Honeywell Scientist Garners Industry Honor

Honeywell announced today that Dr. Ian Shankland, director of technology for Honeywell’s fluorine products business, has been awarded the 2008 Perkin Medal by the Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

The Perkin Medal is one of the most prestigious honors given in the chemical industry and is awarded to a scientist who has provided innovation in applied chemistry, resulting in outstanding commercial development. Shankland won the award for his successful work to develop alternatives to ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which had been commonly used in refrigerants, aerosols, blowing agents, solvents, and sterilant gases.

“This is well deserved recognition for Ian’s enormous contributions to the science of fluorocarbons, and their important role in helping to solve one of the greatest global challenges of our time,” said Ray Stark, vice president of technology for Honeywell specialty materials. Fluorine products is part of the specialty materials strategic business group.

“Ian’s strength as a technologist is further enhanced by his ability to convert science to useful commercial applications, which is a key criteria for Perkin Medal recipients and also a great source of value for Honeywell customers,” added Terrence Hahn, vice president and general manager of fluorine products.

The Perkin Medal was established in 1906 to commemorate the discovery of the first synthetic aniline dye by Sir William Henry Perkin. Perkin was a founding member of SCI and was also the first recipient of the award. Shankland will receive the award at the Annual Perkin Medal dinner in Philadelphia on September 18.

Since joining Honeywell more than 25 years ago, Shankland has led teams that have screened and tested many compounds in search of economically and commercially viable environmentally preferable substitutes aligned with the timely phase out of CFCs and HCFCs, including HFC-245fa, a zero ozone depleting blowing agent for polyurethane foam applications; and R-410A and R-507 refrigerants for air conditioning and stationary refrigeration applications.

Most recently, Shankland has led Honeywell’s research effort at the Buffalo, NY facility to discover and commercialize low global warming refrigerants and blowing agents. As a result of this effort, Honeywell recently announced a new material to replace HFC-134, a refrigerant for mobile air conditioning in Europe, and a solution for certain foam applications in Europe.

Shankland earned his doctorate in physical chemistry from the Adelaide University, Australia, and was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship at Brown University, where he worked for three years prior to Honeywell. He is an inventor on 49 U.S. patents and has published numerous technical and scientific papers.

Prior Perkin Medalists include: Edwin Land of Polaroid; Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel; and Robert Gore, inventor of Gore-Tex. Among past winners are also Edith M. Flanigen and Vladimir Haensel, both of UOP, a Honeywell company.

The Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) is a unique international forum where science meets business on independent, impartial ground. Anyone can join, and the Society offers a chance to share information between sectors as diverse as food and agriculture, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, environmental science and safety. Originally established in 1881, SCI is a registered charity with individual members in over 70 countries. Its international headquarters are in London, and it has offices in the U.S., Canada, Australia, India, and mainland Europe. Ever since its foundation, SCI's principal objective has been to further the application of chemistry and related sciences for the public benefit.

Fire-Lite Free Training

Fire-Lite Alarms, part of Honeywell’s Life Safety Group, plans to host more than 25 educational sessions throughout the U.S., free of charge. From fire alarm basics to detailed hands on training, course offerings are designed for every level of industry professional. Dates, locations and descriptions for Fire-Lite classes for the remainder of 2008 are as follows:

Location: Class Name, Dates
Baltimore, MD: MiniScan, July 8-10
Ft. Lauderdale, FL: MiniScan, July 8-10
San Francisco, CA: Super Academy, July 22-24
Little Rock, AR: SuperLite, August 12-13
Salt Lake City, UT: MiniScan, August 19-21
Portland, OR: MiniScan, August 26-28
Charlotte, NC: MiniScan, August 26-28
Columbus, OH: SuperLite, September 8-9
Denver, CO: MiniScan, September 9-11
Indianapolis, IN: SuperLite, September 11-12
Atlanta, GA: MiniScan, September 16-18
San Antonio, TX: SuperLite, September 23-24
Louisville, KY: MiniScan, September 23-25
Richmond, VA: MiniScan, Sep 30-Oct 2
Ft. Myers, FL: MiniScan, October 7-9
Houston, TX: SuperLite, October 7-8
Milwaukee, WI: SuperLite, October 13-14
Chicago, IL: SuperLite, October 16-17
Fresno, CA: SuperLite, October 22-23
Dallas, TX: SuperLite, October 28-29
Long Island, NY: Super Academy, November 5-7
San Diego, CA English: Mini Scan with optional Basic Fire, November 11-14
San Diego, CA Spanish Mini Scan with optional Basic Fire, November 11-14
Jacksonville, FL: MiniScan, November 18-20
Memphis, TN: MiniScan, November 18-20
Miami, FL: MiniScan, December 2-4
Oakland, CA: MiniScan, December 9-11.
Northford, CT: Super Academy, December 16-18

MiniScan Academy (3 Days)
A three day training on Fire-Lite's conventional and addressable fire alarm control panels and voice evacuation systems. Power supply fundamentals, product features, installation methods, programming, and troubleshooting are taught through practical hands on exercises. Installation and configuration of Fire-Lite’s IPDACT, a module that enables the transmission of alarms from a fire alarm control panel via any IP network line (i.e. ADSL, cable, Internet), is also covered.

SuperLite Academy (2 Days)
A two day course featuring instruction and hands-on exercises in the capabilities, installation, programming and troubleshooting of all Fire-Lite manufactured addressable control panels. The SuperLite Academy will wrap up with two hours of installation and configuration training on Fire-Lite’s IPDACT module that enables the transmission of alarms from a fire alarm control panel via any IP network line (i.e. ADSL, cable, Internet).

Super Academy (3 Days)

(Day 1) Training begins with a Basic Fire Alarm Technology course covering common fire system components, fundamentals of voice evacuation, and various NFPA and ADA codes. Although part of the Super Academy curriculum, individuals seeking basic fire alarm information can opt to attend this on day course.

(Day 2-3) A two day module covering Fire-Lite’s voice evacuation systems and full line of addressable fire alarm control panels. Attendees will receive instruction on features and capabilities of all addressable panels, plus perform hands on exercises in wiring, programming, and troubleshooting.

Web Exclusive: Facility Fix with Mike Gardner, Butler University

What is your position? How many years have you been in the facility management profession?
I am the vice president for operations at Butler University in Indianapolis and have been working at the university for more than 18 years. I oversee the facilities operation for the entire campus, including managing a team of 110 maintenance and service workers, as well as overseeing the university police department.

Please give a brief description of the facilities involved in this project.
Butler University provides more than 4,700 students and faculty a world class learning environment. The university occupies more than 30 buildings on the 290 acre campus on the north side of Indianapolis, five miles from downtown Indianapolis in the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood.

Why was the decision made to pursue this project?
We implemented two phases of projects, one in 1995 and the other in 2005. In 1995, we were conducting master planning across the university and were very interested in getting a comprehensive assessment of the university’s infrastructure. At the time of the audit, we had a number of issues that had the potential to really give us problems down the road. Future cost avoidance was a major factor in justifying the investment.

Then in 2004, we started experiencing issues with the heating plant. One of our three boilers stopped working and another developed cracks, leaving us with one working boiler and no backup. With the prospect of rising natural gas costs and frequently having to repair the old boilers, it made sense to augment the boiler plant with new high-efficiency equipment.


Please describe the decision making and research process for this project.
To assist in conducting the facilities audit and develop an energy savings proposal for the Board, we sought the help of energy management experts at Honeywell. A proposal for an energy conservation and facilities renewal program was then developed. The energy savings from the $11 million, 10 year program would enable the university to fund the infrastructure upgrades and implement a new energy management system.

What led you to choose the specific solution that you did?
During the first phase of the project, we replaced the university’s pneumatic building controls with a Honeywell energy management system that electronically relayed information back to a main command center. This created efficiencies because the previous systems weren’t linked, making it difficult and time consuming to get a comprehensive picture of energy consumption.

For the second phase of work, Honeywell decentralized much of the university’s heating plant and installed 18 energy efficient, modular hot water boilers across campus. We have also initiated a contract with Honeywell that allows us to tackle small, yet, critical projects that arise between broad energy management programs.


What benefits have you reaped as a result of this project?
Since installing the high efficiency boilers, we’ve cut our fall and spring natural gas consumption by 35%. Over the course of the eight year contract with Honeywell, that’s more than $2.5 million in utility costs. The project is a fantastic success for the university.

What economic benefits have you reaped as a result of this project?
Since completion of the upgrades, the university has saved more than $200,000 annually in energy and maintenance costs.

Did you encounter any unexpected highlights or challenges while implementing this project?
We experienced a challenge with respect to financing of the project. We were on the tail end of financing with the first project, so we needed help from the university's CFO to help us with the financing of the second project.


How did this project require you to change your operations and maintenance practices?
Under the latest contract with Honeywell, a full time service technician is located on campus, helping to manage the high level energy management and temperature control requirements of the university. As a result, my team is able to focus on important day to day tasks that are often neglected.

How have the community and customers responded to this project?
We wanted to make these upgrades as transparent as possible and we've accomplished this task without much problem. With a project like this, it's better that we don't hear anything from the students or staff. Otherwise, it probably means the heat isn't working somewhere on campus.

What was the most professionally rewarding aspect of this project?
It's rewarding to work as a steward of Butler's physical plant and ensure that there is long term reliability of the campus infrastructure. It's satisfying to know we are accomplishing something good for the university, its students, faculty, and staff.






This facility fix column was contributed by former associate editor Jillian Ruffino.

Honeywell Delivers “Ice Cold” Energy Savings

Honeywell recently announced a $4.25 million permanent load shifting program with Southern California Edison (SCE) that will reduce the utility bills of commercial customers and decrease electricity consumption during peak day-time hours.

The Night Shift program is expected to deliver 2.5 megawatts of peak power relief between noon and 6 p.m.—when energy use and utility rates are highest. This is enough capacity to cover the electricity needs of more than 600 homes.

Honeywell will manage the program for SCE, retrofitting approximately 300 rooftop air conditioners with Ice Bear hybrid air conditioning units from Ice Energy. The Ice Bear system freezes water in a storage tank at night when electricity costs are low. When the air conditioner is on in the day, the stored ice cools the refrigerant instead of a condensing unit, which consumes the most energy in an air conditioner. As a result, the modules cut peak cooling demand by up to 95 percent.

The program also will reduce power generation emissions associated with cooling by about 20% or more, because generating sources used during peak periods have a higher emissions rate than those used to serve base load energy needs at night.

“The Night Shift program enables our commercial customers to maximize cost savings through innovative green technology,” said LisaCagnolatti, SCE vice president, Business Customer Division. “The program will help to reduce high energy demand patterns we typically see in the summer months.”

Night Shift is for mid-commercial customers who have buildings with three to 20 ton roof-top air conditioner units and an electricity demand of at least 200 kilowatt hours per day. Facilities that fit this profile typically include office buildings, libraries, school and university buildings, and big box retail stores. Customers who participate in the program will receive a rebate from SCE to help offset some of the equipment and installations costs. They also will realize ongoing energy savings based on time of use electricity rates that reward off peak consumption.

The hybrid cooling systems are specifically designed for refrigerant based air conditioners, which serve nearly 80% of commercial buildings in California. This differs from other permanent load shifting programs that have traditionally targeted only water based air conditioning units. Consequently, Night Shift can accommodate a wide range of commercial customers and help them cut their energy bills.

U.S. Papermaker Begins Transition To Carbon-Neutral, 100% Biomass Energy Production

SMART Papers has begun construction on a new $30 million high-efficiency energy co-generation facility at its manufacturing center in Hamilton, Ohio that marks an important first for the North American papermaking industry. By early 2009, SMART Papers will produce all of its own power and begin a transition to 100% cellulosic biomass fuel. By late 2009, all products will be fully carbon neutral and produced 100% fossil fuel free, company officials said.

SMART Papers, which makes premium coated and uncoated printing papers for businesses and consumers, including Fortune 500 companies, said its products will be carbon-neutral because its manufacturing center will be powered by 100% biomass, primarily yard waste as well as industrial wood and fiber waste. Biomass emits no net carbon dioxide, because the carbon in the biomass originates from carbon dioxide that was recently in the atmosphere.

The project’s full scope will enable SMART Papers to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions at its Hamilton manufacturing facility, located 25 miles northwest of Cincinnati. No food crops will be used, no farmland will be displaced, and no timber will be harvested to provide fuel, the company said.

The $30 million investment and drive to achieve full carbon neutrality at SMART Papers comes as the state of Ohio and the United States government develop new laws and regulations on carbon emissions. The Ohio Senate and House recently passed legislation, which requires that up to 12.5% of the state’s electricity consumption come from renewable sources by 2025. Under the law, half of that must be generated within Ohio.

SMART Papers officials said they are well positioned to play an important role in helping the Ohio meet its goal because the company will sell a significant amount of power on the electrical grid. By the end of 2010, all of the power supplied to the regional grid will be carbon neutral, providing a source of 100% “green” energy for businesses and homes throughout Ohio and the Midwest U.S.

Details on the new project:
The newly expanded 40-megawatt co-generation system, which ultimately will use 100% biomass fuel to generate electricity and steam to operate the mill, consists of four turbines, two condensers, a cooling tower, and auxiliary equipment.

Honeywell International supplied the co-generation system and is supervising project construction at the SMART Papers facility. Construction began in late April and is expected to be complete by spring 2009. The company has received all necessary permits for the project.

The move solidly positions the 115-year-old manufacturing center and its 550 employees for the future. SMART Papers will use a low-cost and plentiful supply of renewable fuel and will be fully energy independent. The facility, one of the oldest continuously operating paper mills in the U.S., is where coated magazine papers, coated two-side papers, and ultra-premium cast-coated printing papers were invented and first produced.

SMART Papers Leaders Discuss Significance
“SMART Papers is the first North American premium papermaker to begin the process of becoming truly 100% carbon neutral and fossil fuel free in its papermaking production,” said SMART Papers Chairman Tim Needham. “This is a major environmental advance in papermaking. We have set a new standard for environmentally responsible printing papers.”

“The production of these papers will leave the lightest environmental footprint of any premium coated or uncoated printing paper produced in North America,” Needham added.

The SMART Papers manufacturing center was an early industry leader in the production of 100% recycled premium printing papers and the company has continued to expand its environmental leadership. It currently uses up to 100% post-consumer waste to produce many of its premium coated and uncoated papers. It also has Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for the majority of its brands. “We are committed to being the green leader in the global paper manufacturing industry,” Needham said.

“This move to carbon-neutral production is the centerpiece of our environmental and energy strategies. It enables us to have a future that is completely independent of volatile energy markets,” said Dan Maheu, President and COO of SMART Papers. “We will reduce production costs, make carbon-neutral papers, and greatly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. We will also be a positive contributor to the green power needs of Ohio and the Midwest.”

Maheu said SMART Papers has bought and sold power from the local utility for the last 10 years. However, the current power generation facility at the mill did not maximize return of its fuel inputs. New turbines were needed to substantially increase the amount of electrical energy that could be produced.

The biomass fuel that will be used in the co-generation facility is made up of short-fiber cellulosic waste material that is typically landfilled. Biomass is widely available in the region. Ohio ranks seventh nationwide in the availability of biomass stocks, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

SMART Papers said the project will generate carbon credits that can be bought and sold on the open market.

“We see our approach as the smart choice,” said Maheu. “We will be a more efficient manufacturer, fiscally and environmentally responsible, and energy independent. This will benefit our business, our customers, our employees, and the environment. We will always push to exceed customer expectations when it comes to environmental stewardship.”