Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County, Venice, Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

2011-11-01

PNNL and Calcs Plus helped the South Sarasota County Florida Habitat for Humanity retrofit a 1978 single-story home by stripping old drywall, air sealing concrete block walls, and installing rigid insulation, furring strips, and new drywall. The attic was sealed and insulated with spray foam to house a new heat pump.

Effect of External Post-tensioning in Retrofitting of RC Beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manisekar, R.

2018-05-01

There are large number of existing concrete bridges in distressed condition in India and other countries, and they need retrofitting solutions. External post-tensioning is a prime technique for bridge retrofitting. It is being applied for retrofitting of bridges in India and other countries. Although the technique is becoming popular in retrofitting, various issues regarding performance of post-retrofitting behaviour need to be studied in detail. RC beam specimens of rectangular section were distressed by means of cracks to a certain limit, and were retrofitted by external post-tensioning. Retrofitted specimens were tested to fail to study the post-retrofitting behaviour. Retrofitting has increased the ultimate load carrying capacity by 81% with reference to the control beam, and recovered the deflection. This paper intends to report the results of the experimental investigations, and conclusions.

Viability of Carbon Capture and Sequestration Retrofits for Existing Coal-Fired Power Plants under an Emission Trading Scheme.

PubMed

Talati, Shuchi; Zhai, Haibo; Morgan, M Granger

2016-12-06

Using data on the coal-fired electric generating units (EGUs) in Texas we assess the economic feasibility of retrofitting existing units with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) in order to comply with the Clean Power Plan's rate-based emission standards under an emission trading scheme. CCS with 90% capture is shown to be more economically attractive for a range of existing units than purchasing emission rate credits (ERCs) from a trading market at an average credit price above $28 per MWh under the final state standard and $35 per MWh under the final national standard. The breakeven ERC trading prices would decrease significantly if the captured CO 2 were sold for use in enhanced oil recovery, making CCS retrofits viable at lower trading prices. The combination of ERC trading and CO 2 use can greatly reinforce economic incentives and market demands for CCS and hence accelerate large-scale deployment, even under scenarios with high retrofit costs. Comparing the levelized costs of electricity generation between CCS retrofits and new renewable plants under the ERC trading scheme, retrofitting coal-fired EGUs with CCS may be significantly cheaper than new solar plants under some market conditions.

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase II. Shallow Plus Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

K. Sutherland; Parker, D.; Martin, E.

2016-02-01

The BAPIRC team and Florida Power and Light (FPL) electric utility pursued a pilot phased energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida by creating detailed data on the energy and economic performance of two levels of retrofit - simple and deep. For this Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, a total of 56 homes spread across the utility partner's territory in east central Florida, southeast Florida, and southwest Florida were instrumented between August 2012 and January 2013, and received simple pass-through retrofit measures during the period of March 2013 - June 2013. Ten of these homes received a deeper package of retrofits duringmore » August 2013 - December 2013.« less

Diesel retrofit assessment for NYS DOT to retrofit its existing engine fleet.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-08-01

The NYS DEC has required the use of retrofit technologies for various state agency, state public authority, and regional public authority heavy duty vehicles, as well as heavy duty vehicles used on behalf of such agencies and authorities. This report...

Strategies and Challenges for Energy Efficient Retrofitting: Study of the Empire State Building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De, B.; Mukherjee, M.

2013-11-01

Operational and maintenance cost of existing buildings is escalating making it tough for both the owner and the tenants. Retrofitting them with state of the art technologies help them to keep pace with amended recent code provisions and thus extending the older building stocks one more chance to live responsively. Retrofitted iconic buildings can thus retain their status in commerce driven real estate sector. It helps in reducing green house gas emission as well. World's iconic skyscraper, the Empire State Building (ESB), has undergone an exemplary retrofit process since 2008 to reduce its energy demands. To achieve the goal of operational cost and energy consumption reduction, stiff challenges had taken care in a systematic manner to realize benefit throughout the entire lifespan of the ESB. Least disturbances to the tenant and on-site component handling strategies required precise planning. The present paper explores strategies and process adopted for retrofitting the ESB, and derived insightful guidelines towards operational cost savings and energy efficiency of existing buildings through retrofitting.

Strategy Guideline: Quality Management in Existing Homes; Cantilever Floor Example

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taggart, J.; Sikora, J.; Wiehagen, J.

2011-12-01

This guideline is designed to highlight the QA process that can be applied to any residential building retrofit activity. The cantilevered floor retrofit detailed in this guideline is included only to provide an actual retrofit example to better illustrate the QA activities being presented. The goal of existing home high performing remodeling quality management systems (HPR-QMS) is to establish practices and processes that can be used throughout any remodeling project. The research presented in this document provides a comparison of a selected retrofit activity as typically done versus that same retrofit activity approached from an integrated high performance remodeling andmore » quality management perspective. It highlights some key quality management tools and approaches that can be adopted incrementally by a high performance remodeler for this or any high performance retrofit. This example is intended as a template and establishes a methodology that can be used to develop a portfolio of high performance remodeling strategies.« less

Strategy Guideline: Quality Management in Existing Homes - Cantilever Floor Example

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taggart, J.; Sikora, J.; Wiehagen, J.

2011-12-01

This guideline is designed to highlight the QA process that can be applied to any residential building retrofit activity. The cantilevered floor retrofit detailed in this guideline is included only to provide an actual retrofit example to better illustrate the QA activities being presented.

Measure Guideline: Deep Energy Enclosure Retrofit for Double-Stud Walls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loomis, H.; Pettit, B.

2015-06-22

This Measure Guideline describes a deep energy enclosure retrofit solution that provides insulation to the interior of the wall assembly with the use of a double-stud wall. The guide describes two approaches to retrofitting the existing walls—one that involves replacing the existing cladding and the other that leaves the cladding in place. This guideline also covers the design principles related to the use of various insulation types and provides strategies and procedures for implementing the double-stud wall retrofit. It also includes an evaluation of important moisture-related and indoor air quality measures that need to be implemented to achieve a durablemore » high-performance wall.« less

EnergySmart Schools Tips: Retrofitting, Operating, and Maintaining Existing Buildings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Energy, 2010

2010-01-01

Combining preventative operations and maintenance (O&M) with strategic retrofitting of building systems improves a school's energy performance. For schools with limited resources and experience, "quick wins" in O&M and retrofitting provide a valuable starting point to energy management. As a next step, strategically prioritizing long- and…

36 CFR 1192.51 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... provisions of this subpart. This provision does not require that inaccessible vehicles be retrofitted with lifts, ramps or other boarding devices. (c) Existing vehicles which are retrofitted to comply with the...

49 CFR 38.51 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... provisions of this subpart. This provision does not require that inaccessible vehicles be retrofitted with lifts, ramps or other boarding devices. (c) Existing vehicles which are retrofitted to comply with the...

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase II: Shallow Plus Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sutherland, K.; Parker, D.; Martin, E.

Originally published in February 2016, this revision contains an added section called 'Evaluation of Complete Central System Replacement with Inverter-Driven Heat Pump,' which presents the designs and energy savings evaluations of two different schemes wherein inverter-driven systems replaced a home's existing central system. Analyses for three additional retrofit measures were bolstered by longer-term data; these are described in the sections on supplemental mini-split heat pumps (MSHPs), smart thermostats, and heat pump clothes dryers. The sections on supplemental MSHPs and smart thermostats were also enhanced with larger sample sizes and projections of weather-normalized annual energy savings. Finally, peak system hour energymore » demand-reduction predictions are provided for all retrofit measures where meaningful impacts could be drawn.« less

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase II: Shallow Plus Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sutherland, K.; Parker, D.; Martin, E.

Originally published in February 2016, this revision contains an added section called 'Evaluation of Complete Central System Replacement with Inverter-Driven Heat Pump,' which presents the designs and energy savings evaluations of two different schemes wherein inverter-driven systems replaced a home’s existing central system. Analyses for three additional retrofit measures were bolstered by longer-term data; these are described in the sections on supplemental mini-split heat pumps (MSHPs), smart thermostats, and heat pump clothes dryers. The sections on supplemental MSHPs and smart thermostats were also enhanced with larger sample sizes and projections of weather-normalized annual energy savings. Finally, peak system hour energymore » demand-reduction predictions are provided for all retrofit measures where meaningful impacts could be drawn.« less

The application, benefits and challenges of retrofitting the existing buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khairi, Muhammad; Jaapar, Aini; Yahya, Zaharah

2017-11-01

Sustainable development has been the main topic of debate for years in some countries such as United Kingdom, United State of America and Malaysia. Depletion of natural resources, global warming, economics uncertainty and health issues are some of the reasons behind sustainable development movements, it is not just a political debate in the parliament but more towards collective works among sectors in order to minimizing the negative impact of development to the environment and other living organism. Retrofit an existing building is one of the solutions to reduce the dependency on constructing new buildings. There are huge numbers of existing building stocks that suitable to be retrofitted such as historical buildings, offices, residential, warehouse, factories, vacant buildings and other historical buildings. Therefore, the aim of this research is to provide information on the application, benefits and challenges of retrofitting an existing building. Two buildings were chosen as case studies following by site visits and observation to the buildings. The data were then compared in a table form. Primary and secondary sources were also used for this research. The application of retrofit should be promoted across the construction and conservation industries since it has significant tangible and intangible benefits. It is one of the most environmentally friendly and efficient solutions to optimize the energy performance and could also helps to extend the life of the existing building or historical buildings while ensuring optimum thermal comfort for the occupants which leads to higher productivity.

A Meta-Analysis of Single-Family Deep Energy Retrofit Performance in the U.S.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Less, Brennan; Walker, Iain

2014-03-01

The current state of Deep Energy Retrofit (DER) performance in the U.S. has been assessed in 116 homes in the United States (US), using actual and simulated data gathered from the available domestic literature. Substantial airtightness reductions averaging 63% (n=48) were reported (two- to three-times more than in conventional retrofits), with average post-retrofit airtightness of 4.7 Air Changes per House at 50 Pascal (ACH50) (n=94). Yet, mechanical ventilation was not installed consistently. In order to avoid indoor air quality (IAQ) issues, all future DERs should comply with ASHRAE 62.2-2013 requirements or equivalent. Projects generally achieved good energy results, with averagemore » annual net-site and net-source energy savings of 47%±20% and 45%±24% (n=57 and n=35), respectively, and carbon emission reductions of 47%±22% (n=23). Net-energy reductions did not vary reliably with house age, airtightness, or reported project costs, but pre-retrofit energy usage was correlated with total reductions (MMBtu). Annual energy costs were reduced $1,283±$804 (n=31), from a pre-retrofit average of $2,738±$1,065 to $1,588±$561 post-retrofit (n=25 and n=39). The average reported incremental project cost was $40,420±$30,358 (n=59). When financed on a 30-year term, the median change in net-homeownership cost was only $1.00 per month, ranging from $149 in savings to an increase of $212 (mean=$15.67±$87.74; n=28), and almost half of the projects resulted in reductions in net-cost. The economic value of a DER may be much greater than is suggested by these net-costs, because DERs entail substantial non-energy benefits (NEBs), and retrofit measures may add value to a home at resale similarly to general remodeling, PV panel installation, and green/energy efficient home labels. These results provide estimates of the potential of DERs to address energy use in existing homes across climate zones that can be used in future estimates of the technical potential to reduce household energy use and greenhouse gas emissions through DERs.« less

Full-Scale Experimental Verification of Soft-Story-Only Retrofits of Wood-Frame Buildings using Hybrid Testing

Treesearch

Elaina Jennings; John W. van de Lindt; Ershad Ziaei; Pouria Bahmani; Sangki Park; Xiaoyun Shao; Weichiang Pang; Douglas Rammer; Gary Mochizuki; Mikhail Gershfeld

2015-01-01

The FEMA P-807 Guidelines were developed for retrofitting soft-story wood-frame buildings based on existing data, and the method had not been verified through full-scale experimental testing. This article presents two different retrofit designs based directly on the FEMA P-807 Guidelines that were examined at several different seismic intensity levels. The...

49 CFR 214.517 - Retrofitting of existing on-track roadway maintenance machines manufactured on or after January 1...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... maintenance machines manufactured on or after January 1, 1991. 214.517 Section 214.517 Transportation Other... TRANSPORTATION RAILROAD WORKPLACE SAFETY On-Track Roadway Maintenance Machines and Hi-Rail Vehicles § 214.517 Retrofitting of existing on-track roadway maintenance machines manufactured on or after January 1, 1991. In...

Technology Solutions for Existing Homes Overview: Quantifying the Financial Benefits of Multifamily Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2016-04-01

In this project, the U.S. Department of Energy Building America team Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit (PARR) worked with Elevate Energy on three tasks: to conduct pre- and post-retrofit analysis on the income and expense data of 13 Chicago-area multifamily buildings, to compare Chicago income and expense data to two national samples, and to explore the ramifications that energy-efficiency retrofits have on nine Chicago-area neighborhoods. The project team collected building, energy, and income and expense data from multiple private and public sources.

Marginal costs of water savings from cooling system retrofits: a case study for Texas power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loew, Aviva; Jaramillo, Paulina; Zhai, Haibo

2016-10-01

The water demands of power plant cooling systems may strain water supply and make power generation vulnerable to water scarcity. Cooling systems range in their rates of water use, capital investment, and annual costs. Using Texas as a case study, we examined the cost of retrofitting existing coal and natural gas combined-cycle (NGCC) power plants with alternative cooling systems, either wet recirculating towers or air-cooled condensers for dry cooling. We applied a power plant assessment tool to model existing power plants in terms of their key plant attributes and site-specific meteorological conditions and then estimated operation characteristics of retrofitted plants and retrofit costs. We determined the anticipated annual reductions in water withdrawals and the cost-per-gallon of water saved by retrofits in both deterministic and probabilistic forms. The results demonstrate that replacing once-through cooling at coal-fired power plants with wet recirculating towers has the lowest cost per reduced water withdrawals, on average. The average marginal cost of water withdrawal savings for dry-cooling retrofits at coal-fired plants is approximately 0.68 cents per gallon, while the marginal recirculating retrofit cost is 0.008 cents per gallon. For NGCC plants, the average marginal costs of water withdrawal savings for dry-cooling and recirculating towers are 1.78 and 0.037 cents per gallon, respectively.

Numerical and Experimental Evaluation of Blast Retrofit of Windows

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-18

Retrofitting windows against blast load environments is a topic under considerable investigation. The retrofits added to existing buildings need the strength...experimentally survived the desired loading environment. Two views of the posttest vertical blind system can be seen in Figure 8. Although the vertical...vertica Figure 8: Posttest views l blind system and the connections Both the numerical and experimental systems deformed in a similar

Experiment study on RC frame retrofitted by the external structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chunyang; Shi, Junji; Hiroshi, Kuramoto; Taguchi, Takashi; Kamiya, Takashi

2016-09-01

A new retrofitting method is proposed herein for reinforced concrete (RC) structures through attachment of an external structure. The external structure consists of a fiber concrete encased steel frame, connection slab and transverse beams. The external structure is connected to the existing structure through a connection slab and transverse beams. Pseudostatic experiments were carried out on one unretrofitted specimen and three retrofitted frame specimens. The characteristics, including failure mode, crack pattern, hysteresis loops behavior, relationship of strain and displacement of the concrete slab, are demonstrated. The results show that the load carrying capacity is obviously increased, and the extension length of the slab and the number of columns within the external frame are important influence factors on the working performance of the existing structure. In addition, the displacement difference between the existing structure and the outer structure was caused mainly by three factors: shear deformation of the slab, extraction of transverse beams, and drift of the conjunction part between the slab and the existing frame. Furthermore, the total deformation determined by the first two factors accounted for approximately 80% of the damage, therefore these factors should be carefully considered in engineering practice to enhance the effects of this new retrofitting method.

36 CFR 1192.91 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... provisions of this subpart. This provision does not require that inaccessible cars be retrofitted with lifts...) Existing vehicles retrofitted to comply with the “one-car-per-train rule” at 49 CFR 37.93 shall comply with...

49 CFR 38.91 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... provisions of this subpart. This provision does not require that inaccessible cars be retrofitted with lifts... part. (d) Existing vehicles retrofitted to comply with the “one-car-per-train rule” at § 37.93 of this...

Building America Case Study: Simple Retrofit High-Efficiency Natural Gas Water Heater Field Test, Minneapolis, Minnesota

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

T. Schirber, B. Schoenbauer

High-performance water heaters are typically more time consuming and costly to install in retrofit applications, making high-performance water heaters difficult to justify economically. However, recent advancements in high-performance water heaters have targeted the retrofit market, simplifying installations and reducing costs. Four high-efficiency natural gas water heaters designed specifically for retrofit applications were installed in single-family homes along with detailed monitoring systems to characterize their savings potential, their installed efficiencies, and their ability to meet household demands.

RETROFITTING CONTROL FACILITIES FOR WET-WEATHER FLOW CONTROL

EPA Science Inventory

Available technologies were evaluated to demonstrate the feasibility and cost effectiveness of retrofitting existing facilities to handle wet-weather flow (WWF). Cost/benefit relationships were compared to construction of new conventional control and treatment facilities. Desktop...

RETROFITTING CONTROL FACILITIES FOR WET WEATHER FLOW TREATMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Available technologies were evaluated to demonstrate the technical feasibility and cost-effectiveness of retrofitting existing facilities to handle wet-weather flow. Cost/benefit relationships were also compared to construction of new conventional control and treatment facilitie...

RETROFITTING CONTROL FACILITIES FOR WET-WEATHER FLOW TREATMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Available technologies were evaluated to demonstrate the technical feasibility and cost effectiveness of retrofitting existing facilities to handle wet-weather flow. Cost/benefit relationships were also compared to construction of new conventional control and treatment facilities...

Network Implementation Trade-Offs in Existing Homes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keiser, Gerd

2013-03-01

The ever-increasing demand for networking of high-bandwidth services in existing homes has resulted in several options for implementing an in-home network. Among the options are power-line communication techniques, twisted-pair copper wires, wireless links, and plastic or glass optical fibers. Whereas it is easy to install high-bandwidth optical fibers during the construction of new living units, retrofitting of existing homes with networking capabilities requires some technology innovations. This article addresses some trade-offs that need to be made on what transmission media can be retrofitted most effectively in existing homes.

Design procedures of retrofitted bridge rail.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-08-01

The use of shallow embedment anchors in concrete is essential for retrofit applications; however, the combination of steel anchors, chemical adhesive, and concrete acting as a single tensile mechanism creates uncertainties in anchor strength and fail...

Building America Case Study: Trade-Friendly Retrofit Insulated Panels for Existing Buildings, Albany, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

This project evaluated the effectiveness and affordability of integrating retrofit insulated panels into a re-siding project. The Partnership for Home Innovation (PHI) teamed with New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Albany Housing Authority (AHA), and the New York State Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) administered by Albany Community Action Partnership to demonstrate an energy retrofit and siding upgrade on a two-story, seven unit, multifamily building in Albany New York (CZ 5). The project focused on accomplishing three goals - doubling the existing wall thermal resistance (from approximately R-13 to a weighted average of R-27), reduction of buildingmore » air leakage, and completion of the retrofit within a budget where the additional cost for upgrading wall's thermal resistance is equal to the cost of the standard re-siding effort (i.e., the total cost of the energy efficient re-siding scope of work is not more than double the cost of the standard re-siding effort). Lessons learned from the project strongly indicate that the retrofit panel technology can be installed using common installation practices and with minimal training. Other lessons learned include limitation on the use of standard air sealing materials during cold weather installations and the need to develop better installation guidance for trades working with the level of tolerances that may be present in the existing structure. This technology demonstration showed that exterior retrofit panels provide a viable and reasonable option for the siding trades to increase market opportunities and achieve synergistic benefits for aesthetic upgrades to a building's exterior.« less

Retrofitting a 1960s Split-Level, Cold-Climate Home

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Puttagunta, Srikanth

2015-07-13

National programs such as Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® and numerous other utility air-sealing programs have made homeowners aware of the benefits of energy-efficiency retrofits. Yet these programs tend to focus only on the low-hanging fruit: they recommend air sealing the thermal envelope and ductwork where accessible, switching to efficient lighting and low-flow fixtures, and improving the efficiency of mechanical systems (though insufficient funds or lack of knowledge to implement these improvements commonly prevent the implementation of these higher cost upgrades). At the other end of the spectrum, various utilities across the country are encouraging deep energy retrofit programs. Althoughmore » deep energy retrofits typically seek 50% energy savings, they are often quite costly and are most applicable to gut-rehab projects. A significant potential for lowering energy use in existing homes lies between the lowhanging fruit and deep energy retrofit approaches—retrofits that save approximately 30% in energy compared to the pre-retrofit conditions. The energy-efficiency measures need to be nonintrusive so the retrofit projects can be accomplished in occupied homes.« less

A survey of some solar energy retrofits.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-01-01

The report briefly describes a survey of some solar energy retrofits, such as solar heaters and Trombe walls, that can be easily adapted into existing buildings belonging to the Department. With their relatively high cost, commercial solar heaters ha...

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase II: Shallow Plus Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sutherland, K.; Parker, D.; Martin, E.

The BAPIRC team and Florida Power and Light (FPL) electric utility pursued a pilot phased energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida by creating detailed data on the energy and economic performance of two levels of retrofit - simple and deep. For this Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, a total of 56 homes spread across the utility partner's territory in east central Florida, southeast Florida, and southwest Florida were instrumented between August 2012 and January 2013, and received simple pass-through retrofit measures during the period of March 2013 - June 2013. Ten of these homes received a deeper package of retrofits duringmore » August 2013 - December 2013. A full account of Phase I of this project, including detailed home details and characterization, is found in Parker et al, 2015 (currently in draft). Phase II of this project, which is the focus of this report, applied the following additional retrofit measures to select homes that received a shallow retrofit in Phase I: a) Supplemental mini-split heat pump (MSHP) (6 homes); b) Ducted and space coupled Heat Pump Water Heater (8 homes); c) Exterior insulation finish system (EIFS) (1 homes); d) Window retrofit (3 homes); e) Smart thermostat (21 homes: 19 NESTs; 2 Lyrics); f) Heat pump clothes dryer (8 homes); g) Variable speed pool pump (5 homes).« less

Life cycle assessment: Existing building retrofit versus replacement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darabi, Nura

The embodied energy in building materials constitutes a large part of the total energy required for any building (Thormark 2001, 429). In working to make buildings more energy efficient this needs to be considered. Integrating considerations about life cycle assessment for buildings and materials is one promising way to reduce the amount of energy consumption being used within the building sector and the environmental impacts associated with that energy. A life cycle assessment (LCA) model can be utilized to help evaluate the embodied energy in building materials in comparison to the buildings operational energy. This thesis takes into consideration the potential life cycle reductions in energy and CO2 emissions that can be made through an energy retrofit of an existing building verses demolition and replacement with a new energy efficient building. A 95,000 square foot institutional building built in the 1960`s was used as a case study for a building LCA, along with a calibrated energy model of the existing building created as part of a previous Masters of Building Science thesis. The chosen case study building was compared to 10 possible improvement options of either energy retrofit or replacement of the existing building with a higher energy performing building in order to see the life cycle relationship between embodied energy, operational energy, and C02 emissions. As a result of completing the LCA, it is shown under which scenarios building retrofit saves more energy over the lifespan of the building than replacement with new construction. It was calculated that energy retrofit of the chosen existing institutional building would reduce the amount of energy and C02 emissions associated with that building over its life span.

Fabrication of crown restoration retrofitting to existing clasps using CAD/CAM: fitness accuracy and retentive force.

PubMed

Ozawa, Daisuke; Suzuki, Yasunori; Kawamura, Noboru; Ohkubo, Chikahiro

2015-04-01

A crown restoration engaged by a clasp as an abutment tooth for a removable partial denture (RPD) occasionally might be removed and eliminated due to secondary caries or apical lesions. However, if the RPD is clinically acceptable without any problems and refabricating the RPD is not recommended, the new crown must be made to retrofit to the existing clasp of the RPD. This in vitro study evaluated the conventional and CAD/CAM procedures for retrofitting crown restorations to the existing clasps by measuring the fitness accuracy and the retentive forces. The crown restoration on #44 was fabricated with CP titanium and zirconium on the plaster model with #45 and #46 teeth missing to retrofit to the existing clasp using conventional thin coping and CAD/CAM procedures. The gap distance between the clasp (tip, shoulder, and rest regions) and the fabricated crown was measured using silicone impression material. The retentive force of the clasp was also measured, using an autograph at a crosshead speed of 50mm/min. The obtained data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA/Tukey's multiple comparison test (α=0.05). The CAD/CAM procedure caused significantly smaller gap distances in all of the clasp regions, as compared to the conventional procedure (p<0.05). The retentive force of the CAD/CAM crown was significantly higher than for the conventional one (p<0.05). When a crown restoration must be remade to retrofit an existing clasp, CAD/CAM fabrication can be recommended so that both appropriate fitness and retentive force are obtained. Copyright © 2015 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Pilot Demonstration of Phased Retrofits in Florida Homes - Central and South Florida Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2014-08-01

In this pilot project, the Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction and Florida Power and Light are collaborating to retrofit a large number of homes using a phased approach to both simple and deep retrofits. This project will provide the information necessary to significantly reduce energy use through larger community-scale projects in collaboration with utilities, program administrators and other market leader stakeholders.

An analysis and retrofit of the acoustics at Image Creators Health and Beauty Salon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, Donna

2002-11-01

This paper discusses the analysis and retrofit of the acoustics in a high-volume beauty salon in Severna Park, MD. The major issues in what was designed to be a serene environment are reverberation times of 1-1.68 s in the mid- to upper-frequency range. Employee and customer complaints include heightened stress, vocal strain, headaches, and poor intelligibility. Existing analysis and acoustical retrofit solutions will be demonstrated.

Determinants of Household Water Conservation Retrofit Activity: A Discrete Choice Model Using Survey Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cameron, T. A.; Wright, M. B.

1990-02-01

Economic analyses of residential water demand have typically concentrated on price and income elasticities. In the short run a substantial change in water prices might induce only small changes in consumption levels. As time passes, however, households will have the opportunity to "retrofit" existing water-using equipment to make it less water-intensive. This produces medium- to long-run demand elasticities that are higher than short-run studies suggest. We examine responses to water conservation questions appearing on the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's 1983 residential energy survey. We find that households' decisions to install shower retrofit devices are influenced by the potential to save money on water heating bills. We attribute toilet retrofit decisions more to noneconomic factors which might be characterized as "general conservation mindedness." The endogeneity of these retrofit decisions casts some doubt on the results of studies of individual households that treat voluntary retrofits as exogenous.

Building America Case Study: Performance of a Hot-Dry Climate Whole House Retrofit, Stockton, California (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

ARBI

2014-09-01

The Stockton house retrofit is a two-story tudor style single family deep retrofit in the hot-dry climate of Stockton, CA. The home is representative of a deep retrofit option of the scaled home energy upgrade packages offered to targeted neighborhoods under the pilot Large-Scale Retrofit Program (LSRP) administered by the Alliance for Residential Building Innovation (ARBI). Deep retrofit packages expand on the standard package by adding HVAC, water heater and window upgrades to the ducting, attic and floor insulation, domestic hot water insulation, envelope sealing, lighting and ventilation upgrades. Site energy savings with the deep retrofit were 23% compared tomore » the pre-retrofit case, and 15% higher than the savings estimated for the standard retrofit package. Energy savings were largely a result of the water heater upgrade, and a combination of the envelope sealing, insulation and HVAC upgrade. The HVAC system was of higher efficiency than the building code standard. Overall the financed retrofit would have been more cost effective had a less expensive HVAC system been selected and barriers to wall insulation remedied. The homeowner experienced improved comfort throughout the monitored period and was satisfied with the resulting utility bill savings.« less

Seismic retrofit of cruciform-shaped columns in the Aurora Avenue Bridge using FRP wrapping.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-08-01

Experimental tests were conducted on seven 1/3-scale column specimens to evaluate the vulnerabilities of existing cruciform-shaped columns and to develop appropriate retrofit measures that address the identified vulnerabilities. The specimens represe...

Feasibility of Retrofitting Lifts on Commuter and Light Rail Vehicles

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1980-09-01

The objectives of this study were to determine if lift retrofit applications to rail vehicles are technically feasible, and if so, the extent to which existing bus lift technology can be utilized. This report examines some of the technical issues ass...

Infrastructure optimisation via MBR retrofit: a design guide.

PubMed

Bagg, W K

2009-01-01

Wastewater management is continually evolving with the development and implementation of new, more efficient technologies. One of these is the Membrane Bioreactor (MBR). Although a relatively new technology in Australia, MBR wastewater treatment has been widely used elsewhere for over 20 years, with thousands of MBRs now in operation worldwide. Over the past 5 years, MBR technology has been enthusiastically embraced in Australia as a potential treatment upgrade option, and via retrofit typically offers two major benefits: (1) more capacity using mostly existing facilities, and (2) very high quality treated effluent. However, infrastructure optimisation via MBR retrofit is not a simple or low-cost solution and there are many factors which should be carefully evaluated before deciding on this method of plant upgrade. The paper reviews a range of design parameters which should be carefully evaluated when considering an MBR retrofit solution. Several actual and conceptual case studies are considered to demonstrate both advantages and disadvantages. Whilst optimising existing facilities and production of high quality water for reuse are powerful drivers, it is suggested that MBRs are perhaps not always the most sustainable Whole-of-Life solution for a wastewater treatment plant upgrade, especially by way of a retrofit.

Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide (AERG): Practical Ways to Improve Energy Performance; Healthcare Facilities (Book)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendron, R.; Leach, M.; Bonnema, E.

The Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide for Healthcare Facilities is part of a series of retrofit guides commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy. By presenting general project planning guidance as well as detailed descriptions and financial payback metrics for the most important and relevant energy efficiency measures (EEMs), the guides provide a practical roadmap for effectively planning and implementing performance improvements in existing buildings. The Advanced Energy Retrofit Guides (AERGs) are intended to address key segments of the U.S. commercial building stock: retail stores, office buildings, K-12 schools, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities. The guides' general project planning considerations aremore » applicable nationwide; the energy and cost savings estimates for recommended EEMs were developed based on energy simulations and cost estimates for an example hospital tailored to five distinct climate regions. These results can be extrapolated to other U.S. climate zones. Analysis is presented for individual EEMs, and for packages of recommended EEMs for two project types: existing building commissioning projects that apply low-cost and no-cost measures, and whole-building retrofits involving more capital-intensive measures.« less

Measurement of water pressure and deformation with time domain reflectometry cables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dowding, Charles H.; Pierce, Charles E.

1995-05-01

Time domain reflectometry (TDR) techniques can be deployed to measure water pressures and relative dam abutment displacement with an array of coaxial cables either drilled and grouted or retrofitted through existing passages. Application of TDR to dam monitoring requires determination of appropriate cable types and methods to install these cables in existing dams or during new construction. This paper briefly discusses currently applied and developing TDR techniques and describes initial design considerations for TDR-based dam instrumentation. Water pressure at the base of or within the dam can be determined by measuring the water level within a hollow or air-filled coaxial cable. The ability to retrofit existing porous stone-tipped piezometers is an attractive attribute of the TDR system. Measurement of relative lateral movement can be accomplished by monitoring local shearing of a solid polyethylene-filled coaxial cable at the interface of the dam base and foundation materials or along adversely oriented joints. Uplift can be recorded by measuring cable extension as the dam displaces upward off its foundation. Since each monitoring technique requires measurements with different types of coaxial cables, a variety may be installed within the array. Multiplexing of these cables will allow monitoring from a single pulser, and measurements can be recorded on site or remotely via a modem at any time.

Energy Efficient Crawlspace Foundation Retrofit: Mixed Humid Climate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Del Bianco, M.; Wiehagen, J.

2013-01-01

Residential quality management systems have most often been designed for new home construction. To address quality in existing homes in the form of Scopes of Work (SOW), the NAHB Research Center began with a new construction scope of work and applied it to an existing home project. This document is intended to outline the steps of translating a new home construction SOW to SOW for retrofit and addressed crawlspace foundations in a mixed-humid climate.

Pseudo-dynamic tests on masonry residential buildings seismically retrofitted by precast steel reinforced concrete walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wenfeng; Wang, Tao; Chen, Xi; Zhong, Xiang; Pan, Peng

2017-07-01

A retrofitting technology using precast steel reinforced concrete (PSRC) panels is developed to improve the seismic performance of old masonry buildings. The PSRC panels are built up as an external PSRC wall system surrounding the existing masonry building. The PSRC walls are well connected to the existing masonry building, which provides enough confinement to effectively improve the ductility, strength, and stiffenss of old masonry structures. The PSRC panels are prefabricated in a factory, significantly reducing the situ work and associated construction time. To demonstrate the feasibility and mechanical effectivenss of the proposed retrofitting system, a full-scale five-story specimen was constructed. The retrofitting process was completed within five weeks with very limited indoor operation. The specimen was then tested in the lateral direction, which could potentially suffer sigifnicant damage in a large earthquake. The technical feasibility, construction workability, and seismic performance were thoroughly demonstrated by a full-scale specimen construction and pseudo-dynamic tests.

Retrofit of a Multifamily Mass Masonry Building in New England

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ueno, K.; Kerrigan, P.; Wytrykowska, H.

2013-08-01

Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity (MVHfH) has partnered with Building Science Corporation to provide high performance affordable housing for 10 families in the retrofit of an existing brick building (a former convent) into condominiums. The research performed for this project provides information regarding advanced retrofit packages for multi-family masonry buildings in Cold climates. In particular, this project demonstrates safe, durable, and cost-effective solutions that will potentially benefit millions of multi-family brick buildings throughout the East Coast and Midwest (Cold climates). The retrofit packages provide insight on the opportunities for and constraints on retrofitting multifamily buildings with ambitious energy performance goalsmore » but a limited budget. The condominium conversion project will contribute to several areas of research on enclosures, space conditioning, and water heating. Enclosure items include insulation of mass masonry building on the interior, airtightness of these types of retrofits, multi-unit building compartmentalization, window selection, and roof insulation strategies. Mechanical system items include combined hydronic and space heating systems with hydronic distribution in small (low load) units, and ventilation system retrofits for multifamily buildings.« less

Retrofit of a MultiFamily Mass Masonry Building in New England

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ueno, K.; Kerrigan, P.; Wytrykowska, H.

2013-08-01

Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity (MVHfH) has partnered with Building Science Corporation to provide high performance affordable housing for 10 families in the retrofit of an existing brick building (a former convent) into condominiums. The research performed for this project provides information regarding advanced retrofit packages for multi-family masonry buildings in Cold climates. In particular, this project demonstrates safe, durable, and cost-effective solutions that will potentially benefit millions of multi-family brick buildings throughout the East Coast and Midwest (Cold climates). The retrofit packages provide insight on the opportunities for and constraints on retrofitting multifamily buildings with ambitious energy performance goalsmore » but a limited budget. The condominium conversion project will contribute to several areas of research on enclosures, space conditioning, and water heating. Enclosure items include insulation of mass masonry building on the interior, airtightness of these types of retrofits, multi-unit building compartmentalization, window selection, and roof insulation strategies. Mechanical system items include combined hydronic and space heating systems with hydronic distribution in small (low load) units, and ventilation system retrofits for multifamily buildings.« less

The integration of quantitative information with an intelligent decision support system for residential energy retrofits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Yunjeong

The purpose of this research is to support the development of an intelligent Decision Support System (DSS) by integrating quantitative information with expert knowledge in order to facilitate effective retrofit decision-making. To achieve this goal, the Energy Retrofit Decision Process Framework is analyzed. Expert system shell software, a retrofit measure cost database, and energy simulation software are needed for developing the DSS; Exsys Corvid, the NREM database and BEopt were chosen for implementing an integration model. This integration model demonstrates the holistic function of a residential energy retrofit system for existing homes, by providing a prioritized list of retrofit measures with cost information, energy simulation and expert advice. The users, such as homeowners and energy auditors, can acquire all of the necessary retrofit information from this unified system without having to explore several separate systems. The integration model plays the role of a prototype for the finalized intelligent decision support system. It implements all of the necessary functions for the finalized DSS, including integration of the database, energy simulation and expert knowledge.

Low-E Retrofit Demonstration and Educational Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Culp, Thomas D; Wiehagen, Joseph; Drumheller, S Craig

The objective of this project was to demonstrate the capability of low-emissivity (low-E) storm windows / panels and low-E retrofit glazing systems to significantly and cost effectively improve the energy efficiency of both existing residential and commercial buildings. The key outcomes are listed below: RESIDENTIAL CASE STUDIES: (a) A residential case study in two large multifamily apartment buildings in Philadelphia showed a substantial 18-22% reduction in heating energy use and a 9% reduction in cooling energy use by replacing old clear glass storm windows with modern low-E storm windows. Furthermore, the new low-E storm windows reduced the overall apartment airmore » leakage by an average of 10%. (b) Air leakage testing on interior low-E panels installed in a New York City multifamily building over windows with and without AC units showed that the effective leakage area of the windows was reduced by 77-95%. (c) To study the use of low-E storm windows in a warmer mixed climate with a balance of both heating and cooling, 10 older homes near Atlanta with single pane windows were tested with three types of exterior storm windows: clear glass, low-E glass with high solar heat gain, and low-E glass with lower solar heat gain. The storm windows significantly reduced the overall home air leakage by an average of 17%, or 3.7 ACH50. Considerably high variability in the data made it difficult to draw strong conclusions about the overall energy usage, but for heating periods, the low-E storm windows showed approximately 15% heating energy savings, whereas clear storm windows were neutral in performance. For cooling periods, the low-E storm windows showed a wide range of performance from 2% to over 30% cooling energy savings. Overall, the study showed the potential for significantly more energy savings from using low-E glass versus no storm window or clear glass storm windows in warmer mixed climates, but it is difficult to conclusively say whether one type of low-E performed better than the other. COMMERCIAL CASE STUDIES: (a) A 12-story office building in Philadelphia was retrofitted by adding a double-pane low-E insulating glass unit to the existing single pane windows, to create a triple glazed low-E system. A detailed side-by-side comparison in two pairs of perimeter offices facing north and east showed a 39-60% reduction in heating energy use, a 9-36% reduction in cooling energy use, and a 10% reduction in peak electrical cooling demand. An analysis of utility bills estimated the whole building heating and cooling energy use was reduced by over 25%. Additionally, the retrofit window temperatures were commonly 20 degrees warmer on winter days, and 10-20 degrees cooler on summer days, leading to increased occupant comfort. (b) Two large 4-story office buildings in New Jersey were retrofitted with a similar system, but using two low-E coatings in the retrofit system. The energy savings are being monitored by a separate GPIC project; this work quantified the changes in glass surface temperatures, thermal comfort, and potential glass thermal stress. The low-E retrofit panels greatly reduced daily variations in the interior window surface temperatures, lowering the maximum temperature and raising the minimum temperature by over 20F compared to the original single pane windows with window film. The number of hours of potential thermal discomfort, as measured by deviation between mean radiant temperature and ambient air temperature by more than 3F, were reduced by 93 percent on the south orientation and over two-thirds on the west orientation. Overall, the low-E retrofit led to substantially improved occupant comfort with less periods of both overheating and feeling cold. (c) No significant thermal stress was observed in the New Jersey office building test window when using the low-E retrofit system over a variety of weather conditions. The surface temperature difference only exceeded 10F (500 psi thermal stress) for less than 1.5% of the monitored time, and in all cases, the maximum surface temperature difference never exceeded 35F (1,750 psi thermal stress). LOW-E STORM WINDOW OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM: (a) The project team assisted the State of Pennsylvania in adding low-E storm windows as a cost effective weatherization measure on its priority list for the state weatherization assistance program. (b) No technical barriers that could hinder widespread application were identified in the case studies. However, educational barriers have been identified, in that weatherization personnel commonly misunderstand how the application of low-E storm windows is very different than much more expensive full window replacement. (c) A package of educational materials was developed to help communicate the benefits of low-E storm windows and retrofits as a cost effective tool for weatherization personnel. (d) Using detailed thermal simulations, more accurate U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) values were determined for low-E storm windows installed over different primary windows. IN SUMMARY, this work confirmed the potential for low-E storm windows, panels, and retrofit systems to provide significant energy savings, reductions in air leakage, and improvements in thermal comfort in both residential and commercial existing buildings.« less

Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Retrofit Issues for Coal Fired Power Plants

EPA Science Inventory

Several studies have been published on carbon capture technology as an independent island. In contrast, this evaluation considered the impact on the existing plant and the potential improvements to ease the retrofit of a carbon capture process. This paper will provide insight i...

Dowel bar retrofit evaluation, district 12, Orange County, Interstate 405

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-09-01

A dowel bar retrofit project on Interstate 405 near Irvine in Orange County began to exhibit sights of failure in the bond between the existing concrete and the backfill grout in the dowel bar slots. It was requested the Office of Rigid Pavement and ...

SOLVENT-BASED TO WATERBASED ADHESIVE-COATED SUBSTRATE RETROFIT - VOLUME II: PROCESS OVERVIEW

EPA Science Inventory

This volume presents initial results of a study to identify the issues and barriers associated with retrofitting existing solvent-based equipment to accept waterbased adhesives as part of an EPA effort to improve equipment cleaning in the coated and laminated substrate manufactur...

Building Energy Model Development for Retrofit Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chasar, David; McIlvaine, Janet; Blanchard, Jeremy

2012-09-30

Based on previous research conducted by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Florida Solar Energy Center providing technical assistance to implement 22 deep energy retrofits across the nation, 6 homes were selected in Florida and Texas for detailed post-retrofit energy modeling to assess realized energy savings (Chandra et al, 2012). However, assessing realized savings can be difficult for some homes where pre-retrofit occupancy and energy performance are unknown. Initially, savings had been estimated using a HERS Index comparison for these homes. However, this does not account for confounding factors such as occupancy and weather. This research addresses a method to moremore » reliably assess energy savings achieved in deep energy retrofits for which pre-retrofit utility bills or occupancy information in not available. A metered home, Riverdale, was selected as a test case for development of a modeling procedure to account occupancy and weather factors, potentially creating more accurate estimates of energy savings. This “true up” procedure was developed using Energy Gauge USA software and post-retrofit homeowner information and utility bills. The 12 step process adjusts the post-retrofit modeling results to correlate with post-retrofit utility bills and known occupancy information. The “trued” post retrofit model is then used to estimate pre-retrofit energy consumption by changing the building efficiency characteristics to reflect the pre-retrofit condition, but keeping all weather and occupancy-related factors the same. This creates a pre-retrofit model that is more comparable to the post-retrofit energy use profile and can improve energy savings estimates. For this test case, a home for which pre- and post- retrofit utility bills were available was selected for comparison and assessment of the accuracy of the “true up” procedure. Based on the current method, this procedure is quite time intensive. However, streamlined processing spreadsheets or incorporation into existing software tools would improve the efficiency of the process. Retrofit activity appears to be gaining market share, and this would be a potentially valuable capability with relevance to marketing, program management, and retrofit success metrics.« less

Steel bridge retrofit evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prine, David W.

1998-03-01

The development of a retrofit design aimed at retarding or eliminating fatigue crack growth in a large bridge can be a very difficult and expensive procedure. Analytical techniques frequently do not provide sufficient accuracy when applied to complex structural details. The Infrastructure Technology Institute (ITI) of Northwestern University, under contract to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), recently applied experimental state-of-the-art NDE technology to the Interstate 80 bridge over the Sacramento River near Sacramento, California (Bryte Bend). Acoustic emission monitoring was applied in conjunction with strain gage monitoring to aid in characterizing the retrofits' effect on existing active fatigue cracks. The combined test results clearly showed that one retrofit design was superior to the other.

Existing School Buildings: Incremental Seismic Retrofit Opportunities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC.

The intent of this document is to provide technical guidance to school district facility managers for linking specific incremental seismic retrofit opportunities to specific maintenance and capital improvement projects. The linkages are based on logical affinities, such as technical fit, location of the work within the building, cost saving…

Deep Residential Retrofits in East Tennessee

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boudreaux, Philip R; Hendrick, Timothy P; Christian, Jeffrey E

2012-04-01

Executive Summary Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is furthering residential energy retrofit research in the mixed-humid climate of East Tennessee by selecting 10 homes and guiding the homeowners in the energy retrofit process. The homeowners pay for the retrofits, and ORNL advises which retrofits to complete and collects post-retrofit data. This effort is in accordance with the Department of Energy s Building America program research goal of demonstrating market-ready energy retrofit packages that reduce home energy use by 30 50%. Through this research, ORNL researchers hope to understand why homeowners decide to partake in energy retrofits, the payback of homemore » energy retrofits, and which retrofit packages most economically reduce energy use. Homeowner interviews help the researchers understand the homeowners experience. Information gathered during the interviews will aid in extending market penetration of home energy retrofits by helping researchers and the retrofit industry understand what drives homeowners in making positive decisions regarding these retrofits. This report summarizes the selection process, the pre-retrofit condition, the recommended retrofits, the actual cost of the retrofits (when available), and an estimated energy savings of the retrofit package using EnergyGauge . Of the 10 households selected to participate in the study, only five completed the recommended retrofits, three completed at least one but no more than three of the recommended retrofits, and two households did not complete any of the recommended retrofits. In the case of the two homes that did none of the recommended work, the pre-retrofit condition of the homes and the recommended retrofits are reported. The five homes that completed the recommended retrofits are monitored for energy consumption of the whole house, appliances, space conditioning equipment, water heater, and most of the other circuits with miscellaneous electric loads (MELs) and lighting. Thermal comfort is also monitored, with temperature and humidity measured in all conditioned zones, attics, crawlspaces, and unconditioned basements. In some homes, heat flux transducers are installed on the basement walls to help determine the insulating qualities of the technologies and practices. EnergyGauge is used to estimate the pre-retrofit and post-retrofit home energy rating system (HERS) index and reduction in energy consumption and energy bill. In a follow-up report, data from the installed sensors will be presented and analyzed as well as a comparison of the post-retrofit energy consumption of the home to the EnergyGauge model of the post-retrofit home. Table ES1 shows the retrofits that were completed at the eight households where some or all of the recommended retrofits were completed. Home aliases are used to keep the homeowners anonymous. Some key findings of this study thus far are listed as follows. Some homeowners (50%) are not willing to spend the money to reach 30 50% energy savings. Quality of retrofit work is significantly variable among contractors which impact the potential energy savings of the retrofit. Challenges exist in defining house volume and floor area. Of the five homes that completed all the recommended retrofits, energy bill savings was not the main driver for energy retrofits. In no case were the retrofits cost neutral given a 15 year loan at 7% interest for the retrofit costs.« less

Mini-Split Heat Pumps Multifamily Retrofit Feasibility Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dentz, Jordan; Podorson, David; Varshney, Kapil

Mini-split heat pumps can provide space heating and cooling in many climates and are relatively affordable. These and other features make them potentially suitable for retrofitting into multifamily buildings in cold climates to replace electric resistance heating or other outmoded heating systems. This report investigates the suitability of mini-split heat pumps for multifamily retrofits. Various technical and regulatory barriers are discussed and modeling was performed to compare long-term costs of substituting mini-splits for a variety of other heating and cooling options. A number of utility programs have retrofit mini-splits in both single family and multifamily residences. Two such multifamily programsmore » are discussed in detail.« less

Mini-Split Heat Pumps Multifamily Retrofit Feasibility Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dentz, J.; Podorson, D.; Varshney, K.

2014-05-01

Mini-split heat pumps can provide space heating and cooling in many climates and are relatively affordable. These and other features make them potentially suitable for retrofitting into multifamily buildings in cold climates to replace electric resistance heating or other outmoded heating systems. This report investigates the suitability of mini-split heat pumps for multifamily retrofits. Various technical and regulatory barriers are discussed and modeling was performed to compare long-term costs of substituting mini-splits for a variety of other heating and cooling options. A number of utility programs have retrofit mini-splits in both single family and multifamily residences. Two such multifamily programsmore » are discussed in detail.« less

Scalable methodology for large scale building energy improvement: Relevance of calibration in model-based retrofit analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heo, Yeonsook; Augenbroe, Godfried; Graziano, Diane

2015-05-01

The increasing interest in retrofitting of existing buildings is motivated by the need to make a major contribution to enhancing building energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption and CO2 emission by the built environment. This paper examines the relevance of calibration in model-based analysis to support decision-making for energy and carbon efficiency retrofits of individual buildings and portfolios of buildings. The authors formulate a set of real retrofit decision-making situations and evaluate the role of calibration by using a case study that compares predictions and decisions from an uncalibrated model with those of a calibrated model. The case study illustratesmore » both the mechanics and outcomes of a practical alternative to the expert- and time-intense application of dynamic energy simulation models for large-scale retrofit decision-making under uncertainty.« less

Development of weightage for criteria affecting in retrofitting of existing building in Higher Learning Institution with clean energy initiatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izie Adiana Abidin, Nur; Aminuddin, Eeydzah; Zakaria, Rozana; Mazzuana Shamsuddin, Siti; Sahamir, Shaza Rina; Shahzaib, Jam; Nafis Abas, Darul

2018-04-01

Campus university building is the Higher Learning Institution (HLI) involves complex activities and operations, conserving the energy has become paramount important. There are several efforts taken by universities to improve its current energy use such as policy development, education, and adaption of energy conservation solution through retrofitting. This paper aims to highlight the importance of the criteria affecting in retrofitting of existing buildings with clean energy in order to achieve zero energy balance in buildings. The focus is given to the development of criteria for solar photovoltaic (solar PV), wind turbines and small-scale hydropower. A questionnaire survey was employed and distributed to the green building expert practitioner. Factor Analysis, Factor Score, and Weightage Factor were adapted as a method of analysis in order to produce the final result with weightage output for prioritization and ranking of the relevant criteria. The result performed assists to provide the stakeholders an overview of the important criteria that should be considered especially during the decision making to retrofit the existing buildings with clean energy resources. The criteria developed are also to establish a structured decision-making process and to ensure the selection of the decision or alternatives achieve the desired outcome.

Innovative Retrofit Insulation Strategies for Concrete Masonry Foundations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huelman, P.; Goldberg, L.; Jacobson, R.

This study was designed to test a new approach for foundation insulation retrofits, with the goal of demonstrating improved moisture control, improved occupant comfort, and reduced heat loss. Because conducting experimental research on existing below-grade assemblies is very difficult, most of the results are based on simulations. The retrofit approach consists of filling open concrete block cores with an insulating material and adding R-10 exterior insulation that extends 1 ft below grade. The core fill is designed to improve the R-value of the foundation wall and increase the interior wall surface temperature, but more importantly to block convection currents thatmore » could otherwise increase moisture loads on the foundation wall and interior space. The exterior insulation significantly reduces heat loss through the most exposed part of the foundation and further increases the interior wall surface temperature. This improves occupant comfort and decreases the risk of condensation. Such an insulation package avoids the full-depth excavation necessary for exterior insulation retrofits, reduces costs, and eliminates the moisture and indoor air quality risks associated with interior insulation retrofits. Retrofit costs for the proposed approach were estimated at roughly half those of a full-depth exterior insulation retrofit.« less

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Bay Ridge Gardens - Mixed Humid Affordable Multifamily Housing Deep Energy Retrofit, Annapolis, Maryland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2013-10-01

Under this project, the BA-PIRC research team evaluated the installation, measured performance, and cost-effectiveness of efficiency upgrade measures for a tenant-in-place deep energy retrofit at the Bay Ridge multifamily development in Annapolis, Maryland. The design and construction phase of the Bay Ridge project was completed in August 2012. This case study summarizes system commissioning, short-term test results, utility bill data analysis, and analysis of real-time data collected over a one-year period after the retrofit was complete.

Measure Guideline: Wall Air Sealing and Insulation Methods in Existing Homes; An Overview of Opportunity and Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, S.; Stephenson, R.

2012-09-01

This guide provides renovators and retrofit contractors an overview of considerations when including wall air sealing and insulation in an energy retrofit project. It also outlines the potential project risks, various materials for insulating, possible field inspections needed, installation procedures, as well as the benefits and drawbacks. The purpose of this document is to provide the outline of the overview and process of insulating and air sealing walls so that home retrofit professionals can identify approaches to air sealing and insulation measures.

Whole Foods Market Retrofits Multiple Building Systems for Big Savings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2013-03-01

Whole Foods Market partnered with U.S. the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to reduce annual energy consumption in existing stores by at least 30% versus pre-retrofit energy use at its store in Edgewater, New Jersey, as part of DOE’s Commercial Building Partnership (CBP) program.

Avoiding Preconceptions in School Construction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maletz, Andrew

2012-01-01

An existing facility that is being upgraded or retrofitted today typically is 30 to 45 years old, often with limited natural light, antiquated mechanical systems and retrofitted technology. All too often at the outset of a project, the broader project goals--and even those narrower in scope--seem daunting or altogether impossible when staring at a…

Performance Results for Massachusetts and Rhode Island Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot Community

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gates, C.; Neuhauser, K.

2014-03-01

Between December, 2009 and December, 2012, 42 deep energy retrofit (DER) projects were completed through a pilot program sponsored by National Grid and conducted in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Thirty-seven of these projects were comprehensive retrofits while five were partial DERs, meaning that high performance retrofit was implemented for a single major enclosure component or a limited number of major enclosure components. Building Science Corporation developed a consistent "package" of measures in terms of the performance targeted for major building components. Based on the community experience, this DER package is expected to result in yearly source energy use near 110more » MMBtu/year or approximately 40% below the Northeast regional average.« less

Performance Results for Massachusetts and Rhode Island Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot Community

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gates, C.; Neuhauser, K.

2014-03-01

Between December, 2009 and December, 2012 42 deep energy retrofit (DER) projects were completed through a DER pilot program sponsored by National Grid and conducted in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 37 of these projects were comprehensive retrofits while 5 were partial DERs, meaning that high performance retrofit was implemented for a single major enclosure component or a limited number of major enclosure components. The 42 DER projects represent 60 units of housing. The comprehensive projects all implemented a consistent 'package' of measures in terms of the performance targeted for major building components. Projects exhibited some variations in the approach tomore » implementing the retrofit package. Pre- and post-retrofit air leakage measurements were performed for each of the projects. Each project also reported information about project costs including identification of energy-related costs. Post-retrofit energy-use data was obtained for 29 of the DER projects. Post-retrofit energy use was analyzed based on the net energy used by the DER project regardless of whether the energy was generated on site or delivered to the site. Homeowner surveys were returned by 12 of the pilot participants. Based on the community experience, this DER package is expected to result in yearly source energy use near 110 MMBtu/year or approximately 40% below the Northeast regional average. Larger to medium sized homes that successful implement these retrofits can be expected to achieve source EUI that is comparable to Passive House targets for new construction. The community of DER projects show post-retrofit airtightness below 1.5 ACH50 to be eminently achievable.« less

Evaluating the performance of a retrofitted stormwater wet pond for treatment of urban runoff.

PubMed

Schwartz, Daniel; Sample, David J; Grizzard, Thomas J

2017-06-01

This paper describes the performance of a retrofitted stormwater retention pond (Ashby Pond) in Northern Virginia, USA. Retrofitting is a common practice which involves modifying existing structures and/or urban landscapes to improve water quality treatment, often compromising standards to meet budgetary and site constraints. Ashby Pond is located in a highly developed headwater watershed of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. A total maximum daily load (TMDL) was imposed on the Bay watershed by the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2010 due to excessive sediment and nutrient loadings leading to eutrophication of the estuary. As a result of the TMDL, reducing nutrient and sediment discharged loads has become the key objective of many stormwater programs in the Bay watershed. The Ashby Pond retrofit project included dredging of accumulated sediment to increase storage, construction of an outlet structure to control flows, and repairs to the dam. Due to space limitations, pond volume was less than ideal. Despite this shortcoming, Ashby Pond provided statistically significant reductions of phosphorus, nitrogen, and suspended sediments. Compared to the treatment credited to retention ponds built to current state standards, the retrofitted pond provided less phosphorus but more nitrogen reduction. Retrofitting the existing stock of ponds in a watershed to at least partially meet current design standards could be a straightforward way for communities to attain downstream water quality goals, as these improvements represent reductions in baseline loads, whereas new ponds in new urban developments simply limit future load increases or maintain the status quo.

75 FR 78730 - Federal Housing Administration (FHA): Notice of FHA PowerSaver Home Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-16

... Efficient Mortgage Innovation pilot program targeted to the single family housing market, and the Retrofit... effort. The November 10, 2010, notice solicited public comment and invited lenders interested in... public comments and expressions of interest from lenders is December 27, 2010. This notice extends the...

Measure Guideline. Wall Air Sealing and Insulation Methods in Existing Homes; An Overview of Opportunity and Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, S.; Stephenson, R.

2012-09-01

This guide provides renovators and retrofit contractors an overview of considerations when including wall air sealing and insulation in an energy retrofit project. It also outlines the potential project risks, various materials for insulating, possible field inspections needed, installation procedures, as well as the benefits and drawbacks.

Quantifying the benefits of a building retrofit using an integrated system approach: A case study

DOE PAGES

Regnier, Cynthia; Sun, Kaiyu; Hong, Tianzhen; ...

2017-11-11

Building retrofits provide a large opportunity to significantly reduce energy consumption in the buildings sector. Traditional building retrofits focus on equipment upgrades, often at the end of equipment life or failure, and result in replacement with marginally improved similar technology and limited energy savings. The Integrated System (IS) retrofit approach enables much greater energy savings by leveraging interactive effects between end use systems, enabling downsized or lower energy technologies. This work presents a case study in Hawaii quantifying the benefits of an IS retrofit approach compared to two traditional retrofit approaches: a Standard Practice of upgrading equipment to meet minimummore » code requirements, and an Improved Practice of upgrading equipment to a higher efficiency. The IS approach showed an energy savings of 84% over existing building energy use, much higher than the traditional approaches of 13% and 33%. The IS retrofit also demonstrated the greatest energy cost savings potential. While the degree of savings realized from the IS approach will vary by building and climate, these findings indicate that savings on the order of 50% and greater are not possible without an IS approach. It is therefore recommended that the IS approach be universally adopted to achieve deep energy savings.« less

Quantifying the benefits of a building retrofit using an integrated system approach: A case study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Regnier, Cynthia; Sun, Kaiyu; Hong, Tianzhen

Building retrofits provide a large opportunity to significantly reduce energy consumption in the buildings sector. Traditional building retrofits focus on equipment upgrades, often at the end of equipment life or failure, and result in replacement with marginally improved similar technology and limited energy savings. The Integrated System (IS) retrofit approach enables much greater energy savings by leveraging interactive effects between end use systems, enabling downsized or lower energy technologies. This work presents a case study in Hawaii quantifying the benefits of an IS retrofit approach compared to two traditional retrofit approaches: a Standard Practice of upgrading equipment to meet minimummore » code requirements, and an Improved Practice of upgrading equipment to a higher efficiency. The IS approach showed an energy savings of 84% over existing building energy use, much higher than the traditional approaches of 13% and 33%. The IS retrofit also demonstrated the greatest energy cost savings potential. While the degree of savings realized from the IS approach will vary by building and climate, these findings indicate that savings on the order of 50% and greater are not possible without an IS approach. It is therefore recommended that the IS approach be universally adopted to achieve deep energy savings.« less

Dissolution of cement, root caries, fracture, and retrofit of post and cores.

PubMed

Rosen, H

1998-10-01

Fixed partial denture abutments severely damaged by dental caries or fracture present a challenge to the dentist. The fixed partial denture may need to be removed for endodontic treatment with post and core fabrication. Frequently, the existing fixed partial denture can be recycled as a provisional restoration. Retrofitting the post and core greatly improves the stabilization of the interim as well as the remake of the definitive fixed partial denture. This article describes a chair side procedure for retrofitting posts and cores and, at the same appointment, converting the original fixed partial denture to an effective provisional restoration.

Retrofitting the Williams Energy Services Ignacio Plant for higher throughput and recovery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lynch, J.T.; Pitman, R.N.

1999-07-01

The Ignacio Plant located near Durango, Colorado was originally designed to process 346 MMscfd of feed gas and to recover approximately 82% of the contained ethane. Based on increasing volumes of available feed gas, Williams Energy Services (WES) undertook a study to investigate alternatives for increasing plant capacity and ethane recovery. This study led to the selection of Ortloff's Recycle Split-Vapor (RSV) process for retrofitting the existing facility because it offered several very important advantages: maximum utilization of existing equipment, a 30% increase in plant feed handling capacity and an increase in average ethane recovery to 94% without adding residuemore » compressors. This paper presents the comparative case analysis that led to the selection of the RSV design. It also describes the modifications required for the retrofit, all of which can be accomplished with minimum plant down time. The modified Ignacio Plant is scheduled for startup in March 1999.« less

Full-scale Dynamic Testing of Soft-Story Retrofitted and Un-Retrofitted Woodframe Buildings

Treesearch

John W. van de Lindt; George T. Abell; Pouria Bahmani; Mikhail Gershfeld; Xiaoyun Shao; Weichiang Pang; Michael D. Symans; Ershad Ziaei; Steven E. Pryor; Douglas Rammer; Jingjing Tian

2013-01-01

The existence of thousands of soft-story woodframe buildings in California has been recognized as a disaster preparedness problem with concerted mitigation efforts underway in many cities throughout the state. The vast majority of those efforts are based on numerical modeling, often with half-century old data in which assumptions have to be made based on best...

A Downtown Denver Law Firm Leverages Tenant Improvement Funds to Cut Operating Expenses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

Bryan Cave HRO (formerly Holme Roberts & Owen LLP, headquartered in Denver, Colorado), an international law firm, partnered with the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to retrofit existing buildings to reduce annual energy consumption by at least 30% versus pre-retrofit energy use as part of DOE’s Commercial Building Partnership (CBP) program.

Field Assessment of Energy Audit Tools for Retrofit Programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Edwards, J.; Bohac, D.; Nelson, C.

2013-07-01

This project focused on the use of home energy ratings as a tool to promote energy retrofits in existing homes. A home energy rating provides a quantitative appraisal of a home's asset performance, usually compared to a benchmark such as the average energy use of similar homes in the same region. Home rating systems can help motivate homeowners in several ways. Ratings can clearly communicate a home's achievable energy efficiency potential, provide a quantitative assessment of energy savings after retrofits are completed, and show homeowners how they rate compared to their neighbors, thus creating an incentive to conform to amore » social standard. An important consideration is how rating tools for the retrofit market will integrate with existing home energy service programs. For residential programs that target energy savings only, home visits should be focused on key efficiency measures for that home. In order to gain wide adoption, a rating tool must be easily integrated into the field process, demonstrate consistency and reasonable accuracy to earn the trust of home energy technicians, and have a low monetary cost and time hurdle for homeowners. Along with the Home Energy Score, this project also evaluated the energy modeling performance of SIMPLE and REM/Rate.« less

Vulnerability assessment of medieval civic towers as a tool for retrofitting design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Casciati, Sara; Faravelli, Lucia

2008-07-08

The seismic vulnerability of an ancient civic bell-tower is studied. Rather than seeing it as an intermediate stage toward a risk analysis, the assessment of vulnerability is here pursued for the purpose of optimizing the retrofit design. The vulnerability curves are drawn by carrying out a single time history analysis of a model calibrated on the basis of experimental data. From the results of this analysis, the medians of three selected performance parameters are estimated, and they are used to compute, for each of them, the probability of exceeding or attaining the three corresponding levels of light, moderate and severemore » damage. The same numerical model is then used to incorporate the effects of several retrofitting solutions and to re-estimate the associated vulnerability curves. The ultimate goal is to provide a numerical tool able to drive the optimization process of a retrofit design by the comparison of the vulnerability estimates associated with the different retrofitting solutions.« less

Retrofitting of Reinforced Concrete Beams using Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karthik, S.; Sundaravadivelu, Karthik

2017-07-01

Strengthening of existing damaged structures is one of the leading studies in civil engineering. The purpose of retrofitting is to structurally treat the member with an aim to restore the structure to its original strength. The focus of this project is to study the behaviour of damaged Reinforced Concrete beam retrofitted with Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) Overlay. Reinforced concrete beams of length 1200 mm, width 100 mm and depth 200 mm were casted with M30 grade of concrete in the laboratory and cured for 28 days. One beam is taken as control and are tested under two point loading to find out ultimate load. Remaining beams are subjected to 90 % ultimate load of control beams. The partially damaged beams are retrofitted with Reactive Powder Concrete Overlay at the full tension face of the beam and side overlay depends upon the respectable retrofitting techniques with 10 mm and 20 mm thick layer to find optimum. Materials like steel fibres are added to enhance the ductility by eliminating coarse particle for homogeneity of the structure. Finally, the modes of failure for retrofitted beams are analysed experimentally under two point loading & compared the results with Control beam.

Internal Roof and Attic Thermal Radiation Control Retrofit Strategies for Cooling-Dominated Climates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fallahi, A.; Duraschlag, H.; Elliott, D.

2013-12-01

This project evaluates the cooling energy savings and cost effectiveness of radiation control retrofit strategies for residential attics in U.S. cooling-dominated climates. Usually, in residential applications, radiation control retrofit strategies are applied below the roof deck or on top of the attic floor insulation. They offer an alternative option to the addition of conventional bulk insulation such as fiberglass or cellulose insulation. Radiation control is a potentially low-cost energy efficiency retrofit strategy that does not require significant changes to existing homes. In this project, two groups of low-cost radiation control strategies were evaluated for southern U.S. applications. One uses amore » radiant barrier composed of two aluminum foils combined with an enclosed reflective air space and the second uses spray-applied interior radiation control coatings (IRCC).« less

Internal Roof and Attic Thermal Radiation Control Retrofit Strategies for Cooling-Dominated Climates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fallahi, A.; Durschlag, H.; Elliott, D.

2013-12-01

This project evaluates the cooling energy savings and cost effectiveness of radiation control retrofit strategies for residential attics in U.S. cooling-dominated climates. Usually, in residential applications, radiation control retrofit strategies are applied below the roof deck or on top of the attic floor insulation. They offer an alternative option to the addition of conventional bulkinsulation such as fiberglass or cellulose insulation. Radiation control is a potentially low-cost energy efficiency retrofit strategy that does not require significant changes to existing homes. In this project, two groups of low-cost radiation control strategies were evaluated for southern U.S. applications. One uses a radiantmore » barrier composed of two aluminum foils combined with an enclosedreflective air space and the second uses spray-applied interior radiation control coatings (IRCC).« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Del Bianco, M.; Wiehagen, J.

This project evaluated the effectiveness and affordability of integrating retrofit insulated panels into a re-siding project. The Partnership for Home Innovation (PHI) teamed with New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Albany Housing Authority (AHA), and the New York State Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) administered by Albany Community Action Partnership to demonstrate an energy retrofit and siding upgrade on a two-story, seven unit, multifamily building in Albany New York (CZ 5). The project focused on accomplishing three goals - doubling the existing wall thermal resistance (from approximately R-13 to a weighted average of R-27), reduction of buildingmore » air leakage, and completion of the retrofit within a budget where the additional cost for upgrading wall's thermal resistance is equal to the cost of the standard re-siding effort (i.e., the total cost of the energy efficient re-siding scope of work is not more than double the cost of the standard re-siding effort). Lessons learned from the project strongly indicate that the retrofit panel technology can be installed using common installation practices and with minimal training. Other lessons learned include limitation on the use of standard air sealing materials during cold weather installations and the need to develop better installation guidance for trades working with the level of tolerances that may be present in the existing structure. This technology demonstration showed that exterior retrofit panels provide a viable and reasonable option for the siding trades to increase market opportunities and achieve synergistic benefits for aesthetic upgrades to a building's exterior.« less

a Continuous Health Monitoring Guided Wave Fmd System for Retrofit to Existing Offshore Oilrigs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mijarez, R.; Solis, L.; Martinez, F.

2010-02-01

An automatic health monitoring guided wave flood member detection (FMD) system, for retrofit to existing offshore oilrigs is presented. The system employs a microcontroller piezoelectric (PZT) based transmitter and a receiver instrumentation package composed of a PZT 40 kHz ultrasound transducer and a digital signal processor (DSP) module connected to a PC via USB for monitoring purposes. The transmitter and receiver were attached, non-intrusively, to the external wall of a steel tube; 1 m×27 cm×2 mm. Experiments performed in the laboratory have successfully identified automatically flooded tubes.

Technology Solutions for Existing Homes Case Study: Trade-Friendly Retrofit Insulated Panels for Existing Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

For this project with the U.S. Department of Energy Building America team Home Innovation Research Labs, the retrofit insulated panels relied on an enhanced expanded polystyrene (EPS) for thermal resistance of R-4.5/inch, which is an improvement of 10% over conventional (white-colored) EPS. EPS, measured by its life cycle, is an alternative to commonly used extruded polystyrene and spray polyurethane foam. It is a closed-cell product made up of 90% air, and it requires about 85% fewer petroleum products for processing than other rigid foams.

Energy Efficient Window Retrofits in Historic Facilities

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

possible, protect and maintain existing building fabric (Ivy, 1992). Barista (2001) states that during a time when interest in the restoration of...are the eyes of a building ( Barista , 2001). Certainly windows are an element, which if replaced or altered unsympathetically, will do the most to alter...problem area is to assure that retrofitting measures do not create moisture related deterioration problems ( Barista , 2001). Finally contractors and

Expert Meeting Report: Transforming Existing Buildings through New Media - An Idea Exchange

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hunt, Stacy

This report describes results of a Building America expert meeting on September 13, 2011, in Las Vegas, Nevada, hosted by the Building America Retrofit Alliance (BARA). This meeting provided a forum for presentations and discussions on the use of new media to work with remodelers and retrofit projects to improve energy efficiency and deliver research results from the Building America program to remodelers.

Expert Meeting Report: Transforming Existing Buildings through New Media--An Idea Exchange

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hunt, S.

This report describes results of a Building America expert meeting on September 13, 2011, in Las Vegas, Nevada, hosted by the Building America Retrofit Alliance (BARA). This meeting provided a forum for presentations and discussions on the use of new media to work with remodelers and retrofit projects to improve energy efficiency and deliver research results from the Building America program to remodelers.

Cold Climate and Retrofit Applications for Air-to-Air Heat Pumps

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baxter, Van D

2015-01-01

Air source heat pumps (ASHP) including air-to-air ASHPs are easily applied to buildings almost anywhere for new construction as well as retrofits or renovations. They are widespread in milder climate regions but their use in cold regions is hampered due to low heating efficiency and capacity at cold outdoor temperatures. Retrofitting air-to-air ASHPs to existing buildings is relatively easy if the building already has an air distribution system. For buildings without such systems alternative approaches are necessary. Examples are ductless, minisplit heat pumps or central heat pumps coupled to small diameter, high velocity (SDHV) air distribution systems. This article presentsmore » two subjects: 1) a summary of R&D investigations aimed at improving the cold weather performance of ASHPs, and 2) a brief discussion of building retrofit options using air-to-air ASHP systems.« less

Housing Archetype Analysis for Home Energy-Efficient Retrofit in the Great Lakes Region

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, S. -K.; Mrozowski, T.; Harrell-Seyburn, A.

This project report details activities and results of the "Market Characterization" project undertaken by the Cost Effective Energy Retrofit (CEER) team targeted toward the DOE goal of achieving 30%-50% reduction in existing building energy use. CEER consists of members from the Dow Chemical Company, Michigan State University, Ferris State University, and Habitat for Humanity Kent County. The purpose of this market characterization project was to identify housing archetypes which are dominant within the Great Lakes region and therefore offer significant potential for energy-efficient retrofit research and implementation due to the substantial number of homes possessing similar characteristics. Understanding the characteristicsmore » of housing groups referred to as "archetypes" by vintage, style, and construction characteristics can allow research teams to focus their retrofit research and develop prescriptive solutions for those structure types which are prevalent and offer high potential uptake within a region or market.« less

Multicriteria decision model for retrofitting existing buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostenaru Dan, B.

2003-04-01

In this paper a model to decide which buildings from an urban area should be retrofitted is presented. The model has been cast into existing ones by choosing the decision rule, criterion weighting and decision support system types most suitable for the spatial problem of reducing earthquake risk in urban areas, considering existing spatial multiatributive and multiobjective decision methods and especially collaborative issues. Due to the participative character of the group decision problem "retrofitting existing buildings" the decision making model is based on interactivity. Buildings have been modeled following the criteria of spatial decision support systems. This includes identifying the corresponding spatial elements of buildings according to the information needs of actors from different sphaeres like architects, construction engineers and economists. The decision model aims to facilitate collaboration between this actors. The way of setting priorities interactivelly will be shown, by detailing the two phases: judgemental and computational, in this case site analysis, collection and evaluation of the unmodified data and converting survey data to information with computational methods using additional expert support. Buildings have been divided into spatial elements which are characteristic for the survey, present typical damages in case of an earthquake and are decisive for a better seismic behaviour in case of retrofitting. The paper describes the architectural and engineering characteristics as well as the structural damage for constuctions of different building ages on the example of building types in Bucharest, Romania in compressible and interdependent charts, based on field observation, reports from the 1977 earthquake and detailed studies made by the author together with a local engineer for the EERI Web Housing Encyclopedia. On this base criteria for setting priorities flow into the expert information contained in the system.

NREL Improves Building Energy Simulation Programs Through Diagnostic Testing (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2012-01-01

This technical highlight describes NREL research to develop Building Energy Simulation Test for Existing Homes (BESTEST-EX) to increase the quality and accuracy of energy analysis tools for the building retrofit market. Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have developed a new test procedure to increase the quality and accuracy of energy analysis tools for the building retrofit market. The Building Energy Simulation Test for Existing Homes (BESTEST-EX) is a test procedure that enables software developers to evaluate the performance of their audit tools in modeling energy use and savings in existing homes when utility bills are available formore » model calibration. Similar to NREL's previous energy analysis tests, such as HERS BESTEST and other BESTEST suites included in ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140, BESTEST-EX compares software simulation findings to reference results generated with state-of-the-art simulation tools such as EnergyPlus, SUNREL, and DOE-2.1E. The BESTEST-EX methodology: (1) Tests software predictions of retrofit energy savings in existing homes; (2) Ensures building physics calculations and utility bill calibration procedures perform to a minimum standard; and (3) Quantifies impacts of uncertainties in input audit data and occupant behavior. BESTEST-EX includes building physics and utility bill calibration test cases. The diagram illustrates the utility bill calibration test cases. Participants are given input ranges and synthetic utility bills. Software tools use the utility bills to calibrate key model inputs and predict energy savings for the retrofit cases. Participant energy savings predictions using calibrated models are compared to NREL predictions using state-of-the-art building energy simulation programs.« less

Applicability and economic efficiency of earthquake retrofit measures on existing buildings in Bucharest, Romania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostenaru, M.

2009-04-01

The research discussed in this contribution contains two aspects: on one side the economic efficiency of seismic retrofit measures, and on the other their applicability. The research was limited to housing buildings. Bucharest, the capital of Romania, was the object of the research. Strong earthquakes affect Bucharest about three times in a century, the damaging earthquakes of the 20th century being in 1940 and 1977. Other strong earthquakes occurred in 1986 and 1990. Since it is a broad topic, first the building type was determined, which should serve further research. For this scope the building types of the 20th century, which are common in Bucharest, Romania, were investigated. For each building type reports have been written, which comprised the earthquake resilient features, the seismic defficiencies, the damage patterns and the retrofit measures. Each of these features was listed for elements of the building. A first result of the research was an integrated system in order to include latter aspects in the planning in the first steps. So already at the building survey attention has to be paid on how a building is subdivided in order to be able to determine the economic efficiency of the planned action. So were defined the `retrofit elements`. In a first step the characteristics were defined, through which these retrofit elements (for example column, wall part between two windows) can be recognised in the building survey. In a further one, which retrofit measures can be connected to these. Diagrams were built, in order to visualise these findings. For each retrofit element and the corresponding measure the costs were calculated. Also, these retrofit elements and the measures connected to them were modelled for the simulation with the structural software, so that the benefit of the measures could be determined. In the part which regarded the economic efficiency, benefits and costs of retrofit measures had to be compared, so the improvement in the rigidity, ductility and/or strength of the structure at different retrofit measures with its costs. In order to investigate the improvement in the seismic characteristics numerous simulations of the earthquake impact on reinforced concrete frame buildings were conducted and in that context conventional strengthening measures with reinforced concrete and steel were considered. In these reinforced concrete frame buildings interwar buildings from Bucharest were modelled, as these proved to be the most vulnerable in the initial investigation. For the investigation of the economic efficiency also the damages through earthquakes were simulated. With help of a characteristic of the software used so called performance points could be set, so at the end of the simulation it could be seen how strongly was damaged the steel and respectively the concrete in the reinforced concrete element and so was conducted a classification of the strength of the damages in different retrofit elements. These simulations were done for the 1977, 1986 and 1990 earthquakes, as for these the strong motion records were digitally available. For two simple models alternatives of retrofit actions and their locations were fully simulated, while for real building models customised retrofit strategies considering more retrofit elements within the strategy were employed. To the benefit belong not only the improvement of the structural behaviour, as often assumed in earthquake engineering circles. There belong also aesthetical and sociologic aspects. In order to give these aspects their rights, a decision tree was developed, in which the actors are the engineer, the architect, the investor and the user. The retrofit measures were evaluated with two different decision systems. This was the part about the applicability. Further research would serve to see how can be used the developed method for the strategic planning, in which not only single buildings but whole urban areas build the object. The research was funded by the Research Training Network 450 "Natural Disasters" supported by the DFG (German Research Network), 2000-2004 while the result was published with support from a subsequent research project of the author, CA'REDIVIVUS, which continued the research, supported by the European Commission, in 2006.

Third party EPID with IGRT capability retrofitted onto an existing medical linear accelerator

PubMed Central

Odero, DO; Shimm, DS

2009-01-01

Radiation therapy requires precision to avoid unintended irradiation of normal organs. Electronic Portal Imaging Devices (EPIDs), can help with precise patient positioning for accurate treatment. EPIDs are now bundled with new linear accelerators, or they can be purchased from the Linac manufacturer for retrofit. Retrofitting a third party EPID to a linear accelerator can pose challenges. The authors describe a relatively inexpensive third party CCD camera-based EPID manufactured by TheraView (Cablon Medical B.V.), installed onto a Siemens Primus linear accelerator, and integrated with a Lantis record and verify system, an Oldelft simulator with Digital Therapy Imaging (DTI) unit, and a Philips ADAC Pinnacle treatment planning system (TPS). This system integrates well with existing equipment and its software can process DICOM images from other sources. The system provides a complete imaging system that eliminates the need for separate software for portal image viewing, interpretation, analysis, archiving, image guided radiation therapy and other image management applications. It can also be accessed remotely via safe VPN tunnels. TheraView EPID retrofit therefore presents an example of a less expensive alternative to linear accelerator manufacturers’ proprietary EPIDs suitable for implementation in third world countries radiation therapy departments which are often faced with limited financial resources. PMID:21611056

Third party EPID with IGRT capability retrofitted onto an existing medical linear accelerator.

PubMed

Odero, D O; Shimm, D S

2009-07-01

Radiation therapy requires precision to avoid unintended irradiation of normal organs. Electronic Portal Imaging Devices (EPIDs), can help with precise patient positioning for accurate treatment. EPIDs are now bundled with new linear accelerators, or they can be purchased from the Linac manufacturer for retrofit. Retrofitting a third party EPID to a linear accelerator can pose challenges. The authors describe a relatively inexpensive third party CCD camera-based EPID manufactured by TheraView (Cablon Medical B.V.), installed onto a Siemens Primus linear accelerator, and integrated with a Lantis record and verify system, an Oldelft simulator with Digital Therapy Imaging (DTI) unit, and a Philips ADAC Pinnacle treatment planning system (TPS). This system integrates well with existing equipment and its software can process DICOM images from other sources. The system provides a complete imaging system that eliminates the need for separate software for portal image viewing, interpretation, analysis, archiving, image guided radiation therapy and other image management applications. It can also be accessed remotely via safe VPN tunnels. TheraView EPID retrofit therefore presents an example of a less expensive alternative to linear accelerator manufacturers' proprietary EPIDs suitable for implementation in third world countries radiation therapy departments which are often faced with limited financial resources.

A Meta-Analysis of Single-Family Deep Energy Retrofit Performance in the U.S.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Less, Brennan; Walker, Iain

2014-08-01

The current state of Deep Energy Retrofit (DER) performance in the U.S. has been assessed in 116 homes in the United States, using actual and simulated data gathered from the available domestic literature. Substantial airtightness reductions averaging 63% (n=48) were reported (two- to three-times more than in conventional retrofits), with average post-retrofit airtightness of 4.7 Air Changes per House at 50 Pascal (ACH50) (n=94). Yet, mechanical ventilation was not installed consistently. In order to avoid indoor air quality (IAQ) issues, all future DERs should comply with ASHRAE 62.2-2013 requirements or equivalent. Projects generally achieved good energy results, with average annualmore » net-site and net-source energy savings of 47%±20% and 45%±24% (n=57 and n=35), respectively, and carbon emission reductions of 47%±22% (n=23). Net-energy reductions did not vary reliably with house age, airtightness, or reported project costs, but pre-retrofit energy usage was correlated with total reductions (MMBtu).« less

Strategy Guideline: Energy Retrofits for Low-Rise Multifamily Buildings in Cold Climates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frozyna, K.; Badger, L.

2013-04-01

This Strategy Guideline explains the benefits of evaluating and identifying energy efficiency retrofit measures that could be made during renovation and maintenance of multifamily buildings. It focuses on low-rise multifamily structures (three or fewer stories) in a cold climate. These benefits lie primarily in reduced energy use, lower operating and maintenance costs, improved durability of the structure, and increased occupant comfort. This guideline focuses on retrofit measures for roof repair or replacement, exterior wall repair or gut rehab, and eating system maintenance. All buildings are assumed to have a flat ceiling and a trussed roof, wood- or steel-framed exterior walls,more » and one or more single or staged boilers. Estimated energy savings realized from the retrofits will vary, depending on the size and condition of the building, the extent of efficiency improvements, the efficiency of the heating equipment, the cost and type of fuel, and the climate location.« less

Solar central receiver reformer system for ammonia plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-07-01

Details of the conceptual design, economic analysis, and development plan for a solar central receiver system for retrofitting the Valley Nitrogen Producers, Inc., El Centro, California 600 ST/SD Ammonia Plant are presented. The retrofit system consists of a solar central receiver reformer (SCRR) operating in parallel with the existing fossil fired reformer. Steam and hydrocarbon react in the catalyst filled tubes of the inner cavity receiver to form a hydrogen rich mixture which is the syngas feed for the ammonia production. The SCRR system displaces natural gas presently used in the fossil reformer combustion chamber. The solar reformer retrofit system characteristics and its interface with the existing plant are simple, incorporating state of the art components with proven technology. A northfield composed of one thousand forty second generation heliostats provides solar energy to the receiver which is positioned on top of a 90 meter high steel tower. The overall economics of this system can provide over 20% discount cash flow rate of return with proper investment and market conditions.

Seismic Retrofitting of an Existing Steel Railway Bridge by Fluid Viscous Dampers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gangopadhyay, Avijit; Ghosh, Aparna Dey

2016-09-01

There are over a lakh of bridges in the Indian Railways, many of which have become seismically deficient, either through aging or due to inadequate seismic design considerations. The extensive damage of bridges all over the world in recent earthquakes has propelled significant advancement in earthquake protection and retrofitting of bridges. Amongst various passive control systems that are reliable as well as cost-effective, Fluid Viscous Dampers (FVDs) are proving to be successful in bridge vibration control. Orificed FVDs, commercially available as Taylor Devices, have already been successfully installed in several bridges worldwide. However, there has been no such application or study related to Indian railway bridges. In this paper, an existing thirty years' old railway bridge in Jharkhand, India, has been analyzed in SAP2000v14 considering reduced stiffness and found deficient when subjected to spectrum-compatible accelerograms. Subsequent retrofitting of the bridge superstructure with FVDs has been carried out and the results indicate substantial reductions in the responses of the bridge deck.

RETROFITTING POTW

EPA Science Inventory

This manual is intended as a source document for individuals responsible for improving the performance of an existing, non-complying wastewater treatment facility. Described are: 1) methods to evaluate an existing facility's capability to achieve improved performance, 2) a ...

Apparatus for passive removal of subsurface contaminants and mass flow measurement

DOEpatents

Jackson, Dennis G [Augusta, GA; Rossabi, Joseph [Aiken, SC; Riha, Brian D [Augusta, GA

2003-07-15

A system for improving the Baroball valve and a method for retrofitting an existing Baroball valve. This invention improves upon the Baroball valve by reshaping the interior chamber of the valve to form a flow meter measuring chamber. The Baroball valve sealing mechanism acts as a rotameter bob for determining mass flow rate through the Baroball valve. A method for retrofitting a Baroball valve includes providing static pressure ports and connecting a measuring device, to these ports, for measuring the pressure differential between the Baroball chamber and the well. A standard curve of nominal device measurements allows the mass flow rate to be determined through the retrofitted Baroball valve.

Apparatus for passive removal of subsurface contaminants and volume flow measurement

DOEpatents

Jackson, Dennis G.; Rossabi, Joseph; Riha, Brian D.

2002-01-01

A system for improving the Baroball valve and a method for retrofitting an existing Baroball valve. This invention improves upon the Baroball valve by reshaping the interior chamber of the valve to form a flow meter measuring chamber. The Baroball valve sealing mechanism acts as a rotameter bob for determining volume flow rate through the Baroball valve. A method for retrofitting a Baroball valve includes providing static pressure ports and connecting a measuring device, to these ports, for measuring the pressure differential between the Baroball chamber and the well. A standard curve of nominal device measurements allows the volume flow rate to be determined through the retrofitted Baroball valve.

Mind the Gap: Summary of Window Residential Retrofit Solutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Petersen, Joseph M.; Cort, Katherine A.; Widder, Sarah H.

Improving the insulation, solar heat gain, and infiltration characteristics of windows in a home has the potential to significantly improve the overall thermal performance by reducing heat transfer through the window and also by decreasing infiltration of outdoor air into the home. As approximately 43% of existing homes still have single-pane clear windows (~50 million houses) and millions of other homes have only double-pane clear windows (Cort 2013), improving window performance also presents a significant opportunity for energy savings in the residential sector. Today, various energy-saving window retrofit opportunities are available to homeowners, ranging from window coverings and storm panelsmore » to highly-insulating triple-pane R-5 window replacements. Many of these technologies have been evaluated in the field, in the “Lab Homes” at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and through modeling to prove their cost-effectiveness and performance in different climate regions. Recently, the Pacific Northwest’s Regional Technical Forum approved a utility measure for low- emissivity storm windows based on such data. This action represents a watershed moment for increasing the variety and prevalence of fenestration options in utility programs, especially for the low-income demographic. This paper will review various window retrofit options, the most recent field test and modeling data regarding their performance and cost-effectiveness, and discuss future rating efforts. This information is useful for utilities and energy-efficiency program managers to help effectively implement incentive measures for these technologies.« less

Distribution and Room Air Mixing Risks to Retrofitted Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burdick, A.

2014-12-01

An energy efficiency upgrade reduces a home’s heating and cooling load. If the load reduction is great enough and the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system warrants replacement, that system is often upgraded with a more efficient, lower capacity system that meets the load of the upgraded house. For a single-story house with floor supply air diffusers, the ducts often are removed and upgraded. For houses with ducts that are embedded in walls, the cost of demolition precludes the replacement of ducts. The challenge with the use of existing ducts is that the reduced airflow creates a decreased throw atmore » the supply registers, and the supply air and room air do not mix well, leading to potential thermal comfort complaints. This project investigates this retrofit scenario. The issues and solutions discussed here are relevant to all climate zones, with emphasis on climates that require cooling. In this project, IBACOS performed load calculations for a two-story 1960s house and characterized duct sizes and layouts based on industry “rules of thumb” (Herk et al. 2014). The team performed duct-sizing calculations for unaltered ducts and post-retrofit airflows and examined airflow velocities and pressure changes with respect to various factors. The team then used a mocked-up duct and register setup to measure the characteristics of isothermal air—to reduce the effects of buoyancy from the observations—passing through the duct and leaving the register.« less

Renewable energy and conservation measures for non-residential buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grossman, Andrew James

The energy demand in most countries is growing at an alarming rate and identifying economically feasible building retrofit solutions to decrease the need for fossil fuels so as to mitigate their environmental and societal impacts has become imperative. Two approaches are available for identifying feasible retrofit solutions: 1) the implementation of energy conservation measures; and 2) the production of energy from renewable sources. This thesis focuses on the development of retrofit software planning tools for the implementation of solar photovoltaic systems, and lighting system retrofits for mid-Michigan institutional buildings. The solar planning tool exploits the existing blueprint of a building's rooftop, and via image processing, the layouts of the solar photovoltaic arrays are developed based on the building's geographical location and typical weather patterns. The resulting energy generation of a PV system is estimated and is utilized to determine levelized energy costs. The lighting system retrofit analysis starts by a current utilization assessment of a building to determine the amount of energy used by the lighting system. Several LED lighting options are evaluated on the basis of color correlation temperature, color rendering index, energy consumption, and financial feasibility, to determine a retrofit solution. Solar photovoltaic installations in mid-Michigan are not yet financially feasible, but with the anticipated growth and dynamic complexity of the solar photovoltaic market, this solar planning tool is able to assist building proprietors make executive decisions regarding their energy usage. Additionally, a lighting system retrofit is shown to have significant financial and health benefits.

Analysis and Optimization of Building Energy Consumption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuah, Jun Wei

Energy is one of the most important resources required by modern human society. In 2010, energy expenditures represented 10% of global gross domestic product (GDP). By 2035, global energy consumption is expected to increase by more than 50% from current levels. The increased pace of global energy consumption leads to significant environmental and socioeconomic issues: (i) carbon emissions, from the burning of fossil fuels for energy, contribute to global warming, and (ii) increased energy expenditures lead to reduced standard of living. Efficient use of energy, through energy conservation measures, is an important step toward mitigating these effects. Residential and commercial buildings represent a prime target for energy conservation, comprising 21% of global energy consumption and 40% of the total energy consumption in the United States. This thesis describes techniques for the analysis and optimization of building energy consumption. The thesis focuses on building retrofits and building energy simulation as key areas in building energy optimization and analysis. The thesis first discusses and evaluates building-level renewable energy generation as a solution toward building energy optimization. The thesis next describes a novel heating system, called localized heating. Under localized heating, building occupants are heated individually by directed radiant heaters, resulting in a considerably reduced heated space and significant heating energy savings. To support localized heating, a minimally-intrusive indoor occupant positioning system is described. The thesis then discusses occupant-level sensing (OLS) as the next frontier in building energy optimization. OLS captures the exact environmental conditions faced by each building occupant, using sensors that are carried by all building occupants. The information provided by OLS enables fine-grained optimization for unprecedented levels of energy efficiency and occupant comfort. The thesis also describes a retrofit-oriented building energy simulator, ROBESim, that natively supports building retrofits. ROBESim extends existing building energy simulators by providing a platform for the analysis of novel retrofits, in addition to simulating existing retrofits. Using ROBESim, retrofits can be automatically applied to buildings, obviating the need for users to manually update building characteristics for comparisons between different building retrofits. ROBESim also includes several ease-of-use enhancements to support users of all experience levels.

Fabrication of a metal-ceramic crown to fit an existing partial removable dental prosthesis using ceramic pressed to metal technique: a clinical report

PubMed Central

Seo, Jae-Min

2014-01-01

Fabricating a crown to retrofit an existing abutment tooth for a partial removable dental prosthesis (PRDP) is one of the most time-consuming and labor-intensive clinical procedures. In particular, when the patient is concerned with esthetic aspects of restoration, the task of fabricating becomes more daunting. Many techniques for the fabrication of all-metallic or metal-ceramic crowns have been discussed in the literature. This article was aimed to describe a simple fabrication method in which a retrofitting crown was fabricated for a precise fit using a ceramic-pressed-to-metal system. PMID:25006389

Replacing Resistance Heating with Mini-Split Heat Pumps, Sharon, Connecticut (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

Mini-split heat pumps can provide space heating and cooling in many climates and are relatively affordable. These and other features make them potentially suitable for retrofitting into multifamily buildings in cold climates to replace electric resistance heating or other outmoded heating systems. This report investigates the suitability of mini-split heat pumps for multifamily retrofits. Various technical and regulatory barriers are discussed and modeling was performed to compare long-term costs of substituting mini-splits for a variety of other heating and cooling options. A number of utility programs have retrofit mini-splits in both single family and multifamily residences. Two such multifamily programsmore » are discussed in detail.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neuhauser, K.

Through discussion of five case studies (test homes), this project evaluates strategies to elevate the performance of existing homes to a level commensurate with best-in-class implementation of high-performance new construction homes. The test homes featured in this research activity participated in Deep Energy Retrofit (DER) Pilot Program sponsored by the electric and gas utility National Grid in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Building enclosure retrofit strategies are evaluated for impact on durability and indoor air quality in addition to energy performance.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

Walmart partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 2009 to develop and demonstrate energy retrofits for existing buildings. The goal was to reduce energy consumption by at least 30% versus ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007, as part of DOE's Commercial Building Partnerships (CBP) Program. The project presented here, the retrofit of a 213,000 square foot store in Centennial, Colorado, withefficiency measures across multiple building systems, is part of Walmart's ongoing environmental sustainability program, which originated in 2005.

Transitioning to Zero Freshwater Withdrawal for Thermoelectric Generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macknick, J.; Tidwell, V. C.; Zemlick, K. M.; Sanchez, J.; Woldeyesus, T.

2013-12-01

The electricity sector is the largest withdrawer of freshwater in the United States. The primary demand for water from the electricity sector is for cooling thermoelectric power plants. Droughts and potential changes in water resources resulting from climate change pose important risks to thermoelectric power production in the United States. Power plants can minimize risk in a variety of ways. One method of reducing risk is to move away from dependency on freshwater resources. Here a scoping level analysis is performed to identify the technical tradeoffs and initial cost estimates for retrofitting all existing steam-powered generation to achieve zero freshwater withdrawal. Specifically, the conversion of existing freshwater-cooled plants to dry cooling or a wet cooling system utilizing non-potable water is considered. The least cost alternative is determined for each of the 1,178 freshwater using power plants in the United States. The use of non-potable water resources, such as municipal wastewater and shallow brackish groundwater, is considered based on the availability and proximity of those resources to the power plant, as well as the costs to transport and treat those resources to an acceptable level. The projected increase in levelized cost of electricity due to power plant retrofits ranges roughly from 0.20 to 20/MWh with a median value of 3.53/MWh. With a wholesale price of electricity running about 35/MWh, many retrofits could be accomplished at levels that would add less than 10% to current power plant generation expenses. Such retrofits could alleviate power plant vulnerabilities to thermal discharge limits in times of drought (particularly in the East) and would save 3.2 Mm3/d of freshwater consumption in watersheds with limited water availability (principally in the West). The estimated impact of retrofits on wastewater and brackish water supply is minimal requiring only a fraction of the available resource. Total parasitic energy requirements to achieve zero freshwater withdrawal are estimated at 140 million MWh or roughly 4.5% of the initial production from the retrofitted plants.

Social Housing Policies and Best Practice Review for Retrofit Action - Case Studies from Parma (IT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gherri, Barbara; Cavagliano, Chiara; Orsi, Samuele

2017-10-01

The paper aims at investigating the most suitable Energy Saving Measures -ESMs- for the retrofitting of Social Housing Stock -SHS- in Europe. A global awareness has been increasing, as well as education and training among architects and building sectors employees, in order to identify tailored financing schemes and advanced integrated retrofitting solutions. Several European financed programmes have been tested so far and the results are here summarized and deeply investigated in order to increase the energy performance of social housing buildings, to improve knowledge of problems associated with the retrofitting of these households, in order to provide the most appropriate solutions to be applied. Afterward, the best practices selected have been applied to some study cases in Italy, to demonstrate that the large variety of SH programmes in Europe can seriously be used, promoting the best practises’ application. A lot of theoretical and analytical work has been carried out by many European projects in the last decade, defining different approaches according to typologies of social housing buildings, focusing on national or regional regulation, on existing typologies and building techniques, on retrofitting solutions, on energy saving strategies and other managing approaches and energy saving devices. Due to the high participation of social housing organisations -SHO- and related European financed programmes, this academic research is focused on the most effective ESMs in order to encompass a large variety of needs and related solutions, even though some of them are still on course and other ones have already been completed. This research clearly demonstrates the valuable contribution these kinds of programme have in exchanging and sharing of knowledge and experience in the field of retrofit of Social Housing building across Europe, in order to primary improve the energy performance of the existing building stock and the quality of life of their inhabitants.

Geothermal-retrofit study for the National Orange Show Facilities in San Bernardino, California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-11-17

The cost and feasibility of retrofitting the National Orange Show Facilities to use geothermal heat instead of natural gas for heating are determined. Because of the limited usage of the smaller facilities the study was limited to the conversion of the six major buildings: Domed, Hobby, Citrus, Auditorium, Restaurant and Commercial. A major problem is that most of the buildings are used on a very limited basis. This drastically reduced the amount of savings that could be used to amortize the retrofit cost. Another problem is that the buildings are spread over a large area and so the below grademore » piping costs were high. Finally, all of the buildings except for the Auditorium have direct gas fired heaters that would require all new terminal heating systems. In order to limit the retrofit cost, the retrofit system was designed to handle less than the peak load. This seemed appropriate because the facility might not even be in operation when a peak load condition occurred. Also, the existing systems could be used to supplement the geothermal system if necessary. The calculated and design peak loads are summarized.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parker, D.; Sutherland, K.; Chasar, D.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building America program, in collaboration with Florida Power and Light (FPL), conducted a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program. This research sought to establish impacts on annual energy and peak energy reductions from the technologies applied at two levels of retrofit - shallow and deep, with savings levels approaching the Building America program goals of reducing whole-house energy use by 40%. Under the Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, we have installed phased, energy-efficiency retrofits in a sample of 56 existing, all-electric homes. End-use savings and economic evaluation results from the phased measure packages and singlemore » measures are summarized in this report. Project results will be of interest to utility program designers, weatherization evaluators, and the housing remodel industry. Shallow retrofits were conducted in all homes from March to June 2013. The measures for this phase were chosen based on ease of installation, targeting lighting (CFLs and LED lamps), domestic hot water (wraps and showerheads), refrigeration (cleaning of coils), pool pump (reduction of operating hours), and the home entertainment center (smart plugs). Deep retrofits were conducted on a subset of ten PDR homes from May 2013 through March 2014. Measures included new air source heat pumps, duct repair, ceiling insulation, heat pump water heaters, variable speed pool pumps and learning thermostats. Major appliances such as refrigerators and dishwashers were replaced where they were old and inefficient.« less

78 FR 18576 - Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals: Standard Work Specifications for Single Family Energy...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-27

... Professionals: Standard Work Specifications for Single Family Energy Upgrades AGENCY: Office of Energy... Single Family Energy Upgrades (SWS). This content is a set of recommended work specifications applicable to energy efficiency retrofits of single family homes. These specifications are intended as a...

77 FR 19008 - Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals: Standard Work Specifications for Single Family Energy...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-29

... Professionals: Standard Work Specifications for Single Family Energy Upgrades AGENCY: Office of Energy...: Standard Work Specifications for Single Family Energy Upgrades. This document is a set of work specifications applicable to energy efficiency retrofits of single family homes. These specifications are...

What Fleets Need to Know About Alternative Fuel Vehicle Conversions, Retrofits, and Repowers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kelly, Kay L.; Gonzales, John

2017-10-17

Many fleet managers have opted to incorporate alternative fuels and advanced vehicles into their lineup. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) offer a variety of choices, and there are additional options offered by aftermarket companies. There are also a myriad of ways that existing vehicles can be modified to utilize alternative fuels and other advanced technologies. Vehicle conversions and retrofit packages, along with engine repower options, can offer an ideal way to lower vehicle operating costs. This can result in long term return on investment, in addition to helping fleet managers achieve emissions and environmental goals. This report summarizes the various factorsmore » to consider when pursuing a conversion, retrofit, or repower option.« less

Derate Mitigation Options for Pulverized Coal Power Plant Carbon Capture Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoffmann, Jeffrey W.; Hackett, Gregory A.; Lewis, Eric G.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies available in the near-term for pulverized coal-fueled power plants (i.e., post combustion solvent technologies) require substantial capital investment and result in marked decrease in electricity available for sale to the grid. The impact to overall plant economics can be mitigated for new plant designs (where the entire plant can be optimized around the CCS system). However, existing coal-fueled power plants were designed without the knowledge or intent to retrofit a CCS process, and it is simply not possible to re-engineer an existing plant in a manner that it could achieve the same performance asmore » if it was originally designed and optimized for CCS technology. Pairing an auxiliary steam supply to the capture system is a technically feasible option to mitigate the derate resulting from diverting steam away from an existing steam turbine and continuing to run that turbine at steam flow rates and properties outside of the original design specifications. The results of this analysis strongly support the merits of meeting the steam and power requirements for a retrofitted post-combustion solvent based carbon dioxide (CO2) capture system with an auxiliary combined heat and power (CHP) plant rather than robbing the base plant (i.e., diverting steam from the existing steam cycle and electricity from sale to the grid).« less

Compliant flow designs for optimum lift control of wind turbine rotors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Theodore J. H.

An optimization approach was formulated to determine geometric designs that are most compliant to flow control devices. Single dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) plasma actuators are used in the flow control design optimization as they are able to be incorporated into CFD simulations. An adjoint formulation was derived in order to have a numerically efficient way of calculating the shape derivatives on the surface of the geometric design. The design of a wind turbine blade retrofit for the JIMP 25kW wind turbine at Notre Dame is used to motivate analyses that utilize the optimization approach. The CFD simulations of the existing wind turbine blade were validated against wind tunnel testing. A one-parameter optimization was performed in order to design a trailing edge addition for the current wind turbine blade. The trailing edge addition was designed to meet a desired lift target while maximizing the lift-to-drag ratio. This analysis was performed at seven radial locations on the wind turbine blade. The new trailing edge retrofits were able to achieve the lift target for the outboard radial locations. The designed geometry has been fabricated and is currently being validated on a full-scale turbine and it is predicted to have an increase in annual energy production of 4.30%. The design of a trailing edge retrofit that includes the use of a SDBD plasma actuator was performed using a two-parameter optimization. The objective of this analysis was to meet the lift target and maximize the controllability of the design. The controllability is defined as the difference in lift between plasma on and plasma off cases. A trailing edge retrofit with the plasma actuator located on the pressure side was able to achieve the target passive lift increase while using plasma flow control to reduce the lift to below the original design. This design resulted in a highly compliant flow.

Introspection on improper seismic retrofit of Basilica Santa Maria di Collemaggio after 2009 Italian earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cimellaro, Gian Paolo; Reinhorn, Andrei M.; de Stefano, Alessandro

2011-03-01

The 2009 L'Aquila, Italy earthquake highlighted the seismic vulnerability of historic masonry building structures due to improper "strengthening" retrofit work that has been done in the last 50 years. Italian seismic standards recommend the use of traditional reinforcement techniques such as replacing the original wooden roof structure with new reinforced concrete (RC) or steel elements, inserting RC tie-beams in the masonry and new RC floors, and using RC jacketing on the shear walls. The L'Aquila earthquake revealed the numerous limitations of these interventions, because they led to increased seismic forces (due to greater additional weight) and to deformation incompatibilities of the incorporated elements with the existing masonry walls. This paper provides a discussion of technical issues pertaining to the seismic retrofit of the Santa Maria di Collemaggio Basilica and in particular, the limitations of the last (2000) retrofit intervention. Considerable damage was caused to the church because of questionable actions and incorrect and improper technical choices.

Diesel plant retrofitting options to enhance decentralized electricity supply in Indonesia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baring-Gould, E I; Barley, C D; Drouilhet, S

1997-09-01

Over the last 20 years, the government of Indonesia has undertaken an extensive program to provide electricity to the population of that country. The electrification of rural areas has been partially achieved through the use of isolated diesel systems, which account for about 20% of the country`s generated electricity. Due to many factors related to inefficient power production with diesels, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, in conjunction with PLN, the Indonesian national utility, Community Power Corporation, and Idaho Power Company, analyzed options for retrofitting existing diesel power systems. This study considered the use of different combinations of advanced diesel control,more » the addition of wind generators, photovoltaics and batteries to reduce the systems of overall cost and fuel consumption. This analysis resulted in a general methodology for retrofitting diesel power systems. This paper discusses five different retrofitting options to improve the performance of diesel power systems. The systems considered in the Indonesian analysis are cited as examples for the options discussed.« less

Field Assessment of Energy Audit Tools for Retrofit Programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Edwards, J.; Bohac, D.; Nelson, C.

2013-07-01

This project focused on the use of home energy ratings as a tool to promote energy retrofits in existing homes. A home energy rating provides a quantitative appraisal of a home’s energy performance, usually compared to a benchmark such as the average energy use of similar homes in the same region. Rating systems based on energy performance models, the focus of this report, can establish a home’s achievable energy efficiency potential and provide a quantitative assessment of energy savings after retrofits are completed, although their accuracy needs to be verified by actual measurement or billing data. Ratings can also showmore » homeowners where they stand compared to their neighbors, thus creating social pressure to conform to or surpass others. This project field-tested three different building performance models of varying complexity, in order to assess their value as rating systems in the context of a residential retrofit program: Home Energy Score, SIMPLE, and REM/Rate.« less

Seismic performance evaluation of an historical concrete deck arch bridge using survey and drawing of the damages, in situ tests, dynamic identification and pushover analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergamo, Otello; Russo, Eleonora; Lodolo, Fabio

2017-07-01

The paper describes the performance evaluation of a retrofit historical multi-span (RC) deck arch bridge analyzed with in situ tests, dynamic identification and FEM analysis. The peculiarity of this case study lies in the structural typology of "San Felice" bridge, an historical concrete arch bridge built in the early 20th century, a quite uncommon feature in Italy. The preservation and retrofit of historic cultural heritage and infrastructures has been carefully analyzed in the international codes governing seismic response. A complete survey of the bridge was carried out prior to sketching a drawing of the existing bridge. Subsequently, the study consists in four steps: material investigation and dynamic vibration tests, FEM analysis and calibration, retrofit assessment, pushover analysis. The aim is to define an innovative approach to calibrate the FEM analysis through modern experimental investigations capable of taking structural deterioration into account, and to offer an appropriate and cost-effective retrofitting strategy.

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Deep Energy Retrofit of 1910 House, Portland, Oregon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

2011-12-01

This case study lists project information, cost and energy efficiency performance data, energy efficiency measures and lessons learned for a 100-year-old home in Portland, Oregon, audited by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for a deep energy retrofit. New HVAC and extensive insulation upgrades including rigid XPS and new siding over the old lead painted siding, and EPS on the basement walls and in cathedral ceiling helped bring HERS down to 68.

Final review of the Campbell Creek demonstrations showcased by Tennessee Valley Authority

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gehl, Anthony C.; Munk, Jeffrey D.; Jackson, Roderick K.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Technology Innovation, Energy Efficiency, Power Delivery and Utilization Office funded and managed a showcase demonstration located in the suburbs of west Knox county, Tennessee. Work started March 2008 with the goal of documenting best practices for retrofitting existing homes and for building new high-efficiency homes. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) provided technical support. An analytical base was developed for helping homeowners, homebuyers, builders, practitioners and the TVA make informed economic decisions for the materials and incentives necessary to build a new high-efficiency home or retrofit an existing home.more » New approaches to more efficiently control active energy subsystems and information for selecting or upgrading to Energy Star appliances, changing all lights to 100% CFL s and upgrading windows to low-E gas filled glazing yields a 40% energy savings with neutral cash flow for the homeowner. Passive designs were reviewed and recommendations made for envelope construction that is durable and energy efficient. The Campbell Creek project complements the DOE Building Technologies Program strategic goal. Results of the project created technologies and design approaches that will yield affordable energy efficient homes. The 2010 DOE retrofit goals are to find retrofit packages that attain 30% whole house energy savings as documented by pre and post Home Energy rating scores (HERS). Campbell Creek met these goals.« less

Technical and economic feasibility study of solar/fossil hybrid power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloomfield, H. S.; Calogeras, J. E.

1977-01-01

Results show that new hybrid systems utilizing fossil fuel augmentation of solar energy can provide significant capital and energy cost benefits when compared with solar thermal systems requiring thermal storage. These benefits accrue from a reduction of solar collection area that results from both the use of highly efficient gas and combined cycle energy conversion subsystems and elimination of the requirement for long-term energy storage subsystems. Technical feasibility and fuel savings benefits of solar hybrid retrofit to existing fossil-fired, gas and vapor cycle powerplants was confirmed; however, economic viability of steam cycle retrofit was found to be dependent on the thermodynamic and operational characteristics of the existing powerplant.

Assessment of the Seismic Risk in the City of Yerevan and its Mitigation by Application of Innovative Seismic Isolation Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melkumyan, Mikayel G.

2011-03-01

It is obvious that the problem of precise assessment and/or analysis of seismic hazard (SHA) is quite a serious issue, and seismic risk reduction considerably depends on it. It is well known that there are two approaches in seismic hazard analysis, namely, deterministic (DSHA) and probabilistic (PSHA). The latter utilizes statistical estimates of earthquake parameters. However, they may not exist in a specific region, and using PSHA it is difficult to take into account local aspects, such as specific regional geology and site effects, with sufficient precision. For this reason, DSHA is preferable in many cases. After the destructive 1988 Spitak earthquake, the SHA of the territory of Armenia has been revised and increased. The distribution pattern for seismic risk in Armenia is given. Maximum seismic risk is concentrated in the region of the capital, the city of Yerevan, where 40% of the republic's population resides. We describe the method used for conducting seismic resistance assessment of the existing reinforced concrete (R/C) buildings. Using this assessment, as well as GIS technology, the coefficients characterizing the seismic risk of destruction were calculated for almost all buildings of Yerevan City. The results of the assessment are presented. It is concluded that, presently, there is a particularly pressing need for strengthening existing buildings. We then describe non-conventional approaches to upgrading the earthquake resistance of existing multistory R/C frame buildings by means of Additional Isolated Upper Floor (AIUF) and of existing stone and frame buildings by means of base isolation. In addition, innovative seismic isolation technologies were developed and implemented in Armenia for construction of new multistory multifunctional buildings. The advantages of these technologies are listed in the paper. It is worth noting that the aforementioned technologies were successfully applied for retrofitting an existing 100-year-old bank building in Irkutsk (Russia), for retrofit design of an existing 177-year-old municipality building in Iasi (Romania) and for construction of a new clinic building in Stepanakert (Nagorno Karabakh). Short descriptions of these projects are presented. Since 1994 the total number of base and roof isolated buildings constructed, retrofitted or under construction in Armenia, has reached 32. Statistics of seismically isolated buildings are given in the paper. The number of base isolated buildings per capita in Armenia is one of the highest in the world. In Armenia, for the first time in history, retrofitting of existing buildings by base isolation was carried out without interruption in the use of the buildings. The description of different base isolated buildings erected in Armenia, as well as the description of the method of retrofitting of existing buildings which is patented in Armenia (M. G. Melkumyan, patent of the Republic of Armenia No. 579), are also given in the paper.

43 CFR 3212.21 - What criteria establish a qualified expansion project for the purpose of obtaining a production...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... additional generation capacity to existing plants, and enhanced recovery projects such as augmented injection.... Examples include the drilling of additional wells, retrofitting existing wells and collection systems to...

43 CFR 3212.21 - What criteria establish a qualified expansion project for the purpose of obtaining a production...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... additional generation capacity to existing plants, and enhanced recovery projects such as augmented injection.... Examples include the drilling of additional wells, retrofitting existing wells and collection systems to...

43 CFR 3212.21 - What criteria establish a qualified expansion project for the purpose of obtaining a production...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... additional generation capacity to existing plants, and enhanced recovery projects such as augmented injection.... Examples include the drilling of additional wells, retrofitting existing wells and collection systems to...

Retrofit of existing reinforced concrete bridges with fiber reinforced polymer composites

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-12-01

A two-part research was focused on examining various issues related to the use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites for strengthening of existing reinforced concrete bridges. A summary of each phase is presented separately.

An Energy Conservation Retrofit Process for Existing Public and Institutional Facilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tiedeman, Thomas V.

This manual was developed to provide assistance to public officials first considering energy conservation in existing public buildings. The manual focuses on management decisions which must be made in implementing energy conservation programs for existing buildings. It provides assistance in developing a plan of attack, establishing schedules,…

An under-designed RC frame: Seismic assessment through displacement based approach and possible refurbishment with FRP strips and RC jacketing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valente, Marco; Milani, Gabriele

2017-07-01

Many existing reinforced concrete buildings in Southern Europe were built (and hence designed) before the introduction of displacement based design in national seismic codes. They are obviously highly vulnerable to seismic actions. In such a situation, simplified methodologies for the seismic assessment and retrofitting of existing structures are required. In this study, a displacement based procedure using non-linear static analyses is applied to a four-story existing RC frame. The aim is to obtain an estimation of its overall structural inadequacy as well as the effectiveness of a specific retrofitting intervention by means of GFRP laminates and RC jacketing. Accurate numerical models are developed within a displacement based approach to reproduce the seismic response of the RC frame in the original configuration and after strengthening.

Retrofitting Garden-Style Apartments in Brooklyn, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nolen, Heather; Maxwell, Sean; Neri, Robin

This research effort sought to achieve a solution package that yields energy savings greater than 30% over the pre-existing conditions in a minimally intrusive multifamily retrofit project. The Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) partnered with L+M Development Partners, Inc. on a Mitchell-Lama Housing Program project, Marcus Garvey Village, in Brooklyn, NY (Climate Zone 4A). The Mitchell-Lama Housing Program is a form of housing subsidy in the state of New York that provides affordable rental and cooperative housing to moderate- and middle-income families. Marcus Garvey Village was founded in 1975 and contains 625 residential units (ranging from studios to 5-bedroommore » units) in thirty-two 4-story garden-style apartment structures built with concrete and faced in light brown brick. The single largest challenge for implementation of energy conservation measures at Marcus Garvey was working within occupied spaces. Measures are being implemented in phases to minimize disruption. As of August 2015, the retrofit work is over 50% complete. The wall insulation, sealing of the through wall AC vent, and installation of new oil-filled electric baseboards with advanced controls are conducted at one time, limiting disruption to the living room space. In a similar fashion, the kitchen work is done, then the bathroom. The final selection of energy conservation measures is projected to save 26.5% in source energy with a cost just under $3.7 million and utility bill savings of nearly $480,000 (of an average $1.8 million annual utility cost for the development).« less

Building America Case Study: Retrofitting Garden-Style Apartments, Brooklyn, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

This research effort sought to achieve a solution package that yields energy savings greater than 30 percent over the pre-existing conditions in a minimally intrusive multifamily retrofit project. The Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) partnered with L+M Development Partners, Inc. on a Mitchell-Lama Housing Program project, Marcus Garvey Village, in Brooklyn, NY (Climate Zone 4A). The Mitchell-Lama Housing Program is a form of housing subsidy in the state of New York that provides affordable rental and cooperative housing to moderate- and middle-income families. Marcus Garvey Village was founded in 1975 and contains 625 residential units (ranging from studios tomore » 5-bedroom units) in thirty-two 4-story garden-style apartment structures built with concrete and faced in light brown brick. The single largest challenge for implementation of energy conservation measures at Marcus Garvey was working within occupied spaces. Measures are being implemented in phases to minimize disruption. As of August 2015, the retrofit work is over 50 percent complete. The wall insulation, sealing of the through wall AC vent, and installation of new oil-filled electric baseboards with advanced controls are conducted at one time, limiting disruption to the living room space. In a similar fashion, the kitchen work is done, then the bathroom. The final selection of energy conservation measures is projected to save 26.5 percent in source energy with a cost just under $3.7 million and utility bill savings of nearly $480,000 (of an average $1.8 million annual utility cost for the development).« less

Crowne Plaza Renovation Retrofit Case Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and its franchise partner B.F. Saul Company Hospitality Group (B.F. Saul Co.) partnered with the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to retrofit existing buildings to reduce energy consumption by at least 30% versus requirements set by Standard 90.1-2004 of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) as part of DOE’s Commercial Building Partnerships (CBP) Program.

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Exterior Insulation Pre- and Post-Retrofit, Syracuse, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

In this study, IBACOS, in collaboration with GreenHomes America, Inc., was contracted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to research exterior wall insulation solutions for enclosure upgrades. This case study describes the deep energy retrofit of three test homes in the Syracuse, New York area and represent these enclosure strategies: rigid foam insulation; spray foam insulation, and a control house that follows Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES) guidelines.

Achieving Very High Efficiency and Net Zero Energy in an Existing Home in a Hot-Humid Climate: Long-Term Utility and Monitoring Data (Revised)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parker, D.; Sherwin, J.

2012-10-01

This study summarizes the first six months of detailed data collected on a single family home that experienced a series of retrofits targeting reductions in energy use. The project was designed to develop data on how envelope modifications and renewable measures can result in considerable energy reductions and potentially net zero energy for an existing home. Originally published in February 2012, this revised version of the report contains further research conducted on the Parker residence. Key updates include one full year of additional data, an analysis of cooling performance of the mini-split heat pump, an evaluation of room-to-room temperature distribution,more » and an evaluation of plug-in automobile charging performance, electricity consumption, and load shape.« less

Achieving Very High Efficiency and Net Zero Energy in an Existing Home in a Hot-Humid Climate. Long-Term Utility and Monitoring Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parker, D.; Sherwin, J.

2012-10-01

This study summarizes the first six months of detailed data collected on a single family home that experienced a series of retrofits targeting reductions in energy use. The project was designed to develop data on how envelope modifications and renewable measures can result in considerable energy reductions and potentially net zero energy for an existing home. Originally published in February 2012, this revised version of the report contains further research conducted on the Parker residence. Key updates include one full year of additional data, an analysis of cooling performance of the mini-split heat pump, an evaluation of room-to-room temperature distribution,more » and an evaluation of plug-in automobile charging performance, electricity consumption, and load shape.« less

Retrofit of hollow concrete masonry infilled steel frames using glass fiber reinforced plastic laminates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakam, Zeyad Hamed-Ramzy

2000-11-01

This study focuses on the retrofit of hollow concrete masonry infilled steel frames subjected to in-plane lateral loads using glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) laminates that are epoxy-bonded to the exterior faces of the infill walls. An extensive experimental investigation using one-third scale modeling was conducted and consisted of two phases. In the first phase, 64 assemblages, half of which were retrofitted, were tested under various combined in-plane loading conditions similar to those which different regions of a typical infill wall are subjected to. In the second phase, one bare and four masonry-infilled steel frames representative of a typical single-story, single-bay panel were tested under diagonal loading to study the overall behavior and the infill-frame interaction. The relative infill-to-frame stiffness was varied as a test parameter by using two different steel frame sections. The laminates altered the failure modes of the masonry assemblages and reduced the variability and anisotropic nature of the masonry. For the prisms which failed due to shear and/or mortar joint slip, significant strength increases were observed. For those exhibiting compression failure modes, a marginal increase in strength resulted. Retrofitting the infilled frames resulted in an average increase in initial stiffness of two-fold compared to the unretrofitted infilled frames, and seemed independent of the relative infill-to-frame stiffness. However, the increase in the load-carrying capacity of the retrofitted frames compared to the unretrofitted counterparts was higher for those with the larger relative infill-to-frame stiffness parameter. Unlike the unretrofitted infill walls, the retrofitted panels demonstrated almost identical failure modes that were characterized as "strictly comer crushing" in the vicinity of the loaded comers whereas no signs of distress were evident throughout the remainder of the infill. The laminates also maintained the structural integrity of the infill and prevented collapse and debris fallout even at severe loading stages. A finite element macromodel was proposed for the analysis of the GFRP-retrofitted masonry infilled frames. The infill panel was replaced with a nonlinear, compression-only, diagonal strut. This model was verified using the experimental results of the infilled frame testing and is characterized by its ease of application and accuracy.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

This document provides guidance for retrofitting existing fluorescent troffers including the LED and associated control options available, the pro/cons and costs/benefits of each option, and agency specific requirements (where applicable).

Seismic Rehabilitation of RC Frames by Using Steel Panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mowrtage, Waiel

2008-07-01

Every major earthquake in Turkey causes a large number of building suffer moderate damage due to poor construction. If a proper and fast retrofit is not applied, the aftershocks, which may sometimes come days or weeks after the main shock, can push a moderately damaged building into a major damage or even total collapse. This paper presents a practical retrofit method for moderately damaged buildings, which increases the seismic performance of the structural system by reducing the displacement demand. Fabricated steel panels are used for the retrofit. They are light-weight, easy to handle, and can be constructed very quickly. Moreover, they are cheap, and do not need formwork or skilled workers. They can be designed to compensate for the stiffness and strength degradation, and to fit easily inside a moderately damaged reinforced concrete frame. To test the concept, a half-scale, single-story 3D reinforced concrete frame specimen was constructed at the shake-table laboratories of the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute of Bogazici University, and subjected to recorded real earthquake base accelerations. The amplitudes of base accelerations were increased until a moderate damage level is reached. Then, the damaged RC frames was retrofitted by means of steel panels and tested under the same earthquake. The seismic performance of the specimen before and after the retrofit was evaluated using FEMA356 standards, and the results were compared in terms of stiffness, strength, and deformability. The results have confirmed effectiveness of the proposed retrofit scheme.

Flexible Answers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seeley, James

1997-01-01

Describes how schools are investigating single-ply roofing systems for new and retrofit construction. Discusses some of the considerations in seaming together a single-ply roof, steps in choosing roofing material and a roofing contractor, warranty advice, and the importance of keeping records on roof maintenance. (RJM)

Improving the accuracy of energy baseline models for commercial buildings with occupancy data

DOE PAGES

Liang, Xin; Hong, Tianzhen; Shen, Geoffrey Qiping

2016-07-07

More than 80% of energy is consumed during operation phase of a building's life cycle, so energy efficiency retrofit for existing buildings is considered a promising way to reduce energy use in buildings. The investment strategies of retrofit depend on the ability to quantify energy savings by “measurement and verification” (M&V), which compares actual energy consumption to how much energy would have been used without retrofit (called the “baseline” of energy use). Although numerous models exist for predicting baseline of energy use, a critical limitation is that occupancy has not been included as a variable. However, occupancy rate is essentialmore » for energy consumption and was emphasized by previous studies. This study develops a new baseline model which is built upon the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) model but includes the use of building occupancy data. The study also proposes metrics to quantify the accuracy of prediction and the impacts of variables. However, the results show that including occupancy data does not significantly improve the accuracy of the baseline model, especially for HVAC load. The reasons are discussed further. In addition, sensitivity analysis is conducted to show the influence of parameters in baseline models. To conclude, the results from this study can help us understand the influence of occupancy on energy use, improve energy baseline prediction by including the occupancy factor, reduce risks of M&V and facilitate investment strategies of energy efficiency retrofit.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neuhauser, K.

Through discussion of five case studies (test homes), this project evaluates strategies to elevate the performance of existing homes to a level commensurate with best-in-class implementation of high-performance new construction homes. The test homes featured in this research activity participated in Deep Energy Retrofit (DER) Pilot Program sponsored by the electric and gas utility National Grid in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Building enclosure retrofit strategies are evaluated for impact on durability and indoor air quality in addition to energy performance. Evaluation of strategies is structured around the critical control functions of water, airflow, vapor flow, and thermal control. The aimmore » of the research project is to develop guidance that could serve as a foundation for wider adoption of high performance, 'deep' retrofit work. The project will identify risk factors endemic to advanced retrofit in the context of the general building type, configuration and vintage encountered in the National Grid DER Pilot. Results for the test homes are based on observation and performance testing of recently completed projects. Additional observation would be needed to fully gauge long-term energy performance, durability, and occupant comfort.« less

Case study on incentive mechanism of energy efficiency retrofit in coal-fueled power plant in China.

PubMed

Yuan, Donghai; Guo, Xujing; Cao, Yuan; He, Liansheng; Wang, Jinggang; Xi, Beidou; Li, Junqi; Ma, Wenlin; Zhang, Mingshun

2012-01-01

An ordinary steam turbine retrofit project is selected as a case study; through the retrofit, the project activities will generate emission reductions within the power grid for about 92,463 tCO(2)e per annum. The internal rate of return (IRR) of the project is only -0.41% without the revenue of carbon credits, for example, CERs, which is much lower than the benchmark value of 8%. Only when the unit price of carbon credit reaches 125 CNY/tCO(2), the IRR could reach the benchmark and an effective carbon tax needs to increase the price of carbon to 243 CNY/tce in order to make the project financially feasible. Design of incentive mechanism will help these low efficiency enterprises improve efficiency and reduce CO(2) emissions, which can provide the power plants sufficient incentive to implement energy efficiency retrofit project in existing coal-fuel power generation-units, and we hope it will make a good demonstration for the other low efficiency coal-fueled power generation units in China.

Case Study on Incentive Mechanism of Energy Efficiency Retrofit in Coal-Fueled Power Plant in China

PubMed Central

Yuan, Donghai; Guo, Xujing; Cao, Yuan; He, Liansheng; Wang, Jinggang; Xi, Beidou; Li, Junqi; Ma, Wenlin; Zhang, Mingshun

2012-01-01

An ordinary steam turbine retrofit project is selected as a case study; through the retrofit, the project activities will generate emission reductions within the power grid for about 92,463 tCO2e per annum. The internal rate of return (IRR) of the project is only −0.41% without the revenue of carbon credits, for example, CERs, which is much lower than the benchmark value of 8%. Only when the unit price of carbon credit reaches 125 CNY/tCO2, the IRR could reach the benchmark and an effective carbon tax needs to increase the price of carbon to 243 CNY/tce in order to make the project financially feasible. Design of incentive mechanism will help these low efficiency enterprises improve efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions, which can provide the power plants sufficient incentive to implement energy efficiency retrofit project in existing coal-fuel power generation-units, and we hope it will make a good demonstration for the other low efficiency coal-fueled power generation units in China. PMID:23365532

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Cascade Apartments - Deep Energy Multifamily Retrofit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2014-02-01

In December of 2009-10, King County Housing Authority (KCHA) implemented energy retrofit improvements in the Cascade multifamily community, located in Kent, Washington, which resulted in annual energy cost savings of 22%, improved comfort and air quality for residents, and increased durability of the units. This research effort involved significant coordination from stakeholders KCHA, WA State Department of Commerce, utility Puget Sound Energy, and Cascade tenants. This report focuses on the following three primary Building America research questions: 1. What are the modeled energy savings using DOE low income weatherization approved TREAT software? 2. How did the modeled energy savings comparemore » with measured energy savings from aggregate utility billing analysis? 3. What is the Savings to Investment Ratio of the retrofit package after considering utility window incentives and KCHA capital improvement funding.« less

Benefits of solar/fossil hybrid gas turbine systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloomfield, H. S.

1978-01-01

The potential benefits of solar/fossil hybrid gas turbine power systems were assessed. Both retrofit and new systems were considered from the aspects of; cost of electricity, fuel conservation, operational mode, technology requirements, and fuels flexibility. Hybrid retrofit (repowering) of existing combustion (simple Brayton cycle) turbines can provide near-term fuel savings and solar experience, while new and advanced recuperated or combined cycle systems may be an attractive fuel saving and economically competitive vehicle to transition from today's gas and oil-fired powerplants to other more abundant fuels.

Benefits of solar/fossil hybrid gas turbine systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloomfield, H. S.

1979-01-01

The potential benefits of solar/fossil hybrid gas turbine power systems were assessed. Both retrofit and new systems were considered from the aspects of cost of electricity, fuel conservation, operational mode, technology requirements, and fuels flexibility. Hybrid retrofit (repowering) of existing combustion (simple Brayton cycle) turbines can provide near-term fuel savings and solar experience, while new and advanced recuperated or combined cycle systems may be an attractive fuel saving and economically competitive vehicle to transition from today's gas and oil-fired powerplants to other more abundant fuels.

Solar central receiver reformer system for ammonia plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-07-01

An overview of a study to retrofit the Valley Nitrogen Producers, Inc., El Centro, California 600 ST/SD Ammonia Plant with Solar Central Receiver Technology is presented. The retrofit system consists of a solar central receiver reformer (SCRR) operating in parallel with the existing fossil fired reformer. Steam and hydrocarbon react in the catalyst filled tubes of the inner cavity receiver to form a hydrogen rich mixture which is the syngas feed for the ammonia production. The SCRR system will displace natural gas presently used in the fossil reformer combustion chamber.

Bay Ridge Gardens - Mixed Humid Affordable Multifamily Housing Deep Energy Retrofit: Annapolis, Maryland. Building America Case Study: Whole-House Solutions for Existing Homes (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2013-10-01

Under this project, Newport Partners (as part of the BA-PIRC research team) evaluated the installation, measured performance, and cost-effectiveness of efficiency upgrade measures for a tenant-in-place DER at the Bay Ridge multifamily (MF) development in Annapolis, Maryland. The design and construction phase of the Bay Ridge project was completed in August 2012. This report summarizes system commissioning, short-term test results, utility bill data analysis, and analysis of real-time data collected over a one-year period after the retrofit was complete. The Bay Ridge project is comprised of a "base scope" retrofit which was estimated to achieve a 30%+ savings (relative tomore » pre-retrofit) on 186 apartments, and a "DER scope" which was estimated to achieve 50% savings (relative to pre-retrofit) on a 12-unit building. The base scope was applied to the entire apartment complex, except for one 12-unit building which underwent the DER scope. A wide range of efficiency measures was applied to pursue this savings target for the DER building, including improvements/replacements of mechanical equipment and distribution systems, appliances, lighting and lighting controls, the building envelope, hot water conservation measures, and resident education. The results of this research build upon the current body of knowledge of multifamily retrofits. Towards this end, the research team has collected and generated data on the selection of measures, their estimated performance, their measured performance, and risk factors and their impact on potential measures.« less

Effects of Retrofitting Emission Control Systems on all In-Use Heavy Diesel Trucks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millstein, D.; Harley, R. A.

2009-12-01

Diesel exhaust is now the largest source of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions nationally in the US, and contributes significantly to emissions of fine particulate black carbon (soot) as well. New national standards call for dramatically lower emissions of exhaust particulate matter (PM) and NOx from new diesel engines starting in 2007 and 2010, respectively. Unfortunately it will take decades for the cleaner new engines to replace those currently in service on existing heavy-duty trucks. The state of California recently adopted a rule to accelerate fleet turnover in the heavy-duty truck sector, requiring that all in-use trucks meet the new exhaust PM standards by 2014. This will entail retrofit of diesel particle filters or replacement for over a million existing diesel engines. Diesel particle filters can replace the muffler on existing trucks, and there is extensive experience with retrofit of this control equipment on public sector fleets such as diesel-powered transit buses. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is used as an oxidizing agent to remove carbon particles from the particle filter, to prevent it from becoming plugged. To create the needed NO2, NOx already present in engine exhaust as nitric oxide (NO) is deliberately oxidized to NO2 upstream of the particle filter using a platinum catalyst. The NO2/NOx ratio in exhaust emissions therefore increases to ~35% in comparison to much lower values (~5%) typical of older engines without particle filters. We evaluate the effects on air quality of increased use of diesel particle traps and NOx controls in southern California using the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. Compared to a reference scenario without the retrofit program, we found black carbon concentrations decreased by ~20%, with small increases (4%) in ambient ozone concentrations. During summer, average NO2 concentrations decrease despite the increase in primary NO2 emissions - because total NOx emissions are reduced as part of a parallel but more gradual program to retrofit NOx control systems on in-use engines. During winter, NO2 concentrations increase by 1-2% at locations with high diesel truck traffic, and larger increases may occur if diesel trucks outfitted with particle traps do not meet the in-use NOx emission reduction requirements. Small changes to fine particulate nitrate are seen as well with increases over the Los Angeles area of 3 and 6% during the summer and fall, respectively. During the summer, but not the fall, downwind nitrate decreased by 2% east of Los Angeles near Riverside. Emissions reductions due to fleet turnover in the reference scenario (without retrofit) may be optimistic, and the air quality benefits of retrofits could therefore be understated, due to slow sales of new engines in recent years. In any case, significant changes in diesel engine emissions of NOx and PM are expected to occur over the next 5 years in California.

Cost analysis of new and retrofit hot-air type solar assisted heating systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, R. D.; Hawkins, B. J.

1978-01-01

A detailed cost analysis/cost improvement study was performed on two Department of Energy/National Aeronautics and Space Administration operational test sites to determine actual costs and potential cost improvements of new and retrofit hot air type, solar assisted heating and hot water systems for single family sized structures. This analysis concentrated on the first cost of a system which included procurement, installation, and integration of a solar assisted heating and hot water system on a new or retrofit basis; it also provided several cost projections which can be used as inputs to payback analyses, depending upon the degree of optimism or future improvements assumed. Cost definitions were developed for five categories of cost, and preliminary estimates were developed for each. The costing methodology, approach, and results together with several candidate low cost designs are described.

Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Less, Brennan; Walker, Iain

2015-01-01

The U.S. DOE Building America program has established a research agenda targeting market-relevant strategies to achieve 40% reductions in existing home energy use by 2030. Deep Energy Retrofits (DERs) are part of the strategy to meet and exceed this goal. DERs are projects that create new, valuable assets from existing residences, by bringing homes into alignment with the expectations of the 21st century. Ideally, high energy using, dated homes that are failing to provide adequate modern services to their owners and occupants (e.g., comfortable temperatures, acceptable humidity, clean, healthy), are transformed through comprehensive upgrades to the building envelope, services andmore » miscellaneous loads into next generation high performance homes. These guidance documents provide information to aid in the broader market adoption of DERs.« less

Building America Case Study: Simple Retrofit High-Efficiency Natural Gas Water Heater Field Test, Minneapolis, Minnesota

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

High performance water heaters are typically more time consuming and costly to install in retrofit applications, making high performance water heaters difficult to justify economically. However, recent advancements in high performance water heaters have targeted the retrofit market, simplifying installations and reducing costs. Four high efficiency natural gas water heaters designed specifically for retrofit applications were installed in single-family homes along with detailed monitoring systems to characterize their savings potential, their installed efficiencies, and their ability to meet household demands. The water heaters tested for this project were designed to improve the cost-effectiveness and increase market penetration of high efficiencymore » water heaters in the residential retrofit market. The retrofit high efficiency water heaters achieved their goal of reducing costs, maintaining savings potential and installed efficiency of other high efficiency water heaters, and meeting the necessary capacity in order to improve cost-effectiveness. However, the improvements were not sufficient to achieve simple paybacks of less than ten years for the incremental cost compared to a minimum efficiency heater. Significant changes would be necessary to reduce the simple payback to six years or less. Annual energy savings in the range of $200 would also reduce paybacks to less than six years. These energy savings would require either significantly higher fuel costs (greater than $1.50 per therm) or very high usage (around 120 gallons per day). For current incremental costs, the water heater efficiency would need to be similar to that of a heat pump water heater to deliver a six year payback.« less

Simple Retrofit High-Efficiency Natural Gas Water Heater Field Test

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schoenbauer, Ben

High-performance water heaters are typically more time consuming and costly to install in retrofit applications, making high performance water heaters difficult to justify economically. However, recent advancements in high performance water heaters have targeted the retrofit market, simplifying installations and reducing costs. Four high efficiency natural gas water heaters designed specifically for retrofit applications were installed in single-family homes along with detailed monitoring systems to characterize their savings potential, their installed efficiencies, and their ability to meet household demands. The water heaters tested for this project were designed to improve the cost-effectiveness and increase market penetration of high efficiency watermore » heaters in the residential retrofit market. The retrofit high efficiency water heaters achieved their goal of reducing costs, maintaining savings potential and installed efficiency of other high efficiency water heaters, and meeting the necessary capacity in order to improve cost-effectiveness. However, the improvements were not sufficient to achieve simple paybacks of less than ten years for the incremental cost compared to a minimum efficiency heater. Significant changes would be necessary to reduce the simple payback to six years or less. Annual energy savings in the range of $200 would also reduce paybacks to less than six years. These energy savings would require either significantly higher fuel costs (greater than $1.50 per therm) or very high usage (around 120 gallons per day). For current incremental costs, the water heater efficiency would need to be similar to that of a heat pump water heater to deliver a six year payback.« less

Simple Retrofit High-Efficiency Natural Gas Water Heater Field Test

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schoenbauer, Ben

High performance water heaters are typically more time consuming and costly to install in retrofit applications, making high performance water heaters difficult to justify economically. However, recent advancements in high performance water heaters have targeted the retrofit market, simplifying installations and reducing costs. Four high efficiency natural gas water heaters designed specifically for retrofit applications were installed in single-family homes along with detailed monitoring systems to characterize their savings potential, their installed efficiencies, and their ability to meet household demands. The water heaters tested for this project were designed to improve the cost-effectiveness and increase market penetration of high efficiencymore » water heaters in the residential retrofit market. The retrofit high efficiency water heaters achieved their goal of reducing costs, maintaining savings potential and installed efficiency of other high efficiency water heaters, and meeting the necessary capacity in order to improve cost-effectiveness. However, the improvements were not sufficient to achieve simple paybacks of less than ten years for the incremental cost compared to a minimum efficiency heater. Significant changes would be necessary to reduce the simple payback to six years or less. Annual energy savings in the range of $200 would also reduce paybacks to less than six years. These energy savings would require either significantly higher fuel costs (greater than $1.50 per therm) or very high usage (around 120 gallons per day). For current incremental costs, the water heater efficiency would need to be similar to that of a heat pump water heater to deliver a six year payback.« less

FUNDAMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING OF MERCURY CONTROL IN COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS

EPA Science Inventory

The paper discusses the existing knowledge base applicable to mercury (Hg) control in coal-fired boilers and outlines the gaps in knowledge that can be filled by experimentation and data gathering. Mercury can be controlled by existing air pollution control devices or by retrofit...

A crush zone design for an existing passenger rail cab car

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-11-05

A Crash Energy Management (CEM) cab car crush zone : design has been developed for retrofit onto an existing Budd : M1 cab car. This design is to be used in the upcoming fullscale : train-to-train test of a CEM consist impacting a standing : freight ...

Decision making based on analysis of benefit versus costs of preventive retrofit versus costs of repair after earthquake hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostenaru Dan, M.

2012-04-01

In this presentation interventions on seismically vulnerable early reinforced concrete skeleton buildings, from the interwar time, at different performance levels, from avoiding collapse up to assuring immediate post-earthquake functionality are considered. Between these two poles there are degrees of damage depending on the performance aim set. The costs of the retrofit and post-earthquake repair differ depending on the targeted performance. Not only an earthquake has impact on a heritage building, but also the retrofit measure, for example on its appearance or its functional layout. This way criteria of the structural engineer, the investor, the architect/conservator/urban planner and the owner/inhabitants from the neighbourhood are considered for taking a benefit-cost decision. Benefit-cost analysis based decision is an element in a risk management process. A solution must be found on how much change to accept for retrofit and how much repairable damage to take into account. There are two impact studies. Numerical simulation was run for the building typology considered for successive earthquakes, selected in a deterministic way (1977, 1986 and two for 1991 from Vrancea, Romania and respectively 1978 Thessaloniki, Greece), considering also the case when retrofit is done between two earthquakes. The typology of buildings itself was studied not only for Greece and Romania, but for numerous European countries, including Italy. The typology was compared to earlier reinforced concrete buildings, with Hennebique system, in order to see to which amount these can belong to structural heritage and to shape the criteria of the architect/conservator. Based on the typology study two model buildings were designed, and for one of these different retrofit measures (side walls, structural walls, steel braces, steel jacketing) were considered, while for the other one of these retrofit techniques (diagonal braces, which permits adding also active measures such as energy dissipaters) to different amount and location in the building was considered. Device computations, a civil engineering method for building economics (and which was, before statistics existed, also the method for computing the costs of general upgrade of buildings), were done for the retrofit and for the repair measures, being able to be applied for different countries, also ones where there is no database on existing projects in seismic retrofit. The building elements for which the device computations were done are named "retrofit elements" and they can be new elements, modified elements or replaced elements of the initial building. The addition of the devices is simple, as the row in project management was, but, for the sake of comparison, also complex project management computed in other works was compared for innovative measures such as FRP (with glass and fibre). The theoretical costs for model measures were compared to the way costs of real retrofit for this building type (with reinforced concrete jacketing and FRP) are computed in Greece. The theoretical proposed measures were generally compared to those applied in practice, in Romania and Italy as well. A further study will include these, as in Italy diagonal braces with dissipation had been used. The typology of braces is relevant also for the local seismic culture, maybe outgoing for another type of skeleton structures the distribution of which has been studied: the timber skeleton. A subtype of Romanian reinforced concrete skeleton buildings includes diagonal braces. In order to assess the costs of rebuilding or general upgrade without retrofit, architecture methods for building economics are considered based on floor surface. Diagrams have been built to see how the total costs vary as addition between the preventive retrofit and the post-earthquake repair, and tables to compare to the costs of rebuilding, outgoing from a the model of addition of day-lighting in atria of buildings. The moment when a repair measure has to be applied, function of the recurrence period of earthquakes, is similar to the depth of the atria. Depending on how strong the expected earthquake is, a more extensive retrofit is required in order to decrease repair costs. A further study would allow converting the device computations in floor surface costs, to be able not only to implement in an ICT environment by means of ontology and BIM, but also to convert to urban scale. For the latter studies of probabilistic application of structural mechanics models instead of observation based statistics can be considered. But first the socio-economic models of construction management games will be considered, both computer games and board hard-copy games, starting with SimCity which initially included the San Francisco 1906 earthquake, in order to see how the resources needed can be modeled. All criteria build the taxonomy of decision. Among them different ways to make the cost-benefit analysis exist, from weighted tree to pair-wise comparison. The taxonomy was modeled as a decision tree, which builds the basis for an ontology.

Diffraction-Unlimited Fluorescence Imaging with an EasySTED Retrofitted Confocal Microscope.

PubMed

Klauss, André; Hille, Carsten

2017-01-01

The easySTED technology provides the means to retrofit a confocal microscope to a diffraction-unlimited stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscope.Although commercial STED systems are available today, for many users of confocal laser scanning microscopes the option of retrofitting their confocal system to a STED system ready for diffraction-unlimited imaging may present an attractive option. The easySTED principle allowing for a joint beam path of excitation and depletion light promises some advantages concerning technical complexity and alignment effort for such an STED upgrade. In the one beam path design of easySTED the use of a common laser source, either a supercontinuum source or two separate lasers coupled into the same single-mode fiber, becomes feasible. The alignment of the focal light distribution of the STED beam relative to that of the excitation beam in all three spatial dimensions is therefore omitted respectively reduced to coupling the STED laser into the common single-mode fiber. Thus, only minor modifications need to be applied to the beam path in the confocal microscope to be upgraded. Those comprise adding polarization control elements and the easySTED waveplate, and adapting the beamsplitter to the excitation/STED wavelength combination.

Exploring efficacy of residential energy efficiency programs in Florida

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Nicholas Wade

Electric utilities, government agencies, and private interests in the U.S. have committed and continue to invest substantial resources in the pursuit of energy efficiency and conservation through demand-side management (DSM) programs. Program investments, and the demand for impact evaluations that accompany them, are projected to grow in coming years due to increased pressure from state-level energy regulation, costs and challenges of building additional production capacity, fuel costs and potential carbon or renewable energy regulation. This dissertation provides detailed analyses of ex-post energy savings from energy efficiency programs in three key sectors of residential buildings: new, single-family, detached homes; retrofits to existing single-family, detached homes; and retrofits to existing multifamily housing units. Each of the energy efficiency programs analyzed resulted in statistically significant energy savings at the full program group level, yet savings for individual participants and participant subgroups were highly variable. Even though savings estimates were statistically greater than zero, those energy savings did not always meet expectations. Results also show that high variability in energy savings among participant groups or subgroups can negatively impact overall program performance and can undermine marketing efforts for future participation. Design, implementation, and continued support of conservation programs based solely on deemed or projected savings is inherently counter to the pursuit of meaningful energy conservation and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. To fully understand and optimize program impacts, consistent and robust measurement and verification protocols must be instituted in the design phase and maintained over time. Furthermore, marketing for program participation must target those who have the greatest opportunity for savings. In most utility territories it is not possible to gain access to the type of large scale datasets that would facilitate robust program analysis. Along with measuring and optimizing energy conservation programs, utilities should provide public access to historical consumption data. Open access to data, program optimization, consistent measurement and verification and transparency in reported savings are essential to reducing energy use and its associated environmental impacts.

MHD retrofit of steam power plants. Feasibility study. Summary and conclusions, Part I

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1979-07-01

The US Department of Energy Division of Magnetohydrodynamics (DOE/MHD) initiated this study to evaluate the feasibility of a retrofit option to reduce the time and cost of commercializing MHD. The MHD retrofit option will integrate a nominal 260 megawatt thermal (MWt) MHD topping cycle into an existing or scheduled private utility steam plant; this facility will test both the MHD system and the combined operation of the MHD/steam plant. The 260 MWt input level was determined to be the size which could most effectively demonstrate and verify the engineering design and operational characteristics of a coal-fired, open-cycle, MHD power plant.more » Details are presented. A goal of the MHD program is to have operational by the year 2003 a commercial size, fully integrated MHD plant. This would be accomplished by demonstrating commercial scale, baseload performance of a fully integrated, MHD/steam power plant. (WHK)« less

Retrofit photovoltaic systems for intermediate sized applications - A design and market study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noel, G. T.; Hagely, J. R.

An assessment of the technical and economic feasibility of retrofitting a significant portion of the existing intermediate sector building/application inventory with photovoltaic systems is presented. The assessment includes the development of detailed engineering and architectural designs as well as cost estimates for 12 representative installations. Promising applications include retail stores, warehouses, office buildings, religious buildings, shopping centers, education buildings, hospitals, and industrial sites. A market study indicates that there is a national invetory of 1.5 to 2.0 million feasible intermediate sector applications, with the majority being in the 20 to 400 kW size range. The present cost of the major systems components and the cost of necessary building modifications are the primary current barriers to the realization of a large retrofit photovoltaic system market. The development of standardized modular system designs and installation techniques are feasible ways to minimize costs.

DEEP: A Database of Energy Efficiency Performance to Accelerate Energy Retrofitting of Commercial Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoon Lee, Sang; Hong, Tianzhen; Sawaya, Geof

The paper presents a method and process to establish a database of energy efficiency performance (DEEP) to enable quick and accurate assessment of energy retrofit of commercial buildings. DEEP was compiled from results of about 35 million EnergyPlus simulations. DEEP provides energy savings for screening and evaluation of retrofit measures targeting the small and medium-sized office and retail buildings in California. The prototype building models are developed for a comprehensive assessment of building energy performance based on DOE commercial reference buildings and the California DEER prototype buildings. The prototype buildings represent seven building types across six vintages of constructions andmore » 16 California climate zones. DEEP uses these prototypes to evaluate energy performance of about 100 energy conservation measures covering envelope, lighting, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, plug-loads, and domestic hot water. DEEP consists the energy simulation results for individual retrofit measures as well as packages of measures to consider interactive effects between multiple measures. The large scale EnergyPlus simulations are being conducted on the super computers at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The pre-simulation database is a part of an on-going project to develop a web-based retrofit toolkit for small and medium-sized commercial buildings in California, which provides real-time energy retrofit feedback by querying DEEP with recommended measures, estimated energy savings and financial payback period based on users’ decision criteria of maximizing energy savings, energy cost savings, carbon reduction, or payback of investment. The pre-simulated database and associated comprehensive measure analysis enhances the ability to performance assessments of retrofits to reduce energy use for small and medium buildings and business owners who typically do not have resources to conduct costly building energy audit. DEEP will be migrated into the DEnCity - DOE’s Energy City, which integrates large-scale energy data for multi-purpose, open, and dynamic database leveraging diverse source of existing simulation data.« less

Multi-criteria decision model for retrofitting existing buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostenaru Dan, M. D.

2004-08-01

Decision is an element in the risk management process. In this paper the way how science can help in decision making and implementation for retrofitting buildings in earthquake prone urban areas is investigated. In such interventions actors from various spheres are involved. Their interests range among minimising the intervention for maximal preservation or increasing it for seismic safety. Research was conducted to see how to facilitate collaboration between these actors. A particular attention was given to the role of time in actors' preferences. For this reason, on decision level, both the processural and the personal dimension of risk management, the later seen as a task, were considered. A systematic approach was employed to determine the functional structure of a participative decision model. Three layers on which actors implied in this multi-criteria decision problem interact were identified: town, building and element. So-called 'retrofit elements' are characteristic bearers in the architectural survey, engineering simulations, costs estimation and define the realms perceived by the inhabitants. This way they represent an interaction basis for the interest groups considered in a deeper study. Such orientation means for actors' interaction were designed on other levels of intervention as well. Finally, an 'experiment' for the implementation of the decision model is presented: a strategic plan for an urban intervention towards reduction of earthquake hazard impact through retrofitting. A systematic approach proves thus to be a very good communication basis among the participants in the seismic risk management process. Nevertheless, it can only be applied in later phases (decision, implementation, control) only, since it serves verifying and improving solution and not developing the concept. The 'retrofit elements' are a typical example of the detailing degree reached in the retrofit design plans in these phases.

An evaluation of retrofit engineering control interventions to reduce perchloroethylene exposures in commercial dry-cleaning shops.

PubMed

Earnest, G Scott; Ewers, Lynda M; Ruder, Avima M; Petersen, Martin R; Kovein, Ronald J

2002-02-01

Real-time monitoring was used to evaluate the ability of engineering control devices retrofitted on two existing dry-cleaning machines to reduce worker exposures to perchloroethylene. In one dry-cleaning shop, a refrigerated condenser was installed on a machine that had a water-cooled condenser to reduce the air temperature, improve vapor recovery, and lower exposures. In a second shop, a carbon adsorber was retrofitted on a machine to adsorb residual perchloroethylene not collected by the existing refrigerated condenser to improve vapor recovery and reduce exposures. Both controls were successful at reducing the perchloroethylene exposures of the dry-cleaning machine operator. Real-time monitoring was performed to evaluate how the engineering controls affected exposures during loading and unloading the dry-cleaning machine, a task generally considered to account for the highest exposures. The real-time monitoring showed that dramatic reductions occurred in exposures during loading and unloading of the dry-cleaning machine due to the engineering controls. Peak operator exposures during loading and unloading were reduced by 60 percent in the shop that had a refrigerated condenser installed on the dry-cleaning machine and 92 percent in the shop that had a carbon adsorber installed. Although loading and unloading exposures were dramatically reduced, drops in full-shift time-weighted average (TWA) exposures were less dramatic. TWA exposures to perchloroethylene, as measured by conventional air sampling, showed smaller reductions in operator exposures of 28 percent or less. Differences between exposure results from real-time and conventional air sampling very likely resulted from other uncontrolled sources of exposure, differences in shop general ventilation before and after the control was installed, relatively small sample sizes, and experimental variability inherent in field research. Although there were some difficulties and complications with installation and maintenance of the engineering controls, this study showed that retrofitting engineering controls may be a feasible option for some dry-cleaning shop owners to reduce worker exposures to perchloroethylene. By installing retrofit controls, a dry-cleaning facility can reduce exposures, in some cases dramatically, and bring operators into compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) peak exposure limit of 300 ppm. Retrofit engineering controls are also likely to enable many dry-cleaning workers to lower their overall personal TWA exposures to perchloroethylene.

Target Pilots Energy Efficiency Measures for Broad Rollout in Existing Stores

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2013-03-01

Target Corporation partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to retrofit existing buildings to reduce annual energy consumption by at least 30% versus requirements set by ASHRAE/ANSI/IESNA Standard 90.1-20041 as part of DOE’s Commercial Building Partnership (CBP) program.

13th Annual School Construction Report, 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abramson, Paul

2008-01-01

School construction completed in 2007--including new buildings, additions to existing buildings, and major retrofit of existing buildings--totaled almost $20.8B, a signifi cant increase over the $20.1B spent on construction completed in 2006. This marks the seventh year in the last eight that annual construction exceeded $20B. During the eight…

Excerpts: Proceedings of the FHWA/NCEER Workshop on the National Representation of Seismic Ground Motion for New and Existing Highway Facilities

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-09-22

The primary objective of the FHWA/NCEER Workshop was to recommend future directions for a national representation of the seismic ground shaking hazard for the design of new highway facilities and the evaluation and retrofit of existing highway facili...

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Biobutanol

Science.gov Websites

retrofits of existing corn ethanol plants. The fuel is produced through fermentation of corn feedstock and Process for Producing Butanol from Corn Fermentation Life-cycle Assessment of Corn-Based Butanol as a

Microcrystallography using single-bounce monocapillary optics

PubMed Central

Gillilan, R. E.; Cook, M. J.; Cornaby, S. W.; Bilderback, D. H.

2010-01-01

X-ray microbeams have become increasingly valuable in protein crystallography. A number of synchrotron beamlines worldwide have adapted to handling smaller and more challenging samples by providing a combination of high-precision sample-positioning hardware, special visible-light optics for sample visualization, and small-diameter X-ray beams with low background scatter. Most commonly, X-ray microbeams with diameters ranging from 50 µm to 1 µm are produced by Kirkpatrick and Baez mirrors in combination with defining apertures and scatter guards. A simple alternative based on single-bounce glass monocapillary X-ray optics is presented. The basic capillary design considerations are discussed and a practical and robust implementation that capitalizes on existing beamline hardware is presented. A design for mounting the capillary is presented which eliminates parasitic scattering and reduces deformations of the optic to a degree suitable for use on next-generation X-ray sources. Comparison of diffraction data statistics for microcrystals using microbeam and conventional aperture-collimated beam shows that capillary-focused beam can deliver significant improvement. Statistics also confirm that the annular beam profile produced by the capillary optic does not impact data quality in an observable way. Examples are given of new structures recently solved using this technology. Single-bounce monocapillary optics can offer an attractive alternative for retrofitting existing beamlines for microcrystallography. PMID:20157276

Microgrid Enabled Distributed Energy Solutions (MEDES) - Fort Bliss Military Reservation

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

Security Act EPA Environmental Protection Agency EPAct05 Energy Policy Act of 2005 EPDF Enlisted Personnel Dining Facility EPEC El Paso Electric Company...Retrofitting the existing electrical infrastructure was a challenge, especially with the existing switchboard layout restricting the addition of motor ...operators (to allow for load shedding). The Lockheed Martin team installed as many motor operators as physically possible in the existing

Retrofitted green roofs and walls and improvements in thermal comfort

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feitosa, Renato Castiglia; Wilkinson, Sara

2017-06-01

Increased urbanization has led to a worsening in the quality of life for many people living in large cities in respect of the urban heat island effect and increases of indoor temperatures in housing and other buildings. A solution may be to retrofit existing environments to their former conditions, with a combination of green infrastructures applied to existing walls and rooftops. Retrofitted green roofs may attenuate housing temperature. However, with tall buildings, facade areas are much larger compared to rooftop areas, the role of green walls in mitigating extreme temperatures is more pronounced. Thus, the combination of green roofs and green walls is expected to promote a better thermal performance in the building envelope. For this purpose, a modular vegetated system is adopted for covering both walls and rooftops. Rather than temperature itself, the heat index, which comprises the combined effect of temperature and relative humidity is used in the evaluation of thermal comfort in small scale experiments performed in Sydney - Australia, where identical timber framed structures prototypes (vegetated and non-vegetated) are compared. The results have shown a different understanding of thermal comfort improvement regarding heat index rather than temperature itself. The combination of green roof and walls has a valid role to play in heat index attenuation.

Technical Highlight: NREL Improves Building Energy Simulation Programs Through Diagnostic Testing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Polly, B.

2012-01-09

This technical highlight describes NREL research to develop Building Energy Simulation Test for Existing Homes (BESTEST-EX) to increase the quality and accuracy of energy analysis tools for the building retrofit market.

Analysis of energy efficient highway lighting retrofits.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-06-01

Solid state lighting technology is advancing rapidly to a point where light emitting diode (LED) lighting : systems can be viable replacements for existing lighting systems using high pressure sodium (HPS). The : present report summarizes analyses co...

Review of retrofit strategies decision system in historic perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostenaru Dan, M. D.

2004-06-01

Urban development is a process. In structuring and developing its phases different actors are implied, who act under different, sometimes opposite, dynamic conditions and within different reference systems. This paper aims to explore the contribution of participatism to disaster mitigation, when this concerns earthquake impact on urban settlements, through the support provided to multi-criteria decision in matters of retrofit. The research broadness in field of decision making on one side and the lack of a specific model for the retrofit of existing buildings on another side led to an extensive review of the state of the art in related models to address the issue. Core idea in the selection of existing models has been the preoccupation for collaborative issues, in other words, the consideration for the different actors implied in the planning process. The historic perspective on participative planning models is made from the view of two generations of citizen implication. The first approaches focus on the participation of the building owner/inhabitant in the planning process of building construction. As current strategies building rehabilitation and selection from alternative retrofit strategies are presented. New developments include innovative models using the internet or spatial databases. The investigated participation approaches show, that participation and communication as a more comprehensive term are an old topic in the field politics-democratisation-urbanism. In all cases it can be talked of "successful learning processes", of the improvement of the level of the professional debate. More than 30 years history of participation marked a transition in understanding the concept: from participation, based on a central decision process leading to a solution controlled and steered by the political-administrative system, to communication, characterised by simultaneous decision processes taking place outside politics and administration in co-operative procedures.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Del Bianco, M.; Wiehagen, J.; Wood, A.

Residential quality management systems have most often been designed for new home construction. To address quality in existing homes in the form of Scopes of Work (SOW), the NAHB Research Center began with a new construction scope of work and applied it to an existing home project. This document is intended to outline the steps of translating a new home construction SOW to SOW for retrofit.

Measure Guideline. Wood Window Repair, Rehabilitation, and Replacement

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baker, P.; Eng, P.

2012-12-01

This measure guideline provides information and guidance on rehabilitating, retrofitting, and replacing existing window assemblies in residential construction. The intent is to provide information regarding means and methods to improve the energy and comfort performance of existing wood window assemblies in a way that takes into consideration component durability, in-service operation, and long term performance of the strategies.

Measure Guideline: Window Repair, Rehabilitation, and Replacement

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baker, P.

2012-12-01

This measure guideline provides information and guidance on rehabilitating, retrofitting, and replacing existing window assemblies in residential construction. The intent is to provide information regarding means and methods to improve the energy and comfort performance of existing wood window assemblies in a way that takes into consideration component durability, in-service operation, and long term performance of the strategies.

Data and Analytics to Inform Energy Retrofit of High Performance Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hong, Tianzhen; Yang, Le; Hill, David

Buildings consume more than one-third of the world?s primary energy. Reducing energy use in buildings with energy efficient technologies is feasible and also driven by energy policies such as energy benchmarking, disclosure, rating, and labeling in both the developed and developing countries. Current energy retrofits focus on the existing building stocks, especially older buildings, but the growing number of new high performance buildings built around the world raises a question that how these buildings perform and whether there are retrofit opportunities to further reduce their energy use. This is a new and unique problem for the building industry. Traditional energymore » audit or analysis methods are inadequate to look deep into the energy use of the high performance buildings. This study aims to tackle this problem with a new holistic approach powered by building performance data and analytics. First, three types of measured data are introduced, including the time series energy use, building systems operating conditions, and indoor and outdoor environmental parameters. An energy data model based on the ISO Standard 12655 is used to represent the energy use in buildings in a three-level hierarchy. Secondly, a suite of analytics were proposed to analyze energy use and to identify retrofit measures for high performance buildings. The data-driven analytics are based on monitored data at short time intervals, and cover three levels of analysis ? energy profiling, benchmarking and diagnostics. Thirdly, the analytics were applied to a high performance building in California to analyze its energy use and identify retrofit opportunities, including: (1) analyzing patterns of major energy end-use categories at various time scales, (2) benchmarking the whole building total energy use as well as major end-uses against its peers, (3) benchmarking the power usage effectiveness for the data center, which is the largest electricity consumer in this building, and (4) diagnosing HVAC equipment using detailed time-series operating data. Finally, a few energy efficiency measures were identified for retrofit, and their energy savings were estimated to be 20percent of the whole-building electricity consumption. Based on the analyses, the building manager took a few steps to improve the operation of fans, chillers, and data centers, which will lead to actual energy savings. This study demonstrated that there are energy retrofit opportunities for high performance buildings and detailed measured building performance data and analytics can help identify and estimate energy savings and to inform the decision making during the retrofit process. Challenges of data collection and analytics were also discussed to shape best practice of retrofitting high performance buildings.« less

Research notes : retrofitting culverts for fish.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-01-01

Culverts are a well established method to pass a roadway over a waterway. Standard design criteria exist for meeting the hydraulic requirements for moving the water through the culverts. However, the hydraulic conditions resulting from many culvert d...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kelly, K.; Gonzales, J.

Many fleet managers have opted to incorporate alternative fuels and advanced vehicles into their lineup. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) offer a variety of choices, and there are additional options offered by aftermarket companies. There are also a myriad of ways that existing vehicles can be modified to utilize alternative fuels and other advanced technologies. Vehicle conversions and retrofit packages, along with engine repower options, can offer an ideal way to lower vehicle operating costs. This can result in long term return on investment, in addition to helping fleet managers achieve emissions and environmental goals. This report summarizes the various factorsmore » to consider when pursuing a conversion, retrofit, or repower option.« less

Comparative studies on dimming capabilities of retrofit LED lamps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ionescu, Ciprian; Vasile, Alexandru; Codreanu, Norocel; Negroiu, Rodica

2016-12-01

These days many variants for lighting systems are available on the market, and new solutions are about to emerge. Most of the new lamps are offered in form to be retrofitted to existing sockets and luminaires. In this paper, are presented some systematically investigations on different lamps as LEDs, Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), tungsten, and new available Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (CCFLs), regarding the light level, dimming performances and also the resulting flicker and power distortion performances. The light level was expressed by the illuminance level, measured for all lamps in the same conditions, at the same distance and on the same surface represented by the photometer probe.

Active magnetic bearings applied to industrial compressors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirk, R. G.; Hustak, J. F.; Schoeneck, K. A.

1993-01-01

The design and shop test results are given for a high-speed eight-stage centrifugal compressor supported by active magnetic bearings. A brief summary of the basic operation of active magnetic bearings and the required rotor dynamics analysis are presented with specific attention given to design considerations for optimum rotor stability. The concerns for retrofits of magnetic bearings in existing machinery are discussed with supporting analysis of a four-stage centrifugal compressor. The current status of industrial machinery in North America using this new support system is presented and recommendations are given on design and analysis requirements for successful machinery operation of either retrofit or new design turbomachinery.

Friction Stir Welding of Large Scale Cryogenic Tanks for Aerospace Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, Carolyn; Ding, R. Jeffrey

1998-01-01

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has established a facility for the joining of large-scale aluminum cryogenic propellant tanks using the friction stir welding process. Longitudinal welds, approximately five meters in length, have been made by retrofitting an existing vertical fusion weld system, designed to fabricate tank barrel sections ranging from two to ten meters in diameter. The structural design requirements of the tooling, clamping and travel system will be described in this presentation along with process controls and real-time data acquisition developed for this application. The approach to retrofitting other large welding tools at MSFC with the friction stir welding process will also be discussed.

Molecular Retrofitting Adapts a Metal–Organic Framework to Extreme Pressure

DOE PAGES

Kapustin, Eugene A.; Lee, Seungkyu; Alshammari, Ahmad S.; ...

2017-06-07

Despite numerous studies on chemical and thermal stability of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), mechanical stability remains largely undeveloped. No strategy exists to control the mechanical deformation of MOFs under ultrahigh pressure, to date. We show that the mechanically unstable MOF-520 can be retrofitted by precise placement of a rigid 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylate (BPDC) linker as a "girder" to afford a mechanically robust framework: MOF-520-BPDC. This retrofitting alters how the structure deforms under ultrahigh pressure and thus leads to a drastic enhancement of its mechanical robustness. While in the parent MOF-520 the pressure transmitting medium molecules diffuse into the pore and expand the structuremore » from the inside upon compression, the girder in the new retrofitted MOF-520-BPDC prevents the framework from expansion by linking two adjacent secondary building units together. As a result, the modified MOF is stable under hydrostatic compression in a diamond-anvil cell up to 5.5 gigapascal. The increased mechanical stability of MOF-520-BPDC prohibits the typical amorphization observed for MOFs in this pressure range. Direct correlation between the orientation of these girders within the framework and its linear strain was estimated, providing new insights for the design of MOFs with optimized mechanical properties.« less

Field Test Evaluation of Conservation Retrofits of Low-Income, Single-Family Buildings in Wisconsin: Blower-Door-Directed Infiltration Reduction Procedure, Field Test Implementation and Results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gettings, M.B.

A blower-door-directed infiltration retrofit procedure was field tested on 18 homes in south central Wisconsin. The procedure, developed by the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation, includes recommended retrofit techniques as well as criteria for estimating the amount of cost-effective work to be performed on a house. A recommended expenditure level and target air leakage reduction, in air changes per hour at 50 Pascal (ACH50), are determined from the initial leakage rate measured. The procedure produced an average 16% reduction in air leakage rate. For the 7 houses recommended for retrofit, 89% of the targeted reductions were accomplished with 76% of themore » recommended expenditures. The average cost of retrofits per house was reduced by a factor of four compared with previous programs. The average payback period for recommended retrofits was 4.4 years, based on predicted energy savings computed from achieved air leakage reductions. Although exceptions occurred, the procedure's 8 ACH50 minimum initial leakage rate for advising retrofits to be performed appeared a good choice, based on cost-effective air leakage reduction. Houses with initial rates of 7 ACH50 or below consistently required substantially higher costs to achieve significant air leakage reductions. No statistically significant average annual energy savings was detected as a result of the infiltration retrofits. Average measured savings were -27 therm per year, indicating an increase in energy use, with a 90% confidence interval of 36 therm. Measured savings for individual houses varied widely in both positive and negative directions, indicating that factors not considered affected the results. Large individual confidence intervals indicate a need to increase the accuracy of such measurements as well as understand the factors which may cause such disparity. Recommendations for the procedure include more extensive training of retrofit crews, checks for minimum air exchange rates to insure air quality, and addition of the basic cost of determining the initial leakage rate to the recommended expenditure level. Recommendations for the field test of the procedure include increasing the number of houses in the sample, more timely examination of metered data to detect anomalies, and the monitoring of indoor air temperature. Though not appropriate in a field test of a procedure, further investigation into the effects of air leakage rate reductions on heating loads needs to be performed.« less

Technology Solutions Case Study: Durable Interior Foundation Insulation Retrofits for Cold Climates, Cloquet, Minnesota

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

Thermal and moisture problems in existing basements create a unique challenge as the exterior face of the wall is not easily or inexpensively accessible. This approach by the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team addresses thermal and moisture management from the interior face of the wall without disturbing the exterior soil and landscaping. It is effective at reducing energy loss through the wall principally during the heating season. The team conducted experiments at the Cloquet Residential Research Facility to test the heat and moisture performance of four hollow masonry block wall systems and two rim-joist systems. These systems were retrofitted withmore » interior insulation in compliance with the 2012 IECC. The research showed for the first time that, for masonry block walls in a cold climate, a solid bond beam or equivalent provides adequate resistance to moisture transport from a hollow core to the rim-joist cavity. Thus, a solid top course is a minimum requirement for an interior retrofit insulation system.« less

Design and development of split-parallel through-the road retrofit hybrid electric vehicle with in-wheel motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zulkifli, S. A.; Syaifuddin Mohd, M.; Maharun, M.; Bakar, N. S. A.; Idris, S.; Samsudin, S. H.; Firmansyah; Adz, J. J.; Misbahulmunir, M.; Abidin, E. Z. Z.; Syafiq Mohd, M.; Saad, N.; Aziz, A. R. A.

2015-12-01

One configuration of the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is the split-axle parallel hybrid, in which an internal combustion engine (ICE) and an electric motor provide propulsion power to different axles. A particular sub-type of the split-parallel hybrid does not have the electric motor installed on board the vehicle; instead, two electric motors are placed in the hubs of the non-driven wheels, called ‘hub motor’ or ‘in-wheel motor’ (IWM). Since propulsion power from the ICE and IWM is coupled through the vehicle itself, its wheels and the road on which it moves, this particular configuration is termed ‘through-the-road’ (TTR) hybrid. TTR configuration enables existing ICE-powered vehicles to be retrofitted into an HEV with minimal physical modification. This work describes design of a retrofit- conversion TTR-IWM hybrid vehicle - its sub-systems and development work. Operating modes and power flow of the TTR hybrid, its torque coupling and resultant traction profiles are initially discussed.

Converting Energy Subsidies to Investments: Scaling-Up Deep Energy Retrofit in Residential Sector of Ukraine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denysenko, Artur

After collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine inherited vast and inefficient infrastructure. Combination of historical lack of transparency, decades without reforms, chronical underinvestment and harmful cross-subsidization resulted in accumulation of energy problems, which possess significant threat to economic prosperity and national security. High energy intensity leads to excessive use of energy and heavy reliance on energy import to meet domestic demand. Energy import, in turn, results in high account balance deficit and heavy burden on the state finances. A residential sector, which accounts for one third of energy consumption and is the highest consumer of natural gas, is particularly challenging to reform. This thesis explores energy consumption of the residential sector of Ukraine. Using energy decomposition method, recent changes in energy use is analyzed. Energy intensity of space heating in the residential sector of Ukraine is compared with selected EU member states with similar climates. Energy efficiency potential is evaluated for whole residential sector in general and for multistory apartment buildings connected to the district heating in particular. Specifically, investments in thermal modernization of multistory residential buildings will result in almost 45TWh, or 3.81 Mtoe, of annual savings. Required investments for deep energy retrofit of multistory buildings is estimated as much as $19 billion in 2015 prices. Experience of energy subsidy reforms as well as lessons from energy retrofit policy from selected countries is analyzed. Policy recommendations to turn energy subsidies into investments in deep energy retrofit of residential sector of Ukraine are suggested. Regional dimension of existing energy subsidies and capital subsidies required for energy retrofit is presented.

Research notes : base isolation bearings hold up.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-05-01

Existing bridges, such as the Marquam Bridge in Portland, are given seismic retrofits, and new bridges are designed to more demanding seismic standards. Other structures may have a seismic device built in. The ODOT Research Unit has monitored one suc...

State-of-the-Technology on Advanced Drainage Concepts

EPA Science Inventory

Fostering and promoting the implementation of innovative and green technology for new and retrofitting existing urban drainage systems will reduce installation and operation and management costs, energy needs, and provide for aesthetic enhancement of these systems. The anticipat...

Nitrogen removal by recycle water nitritation as an attractive alternative for retrofit technologies in municipal wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Gil, K I; Choi, E

2004-01-01

The recycle water from sludge processing in municipal wastewater treatment plants causes many serious problems in the efficiency and stability of the mainstream process. Thus, the design approach for recycle water is an important part of any biological nutrient removal system design when a retrofit technology is required for upgrading an existing plant. Moreover, the application of nitrogen removal from recycle water using the nitritation process has recently increased due to economic reasons associated with an effective carbon allocation as well as the minimization of aeration costs. However, for the actual application of recycle water nitritation, it has not been fully examined whether or not additional volume would be required in an existing plant. In this paper, the addition of recycle water nitritation to an existing plant was evaluated based on a volume analysis and estimation of final effluent quality. It was expected that using the reserve volume of the aeration tank in existing plants, recycle water nitritation could be applied to a plant without any enlargement. With the addition of recycle water nitritation, it was estimated that the final effluent quality would be improved and stabilized, especially in the winter season.

Feasibility of Hybrid Retrofits to Off-Grid Diesel Power Plants in the Philippines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barley, C. D.; Flowers, L. T.; Benavidez, P. J.

1999-08-01

The Strategic Power Utilities Group (SPUG) of the National Power Corporation (NPC) in the Philippines owns and operates about 100 power plants, mostly fueled by diesel, ranging in energy production from about 15 kilowatt-hours (kWh)/day to 106,000 kWh/day. Reducing the consumption of diesel fuel in these plants, along with the associated financial losses, is a priority for SPUG. The purpose of this study is to estimate the potential fuel and cost savings that might be achieved by retrofitting hybrid power systems to these existing diesel plants. As used in this report, the term ''hybrid system'' refers to any combination ofmore » wind turbine generators (WTGs), photovoltaic (PV) modules, lead-acid batteries, and an AC/DC power converter (either an electronic inverter or a rotary converter), in addition to the existing diesel gensets. The resources available for this study did not permit a detailed design analysis for each of the plants. Instead, the following five-step process was used: (1) Tabulate some important characteristics of all the plants. (2) Group the plants into categories (six classes) with similar characteristics. (3) For each class of system, identify one plant that is representative of the class. (4) For each representative plant, perform a moderately detailed prefeasibility analysis of design options. (5) Summarize and interpret the results. The analysis of each representative plant involved the use of time-series computer simulation models to estimate the fuel usage, maintenance expenses, and cash flow resulting from various designs, and to search the domain of possible designs for the one leading to the lowest life-cycle cost. Cost items that would be unaffected by the retrofit, such as operator salaries and the capital cost of existing equipment, were not included in the analysis. Thus, the results are reported as levelized cost of energy (COE) savings: the difference between the cost of the existing diesel-only system and that of an optimized hybrid system, expressed in units of U.S. dollars per kWh (US$/kWh) of energy production. This analysis is one phase of a study entitled ''Analysis of Renewable Energy Retrofit Options to Existing Diesel Mini-Grids,'' funded by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and performed jointly by NPC, the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Sustainable Energy Solutions in New York, New York (Morris et al. 1998). A more detailed version of this paper is included in that report.« less

Deep Energy Retrofit Guidance for the Building America Solutions Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Less, Brennan; Walker, Iain

2015-01-01

The U.S. DOE Building America program has established a research agenda targeting market-relevant strategies to achieve 40% reductions in existing home energy use by 2030. Deep Energy Retrofits (DERs) are part of the strategy to meet and exceed this goal. DERs are projects that create new, valuable assets from existing residences, by bringing homes into alignment with the expectations of the 21st century. Ideally, high energy using, dated homes that are failing to provide adequate modern services to their owners and occupants (e.g., comfortable temperatures, acceptable humidity, clean, healthy), are transformed through comprehensive upgrades to the building envelope, services andmore » miscellaneous loads into next generation high performance homes. These guidance documents provide information to aid in the broader market adoption of DERs. They are intended for inclusion in the online resource the Building America Solutions Center (BASC). This document is an assemblage of multiple entries in the BASC, each of which addresses a specific aspect of Deep Energy Retrofit best practices for projects targeting at least 50% energy reductions. The contents are based upon a review of actual DERs in the U.S., as well as a mixture of engineering judgment, published guidance from DOE research in technologies and DERs, simulations of cost-optimal DERs, Energy Star and Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) product criteria, and energy codes.« less

Oxy Coal Combustion at the US EPA

EPA Science Inventory

Oxygen enriched coal (oxy-coal) combustion is a developing, and potentially a strategically key technology intended to accommodate direct CO2 recovery and sequestration. Oxy-coal combustion is also intended for retrofit application to existing power plants. During oxy-coal comb...

Retrofit of existing statewide Louisiana safety walk bridge barrier railing systems : research project capsule.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-07-01

Currently, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) : maintains approximately 200 miles of concrete safety walk barrier railing systems on : its bridges. Some of these vintage systems do not meet the current crash performance...

Enhancement of welded steel bridge girders susceptible to distortion-induced fatigue.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-10-01

The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate the performance of retrofit techniques for existing steel : bridges that have already sustained damage due to distortion-induced fatigue, or are anticipated to experience : distortion-induced fatigue...

An examination of practices for retrofitting existing roads with sidewalks in the United States.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-06-01

In Virginia, as in the United States, many roads were built without sidewalks. With steadily increasing efforts to : develop a more balanced, multimodal transportation system, missing sidewalks pose a unique connectivity issue. Although the : Virgini...

The public health benefits of insulation retrofits in existing housing in the United States

PubMed Central

Levy, Jonathan I; Nishioka, Yurika; Spengler, John D

2003-01-01

Background Methodological limitations make it difficult to quantify the public health benefits of energy efficiency programs. To address this issue, we developed a risk-based model to estimate the health benefits associated with marginal energy usage reductions and applied the model to a hypothetical case study of insulation retrofits in single-family homes in the United States. Methods We modeled energy savings with a regression model that extrapolated findings from an energy simulation program. Reductions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions and particle precursors (SO2 and NOx) were quantified using fuel-specific emission factors and marginal electricity analyses. Estimates of population exposure per unit emissions, varying by location and source type, were extrapolated from past dispersion model runs. Concentration-response functions for morbidity and mortality from PM2.5 were derived from the epidemiological literature, and economic values were assigned to health outcomes based on willingness to pay studies. Results In total, the insulation retrofits would save 800 TBTU (8 × 1014 British Thermal Units) per year across 46 million homes, resulting in 3,100 fewer tons of PM2.5, 100,000 fewer tons of NOx, and 190,000 fewer tons of SO2 per year. These emission reductions are associated with outcomes including 240 fewer deaths, 6,500 fewer asthma attacks, and 110,000 fewer restricted activity days per year. At a state level, the health benefits per unit energy savings vary by an order of magnitude, illustrating that multiple factors (including population patterns and energy sources) influence health benefit estimates. The health benefits correspond to $1.3 billion per year in externalities averted, compared with $5.9 billion per year in economic savings. Conclusion In spite of significant uncertainties related to the interpretation of PM2.5 health effects and other dimensions of the model, our analysis demonstrates that a risk-based methodology is viable for national-level energy efficiency programs. PMID:12740041

Retrofitting activated sludge systems to intermittent aeration for nitrogen removal.

PubMed

Hanhan, O; Artan, N; Orhon, D

2002-01-01

The paper provides the basis and the conceptual approach of applying process kinetics and modelling to the design of alternating activated sludge systems for retrofitting existing activated sludge plants to intermittent aeration for nitrogen removal. It shows the significant role of the two specific parameters, namely, the aerated fraction and the cycle time ratio on process performance through model simulations and proposes a way to incorporate them into a design procedure using process stoichiometry and mass balance. It illustrates the effect of these parameters, together with the sludge age, in establishing the balance between the denitrification potential and the available nitrogen created in the anoxic/aerobic sequences of system operation.

Crew procedures and workload of retrofit concepts for microwave landing system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Summers, Leland G.; Jonsson, Jon E.

1989-01-01

Crew procedures and workload for Microwave Landing Systems (MLS) that could be retrofitted into existing transport aircraft were evaluated. Two MLS receiver concepts were developed. One is capable of capturing a runway centerline and the other is capable of capturing a segmented approach path. Crew procedures were identified and crew task analyses were performed using each concept. Crew workload comparisons were made between the MLS concepts and an ILS baseline using a task-timeline workload model. Workload indexes were obtained for each scenario. The results showed that workload was comparable to the ILS baseline for the MLS centerline capture concept, but significantly higher for the segmented path capture concept.

Methanol from coal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, D. R.

1978-01-01

Economic feasibility of methanol or methyl fuel produced from coal using existing technology is discussed. Other factors considered include environmental, safety, toxicity, transportation, so storage, ease of burning, and retrofitting of present boilers. Demonstrations of its uses as a boiler fuel and as a turbine fuel are cited.

Finite element modeling approach and performance evaluation of fiber reinforced polymer sandwich bridge panels : summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-08-01

In the United States, about 27% of the bridges are classified as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Bridge owners are continually investigating methods to effectively retrofit existing bridges, or to economically replace them with new o...

Energy Management: Money in the Bank.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Have, Pete van der

2001-01-01

Discusses how the University of Utah developed a new chiller plant that could handle the existing and future loads of energy requirements while being totally financed via the implementation of energy saving retrofits, but not benefitting from the operations savings generated by their implementation. (GR)

Finite element modeling approach and performance evaluation of fiber reinforced polymer sandwich bridge panels : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-08-01

In the United States, about 27% of the bridges are classified as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. : Bridge owners are continually investigating methods to effectively retrofit existing bridges, or to economically replace : them with n...

Rapid decision support tool based on novel ecosystem service variables for retrofitting of permeable pavement systems in the presence of trees.

PubMed

Scholz, Miklas; Uzomah, Vincent C

2013-08-01

The retrofitting of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) such as permeable pavements is currently undertaken ad hoc using expert experience supported by minimal guidance based predominantly on hard engineering variables. There is a lack of practical decision support tools useful for a rapid assessment of the potential of ecosystem services when retrofitting permeable pavements in urban areas that either feature existing trees or should be planted with trees in the near future. Thus the aim of this paper is to develop an innovative rapid decision support tool based on novel ecosystem service variables for retrofitting of permeable pavement systems close to trees. This unique tool proposes the retrofitting of permeable pavements that obtained the highest ecosystem service score for a specific urban site enhanced by the presence of trees. This approach is based on a novel ecosystem service philosophy adapted to permeable pavements rather than on traditional engineering judgement associated with variables based on quick community and environment assessments. For an example case study area such as Greater Manchester, which was dominated by Sycamore and Common Lime, a comparison with the traditional approach of determining community and environment variables indicates that permeable pavements are generally a preferred SuDS option. Permeable pavements combined with urban trees received relatively high scores, because of their great potential impact in terms of water and air quality improvement, and flood control, respectively. The outcomes of this paper are likely to lead to more combined permeable pavement and tree systems in the urban landscape, which are beneficial for humans and the environment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Risk analysis of tractor overturns on catfish farms.

PubMed

Stephens, Walter B; Ibendahl, Gregory A; Myers, Melvin L; Cole, Henry P

2010-10-01

Fatal and nonfatal injuries occur on catfish farms as a result of tractor overturns, but these injuries can be greatly mitigated when a tractor is equipped with a rollover protective structure (ROPS) and seatbelt. This study analyzed the proportion of tractors on catfish farms in Mississippi not equipped with ROPS and the cost of retrofitting those tractors with a ROPS and seatbelt as compared to the expected benefits gained from adding the protection. To determine if farmers have the financial incentive to retrofit older tractors, a net present value framework was used because the expected benefits occur over a number of years. The ROPS retrofit is a one-time cost that occurs immediately, and thus the present value does not need to be calculated, i.e., time period 0. According to this study adding ROPS will provide a net benefit of $22,877 in the event of an overturn. When dealing with small farms (<125 acres) where an average tractor is used for approximately twice as many hours compared to an average tractor on large farms, the extra hours worked by a single tractor resulted in total benefits of retrofitting ROPS of $9.45 per year, whereas for large farms the net benefit is $4.70 (=125 acres). Given that the least expensive retrofit is $147, it would take 15.5 years of tractor use on the small farms for the expected benefits to outweigh the cost. Given the large range of costs that could occur due to an overturn, there could be a significant premium for not having ROPS protection. In other words, there likely is a smaller range of costs from an overturn with ROPS than without ROPS because ROPS reduces the more serious incidents.

Applying energy-conservation retrofits to standard Army buildings: Data analysis and recommendations. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Westervelt, E.T.; Northup, G.R.; Lawrie, L.K.

1990-09-01

This report describes the data analysis and recommendations of a project demonstrating the energy performance of theoretically based retrofit packages on existing standard Army building at Fort Carson, CO. Four standard designs were investigated: a motor vehicle repair shop, the Type 64 (L-shaped) barracks, an enlisted personnel mess hall, and a two-company, rolling-pin-shaped barracks for enlisted personnel. The tested conservation measures included envelope and system modifications. Energy data were gathered and analyzed from 14 buildings. Based on measured savings and current costs of fuel and construction, none of the four original packages are life-cycle cost-effective at present, but two maymore » become effective in the near future. Of higher priority for energy and cost savings is the improvement of building operations, in particular heat production and distribution systems, which lack efficiency and control. Followup work at the L-shaped barracks yielded substantial savings, with a saving-to-investment ration of 5 to 1. Cost scenarios, energy models, and building were developed for the original retrofits to assess applicability elsewhere and in the future.« less

Retrofitting impervious urban infrastructure with green technology for rainfall-runoff restoration, indirect reuse and pollution load reduction.

PubMed

Sansalone, John; Raje, Saurabh; Kertesz, Ruben; Maccarone, Kerrilynn; Seltzer, Karl; Siminari, Michele; Simms, Peter; Wood, Brandon

2013-12-01

The built environs alter hydrology and water resource chemistry. Florida is subject to nutrient criteria and is promulgating "no-net-load-increase" criteria for runoff and constituents (nutrients and particulate matter, PM). With such criteria, green infrastructure, hydrologic restoration, indirect reuse and source control are potential design solutions. The study simulates runoff and constituent load control through urban source area re-design to provide long-term "no-net-load-increases". A long-term continuous simulation of pre- and post-development response for an existing surface parking facility is quantified. Retrofits include a biofiltration area reactor (BAR) for hydrologic and denitrification control. A linear infiltration reactor (LIR) of cementitious permeable pavement (CPP) provides infiltration, adsorption and filtration. Pavement cleaning provided source control. Simulation of climate and source area data indicates re-design achieves "no-net-load-increases" at lower costs compared to standard construction. The retrofit system yields lower cost per nutrient load treated compared to Best Management Practices (BMPs). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dealing with the increased radon concentration in thermally retrofitted buildings.

PubMed

Jiránek, M; Kačmaříková, V

2014-07-01

The influence of energy-saving measures on indoor radon concentration has been studied on the basis of a family house made of clinker concrete wall panels containing from 1000 up to 4000 Bq kg(-1) of 226Ra. Thermal retrofitting based on installing external thermal insulation composite system on the building envelope and replacing existing windows by new ones decreased the annual energy need for heating 2.8 times, but also reduced the ventilation rate to values<0.1 h(-1). As a consequence, the 1-y average indoor radon concentration values increased 3.4 times from 337 to 1117 Bq m(-3). The additional risk of lung cancer in the thermally retrofitted house increased to a value that is 125 % higher than before conversion. Methods for dealing with this enhanced risk by increasing the ventilation rate are discussed. Recovery of investments and the energy consequences of increased ventilation are studied in a long-term perspective. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Deep Energy Retrofits - Eleven California Case Studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Less, Brennan; Fisher, Jeremy; Walker, Iain

2012-10-01

This research documents and demonstrates viable approaches using existing materials, tools and technologies in owner-conducted deep energy retrofits (DERs). These retrofits are meant to reduce energy use by 70% or more, and include extensive upgrades to the building enclosure, heating, cooling and hot water equipment, and often incorporate appliance and lighting upgrades as well as the addition of renewable energy. In this report, 11 Northern California (IECC climate zone 3) DER case studies are described and analyzed in detail, including building diagnostic tests and end-use energy monitoring results. All projects recognized the need to improve the home and its systemsmore » approximately to current building code-levels, and then pursued deeper energy reductions through either enhanced technology/ building enclosure measures, or through occupant conservation efforts, both of which achieved impressive energy performance and reductions. The beyond-code incremental DER costs averaged $25,910 for the six homes where cost data were available. DERs were affordable when these incremental costs were financed as part of a remodel, averaging a $30 per month increase in the net-cost of home ownership.« less

Potential of HVAC and solar technologies for hospital retrofit to reduce heating energy consumption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pop, Octavian G.; Abrudan, Ancuta C.; Adace, Dan S.; Pocola, Adrian G.; Balan, Mugur C.

2018-02-01

The study presents a combination of several energy efficient technologies together with their potential to reduce the energy consumption and to increase the comfort through the retrofit of a hospital building. The existing situation is characterized by an old and inefficient heating system, by the complete missing of any ventilation and by no cooling. The retrofit proposal includes thermal insulation and a distributed HVAC system consisting of several units that includes air to air heat exchangers and air to air heat pumps. A condensing boiler was also considered for heating. A solar thermal system for preparing domestic hot water and a solar photovoltaic system to assist the HVAC units are also proposed. Heat transfer principles are used for modelling the thermal response of the building to the environmental parameters and thermodynamic principles are used for modelling the behaviour of HVAC, solar thermal system and photovoltaic system. All the components of the heating loads were determined for one year period. The study reveals the capacity of the proposed systems to provide ventilation and thermal comfort with a global reduction of energy consumption of 71.6 %.

Evaluation of a pilot installation of an energy absorbing bridge rail.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-01-01

A newly developed bridge rail which uses steel rings that collapse or deform to absorb the energy of an impacting vehicle was retrofitted to the concrete parapet of an existing interstate highway bridge. It was planned that the installation would be ...

44 CFR 361.3 - Project description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act is to develop, in areas of seismic risk, improved understanding... retrofitting existing structures that pose threats to life or would suffer major damage in the event of a... (xii) Organization and management. (3) Public awareness/earthquake education activities are designed to...

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Islip Housing Authority Energy Efficiency Turnover Protocols, Islip, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. Dentz, F. Conlin, D. Podorson, and K. Alaigh

2014-08-01

In this project, Building America team ARIES worked with two public housing authorities (PHA) to develop packages of energy efficiency retrofit measures the PHAs can cost effectively implement at the time when units are refurbished between occupancies.

Doing Better with Less Energy: Energy Master Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sieben, Stephen P.

1982-01-01

Energy savings through improved operation and maintenance of buildings and through implementation of energy conservation measures are discussed. Energy master planning--an approach to major retrofit and occupancy for existing college buildings, and energy conscious design and occupancy for new buildings--is advocated. (MLW)

Development of a TL-3 deep beam tubular backup bridge rail : executive summary report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-12-01

Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT)s Office of Structural Engineering has a need to evaluate and, if necessary, improve an existing bridge rail design with a simple retrofitting procedure to meet current or proposed crash testing standards. T...

Impact test of a crash-energy management passenger rail car

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-04-06

On December 3, 2003, a single-car impact test was : conducted to assess the crashworthiness performance of a : modified passenger rail car. A coach car retrofitted with a : Crash Energy Management (CEM) end structure impacted a : fixed barrier at app...

Over the Top.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American School & University, 1999

1999-01-01

Describes how careful preparation and having reliable information can make for a successful roofing project, whether retrofitting an old roof or topping off new construction. Contractor evaluation and warranty analysis are discussed. Also included is a roofing specifications chart for multi-ply and single-ply systems. (GR)

Identifying Inefficient Single-Family Homes With Utility Bill Analysis: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Casey, S.; Krarti, M.; Bianchi, M.

2010-08-01

Differentiating between energy-efficient and inefficient single-family homes on a community scale helps identify and prioritize candidates for energy-efficiency upgrades. Prescreening diagnostic procedures can further retrofit efforts by providing efficiency information before a site-visit is conducted. We applied the prescreening diagnostic to a simulated community of homes in Boulder, Colorado and analyzed energy consumption data to identify energy-inefficient homes.

Measure Guideline. Deep Energy Enclosure Retrofit for Interior Insulation of Masonry Walls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Musunuru, S.; Pettit, B.

2015-04-30

This Measure Guideline describes a deep energy enclosure retrofit solution for insulating mass masonry buildings from the interior. It describes the retrofit assembly, technical details, and installation sequence for retrofitting masonry walls. Interior insulation of masonry retrofits might adversely affect the durability of the wall. This guideline includes a review of decision criteria pertinent to retrofitting masonry walls from the interior and the possible risk of freeze-thaw damage.

A stable dynamic cohort analysis of installing cost-effective rollover protective structures (CROPS).

PubMed

Owusu-Edusei, K; Biddle, E A

2007-04-01

Cost-effective rollover protective structures (CROPS) are less costly model-specific rollover protective structure (ROPS) retrofits that are being developed and evaluated with the hope of increasing adoption and eventually preventing or mitigating injuries due to tractor overturns. A dynamic cohort of the estimated retrofittable non-ROPS tractors (accounting for attrition due to aging) was tracked over a 20-year period to determine the expected costs, as well as the expected number of fatal and non-fatal injuries resulting from tractor overturns. Two alternatives were tracked: No-ROPS and Install-CROPS. For a starting cohort size of 1,065,164 (an estimate for the year 2004), the Install-CROPS option prevented an estimated total of 878 (192 fatal and 686 non-fatal) injuries over the 20-year period. Expected costs were $513 million (cost of installing CROPS on all the non-ROPS tractors plus cost of the associated injuries) and $284 million (cost of injuries resulting from the No-ROPS option) over the same time period. Thus, the net cost per injury prevented was $260,820. When the cost of intervention ($1000 for purchasing, shipping, and installation of existing ROPS retrofit) was used in the analysis, the cost-effectiveness ratio was $927,000 per injury prevented over the 20-year period. Thus, installing CROPS instead of existing ROPS retrofits improved the cost-effectiveness ratio substantially, with a 72% reduction in the net cost per injury prevented.

Strengthening of bridge columns subjected to an impact lateral load caused by vehicle collision : phase I final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-08-01

"Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) materials have gained wide acceptance for repair and retrofit of existing infrastructures or to design new infrastructures due to their desirable properties (high strength to weight ratio, light weight and consequent e...

Retrofit Strategies for Incorporating Xenobiotic Metabolism into High Throughput Screening Assays (EMGS)

EPA Science Inventory

The US EPA’s ToxCast program is designed to assess chemical perturbations of molecular and cellular endpoints using a variety of high-throughput screening (HTS) assays. However, existing HTS assays have limited or no xenobiotic metabolism which could lead to a mischaracterization...

Measure Guideline: Deep Energy Enclosure Retrofit for Interior Insulation of Masonry Walls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Musunuru, S.; Pettit, B.

2015-04-01

This Measure Guideline describes a deep energy enclosure retrofit (DEER) solution for insulating mass masonry buildings from the interior. It describes the retrofit assembly, technical details, and installation sequence for retrofitting masonry walls. Interior insulation of masonry retrofits has the potential to adversely affect the durability of the wall; this document includes a review of decision criteria pertinent to retrofitting masonry walls from the interior and the possible risk of freeze-thaw damage.

Building America Case Study: Assessment of a Hybrid Retrofit Gas Water Heater

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

M. Hoeschele, E. Weitzel, C. Backman

This project completed a modeling evaluation of a hybrid gas water heater that combines a reduced capacity tankless unit with a downsized storage tank. This product would meet a significant market need by providing a higher efficiency gas water heater solution for retrofit applications while maintaining compatibility with the half-inch gas lines and standard B vents found in most homes. The TRNSYS simulation tool was used to model a base case 0.60 EF atmospheric gas storage water, a 0.82 EF non-condensing gas tankless water heater, an existing (high capacity) hybrid unit on the market, and an alternative hybrid unit withmore » lower storage volume and reduced gas input requirements.« less

Space Shuttle Orbiter waste collection system conceptual study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbate, M.

1985-01-01

The analyses and studies conducted to develop a recommended design concept for a new fecal collection system that can be retrofited into the space shuttle vehicle to replace the existing troublesome system which has had limited success in use are summarized. The concept selected is a cartridge compactor fecal collection subsystem which utilizes an airflow collection mode combined with a mechanical compaction and vacuum drying mode that satisfies the shuttle requirements with respect to size, weight, interfaces, and crew comments. A follow-on development program is recommended which is to result in flight test hardware retrofitable on a shuttle vehicle. This permits NASA to evaluate the system which has space station applicablity before committing production funds for the shuttle fleet and space station development.

Amelioration and retrofitting of educational buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casciati, Fabio; Casciati, Sara

2018-01-01

Following a seismic event that occurred years ago in Central Italy, the public opinion was growing and growing a concern on the adequacy of educational buildings all across Italy. This activated several political decisions and a consequent technical effort is in progress. Technically speaking one has to manage the classical problem of retrofitting existing buildings. However, the legal environment goes across national codes, targeted guidelines and the professional need of achieving pragmatic solutions based on ethical and social acceptation schemes.This paper introduces the topic in its worldwide exception and focuses then on some operative aspects in the Italian situation. It outlines the consolidated steps along this technical process and emphasizes the weak aspects one meets when going across the designers' reports.

The social marketing of safety behaviors: a quasi-randomized controlled trial of tractor retrofitting incentives.

PubMed

Sorensen, Julie A; Jenkins, Paul L; Emmelin, Maria; Stenlund, Hans; Weinehall, Lars; Earle-Richardson, Giulia B; May, John J

2011-04-01

We assessed the effect of social marketing incentives on dispositions toward retrofitting and retrofitting behavior among farmers whose tractors lacked rollover protective structures. From 2006 to 2007, we conducted a quasi-randomized controlled trial with 391 farm owners in New York and Pennsylvania surveyed before and after exposure to 1 of 3 tractor retrofitting incentive combinations. These combinations were offered in 3 trial regions; region 1 received rebates; region 2 received rebates, messages, and promotion and was considered the social marketing region; and region 3 received messages and promotion. A fourth region served as a control. The social marketing region generated the greatest increases in readiness to retrofit, intentions to retrofit, and message recall. In addition, postintervention stage of change, intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control levels were higher among farmers who had retrofitted tractors. Our results showed that a social marketing approach (financial incentives, tailored messages, and promotion) had the greatest influence on message recall, readiness to retrofit tractors, and intentions to retrofit tractors and that behavioral measures were fairly good predictors of tractor retrofitting behaviors.

The measures for achieving nZEB standard of retrofitted educational building for specific polish location - case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwiatkowski, Jerzy; Mijakowski, Maciej; Trząski, Adrian

2017-11-01

Most of the EU member states have already set a definition of nZEB for new buildings and some of the countries also done it for existing buildings. As there is no definition of nZEB for existing buildings in Poland, the paper will include various considerations of such a standard. Next, a case study of educational building retrofitting to a proposed nZEB standard will be presented. The aim of the paper is to present what measures can be used in order to decrease energy consumption in existing building. The measures are divided into three parts: architectural and construction, installations and energy sources. Thus a complexity of the solutions are presented. As the nZEB standard is related to available energy sources, also an influence of local condition will be considered. Building chosen for analysis is located in an area under historic protection which makes the work even more difficult. It was proved that used solutions were chosen not only to reduce energy demand or increase energy production from renewable energy sources, but also to increase social and aesthetic features of the building.

Improving Building Energy Simulation Programs Through Diagnostic Testing (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2012-02-01

New test procedure evaluates quality and accuracy of energy analysis tools for the residential building retrofit market. Reducing the energy use of existing homes in the United States offers significant energy-saving opportunities, which can be identified through building simulation software tools that calculate optimal packages of efficiency measures. To improve the accuracy of energy analysis for residential buildings, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) Buildings Research team developed the Building Energy Simulation Test for Existing Homes (BESTEST-EX), a method for diagnosing and correcting errors in building energy audit software and calibration procedures. BESTEST-EX consists of building physics and utility billmore » calibration test cases, which software developers can use to compare their tools simulation findings to reference results generated with state-of-the-art simulation tools. Overall, the BESTEST-EX methodology: (1) Tests software predictions of retrofit energy savings in existing homes; (2) Ensures building physics calculations and utility bill calibration procedures perform to a minimum standard; and (3) Quantifies impacts of uncertainties in input audit data and occupant behavior. BESTEST-EX is helping software developers identify and correct bugs in their software, as well as develop and test utility bill calibration procedures.« less

High Performance Slab-on-Grade Foundation Insulation Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldberg, Louise F.; Mosiman, Garrett E.

?A more accurate assessment of SOG foundation insulation energy savings than traditionally possible is now feasible. This has been enabled by advances in whole building energy simulation with 3-dimensional foundation modelling integration at each time step together with an experimental measurement of the site energy savings of SOG foundation insulation. Ten SOG insulation strategies were evaluated on a test building to identify an optimum retrofit insulation strategy in a zone 6 climate (Minneapolis, MN). The optimum insulation strategy in terms of energy savings and cost effectiveness consisted of two components: (a) R-20 XPS insulation above grade, and, (b) R-20 insulationmore » at grade (comprising an outer layer of R-10 insulation and an interior layer of R-12 poured polyurethane insulation) tapering to R-10 XPS insulation at half the below-grade wall height (the lower half of the stem wall was uninsulated). The optimum insulation strategy was applied to single and multi-family residential buildings in climate zone 4 - 7. The highest site energy savings of 5% was realized for a single family home in Duluth, MN, and the lowest savings of 1.4 % for a 4-unit townhouse in Richmond, VA. SOG foundation insulation retrofit simple paybacks ranged from 18 to 47 years. There are other benefits of SOG foundation insulation resulting from the increase in the slab surface temperatures. These include increased occupant thermal comfort, and a decrease in slab surface condensation particularly around the slab perimeter.« less

Building America Case Study: Optimized Slab-on-Grade Foundation Insulation Retrofits, Madison, Wisconsin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

A more accurate assessment of SOG foundation insulation energy savings than traditionally possible is now feasible. This has been enabled by advances in whole building energy simulation with 3-dimensional foundation modelling integration at each time step together with an experimental measurement of the site energy savings of SOG foundation insulation. Ten SOG insulation strategies were evaluated on a test building to identify an optimum retrofit insulation strategy in a zone 6 climate (Minneapolis, MN). The optimum insulation strategy in terms of energy savings and cost effectiveness consisted of two components: (a) R-20 XPS insulation above grade, and, (b) R-20 insulationmore » at grade (comprising an outer layer of R-10 insulation and an interior layer of R-12 poured polyurethane insulation) tapering to R-10 XPS insulation at half the below-grade wall height (the lower half of the stem wall was uninsulated). The optimum insulation strategy was applied to single and multi-family residential buildings in climate zone 4 - 7. The highest site energy savings of 5% was realized for a single family home in Duluth, MN, and the lowest savings of 1.4 percent for a 4-unit townhouse in Richmond, VA. SOG foundation insulation retrofit simple paybacks ranged from 18 to 47 years. There are other benefits of SOG foundation insulation resulting from the increase in the slab surface temperatures. These include increased occupant thermal comfort, and a decrease in slab surface condensation particularly around the slab perimeter.« less

Proven Performance of Seven Cold Climate Deep Retrofit Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Osser, R.; Neuhauser, K.; Ueno, K.

2012-06-01

Seven test homes located in Massachusetts are examined within this report. The retrofit strategies of each home are presented along with a comparison of the pre- and post-retrofit airtightness achieved by the group. Pre- and post-retrofit utility bills were collected; energy models were used to estimate pre-retrofit energy use when bills were unavailable.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

H. Nolen, S. Maxwell, R. Neri, J. Grab

This research effort sought to achieve a solution package that yields energy savings greater than 30 percent over the pre-existing conditions in a minimally intrusive multifamily retrofit project. The Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) partnered with L+M Development Partners, Inc. on a Mitchell-Lama Housing Program project, Marcus Garvey Village, in Brooklyn, NY (Climate Zone 4A). The Mitchell-Lama Housing Program is a form of housing subsidy in the state of New York that provides affordable rental and cooperative housing to moderate- and middle-income families. Marcus Garvey Village was founded in 1975 and contains 625 residential units (ranging from studios tomore » 5-bedroom units) in thirty-two 4-story garden-style apartment structures built with concrete and faced in light brown brick. The single largest challenge for implementation of energy conservation measures at Marcus Garvey was working within occupied spaces. Measures are being implemented in phases to minimize disruption. As of August 2015, the retrofit work is over 50 percent complete. The wall insulation, sealing of the through wall AC vent, and installation of new oil-filled electric baseboards with advanced controls are conducted at one time, limiting disruption to the living room space. In a similar fashion, the kitchen work is done, then the bathroom. The final selection of energy conservation measures is projected to save 26.5 percent in source energy with a cost just under $3.7 million and utility bill savings of nearly $480,000 (of an average $1.8 million annual utility cost for the development).« less

10 CFR 436.18 - Measuring cost-effectiveness.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... water system, considered in determining such matters as the optimal size of a solar energy system, the... building energy or water system with an energy or water conservation measure by retrofit to an existing... estimated payback time is significantly less than the useful life of that system, and of the Federal...

10 CFR 436.18 - Measuring cost-effectiveness.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... water system, considered in determining such matters as the optimal size of a solar energy system, the... building energy or water system with an energy or water conservation measure by retrofit to an existing... estimated payback time is significantly less than the useful life of that system, and of the Federal...

Reducing Nitrogen Oxide Emissions: 1996 Compliance with Title IV Limits

EIA Publications

1998-01-01

The purpose of this article is to summarize the existing federal nitrogen oxide (Nox) regulations and the 1996 performance of the 239 Title IV generating units. It also reviews the basics of low-Nox burner technology and presents cost and performance data for retrofits at Title IV units.

10 CFR 436.13 - Presuming cost-effectiveness results.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Methodology and Procedures for Life Cycle Cost Analyses § 436.13 Presuming cost-effectiveness results. (a) If... life cycle cost-effective without further analysis. (b) A Federal agency may presume that an investment in an energy or water conservation measure retrofit to an existing Federal building is not life cycle...

Designing, Implementing, and Evaluating Secure Web Browsers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grier, Christopher L.

2009-01-01

Web browsers are plagued with vulnerabilities, providing hackers with easy access to computer systems using browser-based attacks. Efforts that retrofit existing browsers have had limited success since modern browsers are not designed to withstand attack. To enable more secure web browsing, we design and implement new web browsers from the ground…

The Social Marketing of Safety Behaviors: A Quasi–Randomized Controlled Trial of Tractor Retrofitting Incentives

PubMed Central

Jenkins, Paul L.; Emmelin, Maria; Stenlund, Hans; Weinehall, Lars; Earle-Richardson, Giulia B.; May, John J.

2011-01-01

Objectives. We assessed the effect of social marketing incentives on dispositions toward retrofitting and retrofitting behavior among farmers whose tractors lacked rollover protective structures. Methods. From 2006 to 2007, we conducted a quasi–randomized controlled trial with 391 farm owners in New York and Pennsylvania surveyed before and after exposure to 1 of 3 tractor retrofitting incentive combinations. These combinations were offered in 3 trial regions; region 1 received rebates; region 2 received rebates, messages, and promotion and was considered the social marketing region; and region 3 received messages and promotion. A fourth region served as a control. Results. The social marketing region generated the greatest increases in readiness to retrofit, intentions to retrofit, and message recall. In addition, postintervention stage of change, intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control levels were higher among farmers who had retrofitted tractors. Conclusions. Our results showed that a social marketing approach (financial incentives, tailored messages, and promotion) had the greatest influence on message recall, readiness to retrofit tractors, and intentions to retrofit tractors and that behavioral measures were fairly good predictors of tractor retrofitting behaviors. PMID:21330581

The Retrofit Puzzle Extended: Optimal Fleet Owner Behavior over Multiple Time Periods

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-08-04

In "The Retrofit Puzzle: Optimal Fleet Owner Behavior in the Context of Diesel Retrofit Incentive Programs" (1) an integer program was developed to model profit-maximizing diesel fleet owner behavior when selecting pollution reduction retrofits. Flee...

Guidelines for Retrofitting Bleachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC.

This brochure offers guidance on bleacher retrofitting to prevent falls, and suggests follow-up inspections and maintenance practices. Bleacher styles are described along with descriptions of bleacher-associated deaths, injuries, and hazards. Retrofitting recommendations are offered for guardrails and openings followed by retrofit strategies and…

Evaluation of CNT Energy Savers Retrofit Packages Implemented in Multifamily Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farley, Jenne; Ruch, Russell

This evaluation explored the feasibility of designing prescriptive retrofit measure packages for typical Chicago region multifamily buildings in order to achieve 25%-30% source energy savings through the study of three case studies. There is an urgent need to scale up energy efficiency retrofitting of Chicago's multifamily buildings in order to address rising energy costs and a rapidly depleting rental stock. Aimed at retrofit program administrators and building science professionals, this research project investigates the possibility of using prescriptive retrofit packages as a time- and resource-effective approach to the process of retrofitting multifamily buildings.

Evaluation of CNT Energy Savers Retrofit Packages Implemented in Multifamily Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farley, Jenne; Ruch, Russell

This evaluation explored the feasibility of designing prescriptive retrofit measure packages for typical Chicago region multifamily buildings in order to achieve 25%-30% source energy savings through the study of three case studies. There is an urgent need to scale up energy efficiency retrofitting of Chicago's multifamily buildings in order to address rising energy costs and a rapidly depletingrental stock. Aimed at retrofit program administrators and building science professionals, this research project investigates the possibility of using prescriptive retrofit packages as a time- and resource-effective approach to the process of retrofitting multifamily buildings.

Indoor thermal environment, air exchange rates, and carbon dioxide concentrations before and after energy retro fits in Finnish and Lithuanian multi-family buildings.

PubMed

Leivo, Virpi; Prasauskas, Tadas; Du, Liuliu; Turunen, Mari; Kiviste, Mihkel; Aaltonen, Anu; Martuzevicius, Dainius; Haverinen-Shaughnessy, Ulla

2018-04-15

Impacts of energy retrofits on indoor thermal environment, i.e. temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH), as well as ventilation rates and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations, were assessed in 46 Finnish and 20 Lithuanian multi-family buildings, including 39 retrofitted case buildings in Finland and 15 in Lithuania (the remaining buildings were control buildings with no retrofits). In the Finnish buildings, high indoor T along with low RH levels was commonly observed both before and after the retrofits. Ventilation rates (l/s per person) were higher after the retrofits in buildings with mechanical exhaust ventilation than the corresponding values before the retrofits. Measured CO 2 levels were low in vast majority of buildings. In Lithuania, average indoor T levels were low before the retrofits and there was a significant increase in the average T after the retrofits. In addition, average ventilation rate was lower and CO 2 levels were higher after the retrofits in the case buildings (N=15), both in apartments with natural and mixed ventilation. Based on the results, assessment of thermal conditions and ventilation rates after energy retrofits is crucial for optimal indoor environmental quality and energy use. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Single-Family Energy Auditor Job Task Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Head, Heather R.; Kurnik, Charles W.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is contracted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) to develop and maintain the resources under the Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals (GHEP) project. As part of the GHEP strategy to increase the quality of work conducted for single-family, residential energy-efficiency retrofits, the Home Energy Professionals Job Task Analysis are used as the foundation for quality training programs and trainers.

Single-Family Quality Control Inspector Job Task Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Head, Heather R; Kurnik, Charles W

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is contracted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) to develop and maintain the resources under the Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals (GHEP) project. As part of the GHEP strategy to increase the quality of work conducted for single-family, residential energy-efficiency retrofits, the Home Energy Professionals Job Task Analysis are used as the foundation for quality training programs and trainers.

Cold Climate Foundation Retrofit Experimental Hygrothermal Performance: Cloquet Residential Research Facility Laboratory Results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldberg, Louise F.; Harmon, Anna C.

2015-04-01

Thermal and moisture problems in existing basements create a unique challenge because the exterior face of the wall is not easily or inexpensively accessible. This approach addresses thermal and moisture management from the interior face of the wall without disturbing the exterior soil and landscaping. the interior and exterior environments. This approach has the potential for improving durability, comfort, and indoor air quality. This project was funded jointly by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). ORNL focused on developing a full basement wall system experimental database to enable others to validate hygrothermal simulation codes.more » NREL focused on testing the moisture durability of practical basement wall interior insulation retrofit solutions for cold climates. The project has produced a physically credible and reliable long-term hygrothermal performance database for retrofit foundation wall insulation systems in zone 6 and 7 climates that are fully compliant with the performance criteria in the 2009 Minnesota Energy Code. The experimental data were configured into a standard format that can be published online and that is compatible with standard commercially available spreadsheet and database software.« less

First Experiences with the New Chalmers Gasifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thunman, H.; Seemann, M. C.

During summer 2007 a 2-6 MWth indirect gasification section was integrated into the loop of the existing 82➀2 MWth circulating fluidized bed boiler at Chalmers University. With help of a particle distributor the gasification unit is connected to the loop after the cyclone. Hot bed material entrained from the boiler is so transferred to the gasifier providing the heat for the production of a nearly nitrogen free product gas. Non-gasified char is returned together with the bed material into the boiler and converted. Biomass can be fed into both sections; the boiler and the gasifier. The gasification is separated from the boiler via two loop seals and a particle distributer, directing particles either back to the boiler or into the gasification section. For that reason the CFB boiler can be operated even after the retrofit independently, just like before, or in combined combustion/gasification mode. This possibility keeps the risk for a retrofit low. As, furthermore, the investment costs for the integration are considerably lower than standalone gasification units of that size, the retrofit is an easy way to extend the potential of a CFB Boiler towards bi- and tri-generation (heat, power, fuel) and enter new markets.

District heating and cooling systems for communities through power plant retrofit distribution network. Volume 3. Final report, September 1, 1978-May 31, 1979

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

This final report of Phase I of the study presents Task 4, Technical Review and Assessment. The most-promising district-heating concept identified in the Phase I study for the Public Service Electric and Gas Company, Newark, New Jersey, is a hot-water system in which steam is extracted from an existing turbine and used to drive a new, small backpressure turbine-generator. The backpressure turbine provides heat for district heating and simultaneously provides additional electric-generating capacity to partially offset the capacity lost due to the steam extraction. This approach is the most-economical way to retrofit the stations studied for district heating while minimizingmore » electric-capacity loss. Nine fossil-fuel-fired stations within the PSE and G system were evaluated for possibly supplying heat for district heating and cooling in cogeneration operations, but only three were selected to supply the district-heating steam. They are Essex, Hudson, and Bergen. Plant retrofit, thermal distribution schemes, consumer-conversion scheme, and consumer-metering system are discussed. Extensive technical information is provided in 16 appendices, additional tables, figures, and drawings. (MCW)« less

Case Study of Envelope Sealing in Existing Multiunit Structures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dentz, J.; Conlin, F.; Podorson, D.

2012-10-01

Envelope air sealing was included in the retrofit of a 244 unit low-rise multifamily housing complex in Durham, N.C. Pre- and post-retrofit enclosure leakage tests were conducted on 51 units and detailed diagnostics were performed on 16. On average, total leakage was reduced by nearly half, from 19.7 ACH50 to 9.4 ACH50. Costs for air sealing were $0.31 per square foot of conditioned floor area, lower than estimates found in the National Residential Efficiency Measures Database (NREMD) and other sources, perhaps due in part to the large-scale production nature of the project. Modeling with BEopt software -- using an estimatemore » of 85% of the envelope air leakage going to the outside (based on guarded tests performed at the site) -- calculated a space conditioning energy cost savings of 15% to 21% due to the air sealing retrofit. Important air leakage locations identified included plumbing and electrical penetrations, dropped ceilings/soffits, windows, ducts and wall-to-floor intersections. Previous repair activity had created significant leakage locations as well. Specifications and a pictorial guide were developed for contractors performing the work.« less

Evaluation on Thermal Behavior of a Green Roof Retrofit System Installed on Experimental Building in Composite Climate of Roorkee, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Ashok; Deoliya, Rajesh; Chani, P. S.

2015-12-01

Green roofs not only provide cooling by shading, but also by transpiration of water through the stomata. However, the evidence for green roofs providing significant air cooling remains limited. No literature investigates the thermal performance of prefab brick panel roofing technology with green roof. Hence, the aim of this research is to investigate the thermal behavior of an experimental room, built at CSIR-Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) campus, Roorkee, India using such roofing technology during May 2013. The study also explores the feasibility of green roof with grass carpets that require minimum irrigation, to assess the expected indoor thermal comfort improvements by doing real-time experimental studies. The results show that the proposed green roof system is suitable for reducing the energy demand for space cooling during hot summer, without worsening the winter energy performance. The cost of proposed retrofit system is about Rs. 1075 per m2. Therefore, green roofs can be used efficiently in retrofitting existing buildings in India to improve the micro-climate on building roofs and roof insulation, where the additional load carrying capacity of buildings is about 100-130 kg/m2.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kapustin, Eugene A.; Lee, Seungkyu; Alshammari, Ahmad S.

Despite numerous studies on chemical and thermal stability of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), mechanical stability remains largely undeveloped. No strategy exists to control the mechanical deformation of MOFs under ultrahigh pressure, to date. We show that the mechanically unstable MOF-520 can be retrofitted by precise placement of a rigid 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylate (BPDC) linker as a "girder" to afford a mechanically robust framework: MOF-520-BPDC. This retrofitting alters how the structure deforms under ultrahigh pressure and thus leads to a drastic enhancement of its mechanical robustness. While in the parent MOF-520 the pressure transmitting medium molecules diffuse into the pore and expand the structuremore » from the inside upon compression, the girder in the new retrofitted MOF-520-BPDC prevents the framework from expansion by linking two adjacent secondary building units together. As a result, the modified MOF is stable under hydrostatic compression in a diamond-anvil cell up to 5.5 gigapascal. The increased mechanical stability of MOF-520-BPDC prohibits the typical amorphization observed for MOFs in this pressure range. Direct correlation between the orientation of these girders within the framework and its linear strain was estimated, providing new insights for the design of MOFs with optimized mechanical properties.« less

Health and Safety Audit Design Manual

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ternes, Mark P.; Langley, Brandon R.; Accawi, Gina K.

The Health and Safety Audit is an electronic audit tool developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to assist in the identification and selection of health and safety measures when a home is being weatherized (i.e., receiving home energy upgrades), especially as part of the US Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program, or during home energy-efficiency retrofit or remodeling jobs. The audit is specifically applicable to existing single-family homes (including mobile homes), and is generally applicable to individual dwelling units in low-rise multifamily buildings. The health and safety issues covered in the audit are grouped in nine categories: moldmore » and moisture, lead, radon, asbestos, formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), combustion, pest infestation, safety, and ventilation. Development of the audit was supported by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control and the DOE Weatherization Assistance Program.« less

BEopt-CA (Ex): A Tool for Optimal Integration of EE, DR and PV in Existing California Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Christensen, Craig; Horowitz, Scott; Maguire, Jeff

2014-04-01

This project targeted the development of a software tool, BEopt-CA (Ex) (Building Energy Optimization Tool for California Existing Homes), that aims to facilitate balanced integration of energy efficiency (EE), demand response (DR), and photovoltaics (PV) in the residential retrofit1 market. The intent is to provide utility program managers and contractors in the EE/DR/PV marketplace with a means of balancing the integration of EE, DR, and PV

Indoor Air Quality Investigations on Particulate Matter, Carbonyls, and Tobacco Specific Nitrosamines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frey, Sarah E.

Americans spend upwards of 90% of their time indoors, hence indoor air quality (IAQ) and the impact of IAQ on human health is a major public health concern. IAQ can be negatively impacted by outdoor pollution infiltrating indoors, the emission of indoor pollutants, indoor atmospheric chemistry and poor ventilation. Energy saving measures like retrofits to seal the building envelope to prevent the leakage of heated or cooled air will impact IAQ. However, existing studies have been inconclusive as to whether increased energy efficiency is leading to detrimental IAQ. In this work, field campaigns were conducted in apartment homes in Phoenix, Arizona to evaluate IAQ as it relates to particulate matter (PM), carbonyls, and tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA). To investigate the impacts of an energy efficiency retrofit on IAQ, indoor and outdoor air quality sampling was carried out at Sunnyslope Manor, a city-subsidized senior living apartment complex. Measured indoor formaldehyde levels before the building retrofit exceeded reference exposure limits, but in the long term follow-up sampling, indoor formaldehyde decreased for the entire study population by a statistically significant margin. Indoor PM levels were dominated by fine particles and showed a statistically significant decrease in the long term follow-up sampling within certain resident subpopulations (i.e. residents who reported smoking and residents who had lived longer at the apartment complex). Additionally, indoor glyoxal and methylglyoxal exceeded outdoor concentrations, with methylglyoxal being more prevalent pre-retrofit than glyoxal, suggesting different chemical pathways are involved. Indoor concentrations reported are larger than previous studies. TSNAs, specifically N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), 4-(methyl-nitrosamino)-4-(3-pyridyl)-butanal (NNA) and 4-(methylnitrosoamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) were evaluated post-retrofit at Sunnyslope Manor. Of the units tested, 86% of the smoking units and 46% of the non-smoking units had traces of at least one of the nitrosamines.

Insert Modifications Improve Access to Artificial Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Next Cavities

Treesearch

John W. Edwards; Ernest E. Stevens; Charles A. Dachelet

1997-01-01

A designfor a modified, artificial Red-cockaded Woodpecker(Picoides borealis) cavity insert is presented. This modification allowed eggs and young to be inspected easily, removed, and replaced throughout the nesting period. Modifications to cavity inserts are best done before installation, but can be easily retrofitted in existing artificial cavities...

Generic Community System Specification: A Proposed Format for Reporting the Results of Microgrid Optimization Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jimenez, Antonio

This document provides a proposed format for reporting the results of microgrid optimization analysis. While the proposed format assumes that the modeling is conducted as part of a renewable energy retrofit of an existing diesel micro-grid, the format can certainly be adopted for other situations.

75 FR 20043 - Biorefinery Assistance Guaranteed Loans

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-16

...Rural Business-Cooperative Service, a mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is proposing a guaranteed loan program for biorefineries. The proposed rule will establish guaranteed loan regulations for the development and construction of commercial-scale biorefineries and for the retrofitting of existing facilities using eligible technology for the development of advanced biofuels.

Framework of risk assessment in relation to FGD-gypsum use as agricultural amendment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Due to the concerns by EPA of air pollution from coal fired power plants, the industry are building and retrofitting existing facilities to remove more impurities from the environment. Industry has introduced removal of fly ash contaminates before SO2 removal, allowing generation of FGD-gypsum with...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huetter, J.J. Jr.

The overall feasibility of retrofit for hydroelectric power generation at the Patillas Reservoir, an existing impoundment located near the town of Patillas, Puerto Rico, was studied. The scope of work and project intent is limited to establishing valid acceptance or non-acceptance criteria for this specific site as an example of power generation potential at existing dams of relatively low head (less than or equal to 20 m) in the United States. Information is included on hydrologic conditions at the site, retrofit plant design, economic analysis, environmental, legal, social and institutional aspects, and availability of plant equipment. It is concluded thatmore » generation of hydropower at Patillas is entirely practical and uncomplicated from an engineering viewpoint, has no adverse environmental effects and is economically justifiable for the island of Puerto Rico. The final agency or contractor roles for development are reasonably well-established. There are no prohibitory laws or regulations concerning this development. In fact, according to Puerto Rico legislation, such hydropower developments appear to be mandated. The installed capacity of the site ranges from 665 kW to approximately 1500 kW depending on extent of development of the available options. (LCL)« less

Flexible transparent aerogels as window retrofitting films and optical elements with tunable birefringence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Qingkun; Frazier, Allister W.; Zhao, Xinpeng

Experimental realization of optically transparent, mechanically robust and flexible aerogels has been a longstanding challenge, which limits their practical applications in energy-saving devices, such as thermally insulating films for enhancing energy efficiency of windows. The poor transparency precluded even hypothetical consideration of the possibility of birefringent aerogels. We develop birefringent and optically isotropic aerogels that combine properties of thermal super-insulation, mechanical robustness and flexibility, and transparency to visible-spectrum light. This unusual combination of physical properties is achieved by combining liquid crystalline self-organization of cellulose nanofibers with polysiloxane cross-linking and control of the nanoscale porosity to form hybrid organic-inorganic mesostructured aerogels.more » Potential applications of these inexpensive materials range from single pane window retrofitting to smart fabrics.« less

A benefit-cost analysis of retrofitting diesel vehicles with particulate filters in the Mexico City metropolitan area.

PubMed

Stevens, Gretchen; Wilson, Andrew; Hammitt, James K

2005-08-01

In the Mexico City metropolitan area, poor air quality is a public health concern. Diesel vehicles contribute significantly to the emissions that are most harmful to health. Harmful diesel emissions can be reduced by retrofitting vehicles with one of several technologies, including diesel particulate filters. We quantified the social costs and benefits, including health benefits, of retrofitting diesel vehicles in Mexico City with catalyzed diesel particulate filters, actively regenerating diesel particulate filters, or diesel oxidation catalysts, either immediately or in 2010, when capital costs are expected to be lower. Retrofit with either type of diesel particulate filter or an oxidation catalyst is expected to provide net benefits to society beginning immediately and in 2010. At current prices, retrofit with an oxidation catalyst provides greatest net benefits. However, as capital costs decrease, retrofit with diesel particulate filters is expected to provide greater net benefits. In both scenarios, retrofit of older, dirtier vehicles that circulate only within the city provides greatest benefits, and retrofit with oxidation catalysts provides greater health benefits per dollar spent than retrofit with particulate filters. Uncertainty about the magnitude of net benefits of a retrofit program is significant. Results are most sensitive to values used to calculate benefits, such as the concentration-response coefficient, intake fraction (a measure of exposure), and the monetary value of health benefits.

Energy performance analysis of a detached single-family house to be refurbished

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aleixo, Kevin; Curado, António

2017-07-01

This study was developed with the purpose of analyzing the reinforcement of the energy performance in a detached single-family house to be refurbished, using this building as a case-study for simulation and experimental analysis. The building is located in Viana do Castelo, a city in the northwest of Portugal nearby the Atlantic Ocean. The developed study was carried out in order to characterize the thermal performance of the house, using simulation analysis in a dynamic regime. The energy consumption study was developed in permanent regime analysis, using simulation tools. At the end, the study aimed to propose and define the best retrofitting solutions, both passive and active, and to improve the energy performance of the building. The outcomes of the study provided the importance of passive retrofitting solutions on thermal comfort and energy performance. The use of a set of thermal solutions, as the insulation of the roof, walls and the windows, it is possible to achieve a global gain of 0, 63 °C and to reduce energy consumption in 61, 46 [kWh/m2.year]. The study of the building in a simplified thermal regime, according to the Portuguese energy efficiency regulation, allowed the determination of the energy efficiency class of the house and retrofitting solutions proposed. The initial energy performance class of the building is C. With the application of a passive set of solutions, it's possible to improve the energy performance to a class B. With the implementation of some active solutions, it is possible to reach an energy class A +.

Safe tractor access platforms: from guidance material to implementation.

PubMed

Day, L; Rechnitzer, G

2004-08-01

This article reports on the implementation of published guidelines for retrofitting tractors with safe access platforms, which were developed to reduce the risk of serious injuries and deaths associated with mounting and dismounting. Farmer interviews and engineering-based inspections of ten retrofitted tractors were conducted to gather information regarding benefits and disadvantages of the retrofitting and to assess the construction of the platforms. A scoring system was developed for platform retrofitting, and weighted scores between zero and ten were calculated for tractor access before and after retrofitting. Access was improved on all tractors, although to varying degrees. The average post-retrofit weighted score was 6.3 (range 2.6 to 9.7), compared with the pre-retrofit average of 0.9 (range 0.3 to 1.6). Five tractors received a post-retrofit score of 8.0 or higher. None of the lower-scoring tractors fully met the specifications for placement of the bottom step or rear wheel guard, two key characteristics for runover prevention. Other characteristics associated with a lower post-retrofit score included a low bottom step, high step rises, absence of colored nosing, and the front handrail space not being filled in. Platform retrofitting had little effect on tractor operations and substantially improved ease of access. This is the first published evaluation of a design-based solution for tractor runover injuries. This study shows that general guidelines for retrofitting of safe access platforms can be successfully applied. Mechanisms to increase adherence to the key criteria of bottom step positioning and rear wheel guarding should be included in future promotion.

Energy Retrofit for Aging K-12 Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

3D/International, Houston, TX.

Successfully retrofitting aging K-12 schools using energy conservation measures (ECM) that can improve the physical plant and reduce energy consumption are explored. Topics explore how certain ECM measures can benefit educational facilities, why retrofitting begun sooner rather than later is important, how to finance the retrofit program, and the…

Major Energy Conservation Retrofits: A Planning Guide for Northern Climates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quivik, Fredric

Energy-efficient retrofits are suggested as alternatives to conventional weatherization practices in this three-chapter report. Chapter 1 provides information necessary to help readers decide if a major energy retrofit is the right approach to a particular housing situation. Chapter 2 examines various aspects of retrofit designing, considering…

75 FR 18160 - Small Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Antioch Bridge Seismic Retrofit...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-09

... of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Antioch Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project... pile driving associated with the Antioch Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project. DATES: Effective August 15... request from Caltrans to harass marine mammals incidental to the Antioch Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project...

Housing Archetype Analysis for Home Energy-Efficient Retrofit in the Great Lakes Region

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, S. K.; Mrozowski, T.; Harrell-Seyburn, A.

This project report details activities and results of the 'Market Characterization' project undertaken by the Cost Effective Energy Retrofit (CEER) team targeted toward the DOE goal of achieving 30%-50% reduction in existing building energy use. CEER consists of members from the Dow Chemical Company, Michigan State University, Ferris State University and Habitat for Humanity Kent County. The purpose of this market characterization project was to identify housing archetypes which are dominant within Great Lakes region and therefore offer significant potential for energy-efficient retrofit research and implementation due to the substantial number of homes possessing similar characteristics. Understanding the characteristics ofmore » housing groups referred to as 'archetypes' by vintage, style, and construction characteristics can allow research teams to focus their retrofit research and develop prescriptive solutions for those structure types which are prevalent and offer high potential uptake within a region or market. Key research activities included; literature review, statistical analysis of national and regional data of the American Housing Survey (AHS) collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, analysis of Michigan specific data, development of a housing taxonomy of architectural styles, case studies of two local markets (i.e., Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids in Michigan) and development of a suggested framework (or process) for characterizing local markets. In order to gain a high level perspective, national and regional data from the U.S. Census Bureau was analyzed using cross tabulations, multiple regression models, and logistic regression to characterize the housing stock and determine dominant house types using 21 variables.« less

Conway Street Apartments: A Multifamily Deep Energy Retrofit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aldrich, R.; Williamson, J.

2014-11-01

While single-family, detached homes account for 63% of households (EIA 2009); multi-family homes account for a very large portion of that remaining housing stock, and this fraction is growing. Through recent research efforts, CARB has been evaluating strategies and technologies that can make dramatic improvements in energy performance in multi-family buildings.

Evaluation of Eco-Efficiency and Performance of Retrofit Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gopinath, Smitha; Rama Chandra Murthy, A.; Iyer, Nagesh R.; Kokila, S.

2015-12-01

In this work three materials namely Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP), ferrocement and Textile Reinforced Concrete (TRC) have been evaluated towards their performance efficiency and eco-effectiveness for sustainable retrofitting applications. Investigations have been carried out for flexural strengthening of RC beams with FRP, ferrocement and TRC. It is observed that in the case of FRP, it is not possible to tailor the material according to design requirements and most of the time strengthened structure becomes over stiff. Eco-effectiveness of these retrofitting materials has been evaluated by computing the embodied energy. It is observed that the amount of CO2 emitted by TRC is less compared to other retrofit materials. Further, the performance point of retrofitted RC frames has been evaluated and damage index has been calculated to find out the effective retrofit material. It is concluded that, if RC frame is retrofitted with FRP and TRC, it undergoes less damage compared to ferrocement.

Measure Guideline: Three High Performance Mineral Fiber Insulation Board Retrofit Solutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neuhauser, K.

2015-01-01

This Measure Guideline describes a high performance enclosure retrofit package that uses mineral fiber insulation board, and is intended to serve contractors and designers seeking guidance for non-foam exterior insulation retrofit processes. The guideline describes retrofit assembly and details for wood frame roof and walls and for cast concrete foundations.

75 FR 21016 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Comment Request; The Green Retrofit Program of the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-22

... Information Collection: Comment Request; The Green Retrofit Program of the American Recovery and... Retrofit Program authorized by the American Recovery and Revitalization Act of 2009. The legislation.... The Green Retrofit Program is detailed in HUD Notice H 09-02 issued on May 13, 2009. This Notice is...

Numerical Analysis of a Masonry Panel Reinforced with Pultruded FRP Frames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casalegno, C.; Russo, S.; Sciarretta, F.

2018-05-01

The paper presents a numerical study on the retrofit of traditional masonry with pultruded GFRP profile frames adjacent to a wall and connected to it by mechanical fasteners. This kind of retrofit solution, not having been explored yet either in theory or practice, is similar to the common steel frame retrofits, but offers the advantages of lightness and durability of FRP composite materials. The retrofit system proposed, once proven effective and advantageous, would bring a considerable potential innovation into its available options. Three different frame geometries and two cases of masonry thickness were considered to investigate the effectiveness of the retrofit GFRP frame on the inplane static response of the wall to horizontal loads. The global and local (connection) failure behavior of the wall-frame system was investigated using the 3D finite-element method. A general increase in strength after the retrofit, up to about 130%, was found, and a switch from rocking to the diagonal tension failure mode was observed. The strength hierarchy of the retrofitted systems was also analyzed to clarify the effectiveness of the retrofit in imparting a residual strength to masonry. A thinner masonry structure was clearly recognized to have got the greatest benefits, but the retrofit could also significantly improve the inplane shear strength of a thicker wall. A comparison with steel structures of analogous capacity in terms of weight and natural vibration frequencies supported the viability of composite FRP frames for retrofit.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Liquefied Natural Gas Allows for Cleaner

Science.gov Websites

maintenance facilities to support them. This effort has contributed to millions of dollars saved and more than operation and maintenance of the vehicles. The city constructed a new LNG maintenance facility and then recently retrofitted an existing maintenance facility with the necessary methane detectors, alarms, and

77 FR 51619 - Source Specific Federal Implementation Plan for Implementing Best Available Retrofit Technology...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-24

... Energy and Non-Air Quality Environmental Impacts C. Comments on Factor Three--Existing Controls at FCPP D... compliance, (2) the energy and non-air quality environmental impacts of compliance, (3) any pollution control... installing and operating any of several equivalent controls on Units 1- 3, and through proper operation of...

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Build San Antonio Green, San Antonio, Texas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

2013-06-01

PNNL, FSEC, and CalcsPlus provided technical assistance to Build San Antonio Green on three deep energy retrofits. For this gut rehab they replaced the old roof with a steeper roof and replaced drywall while adding insulation, new HVAC, sealed ducts, transfer grilles, outside air run-time ventilation, new lighting and water heater.

Energy Conservation and Solar Retrofitting for Existing Buildings in Oregon: An Architectural Design Class Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oregon Univ., Eugene. School of Architecture and Allied Arts.

Five privately owned homes and two university owned homes were examined by architecture students in order to formulate design alternatives to fit the houses with solar collection, storage, and control devices for supplementing domestic space and/or water heating. General principles advanced include why energy conservation and solar retrofitting…

Retrofitting Air Conditioning and Duct Systems in Hot, Dry Climates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shapiro, C.; Aldrich, R.; Arena, L.

2012-07-01

This technical report describes CARB's work with Clark County Community Resources Division in Las Vegas, Nevada, to optimize procedures for upgrading cooling systems on existing homes in the area to implement health, safety, and energy improvements. Detailed monitoring of five AC systems showed that three of the five systems met or exceeded air flow rate goals.

Building America Case Study: Pilot Demonstration of Phased Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Deep Retrofits, Central and South Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D. Parker, K. Sutherland, D. Chasar, J. Montemurno, B. Amos, J. Kono

2017-02-01

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), in collaboration with Florida Power & Light (FPL), is pursuing a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida. Researchers are looking to establish the impacts of technologies of two retrofit packages -- shallow and deep -- on annual energy and peak energy reductions.

Building America Case Study: Pilot Demonstration of Phased Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Deep Retrofits, Central and South Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2017-02-22

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), in collaboration with Florida Power & Light (FPL), is pursuing a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida. Researchers are looking to establish the impacts of technologies of two retrofit packages -- shallow and deep -- on annual energy and peak energy reductions.

Measure Guideline: Three High Performance Mineral Fiber Insulation Board Retrofit Solutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neuhauser, Ken

2015-01-01

This Measure Guideline describes a high performance enclosure retrofit package that uses mineral fiber insulation board. The Measure Guideline describes retrofit assembly and details for wood frame roof and walls and for cast concrete foundations. This Measure Guideline is intended to serve contractors and designers seeking guidance for non-foam exterior insulation retrofit.

78 FR 9936 - Federal Housing Administration (FHA): PowerSaver Home Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot Program...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-12

... Administration (FHA): PowerSaver Home Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot Program: Extension of Pilot Program AGENCY...: On March 31, 2011, HUD published a notice that announced HUD's FHA Home Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot Program (Retrofit Pilot Program) known as FHA PowerSaver, which is a pilot program conducted for loans...

An experimental study on compressive behavior of rubble stone walls retrofitted with BFRP grids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Hui; Jia, Bin; Li, Wenjing; Liu, Xiao; Yang, Dan; Deng, Chuanli

2018-03-01

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the compressive behavior of rubble stone walls retrofitted with BFRP grids. The experimental program consisted of four rubble stone walls: one unretrofitted rubble stone wall (reference wall) and three BFRP grids retrofitted rubble stone walls. The main purpose of the tests was to gain a better understanding of the compressive behavior of rubble stone walls retrofitted with different amount of BFRP grids. The experimental results showed that the reference wall failed with out-of-plane collapse due to poor connection between rubble stone blocks and the three BFRP grids retrofitted walls failed with BFRP grids rupture followed by out-of-plane collapse. The measured compressive strength of the BFRP grids retrofitted walls is about 1.4 to 2.5 times of that of the reference wall. Besides, the rubble stone wall retrofitted with the maximum amount of BFRP grids showed the minimum vertical and out-of-plane displacements under the same load.

Balancing Hydronic Systems in Multifamily Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ruch, Russell; Ludwig, Peter; Maurer, Tessa

2014-07-01

In multifamily hydronic systems, temperature imbalance may be caused by undersized piping, improperly adjusted balancing valves, inefficient water temperature and flow levels, and owner/occupant interaction with the boilers, distribution, and controls. The imbalance leads to tenant discomfort, higher energy use intensity, and inefficient building operation. This research, conducted by Building America team Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit, explores cost-effective distribution upgrades and balancing measures in multifamily hydronic systems, providing a resource to contractors, auditors, and building owners on best practices to improve tenant comfort and lower operating costs. The team surveyed existing knowledge on cost-effective retrofits for optimizing distribution inmore » typical multifamily hydronic systems, with the aim of identifying common situations and solutions, and then conducted case studies on two Chicago area buildings with known balancing issues in order to quantify the extent of temperature imbalance. At one of these buildings a booster pump was installed on a loop to an underheated wing of the building. This study found that unit temperature in a multifamily hydronic building can vary as much as 61°F, particularly if windows are opened or tenants use intermittent supplemental heating sources like oven ranges. Average temperature spread at the building as a result of this retrofit decreased from 22.1°F to 15.5°F.« less

Building America Case Study: Retrofit Measure for Embedded Wood Members in Insulated Mass Masonry Walls, Lawrence, Massachusetts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

?There are many existing buildings with load-bearing mass masonry walls, whose energy performance could be improved with the retrofit of insulation. However, adding insulation to the interior side of walls of such masonry buildings in cold (and wet) climates may cause performance and durability problems. Some concerns, such as condensation and freeze-thaw have known solutions. But wood members embedded in the masonry structure will be colder (and potentially wetter) after an interior insulation retrofit. Moisture content and relative humidity were monitored at joist ends in historic mass brick masonry walls retrofitted with interior insulation in a cold climate (Zone 5A);more » data were collected from 2012-2015. Eleven joist ends were monitored in all four orientations. One limitation of these results is that the renovation is still ongoing, with limited wintertime construction heating and no permanent occupancy to date. Measurements show that many joists ends remain at high moisture contents, especially at north- and east-facing orientations, with constant 100 percent RH conditions at the worst cases. These high moisture levels are not conducive for wood durability, but no evidence for actual structural damage has been observed. Insulated vs. non-insulated joist pockets do not show large differences. South facing joists have safe (10-15 percent) moisture contents. Given the uncertainty pointed out by research, definitive guidance on the vulnerability of embedded wood members is difficult to formulate. In high-risk situations, or when a very conservative approach is warranted, the embedded wood member condition can be eliminated entirely, supporting the joist ends outside of the masonry pocket.« less

Minimizing noise in fiberglass aquaculture tanks: Noise reduction potential of various retrofits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davidson, J.; Frankel, A.S.; Ellison, W.T.; Summerfelt, S.; Popper, A.N.; Mazik, P.; Bebak, J.

2007-01-01

Equipment used in intensive aquaculture systems, such as pumps and blowers can produce underwater sound levels and frequencies within the range of fish hearing. The impacts of underwater noise on fish are not well known, but limited research suggests that subjecting fish to noise could result in impairment of the auditory system, reduced growth rates, and increased stress. Consequently, reducing sound in fish tanks could result in advantages for cultured species and increased productivity for the aquaculture industry. The objective of this study was to evaluate the noise reduction potential of various retrofits to fiberglass fish culture tanks. The following structural changes were applied to tanks to reduce underwater noise: (1) inlet piping was suspended to avoid contact with the tank, (2) effluent piping was disconnected from a common drain line, (3) effluent piping was insulated beneath tanks, and (4) tanks were elevated on cement blocks and seated on insulated padding. Four combinations of the aforementioned structural changes were evaluated in duplicate and two tanks were left unchanged as controls. Control tanks had sound levels of 120.6 dB re 1 ??Pa. Each retrofit contributed to a reduction of underwater sound. As structural changes were combined, a cumulative reduction in sound level was observed. Tanks designed with a combination of retrofits had sound levels of 108.6 dB re 1 ??Pa, a four-fold reduction in sound pressure level. Sound frequency spectra indicated that the greatest sound reductions occurred between 2 and 100 Hz and demonstrated that nearby pumps and blowers created tonal frequencies that were transmitted into the tanks. The tank modifications used during this study were simple and inexpensive and could be applied to existing systems or considered when designing aquaculture facilities. ?? 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Choosing the Right Fireplace or Fireplace Retrofit Device

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page is about choosing a fireplace or fireplace retrofit device, including information on hang tags and a list of fireplaces and retrofits that have qualified under the voluntary fireplace program

Commercial Building Energy Saver, Web App

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hong, Tianzhen; Piette, Mary; Lee, Sang Hoon

The CBES App is a web-based toolkit for use by small businesses and building owners and operators of small and medium size commercial buildings to perform energy benchmarking and retrofit analysis for buildings. The CBES App analyzes the energy performance of user's building for pre-and posto-retrofit, in conjunction with user's input data, to identify recommended retrofit measures, energy savings and economic analysis for the selected measures. The CBES App provides energy benchmarking, including getting an EnergyStar score using EnergyStar API and benchmarking against California peer buildings using the EnergyIQ API. The retrofit analysis includes a preliminary analysis by looking upmore » retrofit measures from a pre-simulated database DEEP, and a detailed analysis creating and running EnergyPlus models to calculate energy savings of retrofit measures. The CBES App builds upon the LBNL CBES API.« less

Retrofitting Las Vegas. Implementing Energy Efficiency in Two Las Vegas Test Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Puttagunta, S.

2013-04-01

In 2009, the state of Nevada received nearly $40 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to use to stabilize communities that have suffered from foreclosures and abandonment. In order to provide guidance to local officials and maximize how effectively this NSP funding is used in retrofitting homes, the CARB team provided design specifications, energy modeling, and technical support for the BARA team and its local partners—Better Building Performance, Nevada Energy Star Partners Green Alliance, and Home Free Nevada—for two retrofit test homes. One home demonstrated a modest retrofit and the other a deepmore » energy retrofit. This report describes the retrofit packages, which were used as an educational experience for home performance professionals, building trades, remodelers, and the general public.« less

Retrofitting Vegas: Implementing Energy Efficiency in Two Las Vegas Test Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Puttagunta, S.

2013-04-01

In 2009, the state of Nevada received nearly forty million dollars in Neighborhood Stabilization Funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The purpose of this funding was to stabilize communities that have suffered from foreclosures and abandonment. In an effort to provide guidance to local officials and maximize how effectively this NSP funding is utilized in retrofitting homes, CARB provided design specifications, energy modeling, and technical support for the Building America Retrofit Alliance (BARA) team and its local partners - Better Building Performance, Nevada Energy Star Partners Green Alliance, and Home Free Nevada - for two retrofit testmore » homes. One home was to demonstrate a modest retrofit and the other a deep energy retrofit. Through this project, CARB has provided two robust solution packages for retrofitting homes built in this region between the 1980s and early 1990s without substantially inconveniencing the occupants. The two test homes, the Carmen and Sierra Hills, demonstrate how cost-effectively energy efficient upgrades can be implemented in the hot, dry climate of the Southwest. In addition, the homes were used as an educational experience for home performance professionals, building trades, remodelers, and the general public. In-field trainings on air-sealing, HVAC upgrades, and insulating were provided to local contractors during the retrofit and BARA documented these retrofits through a series of video presentations, beginning with a site survey and concluding with the finished remodel and test out.« less

Characterization of Oxy-combustion Impacts in Existing Coal-fired Boilers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adams, Bradley; Davis, Kevin; Senior, Constance

Reaction Engineering International (REI) managed a team of experts from University of Utah, Siemens Energy, Praxair, Vattenfall AB, Sandia National Laboratories, Brigham Young University (BYU) and Corrosion Management Ltd. to perform multi-scale experiments, coupled with mechanism development, process modeling and CFD modeling, for both applied and fundamental investigations. The primary objective of this program was to acquire data and develop tools to characterize and predict impacts of CO{sub 2} flue gas recycle and burner feed design on flame characteristics (burnout, NO{sub x}, SO{sub x}, mercury and fine particle emissions, heat transfer) and operational concerns (fouling, slagging and corrosion) inherent inmore » the retrofit of existing coal-fired boilers for oxy-coal combustion. Experimental work was conducted at Sandia National Laboratories’ Entrained Flow Reactor, the University of Utah Industrial Combustion Research Facility, and Brigham Young University. Process modeling and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling was performed at REI. Successful completion of the project objectives resulted in the following key deliverables: 1) Multi-scale test data from 0.1 kW bench-scale, 100 kW and 200 kW laboratory-scale, and 1 MW semi-industrial scale combustors that describe differences in flame characteristics, fouling, slagging and corrosion for coal combustion under air-firing and oxygen-firing conditions, including sensitivity to oxy-burner design and flue gas recycle composition. 2) Validated mechanisms developed from test data that describe fouling, slagging, waterwall corrosion, heat transfer, char burnout and sooting under coal oxy-combustion conditions. The mechanisms were presented in a form suitable for inclusion in CFD models or process models. 3) Principles to guide design of pilot-scale and full-scale coal oxy-firing systems and flue gas recycle configurations, such that boiler operational impacts from oxy-combustion retrofits are minimized. 4) Assessment of oxy-combustion impacts in two full-scale coal-fired utility boiler retrofits based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of air-fired and oxygen-fired operation. This research determined that it is technically feasible to retrofit the combustion system in an air-fired boiler for oxy-fired operation. The impacts of CO{sub 2} flue gas recycle and burner design on flame characteristics (burnout, NO{sub x}, SO{sub x}, mercury and fine particle emissions, heat transfer) and operational concerns (fouling, slagging and corrosion) were minimal, with the exception of high sulfur levels resulting from untreated flue gas recycle with medium and high-sulfur coals. This work focused on combustion in the radiant and convective sections of the boiler and did not address boiler system integration issues, plant efficiencies, impacts on downstream air pollution control devices, or CO{sub 2} capture and compression. The experimental data, oxy-firing system principles and oxy-combustion process mechanisms provided by this work can be used by electric utilities, boiler OEMs, equipment suppliers, design firms, software vendors, consultants and government agencies to assess retrofit applications of oxy-combustion technologies to existing boilers and to guide development of new designs.« less

Technology Solutions Case Study: Cladding Attachment Over Mineral Fiber Insulation Board

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2015-03-01

Exterior insulating sheathing for high performance building enclosures is an important strategy for meeting energy efficiency requirements in many climates and can position an existing building to perform at the level of best-in-class new construction. Insulation board is also important in high performance building retrofit situations where minimal disruption at the interior is typically desired.

Evaluation of partial water reuse systems used for Atlantic salmon smolt production at the White River National Fish Hatchery

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Eight of the existing 9.1 m (30 ft) diameter circular culture tanks at the White River National Fish Hatchery in Bethel, Vermont, were retrofitted and plumbed into two 8,000 L/min partial water reuse systems to help meet the region's need for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolt production. The part...

Will future helicopters be diesel powered

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1982-05-01

An investigator has found that, if current gas turbine engines in helicopters are replaced by compound adiabatic diesel engines, fuel savings of 40% are possible. This would hold true if the diesel engines are retrofitted to the current helicopter fleet or adapted to new helicopter designs. Problems such as engine placement, weight, and lubrication exist but may be surmountable with proper design.

A Better Leveled Playing Field for Assessing Satisfactory Job Performance of Superintendents on the Basis of High-Stakes Testing Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, I. Phillip; Cox, Edward P.; Buckman, David G.

2014-01-01

To assess satisfactory job performance of superintendents on the basis of school districts' high-stakes testing outcomes, existing teacher models were reviewed and critiqued as potential options for retrofit. For these models, specific problems were identified relative to the choice of referent groups. An alternate referent group (statewide…

Overview of the NEES-Soft Experimental Program for Seismic Risk Reduction of Soft-Story Woodframe Buildings

Treesearch

John W. van de Lindt; Pouria Bahmani; Steven E. Pryor; Gary Mochizuki; Mikhail Gershfeld; Weichiang Pang; Ershad Ziaei; Elaina N. Jennings; Michael D. Symans; Xiaoyun Shao; Jingjing Tian; Doug Rammer

2014-01-01

The existence of thousands of soft-story woodframe buildings in California has been recognized as a disaster preparedness problem resulting in mitigation efforts throughout the state. The considerable presence of these large multi-family buildings in San Francisco prompted the city to mandate their retrofitting over the next seven years. The NEES-Soft project, whose...

Build It and They Will Come: Innovative Facilities Help Colleges Meet Academic Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joch, Alan

2008-01-01

Lone Star College had a unique opportunity in 2000 when it began planning its new CyFair campus in suburban Houston. The school wasn't retrofitting existing buildings or contending with entrenched attitudes about what type of physical environment best supported learning. So when it designed its sprawling 550,000-square-foot campus, paid for with…

Blast Design of Reinforced Concrete and Masonry Components Retrofitted with FRP

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

1 BLAST DESIGN OF REINFORCED CONCRETE AND MASONRY COMPONENTS RETROFITTED WITH FRP Marlon L. Bazan, Ph.D. and Charles J. Oswald, P.E., Ph.D...as an alternative to traditional methods for strengthening and retrofitting concrete and masonry structures to resist blast loads. The development...and experimental validation of a methodology for modeling the response of blast loaded concrete and masonry structural components retrofitted with FRP

Retrofitting the Low Impact Development Practices into Developed Urban areas Including Barriers and Potential Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafique, Muhammad; Kim, Reeho

2017-06-01

Low impact development (LID)/green infrastructure (GI) practices have been identified as the sustainable practices of managing the stormwater in urban areas. Due to the increasing population, most of the cities are more developing which results in the change of natural area into impervious areas (roads, buildings etc.). Moreover, urbanization and climate change are causing many water-related problems and making over cities unsafe and insecure. Under these circumstances, there is a need to introduce new stormwater management practices into developed cities to reduce the adverse impacts of urbanization. For this purpose, retrofitting low impact development practices demands more attention to reduce these water-related problems and trying to make our cities sustainable. In developed areas, there is a little space is available for the retrofitting of LID practices for the stormwater management. Therefore, the selection of an appropriate place to retrofitting LID practices needs more concern. This paper describes the successfully applied retrofitting LID practices around the globe. It also includes the process of applying retrofitting LID practices at the suitable place with the suitable combination. Optimal places for the retrofitting of different LID practices are also mentioned. This paper also highlights the barriers and potential solutions of retrofitting LID practices in urban areas.

Multifamily Individual Heating and Ventilation Systems, Lawrence, Massachusetts (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The conversion of an older Massachusetts building into condominiums illustrates a safe, durable, and cost-effective solution for heating and ventilation systems that can potentially benefit millions of multifamily buildings. Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity (MVHfH) partnered with U.S. Department of Energy Building America team Building Science Corporation (BSC) to provide high performance affordable housing for 10 families in the retrofit of an existing mass masonry building (a former convent). The original ventilation design for the project was provided by a local engineer and consisted of a single large heat recovery ventilator (HRV) located in a mechanical room in the basementmore » with a centralized duct system providing supply air to the main living space and exhausting stale air from the single bathroom in each apartment. This design was deemed to be far too costly to install and operate for several reasons: the large central HRV was oversized and the specified flows to each apartment were much higher than the ASHRAE 62.2 rate; an extensive system of ductwork, smoke and fire dampers, and duct chases were specified; ductwork required a significant area of dropped ceilings; and the system lacked individual ventilation control in the apartments« less

Technology Solutions for New and Existing Homes Case Study: Optimized Slab-on-Grade Foundation Insulation Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

T. Schirber; Goldberg, L.; Mosiman, G.

A more accurate assessment of SOG foundation insulation energy savings than traditionally possible is now feasible. This has been enabled by advances in whole building energy simulation with 3-dimensional foundation modelling integration at each time step together with an experimental measurement of the site energy savings of SOG foundation insulation. Ten SOG insulation strategies were evaluated on a test building to identify an optimum retrofit insulation strategy in a zone 6 climate (Minneapolis, MN). The optimum insulation strategy in terms of energy savings and cost effectiveness consisted of two components: (a) R-20 XPS insulation above grade, and, (b) R-20 insulationmore » at grade (comprising an outer layer of R-10 insulation and an interior layer of R-12 poured polyurethane insulation) tapering to R-10 XPS insulation at half the below-grade wall height (the lower half of the stem wall was uninsulated).« less

Air Leakage of US Homes: Regression Analysis and Improvements from Retrofit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chan, Wanyu R.; Joh, Jeffrey; Sherman, Max H.

2012-08-01

LBNL Residential Diagnostics Database (ResDB) contains blower door measurements and other diagnostic test results of homes in United States. Of these, approximately 134,000 single-family detached homes have sufficient information for the analysis of air leakage in relation to a number of housing characteristics. We performed regression analysis to consider the correlation between normalized leakage and a number of explanatory variables: IECC climate zone, floor area, height, year built, foundation type, duct location, and other characteristics. The regression model explains 68% of the observed variability in normalized leakage. ResDB also contains the before and after retrofit air leakage measurements of approximatelymore » 23,000 homes that participated in weatherization assistant programs (WAPs) or residential energy efficiency programs. The two types of programs achieve rather similar reductions in normalized leakage: 30% for WAPs and 20% for other energy programs.« less

Seismic retrofit benefit considering statewide transportation assessment.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and demonstrate a methodology to prioritize bridges for : retrofit in the State of Oregon. Given the limited resources available, retrofitting all vulnerable bridges in the foreseeable : future would not be i...

Fish passage through retrofitted culverts : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-11-01

Long term and short term studies of fish movement were conducted at several retrofitted culverts within Oregon. This was done to assess the effectiveness of retrofitting culverts with baffles to improve fish passage. The long term results showed that...

Seismic retrofitting manual for highway structures. Part 1, Bridges

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-01-01

This report is the first of a two-part publication entitled "Seismic retrofitting manual for highway structures". Part 1 of this manual is based on previous Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) publications on this subject including Seismic Retrofit...

Building America Case Study: Supplemental Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump in the Hot-Humid Climate, Brevard and Volusia Counties, Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

"The BAPIRC team and Florida Power and Light (FPL) electric utility pursued a pilot phased energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida by creating detailed data on the energy and economic performance of two levels of retrofit - simple and deep. For this Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, a total of 56 homes spread across the utility partner's territory in east central Florida, southeast Florida, and southwest Florida were instrumented between August 2012 and January 2013, and received simple pass-through retrofit measures during the period of March 2013 - June 2013. Ten of these homes received a deeper package of retrofits duringmore » August 2013 - December 2013. A full account of Phase I of this project, including detailed home details and characterization, is found in Parker et al, 2015 (currently in draft). Phase II of this project, which is the focus of this report, applied the following additional retrofit measures to select homes that received a shallow retrofit in Phase I: supplemental mini-split heat pump (MSHP) (6 homes), ducted and space coupled heat pump water heater (8 homes), exterior insulation finish system (EIFS) (1 homes), window retrofit (3 homes), smart thermostat (21 homes: 19 NESTs; 2 Lyrics), heat pump clothes dryer (8 homes), and variable speed pool pump (5 homes).« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, Sha; Evans, Meredydd; Shi, Qing

China will account for about half of the new construction globally in the coming decade. Its floorspace doubled from 1996 to 2011, and Chinese rural buildings alone have as much floorspace as all of U.S. residential buildings. Building energy consumption has also grown, increasing by over 40% since 1990. To curb building energy demand, the Chinese government has launched a series of policies and programs. Combined, this growth in buildings and renovations, along with the policies to promote green buildings, are creating a large market for energy efficiency products and services. This report assesses the impact of China’s policies onmore » building energy efficiency and on the market for energy efficiency in the future. The first chapter of this report introduces the trends in China, drawing on both historical analysis, and detailed modeling of the drivers behind changes in floorspace and building energy demand such as economic and population growth, urbanization, policy. The analysis describes the trends by region, building type and energy service. The second chapter discusses China’s policies to promote green buildings. China began developing building energy codes in the 1980s. Over time, the central government has increased the stringency of the code requirements and the extent of enforcement. The codes are mandatory in all new buildings and major renovations in China’s cities, and they have been a driving force behind the expansion of China’s markets for insulation, efficient windows, and other green building materials. China also has several other important policies to encourage efficient buildings, including the Three-Star Rating System (somewhat akin to LEED), financial incentives tied to efficiency, appliance standards, a phasing out of incandescent bulbs and promotion of efficient lighting, and several policies to encourage retrofits in existing buildings. In the third chapter, we take “deep dives” into the trends affecting key building components. This chapter examines insulation in walls and roofs; efficient windows and doors; heating, air conditioning and controls; and lighting. These markets have seen significant growth because of the strength of the construction sector but also the specific policies that require and promote efficient building components. At the same time, as requirements have become more stringent, there has been fierce competition, and quality has at time suffered, which in turn has created additional challenges. Next we examine existing buildings in chapter four. China has many Soviet-style, inefficient buildings built before stringent requirements for efficiency were more widely enforced. As a result, there are several specific market opportunities related to retrofits. These fall into two or three categories. First, China now has a code for retrofitting residential buildings in the north. Local governments have targets of the number of buildings they must retrofit each year, and they help finance the changes. The requirements focus on insulation, windows, and heat distribution. Second, the Chinese government recently decided to increase the scale of its retrofits of government and state-owned buildings. It hopes to achieve large scale changes through energy service contracts, which creates an opportunity for energy service companies. Third, there is also a small but growing trend to apply energy service contracts to large commercial and residential buildings. This report assesses the impacts of China’s policies on building energy efficiency. By examining the existing literature and interviewing stakeholders from the public, academic, and private sectors, the report seeks to offer an in-depth insights of the opportunities and barriers for major market segments related to building energy efficiency. The report also discusses trends in building energy use, policies promoting building energy efficiency, and energy performance contracting for public building retrofits.« less

The multi-spectral line-polarization MSE system on Alcator C-Mod

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mumgaard, R. T., E-mail: mumgaard@psfc.mit.edu; Khoury, M.; Scott, S. D.

A multi-spectral line-polarization motional Stark effect (MSE-MSLP) diagnostic has been developed for the Alcator C-Mod tokamak wherein the Stokes vector is measured in multiple wavelength bands simultaneously on the same sightline to enable better polarized background subtraction. A ten-sightline, four wavelength MSE-MSLP detector system was designed, constructed, and qualified. This system consists of a high-throughput polychromator for each sightline designed to provide large étendue and precise spectral filtering in a cost-effective manner. Each polychromator utilizes four narrow bandpass interference filters and four custom large diameter avalanche photodiode detectors. Two filters collect light to the red and blue of the MSEmore » emission spectrum while the remaining two filters collect the beam pi and sigma emission generated at the same viewing volume. The filter wavelengths are temperature tuned using custom ovens in an automated manner. All system functions are remote controllable and the system can be easily retrofitted to existing single-wavelength line-polarization MSE systems.« less

The multi-spectral line-polarization MSE system on Alcator C-Mod

DOE PAGES

Mumgaard, R. T.; Scott, S. D.; Khoury, M.

2016-08-17

A multi-spectral line-polarization motional Stark effect (MSE-MSLP) diagnostic has been developed for the Alcator C-Mod tokamak wherein the Stokes vector is measured in multiple wavelength bands simultaneously on the same sightline to enable better polarized background subtraction. A ten-sightline, four wavelength MSE-MSLP detector system was designed, constructed, and qualified. This system consists of a high-throughput polychromator for each sightline designed to provide large étendue and precise spectral filtering in a cost-effective manner. Each polychromator utilizes four narrow bandpass interference filters and four custom large diameter avalanche photodiode detectors. Two filters collect light to the red and blue of the MSEmore » emission spectrum while the remaining two filters collect the beam pi and sigma emission generated at the same viewing volume. The filter wavelengths are temperature tuned using custom ovens in an automated manner. Furthermore, all system functions are remote controllable and the system can be easily retrofitted to existing single-wavelength line-polarization MSE systems.« less

Thermal discharges and their role in pending power plant regulatory decisions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, M. H.

1978-01-01

Federal and state laws require the imminent retrofit of offstream condenser cooling to the newer steam electric stations. Waiver can be granted based on sound experimental data, demonstrating that existing once-through cooling will not adversely affect aquatic ecosystems. Conventional methods for monitoring thermal plumes, and some remote sensing alternatives, are reviewed, using on going work at one Maryland power plant for illustration.

Solar heating and domestic hot water system installed at North Dallas High School

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The solar energy system located at the North Dallas High School, Dallas, Texas is discussed. The system is designed as a retrofit in a three story with basement, concrete frame high school building. Extracts from the site files, specification references for solar modification to existing building heating and domestic hot water systems, drawings, installation, operation and maintenance instructions are included.

Policy Implications for Continuous Employment Decisions of High School Principals: An Alternative Methodological Approach for Using High-Stakes Testing Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, I. Phillip; Fawcett, Paul

2013-01-01

Several teacher models exist for using high-stakes testing outcomes to make continuous employment decisions for principals. These models are reviewed, and specific flaws are noted if these models are retrofitted for principals. To address these flaws, a different methodology is proposed on the basis of actual field data. Specially addressed are…

Building America Case Study: Pilot Demonstration of Phased Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Shallow Retrofit Results, Central and South Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2017-02-22

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), in collaboration with Florida Power & Light (FPL), is pursuing a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida. Researchers are looking to establish the impacts of technologies of two retrofit packages -- shallow and deep -- on annual energy and peak energy reductions. Sixty homes have been instrumented to record total house power and detailed energy end-use data on all appliances as well as household interior temperature and relative humidity conditions.

Building America Case Study: Pilot Demonstration of Phased Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Shallow Retrofit Results, Central and South Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D. Parker, K. Sutherland, D. Chasar, J. Montemurno, B. Amos, J. Kono

2017-02-01

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), in collaboration with Florida Power & Light (FPL), is pursuing a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida. Researchers are looking to establish the impacts of technologies of two retrofit packages -- shallow and deep -- on annual energy and peak energy reductions. Sixty homes have been instrumented to record total house power and detailed energy end-use data on all appliances as well as household interior temperature and relative humidity conditions.

A regression-based approach to estimating retrofit savings using the Building Performance Database

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walter, Travis; Sohn, Michael D.

Retrofitting building systems is known to provide cost-effective energy savings. This article addresses how the Building Performance Database is used to help identify potential savings. Currently, prioritizing retrofits and computing their expected energy savings and cost/benefits can be a complicated, costly, and an uncertain effort. Prioritizing retrofits for a portfolio of buildings can be even more difficult if the owner must determine different investment strategies for each of the buildings. Meanwhile, we are seeing greater availability of data on building energy use, characteristics, and equipment. These data provide opportunities for the development of algorithms that link building characteristics and retrofitsmore » empirically. In this paper we explore the potential of using such data for predicting the expected energy savings from equipment retrofits for a large number of buildings. We show that building data with statistical algorithms can provide savings estimates when detailed energy audits and physics-based simulations are not cost- or time-feasible. We develop a multivariate linear regression model with numerical predictors (e.g., operating hours, occupant density) and categorical indicator variables (e.g., climate zone, heating system type) to predict energy use intensity. The model quantifies the contribution of building characteristics and systems to energy use, and we use it to infer the expected savings when modifying particular equipment. We verify the model using residual analysis and cross-validation. We demonstrate the retrofit analysis by providing a probabilistic estimate of energy savings for several hypothetical building retrofits. We discuss the ways understanding the risk associated with retrofit investments can inform decision making. The contributions of this work are the development of a statistical model for estimating energy savings, its application to a large empirical building dataset, and a discussion of its use in informing building retrofit decisions.« less

Highway Vehicle Retrofit Evaluation : Phase I. Analysis and Preliminary Evaluation Results. Volume 1. Sections 1 through 3.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-11-01

This report in two volumes presents an analysis and preliminary evaluation of selected used-car and light-truck fuel economy retrofit devices. In particular, information is provided that depicts the performance characteristics of retrofit devices tha...

Assessment and evaluation of timber piles used in Nebraska for retrofit and rating.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-04-01

The cost of an effective retrofitting and rehabilitation of timber piles is less than cost of replacing the piles. However, some of the retrofit options used in Nebraska failed to result in the expected performance levels. Further, design and detaili...

Nouvelle methode d'integration energetique pour la retro-installation des procedes industriels et la transformation des usines papetieres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonhivers, Jean-Christophe

The increase in production of goods over the last decades has led to the need for improving the management of natural resources management and the efficiency of processes. As a consequence, heat integration methods for industry have been developed. These have been successful for the design of new plants: the integration principles are largely employed, and energy intensity has dramatically decreased in many processes. Although progress has also been achieved in integration methods for retrofit, these methods still need further conceptual development. Furthermore, methodological difficulties increase when trying to retrofit heat exchange networks that are closely interrelated to water networks, such as the case of pulp and paper mills. The pulp and paper industry seeks to increase its profitability by reducing production costs and optimizing supply chains. Recent process developments in forestry biorefining give this industry the opportunity for diversification into bio-products, increasing potential profit margins, and at the same time modernizing its energy systems. Identification of energy strategies for a mill in a changing environment, including the possibility of adding a biorefinery process on the industrial site, requires better integration methods for retrofit situations. The objective of this thesis is to develop an energy integration method for the retrofit of industrial systems and the transformation of pulp and paper mills, ant to demonstrate the method in case studies. Energy is conserved and degraded in a process. Heat can be converted into electricity, stored as chemical energy, or rejected to the environment. A systematic analysis of successive degradations of energy between the hot utilities until the environment, through process operations and existing heat exchangers, is essential in order to reduce the heat consumption. In this thesis, the "Bridge Method" for energy integration by heat exchanger network retrofit has been developed. This method is the first that considers the analysis of these degradations. The fundamental mechanism to reduce the heat consumption in an existing network has been made explicit; it is the basis of the developed method. The Bridge Method includes the definition of "a bridge", which is a set of modifications leading to heat reduction in a heat exchanger network. It is proven that, for a given set of streams, only bridges can lead to heat savings. The Bridge Method also includes (1) a global procedure for heat exchanger network retrofit, (2) a procedure to enumerate systematically the bridges, (3) "a network table" to easily evaluate them, and (4) an "energy transfer diagram" showing the effect of the two first principles of thermodynamics of energy conservation and degradation in industrial processes in order to identify energy savings opportunities. The Bridge Method can be used for the analysis of networks including several types of heat transfer, and site-wide analysis. The Bridge Method has been applied in case studies for retrofitting networks composed of indirect-contact heat exchangers, including the network of a kraft pulp mill, and also networks of direct-contact heat exchangers, including the hot water production system of a pulp mill. The method has finally been applied for the evaluation of a biorefinery process, alone or hosted in a kraft pulp mill. Results show that the use of the method significantly reduces the search space and leads to identification of the relevant solutions. The necessity of a bridge to reduce the inputs and outputs of a process is a consequence of the two first thermodynamics principles of energy conservation and increase in entropy. The concept of bridge alone can also be used as a tool for process analysis, and in numerical optimization-based approaches for energy integration.

Performance of school bus retrofit systems: ultrafine particles and other vehicular pollutants.

PubMed

Zhang, Qunfang; Zhu, Yifang

2011-08-01

This study evaluated the performance of retrofit systems for diesel-powered school buses, a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) muffler and a spiracle crankcase filtration system (CFS), regarding ultrafine particles (UFPs) and other air pollutants from tailpipe emissions and inside bus cabins. Tailpipe emissions and in-cabin air pollutant levels were measured before and after retrofitting when the buses were idling and during actual pick-up/drop off routes. Retrofit systems significantly reduced tailpipe emissions with a reduction of 20-94% of total particles with both DOC and CFS installed. However, no unequivocal decrease was observed for in-cabin air pollutants after retrofitting. The AC/fan unit and the surrounding air pollutant concentrations played more important roles for determining the in-cabin air quality of school buses than did retrofit technologies. Although current retrofit systems reduce children's exposure while waiting to board at a bus station, retrofitting by itself does not protect children satisfactorily from in-cabin particle exposures. Turning on the bus engine increased in-cabin UFP levels significantly only when the wind blew from the bus' tailpipe toward its hood with its windows open. This indicated that wind direction and window position are significant factors determining how much self-released tailpipe emissions may penetrate into the bus cabin. The use of an air purifier was found to remove in-cabin particles by up to 50% which might be an alternative short-to-medium term strategy to protect children's health.

BEopt-CA (Ex) -- A Tool for Optimal Integration of EE/DR/ES+PV in Existing California Homes. Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-11-429

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Christensen, Craig

Opportunities for combining energy efficiency, demand response, and energy storage with PV are often missed, because the required knowledge and expertise for these different technologies exist in separate organizations or individuals. Furthermore, there is a lack of quantitative tools to optimize energy efficiency, demand response and energy storage with PV, especially for existing buildings. Our goal is to develop a modeling tool, BEopt-CA (Ex), with capabilities to facilitate identification and implementation of a balanced integration of energy efficiency (EE), demand response (DR), and energy storage (ES) with photovoltaics (PV) within the residential retrofit market. To achieve this goal, we willmore » adapt and extend an existing tool -- BEopt -- that is designed to identify optimal combinations of efficiency and PV in new home designs. In addition, we will develop multifamily residential modeling capabilities for use in California, to facilitate integration of distributed solar power into the grid in order to maximize its value to California ratepayers. The project is follow-on research that leverages previous California Solar Initiative RD&D investment in the BEopt software. BEopt facilitates finding the least cost combination of energy efficiency and renewables to support integrated DSM (iDSM) and Zero Net Energy (ZNE) in California residential buildings. However, BEopt is currently focused on modeling single-family houses and does not include satisfactory capabilities for modeling multifamily homes. The project brings BEopt's existing modeling and optimization capabilities to multifamily buildings, including duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, flats, and low-rise apartment buildings.« less

Preliminary candidate advanced avionics system for general aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccalla, T. M.; Grismore, F. L.; Greatline, S. E.; Birkhead, L. M.

1977-01-01

An integrated avionics system design was carried out to the level which indicates subsystem function, and the methods of overall system integration. Sufficient detail was included to allow identification of possible system component technologies, and to perform reliability, modularity, maintainability, cost, and risk analysis upon the system design. Retrofit to older aircraft, availability of this system to the single engine two place aircraft, was considered.

SOLCOST. Solar Hot Water Handbook. A Simplified Design Method for Sizing and Costing Residential and Commercial Solar Service Hot Water Systems. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Energy Research and Development Administration, Washington, DC. Div. of Solar Energy.

This pamphlet offers a preview of information services available from Solcost, a research and development project. The first section explains that Solcost calculates system and costs performance for solar heated and cooled new and retrofit constructions, such as residential buildings and single zone commercial buildings. For a typical analysis,…

15. The third floor. A view looking south of a ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

15. The third floor. A view looking south of a typical corridor for these two upper floors. All windows have a single obscure glass light and shoulder high sills which bring sunlight into the corridor. The a/c duct, its laterals and the fluorescent light elements are all retrofit. - John T. Beasley Building, 632 Cherry Street (between Sixth & Seventh Streets), Terre Haute, Vigo County, IN

40 CFR 1042.801 - General provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... retrofit program prior to January 1, 2017 are exempt from the requirements of this subpart, as specified in this paragraph (g). (1) This exemption only applies for retrofit programs sponsored by a state... not apply where the sponsoring government specifies that inclusion in the retrofit program is not...

78 FR 41731 - Source Specific Federal Implementation Plan for Implementing Best Available Retrofit Technology...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-11

... Federal Implementation Plan for Implementing Best Available Retrofit Technology for Four Corners Power... Implementation Plan (FIP) to implement the Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) requirement of the Regional... given the uncertainties in the electrical market in Arizona, EPA is proposing to extend the date by...

Quantifying the Financial Benefits of Multifamily Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D. Philbrick; Scheu, R.; Brand, L.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America research team Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit analyzed building, energy, and financial program data as well as other public and private data to examine the relationship between energy-efficiency retrofits and financial performance on three levels: building, city, and community.

Field testing of a low-cost retrofit filter berm to treat stormwater runoff contaminants.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-09-01

The goal of this cooperative effort between MaineDOT and the University of New Hampshire was to test a low-cost : retrofit filter berm that would reduce non-point pollution from highway runoff. The retrofit berm would be easy to : construct using rea...

77 FR 70689 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Tennessee; Regional Haze State Implementation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-27

... Retrofit Technology Requirements for Eastman Chemical Company AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: EPA is finalizing approval of the Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART... retrofitting its facility pursuant to the BART determination for SO 2 emissions (hereafter referred to as the...

75 FR 13498 - Small Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Dumbarton Bridge Seismic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-22

... of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Dumbarton Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project... pile driving associated with the Dumbarton Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project. DATES: Effective August 15... request from Caltrans to harass marine mammals incidental to the Dumbarton Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project...

Infrastructure Retrofit Design via Composite Mechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamis, Christos, C.; Gotsis,Pascal K.

1998-01-01

Select applications are described to illustrate the concept for retrofitting reinforced concrete infrastructure with fiber reinforced plastic laminates. The concept is first illustrated by using an axially loaded reinforced concrete column. A reinforced concrete arch and a dome are then used to illustrate the versatility of the concept. Advanced methods such as finite element structural analysis and progressive structural fracture are then used to evaluate the retrofitting laminate adequacy. Results obtains show that retrofits can be designed to double and even triple the as-designed load of the select reinforced concrete infrastructures.

Efficiency of blue-green stormwater retrofits for flood mitigation - Conclusions drawn from a case study in Malmö, Sweden.

PubMed

Haghighatafshar, Salar; Nordlöf, Beatrice; Roldin, Maria; Gustafsson, Lars-Göran; la Cour Jansen, Jes; Jönsson, Karin

2018-02-01

Coupled one-dimensional (1D) sewer and two-dimensional (2D) overland flow hydrodynamic models were constructed to evaluate the flood mitigation efficiency of a renowned blue-green stormwater retrofit, i.e. Augustenborg, in Malmö, Sweden. Simulation results showed that the blue-green stormwater systems were effective in controlling local surface flooding in inner-city catchments, having reduced the total flooded surfaces by about 70%. However, basement flooding could still be a potential problem depending on the magnitude of the inflows through combined sewer from upstream areas. Moreover, interactions between blue-green retrofits and the surrounding pipe-system were studied. It was observed that the blue-green retrofits reduced the peak flows by approximately 80% and levelled out the runoff. This is a substantial advantage for downstream pipe-bound catchments, as they do not receive a cloudburst-equivalent runoff from the retrofitted catchment, but a reduced flow corresponding to a much milder rainfall. Blue-green retrofits are more effective if primarily implemented in the upstream areas of a pipe-bound catchment since the resulting reduced runoff and levelled out discharge would benefit the entire network lying downstream. Implementing blue-green retrofits from upstream towards downstream can be considered as a sustainable approach. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cost Analysis of Roof-Only Air Sealing and Insulation Strategies on 1 1/2-Story Homes in Cold Climates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ojczyk, C.

The External Thermal and Moisture Management System (ETMMS), typically seen in deep energy retrofits, is a valuable approach for the roof-only portions of existing homes, particularly the 1 ½-story home. It is effective in reducing energy loss through the building envelope, improving building durability, reducing ice dams, and providing opportunities to improve occupant comfort and health.

Cost Analysis of Roof-Only Air Sealing and Insulation Strategies on 1 1/2-Story Homes in Cold Climates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ojczyk, C.

The External Thermal and Moisture Management System (ETMMS), typically seen in deep energy retrofits, is a valuable approach for the roof-only portions of existing homes, particularly the 1 1/2-story home. It is effective in reducing energy loss through the building envelope, improving building durability, reducing ice dams, and providing opportunities to improve occupant comfort and health.

40 CFR Appendix D to Subpart G of... - Substitutes Subject to Use Restrictions and Unacceptable Substitutes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...”/“Autofrost”/“Chill-It”, and “Hot Shot”/“Kar Kool” are acceptable substitutes for CFC-12 in retrofitted motor...-It”, “Hot Shot”/“Kar Kool”, and “FREEZE 12” as CFC-12 substitutes in MVACs, and b) all refrigerants... electronics and only for one year. Precision Cleaning w/CFC-113 and MCF HCFC-141b Extension of existing...

40 CFR Appendix D to Subpart G of... - Substitutes Subject to Use Restrictions and Unacceptable Substitutes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...”/“Autofrost”/“Chill-It”, and “Hot Shot”/“Kar Kool” are acceptable substitutes for CFC-12 in retrofitted motor...-It”, “Hot Shot”/“Kar Kool”, and “FREEZE 12” as CFC-12 substitutes in MVACs, and b) all refrigerants... electronics and only for one year. Precision Cleaning w/CFC-113 and MCF HCFC-141b Extension of existing...

40 CFR Appendix D to Subpart G of... - Substitutes Subject to Use Restrictions and Unacceptable Substitutes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...”/“Autofrost”/“Chill-It”, and “Hot Shot”/“Kar Kool” are acceptable substitutes for CFC-12 in retrofitted motor...-It”, “Hot Shot”/“Kar Kool”, and “FREEZE 12” as CFC-12 substitutes in MVACs, and b) all refrigerants... electronics and only for one year. Precision Cleaning w/CFC-113 and MCF HCFC-141b Extension of existing...

40 CFR Appendix D to Subpart G of... - Substitutes Subject to Use Restrictions and Unacceptable Substitutes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...”/“Autofrost”/“Chill-It”, and “Hot Shot”/“Kar Kool” are acceptable substitutes for CFC-12 in retrofitted motor...-It”, “Hot Shot”/“Kar Kool”, and “FREEZE 12” as CFC-12 substitutes in MVACs, and b) all refrigerants... electronics and only for one year. Precision Cleaning w/CFC-113 and MCF HCFC-141b Extension of existing...

40 CFR Appendix D to Subpart G of... - Substitutes Subject to Use Restrictions and Unacceptable Substitutes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...”/“Autofrost”/“Chill-It”, and “Hot Shot”/“Kar Kool” are acceptable substitutes for CFC-12 in retrofitted motor...-It”, “Hot Shot”/“Kar Kool”, and “FREEZE 12” as CFC-12 substitutes in MVACs, and b) all refrigerants... electronics and only for one year. Precision Cleaning w/CFC-113 and MCF HCFC-141b Extension of existing...

Project Overcoat - An Exploration of Exterior Insulation Strategies for 1-1/2-Story Roof Applications in Cold Climates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ojczyk, Cindy; Mosiman, Garrett; Huelman, Pat

The development of an alternative method to interior-applied insulation strategies or exterior applied 'band-aids' such as heat tapes and ice belts may help reduce energy needs of millions of 1-1/2 story homes while reducing the risk of ice dam formation. A potential strategy for energy improvement of the roof is borrowed from new construction best practices: Here an 'overcoat' of a continuous air, moisture, and thermal barrier is applied on the outside of the roof structure for improved overall performance. The continuous insulation of this approach facilitates a reduction in thermal bridging which could further reduce energy consumption and bringmore » existing homes closer to meeting the Building America goals for energy reduction. Research favors an exterior approach to deep energy retrofits and ice dam prevention in existing homes. The greatest amount of research focuses on whole house deep energy retrofits leaving a void in roof-only applications. The research is also void of data supporting the hygrothermal performance, durability, constructability, and cost of roof-only exterior overcoat strategies. Yet, contractors interviewed for this report indicate an understanding that exterior approaches are most promising for mitigating ice dams and energy loss and are able to sell these strategies to homeowners.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wroe, A; Slater, J; McAuley, G

Purpose: To design, implement and evaluate a shielding system that will reduce out-of-field dose experienced by the patient and associated electronic systems in passively scattered proton therapy treatment. Methods: A multi-stage neutron shielding system was retrofitted to the Gantry 1 treatment nozzle at Loma Linda University Medical Center. The system uses multiple borated polyethylene plates staged after the primary beam modifying devices to attenuate and absorb neutrons produced by such devices. This arrangement locates increasing levels of shielding between the sources of secondary particles in the nozzle and the patient. Additionally, the design of this shielding structure allows it tomore » be easily retrofitted to an existing proton nozzle system without impacting design or treatment beam characteristics. The effectiveness of the shielding was evaluated both through experimental measurements and Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations. Results: Measurements were completed with Landauer Luxel+ dosimeters that use optically stimulated luminescence and CR-39 to detect fast neutrons, thermal neutrons, protons, photons and beta particles. Measurements of a 250 MeV proton beam indicated that the shielding system reduced out-of-field dose to the patient by almost half with dose equivalent values at 50 and 40 cm from the field edge decreasing from 0.965 and 1.262 mSv/Gy to 0.596 and 0.777 mSv/Gy respectively. The installation of the multi-stage shielding system also reduced dose equivalent experienced by electronic systems installed in the treatment room by up to 80%. Geant4 simulations were also used to evaluate the neutron fluence at various positions in the treatment room as well as provide information on microdosimetry spectra within the patient and treatment room. Conclusion: The shielding system described above proved to be an effective an inexpensive method of reducing out-of-field doses to the patient and electronic systems and can be easily retrofitted to existing passive scattering nozzles.« less

Robotics Intern Retrofits Home Appliance to Operate in New, More-Efficient

Science.gov Websites

Ways | News | NREL Robotics Intern Retrofits Home Appliance to Operate in New, More-Efficient Ways Robotics Intern Retrofits Home Appliance to Operate in New, More-Efficient Ways November 2, 2017 Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Robotics Internship Program. Photo courtesy of Jamie Santos

40 CFR 52.2501 - Best available retrofit technology (BART) requirement for the Tesoro Refining and Marketing...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 5 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Best available retrofit technology... Best available retrofit technology (BART) requirement for the Tesoro Refining and Marketing Company oil... 10, to the following email address: [email protected] Effective Date Note: At 79 FR 33454...

Measuring energy-saving retrofits: Experiences from the Texas LoanSTAR program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haberl, J.S.; Reddy, T.A.; Claridge, D.E.

1996-02-01

In 1988 the Governor`s Energy Management Center of Texas received approval from the US Department of Energy to establish a $98.6 million state-wide retrofit demonstration revolving loan program to fund energy-conserving retrofits in state, public school, and local government buildings. As part of this program, a first-of-its-kind, statewide Monitoring and Analysis Program (MAP) was established to verify energy and dollar savings of the retrofits, reduce energy costs by identifying operational and maintenance improvements, improve retrofit selection in future rounds of the LoanSTAR program, and initiate a data base of energy use in institutional and commercial buildings located in Texas. Thismore » report discusses the LoanSTAR MAP with an emphasis on the process of acquiring and analyzing data to measure savings from energy conservation retrofits when budgets are a constraint. This report includes a discussion of the program structure, basic measurement techniques, data archiving and handling, data reporting and analysis, and includes selected examples from LoanSTAR agencies. A summary of the program results for the first two years of monitoring is also included.« less

University of Maryland Wall Washer Retrofit - LED Modules Replace Halogen Lamps in a Performing Arts Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilkerson, Andrea M.; Abell, Thomas C.; Perrin, Tess E.

The University of Maryland (UMD) began retrofitting halogen wall washers in the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (CSPAC) in April 2014. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solid-State Lighting (SSL) GATEWAY program documented this process through the final installation in March 2015, summarized in this report. The wall washers illuminate hallways lining the atrium, providing task illuminance for transitioning between spaces and visual interest to the atrium boundaries. The main goals of the retrofit were to maintain the visual appearance of the space while reducing maintenance costs – energy savings was considered an additional benefit by UMD Facilities Management. UMDmore » Facilities Management is pleased with the results of this retrofit, and continues to initiate LED retrofit projects across the UMD campus.« less

Energy Efficient Microwave Hybrid Processing of Lime for Cement, Steel, and Glass Industries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fall, Morgana L; Yakovlev, Vadim; Sahi, Catherine

2012-02-10

In this study, the microwave materials interactions were studied through dielectric property measurements, process modeling, and lab scale microwave hybrid calcination tests. Characterization and analysis were performed to evaluate material reactions and energy usage. Processing parameters for laboratory scale and larger scale calcining experiments were developed for MAT limestone calcination. Early stage equipment design concepts were developed, with a focus on microwave post heating treatment. The retrofitting of existing rotary calcine equipment in the lime industry was assessed and found to be feasible. Ceralink sought to address some of the major barriers to the uptake of MAT identified as themore » need for (1) team approach with end users, technology partners, and equipment manufacturers, (2) modeling that incorporates kiln materials and variations to the design of industrial microwave equipment. This project has furthered the commercialization effort of MAT by working closely with an industrial lime manufacturer to educate them regarding MAT, identifying equipment manufacturer to supply microwave equipment, and developing a sophisticated MAT modeling with WPI, the university partner. MAT was shown to enhance calcining through lower energy consumption and faster reaction rates compared to conventional processing. Laboratory testing concluded that a 23% reduction in energy was possible for calcining small batches (5kg). Scale-up testing indicated that the energy savings increased as a function of load size and 36% energy savings was demonstrated (22 kg). A sophisticated model was developed which combines simultaneous microwave and conventional heating. Continued development of this modeling software could be used for larger scale calcining simulations, which would be a beneficial low-cost tool for exploring equipment design prior to actual building. Based on these findings, estimates for production scale MAT calcining benefits were calculated, assuming uptake of MAT in the US lime industry. This estimate showed that 7.3 TBTU/year could be saved, with reduction of 270 MMlbs of CO2 emissions, and $29 MM/year in economic savings. Taking into account estimates for MAT implementation in the US cement industry, an additional 39 TBTU/year, 3 Blbs of CO2 and $155 MM/year could be saved. One of the main remaining barriers to commercialization of MAT for the lime and cement industries is the sheer size of production. Through this project, it was realized that a production size MAT rotary calciner was not feasible, and a different approach was adapted. The concept of a microwave post heat section located in the upper portion of the cooler was devised and appears to be a more realistic approach for MAT implementation. Commercialization of this technology will require (1) continued pilot scale calcining demonstrations, (2) involvement of lime kiln companies, and (3) involvement of an industrial microwave equipment provider. An initial design concept for a MAT post-heat treatment section was conceived as a retrofit into the cooler sections of existing lime rotary calciners with a 1.4 year payback. Retrofitting will help spur implementation of this technology, as the capital investment will be minimal for enhancing the efficiency of current rotary lime kilns. Retrofits would likely be attractive to lime manufacturers, as the purchase of a new lime kiln is on the order of a $30 million dollar investment, where as a MAT retrofit is estimated on the order of $1 million. The path for commercialization lies in partnering with existing lime kiln companies, who will be able to implement the microwave post heat sections in existing and new build kilns. A microwave equipment provider has been identified, who would make up part of the continued development and commercialization team.« less

Single-Lever Power Control for General Aviation Aircraft Promises Improved Efficiency and Simplified Pilot Controls

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Musgrave, Jeffrey L.

1997-01-01

General aviation research is leading to major advances in internal combustion engine control systems for single-engine, single-pilot aircraft. These advances promise to increase engine performance and fuel efficiency while substantially reducing pilot workload and increasing flight safety. One such advance is a single-lever power control (SLPC) system, a welcome departure from older, less user-friendly, multilever engine control systems. The benefits of using single-lever power controls for general aviation aircraft are improved flight safety through advanced engine diagnostics, simplified powerplant operations, increased time between overhauls, and cost-effective technology (extends fuel burn and reduces overhaul costs). The single-lever concept has proven to be so effective in preliminary studies that general aviation manufacturers are making plans to retrofit current aircraft with the technology and are incorporating it in designs for future aircraft.

Automatic generation and simulation of urban building energy models based on city datasets for city-scale building retrofit analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Yixing; Hong, Tianzhen; Piette, Mary Ann

Buildings in cities consume 30–70% of total primary energy, and improving building energy efficiency is one of the key strategies towards sustainable urbanization. Urban building energy models (UBEM) can support city managers to evaluate and prioritize energy conservation measures (ECMs) for investment and the design of incentive and rebate programs. This paper presents the retrofit analysis feature of City Building Energy Saver (CityBES) to automatically generate and simulate UBEM using EnergyPlus based on cities’ building datasets and user-selected ECMs. CityBES is a new open web-based tool to support city-scale building energy efficiency strategic plans and programs. The technical details ofmore » using CityBES for UBEM generation and simulation are introduced, including the workflow, key assumptions, and major databases. Also presented is a case study that analyzes the potential retrofit energy use and energy cost savings of five individual ECMs and two measure packages for 940 office and retail buildings in six city districts in northeast San Francisco, United States. The results show that: (1) all five measures together can save 23–38% of site energy per building; (2) replacing lighting with light-emitting diode lamps and adding air economizers to existing heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are most cost-effective with an average payback of 2.0 and 4.3 years, respectively; and (3) it is not economical to upgrade HVAC systems or replace windows in San Francisco due to the city's mild climate and minimal cooling and heating loads. Furthermore, the CityBES retrofit analysis feature does not require users to have deep knowledge of building systems or technologies for the generation and simulation of building energy models, which helps overcome major technical barriers for city managers and their consultants to adopt UBEM.« less

Automatic generation and simulation of urban building energy models based on city datasets for city-scale building retrofit analysis

DOE PAGES

Chen, Yixing; Hong, Tianzhen; Piette, Mary Ann

2017-08-07

Buildings in cities consume 30–70% of total primary energy, and improving building energy efficiency is one of the key strategies towards sustainable urbanization. Urban building energy models (UBEM) can support city managers to evaluate and prioritize energy conservation measures (ECMs) for investment and the design of incentive and rebate programs. This paper presents the retrofit analysis feature of City Building Energy Saver (CityBES) to automatically generate and simulate UBEM using EnergyPlus based on cities’ building datasets and user-selected ECMs. CityBES is a new open web-based tool to support city-scale building energy efficiency strategic plans and programs. The technical details ofmore » using CityBES for UBEM generation and simulation are introduced, including the workflow, key assumptions, and major databases. Also presented is a case study that analyzes the potential retrofit energy use and energy cost savings of five individual ECMs and two measure packages for 940 office and retail buildings in six city districts in northeast San Francisco, United States. The results show that: (1) all five measures together can save 23–38% of site energy per building; (2) replacing lighting with light-emitting diode lamps and adding air economizers to existing heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are most cost-effective with an average payback of 2.0 and 4.3 years, respectively; and (3) it is not economical to upgrade HVAC systems or replace windows in San Francisco due to the city's mild climate and minimal cooling and heating loads. Furthermore, the CityBES retrofit analysis feature does not require users to have deep knowledge of building systems or technologies for the generation and simulation of building energy models, which helps overcome major technical barriers for city managers and their consultants to adopt UBEM.« less

High Efficiency, Low Emission Refrigeration System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fricke, Brian A.; Sharma, Vishaldeep

Supermarket refrigeration systems account for approximately 50% of supermarket energy use, placing this class of equipment among the highest energy consumers in the commercial building domain. In addition, the commonly used refrigeration system in supermarket applications is the multiplex direct expansion (DX) system, which is prone to refrigerant leaks due to its long lengths of refrigerant piping. This leakage reduces the efficiency of the system and increases the impact of the system on the environment. The high Global Warming Potential (GWP) of the hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants commonly used in these systems, coupled with the large refrigerant charge and the highmore » refrigerant leakage rates leads to significant direct emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Methods for reducing refrigerant leakage and energy consumption are available, but underutilized. Further work needs to be done to reduce costs of advanced system designs to improve market utilization. In addition, refrigeration system retrofits that result in reduced energy consumption are needed since the majority of applications address retrofits rather than new stores. The retrofit market is also of most concern since it involves large-volume refrigerant systems with high leak rates. Finally, alternative refrigerants for new and retrofit applications are needed to reduce emissions and reduce the impact on the environment. The objective of this Collaborative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Hill Phoenix is to develop a supermarket refrigeration system that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and has 25 to 30 percent lower energy consumption than existing systems. The outcomes of this project will include the design of a low emission, high efficiency commercial refrigeration system suitable for use in current U.S. supermarkets. In addition, a prototype low emission, high efficiency supermarket refrigeration system will be produced for laboratory and field testing. Laboratory and field testing will demonstrate the high energy efficiency and low environmental impact of the refrigeration system developed in this project.« less

Technology Solutions Case Study: Guidance on Taped Insulating Sheathing Drainage Planes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

The energy efficiency-based financial benefits of adding exterior insulation are well accepted by the building industry, and using exterior insulation as the drainage plane is the next logical step. This case study focuses on the field implementation of taped board insulation as the drainage plane in both new and retrofit residential applications, and provides information and recommendations for insulation contractors, general contractors, builders, remodelers, mechanical contractors, and homeowners. The order of work completed during home construction and retrofit improvements is important. Health and safety issues must be addressed first and are more important than durability issues, and durability issues aremore » more important than saving energy. Three significant items are required to make taped insulating sheathing a simple, long term, and durable drainage plane: first, horizontal joints should be limited or eliminated wherever possible; where a horizontal joint exists, use superior materials; and, frequent installation inspection and regular trade training are required to maintain proper installation.« less

Energy retrofit of an office building by substitution of the generation system: performance evaluation via dynamic simulation versus current technical standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Testi, D.; Schito, E.; Menchetti, E.; Grassi, W.

2014-11-01

Constructions built in Italy before 1945 (about 30% of the total built stock) feature low energy efficiency. Retrofit actions in this field can lead to valuable energetic and economic savings. In this work, we ran a dynamic simulation of a historical building of the University of Pisa during the heating season. We firstly evaluated the energy requirements of the building and the performance of the existing natural gas boiler, validated with past billings of natural gas. We also verified the energetic savings obtainable by the substitution of the boiler with an air-to-water electrically-driven modulating heat pump, simulated through a cycle-based model, evaluating the main economic metrics. The cycle-based model of the heat pump, validated with manufacturers' data available only at specified temperature and load conditions, can provide more accurate results than the simplified models adopted by current technical standards, thus increasing the effectiveness of energy audits.

Additive Manufacturing for Highly Efficient Window Inserts CRADA Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roschli, Alex C.; Chesser, Phillip C.; Love, Lonnie J.

ORNL partnered with the Mackinac Technology Company to demonstrate how additive manufacturing can be used to create highly energy efficient window inserts for retrofit in pre-existing buildings. Many early iterations of the window inserts were fabricated using carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics and polycarbonate films as a stand in for the low-e coated films produced by the Mackinac Technology Company. After demonstration of the proof of concept, i.e. custom window inserts with tensioned film, the materials used for the manufacture of the frames was more closely examined. Hollow particle-filled syntactic foam and low-density polymer composites formed by expandable microspheres were exploredmore » as the materials used to additively manufacture the frames of the inserts. It was concluded that low-cost retrofit window inserts in custom sizes could be easily fabricated using large scale additive manufacturing. Furthermore, the syntactic and expanded foams developed and tested satisfy the mechanical performance requirements for the application.« less

Household water use and conservation models using Monte Carlo techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahill, R.; Lund, J. R.; DeOreo, B.; Medellín-Azuara, J.

2013-10-01

The increased availability of end use measurement studies allows for mechanistic and detailed approaches to estimating household water demand and conservation potential. This study simulates water use in a single-family residential neighborhood using end-water-use parameter probability distributions generated from Monte Carlo sampling. This model represents existing water use conditions in 2010 and is calibrated to 2006-2011 metered data. A two-stage mixed integer optimization model is then developed to estimate the least-cost combination of long- and short-term conservation actions for each household. This least-cost conservation model provides an estimate of the upper bound of reasonable conservation potential for varying pricing and rebate conditions. The models were adapted from previous work in Jordan and are applied to a neighborhood in San Ramon, California in the eastern San Francisco Bay Area. The existing conditions model produces seasonal use results very close to the metered data. The least-cost conservation model suggests clothes washer rebates are among most cost-effective rebate programs for indoor uses. Retrofit of faucets and toilets is also cost-effective and holds the highest potential for water savings from indoor uses. This mechanistic modeling approach can improve understanding of water demand and estimate cost-effectiveness of water conservation programs.

Household water use and conservation models using Monte Carlo techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahill, R.; Lund, J. R.; DeOreo, B.; Medellín-Azuara, J.

2013-04-01

The increased availability of water end use measurement studies allows for more mechanistic and detailed approaches to estimating household water demand and conservation potential. This study uses, probability distributions for parameters affecting water use estimated from end use studies and randomly sampled in Monte Carlo iterations to simulate water use in a single-family residential neighborhood. This model represents existing conditions and is calibrated to metered data. A two-stage mixed integer optimization model is then developed to estimate the least-cost combination of long- and short-term conservation actions for each household. This least-cost conservation model provides an estimate of the upper bound of reasonable conservation potential for varying pricing and rebate conditions. The models were adapted from previous work in Jordan and are applied to a neighborhood in San Ramon, California in eastern San Francisco Bay Area. The existing conditions model produces seasonal use results very close to the metered data. The least-cost conservation model suggests clothes washer rebates are among most cost-effective rebate programs for indoor uses. Retrofit of faucets and toilets is also cost effective and holds the highest potential for water savings from indoor uses. This mechanistic modeling approach can improve understanding of water demand and estimate cost-effectiveness of water conservation programs.

Whole-Building Retrofits | Climate Neutral Research Campuses | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Whole-Building Retrofits Whole-Building Retrofits Buildings are the greatest energy consumers on check. As buildings age, O&M costs reach the point where they are best addressed through a top-to wall insulation. Renovations are costly and disruptive, but they are the best way to adapt an aging

School Retrofit Design Analysis System. A Microcomputer Model for School Energy Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canipe, Stephen Lee

The School Retrofit Design Analysis System (SRDAS) developed in this study provides a non-technical method for the school administrator to use in evaluating alternative energy saving retrofit and new construction design possibilities. By providing a high degree of flexibility, SRDAS is applicable to a wide range of school building and retrofit…

Tritium pellet injector for the tokamak fusion test reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gouge, M. J.; Baylor, L. R.; Combs, S. K.; Fisher, P. W.; Foust, C. R.; Milora, S. L.

The tritium pellet injector (TPI) for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) will provide a tritium pellet fueling capability with pellet speeds in the 1- to 3-km/s range for the TFTR deuterium-tritium (D-T) plasma phase. An existing deuterium pellet injector (DPI) was modified at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to provide a four-shot, tritium-compatible, pipe-gun configuration with three upgraded single-stage pneumatic guns and a two-stage light gas gun driver. The TPI was designed for frozen pellets ranging in size from 3 to 4 mm in diameter in arbitrarily programmable firing sequences at tritium pellet speeds up to approximately 1.5 km/s for the three single-stage drivers and 2.5 to 3 km/s for the two-stage driver. Injector operation is controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC). The new pipe-gun injector assembly was installed in the modified DPI guard vacuum box, and modifications were also made to the internals of the DPI vacuum injection line, including a new pellet diagnostics package. Assembly of these modified parts with existing DPI components was then completed and the TPI was tested at ORNL with deuterium pellets. Results of the testing program at ORNL are described. The TPI has been installed and operated on TFTR in support of the FY-92 deuterium plasma run period. In 1993, the tritium pellet injector will be retrofitted with a D-T fuel manifold and tritium gloveboxes and integrated into TFTR tritium processing systems to provide full tritium pellet capability.

New capabilities for older aircraft: A study of pilot integration of retro-fit digital avionics to analog-instrumented flight decks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breuer, Glynn E.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether applying Gilbert's Behavior Engineering Model to military tactical aviation organizations would foster effective user integration of retro-fit digital avionics in analog-instrumented flight decks. This study examined the relationship between the reported presence of environmental supports and personal repertory supports as defined by Gilbert, and the reported self-efficacy of users of retro-fit digital avionics to analog flight decks, and examined the efficacious behaviors of users as they attain mastery of the equipment and procedures, and user reported best practices and criteria for masterful performance in the use of retro-fit digital avionics and components. This study used a mixed methodology, using quantitative surveys to measure the perceived level of organizational supports that foster mastery of retro-fit digital avionic components, and qualitative interviews to ascertain the efficacious behaviors and best practices of masterful users of these devices. The results of this study indicate that there is some relationship between the reported presence of organizational supports and personal repertory supports and the reported self-mastery and perceived organizational mastery of retro-fit digital avionics applied to the operation of the research aircraft. The primary recommendation is that unit leadership decide exactly the capabilities desired from retro-fit equipment, publish these standards, ensure training in these standards is effective, and evaluate performance based on these standards. Conclusions indicate that sufficient time and resources are available to the individual within the study population, and the organization as a whole, to apply Gilbert's criteria toward the mastery of retro-fit digital avionics applied to the operation of the research aircraft.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ueno, Kohta

There are many existing buildings with load-bearing mass masonry walls, whose energy performance could be improved with the retrofit of insulation. However, adding insulation to the interior side of walls of such masonry buildings in cold (and wet) climates may cause performance and durability problems. Some concerns, such as condensation and freeze-thaw have known solutions. But wood members embedded in the masonry structure will be colder (and potentially wetter) after an interior insulation retrofit. Moisture content & relative humidity were monitored at joist ends in historic mass brick masonry walls retrofitted with interior insulation in a cold climate (Zone 5A);more » data were collected from 2012-2015. Eleven joist ends were monitored in all four orientations. One limitation of these results is that the renovation is still ongoing, with limited wintertime construction heating and no permanent occupancy to date. Measurements show that many joists ends remain at high moisture contents, especially at north- and east-facing orientations, with constant 100% RH conditions at the worst cases. These high moisture levels are not conducive for wood durability, but no evidence for actual structural damage has been observed. Insulated vs. non-insulated joist pockets do not show large differences. South facing joists have safe (10-15%) moisture contents. Given the uncertainty pointed out by research, definitive guidance on the vulnerability of embedded wood members is difficult to formulate. In high-risk situations, or when a very conservative approach is warranted, the embedded wood member condition can be eliminated entirely, supporting the joist ends outside of the masonry pocket.« less

Design and test of aircraft engine isolators for reduced interior noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Unruh, J. F.; Scheidt, D. C.

1982-01-01

Improved engine vibration isolation was proposed to be the most weight and cost efficient retrofit structure-borne noise control measure for single engine general aviation aircraft. A study was carried out the objectives: (1) to develop an engine isolator design specification for reduced interior noise transmission, (2) select/design candidate isolators to meet a 15 dB noise reduction design goal, and (3) carry out a proof of concept evaluation test. Analytical model of the engine, vibration isolators and engine mount structure were coupled to an empirical model of the fuselage for noise transmission evaluation. The model was used to develop engine isolator dynamic properties design specification for reduced noise transmission. Candidate isolators ere chosen from available product literature and retrofit to a test aircraft. A laboratory based test procedure was then developed to simulate engine induced noise transmission in the aircraft for a proof of concept evaluation test. Three candidate isolator configurations were evaluated for reduced structure-borne noise transmission relative to the original equipment isolators.

Regency Centers Develops Leadership in Energy-Efficient Renovations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

Regency Centers (Regency) partnered with the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to retrofit existing buildings to reduce energy consumption by at least 30% versus requirements set by Standard 90.1-2004 of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) as part of DOE’s Commercial Building Partnerships (CBP) Program.

Advanced Software Development Workstation Project, phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

ACCESS provides a generic capability to develop software information system applications which are explicitly intended to facilitate software reuse. In addition, it provides the capability to retrofit existing large applications with a user friendly front end for preparation of input streams in a way that will reduce required training time, improve the productivity even of experienced users, and increase accuracy. Current and past work shows that ACCESS will be scalable to much larger object bases.

Analysis of Environmental Issues Related to Small-Scale Hydroelectric Development IV: Fish Mortality Resulting From Turbine Passage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Turbak, Susan C.; Reichle, Donna R.; Shriner, Carole R.

1981-01-01

The purpose of this report is to provide summary information for use by potential developers and regulators of small-scale hydroelectric projects (defined as existing dams that can be retrofitted to a total site capacity of ≤30 MW), where turbine-related mortality of fish is a potential issue affecting site-specific development. Mitigation techniques for turbine-related mortality are not covered in this report.

Solar system installation at Louisville, Kentucky

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The installation of a solar space heating and domestic hot water system is described. The overall philosophy used was to install both a liquid and a hot air system retrofitted to existing office and combined warehouse building. The 1080 sq. ft. office space is heated first and excess heat is dumped into the warehouse. The two systems offer a unique opportunity to measure the performance and compare results of both air and liquid at one site.

Environmental monitoring for the DOE coolside and LIMB demonstration extension projects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

White, T.; Contos, L.; Adams, L.

1992-02-01

The purpose of this document is to present environmental monitoring data collected during the US DOE Limestone Injection Multistage Burner (LIMB) Demonstration Project Extension. The objective of the LIMB program is to demonstrate the sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) and nitrogen oxide (NO{sub x}) emission reduction capabilities of the LIMB system. The LIMB system is a retrofit technology to be used for existing coal-fired boilers equipped with electrostatic precipitators. (VC)

Vulnerability Assessment of Shelters in the Eastern Caribbean: Retrofitting Terms of Reference for Consultants, Standards, [and] Global Estimates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbs, Tony

Dozens of natural disaster shelters (mostly schools) in five Caribbean islands were assessed as to their vulnerability and the needed retrofitting to upgrade them. This report provides retrofit consultants with terms of reference and building design criteria for withstanding various natural disasters, as well as estimated global costs of various…

Expert Meeting Report. Interior Insulation Retrofit of Mass Masonry Wall Assemblies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ueno, K.; Van Straaten, R.

2012-02-01

The Building Science Consortium held an Expert Meeting on Interior Insulation Retrofit of Mass Masonry Wall Assemblies on July 30, 2011, at the Westford Regency Hotel in Westford, MA. This report outlines the extensive information that was presented on assessment of risk factors for premature building deterioration due to interior insulation retrofits, and methods to reduce such risks.

Expert Meeting Report: Interior Insulation Retrofit of Mass Masonry Wall Assemblies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ueno, K.; Van Straaten, R.

2012-02-01

The Building Science Consortium held an Expert Meeting on Interior Insulation Retrofit of Mass Masonry Wall Assemblies on July 30, 2011 at the Westford Regency Hotel in Westford, MA. This report outlines the extensive information that was presented on assessment of risk factors for premature building deterioration due to interior insulation retrofits, and methods to reduce such risks.

75 FR 37456 - Green Retrofit Program of Title XII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-29

... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5376-N-55] Green Retrofit Program of Title XII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information... Title of Proposal: Green Retrofit Program of Title XII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of...

Air Distribution Retrofit Strategies for Affordable Housing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dentz, Jordan; Conlin, Francis; Holloway, Parker

2014-03-01

In multifamily and attached buildings, traditional duct sealing methods are often impractical or costly and disruptive because of the difficulty in accessing leakage sites. In this project, two retrofit duct sealing techniques -- manually-applied sealants and injecting a spray sealant, were implemented in several low-rise multi-unit buildings. An analysis on the cost and performance of the two methods are presented. Each method was used in twenty housing units: approximately half of each group of units are single story and the remainder two-story. Results show that duct leakage to the outside was reduced by an average of 59% through the usemore » of manual methods, and by 90% in the units where the injected spray sealant was used. It was found that 73% of the leakage reduction in homes that were treated with injected spray sealant was attributable to the manual sealing done at boots, returns and the air handler. The cost of manually-applying sealant ranged from $275 to $511 per unit and for the injected spray sealant the cost was $700 per unit. Modeling suggests a simple payback of 2.2 years for manual sealing and 4.7 years for the injected spray sealant system. Utility bills were collected for one year before and after the retrofits. Utility bill analysis shows 14% and 16% energy savings using injected spray sealant system and hand sealing procedure respectively in heating season whereas in cooling season, energy savings using injected spray sealant system and hand sealing were both 16%.« less

Air Distribution Retrofit Strategies for Affordable Housing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dentz, J.; Conlin, F.; Holloway, Parker

2014-03-01

In multifamily and attached buildings, traditional duct sealing methods are often impractical or costly and disruptive because of the difficulty in accessing leakage sites. In this project, two retrofit duct sealing techniques, manually-applied sealants and injecting a spray sealant, were implemented in several low-rise multiunit buildings. An analysis on the cost and performance of the two methods are presented. Each method was used in twenty housing units: approximately half of each group of units are single story and the remainder are two story. Results show that duct leakage to the outside was reduced by an average of 59% through themore » use of manual methods, and by 90% in the units where the injected spray sealant was used. It was found that 73% of the leakage reduction in homes that were treated with injected spray sealant was attributable to the manual sealing done at boots, returns and the air handler. The cost of manually-applying sealant ranged from $275 to $511 per unit and for the injected spray sealant the cost was $700 per unit. Modeling suggests a simple payback of 2.2 years for manual sealing and 4.7 years for the injected spray sealant system. Utility bills were collected for one year before and after the retrofits. Utility bill analysis shows 14% and 16% energy savings using injected spray sealant system and hand sealing procedure respectively in heating season whereas in cooling season, energy savings using injected spray sealant system and hand sealing were both 16%.« less

Promoting seismic retrofit implementation through "nudge": using warranty as a driver.

PubMed

Fujimi, Toshio; Tatano, Hirokazu

2013-10-01

This article proposes a new type of warranty policy that applies the "nudge" concept developed by Thaler and Sunstein to encourage homeowners in Japan to implement seismic retrofitting. Homeowner adaptation to natural disasters through loss reduction measures is known to be inadequate. To encourage proactive risk management, the "nudge" approach capitalizes on how choice architecture can influence human decision-making tendencies. For example, people tend to place more value on a warranty for consumer goods than on actuarial value. This article proposes a "warranty for seismic retrofitting" as a "nudge" policy that gives homeowners the incentive to adopt loss reduction measures. Under such a contract, the government guarantees all repair costs in the event of earthquake damage to the house if the homeowner implements seismic retrofitting. To estimate the degree to which a warranty will increase the perceived value of seismic retrofitting, we use field survey data from 1,200 homeowners. Our results show that a warranty increases the perceived value of seismic retrofitting by an average of 33%, and an approximate cost-benefit analysis indicates that such a warranty can be more economically efficient than an ex ante subsidy. Furthermore, we address the failure of the standard expected utility model to explain homeowners' decisions based on warranty evaluation, and explore the significant influence of ambiguity aversion on the efficacy of seismic retrofitting and nonanalytical factors such as feelings or trust. © 2013 Society for Risk Analysis.

Retrofit Audits and Cost Estimates. A Look at Quality and Consistency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eisenberg, L.; Shapiro, C.; Fleischer, W.

Retrofit NYC Block by Block is an outreach program targeting owners of one- to four-family homes, the most common building type in New York City, with more than 600,000 structures citywide. Administered by the Pratt Center for Community Development and implemented by four nonprofit, community-based organizations, Block by Block connects residents, businesses, and religious and civic organizations in predominantly low-and moderate-income neighborhoods with one or more of a half-dozen public and private financial incentive programs that facilitate energy-efficiency retrofits. This research project sought to evaluate the approach, effectiveness, and the energy use reductions accomplished by the Retrofit NYC: Block bymore » Block program.« less

Retrofit Audits and Cost Estimates: A Look at Quality and Consistency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eisenberg, L.; Shapiro, C.; Fleischer, W.

Retrofit NYC Block by Block is an outreach program targeting owners of one- to four-family homes, the most common building type in New York City, with more than 600,000 structures citywide. Administered by the Pratt Center for Community Development and implemented by four nonprofit, community based organizations, Block by Block connects residents, businesses, and religious and civic organizations in predominantly low- and moderate-income neighborhoods with one or more of a half-dozen public and private financial incentive programs that facilitate energy-efficiency retrofits. This research project sought to evaluate the approach, effectiveness, and the energy use reductions accomplished by the Retrofit NYC:more » Block by Block program.« less

Before and after retrofit - response of a building during ambient and strong motions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Celebi, M.; Liu, Huaibao P.; ,

1998-01-01

This paper presents results obtained from ambient vibration and strong-motion responses of a thirteen-story, moment-resisting steel framed Santa Clara County Office Building (SCCOB) before being retrofitted by visco-elastic dampers and from ambient vibration response following the retrofit. Understanding the cumulative structural and site characteristics that affect the response of SCCOB before and after the retrofit is important in assessing earthquake hazards to other similar buildings and decision making in retrofitting them. The results emphasize the need to better evaluate structural and site characteristics in developing earthquake resisting designs that avoid resonating effects. Various studies of the strong-motion response records from the SCCOB during the 24 April 1984 (MHE) Morgan Hill (MS = 6.1), the 31 March 1986 (MLE) Mt. Lewis (MS = 6.1) and the 17 October 1989 (LPE) Loma Prieta (MS = 7.1) earthquakes show that the dynamic characteristics of the building are such that it (a) resonated (b) responded with a beating effect due to close-coupling of its translational and torsional frequencies, and (c) had a long-duration response due to low-damping. During each of these earthquakes, there was considerable contents damage and the occupants felt the rigorous vibration of the building. Ambient tests of SCCOB performed following LPE showed that both translational and torsional periods of the building are smaller than those derived from strong motions. Ambient tests performed following the retrofit of the building with visco-elastic dampers show that the structural fundamental mode frequency of the building has increased. The increased frequency implies a stiffer structure. Strong-motion response of the building during future earthquakes will ultimately validate the effectiveness of the retrofit method.This paper presents results obtained from ambient vibration and strong-motion responses of a thirteen-story, moment-resisting steel framed Santa Clara County Office Building (SCCOB) before being retrofitted by visco-elastic dampers and from ambient vibration response following the retrofit. Understanding the cumulative structural and site characteristics that affect the response of SCCOB before and after the retrofit is important in assessing earthquake hazards to other similar buildings and decision making in retrofitting them. The results emphasize the need to better evaluate structural and site characteristics in developing earthquake resisting designs that avoid resonating effects. Various studies of the strong-motion response records from the SCCOB during the 24 April 1984 (MHE) Morgan Hill (Ms = 6.1), the 31 March 1986 (MLE) Mt. Lewis (Ms = 6.1) and the 17 October 1989(LPE) Loma Prieta (Ms = 7.1) earthquakes show that the dynamic characteristics of the building are such that it (a) resonated (b) responded with a beating effect due to close-coupling of its translational and torsional frequencies, and (c) had a long-duration response due to low-damping. During each of these earthquakes, there was considerable contents damage and the occupants felt the rigorous vibration of the building. Ambient tests of SCCOB performed following LPE showed that both translational and torsional periods of the building are smaller than those derived from strong motions. Ambient tests performed following the retrofit of the building with visco-elastic dampers show that the structural fundamental mode frequency of the building has increased. The increased frequency implies a stiffer structure. Strong-motion response of the building during future earthquakes will ultimately validate the effectiveness of the retrofit method.

Village power in Thailand

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bergey, M.

This paper presents an overview of the electric power system in Thailand. 99% of the country is electrified, but much of this is with diesel generators which leaves high costs but a high level of service. The paper discusses renewable energy projects which have been sited in the country, and examples of hybrid systems which have been retrofit into existing diesel generator systems. Photovoltaic and hydroelectric power projects are described. Dedicated systems have been installed for water pumping and battery charging applications.

Building America Case Study: Cost Analysis of Roof-Only Air Sealing and Insulation Strategies on 1-1/2 Story Homes in Cold Climates, Minneapolis, MN (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The External Thermal and Moisture Management System (ETMMS), typically seen in deep energy retrofits, is a valuable approach for the roof-only portions of existing homes, particularly the 1 1/2-story home. It is effective in reducing energy loss through the building envelope, improving building durability, reducing ice dams, and providing opportunities to improve occupant comfort and health.

Helium compressors for closed-cycle, 4.5-Kelvin refrigerators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, T. R.

1992-01-01

An improved helium compressor for traveling-wave maser and closed-cycle refrigerator systems was developed and is currently being supplied to the DSN. This new 5-hp compressor package is designed to replace the current 3-hp DSN compressors. The new compressor package was designed to retrofit into the existing 3-hp compressor frame and reuse many of the same components, therefore saving the cost of documenting and fabricating these components when implementing a new 5-hp compressor.

Geothermal energy systems plan for Boise City

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1979-01-01

This is a plan for development of a downtown Boise geothermal district space heating system incorporating legal, engineering, organizational, geological, and economic requirements. Topics covered include: resource characteristics, system design and feasibility, economic feasibility, legal overview, organizational alternatives, and conservation. Included in appendices are: property ownership patterns on the Boise Front, existing hot well data, legal briefs, environmental data, decision point communications, typical building heating system retrofit schematics, and background assumptions and data for cost summary. (MHR)

High-Performance Energy-Efficient Cool Metal Roof Assemblies Utilizing Building Integrated Renewable Solar Energy Technologies for New and Retrofit Building Construction

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

technology described in this proposal was first commercialized in 2004. It has been installed in 35 states and 5 countries primarily on residential ...temperatures. o Rainwater harvesting systems help reduce demands on potable water systems and help crowded cities manage stormwater drainage problems...of high density polyisocyanurate rigid insulation board installed over the existing roof and between the sub-purlins with the top layer taped to

Case Study of Envelope Sealing in Existing Multiunit Structures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dentz, Jordan; Conlin, Francis; Podorson, David

2012-10-01

This report describes envelope air sealing that was included in the retrofit of a 244 unit low-rise multifamily housing complex in Durham, N.C. On average, total leakage was reduced by nearly half, from 19.7 ACH50 to 9.4 ACH50. Important air leakage locations identified included plumbing and electrical penetrations, dropped ceilings/soffits, windows, ducts and wall-to-floor intersections. Specifications and a pictorial guide were developed for contractors performing the work.

Utilization requirements. A southern California Gas Company project SAGE report: Utilization requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbieri, R. H.; Schoen, R.; Hirshberg, A. S.

1978-01-01

Utilization requirements are given and comparisons made of two phase III SAGE (solar assisted gas energy) installations in California: (1) a retrofit installation in an existing apartment building in El Toro, and (2) an installation in a new apartment building in Upland. Such testing in the field revealed the requirements to be met if SAGE-type installations are to become commercially practical on a widespread basis in electric and gas energy usage.

Split-Stirling-cycle displacer linear-electric drive

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ackermann, R. A.; Bhate, S. K.; Byrne, D. V.

1983-01-01

The retrofit of a 1/4-W split-Stirling cooler with a linear driven on the displacer was achieved and its performance characterized. The objective of this work was to demonstrate that a small linear motor could be designed to meet the existing envelope specifications of the cooler and that an electric linear drive on the displacer could improve the cooler's reliability and performance. The paper describes the characteristics of this motor and presents cooler test results.

The Cost-Effectiveness of Nuclear Power for Navy Surface Ships

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

shipbuilding plan. 1 All of the Navy’s aircraft car- riers (and submarines) are powered by nuclear reactors ; its other surface combatants are powered by...in whether the ships were powered by conventional systems that used petroleum-based fuels or by nuclear reactors . Estimates of the relative costs...would existing ships be retrofitted with nuclear reactors . 5. Those fuel -reduction findings are based on CBO’s analysis and on data provided to CBO by

Expanding AirSTAR Capability for Flight Research in an Existing Avionics Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laughter, Sean A.

2012-01-01

The NASA Airborne Subscale Transport Aircraft Research (AirSTAR) project is an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) test bed for experimental flight control laws and vehicle dynamics research. During its development, the test bed has gone through a number of system permutations, each meant to add functionality to the concept of operations of the system. This enabled the build-up of not only the system itself, but also the support infrastructure and processes necessary to support flight operations. These permutations were grouped into project phases and the move from Phase-III to Phase-IV was marked by a significant increase in research capability and necessary safety systems due to the integration of an Internal Pilot into the control system chain already established for the External Pilot. The major system changes in Phase-IV operations necessitated a new safety and failsafe system to properly integrate both the Internal and External Pilots and to meet acceptable project safety margins. This work involved retrofitting an existing data system into the evolved concept of operations. Moving from the first Phase-IV aircraft to the dynamically scaled aircraft further involved restructuring the system to better guard against electromagnetic interference (EMI), and the entire avionics wiring harness was redesigned in order to facilitate better maintenance and access to onboard electronics. This retrofit and harness re-design will be explored and how it integrates with the evolved Phase-IV operations.

A technical, economic, and environmental assessment of amine-based CO2 capture technology for power plant greenhouse gas control.

PubMed

Rao, Anand B; Rubin, Edward S

2002-10-15

Capture and sequestration of CO2 from fossil fuel power plants is gaining widespread interest as a potential method of controlling greenhouse gas emissions. Performance and cost models of an amine (MEA)-based CO2 absorption system for postcombustion flue gas applications have been developed and integrated with an existing power plant modeling framework that includes multipollutant control technologies for other regulated emissions. The integrated model has been applied to study the feasibility and cost of carbon capture and sequestration at both new and existing coal-burning power plants. The cost of carbon avoidance was shown to depend strongly on assumptions about the reference plant design, details of the CO2 capture system design, interactions with other pollution control systems, and method of CO2 storage. The CO2 avoidance cost for retrofit systems was found to be generally higher than for new plants, mainly because of the higher energy penalty resulting from less efficient heat integration as well as site-specific difficulties typically encountered in retrofit applications. For all cases, a small reduction in CO2 capture cost was afforded by the SO2 emission trading credits generated by amine-based capture systems. Efforts are underway to model a broader suite of carbon capture and sequestration technologies for more comprehensive assessments in the context of multipollutant environmental management.

Quantifying the Financial Benefits of Multifamily Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Philbrick, D.; Scheu, R.; Brand, L.

Increasing the adoption of energy efficient building practices will require the energy sector to increase their understanding of the way that retrofits affect multifamily financial performance as well as how those indicators are interpreted by the lending and appraisal industries. This project analyzed building, energy, and financial program data as well as other public and private data to examine the relationship between energy efficiency retrofits and financial performance on three levels: building, city, and community. The project goals were to increase the data and analysis in the growing body of multifamily financial benefits work as well provide a framework formore » other geographies to produce similar characterization. The goals are accomplished through three tasks. Task one: A pre- and post-retrofit analysis of thirteen Chicago multifamily buildings. Task two: A comparison of Chicago income and expenses to two national datasets. Task three: An in-depth look at multifamily market sales data and the subsequent impact of buildings that undergo retrofits.« less

Greenbelt Homes Pilot Program: Summary of Building Envelope Retrofits, Planned HVAC Equipment Upgrades, and Energy Savings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiehagen, J.; Del Bianco, M.; Mallay, D.

2015-05-01

In the fall of 2010, a multiyear pilot energy efficiency retrofit project was undertaken by Greenbelt Homes, Inc, (GHI) a 1,566 home cooperative of circa 1930 and 1940 homes in Greenbelt, Maryland. GHI established this pilot project to serve as a basis for decision making for the rollout of a decade-long community-wide upgrade program that will incorporate energy efficiency improvements to the building envelope and mechanical equipment. It presents a unique opportunity to evaluate and prioritize the wide-range of benefits of high-performance retrofits based on member experience with and acceptance of the retrofit measures implemented during the pilot project. Addressingmore » the complex interactions between benefits, trade-offs, construction methods, project management implications, realistic upfront costs, financing, and other considerations, serves as a case study for energy retrofit projects to include high-performance technologies based on the long-term value to the homeowner. The pilot project focused on identifying the added costs and energy savings benefits of improvements.« less

Retrofitting solutions for two different occupancy levels of educational buildings in tropics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Junjing; Pantazaras, Alexandros; Lee, Siew Eang; Santamouris, Mattheos

2018-01-01

Within the multi-functionality of educational buildings, the energy conservation potential can be very different. In addition, among different retrofitting solutions investigated involving interventions on the building envelope, ventilation strategies, artificial lighting systems as well as equipment upgrading, different saving potential would come from different aspects. The opportunities for energy saving potential from the overall point of view and from the detailed aspect view of different retrofitting solutions would be very useful and important for building renovation decision making. This study presents a detailed retrofitting study of two different educational buildings. One represents a building with average occupancy variation and containing mainly offices and labs. The other one represents a building with high occupancy variation and containing mainly lecture rooms and studios. This comparison of the results gives an idea of the different energy saving potential for different types of educational buildings. Principal component analysis is also adopted to investigate the detailed performance of one of the buildings which is influenced stronger by these retrofitting solutions.

Building America Case Study: Quantifying the Financial Benefits of Multifamily Retrofits, Chicago, Illinois

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Increasing the adoption of energy efficient building practices will require the energy sector to increase their understanding of the way that retrofits affect multifamily financial performance as well as how those indicators are interpreted by the lending and appraisal industries. This project analyzed building, energy, and financial program data as well as other public and private data to examine the relationship between energy efficiency retrofits and financial performance on three levels: building, city, and community. The project goals were to increase the data and analysis in the growing body of multifamily financial benefits work as well provide a framework formore » other geographies to produce similar characterization. The goals are accomplished through three tasks: Task one: A pre- and post-retrofit analysis of thirteen Chicago multifamily buildings. Task two: A comparison of Chicago income and expenses to two national datasets. Task three: An in-depth look at multifamily market sales data and the subsequent impact of buildings that undergo retrofits.« less

A broadband vibro-impacting power harvester with symmetrical piezoelectric bimorph-stops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moss, S.; Barry, A.; Powlesland, I.; Galea, S.; Carman, G. P.

2011-04-01

The certification of retrofitted structural health monitoring (SHM) systems for use on aircraft raises a number of challenges. One critical issue is determining the optimal means of supplying power to these systems, given that access to the existing aircraft power system is often problematic. Previously, the Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation has shown that a structural strain-based energy harvesting approach can be used to power a device for SHM of aircraft structure. Acceleration-based power harvesting from airframes can be more demanding than a strain-based approach because the vibration spectrum of an aircraft structure can vary dynamically with flight conditions. A vibration spectrum with varying frequency may severely limit the energy harvested by a single-degree-of-freedom resonance-based device, and hence a frequency agile or (relatively) broadband device is often required to maximize the energy harvested. This paper reports on an investigation into the use of a vibro-impact approach to construct a piezoelectric-based kinetic power harvester that can operate in the approximate frequency range of 29-63 Hz.

Tips for daylighting with windows

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robinson, Alastair; Selkowitz, Stephen

2013-10-01

These guidelines provide an integrated approach to the cost-effective design of perimeter zones in new commercial buildings and existing building retrofits. They function as a quick reference for building designers, through a set of easy steps and rules-of-thumb, emphasizing “how-to” practical details. References are given to more detailed sources of information, should the reader wish to go further. The design method used in this document emphasizes that building decisions should be made within the context of the whole building as a single functioning system rather than as an assembly of distinct parts. This integrated design approach looks at the ramificationsmore » of each individual system decision on the whole building. For example, the decision on glazing selection will have an effect on lighting, mechanical systems, and interior design. Therefore, the entire design team should participate and influence this glazing decision—which typically rests with the architect alone. The benefit of an integrated design approach is a greater chance of success towards long-term comfort and sustained energy savings in the building.« less

Note: Retrofitting an analog spectrometer for high resolving power in NUV-NIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Andrew S.; Batishchev, Oleg V.

2017-11-01

We demonstrate how an older spectrometer designed for photographic films can be efficiently retrofitted with a narrow laser-cut slit and a modern μm-pixel-size imaging CMOS camera, yielding sub-pm resolution in the broad near ultraviolet to near infrared (NUV-NIR) spectral range. Resolving power approaching 106 is achieved. Such digital retrofitting of an analog instrument is practical for research and teaching laboratories.

Integrated Framework for Patient Safety and Energy Efficiency in Healthcare Facilities Retrofit Projects.

PubMed

Mohammadpour, Atefeh; Anumba, Chimay J; Messner, John I

2016-07-01

There is a growing focus on enhancing energy efficiency in healthcare facilities, many of which are decades old. Since replacement of all aging healthcare facilities is not economically feasible, the retrofitting of these facilities is an appropriate path, which also provides an opportunity to incorporate energy efficiency measures. In undertaking energy efficiency retrofits, it is vital that the safety of the patients in these facilities is maintained or enhanced. However, the interactions between patient safety and energy efficiency have not been adequately addressed to realize the full benefits of retrofitting healthcare facilities. To address this, an innovative integrated framework, the Patient Safety and Energy Efficiency (PATSiE) framework, was developed to simultaneously enhance patient safety and energy efficiency. The framework includes a step -: by -: step procedure for enhancing both patient safety and energy efficiency. It provides a structured overview of the different stages involved in retrofitting healthcare facilities and improves understanding of the intricacies associated with integrating patient safety improvements with energy efficiency enhancements. Evaluation of the PATSiE framework was conducted through focus groups with the key stakeholders in two case study healthcare facilities. The feedback from these stakeholders was generally positive, as they considered the framework useful and applicable to retrofit projects in the healthcare industry. © The Author(s) 2016.

Evaluation of NOx emissions of a retrofitted Euro 5 passenger car for the Horizon prize "Engine retrofit".

PubMed

Giechaskiel, Barouch; Suarez-Bertoa, Ricardo; Lähde, Tero; Clairotte, Michael; Carriero, Massimo; Bonnel, Pierre; Maggiore, Maurizio

2018-06-13

The Horizon 2020 prize for the "Engine Retrofit for Clean Air" aims at reducing the pollution in cities by spurring the development of retrofit technology for diesel engines. A Euro 5 passenger car was retrofitted with an under-floor SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) for NO x catalyst in combination with a solid ammonia based dosing system as the NO x reductant. The vehicle was tested both on the road and on the chassis dynamometer under various test cycles and ambient temperatures. The NO x emissions were reduced by 350-1100 mg/km (60-85%) in the laboratory depending on the test cycle and engine conditions (cold or hot start), except at type approval conditions. The reduction for cold start urban cycles was < 75 mg/km (< 15%). The on road and laboratory tests were inline. In some high speed conditions significant increase of ammonia (NH 3 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) were measured. No effect was seen on other pollutants (hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particles). The results of the present study show that retrofitting high emitting vehicles can significantly reduce vehicle NO x emissions and ultimately pollution in cities. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On-road, in-use gaseous emission measurements by remote sensing of school buses equipped with diesel oxidation catalysts and diesel particulate filters.

PubMed

Burgard, Daniel A; Provinsal, Melissa N

2009-12-01

A remote sensing device was used to obtain on-road and in-use gaseous emission measurements from three fleets of schools buses at two locations in Washington State. This paper reports each fleet's carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (HC), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) mean data. The fleets represent current emission retrofit technologies, such as diesel particulate filters and diesel oxidation catalysts, and a control fleet. This study shows that CO and HC emissions decrease with the use of either retrofit technology when compared with control buses of the same initial emission standards. The CO and HC emission reductions are consistent with published U.S. Environmental Protection Agency verified values. The total oxides of nitrogen (NOx), NO, and the NO2/NOx ratio all increase with each retrofit technology when compared with control buses. As was expected, the diesel particulate filters emitted significantly higher levels of NO2 than the control fleet because of the intentional conversion of NO to NO2 by these systems. Most prior research suggests that NOx emissions are unaffected by the retrofits; however, these previous studies have not included measurements from retrofit devices on-road and after nearly 5 yr of use. Two 2006 model-year buses were also measured. These vehicles did not have retrofit devices but were built to more stringent new engine standards. Reductions in HCs and NOx were observed for these 2006 vehicles in comparison to other non-retrofit earlier model-year vehicles.

Mitigation of CO2 emissions from the EU-15 building stock: beyond the EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings.

PubMed

Petersdorff, Carsten; Boermans, Thomas; Harnisch, Jochen

2006-09-01

GOAL SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: The European Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings which came into force 16 December 2002 will be implemented in the legislation of Member States by 4 January 2006. In addition to the aim of improving the overall energy efficiency of new buildings, large existing buildings will become a target for improvement, as soon as they undergo significant renovation. The building sector is responsible for about 40% of Europe's total end energy consumption and hence this Directive is an important step for the European Union in order that it should reach the level of saving required by the Kyoto Agreement. In this the EU is committed to reduce CO2 emissions relative to the base year of 1990 by 8 per cent, by 2010. But what will be the impact of the new Directive, how large could be the impacts of extending the obligation for energy efficiency retrofitting towards smaller buildings? Can improvement of the insulation offset or reduce the growing energy consumption from the increasing installation of cooling installations? EURIMA, the European Insulation Manufacturers Association and EuroACE, the European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings, asked Ecofys to address these questions. The effect of the EPB Directive on the emissions associated with the heating energy consumption of the total EU 15 building stock has been examined in a model calculation, using the Built Environment Analysis Model (BEAM), which was developed by Ecofys to investigate energy saving measures in the building stock. The great complexity of the EU-15 building stock had to be simplified by examining five standard buildings with eight insulation standards, which are assigned to building age and renovation status. Furthermore, three climatic regions (cold, moderate, warm) were distinguished for the calculation of the heating energy demand. This gave a basic 210 building types for which the heating energy demand and CO2 emissions from heating were calculated according to the principles of the European Norm EN 832. The model calculations demonstrates that the main contributor to the total heating related CO2 emissions of 725 Mt/a from the EU building stock in 2002 is the residential sector (77%) while the remaining 23% originates from non-residential buildings. In the residential sector, single-family houses represent the largest group responsible for 60% of the total CO2 emissions equivalent to 435 Mt/a. THE TECHNICAL POTENTIAL: If all retrofit measures in the scope of the Directive were realised immediately for the complete residential and non-residential building stock the overall CO2 emission savings would add up to 82 Mt/a. An additional saving potential compared to the Directive of 69 Mt/a would be created if the scope of the Directive was extended to cover retrofit measures in multi-family dwellings (200-1000 m2) and non-residential buildings smaller than 1000 m2 used floor space. In addition including the large group of single-family dwellings would lead to a potential for additional CO2 emission reductions compared to the Directive of 316 Mt/a. TEMPORAL MOBILIZATION OF THE POTENTIAL: Calculations based on the building stock as it develops over time with average retrofit rates demonstrated that regulations introduced following the EPB Directive result in a CO2 emissions decrease of 34 Mt/a by the year 2010 compared to the business as usual scenario. Extending the scope of the EPB Directive to all residential buildings (including single and multi-family dwellings), the CO2 emission savings potential over the 'business as usual' scenario could be doubled to 69 Mt/a in the year 2010. This creates an additional saving potential compared to the Directive of 36 Mt/a. COOLING DEMAND: The analysis demonstrated that in warm climatic zones the cooling demand can be reduced drastically by a combination of lowering the internal heat loads and by improved insulation. With the reduction of the heat loads to a moderate level the cooling demand, e.g. of a terraced house located in Madrid, can be reduced by an additional 85% if the insulation level is improved appropriately. This study demonstrates that the European Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings will have a significant impact on the CO2 emissions of the European building stock. The main saving potential lies in insulation of the existing building stock. Beyond this, CO2 emissions could, however, be greatly reduced if the scope of the Directive were to be extended to include retrofit of smaller buildings. The reductions should be seen in relation to the remaining gap of 190 Mt CO2 eq. per annum between the current emission levels of EU-15 and the target under the Kyoto-Protocol for the year 2010. The energy and industrial sector will probably contribute only a fraction of this reduction via the newly established EU emissions trading scheme and connected projects under the flexible mechanism. In addition, the traffic sector is likely to continue its growth path leading to a widening of the gap. Thus, there is likely to be considerable pressure on the EU building sector to contribute to the EU climate targets beyond what will be achieved by means of the current EPB Directive. Legislators on the EU and national level are therefore advised to take accelerated actions to tap the very significant emission reduction potentials available in the EU building stock.

Multifamily Retrofit Project Manager Job/Task Analysis and Report: September 2013

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Owens, C. M.

The development of job/task analyses (JTAs) is one of three components of the Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals project and will allow industry to develop training resources, quality assurance protocols, accredited training programs, and professional certifications. The Multifamily Retrofit Project Manager JTA identifies and catalogs all of the tasks performed by multifamily retrofit project managers, as well as the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to perform the identified tasks.

Measure Guideline. Deep Energy Enclosure Retrofit for Zero Energy Ready House Flat Roofs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loomis, H.; Pettit, B.

2015-05-29

This Measure Guideline provides design and construction information for a deep energy enclosure retrofit solution of a flat roof assembly. It describes the strategies and procedures for an exterior retrofit of a flat wood-framed roof with brick masonry exterior walls using exterior and interior (framing cavity) insulation. The approach supported in this guide could also be adapted for use with flat wood-framed roofs with wood-framed exterior walls.

Acoustic emission of retrofitted fiber-wrapped columns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Echary, Hazem; Mirmiran, Amir

1998-03-01

In recent years, fiber-wrapping technique has become increasingly popular for retrofitting of existing bridge pier columns in seismic zones. By the way of confinement, the external jacket enhances strength, ductility and shear performance of the column. However, since state of the concrete core is not visible from outside of the jacket, it is of great necessity to develop proper non-destructive methods to evaluate structural integrity of the column. Extensive research on FRP-confined concrete at the University of Central Florida has shown that failure of such hybrid columns is often accompanied by considerable audible and sub-audible noise, making acoustic emission (AE) a viable NDE technique for retrofitted columns. Acoustic emission from fiber-wrapped concrete specimens were monitored. A total of 24 concrete specimens with two types of construction (bonded and unbonded) and four different number of layers (1, 3, 5 and 7) were tested under uniaxial compression. All specimens were made of S-glass fabric and polyester resin with a core diameter of 6' and a length of 12'. Some of the specimens were subjected to cycles of loading and unloading to examine the presence of the Kaiser and the Felicity effects. A 4-channel AEDSP-32/16 (Mistras-2001) machine from Physical Acoustics Corp. was used for the experiments. Results indicate that AE energy and the number of AE counts can both be good representatives for the response of confined concrete. Further, plots of AE energy versus load follows the same bilinear trend that has been observed in the stress-strain response of such specimens. Finally, Felicity effect was observed in all composite specimens.

High-speed machining of Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, J. A.

1983-01-01

Potential production rates and project cost savings achieved by converting the conventional machining process in manufacturing shuttle external tank panels to high speed machining (HSM) techniques were studied. Savings were projected from the comparison of current production rates with HSM rates and with rates attainable on new conventional machines. The HSM estimates were also based on rates attainable by retrofitting existing conventional equipment with high speed spindle motors and rates attainable using new state of the art machines designed and built for HSM.

Method and apparatus for semi-solid material processing

DOEpatents

Han, Qingyou [Knoxville, TN; Jian, Xiaogang [Knoxville, TN; Xu, Hanbing [Knoxville, TN; Meek, Thomas T [Knoxville, TN

2009-02-24

A method of forming a material includes the steps of: vibrating a molten material at an ultrasonic frequency while cooling the material to a semi-solid state to form non-dendritic grains therein; forming the semi-solid material into a desired shape; and cooling the material to a solid state. The method makes semi-solid castings directly from molten materials (usually a metal), produces grain size usually in the range of smaller than 50 .mu.m, and can be easily retrofitted into existing conventional forming machine.

Maine PACE Program Final Technical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fischer, Dana; Adamson, Joy M

The ARRA EECBG BetterBuilding helped augment the existing Home Energy Savings Programs (HESP) and incentives with financing through a subordinate lien PACE and HUD PowerSaver programs. The program was designed to document innovative techniques to dramatically increase the number of homes participating in weatherization programs in participating towns. Maine will support new energy efficiency retrofit pilots throughout the state, designed to motivate a large number of homeowners to invest in comprehensive home energy efficiency upgrades to bring real solutions to market.

Method and apparatus for semi-solid material processing

DOEpatents

Han, Qingyou [Knoxville, TN; Jian, Xiaogang [Knoxville, TN; Xu, Hanbing [Knoxville, TN; Meek, Thomas T [Knoxville, TN

2009-11-24

A method of forming a material includes the steps of: vibrating a molten material at an ultrasonic frequency while cooling the material to a semi-solid state to form non-dendritic grains therein; forming the semi-solid material into a desired shape; and cooling the material to a solid state. The method makes semi-solid castings directly from molten materials (usually a metal), produces grain size usually in the range of smaller than 50 .mu.m, and can be easily retrofitted into existing conventional forming maching.

Method and apparatus for semi-solid material processing

DOEpatents

Han, Qingyou [Knoxville, TN; Jian, Xiaogang [Knoxville, TN; Xu, Hanbing [Knoxville, TN; Meek, Thomas T [Knoxville, TN

2007-05-15

A method of forming a material includes the steps of: vibrating a molten material at an ultrasonic frequency while cooling the material to a semi-solid state to form non-dendritic grains therein; forming the semi-solid material into a desired shape; and cooling the material to a solid state. The method makes semi-solid castings directly from molten materials (usually a metal), produces grain size usually in the range of smaller than 50 .mu.m, and can be easily retrofitted into existing conventional forming machine.

Chapter D. The Loma Prieta, California, Earthquake of October 17, 1989 - Earth Structures and Engineering Characterization of Ground Motion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holzer, Thomas L.

1998-01-01

This chapter contains two papers that summarize the performance of engineered earth structures, dams and stabilized excavations in soil, and two papers that characterize for engineering purposes the attenuation of ground motion with distance during the Loma Prieta earthquake. Documenting the field performance of engineered structures and confirming empirically based predictions of ground motion are critical for safe and cost effective seismic design of future structures as well as the retrofitting of existing ones.

Retrofit implementation of Zernike phase plate imaging for cryo-TEM

PubMed Central

Marko, Michael; Leith, ArDean; Hsieh, Chyongere; Danev, Radostin

2011-01-01

In-focus phase-plate imaging is particularly beneficial for cryo-TEM because it offers a substantial overall increase in image contrast, without an electron dose penalty, and it simplifies image interpretation. We show how phase-plate cryo-TEM can be implemented with an appropriate existing TEM, and provide a basic practical introduction to use of thin-film (carbon) phase plates. We point out potential pitfalls of phase-plate operation, and discuss solutions. We provide information on evaluating a particular TEM for its suitability. PMID:21272647

Performances of condensation boilers of the dry type observed in the laboratory and in operation (in French)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pelloux-Prayer, D.; Rottenberg, J.; Ours, A.

1982-01-01

Studies have shown that the dry type of condensation boiler offers substantial energy savings in residential space heating. For collective heating, laboratory efficiencies of 85-95% were confirmed in the field by a condensation boiler operating in a 75-unit apartment house. Compared with conventional boilers, the condensation type uses 15-21% less energy. Retrofitting existing boilers involves routing the flue gas through a heat exchanger placed in the return-water system and providing drainage for the condensates.

Environmental monitoring for the DOE coolside and LIMB demonstration extension projects. Quarterly report for the period of February, March and April 1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

White, T.; Contos, L.; Adams, L.

1992-02-01

The purpose of this document is to present environmental monitoring data collected during the US DOE Limestone Injection Multistage Burner (LIMB) Demonstration Project Extension. The objective of the LIMB program is to demonstrate the sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) and nitrogen oxide (NO{sub x}) emission reduction capabilities of the LIMB system. The LIMB system is a retrofit technology to be used for existing coal-fired boilers equipped with electrostatic precipitators. (VC)

Conceptual design statement of work for the immobilized low-activity waste interim storage facility project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carlson, T.A., Fluor Daniel Hanford

1997-02-06

The Immobilized Low-Activity Waste Interim Storage subproject will provide storage capacity for immobilized low-activity waste product sold to the U.S. Department of Energy by the privatization contractor. This statement of work describes the work scope (encompassing definition of new installations and retrofit modifications to four existing grout vaults), to be performed by the Architect-Engineer, in preparation of a conceptual design for the Immobilized Low-Activity Waste Interim Storage Facility.

The OPL Access Control Policy Language

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alm, Christopher; Wolf, Ruben; Posegga, Joachim

Existing policy languages suffer from a limited ability of directly and elegantly expressing high-level access control principles such as history-based separation of duty [22], binding of duty [26], context constraints [24], Chinese wall properties [10], and obligations [20]. It is often difficult to extend a language in order to retrofit these features once required or it is necessary to use complicated and complex language constructs to express such concepts. The latter, however, is cumbersome and error-prone for humans dealing with policy administration.

A self-instructional manual for installing low-cost/no-cost weatherization materials: Experimental validation with scouts

PubMed Central

Pavlovich, Mark; Greene, Brandon F.

1984-01-01

In this study, we describe the development and evaluation of a self-instructional program for installing 10 low-cost/no-cost weatherization materials (e.g., weatherstripping, caulking). This program was a weatherization and retrofit manual (WARM) providing step-by-step instructions and illustrations. Boy and Girl Scouts participated and used either the WARM or existing product instructions (EPI) to apply the materials. Scouts installed the materials properly only when they used the WARM. PMID:16795671

Minnesota retrofit insulation in situ test program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1978-06-01

The use of cellulose, glass fiber, rock/slag fiber and urea formaldehyde installed as retrofit insulation materials in residential walls and ceilings was studied. Homes were selected for testing according to the type of retrofit insulation, age of retrofit insulation and whether the retrofit was in the wall or ceiling. The total project was comprised of 22 wall and 48 ceiling samples. Samples of retrofit insulation were taken from an area of three to four square feet in the ceiling or wall of the home. The sample volume was measured, the sample removed and double-sealed in polyethylene bags. The samples weremore » shipped to the laboratory for testing. Laboratory measurements were made of density, moisture content, thermal resistance, and relative flammability of each sample. Additionally, the friability and compressive strength of each urea-formaldehyde foam sample was measured. The following results were obtained. Cellulosic loose fill insulation tests indicated that settling and moisture build-up are not serious problems. Flammability is a concern. Age did not affect the properties of the cellulosic loose fill, but fungal growth was evident. Shrinkage, ranging from 2.5 to 9 percent, averaging 4.5 percent, was exhibited. Degradation of the foam samples with time did not occur. Density was the most critical property affecting the other properties. The higher the density, the higher the thermal resistence per inch, the lower the friability and the higher the compressive strength. The accurate prediction of the fiber diameter, amount of unfiberized mineral, and extent of modular clumping thermal resistance of loose fill mineral fiber insulations is related to and is not solely a factor of density. The materials in this sample did not noticeably affect the structure or wiring of the retrofitted homes. (LCL)« less

Retrofitting Steam Turbines with Expired Service Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubrovskii, V. G.; Zubov, A. P.; Koshelev, S. A.; Babiev, A. N.; Kremer, V. L.

2018-06-01

Many pieces of equipment installed at thermal power stations (TPS) have an expired service life or are close to expiry and are obsolete. In addition, the structure of heat consumption by end users has changed. Among the ways for solving the problem of aging equipment is the retrofitting of turbines that allows for service life recovery and improvement of their performance to the modern level. The service life is recovered through replacement of high-temperature assemblies and parts of a turbine, and the performance is improved by retrofitting and major overhaul of low-temperature assemblies. Implementation of modern engineering solutions and numerical methods in designing upgraded flow paths of steam turbines considerably improves the turbine effectiveness. New flow paths include sabre-like guide vanes, integrally-machined shrouds, and effective honeycomb or axial-radial seals. The flow paths are designed using optimization and hydraulic simulation methods as well as approaches for improving the performance on the turbine blading and internal steam flow paths. Retrofitting of turbines should be performed to meet the customers' needs. The feasibility of implementation of one or another alternative must be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the turbine conditions, the availability of reserves for generating live steam and supplying circulation water, and the demands and capacities for generation and delivery of power and heat. The main principle of retrofitting is to retain the foundation and the auxiliary and heat-exchange equipment that is fit for further operation. With the example of PT-60-130 and T-100-130, the experience is presented of a comprehensive approach to retrofitting considering the customer's current needs and the actual equipment conditions. Due to the use of modern engineering solutions and procedures, retrofitting yields updating and upgrading of the turbine at a relatively low cost.

A systems evaluation on the effectiveness of a catalyst retrofit program in China.

PubMed

Jones, M; Wilson, R; Norbeck, J M; Han, W; Hurley, R; Schuetzle, D

2001-09-01

A low-cost, rare-earth oxide (REO) catalyst has been recommended as part of China's retrofit program for Chinese carbureted vehicles. This study evaluated: (1) the emission reduction efficiency of the REO catalyst during chassis dynamometer testing on the FTP cycle; (2) the effect that fuel properties had on tailpipe emissions and catalyst efficiency; (3) the importance of vehicle premaintenance as part of a retrofit protocol; and (4) the emission reductions obtained following implementation of the program. Results also show that current in-use Chinese noncatalyst, carbureted vehicles operate excessively rich, resulting in extremely high emissions of CO, gaseous toxic compounds, and other non-methane hydrocarbon species (NMHC). Preretrofit maintenance alone has the potential to reduce these emissions by approximately 50%. Dynamometer emission tests showed emissions reductions of >95% for hydrocarbons, CO, and gaseous toxics after retrofit of the REO catalyst. In particular, the relative unit health risk associated with the decrease in emissions of airborne toxic compounds using unleaded Chinese fuel was reduced from 6.33 to 0.30. (Use of low-sulfur California Phase II gasoline rather than current in-use Chinese fuel reduced emissions further.) Following implementation of the program, a follow-up study showed that in-use emissions benefits were considerably less than anticipated, primarily because of poor quality control at the retrofit service centers, a less aggressive preretrofit maintenance procedure, and unauthorized modification to the recommended retrofit control system. Overall results indicate that a carefully controlled retrofit program using REO catalyst technology can reduce emissions significantly. However, well-defined implementation guidelines, and strict adherence to these guidelines are needed to achieve maximum benefits.

Measure Guideline: Deep Energy Enclosure Retrofit for Zero Energy Ready House Flat Roofs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loomis, H.; Pettit, B.

2015-05-01

This Measure Guideline provides design and construction information for a deep energy enclosure retrofit (DEER) solution of a flat roof assembly. It describes the strategies and procedures for an exterior retrofit of a flat, wood-framed roof with brick masonry exterior walls, using exterior and interior (framing cavity) insulation. The approach supported in this guide could also be adapted for use with flat, wood-framed roofs with wood-framed exterior walls.

Modeling the resiliency of energy-efficient retrofits in low-income multifamily housing.

PubMed

Underhill, L J; Fabian, M P; Vermeer, K; Sandel, M; Adamkiewicz, G; Leibler, J H; Levy, J I

2018-05-01

Residential energy efficiency and ventilation retrofits (eg, building weatherization, local exhaust ventilation, HVAC filtration) can influence indoor air quality (IAQ) and occupant health, but these measures' impact varies by occupant activity. In this study, we used the multizone airflow and IAQ analysis program CONTAM to simulate the impacts of energy retrofits on indoor concentrations of PM 2.5 and NO 2 in a low-income multifamily housing complex in Boston, Massachusetts (USA). We evaluated the differential impact of residential activities, such as low- and high-emission cooking, cigarette smoking, and window opening, on IAQ across two seasons. We found that a comprehensive package of energy and ventilation retrofits was resilient to a range of occupant activities, while less holistic approaches without ventilation improvements led to increases in indoor PM 2.5 or NO 2 for some populations. In general, homes with simulated concentration increases included those with heavy cooking and no local exhaust ventilation, and smoking homes without HVAC filtration. Our analytical framework can be used to identify energy-efficient home interventions with indoor retrofit resiliency (ie, those that provide IAQ benefits regardless of occupant activity), as well as less resilient retrofits that can be coupled with behavioral interventions (eg, smoking cessation) to provide cost-effective, widespread benefits. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effectiveness of mitigation measures in reducing future primary particulate matter emissions from on-road vehicle exhaust.

PubMed

Yan, Fang; Bond, Tami C; Streets, David G

2014-12-16

This work evaluates the effectiveness of on-road primary particulate matter emission reductions that can be achieved by long-term vehicle scrappage and retrofit measures on regional and global levels. Scenario analysis shows that scrappage can provide significant emission reductions as soon as the measures begin, whereas retrofit provides greater emission reductions in later years, when more advanced technologies become available in most regions. Reductions are compared with a baseline that already accounts for implementation of clean vehicle standards. The greatest global emission reductions from a scrappage program occur 5 to 10 years after its introduction and can reach as much as 70%. The greatest reductions with retrofit occur around 2030 and range from 16-31%. Monte Carlo simulations are used to evaluate how uncertainties in the composition of the vehicle fleet affect predicted reductions. Scrappage and retrofit reduce global emissions by 22-60% and 15-31%, respectively, within 95% confidence intervals, under a midrange scenario in the year 2030. The simulations provide guidance about which strategies are most effective for specific regions. Retrofit is preferable for high-income regions. For regions where early emission standards are in place, scrappage is suggested, followed by retrofit after more advanced emission standards are introduced. The early implementation of advanced emission standards is recommended for Western and Eastern Africa.

Effectiveness of Mitigation Measures in Reducing Future Primary Particulate Matter Emissions from On-Road Vehicle Exhaust

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, Fang; Bond, Tami C.; Streets, David G.

This work evaluates the effectiveness of on-road primary particulate matter emission reductions that can be achieved by long-term vehicle scrappage and retrofit measures on regional and global levels. Scenario analysis shows that scrappage can provide significant emission reductions as soon as the measures begin, whereas retrofit provides greater emission reductions in later years, when more advanced technologies become available in most regions. Reductions are compared with a baseline that already accounts for implementation of clean vehicle standards. The greatest global emission reductions from a scrappage program occur 5 to 10 years after its introduction and can reach as much asmore » 70%. The greatest reductions with retrofit occur around 2030 and range from 16-31%. Monte Carlo simulations are used to evaluate how uncertainties in the composition of the vehicle fleet affect predicted reductions. Scrappage and retrofit reduce global emissions by 22-60% and 15-31%, respectively, within 95% confidence intervals, under a midrange scenario in the year 2030. The simulations provide guidance about which strategies are most effective for specific regions. Retrofit is preferable for high-income regions. For regions where early emission standards are in place, scrappage is suggested, followed by retrofit after more advanced emission standards are introduced. The early implementation of advanced emission standards is recommended for Western and Eastern Africa« less

Encouraging farmers to retrofit tractors: a qualitative analysis of risk perceptions among a group of high-risk farmers in New York.

PubMed

Sorensen, J A; May, J J; Paap, K; Purschwitz, M A; Emmelin, M

2008-01-01

Tractor rollovers continue to be one of the most frequent causes of agricultural fatalities. Despite knowledge of rollovers and the efficacy of rollover protective structures (ROPS), few New York farmers have considered installing ROPS on their unprotected tractors. Qualitative interviews conducted with an "at-risk" segment of the New York farming community indicate that there are a number of barriers to safety in general and to retrofitting, in particular. The following themes and categories emerged in relation to safety and risk taking: constant exposures to risk with positive outcomes normalizes risk; the modeling of risk by significant others positions risk as part of a farming identity; and the pressure to reduce costs, save time, and accept risk frames risk-taking as the cost-effective option (especially in regard to retrofitting, which farmers believe is both expensive and time-consuming). Recommendations for researchers planning retrofitting interventions would be to focus safety messages on the risk to significant others or on the financial impact of rollovers, and to provide financial incentives and assistance to farmers considering retrofitting.

Nine Steps to a Successful Lighting Retrofit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ries, Jack

1998-01-01

Presents the steps needed to successfully design a lighting retrofit of school classrooms. Tips cover budgeting, technology, financing, contractor selection, assessing area function, and choosing a light source. (GR)

Space shuttle orbiter trimmed center-of-gravity extension study. Volume 3: Impact of retrofits for center-of-gravity extension on orbiter thermal-protection system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunavant, J. C.

1979-01-01

Heat transfer studies were conducted at Mach 10.3 on space shuttle orbiter models with the S-2 fillet and C-4 canard retrofit moldlines which were generated in aerodynamic and system design studies to increase the allowable c.g. range of the orbiter. Areas of orbiter most strongly affected were the sides where a shear layer which separated along the wing leading edge impinged. Analytical studies of the heating effect on the thermal-protection system were made which indicated that scar weight on the orbiter sides due to allowances for retrofits of the S-2 fillet and C-4 canard is small (less than about 90 kg (200 lbs) in comparison to the total weight of the retrofit).

Evaluating an Exterior Insulation and Finish System for Deep Energy Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dentz, Jordan; Podorson, David

Exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) are proprietary synthetic formulations that are applied to the exterior walls of buildings to serve as insulation and exterior cladding. The insulation thickness can vary from less than one inch to a foot or more. In this project the applicability of EIFS for residential deep energy retrofits was investigated through modeling and a case study home. The home was retrofitted using a site-applied four-inch-thick EIFS. Site-specific details were developed as required for the residential retrofit application. Site work and the costs of the EIFS system were documented. The demonstration home was modeled using Buildingmore » Energy Optimization energy and cost analysis software to explore cost effectiveness of various EIFS insulation thicknesses in two climate locations.« less

Effect of advanced aircraft noise reduction technology on the 1990 projected noise environment around Patrick Henry Airport. [development of noise exposure forecast contours for projected traffic volume and aircraft types

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cawthorn, J. M.; Brown, C. G.

1974-01-01

A study has been conducted of the future noise environment of Patric Henry Airport and its neighboring communities projected for the year 1990. An assessment was made of the impact of advanced noise reduction technologies which are currently being considered. These advanced technologies include a two-segment landing approach procedure and aircraft hardware modifications or retrofits which would add sound absorbent material in the nacelles of the engines or which would replace the present two- and three-stage fans with a single-stage fan of larger diameter. Noise Exposure Forecast (NEF) contours were computed for the baseline (nonretrofitted) aircraft for the projected traffic volume and fleet mix for the year 1990. These NEF contours are presented along with contours for a variety of retrofit options. Comparisons of the baseline with the noise reduction options are given in terms of total land area exposed to 30 and 40 NEF levels. Results are also presented of the effects on noise exposure area of the total number of daily operations.

Implementation of CFD modeling in the performance assessment and optimization of secondary clarifiers: the PVSC case study.

PubMed

Xanthos, S; Ramalingam, K; Lipke, S; McKenna, B; Fillos, J

2013-01-01

The water industry and especially the wastewater treatment sector has come under steadily increasing pressure to optimize their existing and new facilities to meet their discharge limits and reduce overall cost. Gravity separation of solids, producing clarified overflow and thickened solids underflow has long been one of the principal separation processes used in treating secondary effluent. Final settling tanks (FSTs) are a central link in the treatment process and often times act as the limiting step to the maximum solids handling capacity when high throughput requirements need to be met. The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) is interested in using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling approach to explore any further FST retrofit alternatives to sustain significantly higher plant influent flows, especially under wet weather conditions. In detail there is an interest in modifying and/or upgrading/optimizing the existing FSTs to handle flows in the range of 280-720 million gallons per day (MGD) (12.25-31.55 m(3)/s) in compliance with the plant's effluent discharge limits for total suspended solids (TSS). The CFD model development for this specific plant will be discussed, 2D and 3D simulation results will be presented and initial results of a sensitivity study between two FST effluent weir structure designs will be reviewed at a flow of 550 MGD (∼24 m(3)/s) and 1,800 mg/L MLSS (mixed liquor suspended solids). The latter will provide useful information in determining whether the existing retrofit of one of the FSTs would enable compliance under wet weather conditions and warrants further consideration for implementing it in the remaining FSTs.

Assessment of cockpit interface concepts for data link retrofit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccauley, Hugh W.; Miles, William L.; Dwyer, John P.; Erickson, Jeffery B.

1992-01-01

The problem is examined of retrofitting older generation aircraft with data link capability. The approach taken analyzes requirements for the cockpit interface, based on review of prior research and opinions obtained from subject matter experts. With this background, essential functions and constraints for a retrofit installation are defined. After an assessment of the technology available to meet the functions and constraints, candidate design concepts are developed. The most promising design concept is described in detail. Finally, needs for further research and development are identified.

Retrofitting BACs with G418 resistance, luciferase, and oriP and EBNA-1 – new vectors for in vitro and in vivo delivery

PubMed Central

Magin-Lachmann, Christine; Kotzamanis, George; D'Aiuto, Leonardo; Wagner, Ernst; Huxley, Clare

2003-01-01

Background Bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) have been used extensively for sequencing the human and mouse genomes and are thus readily available for most genes. The large size of BACs means that they can generally carry intact genes with all the long range controlling elements that drive full levels of tissue-specific expression. For gene expression studies and gene therapy applications it is useful to be able to retrofit the BACs with selectable genes such as G418 resistance, reporter genes such as luciferase, and oriP/EBNA-1 from Epstein Barr virus which allows long term episomal maintenance in mammalian cells. Results We describe a series of retrofitting plasmids and a protocol for in vivo loxP/Cre recombination. The vector pRetroNeo carries a G418 resistance cassette, pRetroNeoLuc carries G418 resistance and a luciferase expression cassette, pRetroNeoLucOE carries G418 resistance, luciferase and an oriP/EBNA-1 cassette and pRetroNeoOE carries G418 resistance and oriP/EBNA-1. These vectors can be efficiently retrofitted onto BACs without rearrangement of the BAC clone. The luciferase cassette is expressed efficiently from the retrofitting plasmids and from retrofitted BACs after transient transfection of B16F10 cells in tissue culture and after electroporation into muscles of BALB/c mice in vivo. We also show that a BAC carrying GFP, oriP and EBNA-1 can be transfected into B16F10 cells with Lipofectamine 2000 and can be rescued intact after 5 weeks. Conclusion The pRetro vectors allow efficient retrofitting of BACs with G418 resistance, luciferase and/or oriP/EBNA-1 using in vivo expression of Cre. The luciferase reporter gene is expressed after transient transfection of retrofitted BACs into cells in tissue culture and after electroporation into mouse muscle in vivo. OriP/EBNA-1 allows stable maintenance of a 150-kb BAC without rearrangement for at least 5 weeks. PMID:12609052

Effects of Particle Filters and Accelerated Engine Replacement on Heavy-Duty Diesel Vehicle Emissions of Black Carbon, Nitrogen Oxides, and Ultrafine Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirchstetter, T.; Preble, C.; Dallmann, T. R.; DeMartini, S. J.; Tang, N. W.; Kreisberg, N. M.; Hering, S. V.; Harley, R. A.

2013-12-01

Diesel particle filters have become widely used in the United States since the introduction in 2007 of a more stringent exhaust particulate matter emission standard for new heavy-duty diesel vehicle engines. California has instituted additional regulations requiring retrofit or replacement of older in-use engines to accelerate emission reductions and air quality improvements. This presentation summarizes pollutant emission changes measured over several field campaigns at the Port of Oakland in the San Francisco Bay Area associated with diesel particulate filter use and accelerated modernization of the heavy-duty truck fleet. Pollutants in the exhaust plumes of hundreds of heavy-duty trucks en route to the Port were measured in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2013. Ultrafine particle number, black carbon (BC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations were measured at a frequency ≤ 1 Hz and normalized to measured carbon dioxide concentrations to quantify fuel-based emission factors (grams of pollutant emitted per kilogram of diesel consumed). The size distribution of particles in truck exhaust plumes was also measured at 1 Hz. In the two most recent campaigns, emissions were linked on a truck-by-truck basis to installed emission control equipment via the matching of transcribed license plates to a Port truck database. Accelerated replacement of older engines with newer engines and retrofit of trucks with diesel particle filters reduced fleet-average emissions of BC and NOx. Preliminary results from the two most recent field campaigns indicate that trucks without diesel particle filters emit 4 times more BC than filter-equipped trucks. Diesel particle filters increase emissions of NO2, however, and filter-equipped trucks have NO2/NOx ratios that are 4 to 7 times greater than trucks without filters. Preliminary findings related to particle size distribution indicate that (a) most trucks emitted particles characterized by a single mode of approximately 100 nm in diameter and (b) new trucks originally equipped with diesel particle filters were 5 to 6 times more likely than filter-retrofitted trucks and trucks without filters to emit particles characterized by a single mode in the range of 10 to 30 nm in diameter.

Life cycle cost-based risk model for energy performance contracting retrofits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berghorn, George H.

Buildings account for 41% of the primary energy consumption in the United States, nearly half of which is accounted for by commercial buildings. Among the greatest energy users are those in the municipalities, universities, schools, and hospitals (MUSH) market. Correctional facilities are in the upper half of all commercial building types for energy intensity. Public agencies have experienced reduced capital budgets to fund retrofits; this has led to the increased use of energy performance contracts (EPC), which are implemented by energy services companies (ESCOs). These companies guarantee a minimum amount of energy savings resulting from the retrofit activities, which in essence transfers performance risk from the owner to the contractor. Building retrofits in the MUSH market, especially correctional facilities, are well-suited to EPC, yet despite this potential and their high energy intensities, efficiency improvements lag behind that of other public building types. Complexities in project execution, lack of support for data requests and sub-metering, and conflicting project objectives have been cited as reasons for this lag effect. As a result, project-level risks must be understood in order to support wider adoption of retrofits in the public market, in particular the correctional facility sub-market. The goal of this research is to understand risks related to the execution of energy efficiency retrofits delivered via EPC in the MUSH market. To achieve this goal, in-depth analysis and improved understanding was sought with regard to ESCO risks that are unique to EPC in this market. The proposed work contributes to this understanding by developing a life cycle cost-based risk model to improve project decision making with regard to risk control and reduction. The specific objectives of the research are: (1) to perform an exploratory analysis of the EPC retrofit process and identify key areas of performance risk requiring in-depth analysis; (2) to construct a framework describing the sources of and mitigation strategies employed for assessing key risks in EPC retrofits; (3) to develop a strategy for analyzing and evaluating risks for EPC retrofits focused on managing expected costs throughout the project life cycle, and use data collected through this strategy to develop and parameterize a risk model; and (4) to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed life cost-based risk model through a pilot application to a case study site. Five major contributions to the body of knowledge resulting from the research include: (1) a consensus-based assessment of ESCO risk management; (2) characterization of EPC retrofit risks borne by ESCOs; (3) an empirical evaluation of scenario failure mode and effects analysis and its application to this domain; (4) development and pilot application of a life cycle cost-based risk model; and (5) future expansion of the research approach to other domains. The researcher envisions that full implementation of the research will further encourage the growth of the energy services industry, and support focused retrofits in complex building types that typically can benefit the most from such work. Ultimately, this will reduce the energy consumption of public sector buildings to levels that are more fitting with the global principles of sustainability and responsible management of constrained resources.

Transit safety retrofit package development : applications requirements document.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-05-01

This Application Requirements Document for the Transit Safety Retrofit Package (TRP) Development captures the system, hardware and software requirements towards fulfilling the technical objectives stated within the contract. To achieve the objective ...

40 CFR 610.13 - Program structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... RETROFIT DEVICES Test Procedures and Evaluation Criteria General Provisions § 610.13 Program structure. (a... conclusions as to the effect of the tested retrofit device on fuel economy and exhaust emissions, and as to...

40 CFR 610.14 - Payment of program costs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ECONOMY RETROFIT DEVICES Test Procedures and Evaluation Criteria General Provisions § 610.14 Payment of... request of a manufacturer of a retrofit device, should the Administrator test the device, or cause the...

77 FR 20333 - Approval, Disapproval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Nebraska; Regional Haze State...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-04

...; Federal Implementation Plan for Best Available Retrofit Technology Determination; Extension of Public... Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) requirements for sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) at one source in...

Laying the Groundwork.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kretchmer, Mark R.

2000-01-01

Discusses how to avoid costly errors in high-tech retrofits through proper planning and coordination. Guidelines are offered for selecting cable installers, using multi-disciplinary consulting engineering firm, and space planning when making high-tech retrofits. (GR)

Retrofit designs for small bench-type blood cell counters.

PubMed

Ferris, C D

1991-01-01

This paper describes several retrofit designs to correct operational problems associated with small bench-type blood cell counters. Replacement electronic circuits as well as modifications to the vacuum systems are discussed.

Retrofitting the Streetlights in Boise, Idaho

ScienceCinema

Young, Clay; Oliver, LeAnn; Bieter, David; Johnson, Michael; Oldemeyer, Neal

2018-05-11

Boise, Idaho is using an energy efficiency grant to retrofit hundreds of streetlights throughout the downtown area with energy-efficient LED bulbs, which will save money and improve safety and local quality of life.

System dynamics modeling of nitrogen removal in a stormwater infiltration basin with biosorption-activated media.

PubMed

Xuan, Zhemin; Chang, Ni-Bin; Wanielista, Martin P; Williams, Evan Shane

2013-07-01

Stormwater infiltration basins, one of the typical stormwater best management practices, are commonly constructed for surface water pollution control, flood mitigation, and groundwater restoration in rural or residential areas. These basins have soils with better infiltration capacity than the native soil; however, the ever-increasing contribution of nutrients to groundwater from stormwater due to urban expansion makes existing infiltration basins unable to meet groundwater quality criteria related to environmental sustainability and public health. This issue requires retrofitting current infiltration basins for flood control as well as nutrient control before the stormwater enters the groundwater. An existing stormwater infiltration basin in north-central Florida was selected, retrofitted, and monitored to identify subsurface physiochemical and biological processes during 2007-2010 to investigate nutrient control processes. This implementation in the nexus of contaminant hydrology and ecological engineering adopted amended soil layers packed with biosorption activated media (BAM; tire crumb, silt, clay, and sand) to perform nutrient removal in a partitioned forebay using a berm. This study presents an infiltration basin-nitrogen removal (IBNR) model, a system dynamics model that simulates nitrogen cycling in this BAM-based stormwater infiltration basin with respect to changing hydrologic conditions and varying dissolved nitrogen concentrations. Modeling outputs of IBNR indicate that denitrification is the biogeochemical indicator in the BAM layer that accounted for a loss of about one third of the total dissolved nitrogen mass input. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neuhauser, K.; Gates, C.

This research project evaluates post-retrofit performance measurements, energy use data and construction costs for 13 projects that participated in the National Grid Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot program. The projects implemented a package of measures defined by performance targets for building enclosure components and building enclosure air tightness. Nearly all of the homes reached a post-retrofit air tightness result of 1.5 ACH 50. Homes that used the chainsaw retrofit technique along with roof insulation, and wall insulation applied to the exterior had the best air tightness results and the lowest heating and cooling source energy use. Analysis of measure costs andmore » project objectives yielded a categorization of costs relative to energy performance objectives. On average about ½ of the energy-related measure costs correspond primarily to energy-related objectives, and 20% of energy-related measure costs relate primarily to non-energy objectives.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gates, C.; Neuhauser, K.

This research project evaluates post-retrofit performance measurements, energy use data and construction costs for 13 projects that participated in the National Grid Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot program. The projects implemented a package of measures defined by performance targets for building enclosure components and building enclosure air tightness. Nearly all of the homes reached a post-retrofit air tightness result of 1.5 ACH 50. Homes that used the chainsaw retrofit technique along with roof insulation, and wall insulation applied to the exterior had the best air tightness results and the lowest heating and cooling source energy use. Analysis of measure costs andmore » project objectives yielded a categorization of costs relative to energy performance objectives. On average about 1/2 of the energy-related measure costs correspond primarily to energy-related objectives, and 20% of energy-related measure costs relate primarily to non-energy objectives.« less

The effect of CFRP on retrofitting of damaged HSRC beams using AE technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soffian Noor, M. S.; Noorsuhada, M. N.

2017-12-01

This paper presents the effect of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) on retrofitted high strength reinforced concrete (HSRC) beams using acoustic emission (AE) technique. Two RC beam parameters were prepared. The first was the control beam which was undamaged HSRC beam. The second was the damaged HSRC beam retrofitted with CFRP on the soffit. The main objective of this study is to assess the crack modes of HSRC beams using AE signal strength. The relationship between signal strength, load and time were analysed and discussed. The crack pattern observed from the visual observation was also investigated. HSRC beam retrofitted with CFRP produced high signal strength compared to control beam. It demonstrates the effect of the AE signal strength for interpretation and prediction of failure modes that might occur in the beam specimens.

Comparative feasibility study on retrofitting ballast water treatment system for a bulk carrier.

PubMed

Jee, Jaehoon; Lee, Sangick

2017-06-30

Use of ballast water in ships causes harmful effects on marine environment accompanied by economic loss and negative impact on ecosystem and human health. To solve these problems, the international convention on ballast water management will take into force in September 2017. In this study, a comprehensive feasibility of retrofitting the ballast water treatment system for an ocean-going bulk carrier was conducted. The technologies involved, installation and operational aspects of direct flow and side stream electrolysis, UV, and ozone type BWTS are described in detail. The principal concept of each BWTS is explained and probable arrangements of retrofitting in engine room are suggested. The cost analysis is carried out for retrofitting 4 types of BWTS onboard the target ship by examining each processes of installation and operation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bay Ridge Gardens - Mixed-Humid Affordable Multifamily Housing Deep Energy Retrofit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lyons, J.; Moore, M.; Thompson, M.

2013-08-01

Under this project, Newport Partners (as part of the BA-PIRC research team) evaluated the installation, measured performance, and cost-effectiveness of efficiency upgrade measures for a tenant-in-place DER at the Bay Ridge multifamily (MF) development in Annapolis, Maryland. The design and construction phase of the Bay Ridge project was completed in August 2012. This report summarizes system commissioning, short-term test results, utility bill data analysis, and analysis of real-time data collected over a one-year period after the retrofit was complete. The Bay Ridge project is comprised of a 'base scope' retrofit which was estimated to achieve a 30%+ savings (relative tomore » pre-retrofit) on 186 apartments, and a 'DER scope' which was estimated to achieve 50% savings (relative to pre-retrofit) on a 12-unit building. The base scope was applied to the entire apartment complex, except for one 12-unit building which underwent the DER scope. A wide range of efficiency measures was applied to pursue this savings target for the DER building, including improvements/replacements of mechanical equipment and distribution systems, appliances, lighting and lighting controls, the building envelope, hot water conservation measures, and resident education. The results of this research build upon the current body of knowledge of multifamily retrofits. Towards this end, the research team has collected and generated data on the selection of measures, their estimated performance, their measured performance, and risk factors and their impact on potential measures.« less

Examining non-structural retrofitting status of teaching hospitals in Kerman against disasters.

PubMed

Moghadam, Mahmood Nekooi; Moradi, Seyed Mobin; Amiresmaili, Mohammadreza

2017-05-01

Continuous services provision of a hospital before and after a disaster is one of the most prominent issues that all people, especially the authorities must take into huge consideration. Concerning the experiences of previous earthquakes, the role and importance of nonstructural components becomes increasingly clear in the uninterrupted services of hospitals. In this study, non-structural retrofitting status of Kerman teaching hospitals was evaluated against natural disasters. This cross-sectional study was carried out in the second half of 2014 on the teaching hospitals in Kerman (Iran). The study population consisted of all Kerman teaching hospitals. The research instrument was World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization (WHO/PAHO) standard checklist. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics through SPSS 19. One hospital had a low retrofitting level, two hospitals had an average level and one had a high level. In the examined hospitals in this study, the medical gas section had the lowest preparedness against natural disasters, while the office, warehouse and furniture section had the highest resistance. Generally, the non-structural retrofitting status was 50% in one hospital and was between 65% and 85% in other hospitals. Generally, the retrofitting status of hospitals was not at the ideal condition, most hospitals were in average condition. Concerning the high risk of hospitals in disasters, it is necessary that senior executives and managers of Kerman Province and Kerman University of Medical Sciences take some measures to retrofit these buildings and to reduce the risk of vulnerability.

Solar Urban Neighborhood (SUN). Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ellertson, J.

1984-07-10

The Solar Urban Neighborhood (SUN) project was conceived to demonstrate a widely applicable cooperative procedure for low and moderate income urban residents to conserve energy and promote neighborhood revitalization through installing affordable energy conservation and solar retrofit measures on their homes. The self-help retrofit systems demonstrated fan-assisted air panels for walls and a mansard roof as well as vented Trombe wall and a sunspace. Building upon a strong tradition of cooperation within their neighborhood (security watches, community gardening, bartering of skills for do-it-yourself projects), these Roxbury neighbors were able to use the DOE grant as a catalyst for doing amore » far more ambitious undertaking. Additionally, the project used elements of a private-public partnership since the project director was also an energy retrofit contractor with specialized equipment and skills to share, wholesale purchase access, etc. Countervailing negative forces which impeded the progress of the project were the very ambitiousness of the solar retrofit itself, the delays in receiving the initial start up grant advance and in overcoming zoning restrictions which required design modifications; and discovery of building defects (dry rot, carpenter ants) within the structures at the time of retrofit. Nevertheless, the SUN project did have a wide impact through formal and informal outreach; through an associated project, SUN-TECH, which promoted solar retrofit awareness and involvement of City of Boston building, energy, and housing officials; and through evolvement of a grass roots level public-private partnership.« less

Improving Management of Green Retrofits from a Stakeholder Perspective: A Case Study in China.

PubMed

Liang, Xin; Shen, Geoffrey Qiping; Guo, Li

2015-10-28

Green retrofits, which improve the environment and energy efficiency of buildings, are considered a potential solution for reducing energy consumption as well as improving human health and productivity. They represent some of the riskiest, most complex, and most uncertain projects to manage. As the foundation of project management, critical success factors (CSFs) have been emphasized by previous research. However, most studies identified and prioritized CSFs independently of stakeholders. This differs from the reality, where the success of green retrofits is tightly interrelated to the stakeholders of projects. To improve the analysis from a stakeholder perspective, the present study proposed an innovative method based on a two-mode social network analysis to integrate CSF analysis with stakeholders. The results of this method can provide further understanding of the interactions between stakeholders and CSFs, and the underlying relationship among CSFs through stakeholders. A pilot study was conducted to apply the proposed method and assess the CSFs for green retrofits in China. The five most significant CSFs are identified in the management of green retrofit. Furthermore, the interrelations between stakeholders and CSFs, coefficient and clusters of CSFs are likewise discussed.

An actuarial approach to retrofit savings in buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Subbarao, Krishnappa; Etingov, Pavel V.; Reddy, T. A.

An actuarial method has been developed for determining energy savings from retrofits from energy use data for a number of buildings. This method should be contrasted with the traditional method of using pre- and post-retrofit data on the same building. This method supports the U.S. Department of Energy Building Performance Database of real building performance data and related tools that enable engineering and financial practitioners to evaluate retrofits. The actuarial approach derives, from the database, probability density functions (PDFs) for energy savings from retrofits by creating peer groups for the user’s pre post buildings. From the energy use distribution ofmore » the two groups, the savings PDF is derived. This provides the basis for engineering analysis as well as financial risk analysis leading to investment decisions. Several technical issues are addressed: The savings PDF is obtained from the pre- and post-PDF through a convolution. Smoothing using kernel density estimation is applied to make the PDF more realistic. The low data density problem can be mitigated through a neighborhood methodology. Correlations between pre and post buildings are addressed to improve the savings PDF. Sample size effects are addressed through the Kolmogorov--Smirnov tests and quantile-quantile plots.« less

Improving Management of Green Retrofits from a Stakeholder Perspective: A Case Study in China

PubMed Central

Liang, Xin; Shen, Geoffrey Qiping; Guo, Li

2015-01-01

Green retrofits, which improve the environment and energy efficiency of buildings, are considered a potential solution for reducing energy consumption as well as improving human health and productivity. They represent some of the riskiest, most complex, and most uncertain projects to manage. As the foundation of project management, critical success factors (CSFs) have been emphasized by previous research. However, most studies identified and prioritized CSFs independently of stakeholders. This differs from the reality, where the success of green retrofits is tightly interrelated to the stakeholders of projects. To improve the analysis from a stakeholder perspective, the present study proposed an innovative method based on a two-mode social network analysis to integrate CSF analysis with stakeholders. The results of this method can provide further understanding of the interactions between stakeholders and CSFs, and the underlying relationship among CSFs through stakeholders. A pilot study was conducted to apply the proposed method and assess the CSFs for green retrofits in China. The five most significant CSFs are identified in the management of green retrofit. Furthermore, the interrelations between stakeholders and CSFs, coefficient and clusters of CSFs are likewise discussed. PMID:26516897

49 CFR 38.111 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... inaccessible cars be retrofitted with lifts, ramps or other boarding devices. (d) Passenger coaches or food... cars retrofitted to meet the seating requirements of § 37.91 of this title shall comply with § 38.113(e...

Seismic retrofit workshop

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-11-01

Metallic dampers were proposed for the seismic retrofit of deficient highway bridges by the University of Missouri-Rolla (UMR) under the sponsorship of Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT). A research project (MODOT Study No. RI 01-028) on t...

Facilities Upgrade and Retrofit. Strategies for Success.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Mike

2000-01-01

Provides three articles on the subject of educational facility upgrading and retrofiting that address setting guidelines for classroom acoustics, making sports facilities brighter and more energy-efficient, and cutting energy bills and protecting interiors. (GR)

A Neighborhood-Scale Green Infrastructure Retrofit: Experimental Results, Model Simulations, and Resident Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jefferson, A.; Avellaneda, P. M.; Jarden, K. M.; Turner, V. K.; Grieser, J.

2016-12-01

Distributed green infrastructure approaches to stormwater management that can be retrofit into existing development are of growing interest, but questions remain about their effectiveness at the watershed-scale. In suburban northeastern Ohio, homeowners on a residential street with 55% impervious surface were given the opportunity for free rain barrels, rain gardens, and bioretention cells. Of 163 parcels, only 22 owners (13.5%) chose to participate, despite intense outreach efforts. After pre-treatment monitoring, 37 rain barrels, 7 rain gardens, and 16 street-side bioretention cells were installed in 2013-2014. Using a paired watershed approach, a reduction in up to 33% of peak flow and 40% of total runoff volume per storm was measured in the storm sewer. Using the monitoring data, a calibrated and validated SWMM model was built to explore the long-term effectiveness of the green infrastructure against a wider range of hydrological conditions. Model results confirm the effectiveness of green infrastructure in reducing surface runoff and increasing infiltration and evaporation. Based on 20 years of historical precipitation data, the model shows that the green infrastructure is capable of reducing flows by >40% at the 1, 2, and 5 year return period, suggesting some resilience to projected increases in precipitation intensity in a changing climate. Further, in this project, more benefit is derived from the street-side bioretention cells than from the rain barrels and gardens that treat rooftop runoff. Substantial hydrological gains were achieved despite low homeowner participation. Surveys indicate that many residents viewed stormwater as the city's problem and had negative perceptions of green infrastructure, despite slightly pro-environment values generally. Overall, this study demonstrates green infrastructure's hydrological effectiveness but raises challenging questions about overcoming social barriers retrofits at the neighborhood scale.

Retrofit Gloveport Cover and Security Device

DOE PAGES

Hinckley, Jon E.

2015-01-01

The world of glovebox work in the areas of science and manufacturing is in a consistent state of flux due to the inherent nature of changing missions. These rapidly changing work environments result in almost continuous regulatory changes within the codes and standards in order to maintain worker and environmental safety. Gloveboxes designed and manufactured prior to these regulations are not easy to update or retrofit to accommodate new requirements. In order to meet the challenge of retrofitting gloveboxes to the meet the requirements, the following solutions have been developed.

Independent evaluation of the transit retrofit package safety applications : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-02-01

This report presents the methodology and results of the independent evaluation of retrofit safety packages installed on transit vehicles in the : Safety Pilot Model Deploymentpart of the United States Department of Transportations Intelligent T...

Seismic retrofit guidelines for Utah highway bridges.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-05-01

Much of Utahs population dwells in a seismically active region, and many of the bridges connecting transportation lifelines predate the rigorous seismic design standards that have been developed in the past 10-20 years. Seismic retrofitting method...

Plumb Fittings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jahrling, Peter

1996-01-01

Discusses the electronic retrofitting of educational facilities plumbing systems. Some advantages of an electronic plumbing retrofit are cost, hygiene, water conservation, and meeting Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 (ADA) requirements. Issues important to the planning of a successful project are detailed. (RE)

75 FR 57492 - Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB American Recovery and Reinvestment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-21

... Energy and Green retrofit Investment program, Indian Community Development Block Grant Program, Native... Proposed Use: The Public Housing Capital Fund, Assisted Housing Stability and Energy and Green retrofit...

Traffic noise analysis protocol : for new highway construction, reconstruction and retrofit barrier projects.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-08-01

The purpose of this Traffic Noise Analysis Protocol for New Highway : Construction, Reconstruction, and Retrofit Barrier Projects (Protocol) is : to present California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) policies and : procedures for applying 23 ...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilkerson, Andrea M.; McCullough, Jeffrey J.

The Yuma Sector Border Patrol Area is a high flux lighting application in a high temperature environment, presenting a formidable challenge for light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This retrofit is an Energy Savings Performance Contract ENABLE project under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program. If high flux LED technology performs well in a region with high ambient temperature and solar radiation, it can perform well in most outdoor environments. The design process for the Yuma retrofit has already provided valuable knowledge to CBP and DOE. The LED lighting system selected for the retrofit is expected to reduce energymore » consumption 69% compared to the incumbent quartz metal halide (QMH) lighting system. If the LED lighting system is installed, GATEWAY will continue to document and disseminate information regarding the installation and long-term performance so that others may also gain valuable knowledge from the Yuma Sector Border Patrol Area lighting retrofit.« less

Applying energy-conservation retrofits to standard army buildings: project design and initial energy data. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Westervelt, E.T.; Northrup, G.R.; Allen, E.O.

1988-07-01

This report describes the initial and continuing efforts in a project demonstrating the energy performance of theoretically-based retrofit packages on as-found, standard-design Army buildings. Four standard building designs are being investigated: a motor-vehicle repair shop, the Type 64 (L-shaped) barracks, an enlisted-personnel mess hall, and a two-company, rolling-pin-shaped barracks for enlisted personnel. The Army has over 840 of these particular buildings. The objective of the project is to test the energy and cost performance of the retrofit packages, which include such measures as installing wall or ceiling insulation, replacing and/or blocking windows, partitioning areas of differing temperature, modifying air-handling equipment,more » modifying boiler controls, replacing lights, etc. To this end, energy data has been gathered from retrofitted and identical but nonretrofitted buildings for a test/reference comparison.« less

Performance of a Retrofitted Multicyclone for PM2.5 Emission Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewika, M.; Rashid, M.; Ammar, M. R.

2018-03-01

This paper presents on the performance of a retrofitted multicyclone system, which aims to increase the collection efficiency of PM2.5 (i.e. particulate size fraction ≤ 2.5 μm) emission. The multicyclone was retrofitted by extracting 15% and 20% of the total volumetric air flow rate at the dust hopper of the unit using an additional Induced Draft Fan. The total collection efficiency with and without the extraction was measured at various air volumetric flow rates and particulate mass inlet concentration. The results showed that there was a reduction of 12% to 54% depending on the inlet concentration of PM2.5 emission in the stack with compared to without extraction increasing the collection efficiency of the retrofitted multicyclone. The finding suggests that a simple technique of applying gas extraction at the dust hopper of a multicyclone as reported in this study able to increase the overall performance in fine particulate collection.

Impact evaluation of lighting retrofit projects at Boeing Commercial Airplane Group under The Energy $avings Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sullivan, G.P.; Oens, M.A.; Spanner, G.E.

1994-01-01

This impact evaluation of two lighting retrofit projects that were recently installed at Boeing Commercial Airplane Group (Boeing) was conducted for the Bonneville Power Administration (Bonneville) as part of an evaluation of its Energy $avings Plan (E$P) Program. The first project was a light-fixture and lighting control retrofit, consisting of five individual measures installed in Building 40-05. The second project was a retrofit of all parking lot lighting on the site. The objective of this impact evaluation was to assess how much electrical energy is being saved at Boeing as a result of the E$P projects and to determine howmore » much the savings cost Bonneville and the region. The impact of the project was evaluated with a combination of engineering analysis, financial analysis, interviews, and submittal reviews (Boeing`s proposals and completion reports).« less

Alabama SEP Final Technical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grimes, Elizabeth M.

Executive Summary In the fall of 2010, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) launched the Multi-State Model for Catalyzing the National Home Energy Retrofit Market Project (Multi-State Project). This residential energy efficiency pilot program was a collaborative effort among the states of Alabama, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Washington, and was funded by competitive State Energy Program (SEP) awards through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The objective of this project was to catalyze the home energy efficiency retrofit market in select areas within the state of Alabama. To achieve this goal, the project addressed a variety of marketplacemore » elements that did not exist, or were underdeveloped, at the outset of the effort. These included establishing minimum standards and credentials for marketplace suppliers, educating and engaging homeowners on the benefits of energy efficiency and addressing real or perceived financial barriers to investments in whole-home energy efficiency, among others. The anticipated effect of the activities would be increased market demand for retrofits, improved audit to retrofit conversion rates and growth in overall community understanding of energy efficiency. The four-state collaborative was created with the intent of accelerating market transformation by allowing each state to learn from their peers, each of whom possessed different starting points, resources, and strategies for achieving the overall objective. The four partner states engaged the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) to oversee a project steering committee and to manage the project evaluation for all four states. The steering committee, comprised of key program partners, met on a regular basis to provide overall project coordination, guidance, and progress assessment. While there were variances in program design among the states, there were several common elements: use of the Energy Performance Score (EPS) platform; an audit and home energy rating tool; emphasis on community based coordination and partnerships; marketing and outreach to increase homeowner participation; training for market actors; access to financing options including rebates, incentives, and loan products; and an in depth process evaluation to support continual program improvement and analysis. In Alabama, Nexus Energy Center operated energy efficiency retrofit programs in Huntsville and Birmingham. In the Huntsville community the AlabamaWISE program was available in five Alabama counties: Cullman, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, and Morgan. In Birmingham, the program was available to residents in Jefferson and Shelby Counties. In both communities, the program was similar in terms of program design but tailored marketing and partnerships to address the unique local conditions and population of each community. ADECA and the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) provided overall project management services and common resources to the local program administrator Nexus Energy Center, including contracted services for contractor training, quality assurance testing, data collection and reporting, and compliance. The fundamental components of the AlabamaWISE program included a vertical contractor-based business model; comprehensive energy assessments; third-party quality assurance; rebates for installation of energy saving measures; accessible, low-interest financing; targeted and inbound marketing; Energy Performance Score (EPS) tool to engage and educate homeowners; training for auditors, contractors, and real estate professionals; and online resources for education and program enrollment. Program participants were eligible to receive rebates or financing toward the assessments and upgrades to their home provided they reached at least 20 percent deemed or modeled energy savings. The design of each program focused on addressing several known barriers including: limited homeowner knowledge on the benefits of energy efficiency, lack of financing options, lack of community support for energy efficiency programs, and lack of trained market actors including contractors and real estate professionals. The programs were able to make progress on addressing all of these barriers and were most successful in offering financing options and training market actors. The most challenging barriers proved to be the act of building a market for energy efficiency where none previously existed, convincing homeowners of the value in investing in energy efficiency (and therefore completing retrofits), engaging electric and natural gas utilities to partner on delivery, and achieving the overall project target of 1,365 completed retrofits. The components that proved to be the most valuable to program success were engaged contractor networks that could promote and endorse the program, partnerships with local business and organizations, and the access to rebates, incentives and financing mechanisms. The programs were successful in building relationships with a variety of community participants including: local contractors, Associations of REALTORS, home builders associations, universities, utilities, local and state governments, and other non-profit organizations. Throughout this program, 933 building audits and 795 building retrofits were completed making homes in Alabama more comfortable, less expensive to operate, more valuable to the marketplace, and safer and healthier for families. Continuing on this momentum, Nexus Energy Center plans to continue operating and expanding operations in Alabama as a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR sponsor and will continue to provide energy services and education to communities in Alabama.« less

Examining non-structural retrofitting status of teaching hospitals in Kerman against disasters

PubMed Central

Moghadam, Mahmood Nekooi; Moradi, Seyed Mobin; Amiresmaili, Mohammadreza

2017-01-01

Background and objective Continuous services provision of a hospital before and after a disaster is one of the most prominent issues that all people, especially the authorities must take into huge consideration. Concerning the experiences of previous earthquakes, the role and importance of nonstructural components becomes increasingly clear in the uninterrupted services of hospitals. In this study, non-structural retrofitting status of Kerman teaching hospitals was evaluated against natural disasters. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out in the second half of 2014 on the teaching hospitals in Kerman (Iran). The study population consisted of all Kerman teaching hospitals. The research instrument was World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization (WHO/PAHO) standard checklist. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics through SPSS 19. Results One hospital had a low retrofitting level, two hospitals had an average level and one had a high level. In the examined hospitals in this study, the medical gas section had the lowest preparedness against natural disasters, while the office, warehouse and furniture section had the highest resistance. Generally, the non-structural retrofitting status was 50% in one hospital and was between 65% and 85% in other hospitals. Conclusions Generally, the retrofitting status of hospitals was not at the ideal condition, most hospitals were in average condition. Concerning the high risk of hospitals in disasters, it is necessary that senior executives and managers of Kerman Province and Kerman University of Medical Sciences take some measures to retrofit these buildings and to reduce the risk of vulnerability. PMID:28713518

Energy Efficiency Building Systems Regional Innovation Cluster Initiative

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krebs, Martha

The Consortium for Building Energy Innovation (CBEI) was established through a Funding Opportunity Announcement led by the U.S. Department of Energy, under a cooperative agreement managed by the National Energy Technology Laboratory. CBEI is led by The Pennsylvania State University and is composed of partners from academia, the private sector, and economic development agencies. The Consortium has included as many as 24 different partners over the five years, but 14 have been core to the work over the five year cooperative agreement. CBEI primarily focused on developing energy efficiency solutions for the small and medium commercial building market, with amore » focus on buildings less than 50,000 square feet. This market has been underserved by the energy efficiency industry, which has focused on larger commercial buildings where the scale of an individual retrofit lends itself to the use of sophisticated modeling tools and more advanced solutions. Owners/operators and retrofit providers for larger buildings have a greater level of understanding of, and experience with different solutions. In contrast, smaller commercial building retrofits, like residential retrofits, often have owners with less knowledge about energy management and less time to learn about it. This market segment is also served by retrofit providers that are smaller and often focused on particular building systems, e.g. heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, roofing, or insulation. The size of a smaller commercial building retrofit does not lend itself, from a cost perspective, to the application of multiple, sophisticated design and modeling tools, which means that they are less likely to have integrated solutions.« less

Campbell Creek Research Homes FY 2012 Annual Performance Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gehl, Anthony C; Munk, Jeffrey D; Jackson, Roderick K

The Campbell Creek project is funded and managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Technology Innovation, Energy Efficiency, Power Delivery & and Utilization Office. Technical support is provided under contract by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Electric Power Research Institute.The project was designed to determine the relative energy efficiency of typical new home construction, energy efficiency retrofitting of existing homes, and high -performance new homes built from the ground up for energy efficiency. This project will compare three houses that represented the current construction practice as a base case (Builder House CC1); a modified house that couldmore » represent a major energy- efficient retrofit (Retrofit House CC2); and a house constructed from the ground up to be a high- performance home (High Performance House CC3). In order tTo enablehave a valid comparison, it was necessary to simulate occupancy in all three houses and heavily monitor the structural components and the energy usage by component. All three houses are two story, slab on grade, framed construction. CC1 and CC2 are approximately 2,400 square feet2. CC3 has a pantry option, that is primarily used as a mechanical equipment room, that adds approximately 100 square feet2. All three houses are all-electric (with the exception of a gas log fireplace that is not used during the testing), and use air-source heat pumps for heating and cooling. The three homes are located in Knoxville in the Campbell Creek Subdivision. CC1 and CC2 are next door to each other and CC3 is across the street and a couple of houses down. The energy data collected will be used to determine the benefits of retrofit packages and high -performance new home packages. There are over 300 channels of continuous energy performance and thermal comfort data collection in the houses (100 for each house). The data will also be used to evaluate the impact of energy -efficient upgrades ton the envelope, mechanical equipment, or demand -response options. Each retrofit will be evaluated incrementally, by both short -term measurements and computer modeling, using a calibrated model. This report is intended to document the comprehensive testing, data analysis, research, and findings within the January 2011 through October 2012 timeframe at the Campbell Creek research houses. The following sections will provide an in-depth assessment of the technology progression in each of the three research houses. A detailed assessment and evaluation of the energy performance of technologies tested will also be provided. Finally, lessons learned and concluding remarks will be highlighted.« less

Technology Solutions Case Study: Cost Analysis of Roof-Only Air Sealing and Insulation Strategies on 1-1/2 Story Homes in Cold Climates, Minneapolis, MN

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

This case study describes the External Thermal and Moisture Management System developed by the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership. This system is typically used in deep energy retrofits and is a valuable approach for the roof-only portions of existing homes, particularly the 1 1/2-story home. It is effective in reducing energy loss through the building envelope, improving building durability, reducing ice dams, and providing opportunities to improve occupant comfort and health.

Support of Integrated Health Management (IHM) through Automated Analyses of Flowfield-Derived Spectrographic Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patrick, Marshall C.; Cooper, Anita E.; Powers, W. T.

2003-01-01

Flow-field analysis techniques under continuing development at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center are the foundation for a new type of health monitoring instrumentation for propulsion systems and a vast range of other applications. Physics, spectroscopy, mechanics, optics, and cutting-edge computer sciences merge to make recent developments in such instrumentation possible. Issues encountered in adaptation of such a system to future space vehicles, or retrofit in existing hardware, are central to the work. This paper is an overview of the collaborative efforts results, current efforts, and future plans.

Retrofit implementation of Zernike phase plate imaging for cryo-TEM.

PubMed

Marko, Michael; Leith, Ardean; Hsieh, Chyongere; Danev, Radostin

2011-05-01

In-focus phase-plate imaging is particularly beneficial for cryo-TEM because it offers a substantial overall increase in image contrast, without an electron dose penalty, and it simplifies image interpretation. We show how phase-plate cryo-TEM can be implemented with an appropriate existing TEM, and provide a basic practical introduction to use of thin-film (carbon) phase plates. We point out potential pitfalls of phase-plate operation, and discuss solutions. We provide information on evaluating a particular TEM for its suitability. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modeling of SAW Delay Lines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, William C.; Atkinson, Gary M.

2007-01-01

Integrated Vehicle Health Monitoring (IVHM) of aerospace vehicles requires rugged sensors having reduced volume, mass, and power that can be used to measure a variety of phenomena. Wireless systems are preferred when retro-fitting sensors onto existing vehicles. Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) devices are capable of sensing: temperature, pressure, strain, chemical species, mass loading, acceleration, and shear stress. SAW technology is low cost, rugged, lightweight, and extremely low power. To aid in the development of SAW sensors for IVHM applications, a first order model of a SAW Delay line has been created.

Modular standards for emerging avionics technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radcliffe, B.; Boaz, J.

The present investigation is concerned with modular standards for the integration of new avionics technologies into production aircraft, taking into account also major retrofit programs. It is pointed out that avionics systems are about to undergo drastic changes in the partitioning of functions and judicious sharing of resources. These changes have the potential to significantly improve reliability and maintainability, and to reduce costs. Attention is given to a definition of the modular avionics concept, the existing module program, the development approach, development progress on the modular avionics standard, and the future of avionics installation standards.

AEMS implementation cost study for Boeing 727

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allison, R. L.

1977-01-01

Costs for airline operational implementation of a NASA-developed approach energy management system (AEMS) concept, as applied to the 727 airplane, were determined. Estimated costs are provided for airplane retrofit and for installation of the required DME ground stations. Operational costs and fuel cost savings are presented in a cost-of-ownership study. The potential return on the equipment investment is evaluated using a net present value method. Scheduled 727 traffic and existing VASI, ILS, and collocated DME ground station facilities are summarized for domestic airports used by 727 operators.

A Wireless Platform for Energy Efficient Building Control Retrofits

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

operate /tune the proposed controller and maintain WSN after reasonable training Feedback from CERL facility staff/ managemen t on ease of operation and...26 4.2 FACILITY/SITE LOCATION AND OPERATIONS ...HVAC RETROFITS ...................................................................................................... 36 5.4 OPERATIONAL TESTING

Transit safety retrofit package development : TRP concept of operations.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-05-01

This document describes the Concept of Operations (ConOps) for the Transit Safety Retrofit Package (TRP). The ConOps describes the current state of operations with respect to the integration of Connected Vehicle technology in transit buses, establish...

Dowel bar retrofit performance in Wisconsin.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-05-01

In 1999, WisDOT constructed test sections on I-39 to evaluate the dowel bar retrofit (DBR) rehabilitation technique for faulted concrete pavement slabs. Two years later, mortar deterioration and debonding were noted in the dowel slots. In response to...