The IFMA Austin News 
September 2002

By Priscilla Dannemiller

On August 8, 2002, around 5:00 p.m., a large crowd gathered for a tour of the new Building C at National Instruments. As we waited in anticipation of the tour, we had our choice of beer and wine provided by Bill Imhoff with Intertech Flooring and delicious hors d'ouvres provided by Gary Schexnaildre with Mannington Commercial Carpets. To start the meeting off, Sharon Henson introduced the entire team that worked so hard to make Building C a reality (team members are mentioned below.) Next, Charles Carpenter presented Judy Secrest of Hospice Austin with a $2,500 check from the 2002 Austin IFMA Golf Tournament. Last, but not least, we broke up into three groups and headed out for a tour of the new building.  See more photographs from the tour.

Sharon Henson, IFMA Austin Chapter Vice-President, and National Instruments tour guides (from left to right) Casie Brierty—Designer, Martha Root—Designer, and Maria Beltran—Move Specialist.

An anxious crowd enjoying the festivities  before the National Instruments tour.

National Instruments Building C Team Members

STG Partners    Jim Susman    Tim Pellowski    Angela Peterson    Darby Hall    Mark Brooks    Jeff Needles	White Construction    Neel White    Greg Jenkins    Larry Ward	Dealership    Rob Becker    Lisa Janz	MEJ    Walt Richardson Southwest Installation Services    Jack Drewein
Russ Bragg Landscape Architect    Russ Bragg	Rockford Business Interiors    Steve Naccarato	FMG    Linda Delmas	Flooring Installation    Bill Imhoff
Mannington Commercial Carpet    Gary Schexnaildre	Herman Miller Workplace Resource    Brenda Smith	American Realty    Randy Hagman	Gary's Office Furniture    Gary Bergvall

September Meeting

Our next meeting will be on September 12, 2002, at 12:00 at Embassy Suites. Please make sure to RSVP via email to rsvpifma@yahoo.com no later than September 9, 2002, if you plan to attend.

The September meeting will be a little different than usual. We have two speakers who will each give a short presentation followed by a question and answer session. Patty May with JMP Enterprise will deliver a presentation about carpet and upholstery maintenance. Stanley Quentin Hulin will give a presentation about hard floor maintenance. For more information about our speakers, go back to the Home page to the September meeting and click either Carpet or Hard Floor Maintenance. This should be a very informative meeting. Send your RSVP now!

Meeting No-Show Policy 

The executive board realizes that last minute issues come up that would prevent someone from attending our monthly luncheon. Based on the number of people who RSVP for our monthly luncheons, we reserves space and order meals; moreover, the Austin Chapter is financially responsible for the cost of these meals, regardless of the meeting's headcount. We hope everyone will agree that this is not the way to spend the chapter dollars; therefore, the executive board has adopted a new no-show policy. Our no-show policy states that anyone who confirms and fails to attend a monthly meeting will be allowed one grace absence before being billed. Future absentees will be sent an invoice for the cost of their meal. Cancellations will be accepted through the RSVP deadline which is noon of the Monday preceding the meeting. If you have to cancel between Monday afternoon and the meeting, we will attempt to replace your spot with a late-minute RSVP. Thanks for your help in this matter. 

Meeting Non-RSVP Policy 

The executive board realizes that the RSVP deadline can slip a person's mind or be missed due to travel. Persons who do not RSVP for the monthly luncheon cannot be guaranteed a spot at that the meeting. Embassy Suites and other vendors cannot exceed the fire code of their meeting rooms and provide space based on our headcount; furthermore, they only prepare a few extra meals for our function. If someone misses the RSVP deadline, they are asked to send a late RSVP to rsvpifma@yahoo.com so steps can be taken to provide enough meals and meeting space so everyone can enjoy the meeting. If someone frequently attends meetings without the courtesy of an RSVP, they will not be seated until we confirm that space is available.

Social Event

Our next social will be on September 26th at the Bahama Breeze, 9505 Stonelake Blvd starting at 5:30. Please stop by to share some laughs and get to know other IFMA members. Come between 5 to 5:30 and assemble at the fire pit. The chapter will provide a snack or two.

Programs Committee Highlights 

The Programs Committee has some exciting programs lined up this year and will also spend a few minutes each meeting to share success stories. This will also be good time to ask other FMs for help or advise for any particular problems that you may be having which may be worth the price of admission. As always, suggestions for meeting topics are welcome with Mary Duke and Mary Starr, our Programs Co-Chairs.

Upcoming Programs:

October 10 - "Get to Know You" The Austin Chapter reserves a meeting every year for members to get to know each other. Everyone in attendance can take a minute to talk about themselves and their business. Professional members will be asked to speak about themselves as well as their industry and square-footage while Associate members can highlight the products and services. The goal of this meeting is for Professional members to meet other FMs who can relate and provide reference on similar experiences as well as to see what our Associate member have to offer. Bring your business card to exchange with other FMs and enter for a door prize. As time allows, Linda Delmas, Charles Carpenter or anyone else who attended World Workplace can share their experiences and highlight some of the topics that were discussed in Toronto.

November 14 - "Mold Preventive Maintenance" The hottest topic to hit Texas gets an IFMA twist. RSVP early to hear this discussion on identifying and understanding potential mold problems, preventing mold growth and how to run a successful remediation project. 

December ?? - "Holiday Party" Our social committee is searching the city for the best place to have a fun and relaxing evening. Once a great date and place are confirmed, we will announce the plans.  Volunteers contact Julie

Newsletter Information???

Do you have a topic you would like addressed in the newsletter? 
Do you have a facilities website you would like to share? 
Did you find an article that you thought was interesting or helpful? 
Is there an informative book you'd like to recommend to other FM's? 
Did you come up with a great solution to a problem you would like to share? 
Would you like some answers for a question you have?

If so, please email your articles, information, ideas, websites, comments, or suggestions to Priscilla We want to provide you with information you find helpful and informative.

ASHRAE Publishes Fuel Cells For Building Applications 

Like the internal combustion engine in the last century, fuel cell systems have the potential to revolutionize the way power is generated for buildings in the 21st century, according to Michael Ellis. "Fuel cell systems offer modularity, high efficiency across a range of load conditions, minimum environmental impact, and opportunities for integration into cogeneration systems," Ellis says. 

Ellis is the author of a new book on fuel cells published by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Fuel Cells for Building Applications provides building designers with information they need to identify fuel cell applications that will yield economic and environmental benefits. 

There are four types of fuel cell technologies applicable for building systems-proton exchange member fuel cells, phosphoric acid fuel cells, molten carbonate fuel cells and solid oxide fuel cells. The book describes these technologies, their performance and operating conditions, materials of construction, system integration issues, and demonstration and commercialization projects. It includes an assessment of fuel cell systems for cogeneration applications. 

According to Ellis, progress is being made in the development and commercialization of fuel cell systems for buildings, as well as in the development of a regulatory infrastructure to support the introduction of the technology. "Building designers are a critical link in the dissemination of this new technology," Ellis says. The cost of Fuel Cells For Building Applications is $69 ($55, ASHRAE members). To order, contact ASHRAE Customer Service at (800) 527-4723 visit the ASHRAE Online Bookstore at www.ashrae.org.

Facilities Check List 

Practical, step-by-step guides for the busy FM 
FM Link July 2002 

Work Space Requirements Questionnaire 

When designing space, understanding the needs of occupants is paramount. The following questionnaire should be used when you wish to survey individuals about their work-space requirements. Most likely you will need to customize this document to meet the needs of your project. 

Questions are structured to avoid soliciting opinions about satisfaction with existing work arrangements. Where opinions are requested, they pertain to ease or difficulty of performing work. 

This list of questions is exhaustive, and necessarily so. Creating a comfortable, productive work environment is no small task. It requires training and preparation. Tools such as this questionnaire, which appears in BOMI Institute's Facilities Planning and Project Management course, can help you learn to meet the needs of your customers. 

Click here for the complete article and checklist: fmlink

(Long article, but good information on indoor air quality…)

IAQ 'Hot Spots' 

Proper specification, inspection and maintenance of air filters, coils 
and ducts can go a long way toward improving indoor air quality - 

By David Kozlowski, Senior Editor of FacilitiesNet.com

Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) generally occurs when one of two things happens. Either bad air enters a building, or good air goes bad.

Most maintenance and engineering managers have little control over the first situation, aside from making sure air intakes are located away from loading docks or at street level. But managers have many options to ensure that air, once pulled into air intakes, is cleaned and stays clean.

The job of keeping indoor air clean centers on the proper maintenance of three critical HVAC components: filters, coils and ducts. Making sure each of these components functions properly will go a long way in helping facilities avoid IAQ problems.

Cleaning the air 
Any filter will trap particulate matter in the air stream, but trapping the right particulates and enough of them depends on both the type of filter and maintenance of the filtration system.

The media used for particulate filters include paper, cotton fibers, glass fibers and a variety of synthetic materials. Some filters using synthetic materials have an electric charge that attracts particles, in addition to filtering them out of the air stream. Filters can be loose blankets, they can be flat, pleated or bagged, and they can come in various widths. The type of filter medium and its density determines efficiency, while the width determines holding capacity.

Selecting the filter to use and determining its efficiency usually is driven by two criteria: manufacturer recommendations and activities in the conditioned space. For example, operating rooms require much higher efficiency than a commercial office.

The right fit 
All of these measures are beneficial for IAQ, but managers need to be careful about adding filtration willy-nilly, says Bill Smith, program director of facilities for Okaloosa (Fla.) County School District. Providing good IAQ is a constant challenge for his maintenance department, but Smith says he adheres closely to manufacturer recommendations for filtration. To do otherwise risks seriously reducing airflow, freezing the coils and increasing energy costs.

Efficiency is important to filtration. The higher the filter efficiency, the smaller the particles it can remove. But higher efficiency also means a greater pressure drop in the system, reducing airflow. So it is important for managers to determine the contaminants in the air and the level of filtration necessary to remove them, and adjust the system accordingly.

These factors also have an impact on how often filters are changed. Most technicians visually check filters regularly and frequently change them at that point. But, too often, technicians change filters before they need to because a filter that is just getting dirty is just getting good, says H.E. Barney Burroughs, president of Building Wellness Consultancy Inc. and chairman of ASHRAE's Standard 52.2 committee.

To determine the need for changing a filter, it is better for a technician to rely on pressure change as a gauge. Changing a filter at the right pressure change is important not only to get maximum filter performance life but also to avoid blowout around a filter that is too dirty and clogged.

Measuring efficiency 
Managers and front-line technicians have long struggled with understanding how well a new filter will work and what they can expect it to remove from the air stream. But a new way to measure filter efficiency might help clear up some of the ambiguities.

Determining particulate filter efficiency has long been based on the atmospheric dust spot method. But this method never offered a good indication of a filter's efficiency at certain known particle sizes.

To correct this, ASHRAE released Standard 52.2, Method of Testing General Ventilation Air Cleaning Devices for Removal Efficiencies by Particle Size. Standard 52.2 changes the way filters are tested and rated. Manufacturers now will begin providing a value for filters based on their minimum efficiency in removing a range of particle sizes, rather than its average efficiency. Now, managers and technicians will know with some certainty what filter systems are capable of removing from the air stream.

For instance, ASHRAE Standard 62 on IAQ requires a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 6 or greater for many applications. A MERV 6 corresponds roughly to a filter that is 20 percent or less efficient and removes 85-90 percent of particles that are 3.0-10.0 microns. Research indicates that particles of 1.0-5.0 microns are the most troublesome and can enter deep into the lungs.

Particulate matter is not the only thing that filters can remove. Gas absorption filters containing activated carbon or chemically treated clay particles remove compounds that are or behave like gases. No standards exist for rating gas absorption filters, and operating expenses for them can be quite high. But schools located near sewer or industrial plants that have to contend with disagreeable odors might benefit from gas absorption filters.

Clean coils and ducts 
Coils play a critical role not only in conditioning air but also in keeping it clean - or at least in not making air dirtier. The exterior surface of coils and condensate pans can be breeding grounds for bacteria, molds and fungi that can enter the supply air. Eliminating or at least keeping these potential problems to manageable levels requires regular coil cleaning.

Typical cleaning procedures usually involve using a hose to spray a non-acid cleaning detergent on the coils and rinsing it off. ASHRAE recommends a pressure washer set at least 100 psi, with a sprayer head orifice of 1/16 inch.

Some managers have had success using a mild soap, such as dish soap, to clean the coils or a commercially recommending product. A final cleaning procedure involves cleaning out condensate pans and, if necessary, adding an antibacterial agent.

In really dire cases or where both sides of a coil are difficult to access, technicians can remove and clean the coil.

Gookin says the medical center has increased the frequency of coil cleaning to six months, adding that annual washings allowed the coils to collect more dirt than was good. He also points to a slight gain in energy efficiency from washing them more often.

Gookin says that although technicians already add biocide tablets to the condensate pans, they might start using an antimicrobial product when cleaning coils. Smith, however, isn't sold on the antimicrobial products.

"They may retard growth, but they aren't going to stop it," he says. He prefers a non-bleach-based detergent. Many of the hospital's coils are cleaned by hand.

Anti-microbial products might present other concerns, particularly if used on ductwork. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that because these products weren't designed for use in ductwork, no data exists to show either effectiveness or safety. The EPA has no protocol that measures efficacy, chemical exposure limits or risk assessment of these products. So a company interested in stating that its products could be used for ducts would have to develop such a protocol and supply the EPA with data.

To prevent the growth of bacteria, molds and fungi in drain pans, as well as to avoid water splashing onto coils and into the air stream, managers can direct technicians to check coils and pans every time filters are checked or changed. Technicians also should make sure pans drain properly.

When it comes to IAQ, a good preventive maintenance program is crucial. It has made the difference at Okaloosa County School District. Smith says that eight years ago, IAQ problems were the biggest maintenance concern facing the district. But since the district instituted a PM program, Smith says that deferred maintenance, not IAQ, has become his chief maintenance headache.

Resume for Rita L. Johnson -- Facility Manager, Facility Planer and Project Manager

Glenn Roberts is in a hospital in Abilene.  Or, should I should I say he's working at a Triad Hospital in Abilene.