” the agency said.
The proposed mining and mineral exploration poses the
biggest threat to the flower. It’s also threatened by roadbuilding,
livestock grazing, rodents that eat it, invasive plants
and climate change, the service said. It said an apparent,
unprecedented rodent attack wiped out about 60 percent of
its estimated population in 2020.
Ioneer, the Australian mining company that’s been planning
for years to dig for lithium where the flower grows on federal
land halfway between Reno and Las Vegas, says it has
developed a protection plan that would allow the plant and
the project to coexist.
But the listing under the Endangered Species Act subjects the
mine to its most stringent regulatory requirement to date.
It also underscores the challenges facing the Biden administration
in its efforts to combat climate change through an
accelerated transition from fossil fuels to renewables.
“Lithium is an important part of our renewable energy
transition, but it can’t come at the cost of extinction,” said
Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director for the Center for Biological
Diversity, which petitioned for the listing in 2019 and
sued last year to expedite the plant’s protection.
The mining company said the decision “provides further clarity
for the path forward” and is “fully in line with Ioneer’s
expectations” for development of the mine site at Rhyolite
Ridge in the Silver Peak Range west of Tonopah, near the
California border.
“We are committed to the protection and conservation of
the species and have incorporated numerous measures into
our current and future plans to ensure this occurs,” Ioneer
managing director Bernard Rowe said in a statement.
“Our operations have and will continue to avoid all Tiehm’s
buckwheat populations,” he said.
The service’s final listing rule was published Dec. 15 in the
Federal Register.
The conservationists who sued to protect the plant insist that
Ioneer’s mitigation plan won’t pass legal muster. They pledge
to resume their court battle if necessary to protect the
buckwheat’s habitat from the rush to develop new lithium
deposits.
The flowers are found on a total of just 10 acres spread
across about 3 square miles. Federal agencies are prohibited
from approving any activity on federal lands that could
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42
| Chief Engineer

In this Feb. 10, 2020, file photo, a plant ecologist at the University of Nevada, Reno, points to a tiny Tiehm’s buckwheat that has sprouted at a campus
greenhouse in Reno, Nev. U.S. wildlife officials declared a Nevada wildflower endangered Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, at the only place it exists — on a
high-desert ridge where a lithium mine is planned to help meet growing demand for electric car batteries. (AP Photo/Scott Sonner, File)
destroy, modify or adversely affect any listed species’ critical
habitat.
Donnelly said the company’s latest operations plan for the
first phase of the mine proposes avoiding a “tiny island of
land” containing 75 percent of its population — surrounded
by an open pit mine and tailings dumps within 12 feet of the
flowers.
The Bureau of Land Management is reviewing the environmental
impacts of Ioneer’s latest operations and protection
plans.
But Donnelley noted that USFWS estimated in the Dec. 14
final listing rule that the proposed scenario would “disturb
and remove up to 38 percent of the critical habitat for this
species, impacting pollinator populations, altering hydrology,
removing soil and risking subsidence.”
“Ioneer’s ‘Buckwheat Island’ scenario would spell doom for
this sensitive little flower,” Donnelly said.
The mine is among several renewable energy-related projects
facing legal or regulatory challenges in Nevada. They include
another lithium mine proposed near the Oregon border and
a geothermal power plant where the Dixie Valley toad has
been declared endangered in wetlands about 100 miles east
of Reno.
“Now that the buckwheat is protected, we’ll use the full
power of the Endangered Species Act to ensure Ioneer
doesn’t harm one hair on a buckwheat’s head,” Donnelly
said.
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 43

News
Pennsylvania Lifts Ban on Gas
Production in Polluted Village
By Michael Rubinkam | Associated Press
One of Pennsylvania’s largest drillers will be allowed to extract
natural gas from underneath a rural community where
it has been banned for a dozen years because of accusations
it polluted the water supply, according to a settlement with
state regulators.
The Department of Environmental Protection quietly lifted
its long-term moratorium on gas production in Dimock,
a small village in northeastern Pennsylvania that gained
national notoriety when residents were filmed lighting their
tap water on fire.
The agency’s agreement with Houston-based Coterra Energy
Inc. is dated Nov. 29 — the same day Coterra pleaded no contest
in a high-profile criminal case accusing the company of
allowing methane to leak uncontrolled into Dimock’s aquifer.
State officials denied that Coterra was allowed to plead to a
misdemeanor charge in exchange for being allowed to drill
for potentially hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of gas.
The agreement, which is public, was obtained by The Associated
Press.
Some of the residents, who have long accused the Department
of Environmental Protection of negligence in its
handling of the water pollution in Dimock, said they felt
betrayed.
“We got played,” said Ray Kemble, the most outspoken of a
small group of Dimock residents who have battled the drilling
company and state regulators alike.
Coterra will be permitted to drill horizontally underneath a
9-square-mile area of Dimock and frack the gas-bearing shale
that lies thousands of feet down. That’s been forbidden since
2010, when environmental regulators accused Coterra’s corporate
predecessor of failing to keep its promise to restore
or replace Dimock’s water.
The Department of Environmental Protection said it began
negotiations with Coterra in early 2022, shortly after the
company formed from the merger of Cabot Oil & Gas Corp.
— the driller deemed responsible for fouling Dimock’s water
supply — and Cimarex Energy Co.
“When Coterra took over responsibility of the wells after the
Cabot merger, they actively engaged with DEP to address the
remaining issues in the area,” said agency spokesperson Jamar
Thrasher. “Coterra committed to strict controls, monitoring
and evaluation, resulting in some of the most restricted
44 | Chief Engineer
conditions on any drilling in the commonwealth.”
Cabot, the predecessor company to Coterra, was charged in
June 2020 with 15 criminal counts over allegations it drilled
faulty gas wells that leaked flammable methane into residential
water supplies in Dimock and surrounding communities.
Coterra pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor violation of
the state Clean Streams Law. Its plea deal with the state attorney
general’s office requires Coterra to pay more than $16
million to fund construction of a new public water system
for Dimock and to pay affected residents’ water bills for 75
years.
Attorney General Josh Shapiro, a Democrat who takes office
as governor next month, held a celebratory news conference
with Kemble and two other Dimock residents on the day
Coterra entered its plea. At the news conference, Shapiro
punted a reporter’s question about whether Coterra would
be permitted to resume drilling in the moratorium area,
pointing out the administration of Democratic Gov. Tom
Wolf was still in charge.
“That’s obviously a question for the regulators, not for the
attorney general’s office,” Shapiro said then.
Shapiro’s spokesperson said the plea deal was not contingent
on DEP lifting the moratorium.
“Our office plays no role in DEP’s regulatory decisions, and
we do not share confidential information about criminal
investigations,” Jacklin Rhoads said.
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In an interview Friday, Dec. 12, Wolf said he was satisfied
with his administration’s decision to allow Coterra to go back
into Dimock, “as long as they do what we need them to do
with the new water supply and the pipes.” He said the company
had to abide by “some pretty stringent guidelines.”
Coterra will continue to be prohibited from drilling new gas
wells inside the moratorium area itself. But shale gas drillers
like Coterra are able to drill horizontally for miles until they
reach the target, meaning that even though the company
will have to start their new wells outside of the prohibited
area, the gas is easily within reach.
Zacariah Hildenbrand, a Dallas-based biochemist who has
conducted testing in Dimock, said that technically speaking,
the horizontal portion of a gas well is “orders of magnitude
safer” than the vertical portion, from which most incidents
of drilling-related water contamination originate.
But he was incredulous that Coterra would want to risk it in
Dimock — and that regulators would allow it — given it was
at the center of one of the most high-profile contamination
cases to emerge from the U.S. drilling and fracking boom.
“Why even roll the dice for this to happen again? You’ve
already made a colossal mess of this region. It’s already been
a black eye to the industry,” Hildenbrand said. “Why not pick
up your tools and go somewhere else?”
The driller has long said the gas in Dimock’s water wells was
naturally occurring, and over the years, it has periodically
requested permission from the state to resume drilling in the
community.
In a statement, Coterra spokesperson George Stark said
the agreement with DEP “resolves longstanding issues and
provides for the responsible and safe development of natural
resources located inside the nine-square mile area. It also
satisfies the desires of many of the landowners, who communicated
their support for such development over the years.”
Pennsylvania is the nation’s No. 2 gas-producing state after
Texas, and Susquehanna County, where Dimock is located,
produces more natural gas than any other county in the
state.
Alan Hall, vice chair of the Susquehanna County Board of
Commissioners, said many of his constituents in Dimock had
been clamoring for gas production to resume, having leased
their land to the gas company long ago.
“They know the gas in that area is very prolific, and there’s
a lot of it there. And they’d been hoping a resolution would
come through, that their leases would be activated again
and they’d start being able to get royalties out of the process,”
he said.
Anthony Ingraffea, a retired Cornell University engineering
professor who has extensively studied gas well failures in
Pennsylvania, estimates Coterra could frack as many as 50
wells in the moratorium area, and produce as much as $500
Craig Stevens holds a bottle of brown water as he speaks with members of
the media outside the Susquehanna County Courthouse in Montrose, Pa.,
on Nov. 29, 2022. One of Pennsylvania's largest drillers will be allowed to
extract natural gas from underneath a rural Pennsylvania community where
it has been banned for a dozen years because of accusations it polluted the
water supply, according to a settlement with state regulators obtained by
The Associated Press on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke,
File)
million worth of gas. Energy companies use hydraulic fracturing,
or fracking, to capture natural gas locked in shale rock.
Ingraffea, a drilling industry critic who once testified on
behalf of Dimock residents who had sued Cabot in federal
court, said more methane leaks and more problems are
inevitable.
“This is groundhog day,” he said. “These poor families, the
families that remain and families that are still to be impacted,
are right back to where they were in 2008. The state of
Pennsylvania, the governor’s office and PA DEP, are washing
their hands.”
The promised water line might not be operational until 2027,
according to the settlement agreement with DEP. Until then,
Coterra is supposed to install temporary treatment systems at
the homes of residents who want them. Some residents say
previous attempts at treatment have failed.
Dimock resident Erik Roos, whose well was fouled with
methane and who spent years fetching drinking water from
an artesian well miles from his house, said he was pleased
that he would finally be connected to a public water supply.
But he was surprised when a reporter told him about the
planned resumption of drilling.
“It’s disturbing to me that they rewarded them so quickly,”
he said Monday, Dec. 12. “Seems to me they should wait at
least a year.” He said regulators should have told Coterra: “‘If
you show you’re following this agreement, maybe we’ll let
you do it.’”
Rubinkam reported from northeastern Pennsylvania. Associated
Press writer reporter Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,
contributed to this report.
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 45

News
Buildings Big and Small Benefit from
Electrification, Decarbonization with
Updated Trane® Heat Pumps, Split and
Rooftop Systems
DAVIDSON, N.C — Trane – by Trane Technologies, a global
climate innovator — has announced updates to its trusted
Precedent®, Odyssey, and Foundation® lines of HVAC
systems that help customers with buildings of all sizes embrace
electrification and decarbonization. The company also
released version five of its essential system design software,
TRACE® 3D Plus, with new capabilities engineers can use to
design and validate projects with confidence and clarity.
“Whether modeling for decarbonization during design and
validation, reducing complexity on the day of installation,
or optimizing energy efficiency during operation, Trane’s
updated software, all-electric systems, and updated unitary
models help to empower owners to create the right solution
for their building,” said Dave Molin, Vice President of Trane
Product Management, Equipment, Controls, and Digital.
Trane Offers First Packaged Heat Pump Unit in 25-Ton
Capacity
Continuing its introduction of the next-generation Precedent
portfolio, Trane has released new standard and high-efficiency
Precedent heat pumps in 12.5- to 25-ton capacities. The
Precedent line meets the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
2023 energy efficiency standards. All next-generation units
released to date are now available in a high-efficiency model
that exceeds those standards by 25 percent or more.
Trane’s all-electric Precedent heat pump is among the first
packaged rooftop heat pumps in the industry available in a
25-ton capacity. Convenient characteristics simplify service
and installation, such as hinged access to the control panel,
color-coded wiring, keyed connectors, and no fan belts to
adjust or replace. It arrives ready to install, and most replacements
don’t require a curb adapter.
Trane has equipped all Precedent models with Symbio® 700
controls so owners can immediately enjoy the benefits of
digital connectivity. Symbio 700 is a user-friendly onboard
interface to optimize system performance, helps to improve
serviceability, and facilitate unit connectivity and future
enhancements. Its intuitive user interface displays system
alarms and diagnostic reports building owners can use to
troubleshoot. Use the free Symbio Service and Installation
Mobile App for simplified commissioning and troubleshooting.
Symbio integrates with common building automation
Trane’s Foundation rooftop systems with capacities of 15 to 25 tons are
now updated to meet DOE 2023 efficiency standards.
systems (BAS) and open standard protocols.
In addition to these powerful benefits, all new Precedent
next-generation units:
• Offer several new options, including single- and multi-zone
variable air volume (VAV).
• Comply with ASHRAE® 90.1-2019.
• Include a three-year parts warranty, demonstrating Trane’s
confidence in its quality.
Design Flexibility with Energy Efficient Performance
When rooftop installation isn’t an option, a Trane Odyssey
split system is a versatile choice that delivers up-to-date
energy efficiency, meeting DOE 2023 standards. Split systems
provide the same high-performance heating and cooling of
a packaged rooftop system but allow engineers and contractors
to work around unique building designs such as glass
ceilings or pitched roofs or code and service limitations.
The Odyssey’s exceptional energy efficiency is realized by its
Symbio 700 controller, now standard, and a new multi-speed
air handler that can be configured for two-stage or sin-
46
| Chief Engineer

gle-zone VAV or Variable Volume Zone Temperature (VVZT).
It’s available with several indoor and outdoor compressor
and condenser options, including dual-compressor and dual-circuit
models, so technicians can service either compressor
without shutting down. The Odyssey split system also:
• Come standard with hail guards to protect the components
during shipping, inclement weather, or from vandalism.
• Meet new testing and material flammability requirement
UL 60335-2-40, which goes into effect in January 2024.
• Comply with ASHRAE 90.1-2019.
• Have easy-to-use colored-coded wiring, a low voltage terminal
board that’s easy to access, foil-faced insulation, and
one power point.
Convenience, Cost-Efficient Retrofits and Replacements
Trane’s Foundation rooftop systems are available in a broad
range of tonnages (3-25 tons) and have a footprint designed
for quick and easy retrofits or unplanned replacements without
the cost or hassle of a curb adapter. Foundation systems
with capacities of 15 to 25 tons have been updated to meet
the DOE 2023 efficiency standards, and 7.5 to 12.5 tonnages
will be released in the first quarter of 2023. Foundation units
in the smaller 3- to 5-ton capacities already comply with the
new standards.
With the simple, efficient Foundation line contractors, building
owners and facility managers operating small-to-medium
buildings can save up to $1,500 on installation without the
need for a curb adapter. In addition, mindful design touches
such as colored and numbered wiring and single-side service
doors keep service and maintenance quick and economical.
It can be configured in the field for horizontal or vertical
airflow.
Next-Generation Building Design Software Supports
Decarbonization Approaches
TRACE 3D Plus design and analysis software is now available
in version five, so engineers can quickly and precisely model
HVAC systems. Built on the U.S. Department of Energy’s
EnergyPlus® engine, TRACE 3D Plus is enhanced with Trane’s
industry-leading attributes.
With version five, engineers and specifiers can move from
the project plan to load design to energy and economic analysis,
all in the same project file and interface. For a complete
list of software features, visit www.trane.com/trace3Dplus.
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 47

Member News
Western Specialty Contractors Wins
Trimble 2022 Viewpoint Construction
Award for Best Use of Construction One
Technology
Western Specialty Contractors is proud to announce that it
has received a Trimble Viewpoint Construction Award for
the Best Use of Trimble’s Construction One Technology — an
award recognizing contractors that have leveraged technology
solutions to create more data-driven, connected construction
businesses.
Held annually, the Trimble Viewpoint Construction Awards
honor the technological achievements of North American
contractors as exhibited through the growth and improvements
of their projects, people and processes over the past
year. Honors are given in three categories: Most Outstanding
Project, Most Impressive Human Resource Achievement, and
Best Use of Trimble Construction One Technology. The awards
were announced during the Trimble Dimensions+ Conference
on Nov. 9 in Las Vegas.
Western used Trimble’s Construction One Technology to
centralize and streamline many of its workflows, including
the development of a custom Human Resources Information
System (HRIS) that supports everything from safety training
to performance management. This includes a compensation
dashboard that provides an accessible view of each employee’s
salary history with built-in workflows and notifications
for approvals/rejections.
“Continuing to work with the right
partners and leverage the technology
platforms available provides a
benefit to all our employees and
drives ROIC. We thank Trimble for
partnering with us and recognizing
our efforts with this award.”
— Tom Brooks, Chief Operating Officer
Western Specialty Contractors
The dashboard has helped streamline Western’s merit increase
process and allows managers to see a consolidated
salary view as they prepare their budgets. A process that used
to take weeks to complete, now only takes a few minutes
with Trimble’s Construction One Technology.
“What a great accomplishment and a team effort. First to
human resources for identifying a need and conceptual solution,
followed by our technology team working with Trimble
Viewpoint to create a turn-key solution. We could not be
more pleased with the outcome; definitely a win for Western’s
employees,” said Brooks.
48
| Chief Engineer
Western Specialty Contractors announced its having received the Trimble
Viewpoint Construction Award for Best Use of Trimble’s Construction One
Technology.

Volume 88 · Number 1 | 49

Techline
HyperloopTT to Become First Public
Company Focused on Next Generation of
High-Speed Mobility
LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK — Hyperloop Transportation
Technologies (“HyperloopTT” or “the Company”), a leading
transportation and technology licensing company focused on
realizing the hyperloop, and Forest Road Acquisition Corp. II
(“Forest Road”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition
company, recently announced it has entered into a definitive
merger agreement (“Merger Agreement”) that is expected
to result in HyperloopTT becoming a publicly listed company.
Upon the closing of the transaction, the newly combined
company will be named “Hyperloop Transportation Technologies”
and will continue to be led by Chief Executive Officer
Andrés de León and the HyperloopTT management team.
A Leading Developer of Hyperloop IP
Led by an experienced team of hyperloop business and technology
professionals, HyperloopTT relies on a global network
of technologists, scientists, engineers and expert contributors,
resulting in an asset-light technology development
business model. Through this partner network, the Company
is driving a suite of next-generation technologies to power
transportation in the future.
Since its inception in 2013, HyperloopTT has made significant
progress towards the adoption of hyperloop systems. The
Company developed a full-scale hyperloop test track in Tou-
HyperloopTT and Forest Road have merged with the expectation of becoming a publicly traded company, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, with the
goal of redefining the future of transportation.
50
| Chief Engineer

louse, France, a hyperloop insurance framework model, and
model safety and certification guidelines.
With the deployment of the Company’s test track, HyperloopTT
has built a robust technology portfolio relating to
patents across levitation and propulsion, low pressure tube
transportation, and passenger experience. These patents are
the basis of a technology that combines sustainability with
the ability to reach destinations faster, which can redefine
the urban landscape, create new economic opportunities,
and disrupt the $2+ trillion transportation industry.
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Volume 88 · Number 1 | 51

Techline
Facebook Parent Meta Will Pay $725M
to Settle User Data Case
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Facebook’s corporate parent has
agreed to pay $725 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the
world’s largest social media platform allowed millions of its
users’ personal information to be fed to Cambridge Analytica,
a firm that supported Donald Trump’s victorious presidential
campaign in 2016.
Terms of the settlement reached by Meta Platforms, the
holding company for Facebook and Instagram, were disclosed
in court documents filed Dec. 22. It will still need to be
approved by a judge in a San Francisco federal court hearing
set for March.
The case sprang from 2018 revelations that Cambridge
Analytica, a firm with ties to Trump political strategist Steve
Bannon, had paid a Facebook app developer for access to the
personal information of about 87 million users of the platform.
That data was then used to target U.S. voters during
the 2016 campaign that culminated in Trump’s election as the
45th president.
Facebook’s Meta logo sign is seen at the company headquarters in Menlo
Park, Calif., on Oct. 28, 2021. Facebook’s corporate parent has agreed to
pay $725 million to settle a lawsuit
Uproar over the revelations led to a contrite Zuckerberg
being grilled by U.S. lawmakers during a high-profile congressional
hearing and spurred calls for people to delete
their Facebook accounts. Even though Facebook’s growth
has stalled as more people connect and entertain themselves
on rival services such as TikTok, the social network still boasts
about 2 billion users worldwide, including nearly 200 million
in the U.S. and Canada.
The lawsuit, which had been seeking to be certified as a class
action representing Facebook users, had asserted the privacy
breach proved Facebook is a “data broker and surveillance
firm,” as well as a social network.
The two sides reached a temporary settlement agreement in
August, just a few weeks before a Sept. 20 deadline for Meta
CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his long-time chief operating officer,
Sheryl Sandberg, to submit to depositions.
The company based in Menlo Park, California, said in a Dec.
23 statement that it pursued a settlement because it was in
the best interest of its community and shareholders.
“Over the last three years we revamped our approach to
privacy and implemented a comprehensive privacy program,”
said spokesperson Dina El-Kassaby Luce. “We look forward
to continuing to build services people love and trust with
privacy at the forefront.”
52
| Chief Engineer

Weil-McLain ProTools App Now
Features Real-Time Video Tech Support
BURR RIDGE, Ill. — Just in time for heating season, Weil-Mc-
Lain® has updated its ProTools App with enhanced features
to provide contractors and service technicians with the
support they need to streamline customer visits and provide
clients with a premium experience. Available for iOS and
Android devices, the app now allows heating professionals
to work virtually with Weil-McLain’s Tech Support team to
problem-solve issues as they occur on the job site.
“Our goal is to continuously optimize this platform by adding
additional features that make service technicians’ and installing
contractors’ jobs easier — especially during the busy
heating season period,” said David DeVries, Director of Product
Management with Weil-McLain. “The new Site-Call video
assistance opens new opportunities for service technicians to
receive instant support from our Tech Support team.”
Service technicians who run into complications while on the
job can contact Weil-McLain Tech Support for Site-Call video
and receive immediate real-time assistance. After requesting
support, they simply accept the call from Tech Support on
their smartphone and share a live video of the issue they are
experiencing on the job site. Tech Support will then highlight
the issue on the service technician’s screen and propose corrective
action to solve it.
“This new feature provides heating professionals with
immediate access to our support team and also allows them
the opportunity to learn new methods for troubleshooting,
maintenance and boiler setup,” added DeVries. “As we prepare
for what could be another colder than normal winter,
we want to ensure service technicians have all the digital
tools and knowledge they need to help expedite customer
visits while providing homeowners a best-in-class service
experience.”
The Weil-McLain ProTools App helps enhance service technicians’
hydronic expertise by putting a variety of Weil-McLain
boiler product information at their fingertips. From reviewing
fault codes for troubleshooting and accessing how-to videos
to viewing product manuals and schematics and quickly
finding parts, the app has become a one-stop resource for
boiler installation and maintenance.
Weil-McLain’s ProTools app now features real-time video support for technicians,
ensuring the best and most streamlined service visit experience for
end consumers.
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Volume 88 · Number 1 | 53

Techline
US Opens Probe of Cruise Robotaxi
Braking, Clogging Traffic By Tom Krisher | AP Auto Writer
DETROIT (AP) — U.S. safety regulators are investigating
reports that autonomous robotaxis run by General Motors’
Cruise LLC can stop too quickly or unexpectedly quit moving,
potentially stranding passengers.
Three rear-end collisions that reportedly took place after
Cruise autonomous vehicles braked hard kicked off the
probe, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
At the time, robotaxis were staffed by human
safety drivers.
The agency also has multiple reports of Cruise robotaxis
without human safety drivers becoming immobilized in San
Francisco traffic, possibly stranding passengers and blocking
lanes.
The reports of immobilized vehicles came from discussions
with Cruise, media reports and local authorities, NHTSA said
in an investigation document posted Friday on its website.
was working to minimize collision severity and risk of harm,”
Pusateri wrote.
In the clogged traffic incidents, Pusateri wrote that whenever
Cruise technology isn’t extremely confident in moving, it’s
designed to be conservative, turning on hazard lights and
coming to a safe stop.
“If needed, Cruise personnel are physically dispatched to
retrieve the vehicle as quickly as possible,” Pusateri wrote.
Such stoppages are rare and have not caused any crashes, he
wrote.
NHTSA said Cruise reported the three rear-end accidents
under a 2021 order requiring automated vehicle companies
to notify the agency of crashes.
Reports of Cruise robotaxis becoming immobilized in traffic
There have been two reports of injuries related to the hard
braking, including a bicyclist seriously hurt last March, according
to the NHTSA crash database.
NHTSA says it will determine how often the problems
happen and potential safety issues they cause. The probe,
which covers an estimated 242 Cruise autonomous vehicles,
could bring a recall. “With these data, NHTSA can respond
to safety concerns involving these technologies through
further investigation and enforcement,” the agency said in a
statement.
Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt told The Associated Press that the
company is fully cooperating with the NHTSA. “I am happy
to help educate them on the safety of our products,” Vogt
said during a Friday interview. “Regulators are doing their
job. They are scrutinizing things as they should, asking lots of
questions.”
So far, Cruise vehicles have driven nearly early 700,000 autonomous
miles in San Francisco without causing any life-threatening
injuries or deaths.
“This is against the backdrop of over 40,000 deaths each year
on American roads,” Cruise spokesman Drew Pusateri wrote
in a statement. “There’s always a balance between healthy
regulatory scrutiny and the innovation we desperately need
to save lives.”
He said police didn’t issue tickets in any of the crashes, and
that in each case, the autonomous vehicle was responding to
aggressive or erratic behavior of other road users. “The AV
54
| Chief Engineer

came from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority,
the agency said.
Cruise vehicles may strand passengers in unsafe locations,
such as travel lanes or intersections, increasing the risk to
exiting passengers. And they can become obstacles to other
road users, causing them to make unsafe maneuvers to avoid
collisions. “The vehicles may also present a secondary safety
risk, by obstructing the paths of emergency response vehicles
and thereby delaying their emergency response times,”
NHTSA said in the document.
The municipal transportation agency, in comments to NHTSA,
said that starting in May, the city began to notice 911 calls
from people who were inconvenienced by Cruise operations.
Some city police officers also saw Cruise vehicles disabled in
travel lanes. One incident in June involved 13 Cruise vehicles
stopped on a major road. Two other large blockages were
reported in August, the agency said.
The probe comes at an important time for Cruise, which in
June started charging passengers for autonomous rides without
human safety drivers in part of San Francisco at night. On
Thursday, the company got approval from a state agency to
carry riders citywide, around the clock. One more agency has
to sign off.
It’s also a critical time for the autonomous vehicle industry,
with Google spinoff Waymo running a robotaxi service in the
Phoenix area with plans to expand to San Francisco. Other
companies also are moving toward services without human
safety drivers.
San Francisco-based Cruise plans to expand the service to
Phoenix and Austin, Texas. The startup owned by GM has
been testing autonomous Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles for
several years.
In this Jan. 16, 2019, photo, Cruise AV, General Motor’s autonomous electric
Bolt EV is displayed in Detroit. U.S. safety regulators are investigating
reports that autonomous robotaxis run by General Motors’ Cruise LLC can
stop too quickly or unexpectedly stop moving, potentially stranding passengers.
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
Cruise told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
that one of its vehicles was making an unprotected left
turn at an intersection when it was hit by an oncoming vehicle.
The Cruise vehicle had to be towed away from the scene,
according to the regulatory filing.
GM acquired a majority stake in Cruise when it was a startup
in 2016. The company invested to take 80-percent stake in
the company last May.
AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke contributed from San
Ramon, Calif.
In September Cruise revealed that it recalled 80 of its driverless
vehicles for a software update after one of the cars was
involved in a crash that caused minor injuries.
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 55

New Products
Brass Knuckle®, Application-Specific
Protective Gloves Easy to Source
CLEVELAND — The hand is the leading body part injured at
work and treated in hospital emergency departments, with
acute hand and finger injuries sending more than 1 million
workers to the emergency room annually in the United
States. Brass Knuckle offers a complete line of gloves for
maximum protection along with comfort and dexterity —
and the company strives to make specifying gloves easier,
with robust selection tools that make narrowing down glove
choices a breeze.
In its effort to help make gloves fit better, Brass Knuckle
shines in the “construction of the glove.” Gloves are tested
and measured against the following criteria: longer wear
life, maximum dexterity and defined flex points, plus a wide
range of protective features. Application-specific glove
construction is critical. Brass Knuckle leads in understanding
fibers, coatings, special features and other material construction
attributes that blend protection and value.
5 and from 12- through 18-gauge. The cut lineup includes
the company’s SmartShell glove, a favorite for impact protection.
SmartSkin gloves keep hands dry from nasty and
sometimes dangerous liquid hazards without compromising
comfort. SmartFlex are superior general-purpose gloves
with construction that delivers unparalleled comfort. Clean-
Hand® disposable gloves are also available.
Brass Knuckle provides two ways to find the perfect glove.
An exclusive interactive tool allows you to choose gloves by
type, gauge, shell, and coating. Or, use the Hand Protection
Product Selector Guide and see the full line of Brass Knuckle
gloves at a glance, with 15 individual characteristics that
define each glove.
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glove lines, with multiple gradient options within each line.
SmartCut gloves are cut-resistant from ANSI cut 2 through
When variable speed is
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56
| Chief Engineer

Pipe Beveler End Prep Tools Handle
Highly Alloyed Small Tubes
A family of right-angle welding end prep tools for highly
alloyed small diameter tubes that require precision beveling
prior to welding to assure high-integrity welds has been
introduced by ESCO Tool of Holliston, Mass.
The ESCO Ground MILLHOG® Beveler is a right-angle drive
I.D. clamping tool that features a push-pull clamp and release
mechanism that engages and disengages easily. Ideal
for beveling tubes and small pipes with a high percentage
of chrome, this tool produces precision welding end preps
without cutting oils and comes in pneumatic, electric and
battery-powered models.
The ESCO Ground MILLHOG Beveler is priced from $4,625.00
and is available for rental at $200.00 weekly, with overnight
shipment.
For more information contact:
For more information, contact Marketing Director Matt Brennan
at ESCO Tool, Holliston, MA 01746, call (800) 343-6926,
FAX (508) 429-2811, email matt@ESCOtool.com or visit
www.ESCOtool.com.
Enabling users to achieve X-ray-certifiable welds without
hand grinding, the ESCO Ground MILLHOG Beveler is suited
for tube and pipe from 0.5" I.D. to 2.25" O.D. with 0.5" thick
walls and only needs a 1.5" radial clearance. It has totally
sealed construction and can be used in any orientation.
The ESCO Ground MILLHOG® Beveler produces precision welding end
preps and is available in pneumatic, electric and battery-powered models.
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 57

New Products
Electrical Connectors and Terminals
Designed for Critical Robotic Medical
Devices
Custom-fabricated electrical connectors and terminals manufactured
to OEM specifications from virtually any alloy, and
that can be inlaid or edgelaid with precious metals, are being
introduced by ETCO Incorporated of Bradenton, Fla.
ETCO connectors and terminals for robotic medical devices
are manufactured to specification from virtually any alloy,
and can be inlaid or edgelaid with precious metals to achieve
specific properties. Permitting OEMs to meet design requirements
for critical robotic medical devices, they are supplied
loose or on reels for use with various automated attachment
systems.
Available in sizes from 0.008" to 0.090" thick with +0.002"
tolerances, depending upon materials and design requirements,
ETCO Connectors & Terminals can include discrete
over-molding and other special characteristics. Parts can also
be made for other medical equipment including mobility
units, monitors, hospital beds, MRI systems and CT scanners.
ETCO Connectors & Terminals for robotic medical devices are
priced according to configuration and quantity. Price quotations
are available upon request.
For more information contact Sean Dunn, VP of Marketing
at ETCO Incorporated, 3004 62nd Ave. East, Bradenton, FL
34203, call (800) 689-3826, email sdunn@etco.com or visit
www.etco.com.
ETCO connectors and terminals for robotic medical devices can be manufactured
to specification in virtually any alloy, and even inlaid or edgelaid
with precious metals as needed.
58
| Chief Engineer

Goodway Technologies Introduces Ultra-
Compact HEPA Industrial Vacuum
STAMFORD, Conn. — This is the industrial vacuum solution
when size, portability, and industrial design need to check all
the boxes. Goodway Technologies is releasing the latest addition
to its heavy-duty, powerful industrial vacuum cleaners
with the DP-E1-H Compact HEPA Industrial Vacuum Cleaner.
In response to customer demand for a more compact, powerful,
yet industrial grade solution, Goodway Technologies has
launched a versatile and portable solution weighing under
43 pounds, making it easier to transport throughout a facility.
Use it for dry or wet applications in industrial facilities,
food and beverage plants, commercial kitchens, and much
more.
The DP-E1-H Compact HEPA Industrial Vacuum is constructed
with stainless steel and features high-performance motors
and HEPA high-efficiency filters, filtering 99.97 percent of
debris to 0.3 microns. It can be used for various industrial
cleaning applications to remove dust, residues, and liquids.
The product features an external filter shaker that allows for
longer pickup times for dry powders and includes a 4-gallon
detachable collection drum that allows for easy disposal of
waste and debris.
Features of the E1 Compact Industrial Vacuum include:
• Ergonomic heavy-duty design
• Lightweight and durable
• Easy to operate
• Stainless steel construction
• 0.3 Micron HEPA Filter (Non-HEPA model available)
• Detachable collection drum
• External filter shaker
• Accessory kit
• The DP-E1-H Compact HEPA Industrial Vacuum is also
available in a standard non-HEPA model. Visit the DP-E1-H
product page for more information.
Visit www.goodway.com for more information.
Power and portability take center stage with the DP-E1-H.
Volume 88 · Number 1 | 59

New Products
Cable Tie Cutter Leaves Smooth Flat
Ends
A compact and lightweight, ergonomic cable tie cutter that
removes the tie ends after tightening and leaves a smooth,
flat cut to protect people from getting cut or scratched has
been introduced by Xuron Corp. of Saco, Maine.
The Xuron® Model 2275 Cable Tie Cutter features soft
Xuro-Rubber hand grips, a Light-Touch return spring, and
provides full cutting along the entire length of the blades.
Featuring bypass cutting that leaves smooth, flat, clean cuts
that are safer for people to handle, it is better than compression
cutters which can leave spikes that can cut or scratch
people.
Easy to cut and release, with no scissor-like finger loops, the
Xuron Model 2275 Cable Tie Cutter was originally developed
for electronics cable harness assembly workers. Comfortable
to hold in any size hand, left or right, this cutter is suited for
any cable tie application such as closing tote boxes, securing
signs to fences, and attaching portable chairs.
The Xuron Model 2275 Cable Tie Cutter sells for $24.25 (list).
A complete catalog is available on request. Distributor and
dealer inquiries invited.
For more information, contact Abby Robey in Marketing at
Xuron Corporation, 62 Industrial Park Rd., Saco, ME 04072-
1840, call (207) 283-1401, FAX (207) 283-0594, email
arobey@xuron.com or visit www.xuron.com.
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60
| Chief Engineer

Nortek Global HVAC Expands High-
Efficiency UEZ Unit Heater Line
ST. LOUIS — Nortek Global HVAC (NGH) announces the
release of three new capacities for the Reznor® UEZ condensing
gas-fired unit heater. This industry-leading model
supplies fuel-efficient heating to ensure cost-effective operation
while promoting the safety and comfort of building
occupants.
Features of the launch include:
• Three new sizes: 55, 85, and 110 MBH.
• Certifications for industrial/commercial use and residential,
non-living space applications (such as workshops and
garages).
• 93-percent fuel efficiency for cost-effective operation.
• Improved sustainability and reduced environmental impact.
• Outside air used for combustion, eliminating drafty infiltration
problems, and improving building performance
and comfort.
• Bright status light, hinged access door, and seven-segment
error code display on the control board for easier service
and maintenance.
• Appliance-grade finish that is attractive for residential
applications while robust enough for commercial and
industrial applications.
The line is expertly designed, tested, and backed by 134 years
of Reznor heating experience. The new sizes enable large
and small spaces to be heated efficiently while reducing
operating costs and the building’s carbon footprint. These
additional capacities provide one-stop-shopping for all unit
heater needs.
Three new sizes round out Reznor’s new high-efficiency UEZ unit heater
line.
achieve their financial and sustainability goals; all while supporting
their building occupants’ safety, health, and productivity,
said Joe Patterson, Reznor General Manager.
For more information about NGH’s products, contractors and
distributors should visit www.nortekhvac.com or
www.reznorhvac.com. Information regarding pricing, submittals,
and quotations can be found by contacting one of
the distributors in Reznor’s 1400+ network.
“Expanding the portfolio of our most efficient products
helps homeowners, buildings owners, and facility managers
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Volume 88 · Number 1 | 61

Events
Associated Builders and Contractors
2023 Convention
March 15-17, 2023
Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center
Kissimee, FL
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is bringing ABC
Convention 2023 to the No. 1 convention destination: the
greater Orlando area. Located a short drive from both of
Florida’s coasts, Kissimmee is a great place for attendees to
mix business and pleasure and escape the winter blues.
The popular location isn’t the only reason to register. ABC
Convention 2023 is the place for contractors to find content
designed to improve their businesses and bottom lines. Plus,
enjoy the celebrations and networking opportunities that
ABC members value and look forward to each year, from the
National Craft Championships and the Construction Management
Competition to the National Excellence in Construction®
Awards. This is THE event for the merit shop construction
industry, and you don’t want to miss it!
All convention events take place at the Gaylord Palms Resort
& Convention Center, located a short distance to Walt Disney
World,® Universal Orlando Resort® and other Orlando
theme parks and attractions. There’s something for everyone
at this four-and-a-half-acre upscale resort, including the Cypress
Springs Water Park and many family-friendly activities
and entertainment, nine award-winning restaurants, bars,
the world-class Relâche Spa, and a state-of-the-art fitness
center.
Opening General Session: “Life Is Magic” With Jon Dorenbos
Jon Dorenbos suffered a devastating family tragedy in his
childhood, but performing magic and playing pro football
saved him, leading him to appearances on America’s Got Talent
and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, as well as playing 14 NFL
seasons. After a life-threatening heart condition, he developed
a road map for finding happiness. “Life Is Magic” is his
story about overcoming life-or-death challenges with grace,
persistence and a childlike sense of wonder.
The Construction Workforce Award winners — the Craft
Instructor, Craft Professional and Young Professional of the
Year — will also be honored during the opening session. In
addition, attendees will be introduced to the 2023 Chair of
the ABC National Board of Directors.
Additional Speakers:
Stephen M.R. Covey
Trust expert, executive thought leader and bestselling author
Stephen M. R. Covey is co-founder of CoveyLink and the
62 | Chief Engineer
FranklinCovey Global Trust Practice. He is a sought-after and
compelling speaker and adviser on trust, leadership, ethics
and collaboration. Covey is a New York Times and Wall Street
Journal bestselling author of The SPEED of Trust — The One
Thing That Changes Everything and recently released Trust &
Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others,
which is a Wall Street Journal bestseller.
Duncan Wardle
Former senior executive at The Walt Disney Company and
design-thinking and innovation consultant
As head of innovation and creativity at Disney, Duncan
Wardle and his team helped Imagineering, Lucasfilm, Marvel,
Pixar and Disney Parks innovate, creating magical storylines
and experiences for consumers around the globe. As founder
of iD8 & innov8, he now brings his extensive Disney experience
to audiences around the world using a unique approach
to design thinking. Wardle is a frequent TEDx speaker, a
contributor to Fast Company and teaches master classes at
universities like Yale and Duke.
Early Bird registration deadline: Jan. 9, 2023.
For more information or to register, visit
abcconvention.abc.org
2023 ASHRAE Winter Conference/AHR Expo
Feb. 4-8, 2023/Feb. 6-8, 2023
Omni CNN Center
100 CNN Center NW, Atlanta, GA
ASHRAE is looking forward to returning to Atlanta — home
of the new ASHRAE Global Headquarters. The ASHRAE Winter
Conference will be held February 4-8, 2023, at the Omni
Hotel at CNN Center and Building A of the Georgia World
Congress Center. The AHR Expo will take place February 6-8
in Buildings B and C of the Georgia World Congress Center.
The 2023 ASHRAE Winter Conference technical program
comprises nine tracks selected to represent areas of focus
common among ASHRAE membership. The track focus areas
include Fundamentals and Applications, HVACR Systems and
Equipment, Refrigerants and Refrigeration, Grid Resilience
and Thermal Storage, Pathways to Zero Energy Emissions and
Decarbonization, Multifamily and Residential Buildings, Operations
and Maintenance, Building Simulation and Virtual
Design in Construction, and a mini track addressing Innovative
Responses to Supply Chain Challenges.
For more information and to register, visit www.ashrae.org/
conferences/2023-winter-conference-atlanta.

Volume 88 · Number 1 | 63

Ashrae Update
ASHRAE Commits to Developing an
IAQ Pathogen Mitigation Standard
ATLANTA — ASHRAE’s board of directors recently announced
its commitment to support the expedited development of a
national indoor air quality (IAQ) pathogen mitigation standard.
The goal is to finalize the consensus-based, code-enforceable
standard within six months.
“The health and well-being of building occupants are crucial
factors that must be considered during the design, construction
and operation phases of the building process,” said
2022-23 ASHRAE President Farooq Mehboob, Fellow Life
Member ASHRAE. “ASHRAE’s long history of leadership in
IAQ science and technology, will provide broad-reaching
guidance through this standard to help ensure the use of
best practices for pathogen mitigation, which will assist in
creating safer indoor spaces for us all.”
ASHRAE will set up a balanced team of internationally recognized
experts to work on an accelerated timeline to develop
the standard. Delivery of the standard will include:
• Both design and operation
• Alternative paths (prescriptive or performance), in which
equivalent clean air would be the goal
• Testing, verification, documentation (commissioning) and
periodic re-commissioning
The increased focus on IAQ by governments and the public,
along with the convergence of the flu, respiratory syncytial
(RSV) and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) threatening public health,
makes ASHRAE’s development of the pathogen mitigation
standard of even greater importance, as jurisdictions and
building owners look to a reputable and non-biased source
for guidance and science-based building standards.
Airborne transmission of pathogens is of concern to the
public writ-large and governments are responding. In March,
the U.S. government launched the National COVID-19 Preparedness
Plan, which included recommendations to improve
ventilation and filtration in buildings. The Clean Air in Buildings
Challenge was also launched this spring, along with a
Summit on Improving Indoor Air Quality in October.
The ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force responded to the COVID-19
pandemic with the release of extensive guidance, including
IAQ resources, referenced by governments, building owners,
and facility managers in the U.S. and internationally.
Conference 2023, May 11-12, 2023 in Mumbai, India. This is
ASHRAE’s third Developing Economies Conference.
The conference theme is “Decarbonizing and Sustaining
Growth of Healthcare and Residential Infrastructure in
Emerging and Future Markets.”
With a focus on healthcare and residential, the conference
will cover resiliency, indoor environmental quality (IEQ),
building decarbonization, policy making and digitalization
and other topics. Technical sessions will also address the challenges
of rapidly growing energy demand, epidemic effects,
fast-paced advancements, urbanization, sustainability and
the role to be played by the global HVAC&R industry to meet
the building decarbonization targets set during the 2021
United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly
referred to as COP26.
Presentation proposals to speak are requested on the following
program tracks:
Healthcare
• Decarbonizing healthcare sector
• Resiliency in healthcare buildings / infrastructure
• Working with nature in designing hospitals
• IEQ in healthcare
• Policies, standards, codes and certifications
• Role of digitalization in healthcare
Residential
• Decarbonizing residential ecosystem: engineering towards
net zero
• Retrofitting to a sustainable future
• New-age products and technologies
• Heating and cooling technologies
• Smart homes
• Policies, standards, codes and certifications
• Future proofing our homes (climate change)
Presentation abstracts (300 words or less) are due Jan. 15,
2023, and notifications will be sent by Feb. 28, 2023. If accepted,
final presentation submissions are due April 30, 2023.
For more information or to submit a presentation proposal,
visit ashrae.org/DevelopingEcon2023.
Call for Speakers Announced for ASHRAE Developing
Economies Conference
ATLANTA — ASHRAE announced a call for healthcare and
residential tracks speakers for the Developing Economies
64
| Chief Engineer

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American Street Guide
Former Student Moves, Will Restore
Historic Schoolhouse By Grace King | The Gazette
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Stony Point Schoolhouse, moved
recently from the land where it stood since the 1800s, will be
saved by a former student with plans to restore it.
Power lines were raised and the schoolhouse settled on a
new foundation on a 120-acre farm owned by Rae Jeanne
Kilberger, 85, at 6304 Ellis Rd. NW in Cedar Rapids. Kilberger
attended the school for two years as a 7th- and 8th-grader in
1948-50, and wants to see the historical building being given
new life.
Kilberger said she plans to restore the schoolhouse to how
she remembers it when she went to school there, including
replacing the windows, refinishing the floor and repairing
the water-damaged walls and roof.
“There’s not many [one-room schoolhouses] around,” Kilberger
told the Cedar Rapids Gazette. “I really believe kids
today need to learn how it was to have eight grades under
one teacher.”
Stony Point schoolhouse was built on the corner of what is
now Stoney Point Road old Highway 94 (Covington Road and
F Avenue NW) on a farm later acquired in the early 1900s by
Frank and Ida Davis. The Davis family kept the school and
grounds in good condition, letting church and civic groups
use the property for meetings and social events.
The Davis family still owns the property where the schoolhouse
originally sat. Laurie Church, co-owner of the property
with her sister, Vicki Davis, said she hates to see the old
school move but is glad it will be restored.
Church said she painted the schoolhouse and put a new sign
out front years ago, but the building was constantly vandalized.
“I hope it’s a little more protected now,” she said.
Kilberger said she doesn’t care about the expense of relocating
and restoring the school. “Fortunately, I have the money
to pay for it,” she said.
Cindy Hadish, a board member for the historic preservation
group Save CR Heritage, which was not involved in the move,
estimates the cost of moving the schoolhouse to be about
$25,000. Other expenses would include hiring Alliant Energy
to raise power lines for the building to be moved, building
a new foundation for the school and hiring the Sheriff’s
department to escort the building, she said.
“At one point in time, there were hundreds of these schoolhouses
dotting the landscape of Iowa, and now we’re down
to the very last few,” Hadish said. “It’s important to save
what we have left.”
Kilberger recalls walking to Stony Point for school. Every day,
a student would get a bucket of water that would be shared
by everyone and used all day for drinking and hand washing.
It wasn’t until Kilberger went to Roosevelt High School,
where she graduated in 1954 — now Roosevelt Creative
Corridor Business Academy — that she had toilet paper for
the first time. At Stony Point, the students’ restroom was an
outhouse and their toilet paper was magazines, Kilberger
said.
Kilberger was raised by her maternal grandparents, who
purchased the 120 acres on which she still lives off Ellis Road
NW from her fraternal grandparents in the mid-1900s. She
built the house she now lives in, along with her grandfather
and a few neighbors.
To prepare for the schoolhouse to be rehabilitated, Kilberger
has collected about 20 school desks from the early 1900s,
including a teacher’s desk and recitation bench built in 1901
where students would sit and recite their lessons in front of
the class. She also acquired an 1876 brass bell from a oneroom
schoolhouse from Atkinson, Ill., that will be hung in
the Stony Point bell tower.
Stony Point schoolhouse was a site for political gatherings in
the 1870s, according to The Gazette’s archives. When classes
weren’t in session in the one-story school, it also served as a
church, a Sunday school and a place for community celebrations.
It was the last country school in Linn County when it
closed in 1959, and students began attending Cedar Rapids
schools, according to The Gazette’s archives.
The school and its contents were sold at auction Dec. 7, 1959.
C. Russell Davis bought the building for $1,500, and the land
automatically reverted to Davis as its original owner. In the
days of one-room country schools, farmers often allowed
schools to be built on their land with the understanding the
land would revert to them when the school was no longer in
use, according to The Gazette’s archives.
Somewhere along the way, the neighborhood that grew up
around the school added an “e” to the Stony name. The road
where the schoolhouse sat until Monday is now identified as
“Stoney Point.”
Clark “Bud” Derhammer, 81, sat in his car Monday, Dec. 12,
watching the schoolhouse be towed down Ellis Road NW,
where he also once attended school.
Kilberger is “bringing this back to life,” Derhammer said.
“Give her a little time. It’ll take time to restore that, because
it’s pretty well tore up.”
66
| Chief Engineer

The historic Stony Point Schoolhouse is transported along Covington Road in Linn County, Iowa, Monday, Dec. 5, 2022. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette via AP)
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Volume 88 · Number 1 | 67

ACROSS
1 Greenish-blue
color
5 Compass point
9 Compass point
13 Alack’s partner
17 N.A. Indian
18 Hello!
19 Spring flower
21 Each
22 Manner
23 Green Gables
dweller
24 Defense
25 Split apart
26 Pickpocket
27 Metric weight unit
28 Dale
29 _____ arrest
31 Block
33 Violent thrower
35 African antelope
36 Pastor (abbr.)
38 Note of debt
39 Trigonometry
40 Boat movers
44 Czech
47 British thermal
unit
49 Western Athletic
Conference
50 Pull on loose
thread
51 Central processing
unit
52 Holler
54 Prig
56 Japanese selfdefense
57 __ Minor (Little
Dipper)
59 Den
61 Disrespect
62 Hear
63 Fast plane
64 Rank
66 City
68 All right
70 United Arab
Republic
71 Wise Man
72 Kind
75 Medication
amounts
79 What a doctor
gives
81 Zero
83 Howdy
84 Fire remains
87 Hovercraft
88 Gone by
89 Uh-uh
92 Foray
93 Show off
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30
31 32 33 34 35
36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43
44 45 46 47 48 49 50
51 52 53 54 55 56
57 58 59 60 61 62 63
64 65 66 67 68 69
70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78
79 80 81 82 83
84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92
93 94 95 96 97 98
99 100 101 102 103 104 105
106 107 108 109 110
111 112 113 114 115 116 117
118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126
127 128 129 130 131
132 133 134 135
136 137 138 139
www.CrosswordWeaver.com
ACROSS
95 Waft
96 Streetcar
1 Greenish-blue color
98 School group
5 Compass point
9 Compass 99 Course point
13 Alack's 100 partner Cap
17 N.A. Indian
101 Genius
18 Hello!
19 Spring
104
flower
Useless
21 Each 106 Gawk
22 Manner
23 Green Gables dweller
24 Defense
25 Split 110 apart __ Lanka
26 Pickpocket 111 Disobey
27 Metric
112
weight
Clench
unit
28 Dale
115 Zeal
29 _____ arrest
31 Block 118 Eject
33 Violent 122 thrower Bang down
35 African antelope
36 Pastor (abbr.)
38 Note of debt
39 Trigonometry
40 Boat movers
44 Czech
47 British thermal unit
49 Western 131 Antelope
Athletic Conference
50 Pull on loose thread
51 Central
133
processing
Squeezeunit
52 Holler
54 Prig
56 Japanese self-defense
57 __ Minor (Little Dipper)
107 Mexican sandwich
108 In possession of
123 Serving of corn
125 Replace a striker
127 Assumed name
128 Gunpowder need
130 Negative (prefix)
132 National capital
134 Told an untruth
135 Colored part of eye
136 End of a loaf
137 Has
138 Land measurement
139 Not one
DOWN
59 Den
61 Disrespect
62 Hear
1 Bloke
63 Fast plane
64 Rank
66 City 3 Month
68 All right
70 United Arab Republic
71 Wise Man
5 Trickery
72 Kind
75 Medication amounts
79 What a doctor gives
8 Sadness
81 Zero
83 Howdy 9 Musty
84 Fire remains
87 Hovercraft
11 Blintz
88 Gone by
12 Sibling
89 Uh-uh
92 Foray 13 Eager
93 Show off
95 Waft
15 Location
96 Streetcar
98 School group
99 Course
100 Cap 21 Goofs
101 Genius
28 Stuff
104 Useless
106 Gawk 30 Fall mo.
107 Mexican sandwich
108 In possession
34 Hustle
of
110 __ Lanka
35 Take
111 Disobey
112 Clench
115 Zeal
2 Belonging to you
4 Famous falls
6 Winding tool
7 National capital
10 Swiss mathematician
14 Jacob’s son
16 In __ (together)
20 Eat alfresco
32 Assembly
37 Bowed stringed
instrument
39 Duces
40 Furniture wood
41 Car rental agency
118 Eject
122 Bang down
team
123 Serving of corn
43 Gap
125 Replace a striker
127 Assumed name
128 Gunpowder flowers need
130 Negative (prefix)
131 Antelope
132 National capital
133 Squeeze
134 Told an (abbr.) untruth
135 Colored part of eye
136 End of a loaf
137 Has
138 Land measurement
139 Not one
DOWN
42 Cincinnati baseball
44 Small bunch of
45 Red-blooded
46 Communication
Workers of America
48 U.S. Department of
Agriculture
50 Middle East capital
51 Adorable
53 Capital of Peru
55 Final inning
56 Boat
58 Swiss mountains
1 Bloke
2 Belonging to you
3 Month
4 Famous
60 Big
falls
truck
5 Trickery 62 Digit
6 Winding tool
7 National capital
67 Jargon
8 Sadness
9 Musty 69 Not mine
10 Swiss mathematician
11 Blintz
12 Sibling
74 Devise
13 Eager
14 Jacob's 76 Cuffs son
15 Location
65 Hydrocarbon
71 I want my ___
73 Yang’s partner
77 Elect
78 Cola
80 Halloween mo.
82 State
16 In __ (together)
84
20 Eat
Hairstyle
alfresco
21 Goofs
85
28 Stuff
Walk
86 30 Fall Draw mo.
88 32 Assembly Dog food brand
34 Hustle
90 Professional
35 Take
91 37 Bowed Grubstringed instrument
94 39 Duces Southwestern Indian
95 40 Furniture Dark beer wood
41 Car rental agency
97 Heavy mud
42 Cincinnati baseball team
100 43 Gap Skill
102 44 Small Pal bunch of flowers
103
45 Red-blooded
Dine
46 Communication Workers of
105
America
Waterproof
(abr.)
cloth
48 U.S. type Department of Agriculture
107 50 Middle Little East bitcapital
51 Adorable
109 Picturesque
53 Capital of Peru
111 55 Final Kissinning
112 56 Boat Bathe
113 58 Swiss Small mountains birds
60 Big truck
114 One who despises
62 Digit
116 65 Hydrocarbon Sporty car brand
117 67 Jargon Lowest point
118
69 Not
Curse
mine
71 I want my ___
119
73 Yang's
Colorpartner
120 74 Devise Fork prong
121 76 Cuffs Revile
77 Elect
122 Thick soup
78 Cola
124 80 Halloween Sit in a mo. car
126 82 State Hectic
129 84 Hairstyle The other half of
85 Walk
Jima
86 Draw
130 88 Dog Wing food brand
90 Professional
91 Grub
94 Southwestern Indian
95 Dark beer
97 Heavy mud
100 Skill
102 Pal
103 Dine
105 Waterproof cloth type
107 Little bit
109 Picturesque
111 Kiss
112 Bathe
113 Small birds
114 One who despises
116 Sporty car brand
117 Lowest point
118 Curse
119 Color
120 Fork prong
121 Revile
122 Thick soup
124 Sit in a car
126 Hectic
129 The other half of Jima
130 Wing
68
| Chief Engineer

dian
h
s
f
Boiler Room Annex
Top 25 Engineering Terms and Expressions (What they say
and what they really mean)
Source: http://www.jokesclean.com/Engineer
• Customer satisfaction is believed to be assured. (We’re
so far behind schedule that the customer will settle for
anything.)
• Please see me/Let’s discuss it. (I need your help. I’ve
screwed up again.)
• The project is in process. (It’s so tied up in red tape that it’s
completely hopeless.)
• We’re trying a number of different approaches. (We still
guessing, at this point.)
• We’re following the standard. (We’ve always done it this
way.)
• Close project coordination. (We met together and had
coffee.)
• Years of development. (It finally worked.)
• Energy saving. (Turn off the power to save electricity.)
•
• We’ll have to abandon the entire concept. (The only person
who understood the thing just quit.)
• We had a major technological breakthrough. (It’s boring,
but it looks high tech.)
• We’re preparing a report with a fresh approach. (We just
hired a couple of kids out of college.)
• Preliminary operational tests proved inconclusive. (It blew
up when we flipped the switch.)
• Test results proved extremely gratifying. (Yahoo! It actually
worked.)
• Please read and initial. (We want to spread around the
responsibility.)
• Tell us what you are thinking. (We’ll listen, but if it disagrees
with what we’ve already done or are planning to
do, forget it.)
• Tell us your interpretation. (Let’s hear your bull.)
• We’ll look into it. (Forget it! We’ve got so many other
problems already, we’ll never get to it.)
• No maintenance. (If it breaks, we can’t fix it.)
• Low maintenance. (If it breaks, we’re no likely able to fix
it.)
• All new. (None of the parts are interchangeable with the
previous design.)
Solution:
A S E A D O D O F A M E S L O B
C O R N A D O B O H I R E R C O A L
T R I G M O T I F O F T E N O N T O
S T E L A R E E F P O S T A U G H T
O F F I W O A P R
S P A T O Y S C O N E E S T G A B
H E R R R E M A I N M A C H F U S E
O R E O L A M A O U C H R A I L
E T N A A L L L T M T O P O V A L
H A N D M A I D E A C H O R G A N
N E T U P E N D S K I
S Q U A B R O U T T A K E B A C K
G A L S A D O M H Z N A Y L O A N
A G U E E M M A W A T T M A Y O
G A B S S E P T T I D I E D A L A S
E S E M O P V O W E D R I G S K Y
P U N C O B M I L
A L K Y D T U F T A C R E N A A C P
R I N G L U C R E C Z A R S T S A R
I T E M E C L A T K A R M A H I R E
D E W Y O K A Y R E A P E A S Y
DECEMBER SOLUTION
• Rugged. (Needs major equipment to lift it.)
• Robust. (More than rugged.)
• Light weight. (A little less than rugged.)
• Fax it to me. (I’m too lazy to write it down.)
• I haven’t gotten your email. (It’s been days since I’ve
checked my email.)
The Six Phases of a Project
Source: anengineersaspect.blogspot.com
1. Enthusiasm
2. Disillusionment
3. Panic
4. Search for the Guilty
5. Punishment of the Innocent
6. Promotion of the Uninvolved
Volume 87 · Number 12 | 69

Dependable Sources
Addison Electric Motors & Drives 63
Restore Construction Inc. 9
Admiral Heating & Ventilating, Inc. 58
Rotating Equipment Specialists 15
Advanced Boiler Control Services 17
Sprinkler Fitters Local 281 Inside Front Cover, 4
Air Comfort Corporation 51
Syserco 21
Air Filter Engineers
Back Cover
United Radio Communications, Inc. 24
Airways Systems 57
Universal Lighting of America 18
Altorfer Power Systems 60
American Combustion Service Inc. 12
AMS Mechanical Systems, Inc. 47
Bear Construction 43
Beverly Companies 35
Bornquist, Inc. 56
Building Technology Consultants, Inc. 61
Bullock, Logan & Associates, Inc. 67
Chicago Backflow, Inc. 25
Chicago Cooling Tower 55
Chicago Corrosion Group 67
City Wide Pool & Spa 15
ClearWater Associates, Ltd. 58
Competitive Piping Systems 60
Door Service, Inc. 54
Dreisilker Electric Motors 29
F.E. Moran Fire Protection 49
Filter Services, Inc. 53
Glavin Security Specialists 30
Hard Rock Concrete Cutters 51
Hart, Travers & Associates, Inc. 44
Hayes Mechanical 22
HOH Water Technology 33
Hudson Boiler & Tank Co. 42
J & L Cooling Towers, Inc. 37
Kroeschell, Inc. 52
Metropolitan Industries, Inc. 65
MVB Services, Inc. 35
Neuco 23
Olympia Maintenance 19
Preservation Services 20
PuroClean Disaster Services 61
Reliable Fire Equipment Co. 59
70
| Chief Engineer
CA
TH
E
L
SC
THE
ADM
(CEA
STU
IF YO
WO
INFO
INFO
ALL
WE
AWARD
TO SUB
PRINCI
ENGINE
AWARD

CALL FOR APPLICANTS:
THE
ERNEST K. AND
LOIS R. WULFF
SCHOLARSHIP
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(CEAC), AIMS TO ASSIST WORTHY STUDENTS IN PURSUIT OF THEIR
STUDIES.
IF YOU KNOW OF A STUDENT — IN ANY FIELD OF STUDY — WHOSE HARD
WORK COULD BENEFIT FROM THE SUPPORT OF THE CEAC, CONTACT US AT
INFO@CHIEFENGINEER.ORG FOR AN APPLICATION FORM AND MORE
INFORMATION, AND VISIT HTTPS://CHIEFENGINEER.ORG/SCHOLARSHIP/.
ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS ARE DUE BY JULY 1ST, 2021.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU!
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TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION, INCLUDING ACADEMIC RECORDS, NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT TEST SCORES, LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FROM A COMMUNITY LEADER,
PRINCIPAL OR COUNSELOR, AND A WRITTEN ESSAY ON THE FIELD OF EDUCATION THAT THE POTENTIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT WISHES TO PURSUE. THE CHIEF
ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE WILL EVALUATE ALL COMPLETED APPLICATIONS AND SELECT A MAXIMUM OF TWO (2) FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP
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