Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous
IECC 2012 and Commissioning
The latest version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) brings in changes that will lead to more energy savings.
One of the major updates in IECC 2012 for commercial projects is the requirement of commissioning. Until recently, commissioning
has been fairly ad-hoc and considered an “add-on” service. However, due to projects pursuing the United States Green Building
Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, commissioning has become more mainstream
and provided value to clients.
Building commissioning is a process that helps verify and document that the selected building systems have been designed,
installed, and function according to the owner’s project requirements, the construction documents, and code requirements. By
aiding the owner through the design and construction process, commissioning providers can help ensure that the owner is delivered
a project ...
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Craig Sieben, SEA’s founder and CEO, has been chosen to join Chicago Mayor-Elect Rahm Emanuel’s Transition Team. As a member of the Energy, Environment, and Public Space Committee—a team of community, business, and non-profit leaders from the Chicago-land area –he will help draft and provide recommendations to Mayor-Elect Emanuel concerning a number of issues facing the city . The insight and expertise of the Energy, Environment, and Public Space committee will help the Mayor-Elect address the impact of environmental and energy policy on Chicago’s economy, public safety, efficiency in social services and healthcare, and energy use.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recently announced the launch of a new professional certification program focused on energy auditing and building assessment. The “Building Energy Assessment Professional” (BEAP) certification will recognize an engineer’s competence in analyzing building systems performance, collecting energy usage data, and identifying and implementing measures to reduce building energy use.
The inaugural certification exam will take place during the ASHRAE Winter Conference in Las Vegas this February. Visit the ASHRAE website for additional information on the Building Energy Assessment Professional certification.
The launch of this new designation by ASHRAE further emphasizes the importance of energy audits in optimizing building performance and conserving energy. In addition to professional certifications, ASHRAE also drafted the standards by which many building energy audits are conducted, including those performed for ...
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Sieben Energy Associates (SEA) was proud to sponsor Team CANopy from Nagle Hartray Danker Kagan McKay Penney Architects in the recent CANstruction design/build competition in Chicago
Canstruction® (a foundation of the Society for Design Administration), holds competitions in hundreds of cities around the world benefitting shelters, food pantries, and elderly and day care centers. The 4th annual Chicago competition took place May 14- June 2 at Merchandise Mart Plaza. The event brought together the design and building community to raise awareness and benefit the 678,000 people the Food Depository feeds each year.. Teams of design and building professionals created sculptures made entirely of canned food items. After the event, all 70,000 cans were donated to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Team CANopy took home Honorable Mention for their impressive giant tree (made of tuna and baked beans). Congratulations! It’s amazing what an innovative design, a supreme team, and a remarkable amount of ba ...
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Indeed they do! The US Department of Energy does check on manufacturer claims related to energy efficiency and will issue a Notice of Noncompliance. On March 30, 2010 the DOE did just that to AeroSys, Inc. of Hagerstown, MD. According to DOE tests, AeroSys was producing and distributing “one air conditioner and one heat pump” that “consume more energy than allowed under federal efficiency standards.”
In their own press release, DOE General Counsel Scott Blake Harris exclaimed, “This action is designed to send a clear message to all manufacturers – this Administration takes energy efficiency seriously and we well act aggressively to remove any products from the market that are violating national appliance standards.”
Read more about the DOE's action in response to unsubstantiated appliance efficiency claims at the DOE website.
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After the holidays, some people can’t wait for spring’s arrival, while others are enjoying the chill in the air and snow on the ground. The middle of winter is also an important time to examine oil and natural gas markets, understand how weather has impacted them, and speculate about where they could be headed for the remainder of the season.
Based on my analysis of leading industry information, we can expect near-term upward pressure on oil prices in the face of continuing cold weather, a weakened dollar, optimistic economic data, and geopolitical issues. Monthly employment numbers announced at the end of this week could, however, lead to a sell-off and drop in prices if the figures are surprisingly negative.
Severe cold across much of the U.S. has contributed to higher heating prices than predicted before we headed into winter two months ago—regardless of whether heat is provided by oil, natural gas, or electricity. Expect short-term pressure on prices for January and February, but ...
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Some thoughts about what the United States can expect with respect to energy in 2010 with some humor thrown into the mix
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Welcome to the Sieben Energy Blog
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