From the Scene: June 13, 2008
by Bill McNew, ASHRAE video consultant, DSG Productions

As I opened the artfully crafted temporary door to the building, a familiar (and dreaded) sound assailed my hearing. I turned the corner in search of the source to find my suspicions confirmed…a vacuum cleaner manfully propelled across the freshly laid carpet by a serious young man in an incongruous hardhat. Incongruous? Actually, he looked pretty macho…I may adopt that look for my own duties at home.

Hugh promised me carpet by my next visit and Hugh’s a man of his word. Carpet. Acres of it. Oceans of it. The entire second floor is done and at least half of the first. It’s a neutral gray with a very ecological green stripe as an accent. It’s laid in tiles, alternating in a chess board fashion, though a bit too subtle for match play. The tiles are easily replaceable should someone (God forbid!) have an accident…a concept borrowed from the restaurant industry, I believe. A quick pry, remove the offended tiles, then slip in the replacements. Damage repaired in a matter of minutes. I was assured a carton of spare tiles comes with the building…no additional charge.

As I passed the geo-thermal closet, I detected a new hum. The system is up, working and cooling the building! Mother Earth gives back and in a big way. Except for the power to run the pumps and circulate the air, it’s a freebee. This gives an entirely new meaning to “cool.”

As I toured the now familiar spaces, I saw a legion of unfamiliar workers pulling data and telephone cables through the ceiling. The spaghetti-like tangle of wires surely means something to someone, but this is a job for professionals. Placing a call and having the toilets flush will simply not do.

Outside, the parking area just north of the building is getting its first layer of asphalt, a process that will eventually encompass the whole parking lot. The bases for the new light poles are installed and waiting for fixtures. These are the new low ambient light units that will help cut down on light pollution. Will you be able to see the Milky Way from the ASHRAE parking lot? I doubt it, but you might be able to see some low flying aircraft. It’s a start.

The soffits are all framed…no wood in sight…and are ready for inspection. The underside will be sheetrock and the weather surfaces will be stucco. It’s going to be a huge improvement.

Hugh tells me the first of the modular furniture is scheduled to arrive next week. The elevator is running and the ceiling tiles will be installed as soon as the tech guys are through (and the toilets quit flushing unexpectedly).

This will be a building for the ages.