Category: Publications, Presentations, Seminar Notes

Founded and led by Engineering Professor, Takoi K. Hamrita, The Global Women in STEM Leadership Summit is a two-day summit dedicated to giving women in scientific and technological fields from all career paths access to powerful tools, strategies and connections to advance their careers and their lives.

Here’s what we have to say about this years’ summit:

 

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If you are responsible for facility electrical operations, you may have heard of the recent updates to IEEE 1584 “IEEE Guide for Performing Arc-Flash Hazard Calculations.” The previous major edition of the standard was in 2002, and many changes have been made in the 2018 version.
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The current approach in building design focuses almost solely on increasing energy efficiency by improving system-oriented controls and behavior. However, occupant behavior also affects energy efficiency. To provide a more realistic modeling result, occupant behavior needs to be included in energy modeling.  more

Willis Manor, named for the WWII Medal of Honor Winner, was procured as Design-Build P-123 Bachelor Quarters, Homeport Ashore Norfolk Naval Station (N40085-11-C-4572). The Clark Construction/LS3P design team was awarded the project as the first NAVFAC MIDLANT project evaluated for Total Ownership Cost (TOC). For the design-build team, P-123 represents the culmination of 12 years of involvement in design-build competition and delivery for NAVFAC and USACE. Many Clark Construction/LS3P projects have included BEQs and barracks, and the team has developed a wealth of knowledge in appropriate systems selection and implementation. more

Have you ever wondered what the most frequent citations are during Joint Commission surveys? Speculate no more! The Joint Commission has teamed up with The American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) to identify the top eight physical environmental standards that are most frequently cited during Joint Commission surveys. Physical Environmental standards include, but are not limited to, fire safety features, egress concerns, and mechanical and electrical system design and operation issues. Citations are made during on-site surveys conducted by The Joint Commission every three years as a part of the process that allows hospitals to maintain their accreditation.  more

The second session I attended at the 2015 American Alliance of Museums was Spatially Literate Digital Experiences with Nathan Moody and Alan Maskin. The presentation opened with the picture of a musical swing set in Montreal, seen above, which shows consideration of spatially literate designs. In this exhibit the designers found an underused area and, understanding the desire for community involvement, created an interactive exhibit that was so popular it is now a permanent installation! more

The first session I attended at the 2015 American Alliance of Museums was TrendsWatch 2015 with Elizabeth Merritt, Founding Director of the Center for the Future of Museums. Ms. Merritt provided some great thoughts on future trends and challenges of tomorrow’s museum design. more

Bustling Atlanta is no stranger to hosting fantastic conferences. Upon learning that this year’s American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo was taking place in my backyard, I knew I couldn’t miss the opportunity to strengthen my knowledge of effective museum design. more

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) were invented in the second half of the past century and since then their use has been growing rapidly. The automobile industry was an early adopter, using MEMS sensors for automobile navigation, tire pressure control, and airbag deployment. As we start transitioning from today’s buildings and systems to future smart buildings, design engineers will have a wide variety of MEMS applications to choose from. more

Newcomb & Boyd Associate Partner, Lynda Herrig, and Senior Architectural Project Manager of Grady Health System, George Smith, presented on the importance of hospital renovations at the Healthcare Facilities Symposium and Expo in Chicago, Illinois. Their presentation highlighted the ongoing renovation of Grady Memorial Hospital. more