Trends – Page 21 – Easterday Construction Co., Inc.

Big Phones

October 6, 2014September 24, 2014 by Kevin Berger

A few years ago phones were getting smaller and smaller to the point that they were hard to read and the idea of a phone/watch ala Dick Tracy didn’t seem too far away. In the last few years we’ve seen the trend in phones go the other direction, to the point that one handed texting and app control is just about impossible. The Phone/Watch has now evolved to become one of the myriad of phone accessories that are accessed via Blue Tooth or other means. My wife, Dr. Rebecca Berger, wears ReSound hearing aids which are wirelessly linked to her phone for streaming music and even cooler, making the phone work to isolate conversations in restaurants. (No, not other people’s conversations – the conversations at our table! Less repeating for me… though no less repeating for her…)

Phones continue to get thinner, but they are getting larger and larger screens. Great for watching videos, but that’s not why I have a phone nor how I use it most of the time. The last go round I got a new Droid Razr Maxx replacing my previous Droid Razr Maxx that I loved. Even though the increased size is minor, it’s enough to make it almost impossible for one handed use. My thumb just won’t reach that far!

So though it pains me to admit this, maybe Steve Jobs got it right with the size of the original iPhone… At least that’s what this article at Quartz posits. The rise of the tablet has caused this and I’ve already opined on why I think that’s a step backward here. I am pleased with the Swype feature for texting and typing on my phone (Something sorely missing from Apple products), but any additional growth in screen size will make this a two handed operation. That’s not what I want in a phone. I want a phone that I can put in my pocket.

As with most trends, there will probably be ups and downs over time. I hope functionality wins out or at least “optionality”… so I can have a phone that does what I need at a size that doesn’t split pocket seams and cause thumb strain…

Source: Dick Tracy Image from www.pmag.com

Source: Thumb Reach picture from www.qz.com

Source: Thumb Strain picture from www.hartchirocenter.com

Air Purification from Honeywell

February 24, 2014 by Kevin Berger

Honeywell’s AirBRIGHT is a 24-V UV air purifier that installs within HVAC ductwork. According to Honeywell, the system will remove potentially harmful viruses and bacteria from the air as well as eliminating odors from cooking and pets.

For germaphobes such as myself, this is just the ticket. This is a whole house system that has a similar effect to the Arcalux HRMS disinfecting fluorescent fixture discussed in a previous post here.

The AirBRIGHT system can be installed in existing ductwork. If this is something that interests you, we can put you in touch with qualified installers.

PIDCO

February 13, 2014February 12, 2014 by Kevin Berger

I attended the PIDCO (Plymouth Industrial Development Corporation) Annual Meeting today and was voted into a position on the Board of Directors. I have voiced some disappointment with PIDCO’s squandered potential the last few years and I guess now I have to put up or shut up! Easterday Construction has long been a shareholder in PIDCO. We’ve believed in the mission and the work they have done for Plymouth and Marshall County has been impressive. I look forward to helping them recapture and advance their agenda for the betterment of the community.

There was a presentation from Dan Zuerner of Garmong Construction regarding his thoughts on economic development and the new shell building that is being built on PIDCO property. This project is a combined effort with PIDCO, MCEDC, City of Plymouth and the Plymouth Redevelopment Commission. This will give us a flexible state of the art building to offer on the market. The presentation was interesting and hopefully a wake-up call to the PIDCO members and city officials that were there. He chastised the City for high fees and difficult requirements that have added costs and slowed the project. If this is a difficulty for a company we’re partnering with, just imagine the view from a new business looking to expand here…

Heated Granite Countertops

January 21, 2014December 30, 2013 by Kevin Berger

Granite countertops remain one of the coveted kitchen upgrades. Unfortunately, along with the beautiful colors of natural stone comes the perception of cold. The mass of the stone acts as a heat sink so even when the stone is at room temperature, it feels cold to the touch. With our new emphasis on energy conservation, more and more people are using setback thermostats. While the new high efficiency forced air furnaces bring the air temperature up fairly quickly, the thermal mass of the stone is affected much more slowly.

This has been a problem for years with tile floors and it has been addressed by installing electric or hydronic heating elements in the grout beneath the tile. If you haven’t experienced this, you’ve missed out. Stepping onto a cold bathroom floor in the morning can be a bit shocking. Stepping onto a warm tile floor is wonderful. If your feet are warm, the rest of you feels warm.

Interesting Streetlights

December 11, 2013December 11, 2013 by Kevin Berger

In doing the previous post on alternate WECS’s (Wind Energy Conversion Systems) I ran across some interesting options for street lights that are powered by wind, solar or a combination of the two. Some are more decorative than functional, but I thought they would be interesting to consider for the Sand Hill Farm project. I’ve collected a list of interesting links below showing some of the innovations that are out there. I’ve also included some pictures gleaned from the net.

E-Turbine image borrowed from alternativeenergyecogreen.blogspot.com

I also was impressed with the idea of the E-Turbine. This bollard size WECS is designed to be installed along roads and take advantage of the constant rush of air caused by passing vehicles. I would imagine these would be extremely efficient in underpasses and tunnels where that energy can be directed to the turbines and then employed to light the surrounding areas. Each Turbine has a built in battery to store the energy produced. This is similar to the idea previously posted here regarding paving tiles that steal the energy created by foot traffic.

With the currently proposed ordinance these may well be banned too. 0.5 Kilowatts (low end of proposed ordinance WECS definition) is 500 Watts. Street lights use bulbs averaging from 35 to 250 watts per hypertextbook.com That means for a fixture using bulbs at the upper end of this scale, each bulb would require its own turbine to stay under the mandated wattage.

The Flow fixture by Igen Design. Link: http://www.coroflot.com/vasquez/Flow-public-lighting-for-the-Third-World

UGE’s whimsical Wind-Solar Hybrid Street Light. http://www.urbangreenenergy.com/solutions/wind-solar-hybrid-streetlights/how-it-works

Wind Tulip by Tuvie: http://www.tuvie.com/windtulip-wind-powered-street-light-that-looks-like-a-tulip-flower/

Beach Lamp by Zengzhu Deng. http://www.ecochunk.com/3777/2012/11/14/sea-and-land-breeze-power-the-eco-friendly-beach-lamp-concept/

Loopwing Korea powers clocks as well as street lights. http://www.greendiary.com/loopwing-korea-unveils-self-powered-streetlight-wind-power-generator.html

Of these, I think I like the UGE version with the banner option and wind/solar combination power. Some of the links above talk about 400 watt bulbs, but assuming there is a battery to charge too, the wattage may well exceed the 0.5 Kilowatt limitation being proposed. The wattage restriction would also limit the option of one turbine powering several lights.

The kind of creative thinking that creates these things won’t be stifled by Culver banning WECS’s. The ban just stops the use of the new technology that’s out there. This is what I tried to suggest at the Plan Commission with limited success.