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Natural Oak Flooring Is Warm And Inviting

December 25, 2018 admin

Natural oak flooring is a good way to add beauty and style to any room in your home – or all of the rooms in your home. There are several options for the darkness or lightness of the stain. Wood grain is an elegant edition, and hardwood floors can be much easier to care for than carpet in many areas of the house. Rugs can be used to accent the floor or make a more comfortable surface where you like to put your feet.

Entrance ways in natural oak make an inviting first impression on guests who enter your home. If there is a stair well near the entrance, the steps in natural oak will make the look complete. Formal living rooms are also attractive in hardwood such as natural oak. Dining rooms with natural oak floors and an area rug under the table make a spectacular focal point.

Natural oak flooring can also be attractive in the kitchen. Coats of polyurethane will provide a protective covering for the floor and help to protect it from small spills. A damaged floor does not have to be a ruined floor. Many hardwood floors are able to be restored to their like new beauty after a flood by sanding and refinishing the floor.

Dark stained wood floors are warm in large rooms. Light stained wood floors will brighten and open up smaller rooms and areas. Medium stained woods are appropriate for almost any area of any size. If you have a lot of other wood furniture in the room where you want to put hardwood floors, do not match the stain of your floor to the color of the wood furniture. Choose a lighter stained wood for the floor to add contrast to the room. The light floor will help to set off your darker furnishings.

Natural oak flooring is very easy to keep clean. Frequently dusting the floor with a dry dust mop will keep dust and lint from making your wood floors less attractive. Be sure to follow all of the manufacturers’ instructions for cleaning your wood floors. Some ordinary floor cleaner developed for use on other types of floor, such as tile or linoleum, can damage real wood floors.

There s a great selection of natural oak and other hardwood floors available online. Shop for the best selection and the best value for your money. Shopping online is the most convenient way to shop for home improvement and decorating items for your home.
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In regards to the initial purchase and the countless projects that go into it, your home represents one of the largest investments throughout your life. From interior design to landscaping, and from professional remodeling services to do-it-yourself (DIY) projects, it can be a challenge to discover and understand what the best home improvement products, equipment and services are. Alexander Sutton helps homeowners, property managers, and others to address this challenge with convenient success. For more information, please visit Natural Oak Flooring.

Furnishing Your Living Room With Rattan Furniture

December 24, 2018 admin

Many homeowners don’t believe that they can furnish the entire living room with rattan furniture alone. Some still believe that rattan furniture looks odd, and do not look modern enough to be placed in the living room. Then there are others who are not aware that you can find all kinds of rattan furniture. The common belief is that you can find an odd piece of rattan furniture to be placed in desolate corners in the home.

As you can see, there are many faults with such common perceptions of rattan furniture. Firstly, rattan furniture are available in many different shapes, sizes, and designs. The cane is so versatile that it can be used to build almost any type of furniture you can think of. For the same reason, you can also expect to find rattan furniture that come in modern designs.

The demand for rattan furniture has been on the rise these days. You can find rattan furniture almost everywhere you go – both indoors and outdoors. Believe it or not, you can actually furnish your entire living room with rattan furniture. Here are some pieces of wicker furniture you can consider.

Rattan furniture center piece.

Right smack in the center of the living room, there should be an elaborate center piece – a complete rattan sofa set. When guests arrive in your home for the first time, they don’t wander off to other parts of your house by themselves. Instead, they are more likely to stay around the center of the living room. And that’s where your center piece is.

Rattan coffee table.

There is also a very high chance that first time guests will spend a lot more time sitting in your sofa set. That’s the very first thing they notice. As they sit, perhaps a conversation will start. You can serve them some tea over a rattan coffee table, and be a good host.

Rattan bar seats.

When tired of coffee or tea, you can always invite the guests for a drink at the bar counter in your living room. There are rattan bar seats that your guests will find comfortable. They make the perfect furniture for an on-going conversation because rattan furniture ventilates well and don’t accumulate heat easily.

Rattan arm chairs.

When your guests have left, and you are alone, you can always retreat to your favorite rattan arm chair. You can place the arm chair in a personal corner in the living room, or you can place it by the fireplace. You can read or take naps in your personal arm chair for as long as you want.

Rattan tables.

Your dining area may not be in your living room, but you can always have your meals there while you are watching television. You can use the table for other purposes as well – studying, drawing, etc.

So you see, you can furnish an entire living room with rattan furniture alone. The best part is, they are so affordable that you will most certainly be pleased with the amount of money that you will save!

Ideas For Landscaping Around Hot Tubs – Design And Planning

December 24, 2018 admin

What exactly is it that makes landscaping around a hot tub so different from normal landscaping? The hot tub may be elevated. Of course you can just add a bed of mulch, but your hot tub area will look as cheap as the landscaping cost.
Landscaping designs around your hot tub area don’t have to be elaborate. They can be quite simple and still look very nice. Planters and pots filled with flowers and greenery create a nice look. Add a few shrubs and flowers that you like to add color to the surrounding. A large pot on each side of the hot tub steps with a small tree in each one will give your hot tub a welcoming and lovely look.
When it comes to the area around your hot tub, it’s important to have landscaping ideas for privacy. One way to landscape around your hot tub, with privacy in mind, is a screened in gazebo. A gazebo will help to make the hot tub the focal point of your backyard, while allowing you to comfortably use your hot tub in rainy weather. To make it look nice, you can add a couple of simple planter boxes around the outside of the gazebo. If you’re not a gardener, you could choose to plant some low maintenance silk flowers instead.
It would be virtually impossible to enumerate all the possible ideas for landscaping around hot tubs. Let us concentrate here on an Asian themed hot tub that would be a wonderful addition to a yard. A walkway with plants lightly draped over it offers a combination of shade and sunshine and provides an Asian atmosphere as well. You can also rim the tub with cedar planters filled with trees and other plantings appropriate for the weather in your area. That will give your hot tub the sense of permanence one gets with in-ground tubs.
The ultimate landscaped hot tub would be an in ground hot tub next to an in ground swimming pool. A nice compliment to the beauty of the hot tub and pool would be with a little tropical jungle. Again just take some attractive flowerpots and place them in two clusters of 3 because odd numbers always look better. If you use three different sizes for each cluster this will create a terraced look. Using hibiscus flowers, a small palm bush that won’t grow too large and some ivy that will naturally flow down the pots creating a tropical area.
With all of the ideas for landscaping around hot tubs that are out there, I can only touch upon some of the many possibilities. However, while you landscape, remember that you must allow the hot tub a path to drain when emptied. Otherwise all of your beautiful landscaping efforts could get flooded while the hot tub refills. Get creative and express yourself as you design your very own backyard oasis.

Leeds Roofers Reveals Spotting Roofing Difficulties

December 23, 2018 admin

One of the most overlooked things when it comes to roofing is simple enough even for the inexperienced eyes of a homeowner. A frequent examination of your roof tiles from whatever height you might be most comfortable with, be that at the floor or up a ladder, with binoculars or not, will ensure that minor jobs don’t come to be household emergencies.

A few roofing problems that tend to be seen are outlined below
The roof structure frame may easily become stressed since , tiles getting porous, they keep water which makes them heavier.

When there is water on your roof this has a chance to freeze and expand and this is likely to cause tiles to become cracked and broken.The stormy English weather is incredibly adept at finding any weaknesses so cracked and damaged tiles are much more inclined to be the weakest link.. Leaks frequently occur where there is a missing or loose tile .
Moss is not good for the longevity of a roof structure since as it grows it may easily lift up the tiles and leave the roof covering exposed to stormy weather. Moss is a cause of a great number of problems on a roofing.. The large volume of water which is stored by moss is one of its major difficulties.In winter moss and the water it holds gets frozen causing damage identified as frost heave and ice dams which results in damage to all areas with the roof top.
Birds tear off the top layer of roof moss, to expose the insects living in it after which discard the moss which usually finds its way into the gutter, and will be the cause of leaks and overflow.. In the worse instances this can easily also be the cause of drainage complications if the material is allowed to get into them.

When the cement comes loose from ridges that is both a would-be hazard due to falling debris as well as leaving the roof top at risk of water getting in . Rain hardly ever falls straight down, the force of the wind blows it in every which way which means that it’s going to get into the gaps and into the roof structure.

Damaged flashings are also the root of many roof troubles. This might be as a result of inadequate fitting or simple weakening of the joints over time.. So check them regularly.
Frequent gutter cleaning will be certain that water runs off effortlessly.

The Role Of Energy Efficient Transformers In The Petrochemical Industry

December 23, 2018 admin

Introduction

The U.S. petrochemical industry is the third largest in the world and a significant contributor to the countrys GDP. The US Petrochemicals Industry is also an indispensable part of the manufacturing and consumer sectors, churning out products such as fiberglass, tires, paint, plastic, rubber, detergents, dyes, fertilizers, textiles, solvents, and more.

In the recent past however, the US Petrochemicals Industry has undergone reasonably predictable lifecycle-path phases; from initial growth and augmentation to slowing down in marginal returns, and thereafter facing
possible downturns aided by many factors such as competition and resource constraints.

The future of the US petrochemical industry appears to be uncertain at present with the imbalance created in the market by the high feedstock process. According to Business Monitor Internationals (BMI) 2008 US Petrochemicals Report, the industry is also suffering the effects of a contraction in house building and car production, with output set to further diminish in 2009 and 2010.

Besides the ongoing effects of the recession, the US petrochemicals industry is faced with radical changes in the regulatory environment. The US is seeing a new policy climate with greater stress on tackling climate change through reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This move has major
implications for the energy-intensive petrochemicals industry. A bill seeking to make a 17% greenhouse gas emission reduction through 2020 has raised objections from the chemicals industry lobby. The industry could find it difficult to maintain both competitiveness in global markets and meet its carbon
targets, unless it introduces some drastic changes in the way it demands and uses energy.

Energy and the Petrochemical Industry

Energy is a very important cost factor in the chemical industry in general. The petrochemical industry is even more energy-intensive than other sub-sectors within the chemical industry. The sector spent about $10 billion on fuels and electricity in 2004.

The petrochemical industry is responsible for 70% of the chemical industrys expenditures on fuels and 40% of the expenditures on electricity. The cost of energy and raw materials are roughly 2/3rds of the total value of shipments of the petrochemical industry. Because energy is such a crucial cost factor for the
industry, improvement in energy efficiency is an important way to reduce costs and increase predictable earnings, especially in current times of high energy price volatility.

US manufacturers in the petrochemical industry also face an increasingly competitive global business environment; it is thus imperative that they reduce production costs without negatively affecting product yield or quality. Improving energy efficiency reduces the bottom line of any petrochemical plant.

Successful, cost-effective investment into energy-efficient technologies and practices meets the challenge of maintaining the output of a high quality product despite reduced production costs. This is especially important, as energy-efficient technologies often include additional benefits, such as increasing the productivity of the company and reducing the emission of greenhouse gases.

There are a variety of opportunities available in the US petrochemical industry to reduce energy consumption in a cost-effective manner. Companies are thus coming together to begin the process of jointly exploring new and more energy-efficient processes that could dramatically reduce the dependence of the US petrochemical industry on foreign oil. The US petrochemicals industry is being hit by a rapid rise in energy costs and the The Role of Transformers

Transformers, besides other things like switchgear, converters, low-voltage equipment and power-plant solutions, are just some of the things that contribute to the efficient production and management of highquality
electricity.

Most standard transformers in industrial settings operate at full load and have 90 to 95% efficiency. However, one of the main reasons for energy loss in a transformer is due to inefficiencies in the transformer core. This issue is addressed in high-efficiency transformers that utilize the latest core
technologies to reduce core losses. The positive jump in efficiency is due mainly to the fact that the core is energized 24/7, even when the transformer load is turned off or disconnected.

Another issue of concern is that of transformer load. With the majority of the electricity used in the US being run through transformers at lower loads, sizable amounts of energy are being wasted. This issue is
of special relevance to an industry like that of Petrochemicals which already is a high consumer of energy.

The Need for Energy-Efficient Transformers

Compliant transformers are able to maintain National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Class 1 efficiency levels at 35% load. This is accomplished by using higher-grade grain-oriented steel in the core rather than the standard non grain-oriented type. Grain-oriented steel offers thinner gauge and purer
metallic material quality, reducing heat caused from eddy currents by limiting the direction in which current can flow. This narrowing of the magnetic field into a thinner profile also reduces the canceling effect of opposing currents.

Increasing the energy efficiency of a transformer allows the unit to operate at the same level of power with less energy being wasted. This has a large impact on the consumption and distribution of energy because the reduction in energy usage improves the countrys energy independence, reduces its carbon
footprint and lessens infrastructure investment.

Decreasing energy usage by reducing waste even by .03% over the next 20 years cuts the need for new power generation by 60 to 66 million kilowatts. That drop would eliminate the need for construction of 11 new 400-megawatt power plants by 2038.

Electrical power generation accounts for 35% of all US emissions of carbon dioxide, 75% of sulfur dioxide and 38% of nitrogen oxides. With higher-efficiency transformers, the country will see reduced emissions
of CO2, NOx and Hg of 678.8 Mt, 187.7kt and 6.48t over the next 30 years. Curbing energy imports will also bolster the US economy by reducing the current $65 billion trade deficit and mitigating fuel prices through decreased demand.

The compliant transformers will cost more than their lower-efficiency predecessors due to the higher price tag for grain-oriented steel, additional labor and higher raw material costs. While the compliant transformers will add to the cost of construction and maintenance projects, the end user will save this cost over the life of the transformer.

The Role of Transformers

Another issue of concern is that of transformer load. With the majority of the electricity used in the US being run through transformers at lower loads, sizable amounts of energy are being wasted. This issue is of special relevance to an industry like that of Petrochemicals which already is a high consumer of
energy.

The Need for Energy-Efficient Transformers

Benefiting from Better-Designed Transformers

Increasing the energy efficiency of a transformer allows the unit to operate at the same level of power with less energy being wasted in the process.
Electric power systems throughout the petrochemical industry are designed to normally operate at 50 or 60 Hz. With proper planning during the design phase of the power system for a petrochemical plant, certain harmonics can be minimized. Another way to minimize harmonics in the petrochemical power
system is to minimize the saturation of transformers by maintaining the operation of the transformer in a reasonable voltage range.

The system short-circuit capacity is an important factor in determining the impact of power electronic loads in the petrochemical industry. Where the power system is weak with a relatively low short-circuit capacity, the voltage distortion caused by the harmonic currents can be significant. Conversely, where the power system is strong with a relatively high short-circuit capacity; the voltage distortion caused by the same harmonic current sources might be negligible. Thus, one solution to minimize the voltage distortion caused by power electronic equipment is to install the equipment on a strong power source.

Energy Policy Act 2005 Mandates High-Efficiency Transformers

The Energy Policy Act 2005 mandates that distribution transformers meet specific efficiency levels starting January 1, 2007. The production of non-compliant models was to be halted by 2006. The catch, however, is that the higher-efficiency transformers also cost more to build than the non-compliant models. By mid-2007, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) was evaluating the efficiency standards for transformers because it was clear that even a slight improvement could save significant amounts of electricity which was currently being wasted well before it reached consumers. Efficiency in transformers would also reduce emissions from electric generating plants, as they would need to produce less energy.

The DOE was planning to issue new guidelines for distribution transformers by 2008. Once in place following a gradual phase-in, the new transformers are expected to save 26 billion kilowatt-hours annually. This will in turn reduce annual emissions from electric power plants by 15 million metric tons,
about equal to the average annual emissions of 2.7 million automobiles.

Pacific Crest Transformers and the Petrochemical Industry

Pacific Crest Transformers (PCT) has been catering to clients in the Petrochemical industry since its inception in 1919, thus making it possibly the only such company with 90 years of continuous domain
experience.

While the thrust towards energy-efficient transformers may be a relatively new phenomenon in the US, environmentally conscious companies like Pacific Crest Transformers (PCT) began eco-friendly initiatives years earlier.

PCT is committed to designing and manufacturing superior quality, custom-built and specialty transformers in the most cost-effective and responsive manner possible. The company has experience in building Padmount, Station and Secondary Unit Sub Transformers, and today specializes in environmentally friendly and efficient liquid-filled distribution transformers. PCT was propelled towards its energy efficiency initiative in its attempt to produce efficient, energy saving and therefore environmentally sensitive transformers.

The main thrust at PCT has always been customizing transformers after elaborate consultative processes
with the client. The transformers eventually built are based on client specification and are designed to fit
into the existing infrastructure.
Over the years PCT has designed transformers for:
Hazardous, flammable, or explosive environments
On-shore and off-shore platforms in corrosive atmospheres
Special taps and voltages as required
Harmonic loads from PLC and VFDs
High-pollution areas
PCTs transformers are present in environments where there is drilling and refining of fossil fuels, including natural gas, from areas with varied climatic conditions ranging from the hot humidity of the gulf coast to the frigid north slopes of Alaska. PCT Transformers are used throughout the process of
acquisition, transportation, and conversion of the end-products.

Conclusion

Energy is definitely a key driver of the Petrochemicals Industry, and so it is only natural that in the face of an uncertain oil future, companies take another look at the way they consume energy. Energy that is saved is considered the cleanest way of generating additional energy and steps to save energy are long
overdue.

Companies in this sector need to study their processes from an energy-efficiency standpoint and look at the various ways of conservation. With increasingly competitive times ahead, these steps taken now can
result in significant cost reduction. It may also be necessary to retrofit or invest in energy-efficient transformers, and restructure the existing energy system and here, working with a manufacturer that has deep domain expertise and sound long-term environmental strategies can make a real difference.

To know more about Energy Efficient Transformers check out Pacific crest transformers website.

Why TV Furniture is Now Considered as Mainstream Living Room Furniture

December 22, 2018 admin

Television units and OLED 3D TV cabinets are now known as a true piece of furniture for the home. A decent LCD TV stand or LCD TV unit not only improves the atmosphere of your home it can also be more practical than a standard table or sideboard. There are now a impressive collection of Plasma TV cabinets and lcd television units from a huge collection of makes, consumers finally have the sort of choice of LED TV furniture as they would if they were buying a coffee table or bed.

The most regular sort of TV cabinet on the domestic market are the plasma television stands made from glass, typically a glass television furniture stand will be made up of 3 shelves, the top shelf is often thicker in order to provide a stable base for a flat panel TV. The 2 lower shelves provide housing for audio and video components but it is important to be certain there is plenty of internal shelf space both in terms of depth and width. Cable management is usually restricted to a rear column.

Glass OLED 3D TV cabinets are now available for very reasonable prices and they do enable a low cost, yet modern solution to housing a LCD TV. Leading brands of glass TV stands include Alphason Designs and Portability both offer very wallet friendly TV furniture with stylish design.

Glass TV stands are highly popular and for some groups of consumers may prefer to own something a little different, in this case a cantilever LCD TV cabinet is ideal. A cantilever TV stand effectively mixes the concepts of a glass lcd television stand and a wall bracket mounted LCD TV into one. A cantilever television bench looks smart in a range of surroundings and can also be a space saving piece of bedroom furniture. With a cantilever TV stand there is simply no requirement to drill into your wall or run cables through the wall, it is simply a much simple and more functional alternative to a wall mounted television. Our favourite makes of cantilever TV stands include Aquila, Alphason and Gecko who offer a unique range of TV cabinets with optional cantilever TV brackets.

When glass television cabinets were first introduced into the market LED TV benches were perceived as old fashioned and suffered a significant reduction in usage, however glass TV benches are now regarded as the standard Plasma TV storage solution and TV Plasma TV styling has also moved forward offering much more modern looking and sleeker cabinet design. The introduction of intelligent darkened glass enables remote control signals to pass through and control AV equipment inside of the bench even though all of the equipment is closed inside the plasma television furniture stand out of view. It is always worth buying a TV bench with some kind of ventilation system to prevent expensive AV equipment from overheating. Ventilated TV cabinets include designs from BDI, Alphason and Gecko.

Give A New Look To The Country Pine Furniture In Your Own Way

December 22, 2018 admin

Are you in a plan to re-decorate your house or change your furniture sets? Are you looking for something unique and new? We can provide you with a great suggestion which can make the appearance of the entire room change in a great way and thereby give an improved and fashionable look to your house. Go for antique pine furniture.

Country pine is mainly used for book shelves, dining tables, bedroom sets and many more. The country pine is basically a very soft wood whose popularity increased mainly because it was very cheap compared to other kinds of wood like oak or walnut. In fact, today the pine furniture still costs less than the other kind wood pieces and manufacturers claim that it is far easier to make furniture with country pine than with the other woods.

The antique pine furniture brings in a unique look and you can blend it with some other kinds of wood pieces to decorate your room in a different manner. In fact, the country pine furniture is quite ideal for a rustic type of decor. If the pine wood is colored, it would prevent book shelves, dressing table, beds, armoires or any other kind of antique pine furniture from looking heavy. It can also give a cozy feel to the entire house.

However, antique pine furniture can be bought in several ways. These include:

Unfinished Pine: – You can purchase unfinished pine and give it your own look in the house. In fact, if you buy unfinished pine, you will be able to see that your antique pine furniture is made of solid pine and not covered with any pine veneers. You can give in your own color to it like faded blue, mustard yellow or even black. When the color gets dried, the furniture will get a natural look of the country pine.

Barn wood Pine: – You can go for barn wood pine which has the imperfections of pine and will add another character to your furniture. These can be used to make cabinets and table tops.

Antique European: – Since pine trees are found in plenty all over the world, you can use the antique European pine for blanket boxes, dressing tables, desks or wash stands. This furniture will give a country look to your home.

Mass Produced: – You can purchase mass produced country pine furniture and in turn save a considerable amount of money.

You can also paint up an existing piece of pine furniture to give it a completely different look. Painting by proper determination of the furniture will help to save a lot of money. However, before you go for the paint, make sure that you wipe away the dust particles if any, from the piece of furniture.

If you are looking for country pine furniture, you can visit pinefinders.co.uk. This is a very informative website and here you will get variety of antique pine furniture at affordable rates. If you log onto this site and check for the varieties available, you will be able to save a lot of money as well as time.

Home Improvement Shows On Dish Network

December 21, 2018 admin

A house is prized possession for all. A slight damage can upset anyone. From time to time you are required to renovate interior as well as the exterior of your house. This involves a lot of planning and concentration and a slight mistake can ruin the entire plan. Doing something on your own with matters relating to renovation always requires professional help. But from where can you get these help? Simple, all you need to do is switch on your Satellite TV and watch the home improvement shows featured on various channels. Few of these shows include:

Fix This Yard

Is the backyard of the house is full of garbage items? And lets say the paint id also coming out of the fence? Too much of shrubs growing here and there at your front door path? And to top it all your neighbors are also giving pathetic looks, huh? There is so much to do but you dont know how.

Hey! Just relax. Just give a call to Alan and Amy and they will be more than happy to assist you. But who are Alan and Amy? Well, they are the hosts of Fix This Yard broadcasted on A&E of DISH Network.

Sometimes the dilapidated condition of your house becomes an eye-sore for your inquisitive neighbors and they start giving nasty looks. Not only your neighbors but your friends and relatives also stop coming at your place due to the haunted condition of your house. Amy and Alan will fix all your problems. The show hosts will teach the homeowners simple and convenient techniques to give a perfect look to your yard. They will also tell you how to maintain your fixed yard. From an eye-sore your house will become an envy of your neighbors.

Kitchen Impossible

Majority of the home-makers spend an essential part of their time in their kitchens preparing delicious dishes. Like any other part of your house your kitchen needs equal attention while renovating the same. There are numerous shows on DISH TV that provide with unique ideas on how to renovate your kitchen and give it a new look.

One such show is Kitchen Impossible featured on DIY channel. Some of the home owners feel that changing the look of the kitchen involves a lot of hassle. Ace with carpenter and electrician Marc Bartolomeo, will design a perfect plan for your kitchen renovation. It might seem a havoc task. You might have to rip ripping out the existing construction. But through patience and sheer hard work, this havoc task can quite easily be executed. Watching this show you never say kitchen impossible but youll definitely say kitchen possible.

Furniture Rental can Lead to Ownership with Some Companies

December 21, 2018 admin

This current economy has definitely placed a strain upon the general public. A decreased buying power has limited purchases by families. Many go without replacing or buying items as their cash flow has decreased.

Furniture is one area where a great deal of drastic cuts has been seen. The purchase of furniture has reduced considerably because of the inability to pay for these items. Therefore, many families are looking for either used or free items or just making do with what they have.No family really wants to keep outdated and worn furniture. However, they cannot afford current prices either. Therefore, many have turned towards furniture rental. Furniture rental is offered by many companies worldwide and has certain advantages.

Furniture rental is different with every company, but most have the same concept. A customer can participate in the furniture rental program upon qualification. This qualification process is fairly simple and easy. As the prices to rent furniture are much lower than the actual purchase price, many people qualify. They just need to sign a simple rental agreement to get started.

This rental agreement of furniture normally stipulates a given time frame. A standard rental time period for furniture is normally a two year period. After this time period has expired, the customer can make an offer to purchase their furniture. Many furniture rental companies also factor portions of the money already paid and some companies will even take only $1.00 purchase price after the customer has completed all the payments of their contract

Furniture rental programs like this offer advantages to people. These rental programs allow individuals to get nice furniture without a large upfront cost. This means people can pay for the furniture a little at a time over a longer time period. Paying a little at a time does not overwhelm a family or an individual financially.Another advantage of Furniture rental programs is families are getting what they need. It is very typical that a family may not have the furniture that they need because of the inability to pay outright for furniture. Furniture rental programs allow families to get what they need so all family members can live comfortably.

Many companies offer furniture rental programs for families. One such company that has furniture rental programs is Local Rentals. Local Rentals has furniture rental agreements as well as many other rental options. Some of these include computers, washers and dryers, refrigerators, big screen TV’s and much more. To see more about what Local Rentals has to offer, visit www.localrentals.com.au.

About Author:

Local Rentals rent out Household Appliances on a long term basis to customers. This includes TVs, Washing Machines, Computers, Games and Furniture. They also provide quick replacement or repairing if any warranty problems arise. Local Rentals Pty Ltd www.localrentals.com.au

Lessons Learned From A Failed Energy Efficiency Project

December 20, 2018 admin

INTRODUCTION
You would think that energy efficiency is relatively simple: perform an energy audit, install the retrofits and then reap the energy savings. Unfortunately, it doesn”t always work that way. We performed an energy assessment of several stores of a major retail chain in the San Francisco Bay Area and identified a handful of low-cost retro-commissioning measures that had very promising potential. We quantified the expected savings and costs and returned after the project was installed. We then measured the savings using various methods and found either minimal or negative savings. The problem we discovered was that on nearly every measure, the contractors had repaired the hardware, but through various means had ensured that energy savings would not occur. This paper provides an account of the failed project at one store and the steps we took to remedy it. Specifically, this paper stresses the importance of Measurement and Verification and Commissioning of the retrofits.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING
The store, located in San Francisco, belongs to a well-known national retailer, whose name we will not divulge. The store is an aggregate of 3 buildings which have been joined together to comprise almost 1,000,000 square feet, of which over half is selling floor. Stock rooms and offices comprise the remainder of the space. The different buildings range between 8 and 11 stories tall.

The three buildings comprising the store were built at different times from the 1920s to the 1980s. Originally the buildings had different air handling, chilled water and hot water systems. Over the years, through energy conservation and facility improvement measures, the chilled water systems have been merged into one system.

There were no operating boilers in the store. Steam is provided to the store by an external vendor. Hot water is supplied to multi-zone air handling units and perimeter reheats in some areas of the store via heat exchangers.
There is one common cooling plant which houses two 500 ton centrifugal chillers (2004) which run all year. Chilled water is supplied to the Air Handling Units (AHUs) via primary/secondary chilled water loops. During the hottest months, both chillers run at around 90% full load””this happens about 5 days/yr. During the cooler months, one chiller runs at about 40% full load. If you have been to San Francisco you probably know that even in summer a typical day only reaches about 60 degrees . A properly designed and operating building in San Francisco should not need mechanical cooling most of the year, instead relying upon outside air to meet its cooling needs. This was obviously not the case .

A utility bill analysis identified an out of control building. Figure 1 presents twelve months of average usage per day versus average outdoor temperature. Each point represents a billing period. The superimposed red line represents the statistically insignificant trend. The lack of clear trend indicates that the building is either haphazardly controlled or that energy use varies due to some other variable. We believe mostly the former. During warmer periods (which are not that warm) the store uses more energy, indicating a variable cooling load based upon weather conditions. (An ideal system that uses outside air whenever possible should show a horizontal trend in this 48 to 66 degree temperature range.)

There are over fifty AHUs: a mixture of single zone, multi-zone, and variable air volume units. Each of the three sections contains different types of AHUs.
Electricity Costs for the store were over $2.5M per year. With the economic collapse in the fall of 2008, smart retailers were looking to cut costs wherever possible. One line item that could be cut was utilities. Saving 10% or more could add at least $250,000 to the bottom line.

BACKGROUND OF THE UTILITY PROGRAM
There may be several reasons why California uses less than 50% per capita of the energy than the rest of the country, but one major reason is the aggressive effort of the California Public Utilities Commission to cut energy usage. Commercial ratepayers of the investor owned utilities pay a fee in their utility bills that funds energy efficiency programs. These funds are then channeled to the investor owned utilities to promote energy efficiency. These utilities have over one hundred targeted programs aimed at different vertical markets such as: wineries, retail, hospitals, supermarkets, etc. Often these programs will include free energy audits or retro-commissioning services in conjunction with generous incentives to implement energy efficiency measures. In some cases, the utilities will pay for up to 100% of the cost for implementing the measures. The utilities administer some programs directly and outsource others. The outsourced programs are designed and administered by third party energy consultants.

Quantum Energy Services & Technologies, Inc. (QuEST), an energy consulting firm headquartered in Berkeley, administers a retail program for PG&E which covers the San Francisco Bay Area. This program offers retailers free retro-commissioning studies along with incentives to implement energy conservation measures found. The utilities give incentives to the building owners based upon the amount of energy saved. But in order for energy savings to be recognized by PG&E, these savings need to be measured and verified and then the savings calculations must pass a review by third party reviewers. Nobody gets paid if the work does not pass the third party review. The third party review process is necessary to prevent false claims of savings, or gaming of the system. The reviewers can be tough and require all assumptions to be documented and based upon published standards or guidelines. The drawback of third party review is that some measures are dropped as the Measurement and Verification (M&V) costs would be prohibitively expensive.

QuEST retained our company as a subcontractor to help out with the retail program. Our company performed Retro-Commissioning (RCx) services on 8 stores belonging to this unnamed retailer, and this paper is about one of the stores. However, the same story occurred at most of the stores. It wasn”t one failure, but many.

A NOTE ON THE LEVEL OF RCx RIGOR
RCx is different from energy auditing in that RCx typically involves a more detailed study of the building”s control systems and HVAC systems than energy audits. In addition, RCx typically focuses on repairing, recalibrating and reprogramming, rather than procuring new equipment. Simple paybacks for RCx projects typically are under 2 years. Examples of RCx measures are: repairing inoperable equipment, programming controls, demand control ventilation, and calibrating temperature sensors. Examples of energy audit measures (which are not considered RCx measures) are: installing energy efficient chillers, boilers or package units, converting single zone HVAC systems to variable air volume systems, and installing EMS systems. Energy audit measures often are more expensive and may have longer paybacks. On the other hand, true RCx studies are much more detailed, and thus much more expensive to conduct than energy audits. RCx studies usually involve data logging, functional testing of controls, operator training and post implementation commissioning which repeats much of the data logging and functional testing that was previously done. RCx is criticized by some as too heavy on the analysis, as it can require hundreds of hours of work just to perform the study, whereas energy audits consume much less labor.

In order to make the most efficient use of ratepayer dollars, in QuEST”s RCx program the amount of engineering time was scaled down to minimize the time spent on work that does not directly lead to energy savings. Rather than write commissioning plans, and 100-page Master List of Findings reports, the interim deliverable is instead an Excel workbook that describes the measure, states all assumptions and measured values, and calculates the savings. Equipment is data-logged or trended before and after the implementation of the measures. Calculations are made in Excel so they can be verified by third party reviewers. Written reports come later, but are less extensive than typical RCx reports.

ONSITE INVESTIGATION
Two engineers spent 3 days onsite examining the store”s mechanical systems, uncovering problems, and identifying RCx Measures. Our work to this point was nearly identical to an energy audit.
Once the RCx Measures were identified, the list of RCx Measures was given to the customer who then decided which of them should be pursued. The list also was approved by the third party reviewer.

MEASURES FOUND
We found the store could save about $300,000 in both RCx and Retrofit Measures, which, with incentives offered a simple payback of less than six months. That is 12% of their energy spend. The following measure types were identified and approved by all parties:

Retrofit Measures
1.Install Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) on Multi-Zone Air Handling Units (AHUs).
2.Installation of VSDs on secondary chilled water loops.
RCx Measures
1.Repair economizer control on some air handlers. Many outside air dampers were rusted in place. A two by six was used to prop one open.
2.Repair a small number of faulty VSDs, some of which were in bypass running at 100% fan speed.
3.Reconnect static pressure lines. Some VSDs were running at full speed because the lines running to the static pressure sensors in the ducting had been previously destroyed by contractors.
4.Repair/Replace stuck chilled water valves. These valves were cooling whether the AHUs called for cooling or not. As a result, sales floor temperatures ranged from 62 degrees to 70 degrees.
5.Connect some AHUs to the Energy Management System. These AHUs were running wild and had no control at all.

DATA LOGGING
Once the measures were selected by the customer, QuEST engineers placed data loggers to measure pre-implementation temperatures and power. Temperatures measured included Outside Air Temperature (OAT), Return Air Temperature (RAT), Mixed Air Temperature (MAT) and Supply Air Temperature (SAT). Fan Motor kW were also logged for those units on VSDs. Spot measurements were taken of Fan Motor kW for AHUs that were not on VSDs.

SAVINGS CALCULATION
Energy savings were estimated using bin data simulations. Like-type AHUs were combined. Special care was taken in calculating energy savings to ensure that savings were not double-counted. Each energy conservation measure was modeled assuming the prior measures were already implemented. We integrated the interval data that we collected into the bin data simulations. To do this, we created regressions of our variables (RAT, MAT, SAT, kW) versus OAT. These regressions were used to project RATs, MATs, SATs and kW for other outdoor air temperatures that were not included in our sample.

INSTALLATION
Once we had estimated savings using our bin simulation models and provided measure costs, the customer decided which measures to implement. They then hired contractors to implement the measures. VSDs were installed and repaired, economizer dampers repaired, AHUs connected to the EMS system, etc.

M&V PROVES NO SAVINGS
Once the implementation was completed, QuEST engineers returned to the site and again data logged the same temperatures and power as before. The resulting data, RATs, MATs, SATs and kWs, was again regressed against OAT. Using the regression, RATs, MATs, SATs, and kW values were again extrapolated and placed into the bin simulations.

The resulting calculations demonstrated the unthinkable. Not only were the energy conservation measures we had recommended not saving energy, the affected systems at the store were using more energy than before! Actually, this could be seen from just looking at the interval data. It was obvious that the economizers and variable speed drives were not working as intended. The “repaired” economizers were letting in less outside air than before, and the variable speed drives were still commanding the fans to run at a constant load, but at a higher speed than before.

QuEST alerted the customer that their investments were not saving energy. Facility personnel then investigated the problems, found them, and corrected them.

Even though the contractors had made the economizers operational (as opposed to frozen), the damper actuators were not calibrated correctly. When dampers needed to be fully open, they were not. When dampers needed to be at minimum position, they were not. The variable speed drives were also installed incorrectly. Some wiring and controls issues were resolved and the units started operating as expected. Once these issues were resolved, M&V was performed again. We repeated the data-logging and placed this information into our bin simulations, and again projected the annual savings.
There are many ways energy efficiency projects can go wrong.

“Faulty recommendations
“Poor implementation
“Untrained staff who compromise all the energy conservation measures undertaken

Faulty recommendations may arise from a lack of understanding of how systems operate or should operate. Years of experience, and a good understanding of physics and control theory is necessary to make sound recommendations.

Poor implementation has many causes, but often can be traced to the mindset that having the right equipment will make the difference. But as the lessons learned here illustrate, installing the right hardware is only half the solution. It needs to be integrated into the system and operate according to a logical and beneficial sequence of operations.

The last item is especially troublesome because it is so common. Even if the right hardware is installed and controls optimized, small changes to the sequence of operations made to “fix” local problems may have large consequences on overall system performance over time. Changing supply air temperatures at the air handler to resolve hot or cold complaints may upset the balance of the system and cause problems elsewhere. Professors at Texas A&M University have pointed out that in the absence of continuous monitoring, a building”s performance will fall to the level of the least-trained operator within two years.

HOW TO AVOID FAILED ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECTS
There are a couple of ways to avoid projects that fail to produce savings. After equipment is installed, it needs to be commissioned by a third party, not the contractor who implemented the ECMs. Commissioning can be expensive, but it is worth it. However, just because the equipment has been deemed operational by the commissioning agent, that doesn”t mean it is saving what was expected. Commissioning will tell you if the equipment is working as it should. To determine if you are actually saving what was expected, M&V needs to be done on the building. Although M&V can appear as a waste of money to some, it caught this disaster before it was too late.

Unfortunately, building owners often value engineer commissioning and M&V out of their projects and leave themselves open to big disappointments in their energy efficiency projects. M&V is like insurance””sure, it costs money up front, but the reassurance of knowing the project is done correctly should be worth far more than the initial outlay. What other product would you purchase without verifying that you actually received what you paid for? Why should energy efficiency be any different?

CONCLUSION
Unfortunately, energy efficiency isn”t as simple as we would wish. Energy consultants may deliver quality energy audits and RCx studies, but merely implementing sound energy efficiency recommendations does not guarantee energy savings. The weak link is often in the commissioning of the measures to ensure they are doing what they are intended to do.
To avoid underperforming on your energy efficiency measures, we suggest the following three strategies:

1. Commission what you implement with third-party commissioning experts. Commissioning agents are not interested in selling hardware. They are interested in making systems operate at peak performance. They understand physics and control theory and can identify and repair problems quickly.

2. Track your energy savings using M&V. Even using something as simple as utility bill tracking software can provide some insight into building performance. An increase in monthly energy usage when a decrease was expected would have triggered an investigation into the cause. Verifying performance at the system level (as we did), while more difficult and expensive, would have isolated the problem much more quickly and accurately.

3. Provide proper training so that your facility staff doesn”t override or bypass your energy efficiency projects. Although we barely treated this topic in this paper, this is probably the single most effective step you can take. Your staff is the brains behind building operation, despite what EMS vendors may say. Having the smartest control system will do no good if it is operated by the dumbest operators.