Why Does The Modern World Make No Sense?
“…Hot cocoa and hot chocolate are terms that we often used interchangeably. Technically, hot cocoa and hot chocolate are as different as milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate. Hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder, the way my mother made it when I was a kid. Hot chocolate is made from melting chocolate bars into cream…”
Plant science at your dinner table: Hot chocolate vs. hot cocoa
“Prometheus creating Man in the presence of Athena” 1802 Jean-Simon Berthélemy
Free public access to the current edition of NFPA’s parent fire safety document is linked below:
We attend to occupancy-specific chapters (listed below) because of their significant presence in education communities.
Chapter 25: Grandstands and Bleachers, Folding and Telescopic Seating, Tents and Membrane Structures (N.B)
Chapter 26: Laboratories Using Chemicals
Chapter 29: Parking Garages
Chapter 32: Motion Picture and Television Production Studio Soundstages and Approved Production Facilities
Chapter 35: Animal Housing Facilities
Chapter 36: Telecommunication Facilities and Information Technology Equipment
Chapter 50: Commercial Cooking
Chapter 52: Energy Storage Systems
Some of the chapters reference other titles such as NFPA 45 Standard of Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals which support risk management in other occupancies. It is noteworthy that in the 2021 revision cycle of NFPA 1 there are relatively few new concepts regarding education facilities that have been proposed. You get a sampling of the ideas in play from the transcript of public input for the 2024 edition.
Public Input Report (525 Pages)
Use search terms such as school, college, university, dormitory(ies), laboratory(ies), classroom, children, day-care, student, et cetera for a sense of the ideas in play.
Since the close of the 2021 revision cycle we find a renewed interest in best practice for commercial tents because many communities are now using them for student, staff and faculty spaces owing to the circumstances of the pandemic. We will follow the action and report it here.
Public input on the 2027 NFPA 1 will be received until April 4, 2024.
We include NFPA 1 on our periodic fire safety colloquia — identified by the mnemonic Prometheus — and march along peak interests.
Campus fire safety is domain relatively well-covered by other organizations such as the Center for Campus Fire Safety and HigherEd Safety so we place NFPA 1 in the middle of our priority tier. We are more interested in the harmonization of NFPA 1 with a competitor title International Fire Code; published by the International Code Council; to wit:
International Fire Code: The purpose of this code is to establish the minimum requirements consistent with nationally recognized good practice for proving a reasonable level of life safety and property protection from the hazards of fire, explosion or dangerous conditions in new and existing buildings, structures or premises and to provide a reasonable level of safety to fire fighters and emergency responders during emergency operations
Fire Code: The scope includes, but is not limited to, the following: (1) Inspection of permanent and temporary buildings, processes, equipment, systems, and other fire and related life safety situations (2) Investigation of fires, explosions, hazardous materials incidents, and other related emergency incidents (3) Review of construction plans, drawings, and specifications for life safety systems, fire protection systems, access, water supplies, processes, hazardous materials, and other fire and life safety issues (4) Fire and life safety education of fire brigades, employees, responsible parties, and the general public (5) Existing occupancies and conditions, the design and construction of new buildings, remodeling of existing buildings, and additions to existing buildings (6) Design, installation, alteration, modification, construction, maintenance, repairs, servicing, and testing of fire protection systems and equipment (7) Installation, use, storage, and handling of medical gas systems (8) Access requirements for fire department operations (9) Hazards from outside fires in vegetation, trash, building debris, and other materials (10) Regulation and control of special events including, but not limited to, assemblage of people, exhibits, trade shows, amusement parks, haunted houses, outdoor events, and other similar special temporary and permanent occupancies (11) Interior finish, decorations, furnishings, and other combustibles that contribute to fire spread, fire load, and smoke production (12) Storage, use, processing, handling, and on-site transportation of flammable and combustible gases, liquids, and solids (13) Storage, use, processing, handling, and on-site transportation of hazardous materials (14) Control of emergency operations and scenes (15) Conditions affecting fire fighter safety (16) Arrangement, design, construction, and alteration of new and existing means of egress
Note that both ICC and NFPA parent fire safety documents are developed on coincident 3-year cycles.
Issue: [18-90]
Category: Fire Safety, Public Safety
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Joshua W. Elvove, Joe DeRosier, Casey Grant
Many accommodations such as dormitories, fraternities and sororities have working fireplaces — wood burning and natural gas. Community spaces such as student unions, libraries and recreation spaces also have fireplaces as a central feature.
The purpose of NFPA 211 is to reduce fire hazards by discovering and promulgating best practice for the safe removal of flue gases, the proper installation of solid fuel-burning appliances, and the correct construction and installation of chimneys, fireplaces, and venting systems. The current 2019 Edition is linked below:
Free Access: NFPA 221 Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents, and Solid Fuel-Burning Appliances
The 2024 has been released. To guide our inquiry into safety and sustainability concepts for the 2027 Edition we like review the developmental transcripts of previous edition:
Public input on the 2027 Edition will be received until June 4, 2024. We encourage facility managers to recommend improvements to this standard by setting up a (Free) NFPA account the link below:
Online submission of public input and public comments
We maintain this standard on our periodic Prometheus and Housing colloquia. Consult our CALENDAR for the next online meeting, open to everyone
Link to parent standard:
University of Rochester Fireplace Safety
American Gas Association: How Natural Gas Fuels Your Holiday Traditions
Poster showing benefits of gas lighting and heating (Italy, 1902)
Why did WTI Crude oil price crash?
1) Because America’s main WTI oil storage is in Cushing in Oklahoma state. Cushing was at 77% capacity on April 17th. Storage would be full by May 1st week. Cushing is landlockded and 800 km from sea. So storing oil on a ship is not possible. pic.twitter.com/Ye2h8XI3jB
— Kiran Kumar S (@KiranKS) April 22, 2020
Most school districts, colleges, universities and university-affiliated health care systems depend upon a safe and reliable supply of natural gas. Owing to safety principles that have evolved over 100-odd years you hardly notice them. When they fail you see serious drama and destruction.
One of the first names in standards setting for the natural gas industry in the United States is the American Gas Association (AGA) which represents companies delivering natural gas safely, reliably, and in an environmentally responsible way. From the AGA vision statement:
“….(AGA) is committed to leveraging and utilizing America’s abundant, domestic, affordable and clean natural gas to help meet the nation’s energy and environmental needs….”
We do not advocate in natural gas standards at the moment but AGA standards do cross our radar because they assure energy security to the emergent #SmartCampus. We find AGA standards referenced in natural gas service contracts (for large district energy plants, for example) or in construction contracts for new buildings. As with all other energy technological developments we keep pace with, improvements are continual even though those improvements are known to only a small cadre of front line engineers and technicians.
AGA has released seventeen redlines containing proposed changes to one of its parent documents for natural gas delivery” GPTC Z380.1 Guide for Gas Transmission, Distribution, and Gathering Piping Systems. The redlines are listed in the link below:
American Gas Association Standards Public Review Home Page
Public consultation on the 2027 National Fuel Gas Code closes June 4, 2024.
You may obtain an electronic copy from: https://www.aga.org/research/policy/ansi-public-reviews/. Comments should be emailed to Betsy Tansey GPTC@aga.org, Secretary, ASC GPTC Z380. Any questions you may have concerning public reviews please contact Betsy Tansey (btansey@aga.org) as well.
.jpg)
University of Michigan Central Heating Plant
We meet online every day at 11 AM Eastern time to march through technical specifics of all technical consensus products open for public comment. Feel free to click in. Also, we meet with mechanical engineering experts from both the academic and business side of the global education community once per month. See our CALENDAR for our next Mechanical Engineering monthly teleconference; open to everyone.
Issue: [19-27]
Category: Energy, Mechanical, Risk Management
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Richard Robben, Larry Spielvogel
5.5.20
6.23.20
https://share.ansi.org/Shared%20Documents/Standards%20Action/2019-PDFs/SAV5052.pdf
北京清华大学
Siyuan Wang, et. al
Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Abstract: The development of energy conversion techniques enhances the coupling between the gas network and power system. However, challenges remain in the joint optimal dispatch of electricity-gas systems. The dynamic model of the gas network, described by partial differential equations, is complex and computationally demanding for power system operators. Furthermore, information privacy concerns and limited accessibility to detailed gas network models by power system operators necessitate quantifying the equivalent energy storage capacity of gas networks. This article proposes a multi-port energy storage model with time-varying capacity to represent the dynamic gas state transformation and operational constraints in a compact and intuitive form. The model can be easily integrated into the optimal dispatch problem of the power system. Test cases demonstrate that the proposed model ensures feasible control strategies and significantly reduces the computational burden while maintaining high accuracy in the joint optimal dispatch of electricity-gas systems. In contrast, the existing static equivalent model fails to capture the full flexibility of the gas network and may yield infeasible results.
Related:
The pandemic provides background for the importance of ventilation systems in healthcare settings and reminder that there is plenty of work to do. The scope of ASHRAE 189.3 – Design, Construction and Operation of Sustainable High Performance Health Care Facilities — lies in this domain:
Purpose. The purpose of this standard is to prescribe the procedures, methods and documentation requirements for the design, construction and operation of high-performance sustainable health care facilities.
Scope.This standard applies to patient care areas and related support areas within health care facilities, including hospitals, nursing facilities, outpatient facilities, and their site. It applies to new buildings, additions to existing buildings, and those alterations to existing buildings that are identified within the standard. It provides procedures for the integration of sustainable principles into the health care facility design, construction and operation process including:
Noteworthy: Related title ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170 Ventilation of Healthcare Facilities
No redlines have been released for public consultation at this time. We maintain this title on the standing agenda of our periodic Health, Energy and Mechanical colloquia. See our CALENDAR for the online meeting; open to everyone.
October 9 Update
As of the date of this post, two redlines have been released for public consultation
Proposed Addendum L to Standard 170-2021, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities
Proposed Addendum i to Standard 170-2021, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities
The consultation closes October 29th.
Other redlines are released and posted at the link below:
Public Review Draft Standards / Online Comment Database
Because this title is administered on ASHRAE’s continuous maintenance platform, public consultations run 30 to 45 days. You may also submit an original idea to the ASHRAE standards development enterprise. CLICK HERE to get started.
We maintain this title on the standing agenda of our periodic Health, Energy and Mechanical colloquia. See our CALENDAR for the online meeting; open to everyone.
Issue: [Various]
Category: Mechanical, Electrical, Energy, Facility Asset Management
Colleagues: David Conrad, Richard Robben, Larry Spielvogel
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1047443902455259/permalink/1182140308985617/
Illycaffè — commonly known as “Illy” — is an Italian coffee company sets high standards in the art and science of coffee culture. Founded by Francesco Illy in Trieste, Italy, in 1933, the company collaborates with artists to create innovative coffee-related products
c
“The first and most distinguishing feature of civil society is the use of language.”
Adam Ferguson’s “An Essay on the History of Civil Society”
“Minerva Preserving to the World the Latin Grammar”
Standard Practice for Assessing Language Proficiency
Committee F43 on Language Services and Products
One of the easiest ways to persuade someone who disagrees with you is to change the subject without them knowing about it. Application of this method is found in the technical literature that informs safety and sustainability regulations at all levels of government. Change definitions; change the subject; outcome changed — hence our interest in spoken, written and computer languages.
Almost all technical standards begin with a list of definitions which, among domain experts, are frequently hard won.
From the project prospectus:
Purpose—This practice describes best practices for the development and use of language tests in the modalities of speaking, listening, reading, and writing for assessing ability in accordance with the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR)2 scale. This practice focuses on testing language proficiency in use of language for communicative purposes.
Limitations—This practice is not intended to address testing and test development in the following specialized areas: Translation, Interpretation, Audio Translation, Transcription, other job-specific language performance tests, or Diagnostic Assessment. Tests developed under this practice should not be used to address any of the above excluded purposes (for example, diagnostics).
This title was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade Committee.
As of the date of this post we find no changes in the titles developed by this committee; nor do we see any notice of meetings; likely owed to the circumstances of the pandemic. Last Update: April 2020
Language lies at the foundation of all standards-setting so we maintain this title on the standing agenda of several of our daily colloquia. Its an “evergreen” topic that we can explore every day in every title in every catalog Feel free to click in to any of our daily colloquia; login credentials at the upper right of our home page.
More
Standards for the Modern Language Industry
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
Michigan State University: A Rhetorical History of the United States
CORRECTION: In the clip above, at the 5:11 mark, the caption should read: “He mobilized the English language”
„Jede Sprache ist eine schlechte Übersetzung“ – Franz Kafka
The Idea of a University: John Henry Newman
This tradition has its origins in England during the 18th and 19th centuries. In the 18th century, the working class would have a substantial meal in the evening after finishing work, and this meal became known as “high tea” because it was eaten at a high, dinner table. It typically included hearty dishes such as meat pies, cold cuts, and other substantial fare.
On the other hand, the upper classes would have a lighter afternoon tea, usually served on low tables. This afternoon tea included finger sandwiches, scones, pastries, and, of course, tea. This more delicate tea was later referred to as “low tea” or “afternoon tea.”
Over time, the distinction between high tea and afternoon tea blurred, and today the term “high tea” is often misused to describe an elegant afternoon tea. However, the original high tea was a working-class meal, while afternoon tea was a more refined social event among the upper classes.
New update alert! The 2022 update to the Trademark Assignment Dataset is now available online. Find 1.29 million trademark assignments, involving 2.28 million unique trademark properties issued by the USPTO between March 1952 and January 2023: https://t.co/njrDAbSpwB pic.twitter.com/GkAXrHoQ9T
— USPTO (@uspto) July 13, 2023
Standards Michigan Group, LLC
2723 South State Street | Suite 150
Ann Arbor, MI 48104 USA
888-746-3670
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
