Melink Corporation CEO Releases “Fusion Capitalism” with ForbesBooks.
For Immediate Release
This release is posted on behalf of ForbesBooks (operated by Advantage Media Group under license).
NEW YORK (October 27, 2020) — Steve Melink, CEO of Melink Corporation, today announced the publication of Fusion Capitalism: A Clean Energy Vision for Conservatives. The book is published with ForbesBooks, the exclusive business book publishing imprint of Forbes.
In Fusion Capitalism, clean energy expert Steve Melink shares his vision of a clean energy future. In Melink’s view, the economy, national security, public health, and a sustainable environment are all linked to the world’s energy infrastructure. These intricate links make the transition to alternative energy one of the greatest opportunities of the 21st Century. As such, sustainability, must become a core national value because of its fundamental importance to future success.
“If America is to remain a world leader, we must rise to the new challenges and opportunities of our time,” said Melink. “Our values should demand a fresh take on our love affair with fossil fuels and the costs, risks, and liabilities they impose on society. If we don’t commit to the equivalent of a moon race on clean energy, we will cede our power and influence over to those more willing to adapt.”
Melink shares the story of his awakening on climate change, inviting readers to educate themselves without prejudice. As a lifelong conservative, he sees American capitalism, innovation, and leadership as strategic advantages to make the world safer, healthier, and more prosperous for future generations.
Fusion Capitalism: A Clean Energy Vision for Conservatives is available on Amazon starting today. For more information, please visit fusioncapitalism.com.
About Steve Melink
Steve Melink is founder and CEO of Melink Corporation. This Cincinnati-based company provides energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions for commercial building owners. With more than 30 years of experience, Steve is now on the forefront of the Zero-Energy Building movement. Melink’s customers include some of the largest corporations and organizations in the world, including top U.S. universities.
About ForbesBooks
Launched in 2016 in partnership with Advantage Media Group, ForbesBooks is the exclusive business book publishing imprint of Forbes. ForbesBooks offers business and thought leaders an innovative, speed-to-market, fee-based publishing model and a suite of services designed to strategically and tactically support authors and promote their expertise. For more information, visit forbesbooks.com.
Have you ever wondered how HVAC ductwork is designed?
There are six methods for designing low, medium, and high-pressure HVAC systems:
Equal Friction Method
Static Regain Method
T-Method
Extended Plenum Method
Velocity Reduction Method
Constant Velocity Method
The most commonly used method is the Equal Friction Method. This method is used for low-pressure systems found in commercial buildings. It’s distinguishable by pressure loss per every 100 ft. of duct and is designed to be the same for the entire system. A well-designed system has an average friction rate of about 0.1” of water column per 100 ft. of duct length.
After determining the desired friction rate and CFM (cubic feet per minute) of airflow for a system, an air duct calculator properly sizes the ductwork that can support these requirements. The disadvantage of the Equal Friction Method is the lack of provision for equalizing pressure drops in duct branches. This only works if the duct layout is symmetrical.
Why Is Duct Design Important?
HVAC systems are comparable to cardiovascular systems. Rooftop or air handling units are the heart, and the HVAC ductwork design is the body’s arteries and veins. Continuing this example, if arteries or veins are too big or too small, issues (such as high blood pressure or a stroke) can arise.
Comparatively, if ductwork is incorrectly sized, vital issues to the units can arise. Having ductwork that is too large can lead to a low CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) of air flow in a given space. This can cause the unit to run longer in attempt to heat or cool a space. Inversely, having too small of ductwork can lead to high velocities and static pressures. This can create a loud environment and put unnecessary stress on the system.
In conclusion, incorrectly sized ductwork negatively impacts a system’s lifespan and energy expenses. Properly sized ductwork leads to lower energy expenses, longer unit lifespans, and more comfortable environments.
How Does a Melink Technician Verify Ductwork Installation?
While on site performing a Test & Balance, Melink technicians assess if duct systems are installed correctly. They analyze the duct system in the situation where proper airflow is unattainable. Unless unit total speeds are further adjusted to deviate from the design and rectify the imbalance.
As a result, Melink technicians reference mechanical plans, duct design tables, or an air duct calculator to verify proper duct size. Afterwards, they reference this to the given amount of air flow, then compare it with the installed ductwork.
This picture represents how air moves in ducts.Red areas have high static pressure, and green areas show high velocity.
Trained technicians inspect and identify dynamic losses areas, portions of ductwork with high friction rates and static pressure.
Dynamic loss examples due to installation errors are incorrect duct take offs, failure to include duct turning vanes, long runs of flex duct, or crimped flex duct. These issues can shorten the unit’s lifespan if not corrected. For instance, these issues can average costs of $1,200 per year extra in energy expenses.
Lastly, duct design discrepancies found during a TAB are reported and photographed for the customer’s reference.
Contributed by Andy Austin, Jeremy Neff & Anna Rusconi
Are electric vehicles (and electric options of all kinds) the future?
The year is 2008. The best-selling vehicle in the United States for the 27th year in a row is the Ford F-Series truck with more than 500,000 sold.
Fast forward to 2020. We are entering a new phase in the automotive industry. As of February, Tesla passed a significant milestone, selling 1 million electric vehicles (EV). Plus, the Tesla Model 3 became the all-time best selling EV globally. This happened in just 2.5 years of production, which had taken the previous leader almost 10 years to accomplish.
Clearly, this is a very exciting time for EV enthusiasts as options become more stylish, have longer ranges, and achieve faster 0-60 MPH times, all while becoming more affordable for the average American. In fact, this is an exciting time for electric options of all kinds…
Is Everything Going Electric?
You may not realize it, but electric operation has been utilized for many years. No matter what your indoor or outdoor “go-to” is for fun or home improvement, chances are that an electric powered vehicle or tool has helped you get the job done.
Have you ever been golfing and paid for “18 and a cart”? If it has been in the last 15 years, it was probably an electric golf cart. More into walking the golf course? They make “smart cart” bag carriers that can now follow you based off of remote control or a “follow me” clip attached to your belt.
If golf is not your sport, how about skateboarding? Hop on one of a myriad of manufacturers’ longboard, traditional, or one-wheel style boards to rip the streets or trails with speeds of 60+ MPH, or a range of almost 60 miles.
Maybe being outdoors isn’t your thing, but you like having a tidy, well-groomed yard… Look no further than Husqvarna or Worx for their cordless, robotic lawn mowers, controlled by an app and GPS.
Worx Electric Lawnmower
Electric History All these EVs, toys and tools sound great, but what happens when they run out of charge? Well, the history of the battery — the backbone of electric powered tools and toys — is longer than you may think. The first recorded battery to provide continuous electrical current to a circuit was created by an Italian physicist, Alessandro Volta, in 1799. This was very crude, using zinc and copper for the electrodes and a piece of brine-soaked paper for the electrolyte. We have since gone through Daniell Cell (1836), Lead-Acid (1859), Nickel Cadmium (1899), Alkaline (1950s), Nickel-Metal Hydride (1989), and finally Lithium-Ion (1991) batteries. (Read more about “The Evolution of Battery Technology.”)
Or maybe you work in a warehouse and are sick of the noise and smell of gas-powered fork trucks. Well, you guessed it — there is an electric battery powered alternative.
And kids from 5 to 15 years are getting more and more into hoverboards; electric scooters; electric RC cars, planes and boats; Power Wheels, and even dirt bikes. In fact, I see this trend in my own home. My kids have hoverboards and love them, but they are already looking to the next electric transportation method of their dreams: the one-wheel, a scooter, a dirt bike, etc. I can no longer tell them that such “toys” will disturb the neighbors because the days of the iconic sound of a two-stroke or four-stroke dirt bike may soon be over with how quiet electric motors have become.
Benefits of Electric Vehicles
Now, this movement toward electric transportation (and more!) does not have to be all about fun. Some people choose electric it for the savings or the impact on climate change.
Let’s just focus strictly on EVs… Most consumers can expect to save $600-1,300 a year in fuel costs alone when switching from a conventional vehicle. Now, factor in less required maintenance like oil changes and brake service, and the savings just keep stacking up. It can take as little as $0.12/kWh to charge your car, meaning a full “tank” can cost as little as $5 or $6. How does that compare to your last fill up?
Other consumers may switch for the wellbeing of our environment and our children by aiding in the removal of toxic emissions. In 2008, the U.S. averaged 55,108,100 gallons of gasoline sold per day. That is an annual total sale of 20,114,456,500 gallons. This led the U.S. to 5,817 million metric tons of CO2 emissions.
However, since the introduction of EVs, this consumption trend has declined. In 2019, the U.S. averaged just 24,239,300 gallons of gasoline sold per day. This makes for a 30,868,800 gallon per day difference, for an annual consumption difference of 11,267,112,000 gallons! That is an average reduction of 1,024,282,909 gallons per year.
If the EV trend sticks and its popularity continues to rise, the U.S. will consume 12,291,394,909 fewer gallons of gasoline in 2020 than just 12 years prior. At a current national average of $2.186, that means that as a nation, we will save an estimated $26,868,989,271.07 on gasoline purchases this year. That is enough money to purchase any of the following:
2 U.S. Navy Nimitz Class Aircraft Carriers
15 Buckingham Palaces
16 Burj Khalifa towers
50,000 Teachers hired for 10 years
597,088 Tesla Model 3 cars
700,000 Homes powered with solar energy
3,400,000 People fed three meals a day for a year
Our Electric Future
So, whether you are into electric power vehicles and tools for personal enjoyment or trying to do your part for a cleaner Earth, there is an electric, battery powered solution out there for you. So, get out there and form your own opinions on all things electric.
I challenge you to go electric and just see how you like it! Get behind the wheel of an EV, or climb onto an electric dirt bike and try not to have fun! The torque, the acceleration, and the handling — all of it is intoxicating. It pulls you in and makes you want to find reasons to drive the car or ride the dirt bike at every opportunity.
So drive a Tesla, do a handyman job using a 20v Li-Ion powered tool, rip the local trails on a Onewheel, film a YouTube video using a drone, go golfing and ride along in an electric cart, or start a new hobby with your kids with brushless electric motor RC vehicles. There are so many emerging trends within the battery powered world, and electric vehicles are just one of them.
Will the world ever regress, ever think about going back to its fossil fuel roots? Perhaps so, perhaps not. As for this new EV owner, I’m never looking back.
The Melink family feels strongly about green causes and serving others. As servant leaders, several Melink Employee-Owners give back to the Cincinnati community by volunteering their time and offering board service.
Goering Center
Angela Bradley, Director of Human Resources — Board of Advisors
The Goering Center is affiliated with University of Cincinnati’s Lindner College of Business. Thus the center brings together a community of experts and peers to support, train, and educate small and private family businesses. Educational events and workshops are held to promote development and collaboration. The Goering Center has a board of community leaders that provide their expertise and support. Bradley has been an advisory board member since 2018.
“The Goering Center’s mission and vision resonate with my own vision for service and stewardship. As an HR professional, I want to be of service to my employees and provide support and guidance to create a positive work environment. Through the Goering Center’s efforts, any small or private family business can impact our local community, retain top talent in our area, and elevate economic growth in the Greater Cincinnati area,” said Bradley.
Sonlight Power
Angela Bradley, Director of Human Resources — Board of Trustees Craig Davis, President — Board of Trustees Steve Melink, CEO & Chairman — Advisory Board
SonLight Power designs and builds solar energy solutions for community venues (schools, medical clinics, orphanages, community centers, churches, water-pumping stations) in remote locations. Work is conducted through mission trips where solar panels are installed. Not only are regions connected with electricity, but residents are trained on how to install solar power systems and how to care for them.
Green Energy Ohio
Green Energy Ohio (GEO) is a statewide, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting clean energy practices through education, outreach, and representation. Miles serves on GEO’s Board of Directors.
Clermont Senior Services
Janice Scheid, Controller — Board of Trustees
Clermont Senior Services is a non-profit organization committed to serving adults ages 60 and over in Clermont County, Melink’s home. The non-profit provides and coordinates in-home and community-based services with input from its board of trustees, in which Scheid serves.
Green Business Council of Cincinnati
Joel Geiman, General Manager — Board Member Allison Sternad, Director of Marketing & Sustainability — Board Member
The Green Business Council of Cincinnati (GBC) helps local business leaders collaborate on sustainability initiatives, such as energy benchmarking, waste management, and composting. In addition, to help guide the council’s direction and offer their expertise, Geiman and Sternad are part of the GBC’s Executive Board.
Working in Neighborhoods
Steve Melink, CEO & Chairman — Board Member
Working in Neighborhoods helps to revitalize Cincinnati’s low- and moderate-income neighborhoods through home building renovation and financial literacy training. Steve Melink has served as board member for the organization.
Keeping your HVAC breathing through the Covid-19 pandemic.
The United States continues the fight against COVID-19, many reopened businesses are concerned about indoor air quality. As a result, new requirements are being implemented for the public’s safety.
Recently, New York allowed for the reopening of shopping malls but with a mandate from Gov. Andrew Cuomo: Update HVAC filters with at least a MERV-11 rating to capture the potentially airborne coronavirus particles. Likewise, Colorado’s Denver Public Schools unanimously approved Denver schools to get ventilation upgrades to help stem the spread of coronavirus. So what do these guidelines mean, and could other states follow these policies?
HVAC Filters
Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) is used to measure the effectiveness of air filters on a scale of 1 to 16. The higher the MERV rating, the greater the filtration, i.e. the smaller the particles it can catch. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends to improve central air filtration to the MERV-13 level (or the highest compatible with the filter rack) and to seal edges of the filter to limit bypass.
However, updating an HVAC system’s air filters may not be as simple as it sounds. For instance, a common factor that will get overlooked is that most HVAC systems that were designed for lower MERV filters (likely most of them) will need to be rebalanced for the new filters. The higher the MERV rating, the better the filtration but also the higher the static pressure (or resistance) that the fan must work against, resulting in a drop in airflow. The reduced airflow could cause comfort problems and even frozen coils. To prevent these issues, the airflow will need to be measured with the new filters installed, and then the fan speed will need to be increased to achieve the designed airflow.
Yet this is still not a “one size fits all” solution for all. Many HVAC units cannot handle the higher-rated filters. Using a filter with a higher MERV rating may cause the motor to burn out. This is why it is important you have a trained technician review your unit before making any changes.
Increase outdoor air ventilation (use caution in highly polluted areas); with a lower population in the building, this increases the effective ventilation per person.
Open minimum outdoor air dampers, as high as 100%, thus eliminating recirculation. (During mild weather, thermal comfort or humidity within a facility normally wouldn’t be affected. During extreme weather, this clearly becomes more difficult to control.)
Consider portable room air cleaners with HEPA filters.
Consider Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI), protecting occupants from radiation, which is particularly in high-risk spaces such as waiting rooms, prisons and shelters.
Developing Solutions
While the experts are recommending the above items, they are not mandatory across the country. States’ policies vary. Not to mention that COVID-19 research is still developing.
The result, in the near term, is likely to be a patchwork — some commercial buildings, schools, colleges, and other facilities will make investments, while others will not. One example of an organization making the investment to fight COVID-19 is KIPP DC, a publicly funded and privately operated network of seven school campuses with 1,200 employees and 7,000 students. KIPP DC has taken huge measures, working to find the ideal system optimized to filter the coronavirus.
Overwhelmed and not sure where to begin? Melink employs a 100% self-performing, NEBB-Certified national network of Test and Balance (T&B) HVAC technicians that can quickly deploy to assess mechanical systems, verify airflow rates in accordance with ASHRAE 62.1 standards, and perform any traditional T&B work.
We have multiple, long-standing relationships with some of the largest national restaurant, retail, hotel, and supermarket chains. These relationships began because those partners liked the idea of having just one third-party company to coordinate. Melink handles all their properties by objectively verifying that the HVAC systems were installed and are working as expected.
We are here to help you navigate the ever-changing recommendations and regulations of the pandemic. Let us help you keep your doors open while helping protect your employees, customers, and equipment. Contact us.
Condensation, moisture absorption and, subsequently, mold or organic growth are often a result of high indoor dew point combined with cool surface temperatures. For example, if a facility’s indoor dew point is above 60oF, it is possible that moisture will begin to condense on cool surfaces like ductwork, chilled water supply lines, windows, or refrigeration systems. This collection of moisture can cause damage to the building, as well as to merchandise. It can even promote organic growth over time.
In addition to the risk of moisture accumulation, ASHRAE recommends maintaining a dew point below 62 oF to meet thermal comfort for approximately 80% of occupants; a dew point of 45 oF is recommended to maintain summertime humidity comfort levels.
Monitoring Dew Point
Consider this: You are a kid in a candy store with a plethora of delicious options in front of you. You sort through the store and boil your decision down to two candy bars.
Option A: The tried and true milk chocolate bar. Nothing fancy but classically delicious.
Option B: Fluffy nougat topped with caramel and peanuts, coated in milk chocolate. An exciting snack bursting with flavor.
Did you choose Option A or Option B?
If I had to guess, you chose Option B as it gives you more variety with your purchase! Now, what if I told you that the decision you just made also can apply to thermal HVAC design and dew point monitoring principals?
Option A: A design principal of maintaining 60% relative humidity (RH).
Option B: A design principal of maintaining a 60oF dew point.
Both are similar and help maintain a healthy building, but maintaining a 60oF dew point (Option B) is inherently better and offers a more reliable risk indicator. Using 60% RH as an indicator (Option A) is unreliable as it creates needless concern when air temperature is cool. In the example below, you can see that the amount of water vapor in the air remains the same while relative humidity concentration varies depending on the temperature of the air.
Conversely, a facility manager or building owner may have a false sense of security when indoor air temperature is above normal levels because relative humidity will decrease as air temperature rises. These reasons are why dew point should be used as a threshold of concern. Dew point will not only factor in moisture content and temperature of the air but also provides a risk indicator for condensation and moisture absorption, which should be a facility manager’s primary concern.
Using Indoor Dew Point as a Risk Indicator
If you are already using indoor dew point as a risk indicator for indoor moisture activity, then continue to do so! Specifically, look to ensure that indoor dew point remains below 60 oF during cooling operations to reduce the risk of moisture absorption, condensation, and organic growth.
If you are not using indoor dew point as your risk indicator, now is the time to do so! You could be surprised to learn that measuring relative humidity alone may not be keeping your facility safe.
Dehumidify ventilated air to a dew point below the indoor dew point during cooling.
Drain HVAC system condensation effectively to prevent water buildup.
Prevent indoor surfaces from cooling below the indoor dew point in both occupied and unoccupied modes.
Keep indoor dew point low enough to stop condensation on HVAC components, building materials, or furnishings.
Install and control humidifiers correctly to avoid adding excess moisture to the air.
Insulate HVAC and plumbing components so their surfaces stay about 10°F above the indoor dew point.
These simple steps — in addition to proper HVAC ventilation, indoor air monitoring, indoor air verification, and keeping an eye on seasonal changes — can help ensure that your facility is operating in a safe manner while reducing risk of mechanical damage, moisture accumulation, or organic growth.
If you would like to learn more about ways in which your indoor air environments can be improved, please reach out to us. Please complete our contact form or contact us by phone at (513) 965-7300.
Global pandemic. Divisive rhetoric. Recession. Systemic racism. Civil unrest. Climate change. On their own, each issue represents a monumental challenge for the United States of America — let alone the global community. Yet, here we are, faced with the totality of these seemingly insurmountable problems. As with any challenge we are faced with, we have a choice to make: Lay down and surrender. Or, stand-up and find a solution. But nothing can change without first changing our perspective.
Despite the perpetual drumbeat of bad news, we must be intentional and work hard to maintain perspective. For without it, we are subject to become victims of circumstance, insecurity, desperation, and anxiety. Reason yields to emotion. Our thoughts become overwhelmed and critical thinking, cloudy. Therefore, let us seek perspective.
Historical. For nearly 250 years, America has persevered from one crisis through to the next: war, depression, pandemic, natural disaster, gun violence, etc. Has it ever been easy? Certainly not. The night is darkest just before the dawn. Though it may be challenging to see, we will emerge stronger than ever before.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health crisis. In incredibly short order, we have made massive societal adjustments to manage the impacts. The growth clip of the pandemic is slowing. And there is a tremendous amount of investment, research, and development, with some of the best minds in the world, working to minimize and hopefully eradicate this disease.
These are times of divisive rhetoric, a crisis of culture. Fortunately, 2020 is an election year. Soon we shall have a meaningful opportunity to exercise our vote and drive whatever change it is we want to see. Debates on social media will only get us so far. Elections matter. Vote.
We are in a recession, an economic crisis. Businesses are re-opening and people are getting back to work. The impetus of this recession was an unpredictable, catastrophic event, not part of a normal cyclical downturn. Our new normal may be different, but consumers will consume. Things will get better.
Systemic racism is, at its core, a crisis about the soul of our society. We, along with many of you, are disturbed by the injustice that plagues our country. Clearly, the national conversation has been elevated and this problem is being given the attention it so desperately needs and deserves. In the spirit of seeking a better world, for ourselves, our children, and grandchildren, we pray that these events shall not go by in vain. Rather, that as a nation we may fulfill the concept of ‘Equal Justice Under the Law.’
Prior to the pandemic, the cause, risks, impacts, and remedies of climate change were beginning to garner regular mainstream media attention. This is a crisis in slow-motion that will hit public health, the economy, culture, society, and most certainly human rights. The good news is not that the tide is turning – it has turned. For the first time in 130 years, renewable energy production in the United States has surpassed coal. And more electric cars are being sold than ever before. We have a long, long way to go to stave off the worst impacts of climate change, but this is progress; net-zero energy is coming. Through our continued innovation and deployment of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies and services we will continue transforming the world.
Still yet, you may remain daunted by the scale of these issues. If so, we offer the following actionable items, to put into perspective. First, as a reminder, maintain perspective and look for the good. Do not be naïve, but staying positive requires choice, intention, and critical thinking. Second, carry your world on your shoulders, not the world. That is, to say, do not worry about things beyond your control. Someone once said worry is interest paid on trouble before it comes due. Your resources are limited. Focus them in areas where you have control and, or influence. Similarly cut out the noise. Seek truth when you absolutely need to be but be judicious in so doing. Apply yourself where and when it matters most.
Finally, beyond their respective magnitude and impact, I believe each of these issues has one more critical attribute in common: they are incredibly complex. We cannot solve them if we remain entrenched and endeavor for our perspective “side” to win. We can and will continue solving complex issues if we remain open minded, empathetic, collaborative, and firmly commit to a better future.
Now in its seventh year, International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) is celebrated annually on June 23. The day celebrates the accomplishments of women engineers and raises awareness of career opportunities.
Currently, Melink Corporation employs four female engineers.
“Our goal is to enrich and strengthen our teams with a more diverse workforce that can lead to better innovation and effective leadership, while improving our company’s overall performance,” said Angela Bradley, Melink Corporation’s Director of Human Resources.
Meet Melink’s women in engineering…
Sarah Evans
Embedded Software Engineer
Degree: BS Computer Engineering
As an engineer at Melink, my job is to take the ideas for what we want PositiV® or Intelli-Hood® to do and implement them. Since I started working at Melink, my main focus has been on PositiV, our building health monitor system. My work includes programming the PositiV devices, maintaining an application for setting up the devices, collecting and analyzing data, and testing. While all these tasks involve software development, each problem is unique and can require a number of different solutions. Essentially, my day-to-day includes solving puzzles, which I really enjoy.
Krysta Kincaid
Sales Engineer
Degree: BS Industrial and Systems Engineering
My day-to-day in sales at Melink is not necessarily predictable, and for that I am grateful. I support the sales team by creating test and balance proposals and managing projects for new customers. The majority of my time is spent evaluating mechanical plans and developing potential scopes to create proposals for prospective customers. When we win the project or program, I run point with the end customer and site contacts. This includes reviewing the contract, scheduling our technician with the jobsite, securing rental equipment, communicating with our technician on site, distributing any necessary information to the customer in real time, and ensuring the customer gets the final report. I will then help answer any questions the customer has about the findings. In my role, I collaborate with almost the entire sales, national account, and network leadership teams on a daily basis. I truly enjoy the human interaction with my colleagues, as well as our customers. At the end of the day, all of our efforts at Melink go toward trying to save the environment, and that gets me out of bed every morning.
Katherine Moeller
Quality Assurance Engineer
Degree: BS Industrial and Systems Engineering
My role in quality assurance is to ensure that the products Melink produces, as well as our internal processes used to create those products, function properly and efficiently. Daily, my role can vary from creating process documentation to testing firmware to verifying data accuracy. I help connect what is created by the product development team to something that can be replicated easily by our production team. I support the production team by providing the materials they need to create and test a high-quality product, prior to sending it to the customer. Something I really enjoy about my job is that each day is different and I get to work with multiple stakeholders across the company.
Anna Rusconi
Account Engineer
Degree: BS Mechanical Engineering
My role varies from day to day. When we receive a test & balance quote request from one of our national accounts, I look through the mechanical prints to prepare a quote. The quote covers the scope of work for the visit, as well as the estimated time needed for an on-site technician. Before our technicians visit on site, I make sure they are equipped with all the information they need to successfully complete the job. If the technician has any questions while on site, I work with them and our site contacts to ensure the visit goes as smooth as possible. Once the T&B is completed and the final report is sent to the customer, I will work with the customer to help them understand the information. We provide our customers with an overview of their project data; I work with the National Account Manager to pull data to present to the customers. I really enjoy this position because each day is different, and it is rewarding to help the customers and the internal team.
If you have owned or operated a restaurant, you are familiar with the challenges of maintaining proper airflow throughout the building. From the kitchen to the front of the house to the back of the house, proper airflow can be challenging to keep in balance. That said, restaurants go out of balance for many reasons, wreaking havoc on a building’s health, comfort, and ventilation.
Does your restaurant look like this?
Unfortunately, these types of issues are extremely common in existing restaurants throughout the United States, and, when left unaddressed, can lead to negative building pressure, which causes serious long-term damage, poor indoor air quality, poor energy efficiency and uncomfortable conditions.
What are the industry guidelines for building ventilation?
ASHRAE 62.1 outlines minimum ventilation rates for various types of buildings, as well as other measures to ensure acceptable indoor air quality (IAQ) for human occupants. In a nutshell, ASHRAE recommends a certain minimum amount of fresh outside air be introduced through the building’s HVAC system. It also recommends that the proper amount of outside air be verified at least every five years. Without properly setting the outside air intake volume, buildings can experience negative building pressure and exhibit sick building characteristic. The best way to verify outside air is to hire a certified Test & Balance company, such as Melink, which has the proper air measurement instrumentation and years of experience.
How can I tell if my restaurant is properly ventilated?
Observe restaurant conditions and ask staff for a log of comfort issues
Turn on HVAC equipment, “Fan On” mode
Check the front door for signs of negative building pressure
Observe the kitchen hoods for proper smoke capture
Check the restaurant for drafts
Inspect the rooftop equipment to ensure it is in working condition
Ensure your HVAC preventative maintenance services are being performed satisfactorily
Contact Melink for building balance and comfort investigation services
How can I be sure my building stays healthy, comfortable, and properly ventilated for the long-run?
More and more restaurant chains are interested in the idea of “ongoing commissioning.” With scant facilities budgets and facilities managers stretched ever thinner, it is not feasible to routinely send someone to each facility to verify building health, ventilation, and comfort. Out of this necessity, Melink’s PositiV® Building Health Monitor was born. PositiV is a standalone system that monitors your building’s pressure and remotely tracks building health. Alerts are sent when the system detects anything is out of set parameters. Moreover, PositiV monitors temperature, relative humidity and CO2 so that you gain a full picture of the health of your facility.
PositiV is THE solution toward being able to actively monitor restaurant health, comfort and ventilation for the long-haul, and it is the most affordable way for multi-site facility managers to proactively stay ahead of building health issues before they become big facility problems.
Below is a REAL restaurant’s PositiV data. The site is taking action to improve negative pressure and building ventilation issues before they cause building damage, mold and comfort problems.
Ensure Your Restaurant’s Ventilation & Air Quality
For further information restaurant ventilation and PositiV (ongoing commissioning), please e-mail [email protected] or call us at 513.965.7300.
A discussion of 2020 construction industry trends.
Have you ever wondered why construction on the interstate near your house has dragged on for the past five years, yet when you come back from a 10-day vacation in the Bahamas, an entire strip mall emerged out of existence since you’ve been gone? Okay, so maybe it takes longer than a fortnight to build an Arby’s but certainly not more than a couple years, like most roads and bridges. There are many differences between horizontal construction (roads) and vertical construction (buildings), but I would like to explore the top three trends in the (vertical) construction industry that have expedited the building process, enabling contractors to build smarter.
#1 Better Planning
It’s no surprise that technology is booming in every industry. Between IoT, cloud computing and artificial intelligence, the effect that big tech has had on construction has opened the doors for many process improvements. The way architects and engineers plan for construction has changed drastically over the past several years. One major improvement has been in their modeling software to incorporate Building Information Modeling (BIM). BIM is a 3-D, model-based process that allows for multi-disciplinary collaboration on a single platform. Succeeding CAD and other 2-D programs, BIM has transformed the way architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) professionals visualize their projects, as well as how they convey them to the client.
#2 Appeal to “Turnkey”
Turnkey solutions are emerging as the best way to streamline operations from planning to install. These can ease the minds of builders who can now better organize workflow knowing that a single product or service can get the job done. With turnkey solutions come project managers who can coordinate with multiple trades to accomplish the packaged scope. This plays particularly well to companies with a diverse product offering who already have a lot of expertise under the same roof. More specialized companies may be left by the wayside as they simply don’t have the resources to furnish a complete product without delegating some of the scope.
#3 More Skilled Labor
From the construction trends I covered above to forecasted industry growth, there is a labor crisis that is getting worse every year. With the emergence of new technology comes the need to educate the labor force to implement these advances without sacrificing quality. Unfortunately, forcing a generation of young adults to pursue trade school rather than college doesn’t happen overnight, so the construction industry has to adapt. Part of the solution comes with self-performing companies who can guarantee quality with the products that they offer. Afterall, who better to install the super high-tech gadget than the company that made it?
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