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ASHRAE 2017 Annual Conference

ASHRAE 2017 Annual Conference

Join us in Sunny Southern California for this year’s Ashrae conference for HVACR Professionals. Don’t miss the special event on the Queen Mary, which is docked nearby to the conference. An “Engineering Tour of the Queen Mary” is one of the featured events for the week.

2017 ASHRE ANNUAL CONFERENCE

2017 ASHRE ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Over 60 seminars, plus several workshops and forums will take place during the event. There will also be 2 new feature program types designated Panels & Debates.

Some of the topics will be:

  • Building Life Safety Systems
  • Commissioning: Optimizing New and Existing Buildings and their Operation
  • Controls
  • Fundamentals and Applications
  • HVAC&R Systems and Equipment
  • Net Zero Energy Buildings
  • Refrigeration
  • Residential Buildings: Standards Guidelines and Codes NEW

Continuing education credits are available for ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI) courses offered at the 2017 ASHRAE Annual Conference. DOE-aligned ASHRAE Building Energy Assessment Professional (BEAP) and Building Commissioning Professional (BCxP) certification exams will also be offered.

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American Water Works Association Annual Expo 2017

American Water Works Association
Annual Expo 2017

ACE 2017Fresh off of the NFPA Conference & Expo in Boston next week we’ll be visiting the American Water Works Association Annual Conference and Exposition for 2017 (ACE17) at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

In addition to excellent networking opportunities and a full schedule of conference events, there are many other things to do while visiting Philadelphia, including many local tours sponsored by the event.

ACE17 Programs include events for Local Officials, Field Operators and Local Utilities. The Exposition part includes many major sponsors along with the latest and most innovative products relating to waste water treatment, water management and water efficiency.

For questions regarding registration, lodging or general conference questions, please contact the Conferences and Events Group.

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NFPA Conference & Expo 2017

NFPA Conference & Expo 2017

NFPA 2017 Booth #984 Waterline Controls

NFPA Conference & Expo
June 4-7, 2017
Boston, MA
Booth #984

NFPA 2017 map of booth 984

[click to enlarge]

This year The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is promising “…a can’t-miss showcase that combines an unrivaled educational conference with a comprehensive expo of the latest products and services.”

What better way to stay current with advances in your field and meet with other fire and life safety professionals, including electricians, firefighters, facility managers, architects, and fire marshals.

NFPA 2017 includes many scheduled presentations plus a number of interactive and engaging activities for attendees.

Click on the dates below for full schedules:

Saturday, June 3

Sunday, June 4

Monday, June 5

Tuesday, June 6

Wednesday, June 7

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Commercial Cooling Tower Water Level Control
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Cooling Tower News Updates

Cooling Tower News Updates

100s Of Cooling Towers Examined After Melbourne Legionnaire’s Disease Outbreak In March That Had Six Confirmed Cases

Cleaning of large amounts of cooling towers in Melbourne Australia were undertaken after Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the outbreak in the Central Business District.

Just a few months ago there was discussion about many of Melbourne’s new apartment buildings posing a legionella bacteria risk due to their energy-efficient “warm water” systems.

$42 Million Cooling Tower Replacement At Nuclear Plant Being Proposed For Closure

Palisades Nuclear Power Plant

Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, which according to WBFO has divided some residents in the area of Van Buren County in Michigan over its proposed closure, is replacing a cooling tower over the next 3-4 months. While the plant may be closing down, maintenance and upkeep will continue to be an ongoing job for quite some time.

Decommissioning and cleaning up a nuclear plant can take over 50 years. The Michigan Public Services Commission will host several public meetings in May before deciding on the final outcome of the plant. Economic impacts may be hard on some of the surrounding communities as the plant employs over 130 people.

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Is Your Cooling Tower as Safe as You Think?

Is Your Cooling Tower as Safe as You Think? Is Stricter Oversight the Answer?

Legionnaire’s Disease

Legionella bacteria, the source of Legionnaire’s Disease, has been repeatedly found in inspections of cooling towers after outbreaks. Many areas are turning to tighter rules and more vigorous inspections of cooling towers as a way to prevent outbreaks.
Public officials and building owners are being held to answer for the outbreaks, with various systems being looked at to help provide answers.

Accountability

According to an AP report on March 13th, an ex-Flint Michigan Official was given probation for neglecting to report a Legionnaire’s outbreak that occurred during the much publicized water scandal there last year.

Some areas have stepped up inspections, while others have added fines and new rules. Some areas have also stepped up educational resources and outreach to help those who manage facilities become more acutely aware of the needed precautions and maintenance procedures needed.

Seeking Answers

Operating procedures, maintenance, and cleaning are critical in preventing growth of the bacteria that cause Legionnaire’s disease. Due to changes in technology over time, many older buildings can also benefit from newer systems.

Educational outreach directly to owner of buildings is a benefit of cooling tower registration systems being tried in some jurisdictions. Such information can be critical in supporting owners, who are ultimately responsible for the maintenance their buildings.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that “…about 5,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease are now reported each year in the United States.” Luckily there is some good news on the recovery side. Legionnaires’ disease is most often non-fatal today, thanks to better detection and treatment of the disease.

In an article at the Charleston Gazette-Mail, Janet Briscoe at Kanawha-Charleston Health Department stated “People are getting treated sooner. It’s identified sooner, so the rates of death are a lot less than what they were in the past.”

Newer technology, better education and closer oversight of cooling towers are all coming together to prevent illnesses due to Legionnaire’s Disease.

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HVAC Installation Accidents

HVAC Installation Accidents

Injury From Electrical Shock During HVAC Service

A man fell while working on an HVAC unit in Wilmington, Delaware inside a building on 1201 North Orange Street shortly after 3 p.m., after what appeared to be an electrical shock, according to reporting by David Chang at local NBC10 News. The worker was found hanging from a ladder, apparently convulsing. While attempting to rescue him, the ladder was knocked over and he fell to the floor.

Apartment Under Construction Burns Due To Faulty HVAC

New Albany, Kentucky’s $26.5 million Breakwater luxury apartment complex received major damage from a fire on Friday, Feb. 24. According to the New Albany Fire Department, as reported at WDRB.com on March 2nd, they have now determined that the fire was caused by a layer of insulation around a copper line catching fire by an errant torch being operated by an hVAC installer. He initially attempted to put the fire out himself and thought he had succeeded. The fire continued to smolder and was noticed the next morning, nearly 15 hours later, by a neighbor. Most of the building will probably have to be destroyed before construction can begin again. Sadly, the building was still in the early stages of construction and a fire sprinkler system was not yet installed.

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Cooling Tower
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HVAC and Cooling Tower News Updates

HVAC and Cooling Tower
News Updates

Latest Industry News

Advancements in Cooling Tower Construction Improves Pre-Assembled Types in Design, Materials and Efficiency

Prefabricated cooling towers have not generally been the design of choice in the past. Today, replacing an old cooling tower can offer options that might have been dismissed previously. The labor savings over a field erected unit are not new. However, the latest advancements in technology have helped level the ‘field’. Less lead time and build time are some obvious advantages. The latest crossflow designs and advanced drift eliminators which improve efficiency are some of the new technologies in play. Materials such as composites reinforced with fiberglass (FRP) and other new composites are also being used, allowing compact designs and weight savings over old units.

Integral basins can also play a big part in a decision on construction type. On-site construction usually requires a concrete basin as a foundation, while most factory assembled units have a self-contained basin. Some newer designs, however, can be found with no basin, allowing existing basins for field erected units to be used when updating to a newer factory assembled cooling tower systems, thus adding additional savings. Multiple cells can be mounted even be mounted on an existing basin.

More Local Regulations Considered due to Recent Legionnaires’ Outbreaks

Minnesota State Rep. Cheryl Youakim has offered up legislation earlier this month creating the formation of a “state registry of cooling towers”, which would “…would prevent more people from getting sick in an outbreak…” according to the Representative. Details are to include required registration with the state health commissioner and fines for non-compliance. Required “inspection and cleaning guidelines” will be provided along with additional monitoring requirements. Cooling towers are not currently regulated in Minnesota.

Current guidelines by The Minnesota Department of Health recommends companies develop water management programs and adhere to existing industry standards.

Back in October of 2016 after a deadly outbreak in Hopkins, Youakim had said “Everybody’s digging into this to make sure that we can not only mitigate the spread of this disease when it happens, but really look at something that can prevent it from happening,” according to Nate Leding of local ABC affiliate Channel 5.

Nominations for the 2017 Commercial HVAC Contractor of the Year Award

Nominations are now being accepted by ContractingBusiness.com. “Candidates should be companies that can shed positive light on the HVAC industry and on the contracting profession.” Deadline for nominations is April 15, 2017. Now is the time to honor those who offer up the best and brightest future for the HVAC industry.

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AHR Expo and Winter Conference 2017

AHR’s Expo and Winter Conference 2017

AHR 2017

This year’s Expo was another busy, hectic and rewarding event.

Many products were showcased at this year’s event, with over 80 being brand new offerings.

There were also many awards and recognitions at the Annual Winter Conference.

A few 1st place awards to highlight are:

  • New Commercial Buildings Award to Kitaro Mizuide for the YKK80 Building in Tokyo
  • HVAC Design Calculations Award was awarded to the University of British Columbia
  • System Selection Award to California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
  • Integrated Sustainable Building Design Award to the University of Central Florida

Pioneers of Industry & Commemorative Awards, along with recognition of new Fellows were also celebrated at the 2017 conference.

“It’s exciting to see such enthusiasm around the rebounding North American building and construction industry, and subsequent growth in demand.” said Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Company, who manages the event.

International Exposition Company has also announced that upcoming AHR Expos will be held in Chicago in 2018, Atlanta in 2019, and Orlando in 2020.

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AHR Expo 2017

AHR Expo 2017

2017 AHR Expo

Join us at Booth# N10441 where Waterline Controls is proud to once agian display our advanced controllers and electronic sensors as an exhibitor this winter in Las Vegas at the 2017 AHR Expo. The International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo), is the event of the year for the HVACR industry, with over 2000 exhibitors and upwards of 60,000 attendees.

Waterline controls offers the high-end system that saves money. With the commercial building sector looking to drive HVAC growth in sensors and controllers in the near future, according to Contractingbusiness.com’s reporting on a paper by Transparency Market Research, Waterline Controls is leading the way.

Waterline Controls DemoWe will have a working model on display to demonstrate our cooling tower level control system for the HVAC industry, plus sensors and controllers for hands-on examination.
Location Information:
2017 AHR Expo
Las Vegas Convention Center (map)
3150 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Expo Hours:
Monday, January 30 | 10am-6pm
Tuesday, January 31 | 10am-6pm
Wednesday, February 1 | 10am-4pm

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Altitude Valve
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Replace Altitude Valves with Modern Controllers

Replace Altitude Valves with Modern Controllers

Many ground level or elevated water storage systems use what is known as an Altitude Valve. These valves close at a preset high-level to prevent overflow of water in a ground storage tank or reservoir, opening to refill the water in the tank or reservoir as the level lowers. In crude systems they are reliable and effective.

Modern water storage requirements are not usually well served by such stand-alone devices though.

Fire Safety Water Holding Tanks

For fire protection, a much more effective, less temperamental and less expensive solution is an electronically operated system that connects to automated building management systems, has alarms, or even redundant switching and alarms.

FPT50 ControllerA better solution for Fire Safety holding tank systems, and a replacement for them, is the Waterline Controls WLC FPT-50. This Fire Service Water Tank Level Control with high and low alarms gives you modern, state of the art control, visible and audible alarms, and peace of mind.

Our systems come with a modern, intrinsically safe, electronic sensors. Our systems connects to a BAS or building management system for many modern code requirements, or just logical safety precautions.

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