Posts Tagged ‘construction’
Florida Buildings Evolve
Florida's 2010 Energy Code Dramatically Changes New Buildings and Additions by Guy Van Meulebrouck PE (Lakeland, Florida) The 2010 Florida Building Code came into effect last March. Each new building code has more and more energy conservation measures. It is not uncommon now to see new buildings and additions having 30% less energy bills than buildings of 5 or 10 years ago. Where is it going to end? Believe it or not, the American Society of Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) rolled out a master plan that dares to discuss progressively more and more energy conserving buildings right up to the seeming impossible-zero energy buildings! Clearly, we won't be seeing too many zero energy buildings in the next years, but I hear 10 such buildings do exist right now. As technology marches on (maybe 15 years down the road) more and more buildings will achieving this zero energy goal (or close to it). For now let's look at this year's energy code. Just how does one come up with a net zero energy building? Well, to start with the building cannot ...
Florida’s New Energy Code
Well, the 2010 Florida Building Code becomes active this March. Here is a look at the energy conservation requirements as they relate to architects. This first blog will address the Residential Code, the second will address the Energy Code for Commercial Buildings, the third blog will feature suggested drawing notes architectural drawings regarding the residential energy code, and last but not least, the fourth blog will include suggested drawing notes for commercial buildings. You can access the new Florida Energy Code at: www.ecodes.biz/ecodes_support/free_resources/2010Florida/Energy/10FL_Energy.html The general intent of the new code is to require Florida residential buildings to be 20% more energy efficient than previous dwellings. I suspect future codes will push for even more energy efficient homes from here on out until we can’t possibly offer better buildings (zero energy buildings are actually getting built in the US now and technology will likely make such things more affordable in the coming years). Once again, air handlers are not allowed in attics (402.1.2.2). If you look at the definition of attic, spray foam ” attics” are not counted as attics since they are within the air barrier and thermal barrier of the building. While there are exceptions, the basics ...
Protecting Buildings from Lightning
Just because we have building codes regarding protecting buildings from catching on fire from lighting strikes does not mean that sensitive electronics are protected from lighting. Data loss, if you are really unlucky, can really add up dollar wise. No doubt, having computers damaged by lighting is a serious setback to business. Come to think of it, what some people spend on large screen entertainment systems can make lighting a home and a business tragedy. Florida has more than it's share of lighting. I recall watching one lighting storm that lit the sky horizon to horizon for 12 minutes straight. It makes sense that practical technology on anticipating lighting would be common in Florida. Through the years, I have been able to talk with various Floridian electrical engineers, electricians and building owners about problems with lighting. I have even incurred some strikes myself. I personally am not an expert in electrical engineering, but someone has to spread the word a little faster (it took me 8 years to accumulate all of this article). So, here is a summary of what I have learned living in Florida about lightning protection. And folks if you have your own experience to add to ...
Questionaire for architects, contractors, and building owners
1. How many engineers have you hired? 2. What influenced your decision to hire them? 3. How do you feel about engineers? 4. Are there any services you wish engineers offered? 5. Are you a building owner? 6. Are you an architect? 7. Are you a contractor? Thank you for participating in this survey. This survey has been a worthwhile experience so far. I was fascinated how the survey results I have gotten so far were different that I would have guessed.
Why hire an engineering consultant?
Lawyers, and doctors advertise to the general public. In turn people learn more about them as professions. For some reason, consulting engineers remain obscure in society. So here is my own advertisement for our profession: Engineers solve specific problems for people by combining science, business, and economics. Dictionaries don't even know this. Many college graduates with engineering degrees are left to figure this out for themselves. Now you know it! Building engineers work with architects and contractors in order to help create the environments that life takes place in. As much as people love the outdoors; most of life takes place indoors. Children are conceived indoors (for the most part), children are born indoors, children are schooled indoors, we eat and sleep indoors, etc, etc. You are probably indoors right now reading this. So, creating the environment that life takes place in is a pretty big deal. I consider it an honorable, rewarding, and valuble endeavor. What do consulting engineers do for you? We sell our time to you. It takes time to prepare blueprints, specifications etc. Something that comes packaged with our time is experience. Someone who has spent 4 or 5 years studying ...
What is an Engineer?
This was the first thing I learned in Engineering School and it is worth repeating. "Engineering is the simultaneous combination of science, business, and economics towards solving a particular problem." Since our industry doesn't advertise itself the way lawyers and dairy farmers do... most people don't even know what we do or why we exist. An engineer works for you in a professional sense, with no financial bias. Salesmen and contractors necessarily have vested financial interests. Good engineering pays for itself.
local Florida economic indicators
According to the US Census Bureau; the number of housing permits in Lakeland Florida are up 122% over last year, and the first five months of 2010 are up 30% over last year. While this is good news, this is still a measly 11% of the housing permits issued during Jan-May 2005. Similarly, housing permits in Tampa were up 64% compared to May of last year and the first five months of 2010 was actually down 5% from the first five months of 2009. Tampa's first five months of 2010 was 15% of the amount of housing permits during Jan-May 2005. Orlando's stats are: 18% increase over May last year, 6% increase over Jan thru May of 2009; showing only 14% of the number of housing permits it enjoyed in 2005. In summary- the good news is...things are very slowly crawling in a somewhat uphill direction. The bad news is....still have a long way to go.
