Project Control with Earned Value Management
November 3, 2008
What is Earned Value Management?
Earned Value Management (EVM) is a systematic project management process used to indicate variances in projects in an objective manner, based on the evaluation of the work performed compared to the work planned. When properly applied to a project, EVM provides and early warning indication of project performance issues.
EVM uses principles of Earned Value (EV), which is a project management tool used to measure project performance. EV is essentially an approach for project managers to monitor the project plan, actual work, and work completed to verify if the project is performing as expected.
In simple terms EV compares the actual project performance to the planned performance with respect to budget and schedule at any point in time during the project.
Why Use Earned Value?
Earned Value can be a valuable project management tool, but the utility of it must be understood for it to be used correctly. EV indentifies the variances in a project and informs a project manager on what is occurring in a project, but does not identify the "source" or "cause" for the variance, nor does it address the required action necessary for the "correction" of the variance.
Earned Value provides an objective assessment of project performance and once introduced can provided a common understanding and perspective among project mangers regarding the metrics of project performance.
The other major benefit to using EV is ..... read more
Steps to Design and Install a PV System
September 23, 2008
Is installing a Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System an easy thing? Is it something I can do at my home on my own? How hard could it be? I, too, want to “run my meter backward”.
Well, I can now tell you from experience. We have recently installed an 8.6KW PV system on the roof of our new building.I wanted to quickly go thru the steps, from concept to electrons flowing, in the state of North Carolina.Here it is in a nutshell.
Find a suitable location for your PV panels and equipment. You need un-obstructed space, facing south. This is not as easy as it sounds, for roofs are usually much more crowded than you realize, and parapets and equipment, vents, etc. all cast shadows.
Find a reputable dealer to help you with the concept and give you a budget. Check for tax credits and local code issues.
Have a professional engineer design your system and specify the equipment.Include a good monitoring system.
Select a good installer and get a price. This is time sensitive, since PV prices vary every month. Get the vendor to double check the engineering plans – it is new technology and is easy to make a mistake.
Get a building permit.
Submit the paperwork for the system.As of August, 2008, this includes the following:
Fill out a Duke Energy “Application for Interconnection” and pay their fee (there are several form options, depending on the size of your PV system: under 10KW is the simplest).
Provide an electrical one-line diagram.
Submit the proper form to ..... read more
Go Green with Optima!
July 24, 2008
Optima Engineering is now exploring new and innovative ways to make our office environmentally friendly. Optima strives to achieve sustainable design with our projects and we see the importance of continuing past the design aspect and executing environmental efforts to reduce office waste and energy.Optima Engineering aims to reduce its carbon footprint and provide a positive example of a company that has successfully “gone green”. We would like to share several different green ideas that we plan to implement at our office during the course of the next year.Please feel free to follow the links provided for excellent ways to practice green behavior.
Research and gather information from case studies of companies that have successfully gone green.
Insist that employees turn off all electronic devices at the end of the day.To prevent phantom energy connect all of a cubicle’s devices to one power strip and turn the strip off at the end of each day. Additional Information on Phantom Energy and Prevention .
Compact florescent light bulbs save up to 75% of energy used in the office. See assortments and pricing from Optima’s primary office provider, Staples. CFL Options-Staples .
Controlled temperature at the office, keeping the thermostat at no higher than 68 degrees in the winter and no lower than 76 degrees in the summer. Distributing fans within the office helps make these temperatures comfortable for staff; fans also consume considerably less energy than ..... read more
Project Management Systems
July 17, 2008
Projects have been managed for, as long as there have been projects.Only till recently has project management been recognized as a science, which could be defined.Project management is a growing profession, which is quickly becoming understood and respected as a necessity in the ever-changing landscape.Much of what is accomplished in today’s world, both public and private, is project driven.Project management can be executed in a variety of industries, occupations and situations.
Understanding that project management is here to stay, there is a need for a set of requirements as they relate to a project management system.A project management system is a:
“A complex set of interconnected elements, technical and human, that organizes and interacts, both formally and informally, in order to transform resources into outputs and outcomes such that a common goal or objective is achieved. (Kerzner 2001) (Keating 2001) (SEF 2001).”
Requirements for a project management system in this instance are identified as the essential topics that should be established in a system in order to accomplish the system goal(s).In addition to the project management system requirements there is a need to understand the guiding principles of a project management system.
Projects by their nature are complex systems and can be extremely dynamic.Therefore any project management system should not be considered static, but it should be understood that the system is constantly growing and ..... read more
Smoke Evacuation for Ambulatory Surgery Centers
July 1, 2008
Part 1: Requirement and Enforcement
A ventilation system shall be provided in all anesthetizing areas per NFPA 99 that is capable of automatically venting smoke and products of combustion.This requirement is enforced by the Department of Health Service Regulation (DHSR) and the system will be tested during the final walk through by a DHSR representative.Therefore a smoke evacuation system is required for all operating rooms. However, this requirement is not found in the North Carolina Building Code and therefore it is typically not enforced by the local building inspector.The North Carolina Building code does address smoke control systems which are required in high rises, underground facilities, enclosed parking decks, etc.Anesthetizing areas are not listed in the building code as an area that is required to have a smoke control system and therefore a smoke evacuation system is provided but not a smoke control system.Typically, the local official will not require, enforce or even test the smoke evacuation system. The building code requirements for a smoke control system are very detailed and determining the exhaust rate alone can be difficult.Since a smoke control is not required in an anesthetizing area, the smoke control system section in the state building code is not required to be adhered to. A smoke control system will require a 1 hour rated fire command room that is not usually planned for in an ambulatory surgery space (ASC).Also, the smoke ..... read more
Green Power
June 24, 2008
What is Green Power? In general terms, it is an energy source, usually electricity, which is created using renewable energy.The renewable energy could be wind, solar, hydro, biomass, etc.Here in North Carolina, the primary new renewable sources which are beginning to be built consist of solar and biomass.In order to support renewable energy, customers are being given electrical source supply options.They can either purchase renewable power through their utility, or through the purchase of green energy certificates.
By supporting renewable energy, or green power, customers can help reduce their “carbon footprint” by both helping to develop renewable energy as well as sending a positive message to utilities that you are willing to pay a premium price to improve our environment.Our country’s energy dependence on oil and coal will be reduced by every watt of power produced by renewable energy.
Green power may be purchased in a variety of ways.In North Carolina, the most straightforward way is thru the nonprofit NC Greenpower.You pay additional money on your power bill every month, and that money goes to NC Greenpower, which is in turn paid out to renewable energy providers in the state.Look at their website, http://www.ncgreenpower.org/about/ for more information.Also, for information on Green Power on a national level, see the US Dept. of Energy’s Website for additional information ( www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower ).The website has several downloads which ..... read more
Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) Conference
April 11, 2008
Ron Almond and I had the pleasure of attending the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) Southeastern Regional Conference, held at the beautiful Grande Dunes Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC from April 6-9. The conference kicked off with the keynote speaker, Christian Long, who is someone that has been on both sides of the table, when it comes to school design. Christian worked in the architecture and planning of K12 facilities for several years, before he changed career paths and moved into teaching, where now he teaches high school English in Texas. So he is someone that now work in the facilities we design, and deal day to day with decisions that we make as school designers. His presentation however was really about neither, he spoke about the changing trends in technology used in schools. Christian setup his presentation talking about metaphors, and really used his forum as a metaphor to describe the furiously fast pace that industry is moving. It is truly rare to find someone that speaks faster than I do, but Mr. Long is certainly one that does. His presentation moved very quickly, but the main point I took from the session was that while our generation as those in the professional realm now are digital immigrants, our children are natives of the digital age, and don’t know anything outside of the portable electronic, super-cell phone age of information. Info about Christian can be found at ..... read more
Construction Photography
March 4, 2008
Optima Engineering's newly designed web page has a feature that shows the construction progress of our new office. I have the pleasure of being responsible for taking the photos of our new office on a weekly basis and have since realized the importance of photography in the construction world.
I have been involved in photography for 25 years now and have photographed a variety of subjects. Top fuel dragsters, professional football and baseball, and, my main passion railroads. All of the aforementioned require a great deal of knowledge of the particular subject and anticipation in order to get the perfect shot. When asked by Keith Pehl and Cathy Sealy to take on the task of photographing our new office along with projects Optima has done in the past, I accepted without hesitation.
Photographing a building being constructed or the installation of it's mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems is relatively easy as it does not involve subjects moving at a high rate of speed. However, composing the image with emphasis on depth of field (f-stop) is important. A quick definition of depth of field is the distance in front of and beyond the subject that appears to be in focus.
Today's Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras are far superior to their film predecessors. Nikon offers DSLR models from 6.1 megapixels up to 12.4 megapixels. Canon offers DSLR models from 8.2 megapixels up to 16.7 megapixels. The images produced by these high resolution cameras can ..... read more
Wind Generation – Does it Work in the Carolinas?
February 26, 2008
Can wind produce cost efficient power in the Carolinas? Germany is now producing 7% of its entire electrical power from wind, so the answer is "Yes"! Is wind power a new technology? The answer is "No". Over 8 million windmills have been installed in the US since 1860. But the windmills of the American West have come a long way. Today, you can purchase a wind generator for your home for between 10 to 15 thousand dollars. A typical home needs between 800 and 2,000KWH per month of electricity, and a 4 to 10KW wind generator can meet this demand, if your site is suitable for wind. This cost is approximately one sixth the cost of a comparable solar photovoltaic system.
So the next question is "Is my site suitable for wind generators?" If you live in the Carolinas and you live anywhere but the coast or the mountains, then the answer is probably "No". The only suitable sites in the Carolinas are right along the coastline, and along the mountain ridges of the Appalachians. Of course, then you get into the "I don't want it next to my yard" mentality of so many homeowners. However, this mindset is changing. A recent study in Western North Carolina about public attitudes on wind power found that most citizens are favorable toward the development of wind power in the Appalachian Mountains. In fact, it was a 2 to 1 margin that ridge top wind generators should not be prohibited, and 3 out of 4 felt ..... read more
Urban Mixed Use – Can They Be Anything but Green?
January 30, 2008
One of the fastest growing building markets in our region is the Mixed Use building, which combines residential, retail, and office spaces into one urban environment, where you can live, work, and play without driving a car. It is a wonderful concept, and when done right it is enthusiastically supported by the marketplace. It may be just like American towns were 100 years ago, and most people seem to embrace it. Does this type of environment have a better or worse impact on our environment? The answer is: yes and no.
Our world is heading towards an energy crisis whether we want to admit it or not. The average European uses 12 barrels of oil for our 26 barrels. We have only 5% of the world's population, but we consume 25% of the world's oil. Now that China and India are growing rapidly, we can expect things only to get worse. Within 20 years, it is expected for those two countries alone to add over 80 million cars to the planet. They are helping cause worldwide demand for oil to rise 2 to 3 million barrels more of oil per day!
Can better facilities solve this crisis? No. However, it has been estimated that by the year 2030, over 50% of the buildings in the United States will have been built between now and that time. If we can cut down by half the energy that would have normally been used by those buildings, we will have cut one quarter of the energy being used by buildings in our ..... read more
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