In[visible] Pollution:

In[visible] Pollution:

We spend a lot of time on talking about pollution, but it's not just us, it's the entire media, and it has been that way for more than a decade. 

So if you're truly sick of hearing/reading/seeing about how damaging we as a species are to the Earth, perhaps you should click the back button.

But before you do, let me tell you this isn't about ozone layers, or global warming, or toxic materials storage. 

This is about a pollution source that goes ridiculously underreported, and despite its highly visible presence, researchers are just beginning to understand its effects.

It might be weird to consider light a contaminant, but that's exactly what it is (artificial light, that is). 

We all know the cyclic patterns of the sun are entirely responsible for life on Earth anyway, but humans' lack of night vision has birthed trillions of incandescent, fluorescent, high-intensity discharge and LED bulbs since commercial light bulbs were first available in the late 1870s.

Light Pollution Effects:

Of course, not all artificial light sources pollute equally. 

Indoor lights are quite necessary. 

They have provided us with more time to finish tasks or spend on recreation, and are absolutely necessary in higher latitudes, when daylight can be reduced to just a few hours per day. 

There is no telling how many "cow kicked over the candle" fires that artificial lighting has spared. Indoor light is also largely held in check by the building it illuminates.

Outdoor lighting receives the most scrutiny when considering light pollution. 

First, many overnight lights are left on continuously, and in an age of resource sustainability this type of energy waste is being carefully reconsidered. 

While streetlights may make shady street corners or back streets more safe, they're also an enormous energy burden in big and small cities alike. 

Also, as energy savings from more efficient lights are realized, it might prompt engineers to begin placing more lights. 

Studies have also indicated that excessive light during nighttime can lead to headaches, fatigues, stress, sexual dysfunction, anxiety and poor temperament.

Light pollution can also disrupt ecosystems-everything from diurnal animals, to moths attracted to lights, to birds who are disoriented by excessive light pollution, and amphibians and reptiles who function on a "light compass." 

It also prevents observation of the night sky by both professional and amateur astronomers, as light from a single location scatters and impairs viewing conditions even dozens of miles away.

Solutions? None, really:

Really, what can we do? Humans never evolved the same inherent night vision as many other mammals, and therefore developed technology to combat this inferiority. .

To truly cut back on light pollution, several techniques are recognized. First, full cutoff fixtures have been implemented in many cities and towns, sometimes by ordinance. 

These lighting devices use a flat lens to ensure all light is pointed downward, and the light housing reduces extra glare but also minimizes the light's efficiency. 

Also, spacing lights appropriately according to their wattage often results in fewer lights being used overall.

There have been attempts to develop methods that minimize light trespass using scientific guidelines. 

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed software that allows lighting engineers to quantify the performance of lighting designs by analyzing glow and trespass, while comparing different lighting alternatives for the same space. 

Another system, the Unified System of Photometry, establishes a measurement of what type of street lights belong where, based on an algorithm of visibility, energy consumption and security. 

It commonly recommends replacing yellow/orange-ish street lights with white 'cool' lighting, which can reduce power drawn and light pollution without affecting visibility.

The problem with these solutions is that they only minimize extraneous light proliferation, and do nothing to ultimately stop light pollution.

Forgive my pun, but light pollution isn't a black-or-white, day-or-night issue. 

There is always going to be a need for a competitive balance between the two, but consider that, as a whole, illumination technology is still quite immature. 

There could be a day when engineers are able to reliably illuminate our nighttime environments without negatively affecting so many of the ecological processes around us. 

Until then, personal responsibility of light pollution is the only real means to moderate light pollution. 

It's like the Keep America Beautiful advertising campaign from the 1960s: be responsible for yourself, because there aren't any other alternatives.

Hi Ozone Layer Healing, But...

Hi Ozone Layer Healing, But...

According to the ozone sensors on Europe's MetOpt weather satellite, the hole over Antarctica in 2012 was the smallest in the last 10 years. 

Since the beginning of the 1980s, an ozone hole has developed over Antarctica during the southern spring - September to November - resulting in a decrease in ozone concentration of up to 70%. 

Man-made chlorofluorocarbons - CFCs - have a negative effect on the ozone, depleting it and creating the infamous hole. 

The Montreal Protocol has stopped the increase of CFC concentrations, and a drastic fall has been observed since the mid-1990s. 

You can see the Total Ozone values in the Northern Hemishpere and Southern Hemisphere along with the climate model prediction (in blue) showing recovery continuing over several decades.

The good news is that the Antarctic ozone hole is on the way to recovery. 

The bad news is that scientists now think it is helping to slow the polar seas' ability to absorb carbon dioxide, a leading contributor to Global Warming. 

Antarctic accounts for about 40% of the total carbon absorbed by the world's seas. 

Scientists at Johns Hopkins University found the same winds that caused extremely low temperatures leading to higher levels of ozone depletion are speeding circulation patterns in polar waters, with the currents closer to the land pushing more deep water up to the ocean surface.

Scientists worry that the increasing upwelling of that water, hundreds of years old and naturally rich in carbon dioxide, is reducing the amount of manmade carbon absorbed by sub-polar waters.

Thanks to the Montreal Protocol we are well on our way to eliminating the use of CFCs. 

The damage however will go on for decades and more.

Further information on these most recent studies can be found in the Feb 15, 2013 issue of OzoNews click the following link here to download.

Hi' Ah-ram Online Reader: Renewable energy is Egypt's raft out of crisis: Experts.

Hi' Ah-ram Online Reader: Renewable energy is Egypt's raft out of crisis: Experts.

Power-generating windmill turbines of The Zafarana project, Egypt (Photo: Al-ah-ram).

"The solutions are known, but the will to implement them is absent, say energy experts discussing Egypt's energy crisis";

Scarcity of financial resources and the lack of a solid plan are the main reasons behind the perpetuation of Egypt's energy crisis, according to experts who attended the Cairo Energy Conference.

"The energy problem is well known. Its solutions are also well known, but there is no will to solve it," says Mohamed Shoeb, former president of the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company.

Shoeb and other experts, some of which are former officials, believe an advance can be achieved if the government thinks out of the box.

Many believe solar energy is a viable option for Egypt. "Some countries, like Germany, have a plan to generate all their electricity needs from renewable energy by 2050, and so should we," says Gala Othman, president of the Association of Wind Energy.

"Solar energy is no longer expensive. The cost of it has decreased by almost 90 percent during the last 10 years," says Shoeb.

Many experts say smart electricity meters that can reduce consumption in peak hours can help reduce electricity cuts. Instead of cutting off power, the government can reduce the consumption of households who have several air conditioners or power-hungry electrical devices in operation in peak hours.

Experts add that energy saving LED lightbulbs can reduce power consumption by 20 percent and would cost less to widely distribute than fuel imports.

"There are several ideas that can be studied and implemented, but we have been very slow," says Mohamed Moussa Omran, undersecretary of the Ministry of Electricity.

"We were the first in the region to start using solar energy, but were left behind. Countries like Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are introducing smart meters," he said.

"Transparency is missing, and that is a problem that needs to be solved. The government thinks the people are not capable of understanding the problem," says Shoeb.

Different parts of the government do not speak frankly to each other about the issue, he adds. 

"The discourse inside a governmental administration would most probably change if they interact with another one in a different ministry," he said.

Differences between the Ministry of Electricity and the Ministry of Petroleum over the issue have led to an exchange of accusations between previous ministers.

In a speech Saturday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said that the production and distribution of electricity were not developed to catch up with consumption.

He estimated that Egypt needs 2,500 Megawatts annually for the upcoming five years to meet rising demand, at a cost of $2.5 billion a year.

In addition to funds needed to build power stations, El-Sisi said that fuel needs would amount to $700 million per station per year.

He invited private investors to develop power stations as well as the power grid.

Power cuts have become frequent since August 2008, but were generally confined to summer months when air conditioning use increases the demand for power. In winter 2012/13, blackouts became common.

Close to 80 percent of Egypt's electricity is generated by natural gas, the production of which has lagged behind in recent years as political unrest and mounting government debts have discouraged foreign energy firms from developing new gas fields.

Hi' Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality;

Hi' Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality;

Indoor air pollution is considered as one of the top environmental risks to public health worldwide due to increasing number of building-related illnesses. 

Studies have found that concentration of indoor pollutants is significantly higher indoors than they are in outdoor environment, which is two to five times and sometimes hundred times higher than outdoor levels. 

As most of the people spend 80% to 90% of their lives indoor, indoor air quality has significant implication on sustainability.

Decreased indoor air quality can affect quality of life of the building occupant, increase health risks and increase the liability for building owner, decrease the productivity of occupants and reduce the resale value of the building. Poor indoor air quality can cause “sick building syndrome”, which is a medical condition linked to poor health and absenteeism.

Poor indoor air quality is due to many factors including but not limited to improper building design, inadequate ventilation, off-gassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from furniture, carpets, paints and coatings, cleaning products, and from human respiration. Airborne particles such as lints, dust, dust mites, mold, bacteria, pollen and animal dander also contribute to poor indoor air quality. Indicators that are used to measure the indoor air quality include total particulate matter, total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), formaldehyde, carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O₃), air temperature, relative humidity (RH). Concentration of CO₂ in the indoor environment indicates whether ventilation is sufficient or not.

In the Middle East region, most of the people live in enclosed air-conditioned indoor environments. With rapidly growing population, increase in number of vehicles on the road, high temperature level, ever increasing construction activities, regular sandstorm, concentration of air contaminants in the region is among the highest worldwide. Indoor environment also reflects outdoor air quality and pollution. Transport of outdoor contaminants to the indoor environment can result in occupant exposure to outdoor pollutants that have serious health impacts. In addition, there are many sources of indoor pollutants present in building materials, cleaning products, indoor mold and legionella growth, and emission from interior furnishings, finishing and equipments.

Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality;

Indoor air quality is influenced by concentration of outdoor air pollutants as well as indoor source of pollution, characteristic of building and habits of occupants. Appropriate building design and mechanical system and control strategies as well as changing occupant behaviour can improve indoor air quality and health and comfort, performance and productivity of building occupants. There are a host of strategies to improve the indoor air quality.

Appropriate design;

Building envelop, orientation, and location of air intake, location of mechanical ventilation systems can contribute to indoor air quality. Hence, these factors should be considered during the design stage of projects to control the main source of pollutants for the whole building.

Whole house mechanical ventilation;

Properly designed and sized ventilation system can supply adequate outdoor air to indoor. In most of the green building rating systems, industry standards such as ASHRAE Standard 62 or Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality are commonly followed.

Mixed mode ventilation:

Use of combination of mechanical and natural ventilation systems in buildings, such as automated window controlling systems and operable windows, can help in maintaining healthy indoor air quality.

Air quality management during construction:

During the construction phase, molds can develop due to exposure of building materials with moisture. Dust and particulates can easily accumulate on building materials if they are not protected. The air quality during the construction period can be protected by protecting the building materials from dust and particles and moistures.

High efficiency air filters: 

Filters prevent transports of outdoor VOCs, dusts, particulates and ozone indoors. Use of good particle filter such as high MERV rated filters in ventilation equipment are found to be the most effective filters in filtering outdoor dust and particulates out.

Maintenance schedule for HVAC filters:

Dirty filter can cause sensory irritation. Hence, appropriate maintenance schedule can prevent this to happen.

Use of low emitting materials: 

Use of materials that have low VOC content for products such as indoor carpets, rubber flooring, sub-floor materials, ceramics and ties, plasterboards, or other sealants and adhesives.  Also internal construction materials with low formaldehyde content can be helpful.

Conduct building flush out: 

Flushing out of indoor contaminants thoroughly in buildings before occupancy will help replacing dirty indoor air with fresh outdoor air.

Green cleaning program:

Select cleaning materials that are made of low emitting materials and employ a green cleaning program to reduce contaminant exposure.

Carbon dioxide monitors: Install CO₂ monitors in ventilation system and integrate them to regulate the supply of fresh air according to the building occupants demand. By doing so, if the CO₂ concentration increases beyond a set point, then the airflow automatically increases. 

Sustainable Cities.

A (Hi) Need for Speed and a Roadmap to Sustainable Innovation.

A (Hi) Need for Speed and a Roadmap to Sustainable Innovation.

This year, more than 500 product development leaders from across the globe participated in the fourth product portfolio management (PPM) benchmark survey to share their priorities, risks, and pain points on the state of PPM.

As part of the study, a new framework for assessing a company's innovation program was developed. 

The Innovation Management Maturity Model™ gives organizations a critical tool for assessing the strength of their innovation program.

Download the report and learn: 

• The top pain points and risks, and how they affect innovation. 
• Where product centric companies are in terms of innovation management maturity and where they want to be. 
• Why there is such a need for speed and what organizations can do to get products to market faster. 

Click The Following Link Here To Download Or View & Save Below;

Hi' Air Movement: A HVAC Moment: Winds of Change.

Hi' Air Movement: A HVAC Moment: Winds of Change.

The selection of appropriate equipment is essential to improving air movement.

The importance of air movement in the buildings of the GCC cannot be understated. It is debatable whether this region would have flourished as it has done in recent decades without it.

The provision of fresh and cool air to the structures in which we live, work and play has made the region a much more habitable place, especially in the scorching extremes of summer.

The existence of this fundamental MARKET demand has, of course, made the region a happy hunting ground for many local and global players in the MEP and HVAC industries,but the fecundity of the market has also increased competition, spurred innovation and changed the expectations of the air-conditioned masses. 

No longer will stepping in out of the heat to feel a cool breeze suffice. End-users now demand maximum comfort.

“Air movement can provide desirable cooling in ‘warm’ conditions, but it can also increase the risk of unacceptable cool draughts,” 

explains Hassan Sultan, director of mechanical department at MZ & Partners and former president of the ASHRAE Qatar Oryx Chapter.

“Noticeable air velocities can be perceived as providing freshness and pleasantness to the breathing air, but they may also be perceived as annoying. HVAC DESIGN innovations, energy conservation concerns, and new laboratory data on draughts have brought substantial attention to the issue of acceptable levels of air movement in the comfort standards.

“Air movement is one of the six main variables affecting human thermal comfort,” 

Sultan continues,

“which is the main goal of HVAC SYSTEM design and execution in buildings, especially in the Gulf region. The other five are air temperature, mean radiant temperature, relative humidity, metabolic rate and clothing insulation,” he adds.

With some of these variables obviously beyond the control of HVAC SYSTEM designers, their ability to harness air movement takes on even greater significance. 

The consequence of failing to achieve this can be a headache for an end-user, client/owner, and at least one member of the consultant-contractor team that delivered the system.

“Poor design and selection of air distribution terminals leads to draughts in some areas, stagnation in others, cold and hot spots and excessive noise – all these conditions have a bad effect on the well being and performance of the occupants,” 

explains Raef Hammoudeh, head of mechanical engineering for KEO’s design division in the UAE.

Looking at such problems in the GCC’s building stock, Hammoudeh says that part of the issue is to do with a misguided focus or lack of attention from mechanical engineers as to what is really important in HVAC SYSTEM design.

“In the majority of projects, design engineers and contractors tend to concentrate their efforts on the provision of the chillers, air handling units (AHUs), ductwork and so on, and very little time or design effort on ensuring that the air distribution systems within buildings are selected to provide optimum distribution within the spaces or to ensure the thermal well being of occupants,” he says.

fzal Basheer, senior mechanical engineer at Two Fold United Electrical and Mechanical Contracting, SHARES Hammoudeh’s dissatisfaction with the regional industry’s approach and believes that failures at the early design stages are often responsible for failure of installations themselves.

“[The potential for air movement problems] needs to be addressed before the actual installation of the system,” says Basheer.

“It is not only the building services systems, in terms of additional HVAC units or additional power requirements, that need to be addressed. If additional plant equipment is required, plant room or ceiling space must be available. 
If the equipment in the plant room needs to reach the required zone, slab openings or shafts must be available, which might not have been ACCOUNTED for at the design stage.”

Another piece of advice Basheer offers to system designers relates to the common air movement problem of odour circulation, which he says can be achieved by electrostatic precipitates and activated carbon AIR PURIFIERS.

“Consultants and clients need to make this mandatory by outlining it in the employer’s requirements and consultant design drawings,” says Basheer.

“What can be seen in several instances in the region is that if they have not been shown in the contract documents, the contractor doesn't install the odour management systems. Later on, if due to the foul smell the contractor is asked to come back to install the same, more often than not what is installed is more or less a quick fix due to spatial constraints and other design constraints that had not been ACCOUNTED for earlier.” 

A more fundamental criticism of those in the region responsible for designing its HVAC SYSTEMS and delivering optimum air movement comes from Khalid A. AlMulhim, Saudi Arabian ASHRAE Chapter officer and HVAC/utilities engineering consultant at Saudi Aramco.

“Designers are not aware of the latest ASHRAE and other industrial related standards,” he says. “They lack knowledge in the minimum requirements for different applications such as OFFICE buildings, hospitals, malls, laboratories, libraries, worship places, airports, computer centres, restaurants etc.

"They do not comply with minimum ASHRAE standard requirements in design, selection, installation and COMMISSIONING. This will lead to many technical issues, including but not limited to the system performance, commissioning, start up, maintenance and client satisfaction etc. If things are done right from the first step, everyone will save time and money.”

To address this gap in technical knowledge AlMulhim encourages the industry to push for widespread training to familiarise designers, as well as contractors and clients, with the latest industrial and international standards such as those of ASHRAE, the Air Movement and Control Association International (AMCA), the Associated Air Balance Council (AABC), the National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB) and the SHEET METAL and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association.

Nevertheless, KEO’s Rammoudeh suggests that standards of HVAC design and installation are slowly improving, due in part, he says, to the efforts of some of the larger consultants and contractors to deliver HVAC SYSTEMS in accordance with recognised standards such as the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), ASHRAE and Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA).

On a more local basis, he also cites the growing influence of Abu Dhabi’s Estidama sustainable design rating and the increased interest in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in the UAE, both of which stipulate standards for internal air quality.

Notwithstanding the value of such standards to maximising the control of air movement, AlMulhim accepts that there may be a case for more bespoke regional ASHRAE standards given the distinctive climatic conditions experienced in the GCC.

“The ASHRAE standards related to air movement are largely sufficient for the Middle East environment,” he says. 

“However, special attention should be given during design to building infiltration, ventilation and AIR FILTRATION in order to overcome our harsh, hot, dusty and humid environment. So building infiltration, ventilation and filtration design standard requirements may need to be developed for our HVAC systems in the region. In addition, preventive maintenance programmes for HVAC systems are neglected in our region, where best practices and guidelines for these need to be developed as well.”

Two Fold Contracting’s Basheer is another advocate for more targeted regional HVAC standards, particularly for contractor’s handling of ducting.

“In the GCC, there is no stringent building codes for duct installations as there are no supervisory authorities like we have for power services and water services,” he says.

“Most GCC building codes fail to address air flow for comfort cooling. A duct system with terrible air flow can pass code inspection in several cities, and probably countries, as long as it is properly sealed and insulated. 
Too many contractors assume that as long as the JOB passes consultant or client inspection, it must be a good duct system. It is important to realise that when we depend on visual inspections to set the benchmark for good and bad, we are building to the lowest level allowed rather than the highest possible quality.”

Meanwhile, Hammoudeh also highlights regional contractors’ failure to take a more active role in ensuring that the HVAC systems being installed here are capable of providing good INDOOR AIR QUALITY. 

“They need to achieve this,” he suggests, “by making the correct sizing and selection of the entire air handling systems, installing the system in accordance with good standards that contribute to the proper cleaning, flushing, control, commissioning and adjustment.” 

Moreover, AlMulhim makes the point that contractors are perhaps given too much leeway by some consultants when it comes to procurement, deviating from specifications for costly but high-quality air system components and selecting 

“manufacturers that may not meet the industry codes, standards and certifications that have been specified in the construction documents”.

AlMulhim also raises the issue of contractor execution and delivery. “There is a lack of quality workmanship among some local contractors. 

They have a limited understanding of the importance of work quality on the site and complete the construction without implementing the standards that are defined in the construction documents as a minimum mandatory requirement to govern the installation of air movement and HVAC SYSTEMS,” he says.

If this delivery of design problem can be resolved, then it will be to the system designers themselves to push the industry forward in the quest for complete air movement control. 

KEO’s Hammoudeh says that at the upper end of modern HVAC DESIGN and the technology, there is no lack of fresh thinking being applied to the problem.

“New HVAC systems designs are using energy efficient, VARIABLE SPEED MOTOR technology for fans and pumps,” he explains.

“They use energy recovery HEAT EXCHANGERS between the supply and extract air streams, amd variable air volume (VAV) air distribution terminals to match the ventilation and cooling provided to each space with the requirements of that space. 

Supply and extract air volumes are adjusted in tandem to maintain the pressure regime in the zone using sophisticated automated controls.

Other COOLING SYSTEMS are also being introduced into the region such as underfloor cooling, radiant panel cooling and displacement ventilation. 

Furthermore, consultants are now are working more closely with manufacturers to ensure the equipment selections adhere to and compliment the design intent for the system.”

AlMulhim is slightly less enthusiastic about the work being done in regional HVAC design, particularly to advance thermal comfort in the Middle East, saying that thinking is often limited to VAV and VARIABLE FREQUENCY DRIVE (VRD) systems, as well as advanced temperature and pressure controls. However, he does highlight some “new innovation” taking place in induction low temperature air diffusers.

The importance of diffusers’ role in controlling air movement is something MZ & Partners’ Sultan also underlines. 

He encourages greater collaboration between the decision-makers in this area and a more considered approach before decisions are made.

“The design must include an adequate supply of ventilation air to the breathing zone of the space and a proper selection of diffusers,” says Sultan.

 “As the choice of diffusers is based on the mechanical engineers and architect, both the engineer and the architect need to work together to make the final selection.

In addition, the ideal selection is dependent on the type and operation of the air supply to the diffuser. Calculation of the air quantity required by the space and the proper diffuser selection, location, and design is one of the important issues concerning air movement.”

Finally, too often overlooked on too many projects, AlMulhim emphasises how a revised approach to COMMISSIONING could go a long way to addressing the region’s problems with air movement.

“COMMISSIONING is very important to minimise the potential for air movement problems,” he says.

“The COMMISSIONING process should start early from the design stage of the project, all the way to the start up and handover of the project. 

A certified commissioning expert should be involved during the design to verify each element of it and the latest standard requirements needed and to enforce and implement the requirements on the construction site.

“The commissioning process task should be stated in detail as part of the construction documents by the project consultant.
This will help the contractor to implement and complete the project while considering all the technical and standard requirements without any technical obstacles or performance difficulties during start up and operation of the HVAC SYSTEM.”

Given the long standing careless attitude to commissioning in the region, AlMulhim’s suggestion may be wishful thinking, but it is perhaps a point that needs repeating enough times by those of influence in the industry before clients, consultants and contractors across the region take it on board.

HVAC SYSTEMS designers and installers can be as good as they come, but if a system is not taken through a prolonged and detailed testing and commissioning programme, then all of that brilliant design and installation work may be for naught. 

The end result: uncomfortable, dissatisfied occupants airing their HVAC grievances to landlords and building owners, all putting a stain on the consultant and contractor’s name with each complaint.