Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The 1,750,000-square-foot stadium's pumps move water in many applications. Image courtesy of Xylem

Although fans might not see them, pumps move water throughoutthe largest public works project in Minnesota history, U.S. Bank Stadium. It is not just a multipurpose stadium in Minneapolis it is a work of art. Built on the site of the former Metrodome, it is nearly twice the size of the National Football Leagues (NFL) Minnesota Vikings old home, and it is praised for its unique architecture and commitment to sustainability.

The stadium opened ahead of schedule in July 2016, after a construction period of more than two years. More than 8,000 workers committed nearly 4 million hours to design and build the 1,750,000-square-foot stadium. The pumps moving water around the stadium and arean essential part of this stadium.

Among other factors, the extreme climate of Minnesota influenced the stadiums design. Its roof resembles an A-framed ship so it can shed snow and ice efficiently, preventing buildup on the roof. In the past, snow accumulation caused problems at the Metrodome, and the roof collapsed five times.

A booster package of pumps move water that provides 400 gallons of hot water per minute to hose down the snow-filled roof, sending melted snow down concrete gutters along the side of the stadium. The 6-foot-wide and 10-foot-deep gutters, which contain plastic tubes with glycol, carry the melted snow through the storm-water control system and down to the ground where it drains into the city sewer. Installed seven stories high on the top floor, this booster package is not part of the stadiums domestic hot water system, which is rare. Typically, snow-melt systems are installed at the ground level, but this one is the first of its kind.

In addition to the booster package used for snow removal, another booster package supplies 2,000 gallons of water per minute for 979 bathroom stalls and all other water needs. Installed in the basement, the booster package contains four end-suction pumps: three large pumps and one small pump.

While only one pump sends water throughout the building at 1,200 gallons per minute, all four were designed to work with the 75-horsepower variable frequency drives (VFDs) installed in the water system to ensure optimal efficiency. A VFD-based booster pump system maintains more precise control across a wider range of flow rates while reducing energy consumption and pump wear.

Water usage is drastically different during the week versus on game days making pump specification challenging. The stadium was originally designed with three large end-suction pumps, but to keep operational costs down, a small jockey pump was specified to power the water system when the stadium is not full of cheering fans, which is 95 percent of the time. On event days, three large pumps alternate pumping water throughout the building. The redesign including the small jockey pump improved efficiency and saves an average of $8,000 to $10,000 annually on energy.

To make sure the water system was fully operational before the stadium opened, hundreds of workers and volunteers participated in a super flush test. During the test, all the participants simultaneously flushed all the toilets and urinals and turned on all the sinks in the stadium for about 30 minutes. The pumps successfully handled the test.

With a capacity of up to 70,000, the stadium offers more than 18 different styles of seating, including luxury seating that is closer to the field than any other stadium in the NFL. The first row of seats is just 41 feet away from the sideline, and the field seats get fans even closer to the action at 25 feet.

The ultra-compact pumps are the primary feature of the stadiums heating, cooling and air conditioning (HVAC) system, which supplies 7,000 tons of heating and cooling. These pumps were selected because of their compact footprint, 40 percent smaller than traditional split-case and vertical inline pumps.

The part of the HVAC system in which pumps move waterwas prefabricated on a skid before it was installed. This prefabrication enabled the skid to be built in a controlled environment while contractors worked on other parts of the building to meet the projects scheduling demands. The size of the pumps enabled the skid to be smaller, reducing installation time. The pumps were chosen because of their ease of installation and maintenance. They fit seamlessly into the piping and will withstand heating and cooling demands of the stadium.

U.S. Bank Stadium will host the 2018 Super Bowl; the National Collegiate Athletic Association Basketball Final Four in 2019; and an array of events year-round. The pumps will work efficiently behind the scenes to enhance environmental sustainability and the fan experience.

Mark Handzel is vice president, product regulatory affairs, and director, HVAC commercial buildings, at Bell & Gossett, a Xylem brand. He is a member of the Appliance Standards and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committees Commercial and Industrial Pumps Working Group. He may be reached at support@xylemsales.com.

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Seamless stadium design - Water Technology Online

May 30, 2017 - (Newswire)

The Agua Cool is a specially designed unit that utilizes an exchange system between one water coil placed inside of a freezer and a second coil in the room to be cooled. This product is designed to provide an efficient means of cooling or heating areas with up to a 95% reduction in energy consumption. Unique in design, this technology is intended for multi-unit buildings, allowing over 100 units to be fed by a single Agua Cool unit. Additionally, it can be added to existing A/C units and implemented in walk-in coolers in restaurants and other establishments. The basic components of the Agua Cool are: circulation pump, circuit board, by-pass valve, blower assembly, and thermostat. Importantly, the installation of the exchange coil would be vital to the overall design of the unit and enables the device to rapidly bring a room temperature from sweltering to under 70 degrees quickly, efficiently and with low energy output. The Agua Cool can be incorporated into the design of P-Tac units, Splits and Package HVAC units, City Multi and central air conditioning units. This energy efficient concept can also be incorporated into the design of walk-in refrigeration and freezer cooler systems and make the Agua Cool ideal for use in restaurants and similar food service establishments. The Agua Cool can also be added to all existing units, saving consumers money without high replacement costs. The Agua Cool eliminates the use of numerous compressors and condensing units, e.g., one building with fifty- one hundred units can be cooled, heated, and refrigerated with a single compressor using the Agua Cool instead of a conventional compressor unit. Televised test marketing has recently been completed indicating strong consumer interest in the Agua Cool. The Patent Pending Agua Cool was invented by Erwin Sampson and Gustavo Gonzalez of Kearny, NJ who said, This is an enhanced design with fewer electrical and mechanical parts than a conventional air conditioning unit and makes it easier to maintain, service and install. Just think of the energy savings! A single Agua Cool unit can cover all applications in a restaurant and all heating coil units in a hotel or building. It works. EDITOR'S NOTE: Development of this product is being handled by Invents Company. For more information about licensing or sale, contact the Licensing Department at Invents Company Operations Center, P.O. Box 1682, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 212-620-2629 http://www.invents.com

Contact: Jeanne Nelson Media Dept: 7650 (646) 503-4817 Jeanne@invents.com

Original Source: https://www.newswire.com/news/agua-cool-provides-heating-and-cooling-energy-efficiency-19583545

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Agua Cool: Provides Heating and Cooling Energy Efficiency - WireUpdate

Construction has begun on the Etkin-developed 150 W. 2nd St. office center in downtown Royal Oak, Michigan.

The 73,920-square-foot luxury office development has already attracted three tenants who will occupy more than 85 percent of the building. Etkin is in the final stages of negotiations with another high-profile tenant, which will bring the building to 100 percent preleased a rarity in the development of any multi-tenant office property nationwide.

150 W. 2nd St.s tenant roster will include Stout, a global advisory firm that specializes in investment banking, valuation and financial opinions, as well as dispute advisory and forensic services. Stout will occupy the entire fourth floor of the building. Gongos, a decision intelligence enterprise that supports Global 1000 companies, will move its headquarters from Auburn Hills, Michigan, to the second floor of 150 W. 2nd St. Etkin will relocate its corporate offices to the second floor of 150 W. 2nd St. The balance of the second floor is expected to be occupied by an Oakland County law firm.

The site of Etkins new office center was formerly a city-owned parking lot at the corner of 11 Mile Road and Center Street just west of Main Street. Royal Oaks Downtown Development Authority sold the parcel to Etkin to develop offices to attract workers who, in turn, will help keep the downtown vibrant in the daytime and after work.

The office center will include 54 on-site, grade-level, covered parking spaces for tenants. Those spaces will be available for public parking in the evenings and weekends. Royal Oak is currently constructing an adjacent 550-space, seven-story parking deck that will be completed later this year.

Tags | Etkin, Michigan, Office, Royal Oak

2017 Real Estate Communications Group. Duplication or reproduction of this article not permitted without authorization from the Real Estate Publishing Group. For information on reprint or electronic pdf of this article contact Mark Menzies at 312-644-4610 or menzies@rejournals.com

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Construction starts on Etkin-developed 73000-square-foot office building in Royal Oak - REjournals.com

Dive Brief:

Verizon is moving closer to breaking ground on a Gensler-designed, $1 billion mixed-use development across the street from its Irving, TX, offices, according to the Dallas Morning News.

The 2-million-square-foot complex, developed by the telecommunications giant and partner KDC, will include retail, apartments, hotel rooms, a Dallas Area Rapid Transit station connecting to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and downtown Dallas, as well as a 750,000-square-foot office building.

Pioneer Natural Resources will anchor the office building, a project for which the City of Irving is providing nearly $6 million in economic benefits.

In April 2016, Irving officials expressed concernover Verizon's proposal to construct 1,800 multifamily residential units in the Las Colinas area of the city before first building out the office components.This caused city officials to delay approval for the project. At the time, Verizon argued that housing was necessary to bring in corporate tenants and said it planned to build a seven-story high-rise with a restricted number of rental units.

The Dallas area has seen more than a few massive mixed-use developments in the last year or so. Earlier this month, developer Hines said it would build a 3.5-million-square-foot mixed-use complex in the Dallas suburb of Allen, TX.

When the 135-acre project is complete, it will include about 1.7 million square feet of office space, 380,000 square feet of retail and 300,000 square feet of residential development. Hines said Allen has lacked the walkable, reasource-heavy focal point that The Strand will provide.

The $1 billion Bayside project in the Dallas suburb of Rowlett, TX, which features an 8-acre, lagoon-style water feature, is already underway. The 262-acre development, on the shores of Lake Ray Hubbard, will also include artificial beaches, a marina, a mix of 3,000 condos and apartments, 1.5 million square feet of commercial space and 700 hotel rooms.

The largest mixed-used project in North Texas, however,isn't one development but rather a group of mixed-use projects. Located in Frisco, TX,the area has become known as the "$5 billion mile," although city officials have said that there is another $2 billion of development going on elsewhere in the city.

The Dallas Cowboys recently received the city of Frisco's approval to build a 17-story, luxury residential tower in the team's $1.5 billion Star in Frisco mixed-use development. The project, which will feature 150 to 160, 1,200-square-foot units, is the first residential high-rise approved on the $5 billion mile.

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Verizon's $1B Irving, TX development nears groundbreaking - Construction Dive

Crain's Chicago Business

Restored 1941 solar Keck house for sale in Flossmoor Crain's Chicago Business The house has an addition, a screened sunroom designed in the early 1950s by another innovator of the mid-century style, Harry "Deever" Rockwell. His own modernist house, a glass-and-concrete box in Olympia Fields, sold last year. IMG-03 - VHT Studios. and more »

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Restored 1941 solar Keck house for sale in Flossmoor - Crain's Chicago Business

Tesla gets all the attention lately when it comes to solar roofs, but start-up Forward Labs has been hammering away at their own solar roof technology and not only is it 33% cheaper that Teslas offering, but it can be installed in half of the time. Forward Labs design blends right in with traditional roofs, and its made of monocrystalline solar cells with a higher density that other solar roofing options

Whereas Teslas solar roof is made from individual shingles, Forward Labs standing-seam metal roof is made up of one large, layered piece. It has a tempered glass surface, with an optimal chromatic cloaking layer right below. The roof comes in 8 colors right now, but thanks to the chromatic layer, any color is technically possible.

Related: Teslas groundbreaking solar roof just hit the market

Because Forward Labs uses more cost-effective materials, it costs on average 33% less than the Tesla solar roof. According to the CEO, the solar roof will cost $8.50 per square foot, which works out to about $3.25 per watt.

Installation can be done in just a few days about half of the time as other solar roofs. The system is passively cooled via air gaps below the panels, and if a panel breaks, it can be popped out and replaced by a new one. The roof looks identical to other metal roofs, so it could easily pass a Home Owners Associations muster, and each installation can provide decades of solar power.

Taylor, Forward Labs CEO, told Green Tech Media that the company is aiming to do the right thing for the right reason. In contrast, he believes that Teslas design is the wrong thing for the right reason. Its wrong to devalue peoples houses with something that doesnt look good. Its wrong to put holes in roofs; its wrong to go to war with homeowner associations; and its wrong to try to ram something down peoples throats that they dont want, he said.

The company is also working with conventional asphalt shingle companies to recycle removed roofing materials. Forward Labs are currently taking reservations with installation starting next year.

+ Forward Labs

Via Treehugger and Green Tech Media

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Forward Labs' new solar roof is 33% cheaper than Tesla's - and it ... - Inhabitat

May 27, 2017 4:54 PM

PONTIAC (WWJ) Investigators in Pontiac are working to the confirm the cause of a blaze that burned millions of dollars in construction materials intended for Pontiac Middle School.

The materials caught fire in the parking lot of the Pontiac High School early Saturday morning.Deputy Fire Chief for Waterford Matt Covey said there were no injuries reported.

Its foam-based that they use for roofing, so they had a difficult time getting the foam out, Covey said.

In a statement posted on the Pontiac School District Facebook page, officials say the fire was set at around 3:30 a.m. and that Oakland County authorities have a person of interest in custody.

Covey said investigators will be examining surveillance camera footage from the scene to help with the investigation.

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Fire Destroys Roofing Materials Meant For Pontiac Middle School ... - CBS Detroit

Longtime roofing company owner will hang his shingle in prison Kansas City Business Journal A former executive at Century Roofing, which goes by the corporate name Canadian West Inc., will hang his shingle at a federal prison for 12 months and 1 day. In a February plea agreement, Tommy Keaton pleaded guilty and admitted to "harboring up to 24 ...

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Longtime roofing company owner will hang his shingle in prison - Kansas City Business Journal

I recently referred to the Tesla solar roof as the Model S of photovoltaics, largely due to its price tag. A young company called Forward Labs has a solar roof design that rivals the Tesla version in energy production and appearance, at about half the price. Where Tesla's roof will set you back about $22 per square foot, a Forward Labs roof comes in at less than $12 per square foot for the sections that include PV and $8.50 per square foot of the non-PV areas.

Forward Labs' Product Architect Zach Taylor comes from a construction family and has experience in the roofing and building industries. This background provides him with insight on the composition and installation of roofing systems. He designed the roof panels to be inexpensive, made from standard construction materials, and easy to install and replace.

The Forward Labs roof consists of five layers:

A top layer of tempered glass protects the roof from weather damage, including hail.

Optical chromatic cloaking gives the roof its visible colorwhile absorbing very little "usable" light.

Monocrystalline solar cells are the industry standard.

Rollformed galvanized metal panels serve as the base.

The racking system is concealed.

Check out this video to get an introduction to the product, and then read on for more.

After watching the video and poring over the product web site, I still had questions, so I contacted Mr. Taylor for more technical information. Here's the Q&A:

TL: Your video shows that the cabling is in the attic. Are you using microinverters for each panel, or is there a central inverter for the entire array?

ZT: We want to work to develop an architecture that integrates with home batteries as effectively as possible. Although I can't give all the details, I can say a big part of this plan is running DC power to a 48V charge controller on a home battery unit. In the long term, I think DC electric will make sense for end use in most homes. As we transition to a world of the internet of things, home batteries, LED lights and electric cars, we'll start to see that, like it or not, most things are DC powered already. I believe 48V DC will be a really important standard. In my opinion, microinverters belong on home appliances like electric stoves and laundry dryers.

For the time being, we'll utilize a central inverter but I don't see AC power ruling the roost in residential applications for too many more decades.

TL: The video also mentions that the roof will shed snow in the winter, but it didn't explain how. I've seen traditional PV panels on fairly steep slopes that don't shed their snow very well. I'm wondering how you accomplish it.

ZT: Believe it or not, the snow on solar panels gets hung up on that tiny 1/8" lip of the aluminum frame. And if the snow makes it up over the bump up from the glass to atop the aluminum frame, it piles in the gaps between the panels.

Where you might not see snow shedding off a metal roof is in instances where the metal roof has exposed fasteners. This is a corrugated roof, it's a different style. The slightest hang up can prevent an avalanche. Also, in standing seam applications, about 10 years of UV degradation to the Kynar 500 coating can change the coefficient of friction quite a bit, also preventing snow from shedding.

With our solar roofing panels, they're covered in glass. And more importantly, the coefficient of friction doesn't change dramatically over the life of the panel. We're actually worried about the inverse problem in this scenario. Snow sliding off all at once. As it is now, with a home that has a roof with a pitch of 4:12 or greater, the snow will shed before accumulating beyond a 1/4". This prevents large amounts from falling all at once. Commercial applications such as pre-engineered steel buildings present unique challenges as the snow falls at a different rate with their typical low slope. Currently, the best solution is a green area buffer (ie: shrubs) but it's a challenge we have a few ideas for and we're confident we can solve the issue before expanding into colder climates. There is no snow where we are in California.

TL: Are you offering integrated storage? If not, is it compatible with behind-the-meter storage?

ZT: We're currently in talks with storage providers. I can't talk too much about that just yet. We're excited for the announcements we have to make on this front.

TL: In the past when I've written about the Tesla solar roof, I've had questions from firefighters who are concerned with an electrified roof that they can't visually identify. Is there anything that lets firefighters know where NOT to swing an ax?

ZT: So we've got are two different scenarios here: Daytime and nighttime. During the day, a firefighter will be able to discern between our glass covered, solar roofing panels. It will be obvious from a gloss perspective and also because they "change color" as you look at them from above. During the night, this won't be so obvious. We really like our optics around here. It's what gives our panels their color. In this case, it makes the most sense to work with the tools the firefighter has, be it a headlamp or a flashlight. We plan to have a reflective component much like what is used on traffic signs. When the firefighter shines their light to mark a position, they will see the optics reflect back. This makes sense, reflective tape is already used quite extensively to aid firefighters. As such, we'd like to stick to that best practice already in place. TL: Have you done any full-scale testing to verify installation times and energy production levels?

ZT: Yes, they're in New York. We're mum on the details as much of the technology is proprietary.

TL: I see that you're taking preorders. When do you expect to start the first installation?

ZT: I'm fairly certain we'll be getting first preorders installed this year. However, we're telling customers 2018. We'd like to underpromise and overdeliver.

So there you have it: the burgeoning solar roof industry has one Goliath and a few Davids, and I don't mean that in a "bad guy vs good guy sense" - it's just a comment about the relative sizes of the players. If you've read my stuff, you already know I'm a big fan of Tesla and Elon Musk. I'm also a fan of competition, so let the games begin!

Images and video courtesy of Forward Labs

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Tesla Isn't The Only Solar Roof In Town - ENGINEERING.com

ENCINITAS A Superior Court judge has ruled against a residents group that challenged the citys approval of a second-story addition to a duplex on Rosebay Drive in 2016.

The group, which called itself Friends to Preserve Encinitas Beauty, sued Encinitas residents Gina Merchant and Derek Bradley in March 2016, challenging the addition of a 649-square-foot second story to their 863-square-foot duplex.

The group claimed the home remodel would block public and private views, would violate the citys parking requirements, that it didnt follow the citys Design Review Guidelines and that it should have been subject to extensive review under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The group also claimed approval would prompt others to build additions which would block the view of neighbors above.

Superior Court Judge Earl Maas on May 10 ruled against the group on all counts. Merchant expressed relief in the ruling.

My husband and I are so relieved to have put this to rest as the weight of the lawsuit has been bearing down on us for 12 long months, Merchant said. We were shocked and disheartened that these people took it this far given that we worked carefully with the city of Encinitas to design a second story that would be considerate of our neighbors and community, and their arguments were completely baseless.

They were just determined to try to bully us with their money. We hope our success will discourage similar NIMBY attacks elsewhere in our community, and empower people to fight for their right to improve their homes, Merchant said.

Everett Delano, the groups attorney, said the group hadnt decided if they would appeal the ruling.

Delano acknowledged that winning the lawsuit was not going to be easy, given they would have to prove the slippery slope the approval would create.

I think it was important to set a precedent that we simply cant sit back and allow this to happen, Delano said. Its not about Derek and Gina, its the concern that if you keep building up, everyone else will build up.

Marco Gonzalez, who represented Merchant and Bradley, called the suit frivolous. Suits like these only serve to fuel the perception that our environmental laws are ineffective and frequently abused, Gonzalez said. I really wish some attorneys would consider the negative consequences to the environmental movement when they bring these types of clearly bogus suits.

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Judge rules against citizens group in duplex suit - Coast News