Frenger Systems’ Post

Once upon a time, buildings were silent. The only sounds were created by their inhabitants. Nowadays, buildings are chock full of noise-making machinery. I am grateful for this machinery during the current heat wave. And although I can hear it, I don’t pay it much attention. I don’t listen to it. But when attempting to listen and understand in, say, a classroom or a meeting room, this otherwise ignorable sound often masks what I am trying to listen to, making it more difficult to comprehend. Once upon a time, children sat in classrooms distracted by the heat as summer approached. Nowadays, they are thermally comfortable. But, in some classrooms, they have difficulty understanding the teacher because of the ignorable masking sound of the HVAC system. This is avoidable with proper design.

There's a limit to what passive design can do, but we need to maximise it before we resort to active cooling measures like air-conditioning. For a start, I don't understand why some schools still use ties as part of the school uniform. I mean, even in the workplace, ties have been pretty much ditched. It's time to adopt tropical-appropriate clothing for a much warmer world. "Tampines Secondary School has been able to use cool paint, optimised ceiling fan placements, sunshades on windows, and ventilated chairs to help students and staff feel cooler and more comfortable. In April 2018, the school was used as a pilot test bed for the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) to explore improving thermal comfort and energy efficiency in an existing building. Testing was conducted in the school using two adjacent classrooms – a reference classroom which was left unchanged and a test classroom which implemented the innovations. Cool paint, which reflects incoming solar radiation away from the surface, was applied to the roof of the test classroom. This resulted in a maximum reduction of 12 deg C in the roof surface temperature and an average reduction of 1.8 deg C in the indoor ceiling surface temperature. Eight smart direct current (DC) motor fans were installed in a staggered fashion in the test classroom, compared with the six alternating current (AC) fans, positioned in a two-by-three grid in the reference classroom. The optimised placement of the smart DC fans improved airflow speed at the front of the classroom, and distributed the air more evenly around the classroom. Most windows at the school were fitted with rain diverter devices to prevent rain from entering classrooms. The rain diverter at the test classroom was modified into a perforated panel to act as a sunshade. The sunshades led to interiors that were up to 1.2 deg C cooler in floor temperatures. Ventilated chairs with small holes in the back rest were found to increase surface heat transfer by 37 per cent. Those placed in the test classroom kept students more comfortable as they improved ventilation and helped the wicking of moisture from students’ bodies. Over eight weeks, the innovations were monitored for their effectiveness on thermal comfort and energy efficiency. The BCA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, published a report on its findings in 2018. All the innovations trialled in 2018 have since been implemented in Tampines Secondary School." https://lnkd.in/g5-sk9FC

The average age of a TDSB school building is more than 60 years old. Some of these school buildings are late-19 century. We’re talking more than 100 years old. What happens inside these buildings has changed a lot. New tech, new textbooks, ideas and topics that simply didn’t exist 60 years ago. But on the outside? We’re still using a lot of the same facade materials as before. (And a lot of brick.) With all the advancements in building materials since then … How does this make sense? Deep energy retrofit should be on the minds of lots of school board folks. (For many of the school board folks I talk to, it is.) Facade systems have a lot to offer too, even without a full overhaul. Take Steni panels for example. Steni gives the architect a ton of options. Not just for #facadedesign and optimization, but also with colours and textures. Steni panels turn bland schools into buildings straight out of children’s art projects. It’s the difference between a drab dungeon and a building that is inspiring to walk into. Plus, Steni panels can hold up when kids play hard. Resistant to damage from hard playing and graffiti, they won’t need to be replaced every summer. Costly repairs and broken facades become a thing of the past. Just like many of our city’s existing school buildings, unfortunately.

School Expansion: A case study in speed and efficiency Manor School needed to expand their facilities with six new classrooms, a hall, offices, and toilet facilities. However, a tight timeline due to the start of the academic year and limited site access presented a challenge. That's why our team collaboration and offsite construction can be a great solution for schools and academies looking to increase their capacity. Here's how it went: • Kingspan ULTIMA prefabricated closed panel timber frame walls enabled a fast on-site build, welcoming pupils for the new school term in September • The system minimised noise and disruption while working next to existing classrooms • Exposed glulam purlins created bright and spacious learning environments • Fire mitigation protocols ensured safety throughout construction The project was completed ahead of schedule, ready for the new school year. Get in touch to find out more about our products and services for commercial use. https://rebrand.ly/q8o9clr #offsiteconstruction #schools #constructionmanagement #kingspan

What are you doing tomorrow? Learning with Teulo CPD Platform right?! Explore innovative construction solutions and rigorous testing protocols with our lineup of industry leaders on Monday at Teulo Talks! Discover how they’re setting new standards and ensuring the longevity and success of your projects. Gain valuable insights that will revolutionise your approach to project preparation, covering essential topics like heating, membranes, weathertightness, acoustics, and more! 🕒 10.15am - 11.15am | Greg Phillips, Allco Waterproofing Solutions Ltd   Benefits of a Recovery Roof System Over Roof Replacement
Greg will discuss how opting for a Recover Roof System over replacement can provide a durable, efficient, and cost-effective solution that maximizes the use of existing structures while enhancing overall building performance. 🕒 11.15am - 12.15pm | Lucy Cable, Autex Acoustics New Zealand  Sound Materials – What Goes Around, Comes Around
Lucy’s presentation will highlight Autex Acoustics' commitment to sustainability through innovative material choices and lifecycle design, addressing construction waste issues and showcase solutions like ReForm™ acoustic panels, the SpinFix™ mounting system, and Grid Ceiling Tiles. 🕒 1.00pm - 2.00pm | Dyann Stewart, Rommel Ltd Quality Assurance Practices for Both Residential and Medium Rise Building Facades
Dyann will explore the importance of ensuring high-quality facades, discussing potential consequences of neglecting facade integrity and key steps involved in achieving facade excellence. 🕒 2.00pm - 3.00pm | Alex Holly, Omega Windows + Doors Weathertightness and Durability Fundamentals, Basis in E2
Alex will discuss the fundamentals of weathertightness and durability with a focus on water management and design for changing climate conditions. 🕒 3.00pm - 4.00pm | Nick Moore, SFA Australia and New Zealand Inground Pump Stations
Nick from SFA will explain the applications and benefits of inground pump stations, which allow additional plumbing fixtures to be installed almost anywhere. Ready to learn with us! Make sure you RSVP! Register links in comments. CPD points available #teuloed #cpdonline #education #housing #design #building #e2

Designing the perfect educational greenhouse involves key considerations: • Size: Base it on student capacity and usage, aiming for at least 60 sq ft per student. • Location: Choose a North-South orientation close to classrooms, mindful of light pollution. • Structure: Opt for durable materials like galvanized steel or aluminum, and polycarbonate for longevity and minimal maintenance. • Interior: Concrete floors, expanded metal benches, and adequate aisle widths enhance functionality. • Climate Control: Invest in automatic systems for temperature control, with gas unit heaters for warmth and exhaust fans or evaporative cooling for lower temperatures. For a detailed guide on each aspect, know we are here to help!

Do you know the story of how the PSU Intramural Building went from being a serviceable, windowless box to a building so attractive, so welcoming, it all but compels people to come inside and get some exercise? Read all about this amazing transformation. https://lnkd.in/ew-UktCE #engineering #highereducation #athletics #transformation

Education // Traditional or Modular? Discover the Pros and Cons of each construction type in this helpful article: https://lnkd.in/gewCTXrU #SchoolConstruction #MasterPlanning #traditionalconstruction #modularconstruction

There is still time to book for Autumn Module B Exterior Lighting Diploma. We have a few places left, but not many... Module B explains luminance based highway lighting design. Which includes Column design and maintenance, LEDs, Road Lighting Theory, Traffic Route lighting design, Bridges and elevated roads, Motorway lighting design, plus so much more. To find out what other topics are coved on the course, go to: https://ow.ly/m8ko50SqJ8u #ILPDiploma #ILPTraining #CPD #Lighting #ExteriorLighting

The Fine Art of Controlling Humidity When Calvin College renovated and expanded its fine arts center, it needed an HVAC system design that would accommodate spaces with varying needs and criteria. To gain maximum control, engineers specified seven air handlers for the building. The air handlers draw heat and cooling from the larger campus system, but humidity is controlled locally.   “We need to manage the humidity year-round: in winter we add humidity, in the summer we dehumidify,” said Schulz. “The cooling systems provide the dehumidification in the summertime. In winter we add humidity by spraying water inside the air handlers and vaporizing it.” A single pump is used to provide humidification for all seven air handlers. The manifolds inside each of the air handlers are sized with the appropriate number of fogging nozzles and are controlled by separate solenoid valves. When the building management system calls for an increase in humidity in the auditorium, the recital hall, art gallery or any of the other rooms, the valves open to send water to the nozzles in the areas called for. Contact MEE: https://lnkd.in/g5fMR-8P