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Disclosed is an energy measurement and verification system and method which provides real time documentation of both baseline and post-retrofit energy consumption. Actual energy savings are calculated with a unique combination of computer hardware, energy and data translation software, measurement protocols, and digital remote sensing equipment which monitor the energy consumption of the retrofit environment and a sample baseline environment.
1. A method of determining the difference in thermal transfer between a first region and a second region, comprising the steps of:
measuring the temperature at said first region to obtain a first temperature reading;
measuring the temperature at said second region to obtain a second temperature reading;
subtracting the first temperature reading from the second temperature reading to obtain a temperature difference; and
multiplying the temperature difference by a value representative of the heat transfer coefficient for the environment in which the first and second temperature readings are obtained, thereby calculating the heat differential between the first region and the second region;
wherein said first region is representative of a retrofit environment and said second region is representative of a baseline environment.
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of multiplying the heat differential by a value representative of an area of a retrofit surface, whereby the total energy savings from the retrofit in comparison to a baseline environment is determined.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the baseline environment comprises a window and the retrofit environment comprises the window with energy saving film applied thereto.
4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the baseline environment comprises a roof, wall or floor, and the retrofit environment comprises the roof, wall or floor with newly applied insulation applied thereto.
5. A method for measuring the energy savings obtained by retrofitting an environment with one or more energy saving materials, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a first sample region representative of the environment after retrofitting with the one or more energy saving materials;
providing a second sample region representative of the environment prior to retrofitting with the one or more energy saving materials;
calculating a temperature difference between the first sample region and the second sample region; and
calculating the energy savings provided by the one or more energy saving materials on the basis of the temperature difference and the area of the environment to which the energy saving materials has been applied.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the energy savings is calculated according to the following expression:
QSAVINGS =(tB -tR)hA
where (tB -tR) is the temperature difference between the first sample region and the second sample region, h is the heat transfer coefficient of the region surrounding the first sample region and the second sample region and A is the area of the environment to which the one or more energy saving materials has been applied.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the one or more energy savings materials comprises a film and the environment comprises one or more windows.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein the one or more energy savings materials comprises insulation and the environment comprises a roof, floor or wall.
9. The method of claim 5 wherein several pairs of sample regions are provided, each comprising one region representative of the environment prior to retrofitting with the one or more energy saving materials and another region representative of the environment after retrofitting with the one or more energy saving materials, and temperature differences are measured for each of the several pairs of sample regions, whereby the energy savings is calculated on the basis of plural measured temperature differences.
10. The method of claim 5 wherein the temperature of the first sample region and the temperature of the second sample region are measured with respective temperature sensors.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein each temperature sensor provides an output signal in a digital format.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the energy savings is calculated with a processing device that is connected to the temperature sensors.
13. A system for measuring the energy savings in an environment to which one or more energy saving materials has been applied, said system comprising:
at least one temperature sensor to measure a first region of said environment, said first region being representative of said environment after retrofitting with the one or more energy saving materials;
at least one temperature sensors to measure a second region of said environment, said second region being representative of said environment prior to retrofitting with the one or more energy saving materials; and
processing means for calculating energy savings on the basis of temperature readings from said temperature sensors.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the processing means calculates energy savings based upon the following expression:
QSAVINGS =(tB -tR)hA
where (tB -tR) is the temperature difference between the first region and the second region, h is the heat transfer coefficient of the region surrounding the temperature sensors, and A is the area of the environment to which the one or more energy saving materials has been applied.
15. The system of claim 13 wherein the one or more energy savings materials comprises a film and the environment comprises one or more windows.
16. The system of claim 13 wherein the one or more energy savings materials comprises insulation and the environment comprises a roof, floor or wall.
17. The system of claim 13 wherein several pairs of temperature sensors are provided throughout the environment, and temperature differences are measured for each of several pairs of regions within the environment, whereby the energy savings is calculated on the basis of plural measured temperature differences.
18. The system of claim 13, wherein each temperature sensor provides an output signal in a digital format.
This invention relates to the field of energy measurement and verification, More particularly, it relates to a system and method for accurately measuring and verifying energy savings in real time at a customer facility.
Increasing attention has been focused on energy conservation efforts. These efforts arise from a common desire among both energy consumers and energy providers to develop strategies which promote energy savings. With greater frequency, consumers demand more energy efficient equipment and energy-saving materials as they construct new facilities and retrofit existing facilities. For their part, energy providers offer various incentives to encourage more efficient energy usage by their customers.
Currently, many energy providers offer incentive programs in which a utility buys back unused energy or energy savings that result from use of high-efficiency measures. With these programs, the payback is based on the amount of energy savings through such techniques as lighting retrofits and replacements of high-energy equipment with more efficient models. Even in the absence of such incentive programs, the cost savings of these techniques alone may justify the capital expenditure required for their implementation.
The attractiveness of such incentive programs has helped encourage the development of so-called energy services companies ("ESCOs"). ESCOs generate millions of dollars worth of revenue by implementing energy conservation programs on behalf of customers, such as federal agencies, state and municipality governments and various private sector entities. In many cases, these companies are willing to outlay the capital costs of an energy retrofit in return for a portion of the resulting energy savings revenue (known as "shared savings"), such as that available through energy rebate programs or demand side management (DSD) programs.
An obstacle to the wholesale adoption of existing energy saving measures (as well as to more rapid and profitable development of the ESCO industry) is the inadequacy of current methods of measuring and verifying energy savings associated with many existing energy conservation measures. In the absence of a quantifiable measure of energy savings, many customers are unwilling to incur the capital costs and other expenses associated with retrofitting an existing facility. Similarly, because the financial payback to the ESCO is essentially dependent on a quantifiable amount of energy savings provided to the customer, inadequate energy measurement and verification precludes application of many energy conservation materials in shared savings ventures.
The inadequacy of current measurement and verification techniques is essentially due to the fact that these techniques generally require assumptions as to the energy consumption of the "baseline" environment. More particularly, in order to calculate the energy savings from a retrofit of a given facility, one must calculate the energy consumption of the retrofit environment and subtract this value from the energy consumption of the same environment as it would exist without the retrofit (that is, the "baseline" environment). It is straightforward to monitor actual energy consumption of the retrofit environment. However, since the baseline environment is lost, the energy consumption associated with the baseline environment can only be estimated or compared to a previous year.
In some cases, the hypothetical energy consumption of the baseline environment can be estimated with relatively acceptable accuracy. For example, if the retrofit involves replacement of lights having relatively invariant energy consumption characteristics, the savings of a retrofit with more efficient lights are fairly easy to determine accurately based on the actual use of the newly installed lights. However, where other energy conservation techniques are applied which are less predictable, the accuracy of estimated energy consumption of the baseline environment becomes much less reliable.
For example, a given facility's energy consumption for HVAC (heating, ventilating, and cooling) is greatly affected by such factors as the difference in ambient temperature inside and outside the facility and the thermal characteristics of exterior structures such as windows, roofs, and walls. These factors may vary in ways difficult to model for purposes of calculating baseline energy consumption. Daily temperature differences vary greatly with changing weather conditions and other conditions such as the shade afforded to the facility and the number and behavior of the occupants within the facility. Moreover, as different materials are used or as variations occur within the same type of materials, variations are introduced with respect to the thermal characteristics of the structure defining the exterior of the facility.
Conventional methods attempt to take these variables into account, but such models are prone to inaccuracy. For example, it is known to model the weather conditions at a facility based on historical data for the region. The model may be adjusted to account for actual variations in outside temperature by use of "degree day" calculations wherein the difference of the average outdoor temperature from a base temperature, for example, 65� F. However, with wide fluctuations in daytime and nighttime temperatures, degree day adjustments become rough approximations at best. Other factors, such as those noted in the preceding paragraph, may even be more difficult to take into account in modeling the baseline. For example, even minor adjustments in room thermostats by facility occupants can greatly affect the accuracy of baseline models.
More sophisticated measurement and verification systems are known which may provide more accurate estimates of energy savings under certain conditions. However, these systems are primarily designed for technical analysis and monitoring during product research and development, rather than for permanent installation at an application site. Accordingly, they may fail to take into account the various factors affecting energy savings calculation. Equally significant, such scientific monitoring systems are generally not suitable for real time energy savings measurements in commercial applications. For example, many are not designed to record their measurement in a format which can be readily connected to existing building control systems. Further, the cost of these devices alone may exceed the cost of an entire energy saving retrofit installation.
In summary, current energy measurement and verification methods are perhaps best characterized by the United States Department of Energy Office of Federal Energy Management Programs, in its Measurement and Verification Guidelines for Federal Projects (Feb. 1996). This publication states: "All of the methods for determining energy savings are based on the same concept; namely, energy savings are derived by comparing the energy usage after the retrofit to what the energy usage would have been without the retrofit (i.e. the baseline). It is relatively easy to measure post-retrofit consumption. However, it is impossible to `measure` what energy usage would have been, therefore, it is impossible to `measure` energy savings. Energy savings can only be determined based upon assumptions about the baseline." (Emphasis added.)
It is clear that the limitations inherent in these existing techniques significantly hinder the greater use of existing energy savings measures and lessen the incentive for development new technology that would enhance energy conservation efforts. In particular, retrofits arising from shared energy savings ventures, such as those in which ESCOs take part, often do not take advantage of many energy savings materials now available because of the difficulty in accurately determining resulting energy savings. For example, energy saving window treatments have not been widely applied in retrofits because of potential disagreement between the ESCO and the customer over actual cost savings from the use of such materials. Many other materials well known to provide significant energy savings, such as roofing insulation, are likewise avoided by shared savings ventures for the same reasons.
In view of the foregoing, a need exists to develop a energy measurement and verification technique which is accurate, easily integrated with conventional control systems, and sufficiently inexpensive so as not to outweigh the potential cost return of the energy conservation measures being monitored. A related need exists to provide an energy measurement and verification technique that preserves the conditions of a baseline environment.
It is an object of the invention to meet this need and others. The inventive energy measurement and verification system and method disclosed herein overcomes the limitations of existing monitoring systems by providing real time documentation of both baseline and post-retrofit energy consumption. Actual energy savings are calculated with a unique combination of computer hardware, energy and data translation software, measurement protocols, and digital remote sensing equipment which monitor the energy consumption of the retrofit environment and a sample baseline environment.
More specifically, the inventive technique includes a system and method for measuring the energy savings in an environment to which one or more energy saving materials has been applied. According to this technique, at least one temperature sensor is used to measure a first sample region which is representative of the environment prior to retrofitting with the energy saving material (i.e., a baseline sample). At least a second temperature sensor is used to measure a second sample region which is representative of the environment after retrofitting with the energy saving material (i.e., a retrofit sample). A processing device, (for example, a personal computer, laptop computer, or server) calculates the energy savings provided by the energy saving material on the basis of temperature readings from the temperature sensors.
According to one aspect of the invention, energy savings is calculated based upon the following expression:
QSAVINGS =(tB -tR)hA
where (tB -tR) is the temperature difference between the first sample region and the second sample region, h is the heat transfer coefficient of the region surrounding the temperature sensors, and A is the area of the environment to which the energy saving material has been applied.
According to another aspect of the invention, the energy savings materials may comprise a film that is applied to one or more windows. Alternatively, the energy savings materials may comprise insulation that is applied to a roof, floor or wall.
According to still another aspect of the invention, several pairs of temperature sensors are provided throughout a given environment and energy savings is calculated on the basis of plural measured temperature differences.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, each temperature sensor provides an output signal in a digital format which readily interfaces directly with standard commercial building control computer systems, such as PC-based systems, to provide remote monitoring of both baseline conditions and conditions existing after retrofitting with more energy efficient equipment and materials.
In addition to the above-noted features, particular embodiments of the invention may be adapted to implement energy reduction techniques, such as load shedding. According to this feature, a system controller may be used to automatically scale back or turn off heating or cooling in specific areas on the basis of data which is indicative of environmental conditions. This application may be advantageously combined with other energy savings techniques applied to a new or preexisting site to obtain more energy efficiency.
Other novel aspects and features of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description set forth below.
FIG. 1A to 1C illustrate general features of the invention in reference to a first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a view of remote sensing architecture for measuring respective temperatures of a baseline sample and retrofit sample of a window to which energy savings film has been applied.
FIG. 3 is a diagram of a multiple sensor pair configuration for measuring energy savings in a building in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the steps by which energy savings may be determined from measured baseline and retrofit sample temperatures.
FIG. 5 illustrates an application of the energy measurement and verification system according to the invention to monitor the energy savings obtained by application of roofing insulation in a residential setting.
FIG. 6 illustrates an application of the energy measurement and verification system according to the invention to monitor the energy savings obtained by replacement of old roofing insulation with new roofing insulation in a commercial setting.
FIGS. 7 and 8 are diagrams of screens generated on a computer monitor which are utilized to input parameters for measuring energy savings according to an embodiment of the invention.
The inventive technique is based on a novel paradigm for measurement and verification of energy savings. By preserving a representative sample of the baseline conditions, actual energy savings can be calculated and documented on a real time basis and be self-adjusting for the variables which affect baseline energy consumption.
The following discussion illustrates this technique by reference to a system and method for measuring and verifying the energy savings achieved by application of a film to several windows. It should be understood that this particular application is illustrative. Other embodiments of the invention, including those specifically mentioned below, will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the discussion below refers to summer or cooling season conditions. It will be appreciated that the technique applies equally as well to winter or heating season conditions.
FIGS. 1A to 1C illustrate general characteristics of the invention in reference to a first embodiment of the invention.
In FIG. 1A, an outdoor environment 2 and a closed indoor environment 4 are separated, in part, by a structure, such as a window 6(not drawn to scale). A thermostat 8 is located in the indoor environment 4 and sends a control signal through a wire transmission medium 10 to a HVAC system 12 when the measured indoor temperature tth at the thermostat 8 rises above a set point. Based on this control signal, the HVAC 12 removes warmer air 14 from the indoor environment 14 and resupplies cooler air 16 until the temperature tth falls below the set point. Of course, when the outside temperature to is less than the inside temperature ti (for example, in winter), the thermostat 8 and HVAC 12 supply warmer air to maintain a set point temperature. Although simplified for purposes of this explanation, this environment is representative of a building, residence or other environment in which the present invention may be applied.
In this example, the window 6 in the drawing is almost entirely covered by an insulating and/or reflective material 18 which affects the overall energy related characteristics of the window 6. For example, this material 18 comprises an energy saving film. Accordingly, the drawing illustrates what is referred to herein as a retrofitted environment, that is, one in which one or more energy saving measures have been applied. As a result of the application of the film 18, the energy expended by the HVAC system 12 to maintain the set point temperature will be less within the retrofitted environment than otherwise would be expended had no energy savings measure been implemented. The present invention provides a technique for measuring this energy savings.
As best seen in the exploded view of the area 15 surrounding the window as shown in FIG. 1B, a small area 20 of the window 6 is left untreated by the film 18. This area 20 is representative of the energy characteristics of the original environment. It serves to preserve the original baseline conditions even after retrofitting with the insulating/reflective material, and is an example of what is referred to hereinafter as a baseline sample.
A second area 22 is designated on the surface portion of the window 6 which is treated with the film 18. This second area 22 is equal in size to the above-noted baseline sample 20. This second area 22 is an example of what is referred to herein as a retrofit sample, that is, a sample of the retrofitted material.
When to >ti, the resulting temperature differential produces heat flow from the outside to the inside through the composite structure. The heat introduced to the indoor environment is equal to the heat removed by mechanical means (i.e., the HVAC system). As a result of the action of the HVAC system, the baseline sample 20 and the retrofit sample 22 are representative elements of two heat transfer systems which remain in equilibrium over relevant time periods. That is, while heat flow through the composite structure will vary as the inside and outside temperature difference changes, the two heat transfer systems remain in a relative equilibrium over the time periods during which measurements are taken.
Of course, the system will also be maintained in equilibrium where to <ti. In this case, the direction of heat flow is from the inside to the outside through the composite structure. The heat lost from this process is equal to the heat added by mechanical means (i.e., the HVAC system). Again, the baseline sample 20 and the retrofit sample 22 are representative elements of two heat transfer systems which remain in equilibrium over relevant time periods.
Because the baseline sample 20 and the retrofit sample 22 have different thermal characteristics, the respective heat transfer rates between the indoor and outdoor environments at these areas will differ. Consequently, a measurable temperature difference exists between these two regions. This temperature difference may be represented by (tB -tR), where tB is the temperature at the baseline sample and tR is the temperature at the sample portion of the retrofitted composite structure.
The rate at which the heat flow at the two sample points 20 and 22 is transferred into the interior environment is primarily dependent upon the thermal convection of air within the environment. Since it is intended to monitor the energy savings of the improvement relative to the baseline, it is not necessary to calculate individual heat flows at each sample location 20 and 22. Instead, it is only necessary to calculate the difference in heat introduced into the indoor environment by the baseline sample and the retrofitted sample.
Mathematically, the heat flux qB at the baseline sample and the heat flux qR at the retrofitted sample may be represented as follows:
qB =(tB -ti)h (1)
qR =(tR -ti)h (2)
tB =Temperature at the baseline sample;
tR =Temperature at the retrofit sample;
ti =Temperature of the indoor environment.
h=The heat transfer coefficient of air (or material) surrounding the samples.
The heat differential qD (in BTUs per hour per square foot) is:
qD =qB -qR (3)
Substituting equations (1) and (2), we find: ##EQU1##
Thus, the energy flux difference between the baseline sample and the retrofit sample is provided by the difference in temperature between the two samples. This quantity may be multiplied by the total surface area of the retrofit, Aw, in order to determine the net energy savings. Since the baseline sample area is relatively small in comparison with the area of the retrofit glass, it does not significantly affect the operation of the system. Thus, the energy savings obtained by the retrofit, QSAVINGS is:
Qsavings =(tB -tR)hAw (5)
Specific examples for measuring energy savings in a variety of applications are set forth below. In these examples, at least two temperature sensors measure the temperature difference tB -tR. FIG. 1C demonstrates that the manner by which temperature sensors can be used to measure energy savings accurately according to the relationship expressed in Equation (5).
FIG. 1C is a circuit diagram of a heat transfer system, such as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. Specifically, it illustrates a temperature sensor 21 which is disposed a distance L from a retrofit sample 22 of a window.
The overall heat flux, qroom, through the window 6 and film 18 to the room is:
qroom =τw QS + (to -ti)/(1/ho +1/Uw +1/hi)! (6)
where τw is solar transmissivity through the window as reported by the manufacturer, QS is total solar load, to and ti are outside and inside temperatures, ho and hi are outside and inside heat transfer coefficients, and Uw is the universal heat transfer coefficient as reported by the manufacturer. The heat transfer coefficients include both a convective term (based on orientation and air speed) and a radiative term (based on emissivity and temperature differential).
The same heat flux can be split into two equivalent heat fluxes from outside through window to sensor and from sensor to room. The heat flux from outside through the window to the sensor can be expressed as:
qroom =τw αs Qs + (to -ts)/(1/ho +1/Uw +L/ka)! (7)
where αs is the solar absorptivity of the sensor, ts is the sensor temperature (as measured), ka is the conductivity of air, and L is the gap between the window and the sensor.
The heat flux from the sensor to the room can be expressed as:
qroom =(ts -ti)hi (8)
It will be appreciated that Equations (6), (7), and (8) are equivalent due to the series heat flux path shown in the thermal circuit of FIG. 1C. The complicated heat flux from outside to inside is easily measured without knowledge of all of the input parameters required for Equations (6) or (7). Instead, the minimal parameters of Equation (8) (multiplied by Aw) will suffice. The temperature ts is measured with the sensor, ti is the indoor set point temperature, and hi is the indoor heat transfer coefficient that can be obtained from tables such as the ASHRAE Handbook (e.g., h=1.46 Btu/hr-ft2 -F).
In fact, since we are not interested in the absolute heat rate through the window, but instead the relative or differential heat rate of Equation (3) (i.e., Qroom,B -Qroom,R), the set point temperature is not required. Thus, as indicated with Equation (5), (Qroom,B -Qroom,R =(tB -tR)hi Aw), and so the only manual inputs required are the window area and the heat transfer coefficient. The sensor temperatures may be automatically measured and applied in the manner described below.
FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the invention specifically adapted for use as an energy measurement and verification window film retrofit monitor. Similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, a window 20 is illustrated which has been "retrofitted" by the application of a window film 22. The film 22 may comprise any commercially available material intended to affect the energy related characteristics of the window 20. For example, Scotchtint™, Sun Control, and All Season films offered by 3M™ are known to provide treated windows with improved thermal insulation and to increase the reflectance of the surface area. In FIG. 2, the surface area of the window film 22 is shown as a smaller rectangular area within the area of rectangular window 20.
As shown, a relatively small area of the window 20 is left untreated to form a baseline sample 24. For example, the baseline sample 24 may be one in which the film 22 is removed to reveal a portion of the original window surface. Although illustrated as a larger region to better illustrate the invention, the area of the baseline sample 24, AB, should in fact be relatively small in comparison with the total area of the window AW so as not to detract from the efficiency obtained by the retrofit. In other words:
The baseline sample 24 is representative of the energy characteristics of the original environment. It thus serves to preserve the original baseline conditions even after retrofitting with the window film 22.
A pair of calibrated temperature sensors 26a and 26b are attached respectively in the vicinity of the baseline sample 24 and to an area 28 on the retrofitted surface. These temperature sensors 26a and 26b measure the respective temperatures tB and tR described above in reference to FIG. 1A, thereby providing signals representative of the temperature of the retrofitted environment as well as the baseline environment. The temperature sensors 26a and 26b output temperature signals over wire 21 to a processing device 27, such as a computer. Depending on the distance and other factors known to affect signal quality, the temperature signals may be provided to a standard parallel port of a conventional computer that is programmed in accordance with the method described herein.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the precise placement of the temperature sensors 26a and 26b relative to the samples 24 and 28 will vary depending on particular conditions found within the environment to be monitored. Generally, it is necessary to place the temperature sensors 26a and 26b sufficiently close to the samples 24 and 28 so as to fall substantially within the same temperature gradient as the air surrounding the sample to be monitored. It has been found that a separation of about 0.5 inches from the surface of the sample to be measured provides accurate results.
The type of sensor may also vary depending upon the application. As a general matter, any temperature sensing device or combination of devices that is (are) capable of providing a temperature indicating signal can be used in connection with the inventive technique. While a number of commercially available analog devices and digital thermometers made of discrete components can be used, each has inherent characteristics which may affect the implementation of the invention. For example, it is possible to utilize analog sensors to measure the temperature at each of the areas of the window indicated above. However, analog signals may be more prone to transmission errors which may become more pronounced as the distance to the processing location increases. Moreover, the use of analog signals generally requires conversion to digital form at the processor location.
While many alternative configurations for the sensor may be possible, we have discovered that digital sensors are particularly advantageous when utilized in connection with the system and overcome the inherent limitations of analog devices and sensors constructed from discrete components. Such devices provide temperature readings with sufficient accuracy in a format which is less susceptible to signal degradation and which is easily compatible with conventional processing devices, such as personal computers, portable computers, or servers in a network environment.
The preferred embodiment utilizes a single integrated circuit (IC) digital thermometer of a type now available commercially. For example, a digital temperature sensor manufactured by Dallas Instruments, part number DS 1620, is ideally suited for use with the inventive technique. Digital sensors of this type generally include temperature measurement components, such as a thermistor, and analog to digital conversion circuitry. They may also include memory components and addressable registers, permitting several of such devices to be connected together in a network. Of course it should be understood that other sensing devices may be utilized in a similar or equivalent manner to provide the same functionality.
An advantage of using a chip of the type described above is that the it typically does not require external components, allowing the final sensor packaging to be very small and unobtrusive. The preferred sensor also provides a digital signal in a conventional format, such as a 9 bit format, which is indicative of temperature readings. A conventional digital format facilitates connection to personal computers (PCs) or building control systems and is not platform dependent (that is, the signal can be read by many commercially available computer system, including, but not limited to, DOS/Windows based machines, Macintosh systems, Sun systems, and Unix-based systems). Since many newer building control systems, such as those manufactured and installed by Honeywell, Johnson Controls, and Powers, utilize the DOS/Window-based PCs for graphics displays and data terminals, this format has widespread applicability. Integration with many other systems are also readily supported.
Other advantages are also provided by use of a digital temperature sensing device. For example, the system may be integrated with a thermostat to allow load shedding functions and to provide additional energy savings beyond those realized by the envelope improvements being measured and validated. Other configurations allow multidrop or mini-LAN capabilities within the chip itself. This feature facilitates wiring of the energy measurement and verification system in buildings where multiple exposures are being monitored and a building control system or LAN is unavailable.
Various wiring architectures can be utilized to transmit the temperature signals detected by the temperature sensors depending upon which particular type of sensor is utilized. For example, the Dallas Instruments sensors noted above can transmit signals over a three wire configuration or a single wire configuration. Such chips require either a 3 or 5 volt power supply and can be wired as a parasite to draw operating voltage from data communication wiring. This flexibility allows integration of the system according to the invention into a variety of buildings and building control systems. Of course, wiring will be customized as necessary to fit each installation.
Unlike the prior model-based techniques described previously, the architecture shown in FIG. 2 is inherently self-adjusting in that it accounts for factors which otherwise must be estimated. This advantage results from use of calibrated temperature sensors that directly measure temperatures of both the retrofit and baseline samples. The retrofit measurement achieves the new energy savings temperature while the baseline sensor maintains the original (non-retrofit) temperature. Additionally, the technique provides energy measurement and verification in real time. Accurate net savings may be obtained by sampling temperature measurements at discrete times and integrating over a time interval to provide instantaneous, hourly, daily, seasonal, and yearly energy savings.
FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which multiple sensor pairs (baseline sensors 32 and retrofit sensors 34) are utilized to monitor a larger environment than the environment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown, multiple sets of sensors may be provided at various locations within a structure. For example, a sensor pair may be provided respectively at low, mid and high level floors of a building and at each of four exposures (north, east, west, and south). Each of the sensors may be coupled along a common signal path 35 to thereby form a network under control of a central processing device 36.
The configuration illustrated in FIG. 3 permits more accurate estimation of the total energy savings within an entire building. It permits detection of different rates of energy within different areas of an environment which may result from fluctuations in conditions that affect energy savings.
This embodiment of the invention also may be applied in connection with load shedding applications. Load shedding may be implemented by monitoring the temperature with the sensors to adjust the building HVAC with respect to portions of the building that are subjected to variations in conditions. While such an application may not be preferable to a standard configuration of room thermostats (due to the placement of the sensors near a window), the sensors could be used to provide early indication of environmental variations before they affect the general environment. For example, the central controller may detect a decrease in sunlight which would reduce the need for cooling within a building, and accordingly decrease the flow of cooled air to the affected areas.
As FIG. 3 suggests, various other modifications and alternate embodiments of the invention are possible. Increased accuracy may be obtained by increasing the number of baseline and retrofit sample pairs. For example, taller buildings may require more sample pairs depending upon shading from adjacent buildings. Generally, the number and placement of sample pairs will be customized for each location dependent upon such factors as desired accuracy and variations within the environment.
Now that examples of the energy measurement and verification system have been described, an illustrative methodology by which the temperature signals are processed is now set forth.
As noted above, the preferred means for processing the temperature signals for each sample is a suitably programmed computer. Of course, implementation of the invention is independent of the particular hardware platform which processes this data. In fact, the invention may be implemented by use of a portable microcomputer, a "desk-top" personal computer, a workstation connected in a network, or through any other comparable device or combination of devices.
FIG. 4 is a flow diagram which illustrates the method of operation for the system. As shown, at steps S1 and S2, the temperature of each baseline sample tB and each retrofit sample tR are read. Depending on the specific configuration of the sensors and the processing device, these steps may be performed simultaneously or sequentially, for example, by successively strobing enable pins on a digital temperature sensor.
At step S3, the values for the retrofit window AW and for the heat transfer coefficient h are input. The h value may be calculated as a constant, manually updated, or automatically updated internally through a self-calibrating algorithm programmed into system software to ensure accuracy of the calculations.
On the basis of the values obtained in the preceding steps, the energy savings provided by the retrofit is determined at step S4. As described above, the energy savings for each sensor pair may be expressed as (tB -tR)hAW. Based on these values, the total energy savings may be calculated for the entire retrofit environment.
Optional steps are illustrated in FIG. 4 for further processing of the information obtained at step S4. At step S5, the average cost per unit energy is provided to the processing device. Based on this value, the total monetary savings can be calculated.
As indicated at step S7, any of the values computed above, or any other values derived therefrom, may be displayed to a user in any manner desired. For example, the total energy savings may be displayed on a workstation monitor, may be printed in a report or otherwise processed as known in the art.
Similarly, at step S8, the values calculated above or other values derived therefrom are stored. For example, the total energy savings over a given period of time may be stored and then processed by an ESCO to determine any cost savings that is owed by a customer in return for a retrofit.
FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate an interface for a program developed in accordance with the invention. The program is utilized to receive necessary parameters to calculate energy savings and also to control a pair of temperature sensors which measure the temperature of a baseline sample and a retrofit sample. In this example, a pair of DS1620 sensors are utilized to generate temperature signals which are received at a conventional parallel port of a portable computer. The temperature readings are then processed to measure energy savings.
In the example shown in FIG. 7, the user is prompted to enter the "h" coefficient, the window film area (which is approximately AW), and the energy cost. These values may be stored temporarily, but the valves could also be retained for subsequent runs. Preferably, a default set is used for initial start-up (e.g., an h value of 1.46 Btu/hr-ft2 -F, an area of 1 ft2, and a nominal electrical cost for air conditioning).
The temperature tB of a first baseline-measuring sensor and the temperature tR of a second retrofit-measuring sensor are probed simultaneously and continuously. In this example, the sensitivity of the sensor measurement is 0.5� C.; thus, the measurement is accurate to within 0.9� F. The heat savings and cost savings for the retrofit are displayed in FIG. 8 as the instantaneous values at this time.
In the examples, shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, there is a button for a log file which may be used to tabulate time versus temperature, heat savings, and cost savings. For the cost of energy input field, a pull down menu may be used for various heating/cooling fuels and systems so that the user can choose the appropriate energy usage. The "advanced" button may be used to access enhanced features, such as "h" coefficient internal computation, software calibration of sensors, adjustable frequency time/temperature logging, time-integrated "average" value displays (i.e., hourly, daily, seasonally, yearly), a cost of energy worksheet for establishing local energy rates for the building system, as well as possible load shedding or thermostatic functions.
Although a particular example has been described, it will be appreciated that calculation and display of energy savings can be implemented in any of a number of ways. For example, the data read from the sensors could be stored and then input to a conventional spreadsheet program. Alternatively, the processing could be implemented with other specialized, custom-designed software.
In view of these examples, it will also be appreciated that the invention provides real time documentation of actual energy savings provided by various energy saving techniques and materials, such as window treatments. The sensors obtain actual heat transfer data from one or more sample pairs and takes into account continuously varying ambient temperatures.
The inventive technique also takes into account a variety of other conditions which require complicated or unreliable estimation. For example, actual solar heat gain from diffused and direct solar radiation is measured directly at representative samples, whereas in previous methods, solar heat gain is factored in as an estimated value.
As will be appreciated, the inventive technique may be utilized in a wide variety of applications apart from those described above. In particular, it may be implemented to monitor energy savings from any facade, fenestration, roofing, or flooring treatment. Thus, energy savings by application of roofing insulation, facade insulation, and various fenestration treatments may be calculated.
FIG. 5 illustrates an application of the energy measurement and verification system to monitor the energy savings obtained by application of roofing insulation in a residential setting. A cross-section of a conventional pitched roof 54 is shown wherein new insulation 52 has been applied under preexisting insulation 53. A portion of the new insulation is removed to preserve a sample of the baseline environment. Temperature sensors 58a and 58b are applied to measure the temperature of the baseline sample and a sample of the retrofit environment obtained by application of the insulation system. The respective temperature signals are supplied to a processing device 59, which may comprise a conventional home PC.
FIG. 6 illustrates an application of the energy measurement and verification system to monitor the energy savings obtained by replacement of old roofing insulation 62 with new roofing insulation 63 in a commercial setting. A cross-section of a commercial building roof 64 is shown. A portion of the old insulation 62 is maintained in place to preserve a sample of the baseline environment. Temperature sensors 68a and 68b are applied to measure the temperature of the baseline sample and a sample of the retrofit environment obtained by replacement of the old insulation system. The respective temperature signals are supplied to a processing device 69, which may comprise a dedicated building computer system or a conventional stand alone PC.
As these embodiments illustrate, the energy measurement and verification system may be utilized to determine energy savings for a wide variety of energy savings techniques. For example, the technique can be applied to monitor energy savings achieved with the application of floor or wall insulation.
Apart from energy savings monitoring, the invention may also be utilized to measure the energy characteristics of sample materials. For example, instead of measuring temperature differences between baseline and retrofit samples, temperature differences could be measured between a first sample having known energy characteristics and a second sample whose energy characteristics it is desired to determine. Such a system can be applied to evaluate the energy performance characteristics of a material. For example, it could be used to formulate energy curves over various inside and outside conditions. In this manner, the invention could serve as a basis for a material evaluation and certification system.
Additionally, the technique could be utilized to increase energy savings through load shedding techniques. As known in the art, load shedding is the principle of shutting down unnecessary equipment on the basis of varying conditions, such as weather or reduced demand. Currently, typical perimeter HVAC systems are controlled by means of ambient space temperature sensors which do not adequately sense perimeter conditions. In particular, many conventional thermostatic devices in current use utilize discrete circuits for their operation and are thus too large and too expensive for embedding in otherwise low cost HVAC devices. As a result most residential units are served by one or two thermostats for entire homes. Commercial facilities typically utilize only a single thermostat in a particular zonal or multi-room area.
In contrast, the above mentioned thermostatic chip is small enough and inexpensive enough to be embedded into a large number of areas and allow more precise thermostatic control of individual rooms in both commercial and residential settings. Thus, in addition to facilitating calculation of energy savings obtained through retrofitting techniques such as adding insulation, it is possible to increase energy savings through more effective load shedding techniques based on improved temperature measurement than provided by conventional thermostats.
Moreover, due to their low cost, small size, and provision of PC compatible outputs, the above-noted sensors may be used in several other environments, such as diffusers and dampers, to serve solely as more effective thermostats. By embedding electronic thermostatic control into individual diffusers and dampers, it permits cost effective conversion of constant air volume systems in residences and commercial properties to an energy saving variable air volume system.
These advantages are also applicable in local area network (LAN) centers and co-located computer facilities. These devices require special air conditioning (AC) for rejection of heat produced by the processors to prevent data loss from shut down of the server from over-heating. A conventional method of protecting against data loss under these conditions uses alarms connected to the AC system to alert computer personnel of cooling systems failures so that back-ups can be performed prior to data loss. The above-noted sensors can be applied to monitor the temperature of these environments so as to automatically initiate backup procedures in the event of overheating, and, with Energy Star compliant computers, shut down unnecessary equipment to reduce heat loading and provide additional time for computer personnel to respond.
Various preferred embodiments of the invention have now been described in fulfillment of the objects of the invention. Many other alternate embodiments may be implemented without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Patent Citations
Non-Patent Citations
Referenced by
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Rant & Rave
Houston's home for local music, movie, arts and entertainment news and reviews.
Posts filtered on Tag
Roosh Williams and Scarface team up for 'Deep End'
The Houston rapper gets a guest spot from the Geto Boys member. [Read More]
Roosh Williams unveils 'Unorthodox' music video
The Houston rapper pays tribute to "Mortal Kombat" and engages in an "epic dance battle." With himself. [Read More]
Roosh Williams pays tribute to Houston Rockets in new video
The charismatic rapper revisits Clutch City in "Dream Shook." [Read More]
Roosh Williams reps Houston, Marvin Zindler in new video
The rappers new clip also features Doughbeezy. [Read More]
Roosh Williams goes live in Houston
The breakout rapper performs with a full band tonight at Mango's. But first, he talks new projects and inspiration. [Read More]
SXSW announces 2014 lineup
The first round of SXSW Music Festival artists were unveiled today, and among them are several Houston acts. The lineup includes Wild Moccasins, the Suffers, rapper Roosh Williams (who recently dropped a free EP), DeLorean, Doughbeezy, Jonzieeee, Robert Ellis, Killa Kyleon, Lil Ray/Wheels Up and Propain. SXSW is expected to attract more than 50,000 registrants […] [Read More]
Houston rapper Roosh Williams gets big-league help on new EP
Simple Mobile, Complex Magazine and HipHopDX feature him on Change Your Game, a video series that hits up various U.S. cities to "create game-changing opportunities." [Read More]

subset: commoncrawl


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By Gerry J. GilmoreAmerican Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2001 American troops killed an unknown number of refugees near the Korean village of No Gun Ri in the early weeks of the Korean War, but no orders were found directing such attacks, DoD officials announced Jan. 11.
Senior Pentagon officials announced findings from a comprehensive, 15-month-long, U.S.-Republic of Korea investigation at a Pentagon press briefing.
The U.S.-ROK Statement of Mutual Understanding points out that, All the veterans interviewed by the U.S. Army who fired at refugees stated that they did not receive any order to fire. Some other veterans, however, stated that they believed that such an order must have been given.
While a comprehensive search of records and these veterans interviews did not disclose any evidence of the issuance of such an order, some other veterans, who themselves did not fire at refugees, assumed that there must have been an order to fire on refugees because they observed small arms, machine guns, mortar and artillery fire at refugees.
Defense Secretary William S. Cohen read from a prepared statement at the briefing. The passage of 50 years has reduced the possibility that all of the facts can be known about the tragic incident that took place in the vicinity of No Gun Ri in South Korea, he read. We have determined, however, that U.S. soldiers killed or injured an unconfirmed number of Korean refugees in the last week of July 1950 during a withdrawal under pressure in the vicinity of No Gun Ri.
The United States will erect a memorial in the vicinity of No Gun Ri dedicated to the innocent Korean civilians who were killed, and it will start a scholarship fund for South Korean youths, Cohen noted.
Answering accusations that U.S. planes strafed refugees at No Gun Ri in July 1950, the statement of understanding noted that research of official U.S. Air Force records and pilot interviews taken do not reflect a July 26 mission in the vicinity of No Gun Ri. However, the report noted, an air strike occurred July 27 in the vicinity of the village, so reviewers could not rule out the possibility of a July 26 strike.
Korean officials reported that an unverified total of 248 civilians were killed at No Gun Ri, according to the statement of understanding.
Earlier in the day the White House released a statement by President Clinton. On behalf of the United States of America, I deeply regret that Korean civilians lost their lives at No Gun Ri in late July 1950. The intensive, year- long investigation into this incident has served as a painful reminder of the tragedies of war and the scars they leave behind on people and on nations, Clinton said in the statement.
According to the statement of understanding, U.S. soldiers at No Gun Ri around July 25-26, 1950, were new to combat and concerned about the real possibility of North Korean infiltrators posing as refugees. Elements of the U.S. Armys 7th Cavalry Regiment were retreating through the No Gun Ri area during that time.
In the early period of the conflict, many of the U.S. soldiers deployed to Korea were young, undertrained, underequipped and new to combat. Units operating in the vicinity of No Gun Ri were under the command and control of leaders with limited proven experience in combat. They were unprepared for the weapons and tactics of the North Korea forces that they would face and the speed of the North Korean advance, the statement of understanding said.
On Sept. 30, 1999, Cohen directed the Army, in concert with a seven-member, DoD-appointed panel that included Korean War veterans, to conduct a full investigation of No Gun Ri.
A Pulitzer-Prize-winning Associated Press article published in 1999 reported that U.S. ground and air forces allegedly killed hundreds of refugees around and under a railroad bridge near a Korean village called Nukuen-Ri, often referred to as No Gun Ri.


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Protect Your Ball BearingsNovember 5, 2010 4:36 am | Product Releases | Comments
The DayLube high-performance grease from Dayton Progress Corporation (Dayton, OH) uses nanoceramic particles, which provide continuous lubrication to steel surfaces with a lower coefficient of friction at all temperatures than traditional PTFE greases. According to the company, the grease does not soften or run out — after 100,000 production strokes, it showed no evidence of breaking down.
Who Wants A 'Sortasaurus'?November 5, 2010 4:35 am | Product Releases | Comments
The new Sortasaurus ergonomic table from Meese Orbitron Dunne Co. (Ashtabula, OH) is rotationally-molded from smooth and 100 percent waterproof polyethylene plastic to eliminate the splinters, bacterial concerns, and other safety issues associated with wooden tables. The Sortasaurus table uses a one-piece design with wings on three sides to help corral diverse products, parts, and packages as they are put on the table.
Manufacturing Hiring, Optimism Remains LowNovember 4, 2010 9:08 am | News | Comments
Business leaders in the manufacturing space are pessimistic, with only a third (33 percent) expecting the U.S. economy to improve in the next six months, according to Grant Thornton's quarterly survey of U.S. business leaders. The hiring outlook for manufacturing companies is also gloomy — only 37 percent of manufacturing business leaders report that their companies will increase hiring in the next six months.
An Unrelenting Focus On The Big PictureNovember 4, 2010 7:04 am | by Dr. Francois Nader, CEO, NPS Pharmaceuticals | Articles | Comments
The business of bringing new therapeutic products to market is full of challenges. From high costs and long development trajectories to unanticipated side effects and questions of reimbursement, succeeding in the pharmaceutical industry requires intellectual, scientific, regulatory, and financial acumen.
Japan Readies Its Robotic WorkforceNovember 4, 2010 6:34 am | Videos | Comments
Japanese researchers have developed a human-like robot to supplement the country's shrinking workforce, as nearly 25 percent of the country's population is over the age of 65. The machine has 34 moving joints, stands almost 5-feet tall, and weighs 85 pounds. According to CBS News , the robots are expected to be used in manufacturing applications, and their mobility will allow them to move around the plant at will.
How Not To Pour Molten AluminumNovember 3, 2010 9:54 am | Videos | Comments
A group of what appear to be students get an important lesson on safety when dealing with molten metals. Step one: Get a bigger set of tongs. Step two: Wear your face shield, and don't lie about not wearing it to your boss. It's on video. Step three: It's usually better to delete these sorts of things, rather than put them on YouTube.
75 Good Years Of Anti-Competitive BusinessNovember 3, 2010 9:51 am | Videos | Comments
The legendary board game Monopoly turns 75 this year, so CNN visited Hasbro's manufacturing facility to ask the employees why they think the game has been so consistently successful. If you're having trouble watching this video, try downloading the latest version of Flash Player or contacting your IT department.
Mike Rowe And The 'War On Work'November 3, 2010 9:49 am | Videos | Comments
This one's an oldie, but a goodie. Mike Rowe, renowned for his work on Discovery's Dirty Jobs , gives a few anecdotes about some of the work he has been forced to do over the years. And while one of them is particularly cringe-worthy, Mike's message in the end is pretty clear: hard, dirty work is nothing to be ashamed of, and in fact, it's usually the better work.
The State Of Today's U.S. WorkerNovember 3, 2010 9:48 am | Videos | Comments
Former IBM CEO Lou Gerstner discusses the state of the average U.S. worker in today's globalized tech industry, and how companies who are trying to make their enterprises efficient and global are treating their workforce. Furthermore, Gerstner touches on just how these workers can position themselves for success in this environment.
Wash. Voters Reject Private Workers' CompensationNovember 3, 2010 5:04 am | News | Comments
SEATTLE (AP) — Washington voters have rejected an initiative that would have privatized workers' compensation insurance. With more than half of the expected vote counted in Tuesday's election, Initiative 1082 was being defeated by more than 16 points, with 58 percent of voters saying no on the ballot.
Factory Orders Grew In Sept., Breaking Streak Of DropsNovember 3, 2010 4:48 am | by Daniel Wagner, AP Business Writer | News | Comments
WASHINGTON (AP) — Orders to U.S. factories rose broadly in September, propelled by business spending on commercial airplanes, boats and machines. The Commerce Department says that factory orders rose by 2.1 percent in September, the steepest increase since January. Orders were flat in August.
October Auto Sales To Rise Dramatically Over 2009November 3, 2010 4:47 am | News | Comments
DETROIT (AP) — October auto sales are expected to rise substantially from the same month last year as once-stingy automakers loosened up on rebates and incentives, luring more customers into showrooms. Car price information service TrueCar.com predicts October sales rose 11 percent from a year ago, yet were down 3 percent compared with September.
Ten-Ton Asphalt Container Catches FireNovember 3, 2010 4:45 am | News | Comments
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Northwest Fire District crews responded to a fire at a Tucson-area cement plantTuesday involving a ten-ton container of asphalt. Northwest Fire spokeswoman Katy Heiden tells The Associated Press the asphalt was in the process of being mixed when a hole developed in the container and some of the leaking asphalt ignited.
Is GM Really Worth As Much As Ford?November 3, 2010 4:44 am | by Sharon Silke Carty, AP Auto Writer | News | Comments
DETROIT (AP) — If investors pay what General Motors hopes to get for its stock in a planned IPO, they'll have to buy the logic that the company's stock-market value should be similar to its closest competitor, Ford Motor Co. But Ford is making far more money these days and its U.S. market share is rising while GM's is falling and its new management team has little auto industry experience.
Harley's Restructuring: Efficiency Here, More Sales OverseasNovember 3, 2010 4:43 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments
Harley-Davidson Inc.'s restructuring plans are firmly in place and the motorcycle maker is on its way to saving money, being quicker to market with new products and expanding abroad, analysts said Wednesday. The motorcycle maker held an analyst meeting Tuesday in its hometown of Milwaukee to update investors on the first 18 months of its three-to-five year restructuring plan.
The 3-In-1 Grinding WheelNovember 2, 2010 12:10 pm | Product Releases | Comments
Camel Grinding Wheels (GCW — Niles, IL) has expanded its line of abrasive wheels with the introduction of its 3-in-1 cut/grind/finish combo wheels. The combination eliminates the need for frequent wheel changes and increases production times. When at the 90° position, the combo wheel cuts; at a 30° angle, the wheel grinds; and when used at a 15° angle, the wheel finishes.
Marking Lasers Of All TypesNovember 2, 2010 12:10 pm | Product Releases | Comments
Laser Research Optics (Providence, RI) offers a full line of OEM-quality replacement CO2 laser optics, including lenses and mirrors, for popular industrial marking lasers. Laser Research's products are optimized for use at 10.6 µm with 25 to 200 watt marking lasers. They feature <0.
Two Is Better Than OneNovember 2, 2010 12:09 pm | Product Releases | Comments
The two-line intelligent panel meter technology from Davis Instruments (Vernon Hills, IL) — the Red Lion's PAX2A — is designed for applications in which two parameters need to be visualized at the same time, such as indicating the temperature of an oven while displaying the set point value.
High-Strength Epoxy LiningNovember 2, 2010 12:09 pm | Product Releases | Comments
Master Bond (Hackensack, NJ) has developed the EP21ARHT two-component epoxy for coating and lining storage tanks, piping, scrubbers, and processing equipment. Its chemical, fuel, and acid resistance allows it to withstand immersion in 20 percent hydrochloric acid for more than a year. The epoxy cures at room temperature with minimal shrinkage, or more rapidly at elevated temperatures, and once cured, it produces a bond strength greater than 2,...
How To Relieve Back Office HeadachesNovember 2, 2010 7:11 am | Articles | Comments
A flexible labor management system was just what one plant needed to deal with its industry-specific needs and complex business requirements. A decadently glazed ham for the holidays or a succulent, juicy pork tenderloin served at a dinner party… sounds good, doesn't it? But what do these delectable treats have to do with time and labor management? A lot, if you're Dan Norman, Director of Information Systems for ...


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West Ham linked with Cameroon defender
Filed: Tuesday, 8th January 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are being linked with a move for Cameroon international Gaëtan Bong.
The 24-year-old left back, who currently plays for Valenciennes in Ligue 1 has already held talks with representatives of West Ham, according to reports in France tonight with view to a permanent move.
Bong started his pro career in France with Metz in 2006 before being loaned out to Ligue 2 side ours for the 2008/09 season. Upon his return to Les Grenats the defender was snapped up by Valenciennes with whom he has spent the last three years.
The 6' defender, who was born in Sakbayeme, Cameroon has made 10 appearances for his country, and is also said to have interested Liverpool. West Ham are also interested in signing Blackburn's Martin Olsson, for whom they are understood to have made a concrete bid.


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1960s Archives
1960 Vol. 4
1961 Vol. 5
1962 Vol. 6
1963 Vol. 7
not printed
1965 Vol. 8
1966 Vol. 9
1967 Vol. 10
1968 Vol. 11
1969 Vol. 12
Wildcat Video Minute
Combine a few hundred Wildcats, plenty of pens and post-it notes - What do you get? This month's Wildcat Video Minute takes a look at how the Student Alumni Association helped celebrate "I love ACU" day.
Explore Majors
Find majors or programs that interest you.
Visit Campus
Satisfy your curiosity about what it means to live and learn at ACU!
Apply to ACU
Learn more about our application and admissions process.


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In Stock
Ruby has received some of our biggest accolades with a Double Gold and Best of Show from the LA International Wine & Spirits Competiton and a Silver at the prestigious U.S. Saké Appraisals in 2010. But it's the deep, complex fruit flavors that make Ruby a favorite of those who explore this exceptional brew.
Profile: Lightly sweet and fruit forward, Ruby offers hints of melon and tropical fruits combined with layers of red berry tones.
Enjoyment: A highly enjoyable glass on its own but one that also pairs well with scallops, clams, chicken taquitos and sweet potato fries.
Style: Junmai Ginjo
Rice: Calrose Polish: 60% Yeast: 1801
Alc: 14.8% SMV: 0 Total Acidity: 1.7
Sulfites: 0 Gluten: 0 Serve: Chilled, about 45 degrees F
(Jul 28, 2014 at 5:01 PM)


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Little Gushers is a free program where any coach who has a team ages U4/U5/U6 can receive coaching aid from our professional trainers. You must have a team registered through BYSC to join the program - click here for more information.
The SDP is a program developed by our Director of Training, Thomas Shenton for U7 and U8 players. The SDP is an individual program for players who are interested in professional training and learning fundamental skills of the game as well as new skills. The aim of the SDP is to prepare players for the Academy level and to focus on player development. Sessions are held once a week during the Fall and Spring season - click here for more information.
The Academy program is a player development based program where players of all abilities are invited to sign up, once signed up players are required to attend practice twice a week under the instruction of a Gusher United professional trainer. Players will be developed through the Academy program according to the Academy Curriculum and will take part in the regular season held at B.Y.S.C. Academy players are split into teams according to their age and gender group, e.g. U9 Boys. Each academy team will be represented by a professional trainer who will attend each game to watch how a player is performing in a game situation as well as evaluating a player throughout their Academy training during the week - click here for more information.
Gusher United is the competitive arm of Beaumont Youth Soccer Club. In the Summer of 2012 BYSC and the former Spindletop Select Soccer Club merged creating a fantastic opportunity for all the players in the golden triangle area to play competitive soccer. Players can begin to join Gusher United at the age of 7 through our Academy program and finish up at the age of 18. We accommodate both boys and girls in our program with a strong belief that we can unite the entire golden triangle area through the sport of soccer.
At Gusher United we use professional trainers to teach the game of soccer to our youth. At Gusher United we are big believers that players need to be educated, although we call our staff trainers, we do our best to structure our sessions and game experiences into teaching opportunities rather than "train" our players.
Visit www.gusherunited.net


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Upstream Theater's Ancient Mariner Is a Triumph
By Paul Friswold
St. Louis Shakespeare's Blood Reigns Is Fit for a King
By Paul Friswold
The Rep's Buyer & Cellar Looks Inside Babs' Fantasyland
By Paul Friswold
New Line's Jerry Springer Worth Cheering For
By Paul Friswold
Four Stories Explore Mysteries of Women
By Kelly Glueck
Challenging Gender Roles in Or,
By Paul Friswold
Review: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
By Paul Friswold
Parents Lead By Example in Carnage
By Paul Friswold
Karin Hodgin Jones: Mimetic Labors This suite of five kinetic sculptures by locally based Hodgin Jones, each entitled Tug, takes as its source material this slight, often imperceptible gesture and magnifies it to produce distinctly stranger resonances. Each piece is a small machine in which a fabric is, yes, tugged at by a system of very thin threads connected to a small motor. Eluding gimmickry, these pieces manage to fixate on the slow landscapes and all-but-disorderly piles that slightly plucked pieces of cloth create. In a wall piece, a length of this semi-translucent material appears to slowly inhale and exhale. On a smaller scale, a tan swath seems to crumple and shakily uncrumple. The whole gallery softly whines with the variously motorized industry of the work, whose exposed engineering and cloth geometries also betray a concern for sly formal abstraction. Through February 13 at Good Citizen Gallery, 2247 Gravois Avenue; 314-348-4587 or www.goodcitizenstl.com. Hours: noon-5 p.m. Fri.-Sat. and by appointment.
Peter Pranschke: Commission Release Party A chronicle of the "worst two years" of this St. Louis-based artist's life, this small, tragicomic show of cartoon-like drawings and collages celebrates the end of Pranschke's valiant struggle to complete a commissioned piece of art. The commission would feature the artist's signature Band-Aid figures — literally, figures made of the drugstore staple in all its unnaturally flesh-colored shades — and the exhibit is devoted to pieces that fulfill that long-awaited promise. Resolutely happy humanoids, carefully crafted of Band-Aids, fly heroically above white backdrops populated with the cutout shapes of trees, rifles, squirrels, the Gateway Arch, as though emboldened by their implied wounds. While these pieces compose the majority of the exhibition, a few torn-out sketchbook pages of doodles, haphazardly taped to the gallery's entryway, relay the finished works' anguished back story. They portray the artist — in small, waving pen lines — beset by anxieties, pouring rain, the belittlement of day jobs, fiscal deprivation and the vicissitudes of self-confidence that alternately inspire furious jags of creativity and equally furious nosedives into despair. In their off-hand modesty, these "unfinished" works manage to convey the deepest impact — perhaps by further confounding the often-thankless process of making art. Through February 27 at PSTL Gallery at Pace Framing, 3842 Washington Boulevard; 314-531-4304 or www.paceframing.com. Hours: 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat.
Sean Landers: 1991-1994, Improbable History This survey of relentlessly self-dissecting and blogosphere-portentous paintings, videos, sculptures and photographs by the New York-based conceptual artist Landers makes every attempt to get a hold of that elusive quality known as sincerity. Covering massive canvases, full legal pads and several years' worth of calendar pages with hand-scrawled text, Landers iterates himself as a desperately ambitious but ever-human everyman, a kind of modern-day St. Augustine confessing his trials with art and life in a mode of unedited profusion that traditional social courtesy was established to discourage. There's a sense of rigor in Landers' ability to tolerate himself, which is mirrored by the viewer's tolerance for the work — a rigor that most have perhaps become accustomed to through the sudden ubiquity of social media, modern memoirs and all the other contemporary variations of self-advertisement/acceptable voyeurism now available. In light of this "new normal" (term courtesy of Dick Cheney), Landers comes across as less transgressive than strangely classical — he uses paint and canvas, he's apologetic, and he references Blake, Narcissus and the lyric impulse. But is he sincere? He doesn't even claim to know. Critical to motivating his furious desire to excavate earnestness is Landers' fraught identity as a working-class Irish Catholic, a fact that makes him incapable of escaping the crushing guilt of having committed the ultimate transgression: becoming an artist. Through April 11 at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 3750 Washington Boulevard; 314-535-4660 or www.contemporarystl.org. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun.
Urban Alchemy/Gordon Matta-Clark The late New York-area artist who used entire blighted buildings as his sculptural material could not have found a more apt (temporary) home. The architectural stock Matta-Clark repurposed finds innumerable analogues beyond the Pulitzer's walls; each instance serves as a brief visual lesson in the aesthetics of simple dwelling spaces. Like archaeological strata, the layers of linoleum, plaster, wood beams, shingles, wallpaper and paint attest to the intricacy of the quotidian and the accretive elegance of all things driven by necessity. The message seems to be: Look closely and let nothing be taken for granted. Beyond the diffusions of daylight so scrupulously choreographed by the museum's celebrated architecture, siting this survey in St. Louis does a service to both artist and city. Matta-Clark was an innovator in the synthesis of architecture, activism and art — a catalyst of exactly the sort this town could use. Through June 5 at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, 3716 Washington Boulevard; 314-754-1850 or www.pulitzerarts.org. Hours: noon-5 p.m. Wed., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.
Yinka Shonibare: Mother and Father Worked Hard So I Can Play Placing his signature life-size mannequins, clothed in Dutch wax-printed cotton (otherwise known as "African print"), in the period rooms on the museum's lower level, the notable British-Nigerian conceptual artist re-illuminates these fossilized moments of material history with fresh paradoxes. It is not Shonibare's figures — child-size, eerily static...and guillotined — that are the focal curiosities here, but rather the cultural incoherence of the historic rooms they inhabit. You suddenly notice how the quintessential American, English and French living spaces here are in reality odd collections of cultural artifacts: an ancient Greek krater in a British country manor; Qing dynasty vases and a Russian carpet in a South Carolina parlor. Ethnic authenticity is a fallacy, it seems, and social status a mere material import — validated by stuff made or acquired from any place (and time) other than one's own. The installation's multicultural theme may feel tiredly familiar, but the exhibit succeeds in making its point fresh. Household furnishings never appeared more bizarre. Through March 14 at the Saint Louis Art Museum, 1 Fine Arts Drive (in Forest Park); 314-721-0072 or www.slam.org. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sun. (open till 9 p.m. Fri.)
Sponsor Content


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I'm having problems now. I just installed HBC and Bootmii on a 4.3U wii using tales of symphonia disc hack. I went on to the next step to install the wads, but when I go to the HBC nothing shows up. I've tried an SD card (the one i used for the Disc hack) and an SDHC card. Could I try loading everything on the usb? I'm kinda stuck here, and all out of sd cards to try.
Edit: I'm dumb. lol. I downloaded modpack.zip again, and realized that the one I was trying to run didn't have an apps folder in it lol. It might help LMAO great guide.


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DisneyNature's Chimpanzee had a stronger than expected first weekend at the box office finishing fourth with over $10 million. I'm glad for the strong showing because it means that this kind of committed nature (quasi) documentary has an audience and Disney will continue to fund such intrepid filmmakers as Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield.
But documentary film has always had a troubled relationship with the voiceover. Many old documentaries are best watched with the sound muted or taken with a strong dose of irony. In the case of Tim Allen's chatty, jokey and at time sports-castery narration for Chimpanzee, it kind of ruins this otherwise very promising picture.
Fothergill and Linfield spent more than three years shooting a large clan of chimpanzees in Western Africa in association with the Jane Goodall Institute. In an interview with Fresh Air's Dave Davies, Fothergill explains,"Our skill as directors was to constantly say, 'It's got to have a narrative. And it's got to have a hero'. And we knew we wanted our hero to be a newborn chimpanzee."
They sold the idea to Disney with a 70 page script and then had to try to make chimpanzee reality conform to their story. Nature refused to cooperate in both heartbreaking and uplifting ways. Oscar, the young chimp they chose to focus on, lost his mother to a leopard half way through the filming. Baby chimps are completely dependent on their mothers for their first five years of life, so the filmmakers knew this could be the end of the story.
"A 3-year-old chimpanzee is totally dependent on his mother," "And then something happened which was completely extraordinary," continues Fothergill. "The alpha male [of the clan]—Freddie—literally adopted Oscar. … He allowed the little guy to ride on his back, which normally only female chimpanzees do. He cracked nuts for him and shared his food as only a mother does. He even let this little guy sleep in his arms."
We don't know what the original storyline was, but the storyline they got instead was, conveniently, pure Disney. Every classic Disney movie has some really bad thing that happens to the protagonist (i.e. Bambi's mother dying in the forest fire) that the story can then create a catharsis out of. And here they had it, a tragedy and an unlikely, gender-bending resolution to the problem.
On top of the considerable asset of the story, the footage that the team captured is astonishing in it's lighting, its detail and it's clarity. Advances in digital video enabled the cinematographers to capture amazingly high-quality images in incredibly challenging lighting conditions. Their skill with the animals as well is impressive, since in many scenes, they had to have been in fairly close proximity to get the shots.
I suppose it's a cliché that Disney was trying to avoid, but instead of the "voice of nature" that we have come to expect from movies about nature, when they cast Tim Allen as the narrator we get, instead the "voice of your wise-cracking uncle." Add to that a script that anthropomorphizes as it cutens its subjects (even as they are eating other monkeys!) and names the villainous leader of a group of rival chimps after "Scar" in The Lion King. The music, too, reinforces the artifice of the film instead of drawing our attention to the rhythms of the subject itself. Next time, they should call Trent Reznor.
I was left feeling that the footage had been manipulated in order to tell a story. Of course, this is true, but as viewers we're not supposed to be aware of it. As it is, when Allen tells us that "Freddy" has beaten "Scar," in the climactic final "battle," we feel like we have to take his word about it. But he could have told us the opposite and we would have believed that too.
Chimpanzee could have used some "plussing" from Disney's compatriots at Pixar who have mastered intergenerational appeal. It's not that the movie is not somewhat successful, it is, but it could have been so much more. Young children will enjoy it, teenagers and young adults will groan and parents will be ambivalent. Not exactly the recipe for good word of mouth, and I don't expect the audience to build on this one. The movies that are big hits manage to engage multiple audiences simultaneously, which is also a key to viral spreading on the internet.
When brave individuals spend years in the jungle to film what has never been filmed before, it's the least a movie studio can do to make sure that the resulting film is as unique and revelatory as the footage it's made from. Alas, with Chimpanzee, Disney has slipped on the banana peel of cliché.
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