The papals visit last week has generated renewed interest in the Vatican Cityincluding its works of art.

The walled city within the enclave of Rome receives up to 20,000 visitors a day. These huge crowds bring in a mix of dust, body sweat, and carbon dioxide, which end up on the surface of the paintings and can harm them over time.

Earlier this year, the Vatican partnered with Carrier Corporation to install top-end HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) units in the Sistine Chapel in an effort to properly preserve Michelangelos frescoes.

According to Concepcion Building & Industrial Solutions, proper ventilation and heating plays a critical role in preserving works of art.

In light of the oncoming papal visit, our brand is proud to have played a role in helping protect the Vaticans art pieces, said Rajan Komarasu, Group Director of Concepcion Building & Industrial Solutions.

Jointly developed by museum experts and the Carrier Air Conditioning Company, the Vaticans new air-conditioning system regulates humidity and temperature to help preserve some of the most famous art pieces in history.

High-tech cooling for the Sistine Chapel

Carrier installed and designed the Sistine Chapels first air-conditioning units in 1993. At the time, the HVAC system was engineered to accommodate a maximum load of 700 visitors.

Over the last two decades, however, the foot traffic in the renowned chapel has significantly increased. In fact, visits are estimated to have grown by over 300 percent from the 1980s.

To address these changes, Carrier has installed a new system using two AquaForce 30XWV water-cooled chillersan enhanced HVAC system that enables optimum temperature control which prevents climate fluctuations in the process. It also comes with air-filtration technologies that prevent the proliferation of airborne contaminants.

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Carrier cooling solutions help preserve Vatican art pieces

For the past four years, Mendocino College has been developing and growing its Sustainable Technology Program, with ever-increasing interest from students and a need to expand the curriculum.

This semester, staff has responded with a brand new course Introduction to Plumbing, designed to enhance and complement the existing classes.

"All our classes have been very popular. Students have been asking for this course for quite a while," explains Jennifer Riddell, Sustainable Technology Program coordinator.

The dual-course will be co-instructed by two individuals, each bringing a unique level of mastery to the course. Anna Birkas is a hydrologist, green builder and owner of Village Ecosystems, and Sam Halstad, affectionately known as "Sam the Plumber," is a 38-year veteran in the plumbing industry and well-known by longtime residents and businesses.

"This will be a dual-purpose class," says Riddell. "Sam has probably plumbed half the businesses in town, and Anna has a strong background in hydrology. They're going to combine their backgrounds, teaching traditional and alternative plumbing, and how these processes connect to green building," she continues.

"We have the use of an old wreck of a demonstration house. Our long-term goal is to turn it into a showpiece, displaying what we can do," says Riddell. The house was the long-ago dwelling for the college caretaker, built sometime in the 1930s or '40s.

"We're going to be redoing some of the plumbing in the demo house, starting the kitchen remodel, teaching leak detection and pre-heating water under the sink to make home plumbing more sustainable," says Riddell.

The college received a grant for water conservation, which will be used to fund some of the demonstration projects that will take place during the course. Birkas will instruct students in the installation of greywater and rainwater catchment systems.

"We've been getting it down to the sticks, bit by bit," notes Riddell. Hands-on construction work on this house and another tiny house located on campus help students develop the trade skills necessary for future employment in the construction industry.

"We want students to come out with skills that are very desirable to contractors," she continues.

Originally posted here:
'Plumbing' the depths at Mendocino College

Souderton >> The curtain is opening for one request from Montgomery Theater and staying closed for another.

At the Jan. 5 Souderton Borough Council meeting, the theater asked to be allowed to add a banner across Main Street near the theater and for the boroughs help in paying what had been an unanticipated $5,300 bill to fix the heating and cooling system in the theaters rehearsal hall.

The question of adding poles for banners in the downtown area has been raised previously, Borough Manager Mike Coll said at councils Jan. 12 work session.

The only place banners are now sometimes placed is across Main Street near Reliance Road at the entrance to town.

Right now weve been essentially lassoing a banner to two electric poles up here, Coll said.

Installing equipment meant for banners would be a lot more sturdy, he said.

The current placement with the banners at the top of the Main Street hill leaves the banners open to the wind, council President Brian Goshow said.

Council member Jeff Gross said hes concerned that drivers might be distracted by a banner in the downtown area where there are pedestrians crossing the street.

The place now used for banners is near a traffic light, which may be safer and more effective, he said.

If youre near a traffic light, you always have a captive audience, Gross said. Continued...

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Souderton responds to Montgomery Theater requests

The city Department of Health has identified a cluster of cases of Legionnaires' Disease in the Bronx and has discovered the possible cause.

The department held a meeting in Co-op City Tuesday night, where eight people have been diagnosed with the disease since last month.

One of those diagnosed was Brenda Hines' son.

"I was shocked, horrified, because he was in the ICU with it for over, at least nine days with it. So it was very, very scary," Brenda Hines said.

Hundreds came to the meeting to learn about the disease and what happened.

"I think it was Friday afternoon, we were contacted by Department of Health. We had them come out, we allowed them access, we cooperated fully," said Jeff Buss, general counsel for Co-op City. "They did tests. They came back and indicated that there was Legionella bacteria in this cooling tower."

The Department of Health ordered Co-op City officials to decontaminate the towers and shut them down. The cooling tower cools off the turbines that generate electricity for the complex.

"People don't drink that water," Buss said. "It isn't in their heating system, and in fact, even though there is Legionella bacteria in the cooling tower, it is not in the drinking water here

The Department of Health has not concluded that those who contracted Legionnaires' got it from the towers, which are separate structures from the 35 high rises.

However, many residents left the meeting still concerned, knowing that two people in Co-op City were diagnosed with Legionnaires' in the last couple of years.

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Bacteria Causing Legionnaires' Disease Found at Bronx Housing Complex

By Marina WilliamsJan. 15, 2015, 3 p.m.

If the heat and humidity is getting you down, then keep the summertime blues at bay with these cool ideas.

Stay cool and stylish with Kambrook's retro fan in gun-metal grey. Photo: SUPPLIED.

Fujitsu's new Lifestyle Range is more streamlined and quieter. Photo: FILE.

The Kambrook pedestal fan suits larger spaces and comes with a remote. Photo: SUPPLIED.

Fujitsu suggests considering the space when choosing am air-con unit. Photo: FILE.

Ensuring your home has ceiling, wall and floor insulation is one of the most effective and sustainable ways to trap cold air indoors and keep the home at a comfortable temperature throughout summer.

But in reality not all homes are fully insulated, so it is up to homeowners to find other ways to stay cooler on hot and humid days.

Installing air conditioning, blinds and sealing gaps around doors and windows are one of the most popular choices for keeping the heat out and the cool air in. Whilenot everyone is able to install permanent air conditioning units in their house or rental property, Bunnings Warehouse national electrical buyer Jamie OMeara says doing a few small things such as closing blinds can go a long to creating a more energy-efficient cooler home this summer.

Its time to find affordable and practical ways to cool down and prepare for the sweltering heat of the Australian summer, without the hefty electricity bills, Jamie says.

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Staying cool in summer

The combination of 2014 coming to an end and Help Squads unwavering pursuit of the best deals and advice for everyday consumers has resulted in a Best-Of list for you, our cost- and quality- conscious readers. The below-assembled list focuses on household electronics and appliances that offer a combination of the following: a great price point, solid durability, energy efficiency and/or minimal maintenance.

To compile this list, we turned to one of the Chicago areas largest electronics and appliance retailers, Abt Electronics, based in Glenview (with a nationwide sales presence at Abt.com).

Jon Abt, co-president of Abt Electronics, made the following recommendations based upon customer feedback and his companys 2014 product sales.

Media streaming devices Google Chromecast ($35), Apple TV ($95), Roku ($99) Media streaming devices are small boxes that connect to your non-smart TV (a TV that is not Internet-enabled) via the TVs HDMI port for the purpose of accessing Internet-based media content, such as movies, TV shows, music and photos. The way it works is users send their favorite online programming from an app or web site on their smart phone, tablet or laptop to their TVs. Says Jon, These devices provide all the smart for the TV that doesnt have it built-in, and it is a fraction of the price of an actual smart TV.

Samsung LED TVs (example prices: $604 for 40, $690 for 50, $1223 for 60) LED stands for light emitting diode, and LEDs have become the industry standard for flat screen TVs. They are lighter, thinner, produce less heat and use less energy than plasma TVs. And according to Jon, Samsung LED TVs are top sellers because they are long-lasting televisions at a great price point compared with the competition.

Portable Bluetooth speakers Bose ($199-$299), JBL ($50-$250), Beats ($50-$300) These small, battery-operated speakers produce extremely clear, rich sound and connect wirelessly to all Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as smart phones, tablets and MP3 players. Many are no larger than the palm of your hand and have a battery life of up to 14 hours. Other features can include built-in microphones that enable users to answer phone calls and the ability to select tracks and adjust volume from up to 30 feet away. Jons observation is these high quality speakers are available at such a low price point due to this categorys incredibly competitive marketplace. He adds, These speakers produce amazing sound in a very small component.

Nest Learning Thermostat ($249) This is a wi-fi enabled home thermostat that is said to be as easy to install as a light fixture. Following installation, a user answers a few questions, and after a few days of adjusting temperatures up and down, Nest learns the homes heating and cooling schedule. The thermostat even has an auto-away function that knows when everyone has left the house and adjusts the temperature accordingly. Additionally, Nest can be controlled from just about anywhere via a users laptop, tablet or cell phone. Nest is said to be able to reduce a homes heating and cooling bills by up to 20 percent. According to Jon, consumers are moving to this thermostat because, It learns from your schedule, it saves energy when youre away and you can control it from your phone.

Bosch Express Cycle Dishwashers ($594) These dishwashers are the quietest in their class at 50 dBA (decibels), they reduce energy usage by 20 percent, can save up to 280 gallons of water per year compared with other comparable machines and they exceed Energy Star water requirements by 69 percent. Says Jon, These dishwashers are best-sellers because they start at just under $600. They also use the least amount of water compared to other dishwashers and can clean your dishes in half an hour.

Need help? Did a utilities company overcharge you? Did a boutique deny your request for a return? Are you the victim of fraudulent business practices? Is someone just exhibiting bad business behavior? Let Help Squad make the call for you. Send your letters, your complaints, your injustices and your story ideas to HelpSquad@pioneerlocal.com and we will be happy to help you.

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Help Squad: Best Selling, Best Value Electronics and Appliances of 2014

This fall, NStar customers were warned that they could see a 29 percent increase to their electricity bills come January.

If you use the utility, your electricity nightmare might be coming true.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities approved NStars request, so if youre one of their 1 million or so customers in the metro Boston and Cape Cod region, you could be in for a shock when you see your next bill.

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The change which will be in effect until July increases the average residential customers bill by $28, according to the utility. So, the monthly electric bill for the average household in Boston and several nearby municipalities will rise from $95 to $123.

The sudden spike is the result of constraints in the existing regional natural gas pipelines.

Over the past 15 years, natural gas-fired generation has gone from serving 15 percent of New Englanders, to roughly half, according to Northeast Utilities, New Englands largest utility system and NStars parent company. Even though tens of thousands of homes and business have converted to natural gas heating, the pipeline capacity in the region has been keeping pace to deliver it.

Natural gas remains an abundant and inexpensive fuel, NStar spokesperson Rhiannon DAngelo said. But regional pipeline limitations and the growing dependency on gas to produce electricity are pushing the prices higher.

The portion of the customers bills that is increasing is due to the cost NStar must pay power generators (the supplier). It does not affect the cost NStar charges for delivering electricity to homes.

Though delivery charges vary slightly per region, supply charges are increasing to 14.972 cents per kilowatt-hour.

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Electric Bill Shocker: How to Keep Yours Down

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - When the temperatures drop, one bill that usually rises is the heating bill.

Now, a new program by Consumers Energy is helping some homeowners keep those bills in check.

The Helping Neighbors program will send an energy expert to the home of a qualified resident and will search from the basement to the attic for ways to help homeowners save money.

They'll check the heating and cooling systems, water spigots, and make suggestions.

"Directly install measures that will help the customer reduce the energy use in the house, and therefore saving them money," explained Darlene Kusterer, with Consumers Energy.

There are certain income and household requirements for the program.

To find out if you qualify, click here. http://www.consumershelpingneighbors.com/

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Consumers offers program to help people find savings

Antonelli Landscape hiring for Design & Sales Antonelli Landscape hiring for Design & Sales

Updated: Thursday, January 8 2015 1:43 PM EST2015-01-08 18:43:14 GMT

Antonelli Landscape in Washington Township is looking for a skilled professional to join the company. As you work with our team, you will learn how to become an expert in both hardscape and softscape arrangement. Full-time (40 hrs per week) -Overtime hours available encouraged during peak season.

Antonelli Landscape in Washington Township is looking for a skilled professional to join the company. As you work with our team, you will learn how to become an expert in both hardscape and softscape arrangement. Full-time (40 hrs per week) -Overtime hours available encouraged during peak season.

Updated: Wednesday, January 7 2015 12:31 PM EST2015-01-07 17:31:29 GMT

Unique Systems Design, Inc., a premier Engineering Services, Software Development and Talent Management Acquisition provider has over 60 direct-hire positions, in-house positions, or on-site positions available. Most of the opportunities are in the metro-Detroit area. USDI serves major automotive manufacturers, automotive suppliers and manufacturing industries.

Unique Systems Design, Inc., a premier Engineering Services, Software Development and Talent Management Acquisition provider has over 60 direct-hire positions, in-house positions, or on-site positions available. Most of the opportunities are in the metro-Detroit area. USDI serves major automotive manufacturers, automotive suppliers and manufacturing industries.

Updated: Tuesday, January 6 2015 1:55 PM EST2015-01-06 18:55:37 GMT

Angels' Place is looking to hire Direct Care professionals in 2015. The nonprofit organization provides people-centered services, including homes and professional support, for adults with developmental disabilities.

Angels' Place is looking to hire Direct Care professionals in 2015. The nonprofit organization provides people-centered services, including homes and professional support, for adults with developmental disabilities.

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Angels' Place looking for new hires, job fair Jan. 24

Washington, DC (PRWEB) January 06, 2015

Signaling the growing importance of solar energy to Americas future, the widely read and cited annual State of American Energy Report released today by the American Petroleum Institute (API) includes, for the first time ever, a comprehensive section on the rapid growth of the U.S. solar energy industry and its impact on our nations economy and environment.

According to the report, which included an assist from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), solar is now the fastest-growing source of renewable energy in America. Today, the U.S. has an estimated 20.2 GW of installed solar capacity, enough to effectively power nearly 4 million homes in the United States or every single home in a state the size of Massachusetts or New Jersey with another 20 GW in the pipeline for 2015-16.

The report went on to say, Solar energy is now more affordable than ever. According to SEIA/GTM Research, national blended average system prices have dropped 53 percent since 2010. Today, the solar industry employs 143,000 Americans and pumps more than $15 billion a year into the U.S. economy. This remarkable growth is due, in large part, to smart and effective public policies, such as the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), Net Energy Metering (NEM) and Renewable Energy Standards (RES).

The impact of solar energy on the environment has been equally impressive. Solar helped to offset an estimated 20 million metric tons of harmful CO2 emissions in 2014, which is the equivalent of taking four million cars off U.S. highways, saving 2.1 billion gallons of gasoline or shuttering five coal-fired power plants, the report stated. When looking at Americas energy future, solar can be a real game changer, providing more and more homes, businesses, schools and government entities across the United States with clean, reliable and affordable electricity, while also helping states to meet proposed new obligations under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act.

Most importantly, the report predicted strong, continued growth in all sectors of the U.S. solar industry residential, commercial, utility-scale and solar heating and cooling over the next two years.

The United States is in the midst of a new era in domestic energy abundance characterized by rising use of renewable energy and increased oil and natural gas production that is strengthening our economic outlook and enabling America to emerge as a global energy superpower, said API President and CEO Jack Gerard. Its a remarkable transformation that has been made possible because America is uniquely rich in energy resources, a talented workforce and cutting-edge energy technologies."

Solar energy is one of Americas great success stories, said SEIA President and CEO Rhone Resch. Last year, solar installations were 70 times higher than they were in 2006 and today theres nearly 30 times more solar capacity online nationwide. Weve gone from being an $800 million industry in 2006 to a $15 billion industry today. The price to install a solar rooftop system has been cut in half, while utility systems have dropped by 70 percent. It took the U.S. solar industry 40 years to install the first 20 GW of solar. Now, were going to install the next 20 GW in the next two years. In fact, during every single week of 2015, were going to install more capacity than what we did during the entire year in 2006. Any way you look at it, solar energy is paying huge dividends for the economy, our environment and Americas future.

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Solar Featured in New 'State of American Energy Report'