In two years, my oldest daughter will go off to college. I wish I could go with her. Not because I'm a "helicopter" parent hoovering to keep her from making mistakes but because the entire college environment is so exciting! With all the creativitiy, technology and entrpeneural spirit, universities are hotbeds for innovation and industry. OK....there are lots of other fun reasons to go back to college, but that's for another post.
I just read about Purdue Unix Systems Administrator, Patrick Finnegan, who came up with the idea of harnesing the capabilities of the server software and the Linux operating system to slow down processing in a cooling emergency. The program puts large clusters of servers into power-saving mode -- they draw less power and generate less heat. That's important when you have a server room cooling emergency.
Many server room and data center managers rely on portable spot coolers to provide emergency air conditioning for planned and emergency service of the air conditioning systems. Since we manufacture, rent and sell portable air conditioners, we're glad to work with data center managers during cooling emergencies but you gotta' love Finnegan's new ground-breaking approach. Even more impressive is that it actually worked not once, but twice -- in June and July. You can read about Purdue's data center cooling crisis here.
Even more impressive is that Purdue is making the procedure available to others on the Folio direct website. The program includes notes on implementation so data center managers can see the process brought into production.
Bottom line is the data center needs to stay online to maintain productivity. Data center managers can use portable air conditioners to provide emergency cooling and try out Purdue's new software that will slow server activity as the temperature rises. Two plans for a cooling crisis are better than none!
What so you do when the data center temperature rises? Comment here and let me know.
We work hard to keep you cool. Most of what we blog about concerns your server room air conditioning, commercial air conditioning, industrial spot cooling and special event air condtioning jobs.
Thought you might find this article about the Cash for Caulkers program interesting. Houston Neal from Construction Software Advice did an admirable job serving up digestible info nuggets in his review of the bill. That's hard to do with the legal mumbo jumbo spoken on Capitol Hill!
Cash for Caulkers is nearly here. Earlier this summer the House of Representatives passed the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010. The bill still needs to be approved by the Senate, but supporters predict it will be approved before the end of the summer.
In the meantime, homeowners need to "do their homework." The bill offers two rebate programs and each one has unique requirements:
The Silver Star program provides a $1,000 rebate for each retrofit described in the bill. The maximum amount paid out will be $3,000 or 50% of the total cost, whichever is lower. For example, if a homeowner spends a total of $4,000 on eligible retrofits, they will get $2,000 or 50% back as a rebate. If they spend $8,000 on eligible retrofits, they would only receive $3,000 in rebates instead of $4,000 (which would be 50% of the cost).- To qualify for the Gold Star program, homeowners must reduce their total home energy consumption by 20%. A $3,000 rebate will be rewarded for this reduction. Homeowners can receive an additional $1,000 for each additional 5% reduction, up to a total rebate of $8,000 or 50% of the total retrofit cost. Rebates may be provided for any of the retrofits listed under the Silver Star program, or for any other energy-saving measure, including: home energy management systems, high-efficiency appliances, highly reflective roofing, awnings, canopies, and similar external fenestration (window) attachments, automatic boiler water temperature controllers, energy-efficient wood products, insulated vinyl siding, and mechanical air circulation and heat exchangers in a passive-solar home.
The Home Star bill also outlines 13 different types of retrofits eligible for funding. Again, each one has unique requirements and rebate amounts. Fortunately there are many online resources that provide details. For example, Construction Software Advice has created an easy-to-read table that lists the 13 retrofits, along with their requirements and rebate amounts. To view their post, visit:http://www.softwareadvice.com/articles/construction/cash-for-caulkers-the-definitive-guide-to-the-home-star-bill-1061110/.
Although we probably won't be able to get a Savings for Spot Coolers bill before the house, your business will save money and minimize downtime by using portable air conditioners and spot coolers to maximize productivity and....the bottom line!
Good question. And one we often receive.
The "size" of a spot cooler or portable air conditioner is rated in terms of British Thermal Units, commonly known as BTUs.
The British Thermal Unit is a measure of the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit.
There are 12,000 BTUs to 1 Ton. Don't panic.... this has nothing to do with the actual WEIGHT of the unit! A ton of refrigeration (remember... that's 12,000 BTUs) is the amount of heat required to melt a ton (2,000 pounds) of ice at 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sorry you asked? The main thing you need to know (so you have some idea what the AC tech is talking about) is that 1 ton of air conditioning = 12,000 BTU.
Spot coolers come in several different sizes. To figure out what size spot cooler you need there is a three step process. Think of the three "S" process.
- SIZE -- What is the physical size of the space you need to cool? Is it an office area, a wedding tent, a retail space, a health care facility?
- SURROUNDINGS -- What is the evironment and construction of the space? Is the room an interior space with no ezterior walls and windows? Is the tent on asphalt or a grassy meadow? Is the surrounding space conditioned or is this a contained room in an unconditioned warehouse?
- STUFF -- What stuff do you need to cool? Are we talking about critical servers, dressy wedding guests, shoppers in a store, lab equipment?
Once you have this information, you figure out your heat load which is a fancy term for the heat you have to get rid of. This is nothing more then plugging numbers in and applying some general rules of thumb.
The Cooling Guides below will get you started. We're anxious to help you keep cool.
The NE power cities - Washington DC, New York, Philladelphia, Boston - are all in a heat emergency. Temps reached 100 today and the headline stories of emergency relief centers and precautions continue to pour in. The high temps put our power grids to the test and air conditioning systems run full tilt.
When you're in the middle of a heat-related crisis, cool heads will prevail. The first call to make is to your facility manager or building engineer. They are intimately familiar with your site's mechanical and electrical systems. Even more important ... they're likely to have a list of approved contractors and suppliers who will provide quick, reliable services.
If your buidling engineer or facility manager doesn't have portable air conditioners in reserve for emergency cooling, they will contact a company that specializes in providing portable air conditioners. Spot coolers can be rented weekly or monthly to provide emergency cooling. Portable air conditioners can be rented general rental stores -- both small, single site rental companies and large, multi-site rental depots. If your cooling is critical and you want to protect your data and assets, consider contacting a company that specializes in assessing your needs and recommending spot coolers that keep you cool and work within your space and electrical power constraints.
Be prepared when you need emergency cooling. Here's a list of 10 things you should know when renting portable spot coolers:
- Size of the space to be cooled.
- Size of the air conditioning system that failed.
- BTU needed for emergency operations.
- Electrical power available for temporary spot coolers.
- Space available for AC units.
- Will temporary AC units be inside or outside?
- How will the evaporator (cool air) be delivered -- ducted or free blow?
- Where will the condenser air (warm air) be discharged?
- How will the condensate be removed? Manually with the tanks or automatically with the pump?
- When are the units needed (OK, that's a no brainer...probably YESTERDAY if you are having an emergency) and how long will you be needing the AC units?
You can checkout AirPac's Rental Cooling Guide for more information on portable air conditioners and an overview of commonly used terms.
I don't know about you but I'm tired of doom and gloom. That's why I want to share this promising report I received last week. UBS Securites LLC conducted an independant HVAC survey in April 2010. The survey addresses business conditions, market outlook, inventory levels, pent-up demand, and pricing and was emailed to the HVAC industry -- including contractors, equipment providers, distributors, and service providers in the United States.
Here are my take-aways from the survey, along with my "for what it's worth" comments:
- HVAC current business conditions remain modestly below normal levels but have improved in the past two months. At least we're moving in the right direction!
- 71% of respondents believe HVAC market conditions have stayed the same or improved over the last few months with only 29% seeing the market deteriorate over the last several months. Again, upward movement is a good thing!
- 55% of respondents indicated they anticipate market conditions will improve over the next twelve months, while 36% believe they will be unchanged and only 9% expect deterioration over the next year. Now that's what I'm talking about. Let's regroup and focus on improving our internal processes so our bottom line will benefit when the market improves in the coming year.
- Equipment pricing is stable and has not changed over the last few months. This I can confirm. Our portable spot cooler sales prices and rental rates are at 2009 levels. And we don't raise our rental rates when the mercury rises either!
- HVAC inventory levels remain "lower than normal," as in past surveys. While this is good for the manufacturers just-in-time cost control, it is a hassle when the contractor has to deal with long lead times. Let's hope this results in increased load on the factories.
- Government energy efficiency rebates having a neutral to moderately positive impact. Good news for many residential contractors but doesn't impact commercial and industrial portable air conditioner sales.
Food for thought as we enter the summer cooling season. The more we are aware of what's going on around us, the more likely we are to create our desired outcome. What are you seeing in the industry? Do your results conflict with the survey findings? Comment here and let me know what you are experiencing.
Want to read the entire 29 page survey results?
Planning can be paralyzing. Especially when you plan a new server room or data center. There is no shortage of experts but the time and money needed can be daunting.
Let's face it. Not all businesses need a state-or-the-art data center or server room facility. 
I like to use the analogy, "Why take a Cadillac to the corner store when you can get there in a VW Bug". No offense intended for the brands mentioned, please! I'm speaking figuratively. When you separate the NEED to have from the NICE to have it's not so overwhelming.
There are lots of guides and numerous experts who will walk you through the process of designing your server room or data center -- everything from the air conditioning to the power. I came across an article that offers a high-level overview that you can actually apply right away. As a matter of fact, many of Rick Freeman's recommendations in Best Practices for Data Center Design are improvements you can implement immediately in your own server room or data center. Freeman mentions having a single, secured entrance and gives tips on keeping your cable runs separate from electrical wires.
The first topic mentioned when Freeman addresses the Server Room Environment is the air conditioning system. He recommends having an independent server room air conditioner and also suggests having redundant server room cooling. Liebert sets the standard for reliable, precision cooling computer-grade air conditioning systems. But you'll pay a pretty penny and may not need many of the features.
Here's where my analogy comes in! Liebert makes great equipment but it may be overkill for your server room. Portable spot coolers may be an option for you. Adding the make-up air plenum ensures you have a complete server room air conditioning system by bringing condenser air in from outside the space you are cooling.
So if Liebert is the Cadillac, guess you could say portable air conditioners are the VW Bug of server room air conditioners! You have to admit, VW Bugs just have that coolness factor! Plus, in today's economic climate, saving money and going with the NEED to have rather than the NICE is pretty cool, too.
Bottom line -- portable spot coolers can be a "cool" solution for your server room or data center air conditioning design....in more ways than one. You can't tell me that VW Bug isn't cool!
Do you have simple, practical solutions you've implemented in your server room or data center? Comment here, please and share your thoughts.
My mom reads this blog. Yup. She's one of our many email subscribers. She doesn't quite do that RSS thing yet but give her time... she'll get there! When she gets that email notice that a new blog entry is posted and she clicks on the link in the email to take her to the blog so she can read the new entry....well, she'll be surprised and honored to have an entire entry dedicated to praising her.
If you have children then you'll probably readily admit that you never fully appreciated your mom unitil, well, you became a parent. It's kind of like one of those "you had to be there" instances. You just don't "get it", the awesomeness of being a mom, until you are one.
All moms are special and there are all kinds of moms. My mom is a rock star! She's young at heart, personable, smart, stylish, and fun to be around. She's a total hand-on, roll up the sleeves and get involved kind of mom. Not only does she make me feel special, she makes those around her feel good. She collects people -- once she takes you under her wing, you kind of belong to her and you feel as if she has adopted you.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to be with my mom on Mother's Day. She's out of town so I'll brave the Garden Fair myself and let my family shower me with praise and pampering after I spend the afternoon in the garden planting my purchases from the day. Hmmm... a steak on the grill would be great, hint, hint...
Even if you aren't a mom, you have one and know one. How will you celebrate Mother's Day? Will you head out to one of the many Mother's Day special events -- AirPac's has lots of experience with special event cooling. The PortaPac portable air conditioners are often rented to cool event tents.
Happy Mother's Day, Genevieve Behnke. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO SUPERMOMS EVERYWHERE!
News events tend to set the tone and our mood. With endless media outlets, and instant, real-time reporting, there is no escape.
The oil platform explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the erruption of the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano in Iceland and the earthquakes in Haiti, have taken center stage and the economy and healthcare debates seem to have drifted out of the spotlight. All this doom and gloom has me thinking about emergency plans and business recovery and continuity.
WHAT WILL YOU DO IN AN EMERGENCY? Have you thought about it? Have you PLANNED for it?
Part of what we do at AirPac is protect business assets by cooling data, processes and people. We like to say "Our business is keeping your business cool." Emergency air conditioner rental spikes following disasters. Portable spot coolers support disaster recovery efforts by providing heat relief for volunteer efforts and cooling mobile command centers that are deployed following a disaster. So we have the emergency AC rental issues under control.
But what about the other critical areas? How do you make sure your business recovers as quickly as possible? I had to think about that. We may have all the portable air conditioners we need but we still have a lot of disaster recovery planning to do.
All this talk about how AirPac helps businesses recover from and stay produtive during disasters and we don't even have a complete emergency preparedness plan! Time for change. I discovered a great resource for emergency preparedness. You'll find valuable information on disaster planning, cleanup and assistance. Even state government resources.
Time to get working on that COMPLETE emergency preparedness plan. It won't be easy or quick but like your taxes, you'll feel much better when you're done. We can help with the emergency air conditioning part but for the rest of it, you're on your own!
Want to be prepared for an emergency? Download spot cooler specs at a glance.
We're anxious to help. Call or email for your cooling emergency preparedness assessment.
Apple Blossom Festival. Just hearing the words make me smile! Apple Blossom, or The Bloom, is a 10-day festival in Winchester - Frederick County Virginia when the entire area is covered in signature pink and green. The Bloom runs from April 23 - May 2, 2010 and there are over 30 events for the whole family to enjoy -- celebrities, carnival, circus, fireworks, golf tournament, 10K race, luncheons, parades and parties -- we even have a Miss Apple Blossom and Queen Shenandoah LXXXIII (yup, that's 83!), Rachel McDonnell will receive her crown at the coronation ceremony from her father, Virginia Governor, Tim McDonnell!
Portable air conditioners and spot coolers are often rented for cooling special events. AirPac is proud to support the largest festival on the East Coast and our air conditioners will be ready for cooling, if needed.
I'm not a native of Winchester but must admit the Apple Blossom fever is highly contageous and the only cure is participation in as many events as possible. The festival evolves each year and it seems there is always something new to experience. Last year, I attended added the Thursday Night Disco Dance Party to my list of events and this year, the Bloomin' Wine Fest was a first for me.
If you are anywhere near the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, this is the event to attend. The Apple Blossom Festival was just recognized as the of "Event of the Year" by the Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau. Don't miss your chance to experience Americana at its best!
Will I see you 'round the Bloom? Comment here and let me know.
Need cooling for a special event?
Download AirPac's Special Event Cooling Guide here.
P L A N. It's a four-letter word. Maybe that's why most of us tend to avoid it! Truth is, it takes lots of research, time and energy to adequately plan for your data center or server room. So you spend weeks (worse yet, months) selecting the hardware that will support your application software and manage all the traffic on the network. Now you make sure you have enough power and backup UPS to handle the load. Think you're done, right?
Think again.
Now it's time to think about the air conditioning in your data center or LAN room.
Read an interesting article about how the 2008/2009 recession has created a need to build new data centers with more reliable and redundant infrastructure. You can read the full article on How to Keep the Server Room Cool here.
In the article, Steve Kolbe and Eric Silva point out how the current trend of centralization, and in some cases outsourcing to off-site hosted facilities, has led to the increased need for larger, more dependable facilities. Interesting point about the centralization of data centers providing an avenue for new construction of more reliable infrastructure. Planning is paramount with any critical environment. But it seems we need two plans -- one for what works in a perfect world, and another for what to do when the plan doesn't work! Guess that's the back-up plan!
As a US manufacturer of portable air conditioning systems, we have witnessed tremendous growth in the data center and telecommunications market. Portable air conditioners can be used as primary server room air conditioners for small data closets and are often used in data centers for hot spots when the original plan encounters a speed bump in the road to the perfect data center environment. And of course, you can rent spot coolers for emergency cooling when the air conditioning system goes down or has to be interrupted for maintenance.
I like Silva's approach.... take time and evaluate the entire system. That really will save money in the long run. Not to mention downtime and aggravation.
Need an emergency air conditioning plan? Contact AirPac. We'll evaluate your needs so you know how much cooling you need for the next cooling crisis.