By Shirley Ruedy, correspondent

Editors note: This is the second of a two-part series showcasing two homes built in Vinton more than a century apart.

VINTON Its the house that Roger and Barb Beau built in more ways than one.

It sits on the crest of a hill on 1.1 acres overlooking a bucolic panorama of the Iowa landscape: green fields mantled with waving corn, one rolling hill seguing into another.

Its a peaceful, serene scene, punctuated by the occasional sound of a mooing cow, or the call from the many species of birds fluttering about.

The house itself is modified Country French, its exterior accented by a swooping gable bordered in dark brick thats repeated in the window lintels. The house beckons invitingly to visitors through a Wisconsin stone entrance.

Inside theres almost 3,500 square feet of convivial comfort on two levels, a home that continues the Country French theme but with such 21st century features as an open floor plan and a whole house sound system.

What is most remarkable, however, is what took place behind the scenes. Roger, 65, and Barb, 64, were not the type of homeowners who selected house plans, a builder and a contractor, then waited to move in.

Whats astonishing is the amount of work they put into the house, assessed at $330,000, but that probably would enjoy a more realistic market value of $350,000. The couple spent five years just finding the right site.

The Beaus, both retired Qwest phone company employees, then methodically went about educating ourselves, says Roger, attending Parade of Homes and home shows, and exploring house plans on websites.

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Country comfort

Phoenix, Arizona (PRWEB) August 29, 2014

The new unit is being installed by Magic Touch Mechanical, Inc., a Mesa, AZ based company that provides HVAC and Energy Efficiency Audit services to homeowners.

We are one of the companies taking part in Project Cool Aid a program started by the Arizona Chapter of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America ten years ago, said Magic Touch owner Rich Morgan.

We are donating the labor, the cost of the crane and supplying some of the materials needed, and there are a few other companies participating as well, says Morgan.

Goodman/Daikin, an AC manufacturer, is donating the equipment and The Metal Shop of Mesa, AZ donated the sheet metal needed. Other donors including RE Michel a cooling and heating materials supplier chipped in other materials needed for Magic Touch to complete the install for Mrs. Simpson.

Phoenix Mayor, Greg Stanton who recommended Mrs. Simpson be considered for the Project Cool Aid Program, will be on-site for the installation and praises all those involved for giving back to their community and especially to those who need it most.

Its a great feeling when you can help someone like Mrs. Simpson. She is such a sweet and grateful woman and Im glad we can help. It takes a lot of generous people to make this happen and Im proud to call them friends said Morgan.

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Phoenix Woman Receives Donated Air Conditioner Installation From Mesa Based AC Company

Wallington, NJ (PRWEB) August 28, 2014

Sewage ejector systems that are chronically clogged and HVAC systems that give out in extreme weather are issues that rank high on a list of growing concerns among commercial and industrial facility managers in aging industrial areas of New York and New Jersey. Ed Drejman, who heads Pump Express Services, the service division of New Jersey-based pump retailer, Pump Products, is part of a team that is shifting it's focus from pump repairs and maintenance to addressing these and other growing job site challenges with innovative pumping equipment characterized by heavy-duty design, high performance and versatility.

"Some systems we're called in to service are so old, they've started to collapse," says Drejman. "Even pump systems in newer buildings installed in the 1970s and 80s, are showing signs of wear. Only much-needed upgrades can prevent continuing breakdowns that increase the damage to an aging infrastructure, and in some cases, threaten public health. We are focused on addressing these issues with a staff trained in the installation and operation of a new generation of pumps suited to current demands."

The improper disposal of synthetic wipes, gloves, swabs and other sanitary products has led to a rise in the clogging of commercial and industrial sewage disposal systems. Drejman and his team respond to chronically clogged systems with a variety of commercial-grade grinder pumps, including Liberty Omnivore Grinder Pumps and BJM Shredder Pumps, which provide maximum efficiency and shredding power in a compact, easy-to-install unit.

"Commercial property managers are constantly looking for solutions to chronic clogging in their restrooms," says Drejman. "My suggestion is usually to replace the existing sewage ejector pump with a BJM Shredder Pump. Maintaining the old pump will generally cost more than replacing it with a BJM Shredder Pump specifically designed to shear down tough synthetic debris. Two of our trained technicians can usually upgrade a mid-sized system within a day or two, often with no downtime to the system."

The same economic shifts that led business owners to neglect aging buildings and focus on bottom line growth a couple of years ago are now leading company heads to seek out maintenance solutions that are long-lasting and versatile. Trained service staff are installing increasing numbers of pumps that combine quality construction with design efficiency, such as the Armstrongs Astro 2 Series 3-Speed Wet Rotor Circulator Pump which provides unmatched performance over a wide range of head and flow requirements and can accommodate a fluctuating number of zones.

"Armstrongs Astro 2 Series Wet Rotor Circulator Pumps move liquids through closed hydronic and solar heating systems efficiently and with minimal maintenance, allowing users to match a wide range of application requirements," says Drejman. "And once installed, these units will grow with a home or business because they can be adjusted to accommodate an increased number of zones. That's an added value more and more of our clients appreciate."

Aging infrastructure and rising energy costs are leading growing numbers of Metro-area building managers to address annual spikes in cooling system demands by adding Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) to their HVAC pump systems. Standard motors start abruptly with a high starting torque and current surges up to 10 times the normal running current resulting in wear and tear on the system and intense energy demands. Variable speed drives gradually ramp the motor up to operating speed and thereby conserve energy, lessen mechanical stress, reduce repair costs and extend equipment life.

Everybody from corporations to homeowners are looking to save money, says Drejman. "Our guys are installing more VFD's and other energy efficient equipment which is paying for itself in savings within a few years."

New Jersey's SmartStart Buildings program, established in 2009 to provide financial incentives for using energy efficient heating and cooling equipment, provides an added incentive for maintenance managers across New Jersey to install VFDs and other energy saving equipment in their buildings.

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Pump Express Services Tackles Growing Need for Upgrades in Old Inefficient Pump Systems Across New York and New Jersey ...

Recently, I tried explaining the air conditioning process on the radio on two separate occasions. Both times we were flooded with calls asking for clarification. Thats when I went to some trusted air conditioning technicians and we simplified it to this: Air conditioning is simply a matter of moving heat from point A to point B.

Im getting excited about the wave of new equipment and technology making its way to the consumer with the potential to greatly reduce the cost of staying comfortable in our desert summers. Heres whats happening:

--Geothermal cooling systems Usually called ground source heat pumps, these systems use the relatively constant temperature of the earth to cool or heat air in your house.

There are several ways to do this, including some involving groundwater. But in Arizona, it is often a closed loop system of pipes underground in vertical rows. Workers drill wells near the house. These are dry wells that hold pipes for the heat transfer underground.

A heat pump located inside a house or garage will circulate a solution of about 30 percent ethylene glycol mixed with water through the underground pipes. In the summertime, a heat exchanger transfers heat between refrigerant in the heat pump and the solution in the closed loop. In winter, the same system can heat the house. In retrofits, existing ductwork in the house can often be used.

It gets more expensive in Phoenix because you have to drill deeper into the ground to reach the right cooling level. The ground temperature at 15 feet down in Phoenix is 80 degrees as opposed to 70 degrees in Central Arizona or even less than that in Northern states.

And anywhere in Arizona now, it is not cheap to install a ground source heat pump. A system for an existing home of about 3,000 square feet would cost about $50,000 to $70,000, mainly due to drilling, according to Jeremy Rushton of Yavapai. In a new house, it might cost about 15 to 20 percent less. There is a federal tax credit of 30 percent for geothermal devices available through 2016.

There can be big savings on heating and cooling with this system. The heat pump uses electricity, but not as much as a traditional air conditioner. A system can also be solar powered to avoid using electricity at all. You can also use your system to heat your hot water.

nMini-split air conditioners Mini-splits are small, individual air conditioners that can be easily installed to cool an individual room. They can hang from a ceiling or on a wall. There are also floor-standing models. These systems include an indoor evaporator connected to an outdoor condensing unit.

The indoor section of one in my offices is about a yard long, less than a foot tall, and several inches in depth. The evaporator is connected to the condenser by copper tubing and wiring that passes through a small hole in the wall.

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Hot new ideas for cooling your home are in works

28.08.2014 / 07:28

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Corporate News

2G Energy AG: Successful commissioning of 3.12 MW CHP system for Merck for production in Darmstadt

- Merck utilizing CHP system for ongoing process heat requirements in manufacturing

- Total efficiency of around 87% represents high standard for industrial applications

- 2G receives order from brewery Krombacher to install a 2 MW CHP system

Heek, August 28, 2014 - 2G Energy AG (ISIN DE000A0HL8N9), one of the leading manufacturers of combined heat and power (CHP) systems, has transferred a CHP system with electric output of 3.12 MW to Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, following a four and a half month construction period. The natural gas driven system consists of two CHP units each with 1.56 MW electric and 1.58 MW thermal output. The system supplies pharmaceutical production and research at the Darmstadt site with electricity that is fed into the plant grid, as well as with thermal output in the form of heating, and also with cold water through an absorption cooling machine. The 2G system is set up so that it can also be operated as a grid replacement if required, so that if electricity supplies fail, important areas of the Darmstadt company can continue to be supplied with electricity.

With this investment in its own energy centers, Merck, in its own words, is "securing the long-term generation of electricity, heating and cooling for the manufacturing of its pharmaceutical and chemical high-tech products." Merck entrusted 2G with the complete planning of the CHP system, including installation and connecting to the already existing infrastructure for electricity, natural gas and heating, as well as project management. It also included the construction of a 48 meter steel chimney.

Ludger Holtkamp, COO of 2G Energy AG, commented on the project's model character as follows: "The Merck project is exemplary in showing how CHP systems can offer highly varied thermal output that can be utilized very efficiently by the chemical industry and in the pharmaceutical sector. Economic efficiency is secured through the plant's demand for electricity, and especially through continuous process heat demand, as well as utilization possibilities for cooling and steam. Total efficiencies of 87 %, as is the case with Merck, or more, are delivered as a consequence. These are significantly higher than is the case with the separate generation of electricity, heating and cooling. This performance level shows that investments in CHP systems remain attractive for many industrial operations, also after the 2014 amendment to the German Renewable Energies Act."

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DGAP-News: 2G Energy AG: Successful commissioning of 3.12 MW CHP system for Merck for production in Darmstadt

PRESS RELEASE: 2G Energy AG: Successful commissioning of 3.12 MW CHP system for Merck for production in Darmstadt

DGAP-News: 2G Energy AG / Key word(s): Incoming Orders/Incoming Orders 2G Energy AG: Successful commissioning of 3.12 MW CHP system for Merck for production in Darmstadt

28.08.2014 / 07:28

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Corporate News

2G Energy AG: Successful commissioning of 3.12 MW CHP system for Merck for production in Darmstadt

- Merck utilizing CHP system for ongoing process heat requirements in manufacturing

- Total efficiency of around 87% represents high standard for industrial applications

- 2G receives order from brewery Krombacher to install a 2 MW CHP system

Heek, August 28, 2014 - 2G Energy AG (ISIN DE000A0HL8N9), one of the leading manufacturers of combined heat and power (CHP) systems, has transferred a CHP system with electric output of 3.12 MW to Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, following a four and a half month construction period. The natural gas driven system consists of two CHP units each with 1.56 MW electric and 1.58 MW thermal output. The system supplies pharmaceutical production and research at the Darmstadt site with electricity that is fed into the plant grid, as well as with thermal output in the form of heating, and also with cold water through an absorption cooling machine. The 2G system is set up so that it can also be operated as a grid replacement if required, so that if electricity supplies fail, important areas of the Darmstadt company can continue to be supplied with electricity.

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PRESS RELEASE: 2G Energy AG: Successful commissioning of 3.12 MW CHP system for Merck for production in Darmstadt

Hollister-based Marcus Building Systems in 2013 was ranked 59th among metal builders in the nation for tonnage and 70th for square footage. Statewide, the local builder ranked fifth in both categories last year, according to an announcement from the business.

Those were among results listed in an annual ranking of metal builders, as put out by Metal Construction News. The figures include data for projects completed last year.

The family-run companys inclusion on the prestigious list came largely due to a contract for a cold-storage expansion at Taylor Farms in Gonzales, said Marcus Building Systems President Don Marcus, a former county supervisor.

Marcus Building Systems was a subcontractor for Dennis Group on the 140,000-square-foot expansion that included an all-steel building. The project started in November of last year, said Marcus, who called it by far the largest contract the business has had in terms of volume. Marcus started the business in 1985.

Our scope of work was specifically to furnish and install the steel-insulated building along with some miscellaneous steel on the roof for heating and cooling, he said.

Traditionally, Marcus Building Systems has done various types of projects, largely commercial, industrial and agricultural in nature. Locally, some examples of the business work has included the Heritage Bank site on Tres Pinos Road, the agricultural barn for San Benito High School and the Enza Zaden building on Lucy Brown Road, which was LEED-certified for its environmentally friendly features. The business also occasionally does custom residential homes.

Weve done a lot of very nice, award-winning metal building projects, Marcus said.

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Hollister business ranks among top metal builders in nation

Now, the Seiberts are razing a warehouse on Carpenter Lane to construct a 25-unit condo and mixed-use building.

The project, 520 Carpenter Lane, will be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified (LEED). Construction is scheduled to start in early 2015 and, with some modular designs, should be completed in six to nine months, G.C. Seibert said.

Re:Vision Architecture is designing the three-story building, which also will include a public courtyard and garden, cafe tables, and shared work space available for rent.

Elfant Wissahickon is the real estate broker for the units, which range in price from $250,000 to $450,000.

The Seiberts also hope to incorporate "passive-house" design, to reduce the need for insulation and multiple water heaters.

Instead of a 50-gallon water tank in each unit, for example, they may install a 2,000-gallon tank that can service them all and be heated by solar power.

"It's like using a one-liter bottle vs. a six-pack," said G.C. Seibert. "There's less waste and less overhead."

Scott, 38, and G.C., 43, bought their first fixer-upper homes when they were in college.

"Our parents fixed up properties, and we spent weekends helping them do that," said G.C., who studied mechanical engineering at Lehigh University, then earned an MBA there.

Scott attended Carnegie Mellon for business and then worked at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

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Plan for energy-conscious condos in Mount Airy

By Mark Ferenchik The Columbus Dispatch Saturday August 23, 2014 9:09 AM

The plumbers and pipefitters union is considering leading a charge to restore Eddie Rickenbackers boyhood home on Livingston Avenue.

Spurred by a July Dispatch story that said plans to turn the house into a museum havent materialized, union official Eric Stevenson set out to change that.

This is part of our heritage, said Stevenson, the market resources director of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 189. We all live in Columbus and central Ohio. Its a shame something like this needs the help.

The city acquired the house at 1334 E. Livingston Ave., less than a mile east of Nationwide Childrens Hospital, in 1998 for $42,000.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent to paint the house, install security, remove debris, correct code problems and put up signs.

But the house remains empty and the interior unfinished.

Stevenson said the union would provide the plumbing and heating and cooling work, and ask other trades to do their part.

That request will be discussed at a coming meeting of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, said Dorsey Hager, the councils executive secretary/treasurer.

Were talking among each other to see what we can do to finish the project, Hager said.

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Union may initiate effort to restore Rickenbacker homestead

The Washington County Board of Commissioners, sitting as the Washington County Regional Railroad Authority (WCRRA) Aug. 12, approved the scoping decision for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Gateway Corridor.

The Gateway Corridor is a transitway that stretches from downtown St. Paul to the St. Croix River Bridge, along Interstate 94, Hudson Road, and Highway 12.

The WCRRA is the lead agency on behalf of the Gateway Corridor Commission in partnership with the Metropolitan Council and the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority for the completion of a DEIS for the Gateway Corridor. As the lead agency, the WCRRA must take action on the official scoping decision which outlines what will be studied in the DEIS document. The Gateway Corridor Commission has stated its recommendations for consideration by the WCRRA, after completion of a technical analysis and receiving public input.

The recommendations for the scoping decision include advancing BRT in a dedicated guideway as the recommended transit mode, with an alignment through Oakdale, Lake Elmo, and Woodbury.

The DEIS will determine mitigation measures, further engineering, and public engagement. The process will eventually require Federal Transportation Administration approval.

The scoping decision for the DEIS will review traffic, noise, property acquisition, and other aspects of the Gateway Corridor project.

The public may receive information on the project through a scoping booklet and project fact sheets, as well as a YouTube video, under The Gateway Corridor Scoping Video. Public comments have been received through meetings and the scoping comment period.

County will convey tax-forfeited land for road right-of-way

The Washington County Board of Commissioners agreed to convey six tax-forfeited land parcels to the City of Stillwater Aug. 12, to be used for road right-of-way for Creekside Crossing.

The parcels are outlots along the roadway, which goes north from Boutwell Road. Minnesota law requires counties to manage tax-forfeited property on behalf of the state, and the County Board must approve the disposition of the property.

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Washington County briefs: County approves scoping for Gateway Corridor DEIS