Things have changed dramatically at since September 11th in our firm as they have everywhere else in America. The focus of our outreach efforts has shifted from trying to encourage Solar or Renewable Energy Applications to focus our expertise in Indoor Air Quality on the immediate problem, Bioterrorism. We intend to help our clients in addressing the Health and Safety needs to protect the occupants and buildings from the threats posed by airborne hazards. Healey & Associates has been active for the past 15 years in assisting numerous healthcare, governmental, commercial and industrial organizations address Indoor Air Quality problems in their facilities. We have been very successful in quietly and efficiently eliminating the root causes of many IAQ problems, addressing the specialized needs of Laboratories, Isolation Rooms and other critical ventilation systems while improving the energy efficiency of the HVAC systems operation.
As part of our effort we developed appropriate IAQ related Safety Programs, O&M Policies and Procedures that can be very effective in reducing the threat we now face from Anthrax and other airborne Biohazardous threats. We are working with the Central Florida Safety Council and others to get the word out on appropriate facility response actions in an attempt to remove or at least significantly reduce the "Terror" component of Bioterrorism through the application of our specalized knowledge in implementing Engineering Controls and Safety Procedures. It is our opinion that if we have the proper actions contained in a Safety Program Action Plan and provided the necessary information and training to all involved from the top to the bottom, we can reduce the risk associated with any hazard, accident or toxic release.
We have recently developed a briefing and associated training program for Building Owners and Managers in Protection of Building Air Quality, we have developed and implemented Building Air Quality and Protection Systems and are conducting vulnerability assessments of the ventilation systems on buildings. We believe that such actions will take us the way we need to go to relieve the tension that many of us feel today. Obviously we are not alone in this effort. Most Engineering Firms are today developing approaches to solve the problems we all are facing since September 11th. Structural firms are working on improving the ability of buildings to stand up under loads and impacts never imagined before. We in the mechanical field are pushing hard to improve the ability of a buildings HVAC system to react to, and withstand intentional contamination from inside or the outdoors. We are now talking about "Immune" buildings or most certainly immune areas of many buildings so that they can withstand such attacks. All these things, and more, are possible today. We believe there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I am confident that engineering solutions and information transfer will in the end prevail.
If you would like us to assist you in evaluating the vuneralibility of your buildings to airborne hazards from external or internal sources, let us know. We can be contacted by phone, email (healey@flaenergy.com) or personal visit to our offices in Merritt Island. We are here to provide the assistance you need to reduce the "terror" by the application of standard Engineering practices and Training.
Henry Healey, P. E.
Project Design
The construction of the Monroe County and Department of Health building is nearing completion. The project, a historic adaptation, located the new County facilities in the two story Gatto Cigar Factory (1910) returning the building to it's original configuration. The building had been abandoned by the NAVY after serving as the Commissary for the Navy in Key West. Healey & Associates provided the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Design for the project.
Henry Healey recently completed the design of a "Building Air Quality Protection and Improvement System", which is a unique Energy Conservation and IAQ Project for a Federal Governmental Facility and the Monroe County Government Center in Marathon. The system is designed to pre-treat the outdoor air and improve the air quality in the building. This system is expected to be operational shortly.
Healey & Associates provided the engineering for two Federal Solar projects
that will be "Showcase" Project for the U.S. State Department and
the National Park Service. Both projects use PV for lighting and the State Dept
heats water with solar thermal, while the NPS provides water with PV pumps at
a visitor center in the Everglades.
Renewable Energy Applications
Publications
We have available several published articles and presentations that might be of interest:
Hot Water Storage Tank Temperature Setting: What Should It Be?, Florida
Environmental Association Newsletter, September 1996.
Discusses Legionella related influences on hot water storage tank temperature. See Legionella & Conservation
Cost Effective Solar Applications for C & I facilities, Proceedings of the 19th World Engineering Congress, Atlanta, GA, November 1996.The paper provides an overview of the various C & I solar technologies and information as to the viability, cost, and benefits of solar applications. Additional information is provided highlighting some of the available financial incentives for using solar energy systems on commercial and industrial facilities. The paper also presents a method of determining the viability and effective cost of solar energy systems and directly comparing the cost of delivered solar energy to the cost of conventional energy sources.
Presentations Include:
Solar Applications for the Hospitality Industry
Protecting Air Quality in Buildings, Post 9/11