I’m happy to share a call to action of sorts this month. As you noticed on the cover, Lisa Meline, P.E. and Steve Kavanaugh, Ph.D., Fellow ASHRAE have written an article in hopes of encouraging engineers to dig in (pun semi-intended) to the factors that are critical for achieving the performance potential of a ground source heat pump (GSHP).

However, they passed along a related item that we only have room for here: the Kirk T. Mescher Award. To lift some background from the info sheet on the award: Mr. Mescher, who passed away in August, started in the realm of GSHP design in 1993, constructing his own test rig for ground thermal properties testing. He developed the one-pipe distribution system for GSHP systems and extended its application from individual building to campus scale. He pioneered ground loop designs that eliminated the use of costly valve vaults and associated manifolds, along with outside air handling designs that permitted the use of standard heat pumps for this duty. His GSHP designs consistently achieved EPA scores in the 90 percentile.

That said, this award has its roots in GSHP but aims to recognize innovation in general. Who’s eligible? practicing engineers interested in attending a GSHP course from ASHRAE or other provider, or for purchase of design software, books, tools, etc. Teaching faculty interested in developing course material on GSHP or otherwise providing GSHP information to students. Students interested in a career in HVAC and interested in attending an ASHRAE conference or course addressing GSHP. Applicants could also include practicing engineers, teaching faculty, or students who have an idea for an elegant way to be more energy efficient and could use this award to test the idea(s) and put the idea(s) into practice.

Sounds like a most fitting tribute. ASHRAE’s St. Louis chapter is administering this new award, with help from the GWA. If you would like to help get the scholarship fund started or would like more info, email Lisa Meline at lisa@meline.com.

LINEUP CHANGES

Paul Ehrlich has done a great job as our building automation columnist for several years, but he is moving on to the Energy & Environment Directorate at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). His new range of duties will knock him out of the monthly column business, but we look forward to the occasional contribution or feature article as time and topic align in the future.

In addition to his print work, Paul has been very helpful in general, particularly in the realm of our live conferences and sessions. We’re glad he will continue to serve as an ES advisor, and we wish him the best of luck furthering his buildings/grid/efficiency efforts in Portland.

I’M DREAMING OF A WHITE PAPER

That’s how the song goes, right? Well, we do have a new white paper posted for your perusal at our website. It comes via Naveen Halbhavi, P.E. at ClimateMaster and is titled “Winning With Water Source Heat Pumps In Mixed-Use Commercial Development.” It joins a merry cast of other papers on a wide variety of subjects, so check it (and them) out sometime by stopping by www.esmagazine.com and selecting White Papers on the Resources dropdown across the top. ES