An administrative law judge of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission upheld citations and a total of $6,013 in penalties assessed against a Georgia roofing company whose employees were not wearing fall protection.

Two compliance safety and health officers from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration observed a group of men working on a hotel roof in Columbus, Georgia, while driving past the worksite in June 2016, according to a commission document. The inspectors initiated an inspection and called the men down off the roof. As they descended in an aerial lift, the men did not have on harnesses and were not tied off to the lift.

The inspectors later discovered the men worked for Atlanta-based Empire Roofing Company of Georgia Inc. and had been applying a sealing material to the roof, exposing them to a 40-foot fall, according to the document. Based on the inspection, OSHA issued a serious citation alleging two violations and an other than serious citation for failing to ensure employees wore a personal fall arrest system while riding in the aerial lift, for not ensuring employees were protected from falls while working on the roof of the building and for failing to train at least one employee on the chemicals used onsite.

Empire appealed the citations and proposed fines, contending that the employees failure to tie off was the result of unpreventable employee misconduct and that all employees were appropriately trained. But the judge ruled that the employer did not meet the burden to use the defense, which requires more rigorous proof of employee misconduct since supervisors have a duty to protect their employees.

It is not enough that Empire detected violations, the judge wrote. Empire must also have taken steps to correct violations through effective enforcement of its rules.

The commission has adopted the administrative law judges decision as a final order as of June 21.

A company spokesperson and attorney could not be immediately reached for comment.

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Fall protection citations upheld against roofing company - Business Insurance

KFDM Investigates: Homeowner's roofing repairs

KFDM Investigates - Roofing repairs:

On one side: An unsatisfied customer.

On the other: The owner of a roofing company.

The two sides tried to settle their differences, but could not reach an agreement.

KFDM's Elaine Kong looked into the dispute, and what she learned may help you to avoid a similar situation.

We also reached out to the BBB, which confirmed that both sides did show up for mediation.

However, the BBB says later they did not hear back from the homeowner and the business.

The BBB says before you hire someone, contact the BBB. Officials say they will be glad to help consumers and explain what to look for when hiring a business.

If you have a problem that you need resolved, you can email us at: news@kfdm.com

And, we will investigate.

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KFDM Investigates: Homeowner's roofing repairs | KFDM - KFDM-TV News

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DENVER -- It is summer but the remnants of that huge hailstorm in May are still causing headaches for those hit hard in Northwest Denver.

Homeowners need to avoid a common misunderstanding that can stall efforts to repair damage.

Callie Smith-Gallegos called the Problem Solvers when an issue with her mortgage company stalled her roof repair project, the last thing she expected, or needed, after hail ripped apart the exterior of her home. Our entire carport is gone.

Gallegos hired Citywide Roofing and Exteriors on June 2nd after getting several positive recommendations from friends.

The Problem Solvers learned that Gallegoss mortgage company was holding up the check needed for the job.

Citywide Roofing and Exteriors is in excellent standing with the Colorado Secretary of States office and maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

It turns out that confusion stemming from several companies working together can very often cause tie-ups. Gallegos says she will stick with Citywide Roofing and Exteriors and looks forward to the job being finished.

Jeffrey Hillyer, the companys owner, issued this statement to FOX31 saying, I feel that there was a problem with the communication of who was responsible for what. When dealing with the insurance company the mortgage company, and the people involved with completing this process, there was definitely a breakdown with the communication between all parties. We have since spoken with Mrs. Smith and we have agreed to move forward with the work. I truly regret if we caused anyone any unnecessary inconvenience. As owner of Citywide Roofing & Exteriors, I work very hard to ensure that our employees are offering the very best service possible to our customers, and that we do what we say we are going to do. Customer satisfaction is a priority for me.

Experts say any roofing company can fall victim to complications involving red tape when it comes to insurance claims.

To speed along any type of repair job after a claim is made, homeowners should stay in constant communication with the insurance, mortgage and roofing company to get a realistic idea of how long it will likely take to have hail damage repaired.

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Common problem can slow down hail damage repairs to homes - FOX31 Denver

View overlooking the Pacific Ocean through the Salk Institute courtyard. (Courtesy Elizabeth Daniels) The Getty Conservation Institute and architects Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. have completed restoration work on the teak window walls of Louis Kahns Salk Institute complex. (Courtesy Elizabeth Daniels) The Getty Conservation Institute and architects Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. have completed restoration work on the teak window walls of Louis Kahns Salk Institute complex. (Courtesy Elizabeth Daniels) View at night overlooking the Pacific Ocean through the Salk Institute courtyard. (Courtesy Elizabeth Daniels) The Getty Conservation Institute and architects Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. have completed restoration work on the teak window walls of Louis Kahns Salk Institute complex. (Courtesy Elizabeth Daniels) The existing 203 East Asian Teak wooden window assemblies were restored via a process that included the construction of elaborate mock-ups and the replacement of like-for-like components. (Courtesy Elizabeth Daniels) The existing 203 East Asian Teak wooden window assemblies were restored via a process that included the construction of elaborate mock-ups and the replacement of like-for-like components. (Courtesy Elizabeth Daniels) The Getty Conservation Institute and architects Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. have completed restoration work on the teak window walls of Louis Kahns Salk Institute complex. (Courtesy Elizabeth Daniels)

The Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) and New Yorkbased architecture firm Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) have completed restoration work on the iconic Southeast Asian Teak window wall assembly units at Louis KahnsSalk Institute.

The restoration work began in 2013 and was funded by theGCIs Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative.

The existing 203 East Asian Teak wooden window assemblies were restored via a process that included the construction of elaborate mock-ups and the replacement of like-for-like components. (Courtesy Elizabeth Daniels)

According to a press release, the restoration team focused on rehabilitating the nearly 70-year old custom-built wall panels, the elements of the complex that had most visibly fallen into disrepair over the decades. The panel systems had suffered from the inconsistent application of artificial sealers and finishes over the years, in addition to varying degrees of insect infestation and moisture infiltration, including a lack of flashing and weather stripping in certain areas. The project team also sought to relieve some of the 203 paneling modules of a fungal biofilm that had formed over boards along certain exposures.

Roughly two-thirds of the existing wood materials were retained through the restoration, a process that included redesigning certain components that were not performing adequately with regards to contemporary flashing and weather stripping techniques. (Courtesy Elizabeth Daniels)

Despite these maladies, the restoration team was able to save over two-thirds of the original wood. Kyle Normandin, WJE project manager and associate principal, said the success of the project is that we were able to save so much of the original material, a feat that required a multi-pronged approach that included performing historical research, constructing scale mock-ups, and developing a comprehensive set of construction documents in order to detail the restoration work. The scope of intervention on the existing components spanned from mere cleaning and minor repairs to complete removal and replacement using like-for-like materials. Certain portions of the window assemblies were also redesigned to better reflect the vast improvements in insulation and energy conservation practices that have taken place since the Salk Institute was originally built.

Tim Ball, senior director of facility services at the Salk Institute, highlighted the impact the improvements will have on the facility, saying the teak will last a minimum of 50 to 70 years more thanks to the conservation plan.

View at night overlooking the Pacific Ocean through the Salk Institute courtyard. (Courtesy Elizabeth Daniels)

In a statement, Tim Whalen, director of the Getty Conservation Institute, praised the outcome of the project as an excellent example of what can be achieved when architects, scientists, and conservators are given the resources and time needed to develop practical solutions. Whalen added that the project demonstrates how best-practice conservation methodologies can be applied to future projects at the Salk and other works of modern architecture, a precedent that will surely come in handy as the Salk Institute attempts to restore the concrete portions of the complex, which have also begun to show signs of aging.

The Institute recently launched a new architectural preservation-focused endowment fund that will focus on restoring these building components moving forward. To aid in the effort, WJE and consultants Peter Inskip + Peter Jenkins Architects have developed a comprehensive conservation management plan to guide the long-term care and restoration of the Salk Institute complex. The plan was funded by the Getty Foundations Keeping it Modern Initiative.

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Restoration work on teak paneling at Salk Institute is complete - The Architect's Newspaper

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The transfer window is open, and as the clock ticks down to the August 31 deadline, so the anticipation builds about the playersChelsea will or won't sign this summer.

Thus far, for all the rumours, there has been little activity at Stamford Bridge. It's been all mouth and no action, with the headlines not being backed up by solid news of player arrivals and departures.

Are Chelsea biding their time to announce the first signing? Are the Blues carefully planning their moves to position themselves as Premier League favourites in 2017/18? Are they without a plan?

Time will answer those questions, but as we anticipate what is to come, Bleacher Report looks at some of the best and worst moves Chelsea could make this summer.

Worst Move No. 1: Needlessly Sell Diego Costa

Chelsea's summer is shaping up to be one of texts, buys and videotape. And Diego Costa has been at the heart of it.

Will he stay, or will he go? That's what we've all been asking since the end of the 2016/17 campaign. Costa has fanned the flames, notably with his revelation that Chelsea boss Antonio Conte sent him a text message to confirm he is no longer needed at Stamford Bridge.

"You are not in my plan," was how Conte signed off his message to Costa, according to Luis Nieto ofAS. Should that be the case, it's a crying shame.

For all the negative headlines that surround the Spain international, his talent cannot be denied. He is an exceptional striker who has broken all sorts of records in his three seasons at Chelsea. He is a proven goalscorer, and players of his ilk are tough to unearth.

Not only that, but Costa's style lends itself to the way Chelsea play football. He's on the edge, pushing back the boundaries and limits of what's allowed, which is how this Blues side has been at its best.

Conte revolutionised the way Chelsea play last term. Unless he can bring in another striker to bully defenders in the way Costa does, allowing him to leave would be folly of the highest order.

The problem wasn't the forward last season; the issue Chelsea faced is he couldn't be dropped simply because there was no replacement to lead the line. His form suffered from January to March, yet he couldn't be rested.

Give him a proper supporting frontman,and we'll see the difference he can make. He's on the brink of greatness at Chelsea, and the club should be doing everything it can to repair any damage between player and manager.

Best Move: No. 1 Don't Sign Players Who Will Block the Youth Pathway

When Bertrand Traore was recently presented by Olympique Lyonnais as their latest capture, he was left echoing the sentiments of so many young Chelsea players before him.

"I wouldn't have got a fair chance," he said of the prospects of remaining at Stamford Bridge during his first press conference as a Lyon player. That has been the case for too long,and we've seen Chelsea miss out on some big stars who have departed prematurely.

That has to stop. The Blues have a generation of players coming through that is undoubtedly talented, and it has to be given a chance to flourish at the highest level. If not, why else invest in an academy that dominates English youth football?

We understand there is a commercial aspect. Not all of those young players will become Chelsea first-teamers, and like Traore (although he wasn't an academy product), they will be sold on to raise money for future signings. It's the club's way of competing in the modern market and utilising the resources they have to funnel success through to where it matters most.

But equally, the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Nathaniel Chalobah, Lewis Baker, Andreas Christensen, Tammy Abraham and so many others deserve to be given the opportunity to show they can be Chelsea players.

It's time the transfer policy acknowledged that. Chelsea are competing at an elite level, and that territory demands investment in elite playersin the transfer market. It shouldn't come at a cost of blocking the pathway for emerging talent, however. It shouldn't be about short-term gains that damage long-term success.

When Chelsea are being linked with players such as Middlesbrough'sAdama Traore by Sky Sports, it makes you wonder what must be going through the minds of the club's best youth prospects.

There's no time like the present to address these big problems.

Worst Move No. 2: Procrastinate

After preaching the youth doctrine, we go ahead and contradict ourselves by stating Chelsea can't afford to act slowly in the transfer market this summer.

As acknowledged, though, there is a need for any club to invest in players who can make an instant impact. It isn't just about flooding the first team with young hopefuls and waiting for them to sink or swim.

Chelsea would have outlined their transfer targets for this summer well before the season ended with Conte lifting the Premier League trophy at Stamford Bridge. There would have been meetings to identify those who were deemed attainable, and budgets would have been drafted.

Now the Blues have to act. They have procrastinated in the past, and what did that give them? Well, it happened that recently that you don't need a long-term memory to recall the situation.

After winning the 2014/15 Premier League title at a canter, Chelsea seemed to rest on their laurels. They were slow in bringing in new faces to freshen up Jose Mourinho's squad, which left them dramatically short on reinforcements.

Eventually, they got Papy Djilobodji on transfer deadline day. By December, Mourinho had been sacked for a second time. It left Chelsea in disarray, and they finished 10th and failed to qualify for European football.

By appointing Conte, they somehow got themselves out of jail. The circumstances that led to all of that happening can't be repeated. The club can't allow a manager of Conte's talents to leave under the same cloud as Mourinho. It would be catastrophic.

Best Move No. 1: Promote Talented Loan Players

Here we are, pushing that youth line again. We're not repeating ourselves, though.

As well as working to create that pathway for those in the academy, Chelsea have to look at what they have available and ready for the first team this summer. It could save them millions now and in the future when they realise the mistake in selling a player only to buy him back at a greater cost.

After all, that is what is dominating headlineswith ex-Blues strikerRomelu Lukaku.

There have been some damning column inches dedicated to Chelsea's manipulation of the loan system in recent years. Last season, the club had 37 players dotted around Europe on temporary deals elsewhere.

In the past, that has created a healthy revenue stream. But this summer seems to be the one when it can prevent Chelsea buying and selling.

What Conte is looking for in the market isn't so much upgrades on the players who won him the title but players who can support them throughout 2017/18. That means identifying those who aren't necessarily starting every match, more ready to be rotated in when fixture congestionbegins to bite.

Why spend money when the likes of Baker and Christensen are returning after two years away in the Netherlands and Germany respectively, where they impressed?

Incidentally, Baker and Christensen operate in areas of the pitch where Chelsea need to add numbers. They lack attacking midfielders and bodies at the back.Conte needs to bring in at least two defenders to strengthen his back three, especially now John Terry has departed.

It's not a sentimental gesture, as Baker and Christensen have shown themselves to be of the standard Chelsea require in their squad. Don't spend millions replacing them; allow them to prove themselves.

Who knows? It might just work.

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Best and Worst Moves Chelsea Could Make in the Transfer Window - Bleacher Report

Bruce Dachis will install seven apartment units on top of his existing building at 29th & Bryant.

Prefabricated apartment units are coming to the Wedge.

Developer Bruce Dachis is planning to install seven apartment pods atop his three-story commercial building at 29th & Bryant, just south of the Midtown Greenway. The units will be built off site and placed atop the building via crane.

The project will include one studio apartment, five two-bedroom, two-story apartments and a seventh unit in which Dachis will live. It wont displace any of the building tenants, which include Soo Visual Arts Center, Awaken Pilates Studio and R&M Diamonds, among others.

Im basically building this because I want a place to live, Dachis said.

Dachis estimated that the two-bedroom units would cost $2,500 a month. The studio would cost about half of that, he said.

We think were really competitive in that price range, he said.

Dachis will extend the staircases and elevators up to accommodate the addition. The project also will include a two-car parking garage and closing the curb along Bryant Avenue. Residents will park in an outdoor lot already on the property.

The units could be placed on the building as soon as this fall, Dachis said.

Features will include decks that run the length of the units and high-efficiency furnaces and glass, which will contribute to a small energy footprint, Dachis said. His unit will have a aluminum skin, while the remaining unit will have a charcoal color.

Were using industrial material but in a contemporary design, Dachis said. We think this will be a cool art piece.

Dachis is working with St. Paul architecture firm Alchemy, which has built about 50 prefabricated projects since 2002. The weeHouses, as Alchemy calls them, are built in factories and delivered by flatbed truck to the sites. It takes the firm about nine months to complete projects from start to finish.

weeHouses consist of individual pods that are either 14 or 16 feet long and up to 60 feet wide. The pods can function as stand-alone units or can be combined to create large dwellings. Dachis project will include about 15 pods, for example.

Its really a small, efficient, sort of tool box of a structure, Alchemy founder Geoffrey Warner said.

A one-pod unit can include up to three bedrooms and two bathrooms, according to Warner. Two- and three-pod units are typically between 1,200 and 1,600 square feet, while four-pod units run between 1,8000 and 2,400 square feet.

The pods arrive on site between 80 and 90 percent complete and come standard with small porches and all interior plumbing, electrical, cabinetry, hardwood flooring, windows and doors. Heating and cooling systems and garages can be added.

Modular work starts at $80,000 and runs up to $300,000, according to the Alchemy website. Other costs include site work, delivery, unit placement and land. Alchemy charges a 15 percent fee on top of that.

Alchemys website touts the weeHouses as consuming less energy and having fewer greenhouse gas than a standard home. The firm can incorporate sustainability features such as rainwater collection, passive solar heating and solar panels into the projects.

Mary Bujold, president of Golden Valley-based Maxfield Research & Consulting, said there have been several groups trying to encourage more builders to build prefabricated units. She predicted that more developers are going to consider it, in order to save costs.

I think that theyve really improved the whole prefabrication thing, she said.

The Minneapolis Planning Commission on June 26 approved a conditional-use permit for the Dachis project, allowing him to increase the height of the building from four to five stories. It also approved a variance to reduce the setback on the south side of the building.

The Wedge Neighborhood Association board has supported the project, according to Vice President Katie Jones Schmitt.

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Developer to install seven prefabricated apartment units at 29th & Bryant - Southwest Journal

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) The business that provides heating and cooling for most of the buildings in downtown Youngstown is in such bad financial shape, a state agency has stepped in to help.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio voted Friday to provide some help to the Youngstown Thermal Company. The meeting in Columbus lasted a short two and half minutes but created the process for a long-term plan to fix its finances.

In very short order, the PUCO staff conducted a review of Youngstown Thermals finances and determined that the utility is insolvent or in the imminent danger of insolvency, said PUCO Chairman Asim Haque.

The commission voted to ask Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine to seek the appointment of a receiver to solve the companys financial problems.

A PUCO investigation showed cash flow problems, utility disconnect notices, missed payroll, and a failure to pay debts.

Youngstown Thermal provides the steam that heats and cools most of downtown Youngstown, including city hall.

I would imagine with this receivership in place, at some point in time, it could be sold, it could be run by somebody else, Haque said.

But even with the PUCO using words like insolvency, Youngstown Thermal CEO Carl Avers said theres no immediate threat of the company closing.

The Public Utility Commissions responsibility is to continue service so there is no concern about the discontinuing of service of any kind, Haque said.

Late Friday afternoon, Avers emailed WKBN a statement, saying Youngstown Thermal has saved businesses $5 million a year in fuel costs for most of the last 35 years:

Some of our managers reactivated coal use with a clean coal technology burning operation at Youngstown Thermal in 1980 when Youngstown Thermal acquired the then fuel oil burning North Avenue Steam Plant from Ohio Edison. From 1979 to 2007 Youngstown Thermal saved the Central Business District approximately $140,000,000 in fuel savings. This reactivation was made possible with the installation of the then state-of-the-art pollution control systems which turned out to be the fore runner of todays most modern coal burning systems. Youngstown State University, City Buildings, County Buildings, YMCA and most of downtowns CBD have been the benefactor of low cost fuels not technically possible without a district steam network. Youngstown Thermal steam rates historically have been among the lowest steam rates in the country and provided an economic incentive for Youngstowns Central Business District. In 2006 it would have cost $5,000,000 more each year if the CBD buildings used natural gas for their fuel source for heating instead of clean coal.Incidentally in about 2008 the combustion/control technology at Youngstown Thermal was adopted as best available technology for theState of Pennsylvania.

Avers said he asked the PUCO to put Youngstown Thermal in receivership, in part because he said four companies which he would not identify owe him a million dollars and he hopes receivership will help him collect the money.

Youngstown Mayor John McNally said the Attorney General will likely begin legal proceedings in a week or so in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

I actually think this is a good thing to happen. I think its something that us here in city hall have quietly been waiting to see happen over the past two years, McNally said.

It isnt yet known if the receivership will be a single person or more than one person. Thats up to the judge.

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Company heating, cooling downtown Youngstown in financial trouble - WKBN.com

STEUBENVILLE After receiving an estimate for a new heating, air conditioning and ventilation system for the Ohio Valley Towers building, the Jefferson County commissioners are expected to take a loan for the project.

The commissioners on Thursday received an estimate of more than $2 million to replace the buildings current system. The estimate came from McKinley and Associates of Wheeling, the commissions architectural consultant, which found controls and ductwork must be redesigned and reconfigured to meet the buildings heating and cooling needs.

Commissioner David Maple told his fellow commissioners, Were going to have to go after a loan and probably soon.

Following the meeting, Maple said the buildings existing HVAC system is aging and the commissioners had to bring in an exterior air conditioning unit to cool it. He acknowledged they also face extensive repairs or replacement of the buildings roof.

Maple said the commissioners also might draw on $500,000 remaining from a loan taken for earlier improvements to the building and the demolition of the courthouse annex.

Mark Morelli of Optional Utility Consultants, an energy broker for the county, noted a reduction in energy use since more energy-efficient boilers and lighting were installed at the building. In the near future Morelli is expected to propose the renewal of a three-year contract for the buildings electrical supply.

The Towers building also has helped to save the county money by bringing many of its departments and agencies under one roof.

Commissioner Thomas Graham said the Ohio State University Extension Service and the countys port authority will be moving into the building soon.

The commissioners also granted a request from Mingo Junction for $10,000 from the countys recreation fund to offset the cost for the villages amphitheater project, installation of a non-slip surface for the swimming pools dressing areas and repairs to a shelter house at the park.

Village Administrator Bob Smith said the project had to be redesigned because it would have disturbed a drainage system along the adjacent hillside, but is back on track and expected to be completed this summer.

Money in the recreation fund comes from the countys piggyback tax.

In related business, Island Creek Township trustees advised they used about $2,560 of $4,046 allocated from the fund for the Pleasant Hill ballfield for an emergency measure replacing a collapsing well house supplying water to the park with a submersible pump. The trustees said the remainder of the money was used to reimburse the Pleasant Hill Baseball Association for field mix.

In other business, the commissioners:

Agreed to advertise for a contractor to pave a parking lot at the annexs former site. The commissioners said the lot will include about 37 spaces, most of them for residents visiting the courthouse.

Accepted a $14,236 drug law enforcement grant from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services for the countys drug task force, with the task force to provide the 25 percent match from its budget. Its the fifth consecutive year the task force has received the grant.

Received three bids for a bridge replacement project on county Road 75: $829,000 from A.P. OHoro of Youngstown; $816,180 from Shelly and Sands of Rayland; and $747,463 from BOG Construction of Berlin Center. The bids were referred to the county engineer for review.

Approved a proclamation declaring Thursday as Betty Ferron Day in recognition of her 50 years of service as a county employee and volunteer. They noted that in addition to her role as director of the countys director of job and family services, Ferron has volunteered for the Jefferson County Fourth Street Health Center and other causes.

Appointed Todd Phillipson, Dave Lucas, Karla Martin and Rich Gualtire to the Jefferson County Youth Council and Kyle Brown, Karen DAnnibale, Nicholas Cacciacarro, Randy Stillings and Martin to the work force investment board. All will serve three-year terms.

All of the appointments are renewals except for Martin, who is the new coordinator of the Aspire GED program at Eastern Gateway Community College, and Cacciacarro, who is PNC Banks new representative to the work force investment board.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)

HAMMONDSVILLE Edison High School will have a new assistant principal when the 2017-18 school year begins, ...

ST. CLAIRSVILLE Through fracking, pipelining, processing, abstracting, manufacturing and other fields, natural ...

Area fireworks Cadiz: Dusk tonight, Sally Buffalo Park Chester: 10 p.m. Tuesday. Steubenville: 9:45 p.m. ...

Two sentenced for related crimes STEUBENVILLE A Steubenville woman and man each were sentenced to two years ...

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Commissioners mull loan for HVAC project at the Towers - The Steubenville Herald-Star

Smart windows equipped with controllable glazing can augment lighting, cooling and heating systems by varying their tint, saving up to 40 percent in an average building's energy costs.

These smart windows require power for operation, so they are relatively complicated to install in existing buildings. But by applying a new solar cell technology, researchers at Princeton University have developed a different type of smart window: a self-powered version that promises to be inexpensive and easy to apply to existing windows. This system features solar cells that selectively absorb near-ultraviolet (near-UV) light, so the new windows are completely self-powered.

"Sunlight is a mixture of electromagnetic radiation made up of near-UV rays, visible light, and infrared energy, or heat," said Yueh-Lin (Lynn) Loo, director of the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, and the Theodora D. '78 and William H. Walton III '74 Professor in Engineering. "We wanted the smart window to dynamically control the amount of natural light and heat that can come inside, saving on energy cost and making the space more comfortable."

Graduate student Nicholas Davy holds a sample of the special window glass, whichharvests one portion of the light spectrum to control other parts of the spectrum. Specifically, it uses near-ultraviolet light to generate electricity, which powers chemical reactions that lighten or darken the glass as needed. When darkened, the window can block more than 80 percent of light.

The smart window controls the transmission of visible light and infrared heat into the building, while the new type of solar cell uses near-UV light to power the system.

"This new technology is actually smart management of the entire spectrum of sunlight," said Loo, who is a professor of chemical and biological engineering. Loo is one of the authors of a paper, published June 30, that describes this technology, which was developed in her lab.

Because near-UV light is invisible to the human eye, the researchers set out to harness it for the electrical energy needed to activate the tinting technology.

"Using near-UV light to power these windows means that the solar cells can be transparent and occupy the same footprint of the window without competing for the same spectral range or imposing aesthetic and design constraints," Loo added. "Typical solar cells made of silicon are black because they absorb all visible light and some infrared heat so those would be unsuitable for this application."

In the paper published today in Nature Energy, the researchers described how they used organic semiconductors contorted hexabenzocoronene (cHBC) derivatives for constructing the solar cells. The researchers chose the material because its chemical structure could be modified to absorb a narrow range of wavelengths in this case, near-UV light. To construct the solar cell, the semiconductor molecules are deposited as thin films on glass with the same production methods used by organic light-emitting diode manufacturers. When the solar cell is operational, sunlight excites the cHBC semiconductors to produce electricity.

At the same time, the researchers constructed a smart window consisting of electrochromic polymers, which control the tint, and can be operated solely using power produced by the solar cell. When near-UV light from the sun generates an electrical charge in the solar cell, the charge triggers a reaction in the electrochromic window, causing it to change from clear to dark blue. When darkened, the window can block more than 80 percent of light.

Nicholas Davy, a doctoral student in the chemical and biological engineering department and the paper's lead author, said other researchers have already developed transparent solar cells, but those target infrared energy. However, infrared energy carries heat, so using it to generate electricity can conflict with a smart windows function of controlling the flow of heat in or out of a building. Transparent near-UV solar cells, on the other hand, don't generate as much power as the infrared version, but dont impede the transmission of infrared radiation, so they complement the smart windows task.

Davy said that the Princeton teams aim is to create a flexible version of the solar-powered smart window system that can be applied to existing windows via lamination.

"Someone in their house or apartment could take these wireless smart window laminates which could have a sticky backing that is peeled off and install them on the interior of their windows," said Davy. "Then you could control the sunlight passing into your home using an app on your phone, thereby instantly improving energy efficiency, comfort and privacy.

Joseph Berry, senior research scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, who studies solar cells but was not involved in the research, said the project is interesting because the device scales well and targets a specific part of the solar spectrum.

"Integrating the solar cells into the smart windows makes them more attractive for retrofits and you don't have to deal with wiring power," said Berry. "And the voltage performance is quite good. The voltage they have been able to produce can drive electronic devices directly, which is technologically quite interesting."

Davy and Loo have started a new company, called Andluca Technologies, based on the technology described in the paper, and are already exploring other applications for the transparent solar cells. They explained that the near-UV solar cell technology can also power internet-of-things sensors and other low-power consumer products.

"It does not generate enough power for a car, but it can provide auxiliary power for smaller devices, for example, a fan to cool the car while its parked in the hot sun," Loo said.

Besides Loo and Davy, Melda Sezen-Edmonds, a graduate student in chemical and biological engineering, is the co-author responsible for the electrochromic portion of the paper. Other authors are Jia Gao, a postdoctoral researcher in Loos group then, now with Enablence Technologies in California; Xin Lin, a graduate student in electrical engineering; Amy Liu, an undergraduate in computer science; Nan Yao, director of Princeton's Imaging and Analysis Center; and Antoine Kahn, the Stephen C. Macaleer '63 Professor in Engineering and Applied Science and vice dean of Princeton's School of Engineering and Applied Science. Support for the project was provided in part by the National Science Foundation as well as the Wilke Family Fund administered by the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Princeton.

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Self-powered system makes smart windows smarter - Princeton University

Democrats on a U.S. congressional committee have asked the president of a company that oversaw the maintenance of FEMA trailers issued to victims of Louisiana's historic floods in August whether he wants to change or withdraw testimony he made that absolved his company of knowledge that some of the manufactured homes had malfunctioning thermostats.

One of those malfunctioning thermostats is being blamed in the death of a blind military vet, a flood victim who was found dead inside one of the trailers in Baton Rouge.

The Democratic members of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform asserted they have obtained documents that contradict statements David Boone made under oath when he claimed that he wasn't aware of any issues with the thermostats until after the death of Everett Wilson.

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Boone is the president of Capital Services, formerly called Chicago Bridge & Iron Federal Services. The company was sold Friday to private equity firm Veritas Capital.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency contracted with Capital Services to haul, install and maintain the manufactured housing units issued to residents displaced after the devastating floods.

Liza Kelso, the company's spokeswoman, acknowledged receipt of the letter and said they are reviewing the matter and will provide an appropriate response to committee members.

"However, we strongly disagree with any suggestion that false testimony was proffered by Mr. Boone during that hearing," Kelso said in an email Friday. "Various FEMA officials continue to pay compliments to the Capital Services team for the outstanding work in helping the Baton Rouge community recovery from this disaster."

Wilson, an 84-year-old blind U.S. Air Force veteran, was found on Oct. 25 unresponsive in a bed inside the trailer provided to him by FEMA after the August floods. He died from accidental hyperthermia, or overheating.

The temperature inside the mobile home at the time of his death registered at 124.4 degrees fahrenheit, and air coming out of the vents of the trailer's heating and air unit measured as high as 137.9 degrees, officials said previously.

Wilson's caretaker had made calls to authorities to fix the unit's heating and cooling system.

Boone claimed his company fully complied with all its contracted responsibilities from FEMA during an Oversight Committee hearing April 5.

The letter to Boone rehashes a portion of his testimony in which Boone claimed the company had only received "positive comments and glowing accolades" from FEMA about their performance under the contract.

"These claims are overwhelmingly contradicted by numerous documents obtained by the Committee," the letter states. "These documents leave no doubt that your company received significant criticism from FEMA for failing to meet its contractual maintenance obligations and to properly staff and run the maintenance hotline the lifeline that victims relied on to report problems with their housing units."

The committee's Democrats also claims they obtained documents showing that Capital Services knew from August 2016 that multiple thermostats were malfunctioning in the same manner as Wilson's was in his housing unit.

The letter says members of the committee gave Boone multiple opportunities to revise or retract his statements during the April hearing since some of the documents were obtained prior to his testimony.

"Should you decline to take advantage of this opportunity, we may consider alternative measures," the letter states. "Testifying before Congress is a serious endeavor, and the Committee relies on witnesses to be truthful at all times to assist our oversight efforts and ensure that the American people are well-served."

Follow Terry Jones on Twitter, @tjonesreporter.

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Democrats on US House committee: How much did company know about thermostat problems in FEMA trailers - The Advocate