Happy new year, readers! And a sincere thanks for making time to include ES in your professional life. We will be working here to make it worth your while and then some. Of course, normally we do that with the written word, but our event at AHR lets us bring some expertise and conversation to you “live and in person.” This year’s topics in our Tuesday afternoon seminar:
- Dry Versus Evaporative Tech for Indirect DC Cooling Systems
- Data Analytics for High-Performance Buildings
- How Much Energy Will Be Saved By Liquid Cooling Technology In Data Centers?
Syska Hennessy’s Vali Sorell kicks off that last topic with an article in this issue, so it’ll set the stage for some further insights and Q&A with attendees in Chicago. Paul Ehrlich of Building Intelligence Group will be offering his latest thoughts and experience on the middle topic, and we’re glad to have Tom Squillo back again for his thoughts on the first topic as VP of the Mission Critical group at Environmental Systems Design.
That’s all coming January 27 from 1-3 p.m. right there in McCormick Place.
TRAGIC REMINDER
It tends to be a sad tradition: the early-winter story of carbon monoxide poisoning. The first week of December brought one this year: Two dead and a dozen others rushed to the hospital in a music rehearsal space in Passaic, NJ.
Whether it’s checking in the usual spots for potential blockages or obstacles, or purchasing or maintaining CO monitors, be sure to keep your facilities safe.
THE DOCTOR IS IN
We’re pleased to introduce a new item for your engineering edification — “IAQ: A Physician’s View,” a special year-long column by Dr. Stephanie Taylor. She has written for us before, but in short, she brings an unusual background to the topic of IAQ. She survived both medical school and an advanced degree in architecture, and now she runs Taylor Healthcare Commissioning.
She and her friend Howard McKew both have spent some time in these pages discussing Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs). That topic gets extra attention this month elsewhere, but Taylor’s column will take readers on a broader tour of IAQ challenges and opportunities. This month, she kicks off with a look at exactly what enemies we are fighting in the pursuit of good IAQ, so pause at page 30 to start from the beginning.
LIKE GANDHI SAID …
Finally, a quick reminder of the old saying about being the change you want to see in the world. A lot of you are doing smart, good things with your own project and procedure successes. One way to compound those successes is to spread the word about how you did it. Maybe it helps someone tweak their own work for the better, or to help sell a worthwhile retrofit to the powers that be. Either way, don’t be shy — drop me a note at beverlyr@bnpmedia.com about writing a feature article. It’s a new year and a fine time to improve the state of engineering while picking up some deserved exposure for you and your organization. It’s easier than you think.
