I am very excited to post about my recent visit to observe a day of test burns that are a part of the Vertical Ventilation study being conducted by UL.
I want to first say a special thanks to Steve Kerber, Christopher Hasbrook,Bob Backstrom and Chief Peter Van Dorpe for allowing me to experience so many wonderful things they do to make the fire service safer.
This post is only to share my experience with you. It is not meant to be a report because it was only one day of many tests that UL are conducting to produce the report on Impact of Vertical Ventilation for the fire service.
United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program funded Underwriters Laboratories to conduct these test to examine fire service ventilation practices as well as the impact of changes in modern house geometries.
There has been a steady change in the residential fire environment over the past several decades. These changes include larger homes, more open floor plans and volumes and increased synthetic fuel loads. This series of experiments examine this change in fire behavior and the impact on firefighter ventilation tactics.
Test 1: on 2/7/2012
Was conducted in single story legacy ranch home. The fire was started in a coffee pot and then got into cabinets and was allowed to flashover. The door was then opened and after few minutes water was applied from straight stream at the door for 10 seconds and with fog nozzle. The purpose of water application was to see if a post flashover fire could be pushed out of kitchen down hallway. NO Fire was pushed in this test however there has been 7 test before and still one more to go. All the data will have to be analyzed before this can be confirmed.
Other things tested was 5 different smoke detectors, visibility on exit lights in smoke and they also examined activation time versus time needed to evacuate determined by temperature, gas concentration and smoke obscuration.
Test 2 on 2/7/2012
Two story modern home with open concept design. This fire was started in a trash can in upstairs bedroom and allowed to grow (it did not flashover due to the lack of oxygen) then the bedroom window was taken and it transitioned to flashover and later the front door was opened. The open door allowed for a flow up through the foyer to the bedroom window which intensified the fire and allowed it to burn at the door to the room and the window of the room, resulting in a higher heat release. The vertical ventilation hatch was opened and this seemed to localize the fire but UL will have to examine the data and videos before they can conclude anything. This test was a good example of multiple types of ventilation being coordinated and the hose stream application from the outside quickly knocked the fire.
My videos:
Note my videos are amateur and shot on just a 35 mm camera so excuse my shaking hand LOL
Once again this post is only about my experience on 2/7/2012 which is only part of the study that is being conducted. So I am looking forward to Steve Kerber and his group to releasing the full report.
Green Building Codes 101: Navigating the Standards, Codes, and Rating Systems.
This webinar addresses many of the questions about the relationships between green standards, codes, and rating systems. This webinar was developed collaboratively by ICC, USGBC, ASHRAE and AIA.
When was the last time you had a fire behavior class?
If you were honest it has probably been several years and most likely half of the class slept or paid very little attention because most firefighters like hands on drills were they can tear up stuff.
Those that have done fire behavior training recently what materials did you use? Because there has been major changes to fire development in the modern fire environment and most text books have not caught up.
Hopefully this post will help bring a lot of new material from UL , NIST and many other places together in a post that firefighters can use to train their next shift.
Fire Dynamics
Fire Dynamics is the study of how chemistry, fire science, material science and the mechanical engineering disciplines of fluid mechanics and heat transfer interact to influence fire behavior. In other words, Fire Dynamics is the study of how fires start, spread and develop. But what exactly is a fire?
Defining Fire
Fire can be described in many ways – here are a few:
NFPA 921: “A rapid oxidation process, which is a chemical reaction resulting in the evolution of light and heat in varying intensities.”
Webster’s Dictionary: “A fire is an exothermic chemical reaction that emits heat and light”
Fire can also be explained in terms of the Fire Tetrahedron – a geometric representation of what is required for fire to exist, namely, fuel, an oxidizing agent, heat, and an uninhibited chemical reaction.
Measuring Fire
Heat Energy is a form of energy characterized by vibration of molecules and capable of initiating and supporting chemical changes and changes of state (NFPA 921). Heat energy is measured in units of Joules (J), however it can also be measured in Calories (1 Calorie = 4.184 J) and BTU’s (1 BTU = 1055 J).
Temperature is a measure of the degree of molecular activity of a material compared to a reference point. Temperature is measured in degrees Fahrenheit (melting point of ice = 32 º F, boiling point of water = 212 º F) or degrees Celsius (melting point of ice = 0 º C, boiling point of water = 100 º C).
º F
Response
98.6
Normal human oral/body temperature
111
Human skin begins to feel pain
131
Human skin receives a second degree burn injury
162
Human skin is instantly destroyed
212
Water boils and produces steam
284
Glass transition temperature of polycarbonate
446
Melting temperature of polycarbonate(Mask)
>572
Charring of modern protective clothing fabrics begins
>1112
Temperatures inside a post-flashover room fire
Heat Transfer
Heat transfer is a major factor in the ignition, growth, spread, decay and extinction of a fire. It is important to note that heat is always transferred from the hotter object to the cooler object - heat energy transferred to and object increases the object’s temperature, and heat energy transferred from and object decreases the object’s temperature.
CONDUCTION
Conduction is heat transfer within solids or between contacting solids.
courtesy of NIST
courtesy of NIST
CONVECTION
Convection is heat transfer by the movement of liquids or gasses.
courtesy of NIST (convection on firefighter)
RADIATION
Radiation is heat transfer by electromagnetic waves.
courtesy of NIST (Radiation on the firefighter)
Fire Phenomena
Fire Development is a function of many factors including: fuel properties, fuel quantity, ventilation (natural or mechanical), compartment geometry (volume and ceiling height), location of fire, and ambient conditions (temperature, wind, etc).
Traditional Fire Development The Traditional Fire Development curve shows the time history of a fuel limited fire. In other words, the fire growth is not limited by a lack of oxygen. As more fuel becomes involved in the fire, the energy level continues to increase until all of the fuel available is burning (fully developed). Then as the fuel is burned away, the energy level begins to decay. The key is that oxygen is available to mix with the heated gases (fuel) to enable the completion of the fire triangle and the generation of energy.
Fire Behavior in a StructureThe Fire Behavior in a Structure curve demonstrates the time history of a ventilation limited fire. In this case the fire starts in a structure which has the doors and windows closed. Early in the fire growth stage there is adequate oxygen to mix with the heated gases, which results in flaming combustion. As the oxygen level within the structure is depleted, the fire decays, the heat release from the fire decreases and as a result the temperature decreases. When a vent is opened, such as when the fire department enters a door, oxygen is introduced. The oxygen mixes with the heated gases in the structure and the energy level begins to increase. This change in ventilation can result in a rapid increase in fire growth potentially leading to a flashover (fully developed compartment fire) condition.
Changes in Today’s fires:
Modern Building Construction + More Plastics = Extreme Fire Behavior
Did you notice that fire development has changed? There is early decay now! We as firefighters need to share this with all firefighters especially ones that havn’t been to fire behavior class in some time.
Energy Efficient Modern Building Construction:
Effective Insulation
Properly installed and inspected insulation in floors, walls, and attics ensures consistent temperatures with less energy use. The result is lower utility costs and a quieter, more comfortable home.
High Performance Windows
Energy-efficient windows use advanced technologies to keep heat in during the winter and out during the summer. They also block damaging ultraviolet sunlight that can discolor carpets and furnishings.
Tight Construction and Ducts Homebuilders Making a Difference:
Advanced techniques for sealing holes and cracks in a home’s “envelope” and in heating and cooling ducts help reduce drafts, moisture, dust, pollen, pests, and noise. A tightly sealed home improves comfort and indoor air quality while lowering utility and maintenance costs.
The tactical considerations include:
Stages of fire development:The stages of fire development change when a fire becomes ventilation limited.
It is common with today’s fire environment to have a decay period prior to flashover which emphasizes the importance of ventilation
Forcing the front door is ventilation: Forcing entry has to be thought of as ventilation as well.
While forcing entry is necessary to fight the fire it must also trigger the thought that air is being fed to the fire and the clock is ticking before either the fire gets extinguished or it grows until an untenable condition exists jeopardizing the safety of everyone in the structure.
No smoke showing:A common event during the experiments was that once the fire became ventilation limited the smoke being forced out of the gaps of the houses greatly diminished or stopped all together.
No some showing during size-up should increase awareness of the potential conditions inside.
Coordination: If you add air to the fire and don’t apply water in the appropriate time frame the fire gets larger and safety decreases.
DON’T FORCE DOOR UNTILL YOU HAVE A CHARGED HOSELINE IN PLACE!
Photo from UL study for Firefighter Safety and Photovoltaic Systems
What are the safety hazards with PV?
What tactics should be used at fires with PV present?
How do I secure utilities on a PV system?
These are just a few questions you should pose to every firefighter next shift or training meeting.
Photovoltaic (PV) is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect.
Total global solar energy capacity averaged 40 percent annual growth from 2000 to 2010; grid-connected solar photovoltaic capacity grew 50 percent per year for much of this time. This growth increases the potential of a fire department response to a building with PV, irrespective of the PV being involved with the initiation of the fire event. This growth increases the potential of a fire department response to a building with PV, irrespective of the PV being involved with the initiation of the fire event.
What are the safety hazards with PV?
Under the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program – Fire Prevention and Safety Grants, Underwriters Laboratories (UL)this study examines electrical and fire performance experiments were conducted to identify and quantify the electrical shock hazard that may be present to firefighters during the suppression, ventilation, and overhaul activities associated with a building or structure fire involving the presence of PV equipment. The scope of these experiments included:
Water for Fire Suppression During Firefighting Activites with PV
Shock Hazard Due to the Direct Contact with Energized Components
Emergency Disconnect and Disruption Techniques
Severing of Conductors
Shock Hazard from Damaged PV Modules and Systems
PV Power During Low Ambient Light, Artificial Light, and Light from a Fire
Potential Shock Hazard from Fire Damaged PV Components and Systems
What tactics should be used at fires with PV present?
In this study tactical considerations for PV include:
Shock hazard due to the presence of water and PV power during suppression activities
Shock hazard due to the direct contact with energized components during firefighting operations
Emergency disconnect and disruption techniques
Severing of conductors
Assessment of PV power during low ambient light, artificial light and light from a fire
Assessment of potential shock hazard from damaged PV modules and systems.
For more information about this project please see:
Every Incident Commander,Company Officer and firefighter will greatly enhance there safety by taking this online class. UL has developed an online interactive training module. The program includes a professionally narrated description of all of the experiments, their results and the tactical considerations. Experimental video is used and graphical data is explained in a way that brings science to the street level firefighter.
This post is dedicated to all brothers and sister firefighters but especially those in Indianapolis, Indiana the home of FDIC the Super Bowl of Firefighting
MAYOR ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF FIRST GREEN ROOF INSTALLATION ON INDIANAPOLIS CITY PROPERTY
Project Addresses Drainage Issues and Creates Community Space
INDIANAPOLIS – Mayor Greg Ballard today announced the completion of the Union Station green roof project – the first green roof installed on city property in Indianapolis. The green roof project, located on the former train deck spanning Meridian Street, addressed long-standing drainage concerns both on and below the deck, and has been enhanced with a community space available for educational events.
“The newly installed green roof atop Union Station eliminates several long-term maintenance concerns in a visually appealing and innovative way,” said Mayor Ballard. “This unique project and the community space created by its construction are part of our efforts to become one of the most sustainable cities in the Midwest.”
Standing water on the deck surface had damaged the deck, and leaking also degraded the pavement on Meridian Street below. There were also signs of degradation of the structural bridge steel. The green roof project includes a new deck with a re-graded surface to prevent standing water, a comprehensive trench drainage system and a modular green roof designed to reduce storm water runoff.
About 50 percent of the total surface is green roof material while the other portion is a concrete roof deck that includes picnic tables, outdoor benches and umbrellas. Total project costs were about $250,000; a $50,000 grant from Citizens Energy Group covered the green infrastructure elements of the project.
The green roof will be maintained organically with no chemical pesticides or herbicides, will be weeded, and will be watering if drought conditions last more than three months. The City of Indianapolis partnered with local engineering firm RW Armstrong, which has offices in Union Station. The firm completed a portion of the design and engineering work for the project.
Project Name: Indianapolis Children’s Museum Green Roof Year: 2010 Owner: Indianapolis Children’s Museum Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA Building Type: Commercial Type: Extensive System: Single Source Provider Size: 3228 sq.ft. Slope: 1% Access: Accessible, Open to Public
Project Name: Eli Lilly Year: 2009 Owner: Eli Lilly Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA Building Type: Corporate Type: Extensive System: Custom Size: 2682 sq.ft. Slope: 1% Access: Accessible, Open to Public Submitted by: Green Roof Blocks Designers/Manufacturers of Record:
Modular Greenroof Systems: Green Roof Blocks and Green Paks
Project Name: John H Boner Community Center Year: 2008 Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA Building Type: Commercial Type: Extensive System: Custom Size: 500 sq.ft. Slope: 1% Access:
Inaccessible, Open to Public Designers/Manufacturers of Record:
Architect: Halsted Architects
Grower: Hortech / LiveRoof LLC
Installer: AAA Roofing
1oth & Rural St. Green Roof
Project Name: 10th & Rural Year: 2007 Owner: Private Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA Building Type: Commercial Type: Extensive System: Single Source Provider Size: 565 sq.ft. Slope: 1% Access: Accessible, Private Submitted by: LiveRoof, LLC Designers/Manufacturers of Record:
Modular Greenroof System: LiveRoof
Architect: Schmidt Associates
Grower: Hortech / LiveRoof LLC
Installation: AAA Roofing
Waterproofing System: Firestone Building Products
Slip Sheet Product: EPDM, Firestone Building Products
Project Name: Schmidt Associates Year: 2005 Owner: Schmidt Associates Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA Building Type: Commercial Type: Extensive System: Single Source
Provider Size: 250 sq.ft. Slope: 1.5% Access:
Accessible, Open to Public Submitted by: John Shepley Designers/Manufacturers of Record:
Plant Supplier:
Greenroof Plants/Emory Knoll Farms
Project Name: Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) Owner: City of Indianapolis Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA Building Type: Municipal/Government Type: Intensive System: Single Source Provider Size: 15000 sq.ft. Slope: 1% Access: Accessible, Open to Public Submitted by: Greenroofs.com Designers/Manufacturers
of Record:
Architect: Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects
To learn more about Green Roofs attend my 2012 FDIC class.
Hazards of Modern Roofs
Lieutenant/Training Officer John Shafer, Greencastle (IN) Fire Department
The class will examine trends and methods in modern building construction with an emphasis on roofs, their direct relationship to vertical ventilation, structural firefighting operations, and firefighter survivability. Inherent roof construction features and hazards that directly influence truck company work will be the main focus, along with green roofs, methods, and exotic materials that are used to achieve green standards, and the potential hazards that they present to fire service personnel. Many of these materials such as recycled rubber shingles, solar panels, and green (garden) roofs are not common knowledge to most fire service personnel.
For the first time, the US has a national green building code.
The International Green Construction Code (IgCC), approved last week after two years of development, applies to all new and renovated commercial buildings and residential buildings over three stories high.
The historic code sets mandatory baseline standards for all aspects of building design and construction, including energy and water efficiency, site impacts, building waste, and materials.
Although the final code won’t be published until March 2012, many local and state governments have begun to officially adopt it.
“It represents a change in the standard of construction,” says Jessyca Henderson Director of Sustainability Advocacy at the American Institute of Architects. “It will effect everyone that touches buildings…it will be a big leap.”
The new code creates a mandatory “floor” – enforceable minimum standards on every aspect of building design and construction that now must be reached.
LEED certification, on the other hand, is voluntary. Although many buildings now strive for it, there are more that don’t. The new code will thus raise the standards for ALL buildings.
Also to qualify for LEED, designers choose from a menu of options. They may choose to address certain aspects of energy efficiency, such as lighting, for example, while leaving others out.
Setting a “floor” through the code, creates the opportunity for LEED-certifications to push toward higher “ceilings,” where buildings are awarded for truly reaching greater levels of performance, rather than receiving awards for what are increasingly expected standards.
Mandatory Requirements:
Site Development, Land Use: it pretty much eliminates development on greenfields (undeveloped land), although there are exceptions based on existing infrastructure. It includes clear guidelines for site disturbance, irrigation, erosion control, transportation, heat island mitigation, graywater systems, habitat protection, and site restoration.
Materials: A minimum of 50% of construction waste must be diverted from landfills, and at least 55% of building materials must be salvaged, recycled-content, recyclable, biobased, or indigenous. Buildings must be designed for at least 60 years of life, and must have a service plan that justifies that.
Energy Efficiency: total efficiency must be “51% of the energy allowable in the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code” (IECC), and building envelope performance must exceed that by 10%. It sets minimum standards for lighting and mechanical systems, and requires certain levels of submetering and demand-response automation.
Water Efficiency: it establishes maximum consumption of fixtures and appliances and sets standards for rainwater storage and graywater systems.
Indoor Air Quality: It addresses radon, asbestos, VOCs, sound transmission, and daylighting.
Commissioning, Operations: it requires extensive pre- and post-occupancy commissioning and education of building owners and maintenance employees.
Every project is also required to choose an additional “elective,” which pushes the envelope for the developer further. Once they choose it, it’s enforceable. There’s a long menu of elective choices, including whole-building life-cycle assessment to more stringent recycled-content.
Local governments and states have the choice of adopting the code, but once they do, it’s enforceable. They can add their own requirements on top of the code that address local concerns such as stormwater management or lighting pollution control.
To help implement the code, IgCC includes a “cookbook” approach for smaller buildings to follow and a more flexible approach for large buildings.
To develop the code, the International Code Council worked with many stakeholders, with the American Institute of Architects, US Green Building Council, and the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), foremost among them.
Green Buildings are not just a fad. I believe this national code will help make green buildings the norm and not just a option.
Firefighters need to start learning about green buildings and green concepts more than ever before. Green Maltese hopes that fire service will use this as a place to learn about how the buildings are changing.
NORMAN — An open space flooded with light, a sparkly quartz compound countertop in a spacious kitchen, and a family-size wooden table are the first things that greet the firefighters in their second home at Norman fire station No. 8, and it’s green, too.
The station recently received notification that it has received LEED gold certification, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, an internationally recognized green building certification system through U.S. Green Building Council.
“We’re the first station in the state of Oklahoma to receive any LEED certification, so we received gold right off the back,” Norman Deputy Fire Chief Jim Bailey said. “Our station 9 will also seek LEED certification.”
Norman Deputy Fire Chief Jim Bailey talks about the features of Fire Station No. 8 at the grand opening of Wednesday. Transcript Photo by Kyle Phillips
After a public safety sales tax passed in May 2008 to bank the funds for two new fire stations, it was quickly determined by the City of Norman that the new buildings would be built to be energy sufficient.
The City used LEED as a way to verify that the new fire stations would be built using sustainable strategies. Station No. 9, due to begin construction in December on Alameda Street, will be a larger facility but will also seek LEED certification.
The City hired Kirkpatrick Architecture Studio firm from Denton, Texas, to build its green stations based on LEED’s performance categories: site selection and treatment, water efficiency, energy use, materials selected and the indoor environmental quality.
Bailey said the City hired Kirkpatrick Architecture because they had previous experience in building LEED certified fire stations. It was a natural fit, he said, and one that paid off by earning them the second-highest certification level for station No. 8.
The building features a variety of small and large energy efficient features, he said, such as drought resistant landscaping, automatic lighting, motion sensor lighting, solar tube lighting, highly insulated walls, and easy maintenance floors and countertops.
The entire station capitalizes on its resources, with 90 percent of common areas having access to daylight, over 20 percent of construction materials were recycled materials, and 50 percent less domestic water use. Bailey said this 10, 327 sq. ft. station will use 30 percent less energy than another station of the same size.
Built on 105 peers, the foundation has space between it and the soil to allow for soil expansion without affecting the quality of the foundation. Features such as this will allow the station to remain in high quality condition for years to come, Bailey said.
Though the station was built with energy efficiency in mind, it was also designed to appeal to the firefighters who would eventually work there.
“It’s just as easy to make it comfortable as industrial, than why not make it comfortable?,” he said. “I’ve been there, I’ve been in their spot and the more you can make it feel comfortable for them the better their attitudes are going to be.”
This post is dedicated to my brother and sister firefighters from Colorado.
Solar shingles are solar panels incognito. Instead of mounting on your roof, they become your roof or integrate seamlessly with the existing roof shingles. In many cases, they can be stapled to the sub-roofing the same as an ordinary shingle. On average, shingles are about 12 inches wide by seven feet long. There are also solar roof tiles that integrate well with mission-style housing common in the sunny Southwest. Solar shingles, like most thin-film BIPV products currently on the market, are less efficient than silicon solar panels. But, again like other Building Integrated Photovoltaic ( BIPV )innovations, are a burgeoning work in progress.
Until now, solar energy’s two challenges have been cost and acceptance. Dow is working to change all that. Dow has been developing BIPV building materials that enable solar energy cells to be incorporated directly into the design of commercial and residential building materials such as roofing systems, exterior sidings, fascias and more.
ARVADA, Colo., Oct 13, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — The roof of a home has always
had the critical job of protecting families from the elements. Today, for the
first time, a new commercially-available solar roofing shingle has entered the
U.S. housing market that not only protects from the elements, but uses one of
those elements — sunlight — to turn the typical American home into a dynamic
power generator.
At an event today in Arvada attended by Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper
and supporters of solar technology, alternative energy, green manufacturing and
the latest innovations in home building, Dow Solar, a division of The Dow
Chemical Company announced that the DOW POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle will now be available to homeowners in Colorado. On October 4, Dow announced that the product would be available in targeted U.S. markets and now Colorado becomes the first state to offer Dow’s revolutionary Solar Shingle.
Co-hosted by D.R. Horton, one of the leading homebuilders in the nation and the first residential production builder to participate with Dow Solar, the event showcased D.R. Horton’s commitment to offer the POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle as a standard feature on 50 new homes in the developer’s Spring Mesa community in Colorado. Each of the remaining homes in Spring Mesa will receive a 3 kilowatt POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar
Shingle roof.
“We are excited that Dow has chosen D.R. Horton’s Spring Mesa community to launch its POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle technology,” said Scott Davis, Division President, D.R. Horton – Colorado. “We believe the addition of solar technology will attract new homebuyers to Spring Mesa who will now have Dow’s innovative Solar Shingles available on one of the most scenic and beautiful communities in the Denver area.”
Why Launch in Colorado?
Dow chose Colorado as the first launch market for the POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle because the state provides the right combination of financial returns and market receptivity to solar.
According to Neal Lurie, Executive Director of the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA), a number of factors combine to make Colorado the right market for the introduction of an important new solar technology.
“Colorado is a national leader in solar energy innovation and job creation. We have the right combination of public sector support, private sector
commitment, homeowner interest and an enthusiastic community of builders and installers,” Lurie said. “The launch of POWERHOUSE(TM) in Colorado is a significant accomplishment for the state as clean energy once again serves as a catalyst for economic development.”
Working with Homebuilders, Roofing Contractors and Installers in Colorado.
Dow Solar will bring the POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle to Colorado by working with leading homebuilders such as D.R. Horton to create more solar communities, and with POWERHOUSE(TM) Authorized Dealers to grow the solar market in Colorado one rooftop at a time. Expansion throughout Colorado is continuing and other U.S. market will be announced in the coming months.
The DOW POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle
The POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle roofing system protects the home like a standard roofing shingle while providing energy that powers the home and saves the homeowner money.
The three-part solar roofing system package includes an array of shingles, an inverter and an energy monitoring system. The shingles, custom designed to fit the individual homeowners’ budget and energy goals, are arranged to complement the style and form of the home and roofline. The inverter then converts Direct Current (DC) produced from the shingles into Alternating Current (AC), which is then fed to the home’s appliances, or back to the power grid. Finally, a real-time monitoring system provides readouts to homeowners to assess energy usage, production and the amount of excess power flowing back to the grid.
The great look of the integrated POWERHOUSE(TM) Solar Shingle solution now serves the needs of homeowners who want to go solar, but dislike the aesthetic of bulky, rack-mounted systems.
To learn more about these solar shingles and many other hazards on modern roofs be sure and attend Green Maltese class at FDIC 2012
Hazards Of Modern Roofs:
Presentation Summary
The presentation will include an intense and concentrated examination of trends and methods in modern building construction with an emphasis on roofs, their direct relationship on vertical ventilation, structural firefighting operations, and firefighter survivability.
Inherent roof construction features and hazards that directly influence truck company work will be the main focus of this program.
Program Overview and Pedagogical Approach
The program will address timely issues related to modern roofs and upcoming push to make sustainable buildings.
This presentation will examine various green roofs, methods and exotic materials that are used to achieve green standards, and the potential hazards that they present to fire service personnel. Many of these materials such as recycled rubber shingles, solar panels and green (garden) roofs are not common knowledge to most fire service personnel due to past and current teaching practices that only address traditional building construction for the fire service.
I am very excited and honored to be accepted to be a part of FDIC 2012
I just wanted to share with you all and thank you for support!!
From email
Dear Classroom Instructor John Shafer,
Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that your proposal has been
selected as a Classroom Session (Single Speaker Only/1.45 Hour) presentation
at FDIC 2012 Conference & Exposition, to be held April 16-21, 2012 in
Indianapolis, IN.
The session you have been invited to present is:
Title: Modern Roofs the Truckie Nightmare Alternate working Title: Hazards of
Modern Roofs
Track : Truck Company
Speaker(s) : John Shafer
More detailed info:
Modern Roofs the Truckie Nightmare:
Presentation Summary
The presentation will include an intense and concentrated examination of trends and methods in modern building construction with an emphasis on roofs, their direct relationship on vertical ventilation, structural firefighting operations, and firefighter survivability.
Inherent roof construction features and hazards that directly influence truck company work will be the main focus of this program.
Program Overview and Pedagogical Approach
The program will address timely issues related to modern roofs and upcoming push to make sustainable buildings.
This presentation will examine various green roofs, methods and exotic materials that are used to achieve green standards, and the potential hazards that they present to fire service personnel. Many of these materials such as recycled rubber shingles, solar panels and green (garden) roofs are not common knowledge to most fire service personnel due to past and current teaching practices that only address traditional building construction for the fire service.
This ground breaking and informative program will utilize extensive multimedia materials to reinforce course content and subject areas.
If the fire service can significantly increase proficiencies in green building knowledge and equate that to other fundamental operational aspects in structural fire operations, there would be a direct enhancement to firefighter safety through injury and LODD reductions in the future.
Just wanted to share this with you, in case you hadn’t listened yet?
Fire Marshal’s Corner: FM Global Report on Green and Sprinklers and the Dangers with Photovoltaic Units
Ed Comeau and Mike Love look at two perspectives of the impact of fires on the environment on this month’s Fire Marshal’s Corner. They look at the operational and global perspectives.
San Jose Capt. Matt Paiss has been working in the field of photovoltaics for a number of years. He couples that experience with his fireground expertise, to provide listeners with a wealth of information about how to deal with rooftop photovoltaic units which are becoming more prevalent across the country. He has created several training videos (see below) that are great training tools.
We then are joined by Gary Keith who is the chair of the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition. FM Global recently completed a landmark study on the environmental impact of fires which provides us with the information we need to quantify exactly what is happening to the environment when a fire breaks out. They review a number of sources of resources that are critical to the fire service.
The most unique feature of the INhome is the biowall. The biowall is a home air filtration system that utilizes plants placed in a vertical wall, which remove harmful chemicals that can accumulate in homes that are tightly sealed like the INhome. Air from the home is drawn through the plant wall where the chemicals are removed by the plants and used as a food source. The wall requires very little maintenance and is even designed to water itself. The biowall improves the air quality in the home, saves energy, and provides a calming ambiance by bringing nature inside the home.
Bio Wall
One of the things that I really liked about the home was that it was sprinkled! GO PURDUE !!
If you are a firefighter today you should be well aware that fires fought today are not the same as the fires your father fought in yesterdays. There many great programs, tests, case studies and classes out there that brings this to light. If you care about your family then get out of the recliner and learn about the changes in the modern fire environment that we operate in today. However most of the emphasis has been on modern fuel loading and building construction changes. These are extremely important and should be a major focus of your training. I feel that a part of the modern building construction changes that is often overlooked or not considered is energy efficiency.
Traditional OSB
Our first installment on energy efficiency changes is about OSB.
What is OSB?
Oriented strand board, also known as OSB, is an engineered wood product formed by layering strands (flakes) of wood in specific orientations. In appearance, it may have a rough and variegated surface with the individual strips (around 2.5 by 15 cm (approx. 1 in by 6 in) each) lying unevenly across each other.
Energy Efficient OSB with radiant barrier
Some OSB products today have been married to a radiant barrier.
Why?
Studies have shown that radiant barriers can reduce cooling energy consumption by up to 17%, depending on the design of the building, insulation levels and other factors. OSB radiant barrier sheathing can lower peak attic temperatures up to 30°F by reducing summer radiant heat gain in the attic. Since less heat is transferred into living areas through the ceiling, indoor temperatures stay cooler and more comfortable while helping your cooling system operate more efficiently.
Ideal for use in hot climates
Reflects up to 97% of radiant heat
May lower cooling energy consumption by up to 17%*
ENERGY STAR® qualified
Why it works so well:
Backed with specially designed aluminum foil/craft paper laminate, this OSB sheathing is installed foil side down facing into the attic space. Since aluminum foil is highly reflective, up to 97% of the radiant heat is reflected from entering the attic space.
Available evidence strongly suggests that these products can in fact provide significant reductions in home energy consumption (U.S. Department of Energy, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, et al.). Unfortunately, the use of these products also provides some insidious and unintended side effects. The physical and electrical properties of these materials are such that they introduce new and very serious dangers of ignition and fire.
PHYSICAL AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF RADIANT BARRIER MATERIAL
This is where the real problem shows up. The physical and electrical properties of the radiant barrier foil are such that the material is not only an excellent electrical conductor (Wikipedia); it is also a very viable ignition source. When electrical current flows through it the material not only readily generates heat necessary for ignition, italso becomes the first ignited material!
The primary physical property of the paper we are interested in is the ignition temperature. This value can vary significantly for different types of paper; however, it is virtually always less than 500 degrees F. Measurements in our study showed that the paper ignited when the foil temperature was between 420 and 450 degrees F.
Clearly then, if the radiant barrier foil material is overheated as a result of electrical current flow, the temperature of the material will easily exceed the ignition temperature of the paper backing.
SUMMARY of IMPORTANT PHYSICAL and ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
1. CONSTRUCTION: Aluminum Foil bonded to Paper.
2. MELTING TEMPERATURE of the ALUMINUM: >900 degrees F.
3. IGNITION TEMPERATURE of the PAPER: <500 degrees F.
4. SHEET RESISTANCE of the ALUMINUM: 4.50 ohms per square.
5. CURRENT DENSITY for FAST IGNITION: Approx 300 Amps per sq. mm.
SPECIAL NOTES ABOUT THE ELECTRICITY:
This study has shown it is possible to have a fire originate in the radiant barrier if it becomes energized by virtually ANY commonly available electrical source. However, it should also be clear that if there is danger of a fire from “single digit” voltage levels and “tens” of amps, the danger from lightning at
15,000,000 volts and 100,000 amps will be MANY times greater. This is why we feel strongly that the presence of radiant barrier material, as presently manufactured and installed in a structure, greatly increases the risk of a fire in the event that the structure experiences a lightning strike.
SUMMARY of FINDINGS
1. Standard installation methods for roof sheathing with integrated radiant barrier are such that the end result is an overall environment where all of the radiant barrier material and virtually everything metal on and around the roof are electrically connected.
2. In most cases, something in that environment is connected to earth ground. If anything in the roof environment becomes electrically energized (by lightning or any other common source) there is a high probability the current will pass through the barrier material at some point on the way to earth ground.
3. The physical and electrical properties of reflective radiant barrier materials which we tested are such that the material in a structure provides two new and unique hazards relative to fire causation.
(a) When energized by an electrical current the material readily generates temperatures sufficient to ignite MANY materials.
(b) The barrier material itself readily serves as the first ignited material.
Another point to ponder is that if the OSB with radiant barrier keeps out the heat it will also keep in the heat from a fire and cause thermal radiation feedback much faster causing Flashover to happen quicker.
A special thanks to MCDOWELL OWENS ENGINEERING, INC. for all the testing they have done to bring this issue to light for the fire service.
I hope that you have learned of yet another hazard we face in the fire service and that you will share this information to all you know.
Green Maltese is extremely excited about being a part of the Go Forward inaugural event, October 21-23 at the Ameristar Hotel Resort, Spa & Casino in St. Charles, Missouri.
Education Opportunities from Green Maltese @ Gateway Conference:
And John Shafer
Lieutenant and Training Officer, Greencastle (IN) Fire Department
Today’s buildings and occupancies continue to present unique challenges to command and operating companies during combat structural fire engagement. Building and occupancy profiling, identifying occupancy risk versus occupancy type, emerging construction methods, features, systems and components coupled with the increasing commonality of extreme fire behavior and the increased fire load package require new skill sets in reading the building and implementing predictive occupancy profiling for firefighters, company and command officers. Integral to the presentation will be detailed discussions on building and structural system placarding methods and labeling programs.
This course offers a concentrated examination of current and future trends and methods in green building construction. Discussion will emphasize green construction building materials, green rating systems, modern building construction methods, risk assessment, engineered structural and construction systems, and their direct relationship on structural firefighting operations, firefighter survivability and the command decision-making process. We will also consider:
Inherent green construction features and hazards that directly influence effective command risk management
Decisive strategic and tactical considerations with a focus on key green construction features and inherent occupancy profiles
The effect of fire dynamics, fire behavior and tactical operations on modern building construction systems
When: Sunday, October 22 – 1:30p – 3:00p
There will be many other excellant classes offered this weekend and you don’t want to miss this!
U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 373,900 home structure1 fires per year during 2005-2009. These fires caused an annual average of
2,650 civilian fire deaths,
12,890 civilian fire injuries, and
$7.1 billion in direct damage.
92% of all structure fire deaths resulted from home fires.
On average, seven people died in U.S. home fires every day.
Causes and Circumstances of Home Fires
Details from the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Incident Reporting System show that in
2005-2009:
Cooking equipment was the leading cause of home structure fires and home fire injuries.
Smoking was the leading cause of civilian home fire deaths. Heating equipment was the second most common cause of home fire fatalities.
Almost all homes have at least one smoke alarm, but almost two-thirds of reported home fire deaths in 2005-2009 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
Home Fires: How Often and How Likely?
Sometimes it is easier to think of the statistics in terms of time. The statistics below are based on home structure fires reported during 2005-2009.
Reported home fires by time
More than 1,000 home structure fires were reported on an average day. This translates to 43 fires every hour or one reported home fire every 84 seconds.
Home fires killed an average of seven people every day.
A civilian (non-firefighter) home fire injury is reported every 41 minutes.
Home fires cause roughly $225 in damage every second.
The odds of a reported fire
According to the U.S Census Bureau, the U.S, resident population averaged 301 million people during 2005-2009 and roughly 115 million households. That means that, on average during this period:
● Roughly one of 800 people had a reported home fire each year.
● Roughly one of every 310 households had a reported home fire each year.
● On average, one of every 114,000 U.S. residents died in a home fire per year.
This is an excellent report from NFPA to help us better understand where and how most home fires happen. This information can help us educate our customers to prevent fires and fire deaths. However there was one part that really jumped out at me.
Reported home structure fires fell to a new low in 2009, 51% lower than in 1980.
I could really get on a soap box and go on forever about 51 % less fires and we still kill about 100 firefighters a year, but I will refrain for the sake of the reader’s time!
So I have one question I want you to ask yourself. What does your department spend the most amount of time on in training?
More than ever before we need training with safe live fire evolutions! The numbers don’t lie we respond to 51% less fires.
Solar power is only in California and southwestern states. This statement is the most common one I hear from people in the Midwest. However that is far from the truth. As a matter of fact I have visited two local solar installers in central Indiana.
My second trip was to One Planet Solarin Terre Haute Indiana. This is where I have a great meeting with Phillip Roberts and Dustin Allen. There were very interested in supporting local solar issues as well as the safety of Wabash Valley firefighters. In our meeting we discussed the fire departments needing to be able and access the roof’s ridge line for ventilation. Phillip stated that he would attempt to help us out on this and many issues. Phillip and the crew at One Planet Solar are very supportive and here is just one example.
Putnam County families can now apply to have a solar panel system installed at no charge through Putnam RISE efforts to lower home energy bills.
The 1.120 kw solar array using a new Enphase Energy micro-inverter system from www.oneplanetsolar.com (One Planet Solar and Wind, Inc.) is the most recent of donated products and services to the Putnam RISE “Green Home Makeover,” along with Shuee & Sons Great Buys Energy Star appliances, Energy Conservation Solutions (Roachdale) services and Parke County REMC weatherization materials.
The Green Home Makeover is one of 21 Putnam County homes to be selected for home energy and weatherization investments made possible by donated products and services as well as Putnam County Community Foundation and Vectren Foundation grants. In total, the 21 homes will receive an approximate value of $60,000 in grant investments and donated goods and services.
Households must have annual incomes of $45,000 or less to be eligible for the Green Home Makeover and weatherization projects. Applications and referrals are encouraged by calling 720-7610, going online at www.putnamrise.org/homes/weatherization, or by visiting Bainbridge Town Hall, Greencastle City Hall or the Putnam County Senior Center.
Green Building in Indianapolis: Creating a Sustainable Future
The City’s Office of Sustainability, in partnership with WCTY Channel 16, is proud to announce the City’s first green building documentary. The film is titled “Green Building in Indianapolis: Creating a Sustainable Future” and is hosted by green living expert Sara Snow. The approximately 54-minute documentary features many of Indianapolis’ green building projects. The film explains the components of green buildings, the strategies used to ensure optimal environmental benefits and cost savings, and the importance of partnerships in the design and construction process. The purpose of the documentary is to inform Indianapolis residents about the concept of green building, highlight the City’s leaders in sustainable building projects, and provide a resource for more detailed information on best practices by featuring The Nature Conservancy’s new Headquarters building. The Efroymson Conservation Center is seeking LEED Platinum certification.
This documentary project began as a partnership between the Office of Sustainability and The Nature Conservancy. In early 2009, as The Nature Conservancy was preparing to break ground on the construction of their new headquarters buildings, the Office of Sustainability approached WCTY Channel 16 and The Nature Conservancy with the idea to video-document the construction process. This idea sparked the interest of The Nature Conservancy and Channel 16 as an opportunity to “tell the story” of green buildings: What is a green building? What are the benefits of a green building, to owners, to occupants, and to the community? What are the costs and how do green buildings compare to traditional buildings? From the earliest concept of the documentary, it was clear that there was an exciting story to tell about Indianapolis’ progress towards encouraging green buildings projects, and the growth of green buildings in our community. As a result, while the film project features specific, case study level information on The Nature Conservancy building, it also features several green building projects that had been completed prior to The Nature Conservancy. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc., State of Indiana Forensics and Health Sciences Laboratory, IDO, Inc., HealthNet’s Southwest Clinic, and the Indianapolis Cultural Trail are some of the green building projects featured in the documentary.
I am pleased to announce that Chief Larry Tempel Posey Twp. VFD has agreed to allow me to follow and document the building of this new Green fire station.
I think this will be a wonderful educational experience for myself and any fire department that is looking into building green in the future.
Background:
A Clay County fire department is starting construction on a new fire house.
The Posey Township Volunteer Fire Department broke ground on the $1.5 million project. Federal stimulus money is paying for most of it. Posey Township collected donations to cover its portion of a quarter-million dollars.
The new fire house will provide more room for newer fire trucks. It will also have living quarters for the volunteers and be energy efficient.
“Thick insulated walls, it’s going to have solar panels to generate some electricity. It’s going to have solar panels to heat some of the water. We’re going to catch all the rain water and use it for geothermal heating and cooling,” says Posey Township Volunteer Fire Chief Larry Tempel.
Posey Township’s current fire house used to be a church built in 1911. The new fire house is expected to be finished by January.
Rooftop farming is the practice of cultivating food on the rooftop of buildings. Rooftop farming is usually done using hydroponics, aeroponics or air-dynaponics systems or container gardens. Besides using the allready present space at the roof itself, additional platforms could possibly be created between high-rise buildings called “aero-bridges.
Food production:
The sustainability of urban systems can be significantly bolstered by fostering a more urban agriculture. The average American meal travels 1500 miles from field to table, using 10 times more energy than the caloric value of the food itself. This represents an incredible environmental cost in fossil fuel emissions, pollution associated with extraction, and loss and division of natural habitat by asphalt, to name a few of the more direct costs. Less direct are the costs of the industrial agricultural system required to maintain the artificially low cost of that well-travelled meal. These include environmental costs associated with high-input monocultural growing methods as well as social and health costs for the local rural community and farm workers. Unless alternatives are sought to this global sourcing of food without regard for externalized costs, rising urbanization will continue to be accompanied by increased environmental and social costs.
Rooftop agriculture is one way in which urban areas could attempt to be more balanced and sustainable in their resource consumption. It is possible to produce a variety of fruit, grain, and vegetable crops on rooftops, either in containers or as field crops.
Chicago’s recent regulation:
Chicagoans may soon witness the transformation of the Windy City’s skyline from bare, unused rooftops into green fields of lettuce, herbs and vegetables.
The Chicago City Council’s zoning committee passed regulations Thursday that sanction the use of rooftops in commercial districts for growing and selling produce. Previously, the committee only gave special permission on a case-by-case basis.
“This means that green roofs, which have enormous benefits to the community, can now create financial benefits,” said Molly Meyer, owner of Rooftop Green Works LLC.
Meyer, who has been designing and installing green roofs for over four years, said a 12,000 square-foot rooftop – equivalent to two and a half basketball courts – can produce 20,000 pounds of vegetables a year. She predicts this would translate into $25 of revenue per square foot. Given the estimated $15 a square foot cost involved in rooftop farming, Meyer calculates that investors could be fully paid back in five years.
Green Maltese LLC is proud to annouce a new class offering.
Modern Roofs the Truckie Nightmare
Presentation Summary
The presentation will include an intense and concentrated examination of trends and methods in modern building construction with an emphasis on roofs, their direct relationship on vertical ventilation, structural firefighting operations, and firefighter survivability.
Inherent roof construction features and hazards that directly influence truck company work will be the main focus of this program.
Program Overview and Pedagogical Approach
The program will address timely issues related to modern roofs and upcoming push to make sustainable buildings.
This presentation will examine various green roofs, methods and exotic materials that are used to achieve green standards, and the potential hazards that they present to fire service personnel. Many of these materials such as recycled rubber shingles, solar panels and green (garden) roofs are not common knowledge to most fire service personnel due to past and current teaching practices that only address traditional building construction for the fire service.
This ground breaking and informative program will utilize extensive multimedia materials to reinforce course content and subject areas.
If the fire service can significantly increase proficiencies in green building knowledge and equate that to other fundamental operational aspects in structural fire operations, there would be a direct enhancement to firefighter safety through injury and LODD reductions in the future.
• Enable the student to identify the unique characteristics with the various modern roof construction types and recognize features that have significant impacts on firefighter safety.
• Enable the student to recognize specific green building construction features and their inherent risk factors.
• Enable the student to be aware of the green(garden) roofs and how they affect buildings in their jurisdiction.
• Inform the student of new roofing materials, such as recycled rubber tires shingles to achieve sustainability that could affect the way buildings react in a fire situation
• Make the student aware of current and future changes in building construction methods that will affect the tactics used in structural firefighting
Pictures of a few modern roof hazards:
Photo couresty of Molly Meyer LLC
Photo couresty of Molly Meyer LLC
Recycled Rubber Tire Shingles
Contact to discuss specific program needs and content. Content, focus, duration and presentation format can all be customized to meet with venue needs.
We all know that fire sprinklers save lives, this should be reason enough to install them! however most people do not think of fire sprinklers being green.
In the event of a fire, The use of sprinkler reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 97.8 %.
In the event of a fire, The use of sprinkler reduces water usage between 50 % and 91 %.
In the event of a fire, The use of sprinkler reduces fire damage which means less damaged product goes to landfills.
The pH value of non-sprinklered water wastewater was between 11.6 and 12.1 versus the pH of 7.9 for the sprinklered test. Wastewater exhibiting pH valves greater than 10.0 represent a serious environmental concern.
We as a fire service needs to educate the public that fire sprinkler saves lives and environment! Now that is the true example of being Green.
I am happy to announce that Chief Bill Newgent Greencastle Fire Department and I will be teaching Labeling Buildings at the 2011 Indiana Emergency Response Conference.
Labeling Buildings for the Fire Service
Presentation Summary
In today’s society, everything from coffee cups to toys come with some kind of warning label to alert people of potential danger. The question becomes: ”Why doesn’t the fire service use labeling to warn firefighters, and alter our members’ reactions when we engage in one of the world’s most dangerous situations of structural firefighting?”
This course will be thought provoking session on how we can do simple things such as labeling of buildings to prevent a firefighter LODD. It will also exam the successful labeling ordinance from Greencastle, Indiana, as well as addresses several states’ truss labeling laws. These ideas and examples will be reinforced by case studies and NIOSH LODD reports.
Program Overview and Pedagogical Approach
Participants will gain an understanding of inherent construction features and hazards that directly influence effective risk management and decisive strategic and tactical considerations with a focus on key construction features which will influence strategic, tactical and task level operations by fire dynamics and fire behavior. This program examines crucial construction elements and correlates building construction performance toward combat structural fire suppression operations.
The presentation will examine the need to label buildings based on potential risk associated with different construction materials used, which influence the building’s structural stability. It will also leave the student with knowledge of current states’ and local labeling ordinances that are designed to warn the firefighter of potential hazards.
I am very excited about tomorrow’s meeting and tour of Johnson Melloh Solutions in Indianapolis.
Johnson Melloh, Inc is a full services mechanical contractor and service company founded in 1976 that has experience in a wide range of market segments including schools, universities, government, hospital, industrial, commercial and biomedical.
Part of Johnson Melloh’s core business has been guaranteed energy savings projects as a sub contractor. With this core business experience, Johnson Melloh Solutions was formed as a separate company to directly serve this market segment.
Formed in 2009, Johnson Melloh Solutions focuses on renewable energy products and services for our customers. Offering Solar PV, Solar Thermal, Biomass, and Wind; we are ready to address your renewable project needs.
I am excited to announce a new feature on Green Maltese.
If you you have not noticed already we have added a new page Submit a Green Firehouse.
The purpose of this page is so departments can share their information good or bad concerning their firehouse, so other departments can learn from them.
The Tolleson Fire Department moved into the $6.35 million facility, which sits a few feet away from the old station near 92nd Avenue and Monroe Street, on Nov. 15, 2010
I have been having computer troubles so haven’t posted in awhile. So this will be a short post about remodeling your home green. It will consist of two videos. Please enjoy and think about how the following building materials used will change fire behavior and your tactics. Feel free to comment and start discussion.
I am very excited to post about my recent visit to observe a day of test burns that are a part of the Vertical Ventilation study being conducted by UL.
