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CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

March 5, 2012

Build Tight and Ventilate Right: The Most Effective Green Technique
Filed under: Energy — Tags: — nedpelger

Back in college, one of my wrestling buddies was doing lots of research on indoor air quality and energy conservation. Princeton was a leader in developing the blower door concept to test the actual infiltration (air leakiness) of houses and apartments. I hung out in the lab, doing some solar energy/ethanol research of my own and got to know Andy Persily. Andy was a PhD student, lots of fun, laid back and scary smart. I like hanging out with smart people, the contrast amuses me.

I knew that Andy did his post doc work at the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) and has been working there since. Recently, I heard Andy speak at an ASHRAE meeting, giving a technical talk on the importance of reducing infiltration in building design and construction, then ventilating in a controlled way. Controlled ventilation uses Energy Recovery Units to capture the heat or the cold from the air being exhausted and transfers it to the intake air.  Andy used the catchy phrase “Build tight and ventilate right”.

Most of us spend way too little effort in making sure our buildings are tight. We use the same old details we’ve used for years. In reality, the tightness of our buildings has more to do with a random tradesmen’s care (on details that aren’t clearly specified) than on anyone really focused on excellent insulation and infiltration construction details.

I challenge you and me and the entire industry to pay more attention to the biggest payback item in all of sustainable construction. If you want to be truly green, get this one right.

Our customers will soon be demanding improvements (i.e. punishing poor performance) with a cheap thermal flashlight that’s just been developed. The flashlight uses a thermal sensor and a multi-color LED to paint a heat map on the wall and find areas of poor insulation or drafty infiltration. A webcam can then capture the thermal map, per the photo below.

Take the time to study and improve the sheathing, flashing and infiltration details on your projects. Let your customers know that you strive for their best interest by paying attention to things that really matter.  Remember: Build it Tight and Insulate it Right.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

March 2, 2012

Friday Fun with Safety First
Filed under: safety — nedpelger

I was on a job site yesterday and complaining that the steel erectors weren’t tied off when placing deck. Upon looking further, though, I realized they had their harnesses connected in innovative ways. The owner of their firm noted that they always stay tied off, even though it often makes their work more difficult, and sometimes less safe.

As I thought about safety and unintended consequences, this video illustrates the concept in a way that will make you laugh.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9XUH28V520

Be sure to pay attention and work safe. If you another minute, watch this incredible batting practice display. This guy is good.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8SK0rk5jdE&feature=g-all&context=G244d37dFAAAAAAAAAAA

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

February 29, 2012

Can We Really Go Paperless and Mobile?
Filed under: Construction — Tags: — nedpelger

I appreciated RB’s comments on my last post. Since the many documents needed on a jobsite tend to be digital anyway, why can’t we take the next step and just look at them on our mobile devises? Carol’s Construction Technology Blog addresses this issue and reports some huge productivity gains. She mostly discusses using the invoice approval and accounts payable system as a fully digital (that is to say, paperless) process. Apparently, dual computer monitors make the process much easier for accounting staff.

I’m going to challenge myself to learn how I could move my own job costing and invoice approval to a digital process. As I think about it, I believe I could save substantial time and aggravation, if I go through the work to make the change.

The joists in my garage that now strain under the weight of more paper files would probably appreciate the change.

Now’s the time to be evaluating these type options. But make sure not to just digitize an inefficient paper process. Think about what information really makes you smarter. Focus on the things that really help you and your co-workers to better build your projects. Let’s make changes that up our game. Remember, modern project management requires us to do more, better, faster and for less. It’s your chosen profession.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

February 27, 2012

Construction Apps Continue to Surge
Filed under: Phone Apps for Construction — Tags: — nedpelger

As more smartphones, iPads and Android tablets show up on the construction site, more construction apps become available. On the jobsite, our projects change quickly and we communicate visually. That combination makes construction a great industry to capitalize on this new technology. Coupled with the fact that many contractors don’t type well, a touch screen with menus, instant size changing and drag and drop capability further ups the value.

Think about having all your current project drawings kept up-to-date on a file transfer protocal (FTP) site like Box.net. It’s relatively easy to do, then your tablet computer can quickly pull up any drawing you need on the jobsite. Moving around the drawing and zooming in is easy. It’s not quite the same as paper drawings, but it’s more likely to be the current drawing instead of an older version.

Also, think about the calculations that you typically do on the jobsite, then see if you can find an app to easily automate them. If you can do that, you should be using a tablet computer on your jobsite.

The promise of a paperless office has been offered often but never realized. It’s still reasonably far away, but I think we can now see that the tablet computer will be the technology though which that promise eventually gets accomplished.

A big advantage of tablet computers has to do with the much lower costing software. For some reason, regular computer programs that cost $300 get released for the iPad and Android tablets for $10. I think the huge potential world market makes the pricing strategy different. Regardless, though, you should be thinking about jumping into this technology and learning how much your business (or your personal productivity) can be improved.

If you don’t have a smartphone, get one now. It’s the important first step. After you get accustomed to constant email access and certain helpful phone app programs, then consider a tablet.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

February 24, 2012

The Case for Elegant Solutions
Filed under: Cool Projects — Tags: — nedpelger

I was reading an ENR story about the San Francisco PUC Headquarters building and was impressed with a value engineering detail. During the construction document design phase, the structural engineer changed the steel frame to post tensioned concrete and saved $5M US. The two-way post tensioned floor slab had shallower edge girders which allowed for more day-lighting. The concrete floor also allowed for an open ceiling, eliminating acoustic drop ceiling and providing a cool, open look that is also more cost-effective.

The structural design that resists the substantial earthquake requirements of San Francisco was inspired by bridge design. The shear walls in the core of the building are vertically post tensioned to minimize seismic drift.

“This was that elegant solution,” says Williams, vice president of technical systems for the San Francisco-based builder Webcor. “One good solution kept on bringing other positive results.”

I challenge you and myself to put in the effort and keep striving for those elegant solutions. I know we’re too busy. I know it’s easier to just do what we did before. But our value soars when we occasionally produce elegant solutions to the problems we face.

An elegant solution should solve a problem in an unexpected way, usually simplifying the process and often saving money. There should be other positive results that continue to spring forth from an elegant solution.

I liked this definition for elegant solution:

The word elegant, in general, is an adjective meaning of fine quality. Refinement and simplicity are implied, rather than fussiness, or ostentation. An elegant solution, often referred to in relation to problems in disciplines such as mathematics, engineering, and programming, is one in which the maximum desired effect is achieved with the smallest, or simplest effort. Engineers, for example, seek the elegant solution as a means of solving a problem with the least possible waste of materials and effort. The elegant solution is also likely to be accomplished with appropriate methods and materials – according to the Elegant Solution Organization, duct tape is not likely to be part of an elegant solution, unless, of course, the problem involves taping ducts.

So let’s give ourselves some time and space to work on elegant solutions. Your market value will increase and you’ll have more joy.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

February 22, 2012

Advice to a Younger You
Filed under: People Skills — Tags: — nedpelger

If you could give some advice to a younger you (say 10 years ago), what would you say? That seems a wonderful question to me, one that helps us probe into that area of priorities and what we really know or don’t know. It’s a “Big Question” question.

I saw the question above posted by a friend on Facebook and without giving it too much thought, I responded,

Relax. Put in a good effort then let go of the outcome. You own the effort but not the results.

A quote from Henri Nouwen, a truly wise man, says it better:

To be able to enjoy fully the many good things the world has to offer, we must be detached from them. To be detached does not mean to be indifferent or uninterested. It means to be non-possessive. Life is a gift to be grateful for and not a property to cling to.

On the other hand, I laughed out loud when I saw our son Lex’s  advice to his 18 year old self

stop freaking out. you will get laid. eventually.

Of course, there were the pedestrian responses about buying Google stock or PUT THE DONUT DOWN.

So what advice would you give to your 10 year younger self?

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

February 21, 2012

Working for the Russians in Afghanistan
Filed under: Industry outlook — Tags: — nedpelger

Looking for construction work? Has the economy not quite rebounded in your locale? Well here’s an opportunity for the not-so-faint-of-heart. The Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan announced yesterday that Russia wants to help with the reconstruction of Afghanistan by restarting over 150 construction projects started during the last Soviet invasion. The Ambassador stated that the highway and factory projects should help strengthen the weak Afghanistan economy.

What could be better than working for the Russians in Afghanistan? You may even get to be part of building the first railroad in Afghanistan. Think Coolies, 1880s, in the American West .

You should buy your plane ticket today. Just showing up and checking out the situation would probably work best. Let me know how that works out for you.

If you need a bit more encouragement, maybe the clip below will help.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WmDszVxti0

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

February 20, 2012

Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Lincoln
Filed under: Ned Weirdness — Tags: — nedpelger

As you know, I normally stay out of politics in these posts. Folks of all political stripes can agree on the endlessly fascinating aspects of the construction industry. So that’s what I try to showcase.

Yet, sometimes, in the course of human affairs, a wrong presents itself that simply must be righted. So please forgive my delving into politics today to right such a wrong.

I’m a big Abraham Lincoln fan. He’s a brilliant, yet folksy, self-made man who consistently took the hard road to do the right thing.  In short, to me, he’s just the bee’s knees. So when I saw the following political attack ad, I knew I had to respond. Please view it yourself and see if you agree that this ad presents a new low in distortion and meanness.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3tOFWBhP0s&feature=youtu.be

Happy Presidents Day, Mr Lincoln, and all the rest of you.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

February 18, 2012

Rain Water Capture: A Must Consider for Big Water Users
Filed under: Energy — Tags: — nedpelger

I just read Nadine Post’s blog post “Water Guzzlers Take Notice!” She describes the 52 acre Brooklyn Botanical Gardens that consumes 21M gallons of water each year. That’s over 50,000 gallons per day. You know how long it takes to fill a 55 gallon barrel with water? Think about filling 1,000 of them every day. So the botanical garden guzzles water.

They recently installed a rainwater capture system that should meet almost all their water needs. Their largest private donation ever of $7.5M US helped fund this work.

Scot Medbury, President of Brooklyn Botanic Garden, said, “Shelby White is a passionate champion of horticulture, conservation, and preservation of green spaces, and her gift to Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) was inspired by the Garden’s commitment to conservation and environmental stewardship, in particular one of BBG’s most significant landscape design projects, focused on water conservation. Encompassing much of the Garden’s 52 acres, it includes rainfall capture and recirculation, a new Water Garden, and an integrated approach to reducing BBG’s overall ecological impact through lessened demand on the municipal water supply.”

I agree the rain water capture for big water users makes great economical and environmental sense. I’ve done it for some of my manufacturing and car wash customers. Finding used underground tanks really makes the return on investment numbers work. I found recycled tanks from breweries that were updating their facilities.

As I’ve written before, I’m not a fan of the LEED checklist process that often rewards poor energy design and adds substantial project cost without substantial benefits. Rain water capture, though, really makes sense. Every project you work on with a big water user should consider rain water capture.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

February 16, 2012

I’m Somebody Now
Filed under: Cool Projects — Tags: — nedpelger

When I walked up to the mailbox this morning and saw the new ENR magazine with the cover showing the Best of the Best projects for 2011 (of which I was a judge), I felt like Navin R. Johnson when the new phonebook came out. You really do need to take a minute and watch the video below, you can’t possibly be too busy and you need the laugh.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOTDn2A7hcY

My thoughts were similar to Navin’s as I walked down the driveway and thought:

I’m somebody now! Millions of people look at this book everyday. This is the kind of spontaneous publicity that makes people…things are going to start happening to me now.

But getting out of my weird brain and into the story, the ENR Editors selected the Facebook Data Center as the Editor’s Choice best project of 2012. It was Facebook’s first data center, LEED Gold certified and one of the most energy efficient data centers ever built. In keeping with the Facebook hacker tradition, all the facility CAD plans and specs are given away free to anyone.

They found substantial energy efficiency by custom building the servers, using only the needed components and not wasting energy on powering extra components found in off-the-shelf servers. They also used higher voltages in the facility, cutting out many stage transformers and the associated energy losses. Typical data centers lose 25% of their power in these conversions, but the Facebook facility was reduced to a 7% loss.

The facility also harvests rain water and captures and recycles the evaporative cooling water mist that didn’t get fully absorbed into the air. Lots of similar innovative design decisions made this an impressive project. I also liked that they had a transformer failure in their start-up and studied the situation with a milli-second by milli-second analysis to truly understand the cause.

But back to me, here’s my blurb from the Meet the Judges section:

Ned Pelger

PELGER

President

Pelger Engineering & Construction

Based in Lancaster County, Penn., Pelger managed design/build construction projects for 30 years, mostly factories, offices and apartment buildings. In the last five years, he developedConstructionKnowledge.net to mentor young contractors moving up the ranks or out the door to start their own firms. Pelger also authored Joyful Living: Build Yourself a Great Life!

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