Wind Turbine Spins On As Resourceful Kansas Turns Off

It’s the end of an era, or so it is for Resourceful Kansas. Even though the program has come to a close, residents of Kansas will be reaping the benefits for decades to come. Riley County, as the lead organization in Resourceful Kansas, will benefit the most. Taxpayers are getting a break as behind-the-meter wind now thrives at Riley County Public Works as part of this innovative program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. With the installation of a Northwind 100 wind turbine, a major program element to educate participants on the benefits of wind energy, it is anticipated Riley County will save $50,000 annually.

During the two-year stint, this program assisted 280 Kansas organizations in maximizing their pursuits towards energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy. A series of educational seminars, energy audits and assessments, and technical assistance were made possible through a partnership between Riley County Public Works, GBA and Kansas State University.

Hundreds of tours have been given at the state-of-the art public works facility. It features nearly 20 sustainable and renewable energy sources, but the Northwind 100 continues to spark interest with its size and capacity. In parallel to its magnitude over other systems on the grounds, it produces the most energy and generates about 236,000kWh a year.

Although Resourceful Kansas is past its final rotation, we won’t be seeing a halt in the rotation of the Northwind’s blades anytime soon. With a 20-year life expectancy and aid from additional systems, the county and local taxpayers will spin their way towards $1 million in savings.

Discover additional facts about the wind turbine in Northern Power’s latest case study. Or if you are seeking best practices for energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy, tips from the experts are still available at www.ResourcefulKansas.org.

Some of the Best Highways in the Nation

The next time you take a drive on a Kansas highway, be impressed: Kansas ranks second in the nation in most cost-effective roadways.

The Reason Foundation looked at 11 categories, including pavement condition,

deficient bridges, spending per mile and more for its 20^th Annual Highway Report, and found that the state was able to achieve high performance and efficiency despite spending 24 percent less than the United States’ average in per-mile disbursements. The rankings are based on data reported for 2009, the most recent year with full spending statistics available.

 

Only North Dakota ranks higher than Kansas, which had been ranked third the past two years. Meanwhile, neighboring Missouri also made Reason’s top ten, landing at No. 8.

 

State Transportation Secretary, Mike King said it’s clear Kansans care about their roads.

 

“Kansans make the connection between good roads and the safety and economic well-being of the state,” he said. “They have long supported transportation improvements not only to highways, but to the entire transportation network that includes aviation, rail and transit.”

 

The state’s T-WORKS program, passed in 2010, is the third transportation program approved by Kansas legislators and governors since the late 1980s. In 2010, Kansas highways were ranked the nation’s best in a report published by Reader’s Digest.

Carpenter Gains CPSWQ Designation

Doug Carpenter has achieved the designation as Certified Professional in Stormwater Quality (CPSWQ).  He is only the second individual in the state of Kansas to have accomplished this designation.  By passing a rigorous test and application process, Doug has demonstrated technical expertise and experience in computing, analyzing and evaluating stormwater quality.

“GBA is committed to promoting clean water and environmental stewardship to our clients,” said Bill Carter, vice president and principal of the Water Environment Group.  “With Doug securing this important certification, it shows our commitment to help our clients understand the US EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program as it relates to stormwater quality.”

In addition to the CPSWQ designation, Doug also is a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC).  Doug has more than 10 years of professional stormwater experience that spans design, analysis and inspections of various stormwater systems.

The Certified Professional in Stormwater Quality program has been certifying professionals since 1998 through Envirocert International, Inc.   

Pop! Boom!! Bang! Happy 4th of July!

Although the fun and excitement around this time of year is usually about making sparks and fire, GBA’s Fire & Life Safety team is focused on the opposite. Our licensed fire protection engineers aid in the evaluation, design, and commissioning of fire suppression, detection, alarm, and smoke management systems. As part of the Critical Facilities Group, we specialize in protecting assets should an event occur.

Our experience includes the following systems which meet the unique needs of critical facilities:

Code Consulting

• International Building Code and Fire Code
• NFPA
• Factory Mutual Global Data Sheets

Fire Suppression Systems

• Clean agent suppression systems
• Pre-action and wet pipe sprinkler systems
• Explosion suppression systems
• Watermist suppression systems
• Water supplies for suppression systems (fire pumps, etc)

Alarm and Detection Systems

• Very early warning smoke detection, such as air sampling or laser detection
• Early warning smoke detection, including cross-zoned, or count-zoned arrangements
• Fully addressable fire alarm systems
• Mass notification systems

Smoke Control and Purge Systems

• Smoke control for life safety
• Clean agent purge systems
• Smoke purge systems to protect equipment

Interface with Other Systems

• Fire alarm interaction with air handling equipment and dampers
• Fire alarm interface with monitoring systems (i.e. network operations centers)
• Fire alarm interface with generators

GBA is capable and ready to assist you in the protection of life, property and continuity of business operations. Explore more at http://gbateam.com/markets-fire-life-safety.html.

Another BBQ Battle

Sunshine, heat and humidity. Is there any better weather for a BBQ? The GBA team of Genu-swine Brisket Authority didn't seem to mind as they competed in the 2013 Great Lenexa BBQ Battle. Also braving the heat was Kansas City's Channel 41 News. As they toured the event, Channel 41 stopped by GBA's tent and spoke with Jennifer Gunby.
If you were not able to attend the Great Lenexa BBQ Battle this past weekend, you may have missed some of the best BBQ, or at least the best ribs. Hope to see you next year!

Summer Scorch: Take Time to Beat the Heat

We are a few days shy of the summer solstice on June 21; but true to form, the summer heat has already spiked in the Midwest. If you are seeking ways to hurdle the heat waves of summer, the tips featured below are designed to cut expense by reducing energy and water consumption. While a number of resources promote different ways to conserve in the summer months, we thought we would revisit some of our favorites.

Appliances

• Forget the Stove:  Cook outdoors on the grill or use a microwave. Running your oven can raise the temperature in the kitchen by 10 degrees, increasing cooling costs two to five percent.
• Employ the Fans:  Turn up the thermostat and turn on a fan when you enter a room. Costing only two to five cents per hour to operate, a fan can make a room feel four to six degrees cooler without running your whole house system.

Fuel

• Lighten the Load:  A vehicle with added weight gets less gas mileage as opposed to the same vehicle with lighter cargo.
• Purify the Ride:  Change the air filter in your car. Having a dirty air filter can cause your gas mileage to go down by one to two miles per gallon.
• Monitor Tire Pressure:  Having one tire that is two PSI (pounds per square inch) under the manufacturers recommended level can increase fuel consumption by nearly one percent. When temperatures change, the air in your tires will expand or contract causing the pressure in your tires to increase or decrease.

Lighting

• Lighting for Less:  Replace light bulbs with compact fluorescents. These cfl bulbs save money using 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs by emitting 90% less heat, providing additional savings on your cooling bill.

Water

• Skip the Sink:  A standard dishwasher uses about six gallons of water per load, while hand washing will require nearly 20 gallons to complete the same size load.
• Reuse and Recycle:  Collect water when rinsing fruits and vegetables or water used to boil food. This water can easily be reused to water plants around the house.
• Seek the Leak:  Leaking toilets often go overlooked, but can be costly. Checking a leaky toilet is simple, add food coloring to the tank and then wait about fifteen minutes. If the food coloring shows up in the bowl then a leak is present. 

We are the Champions of... the Grill!

Congrats to the GBA BBQ team!


GBA Team members: Clint Loumaster, Scott Moeder,
Molly Oller, and Jennifer Gunby. Not pictured: Jon Karst.

On June 14^th, the American Public Works Association (APWA) KC Metro chapter held the 9^th Annual BBQ Challenge and membership drive. The challenge is a friendly competition and is intended to generate interest in APWA. What better way to promote an organization in the KC Metro than through BBQ? And GBA’s team walked away with the Grand Champion trophy.

 

There were 13 teams with four BBQ categories to compete in, including sausage, chicken, ribs, and pork. Aside from being the overall winners, GBA also received first in the rib category with 88 out of a possible 90 points.  The GBA team includes Jennifer Gunby, Jon Karst, Clint Loumaster, Scott Moeder, and Molly Oller.

 

If your mouth is watering for some championship BBQ, the team will be at the Lenexa BBQ challenge this weekend, June 21-23, held at Sar Ko Par Park.