KUALA LUMPUR: Local companies are jumping on Panasonic’s nanoe X technology bandwagon, which has been proven to have inhibitory effects against four Covid-19 variants – Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta.

In a recent media briefing, Panasonic Malaysia strategic B2B development senior manager Adrian Heong shared that commercial applications of Panasonic’s nanoe X-equipped air solutions have been adopted by several businesses.

“The first major development to fully fit its commercial area with nanoe X was D’Network, a lifestyle mall in Setia Eco Park by SP Setia Bhd, which features a grocer, food and beverage outlets, retail offerings and a wellness centre.

“All the shops are fitted with ventilation systems by Panasonic to further reduce the risk of infection indoors,” he said.

Following this successful implementation, SP Setia is currently using some 400 nanoe X technology units and has incorporated them in its headquarters, sales galleries and offices nationwide.

Panasonic’s nanoe X-equipped air solutions has been adopted by WCT Holdings, Platinum Victory, PKT Logistics, Tan Chong Group, Yamaha Music School, Qra grocer, Sunway Malls, WORQ coworking space and the Parliament building.

In its mission to improve air quality amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Panasonic collaborated with the Japan Textile Products Quality and Technology Centre to verify the technology’s inhibitory effects against the Covid-19 variants.

During the latest verification tests performed in September 2021, the virus titers of SARS-CoV-2 and its four variants were compared in a 45-litre test space with and without exposure to nanoe.

“The tests confirmed an inhibitory effect of more than 99% activity of adhered viruses from the variants after two hours of exposure,” said Panasonic Corporation QAFL business promotion office managing director Ichiro Suganuma.

While the Omicron variant has yet to be tested with nanoe X technology, Suganuma said: “We believe the same effect can be expected.”

He said nanoe X technology not only has the ability to perform on air, but also surfaces.

Panasonic Malaysia managing director Cheng Chee Chung said that as an air quality expert, Panasonic has made various strides in engineering solutions to provide cleaner air – more so in times of the pandemic.

“This application works in small and large spaces alike and has been adopted by numerous companies to provide a safe and clean environment for both customers and employees,” he said, adding that this technology is able to deodorise the atmosphere as well as moisturise skin and hair.

Besides that, nanoe X technology requires zero maintenance, no filter and has non-chemical particles.

Commercial outfits include Panasonic’s latest NX series single-split packaged air conditioner systems consisting of one-to-one combinations – one indoor and outdoor unit – across various types of indoor units such as cassette, duct and ceiling.

The Panasonic Air-e Ceiling Mount nanoe X generator would be able to fit in existing structures, lowering the barrier to entry when incorporating Panasonic’s proprietary technology.

Panasonic began research on this technology in 1997 and has found its effectiveness in a variety of areas, which includes inhibiting pathogenic microorganism – bacteria, fungi and viruses – and allergens, breaking down PM2.5 components that have adverse effects on the human body.

Panasonic’s nanoe is an ioniser that generates “nano-sized atomised water particles” using electrostatic atomisation technology.

According to Panasonic appliance air-conditioning Malaysia marketing assistant manager Sae Kinjo, a needle made from titanium can be found in the nanoe X devices.

“Once the needle gets cold, the moisture in the air will gather around it.

“It will then apply high voltage to it to produce hydroxyl radicals contained in water.

“These highly reactive and oxidative, hydroxyl radicals would then have the potential to inhibit the activity of pollutants, breaking them down and neutralising their unpleasant effects, which would vastly improve indoor environments,” she explained.

She added that the latest nanoe X technology is able to release up to 20 times more hydroxyl radicals than nanoe.

Panasonic’s range of air purifiers, air conditioners, Air-e Ceiling Mounted nanoe X Generator and portable nanoe X generators are also equipped with nanoe X technology, making it suitable for living spaces.

For more information, visit www.panasonic.com/my.

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Originally Appeared Here

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, and local pediatric dentists say this is a good time to focus on setting up appointments you may have been brushing off, since the pandemic has taken a toll on oral health.

At the start of the pandemic, dentists’ offices throughout the nation closed for several months for regular preventative dental care, with many only opening for emergency or urgent procedures.

Jimmy Forester, a pediatric dentist at Coastal Pediatric Dentistry in San Luis Obispo, said this was bad news for children’s oral health.

“Kids suffered,” Forester said. “There is no doubt in my mind that there was more decay and more problems once we started seeing people again.”

Forester said the temporary closure and the ongoing pandemic is still causing a ripple effect in tooth decay issues.

“During a pandemic, where people are at home, stuff goes out the window,” Forester said. “Their basic hygiene practices get all out of whack. Kids would wake up and they didn’t have anywhere to go, and then they’d forget to brush their teeth because they weren’t leaving to go to school.”

With kids back in school, and many parents returning to work in their offices, Forester said his office is seeing more appointments.

One of the biggest issues he deals with now is cavities.

“Cavities are huge. We definitely haven’t gotten control of that yet. We are constantly taking care of that,” Forester said. “You will go to most dentists these days and find there is like couple months wait to go and fix up cavities because that’s how many cavities there are.”

Although Forester still operates his office by keeping patients separate for COVID-19 precautions, he says some practices brought on from the pandemic will stay even once all restrictions are lifted.

“I have all these great air filtration systems now circulating the ventilation throughout the building,” Forester said. “The great thing about that, when kids have the flu, we are turning over the air and we are going to have more healthy indoor air quality.”

Forester recommends if you’ve been putting off your kids’ or your dental appointments, now is the time to address any problems you or your children may have so that issues like cavities don’t become a bigger issue.

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Originally Appeared Here

WESTPORT — Concerns about air quality and mold have been addressed and remediated at Long Lots School, Superintendent Thomas Scarice announced Wednesday morning.

The main areas of concern were the auditorium, which reopened in December after successful retesting, and Room 9, which is still not being used while officials continue to address the space.

“Long Lots Elementary School is not an unsafe building,” Scarice said in a message to families Wednesday. “This statement is backed up by comprehensive testing done by industrial hygienists. The district will vigilantly work to ensure that appropriate levels of indoor air quality are maintained.”

He said the district is working with Langan CT, industrial hygienists, to create a plan to continue to monitor key indicators for mold, such as moisture in the buildings.

“This will enable quick responses in the event of any emerging compromised conditions,” Scarice said. “This will be done visually and digitally by monitoring temperature and humidity levels regularly, along with periodic air sampling of various areas of the building performed by Langan.”

The air quality and possible mold concerns at the building were raised last year, prompting the school to do a comprehensive baseline indoor air quality assessment, which was done by Langan CT on July 30.

The assessment included a visual inspection, both inside and outside of the building. It also involved “comprehensive air sampling” of 22 spaces inside and six spaces outside, Scarice said.

“This valuable assessment demonstrated that the indoor air at Long Lots School (i.e. the air that individuals breathe) all fell within the normal ranges when tested for fungal spores and particles with the exception of two locations, the auditorium and Room 9,” he wrote. “These two locations demonstrated slightly elevated levels of Aspergillus/Penicillium when compared to outdoor air.”

Scarice said the higher spore counts in Room 9 are coming from a doorway that leads to an underground utility crawl space along the building.

“This room remains problematic and will remain offline for the foreseeable future,” he said.

The room was added into the Long Lots building study last year, which was presented last month to the school board. The report outlined potential renovations and raised the possibility of building a new school.

Scarice said the reports are being used to craft a holistic approach to the building overall and any solutions to address the spores in Room 9 will be added into the school board’s long-term capital plan. The consultant, Colliers International, is working on long-term recommendations.

“I want to assure the Long Lots community that this is a high priority for the board and district administration, and there is no intention of letting this decision-making process languish,” he said. “Mid-April is our target to publicly share long-term options and we intend to hit that target.”

Since his update in September, Scarice said an additional small area within some ceiling tiles in a non-instructional area of the building was also remediated.

“As a matter of protocol, in these instances, the source of water incursion is identified, addressed to prevent further incursion, and tiles are replaced where appropriate,” he said.

Back in September, Scarice told families about the mold and how the district planned to address it.

“According to the CDC, Aspergillus/Penicillium is a common mold that lives indoors and outdoors, and since most people breathe in fungal spores every day, ‘It’s probably impossible to completely avoid breathing in some Aspergillus spores. For people with healthy immune systems, breathing in Aspergillus isn’t harmful,’” Scarice wrote back then and reiterated in his message Wednesday.

He said this doesn’t “minimize any compromises in indoor air quality,” going on to recognize it could lead to health problems for people with mold allergies. He said the district follows the Environmental Protection Agency protocols for any mold found and addresses it immediately, as well as identifies the cause to prevent it from happening again.

“We remediate where necessary using proper containment procedures and negative air pressure, and then clean and retest before re-occupying the space,” Scarice said.

He said they also proactively try to prevent this from happening by using the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and keeping moisture from getting in.

Scarice encouraged parents to read the reports in the meantime, adding any changes to the timeline or other updates will be sent to families.

“Thank you for your patience as we look to expedite this process so that a long-term strategy is deliberated publicly and decided in order to advance this work in a timely manner,” he said.

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Originally Appeared Here

Noble Air is a company that specializes in air duct cleaning. Noble Air is helping homeowners across Austin Texas improve their HVAC performance and the air throughout their homes by offering professional air duct cleaning.

It’s important to keep your HVAC system well maintained. This includes cleaning your air ducts. This is especially true if you have people in your household that suffer from allergies and other respiratory issues.

The purpose of cleaning air ducts has to do with improving air quality throughout your home. By cleaning your air ducts regularly, it allows your system to function optimally and it allows you to improve the quality of your air. Both of these things are imperative as they can save you money with better HVAC efficiency and they can keep your family healthier with better air.

The good news is, when you get your air ducts cleaned, it’s something that lasts. You can count on the air in your home being clean for a long time. This can keep your indoor air free of pollutants and allergens. A lot of people ignore their air ducts because they are completely out of sight. However, air ducts aren’t to be ignored. They play a critical role in your home’s cleanliness and they can dictate how healthy the air is throughout your home. Without regular cleaning, you could have mold build-up in your air ducts that can cause mold spores to be released into the air.

This type of cleaning is especially important during the winter months when a lot of homeowners typically have people over for the holidays. Also, it’s a period when you usually spend a lot more time indoors because of the cold weather conditions.

The professionals at Noble Air provide a premium service at the most affordable prices. Luckily, you can get everything from air duct repair, replacement, to cleaning. Therefore, you can get all of your air duct needs to be completed simultaneously. If your air ducts require specialty disinfection treatment, you can get that, as well.

The specialists at Noble Air will use the most advanced cleaning equipment for your air duct servicing. You know you are getting the best results because Noble Air has highly trained and skilled professionals working to satisfy clients as much as possible. With every service you get, you will get a full warranty that covers the entire scope of the job.

With over 15 years of experience in the industry, you can count on Noble Air to deliver the highest level of professionalism. Noble Air offers free estimates to ensure you are getting the most competitive price in Austin. Best of all, all of the services offered come with a complete satisfaction guarantee to ensure you are happy with the results.

About Noble Air

Noble Air has over 15 years of professional experience working in the air duct and HVAC industry. Since its inception, the company has served over 10,000 satisfied customers.

Google Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Noble+Air/@30.403541,-97.751799,8z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xce11dd16e46566fe!8m2!3d30.403541!4d-97.7517988?hl=en

Media Contact
Company Name: Noble Air
Contact Person: Support Team
Email: Send Email
Phone: 512-546-6939
Country: United States
Website: https://nobleairus.com

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Originally Appeared Here

While carbon dioxide is more prevalent in the atmosphere, methane is more lethal to the environment. The Stanford researchers found that methane’s global warming potential is 86 times higher than carbon dioxide’s over 20 years and at least 25 times greater a century after it is released into the air. Methane also increases the concentration of tropospheric ozone in the air, which the researchers estimate can cause 1 million premature deaths by respiratory illness worldwide each year. Even more worrisome, ever since the industrial revolution, methane’s concentration has grown at double the rate of carbon dioxide’s.

Most methane leaks occur when stoves are off

To gauge just how much methane gas that stoves are leaking, the scientists measured methane and nitrogen oxides released in 53 homes in California. The researchers studied the stoves during combustion, ignition and when they were shut off. They looked at 18 brands of gas cooktops and stoves ranging in age from three to 30 years. The highest emitters of methane were cooktops that were ignited via a pilot light. The cost or the age of the stove had no bearing on how much methane was emitted. Surprisingly, the researchers discovered that more than three-quarters of methane emissions happened when the stoves were turned off. That implies that most of the problem can be blamed on faulty gas fittings and connections to the stove and in-home gas lines.

The solution to all this leaking methane? According to researchers: an electric stove.

“I don’t want to breathe any extra nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide or formaldehyde,” said study senior author Rob Jackson, the Michelle and Kevin Douglas provostial professor and professor of Earth system science. “Why not reduce the risk entirely? Switching to electric stoves will cut greenhouse gas emissions and indoor air pollution.”

Donna Fuscaldo is a contributing writer and editor focusing on personal finance and health. She has spent over two decades writing and covering news for several national publications including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Investopedia and HerMoney.

More on Healthy Living

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Originally Appeared Here

The Phoenixville Area Senior Center’s plans to resume indoor activities in the spring with a healthier environment received a big assist this week from Chester County government. The County Commissioners presented the center with a check for $225,000 toward replacing the building’s outdated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The funding comes from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act.

 Air flow and filtration requirements have become more important since the arrival of COVID-19. The senior center’s current HVAC system is nearly 20 years old and cannot be upgraded to meet the operation standards of newer units.

 “We are pleased to be able to use these CARES Act dollars to ensure that the air in this facility is as healthy as possible,” said Chester County Commissioners’ Chair Marian Moskowitz. “One of the most unfortunate side effects of the pandemic has been the closing of in-person programs at senior centers, like the one in Phoenixville. We are all hopeful that the pandemic will reach a point at which seniors who depend on the camaraderie and activities at centers like this one can return here soon.”

Before the pandemic, seniors in the Phoenixville area enjoyed meals together twice a day at the center on the 100 block of Church Street. Since the pandemic, the center has operated a drive-through, serving more than 125,000 meals so far.

“We have continued our mission in some respects, and have been able to meet in limited ways, but we are really looking forward to getting things back to where we can sit and eat with our friends, and hold programs like exercise and art classes again, in the way we used to,” said the center’s executive director, Julie Gaudan. “Once you have that safety factor in place with the new air circulation and filtration, it will make our seniors feel comfortable returning, and hopefully someday we’ll be able to do it face-to-face with no masks.”

With the indoor air up to modern standards, Gaudan said she is optimistic the center can resume in-person programing in the spring as COVID cases abate.

Chester County Commissioner Josh Maxwell noted that living in isolation during the pandemic has probably affected seniors the most, so being able to gather again will be a lifeline for them. “As we evaluated organizations seeking this federal funding, helping the Phoenixville Senior Center safely reopen rose to the top of our list,” he said. “The activities offered there, in addition to meals, like education, lectures and playing bridge, bring people together and provide a wonderful opportunity for socialization.”     

The Phoenixville Area Senior Center has a long history, beginning with its founding in 1978 in space rented within the First Presbyterian Church on Main Street. The agency moved to its current building in 1988.  The Center has also played an important role in the County’s efforts to control COVID-19, with serving as a location for both testing and vaccines.

“The Phoenixville Area Senior Center welcomes a culturally diverse group of people as it supports and enhances the lives of senior citizens in our county,” said Chester County Commissioner Michelle Kichline. “Right now, the center is engaging clients with online exercise classes, coffee hours and lectures. I join my fellow commissioners in looking ahead to seeing all those activities and more taking place again in person. We are proud to support the important work being done here.”

For more information about Phoenixville Senior Center, please visit phoenixvilleseniorcenter.org/

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Originally Appeared Here

This is a guest post written by Environment America Global Warming Solutions Associate, Eve-Lukens Day.

I’ll admit, I can be a bit paranoid when it comes to methane gas. The invisible and very flammable fossil fuel triggers my health-related anxiety, leading me to imagine worst case scenarios: “I smell gas!” leads to “We have a gas leak!” that then leads to “We have to evacuate before we blow up!” Safe to say, I’ve lost some sleep over this.

I haven’t always been the most reliable narrator on this subject either, as my freshman year roommate could tell you after she was bombarded by campus security when I reported a possible gas leak that turned out to be just in my head (or, perhaps, my nose). But, given that gas stoves can cause unsafe levels of air pollutants which can severely impact your health even when they’re working “properly,” my anxiety is not completely unfounded.

Last month, my friends and I moved into a new apartment. Amidst shoving our couch up the stairs and hanging string lights along the window, I noticed that familiar smell wafting in from the kitchen. After my friends confirmed the scent was not psychosomatic, we called our property manager and, low and behold, the pilot light was out, meaning the oven was slowly leaking methane directly into our apartment.

Once the pilot light was fixed, I didn’t smell any gas. But, being a climate activist, I knew all too well that a leaky oven was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to methane pollution.

Methane gas: the climate connection

You see, before the methane gets to your gas stove to boil your pasta or bake those cookies, it first has to be produced from one of the more than 900,000 oil and gas wells that are active in the United States today. Then, it travels through some of the 3 million miles of methane gas pipelines across the country, goes through processing facilities to remove impurities and add that rotten-egg smell (that’s right, methane gas is naturally odorless!). Finally it’s distributed to consumers to power our homes, heat our buildings, and light our stoves. 

At each step, methane leaks occur. Why is that a problem? Well, methane is a greenhouse gas, meaning once it’s released in the atmosphere, it traps in heat and contributes to global warming. Importantly, methane has more than 80 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide (CO2), meaning methane gas is 80 times more powerful at trapping heat in the atmosphere compared to CO2.

The methane gas industry has worked hard to hide its climate-damaging impacts, which scientists have known for decades. Gas companies have positioned themselves as the “cleaner than coal” bridge fuel to renewables. They also purposefully message their product as “natural gas” to make us think it’s good for the planet. While methane gas-fired power plants produce less CO2 than coal plants during the combustion process, when you account for methane leaks that occur during the extraction and distribution processes, gas power plants can be as bad if not worse than coal plants in terms of climate warming impacts.

Gas stoves: the climate reality

So, from the pipeline thousands of miles away to the oven in my kitchen, methane leaks are a big problem. You might think that after that long journey, once the gas reaches your stove, it’s no longer leaking in such large quantities to adversely affect the climate, right?

Well, actually, not right. A recent study by Stanford University estimated that the annual emissions from gas stove methane leaks could have a comparable climate impact to the yearly CO2 emissions from half a million cars. And while the leakage rate is higher when a gas stove is fired up, the study also found that methane leaks still occur when stoves are off (which is most of the time) and overall the majority of methane leakage occurs when the burners are not in use. 

So, the question remains, what can we do to solve it?

Electric stoves (and buildings) are the future:

 

As legislators and the public have become more aware of the health and climate risks associated with methane gas, the desire to go electric has grown. Not only do electric stoves and appliances have none of the indoor air pollution impacts that gas stoves have, but since there’s also no direct methane leaks from those stoves, they’re much better for the climate.

Electric appliances will become even more environmentally friendly as we increase the share of renewable energy on the grid which has quadrupled in the past decade alone and is projected to continue expanding. According to a recent report, electrifying all homes and buildings by 2050 could have the same climate-saving impacts as removing nearly one-quarter of the country’s cars from the road for a year.

Turns out there’s a lot to be anxious about when it comes to gas stoves. We can’t let the oil and gas industry continue to pollute our climate and homes any longer. For the safety of your home and the well-being of this planet we all share, the next time you’re upgrading your stove, I say, go electric.

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Originally Appeared Here

Clean Air Services is a trusted name in residential and commercial air duct cleaning services throughout the communities in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

This press release was orginally distributed by ReleaseWire

Theodore, AL — (ReleaseWire) — 02/09/2022 — The ongoing pandemic has certainly made people more responsible for maintaining clean and hygienic indoors. A clean home increases the comfort level. Maintaining a clean and hygienic home isn’t enough; one also needs to ensure clean breathing air. Maintaining HVAC units at periodic intervals and focusing on the ductwork within the house or office is a proven way of increasing the cleanliness of a home.

When commercial air duct cleaning in New Orleans, Louisiana and Gulf Shores, Alabama is a concern, there is one name that businesses can trust without a second thought, and that is Clean Air Services. The professionals associated with this company are well experienced and hold great expertise in air duct cleaning. They understand that ensuring a clean environment is an ongoing process and not a one-time solution. The experts do not just opt for regular dusting; instead, the process involves removing dirt, allergens, and contaminants from the system.

Businesses and homes spread across New Orleans, Louisiana, Mandeville, LA, Gulf Shores, Alabama, and several other surrounding regions can rely on Clean Air Services to improve the indoor air quality. The firm boasts extensive experience in the specific field and takes pride in offering cutting-edge services and solutions to commercial enterprises in different industries. The firm ensures providing quality duct cleaning in Mandeville, Louisiana, and Daphne, Alabama by adopting a comprehensive cleaning process involving video inspection.

Clean Air Services has created a strong niche by providing specialized residential and commercial duct cleaning services. Offering the best cleaning by maintaining the highest industry standards is the firm’s only goal and area of expertise. The services provided by the firm are further administered by a certified NADCA Air System Cleaning Specialist, a Certified Mold Remediator, a Certified Indoor Environmentalist, an MS Department of Environmental Quality Contractor/ Supervisor, and an IICRC Fire and Smoke Restoration Technician.

Experience the difference today; call (985)-690-6066 (LA) and schedule a consultation with the experts.

About Clean Air Services
Clean Air Services provides quality and specialized commercial and residential air duct cleaning services. For over two decades now, the company has been a trusted partner for businesses spread across New Orleans, Hattiesburg, Biloxi, Gulf Shores, Jackson, Mandeville, and other surrounding regions in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/clean-air-services-inc-ensure-providing-specialized-commercial-air-duct-cleaning-in-new-orleans-louisiana-and-gulf-shores-alabama-1352923.htm

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Originally Appeared Here

Port operations across the country are vital to America’s economy, often coming at a cost to health and welfare of neighboring communities—notably, by emitting harmful emissions and producing poor air quality.

Incorporating propane can help ports support economic growth while safeguarding our environment.

The loading and unloading of container ships at marine terminals requires a variety of cargo handling equipment, historically powered by diesel and gasoline. As the country seeks to reduce emissions and fight climate change, stevedores need reliable, efficient equipment to help them handle growing cargo volumes, as well as an energy source that doesn’t sacrifice environmental impact in the process.

While battery-powered EV equipment is answer for some applications, there are significant challenges to be overcome and it is important to consider other “Near Zero” emissions options with ultra-low NOx, including propane equipment.

Propane offers ultra-low NOx “Near-Zero” emissions for port applications
Recently passed legislation outlining funding availability for ports infrastructure will help ports across the country make the switch to “Near Zero” emissions technologies and enable our ports to be better stewards of the environment today and into the future.

While many port authorities are making the jump to electrification thinking this equipment is the best solution for reducing emissions, they are likely unaware that propane is cleaner, with a reduced carbon footprint than electricity when lifecycle emissions and nominal electricity production emissions are taken into consideration. Using propane produces 43% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than using an equivalent amount of electricity generated from the U.S. grid, according to data from the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC).

Switching to cleaner energy directly impacts the millions of people living near ports. Families can be exposed to air pollution output from diesel engines at ports and be at risk of developing asthma, heart disease, and other serious health problems. Equipment, vehicles, and marine vessels that burn diesel fuel are the primary source of combustion-related emissions at port facilities, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Existing propane applications in ports include forklifts and small and medium-duty vehicles that are meeting today’s emissions regulations and sustainability goals.

Near-zero emission propane port tractors produce fewer emissions and cost approximately $200,000 less than electric models, meaning ports can afford to replace more of their diesel-powered fleet and achieve carbon reduction goals faster. Propane powered cargo handling equipment in development includes reach stackers, empty container handlers, and rubber-tired gantry cranes.

Plus, propane can support employees needing to operate equipment both indoors and out, whereas gasoline and diesel equipment aren’t fit for indoor use. Propane forklifts, for example, can safely operate in properly ventilated indoor spaces, thanks to the equipment’s low-emissions profile. Well-maintained propane forklifts meet or exceed nationwide indoor air quality standards, whereas gasoline and diesel can produce higher amounts of carbon monoxide and other harmful emissions.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
A new $1.2 trillion law to improve America’s infrastructure creates an unprecedented opportunity for more fleets to take advantage of low emission energy sources, like propane. Propane is recognized in the Act as a clean alternative energy source and its inclusion is a major win for both ports and near-port communities, allowing more ports and dockworkers the opportunity to replace the use of diesel and gasoline on-site.

With funding available as of January 2022, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides over $9 billion in funding for refueling infrastructure and clean vehicles and equipment—including $5 billion earmarked for ports. Propane-powered vehicles and refueling infrastructure are eligible for the following funding opportunities under the new law:

• $2.5 billion in grants for emissions reduction at port facilities
• $2.5 billion in grants for charging and refueling infrastructure

Ports interested in taking advantage of this funding can make the switch to propane knowing that it’s a go-to energy solution for their operation. Propane reliably powers on- and off-road vehicles including forklifts, light- and medium-duty vehicles, port and terminal tractors, shuttles, and small marine vessels.

To learn more about propane and determine if it’s the right fit for your operation, visit Propane.com/Ports.

Joe Calhoun is director of business development for the Propane Education & Research Council. He can be reached at [email protected]

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Originally Appeared Here

02/09/2022 08:20 a.m. EST

The following information is taken directly form the Board of Education website and from town documents.

Voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, Feb. 15 to decide if the Madison, will or will not, approve the largest bonding issue in the town’s history. Under the referendum plan, a new pre-K to 5 school will be built near the Green Hill Road campus and Brown Intermediate will be converted into a K to 5 school. The Town Campus Learning Center (TCLC), Jeffrey Elementary, and Ryerson Elementary schools will be taken offline, and both Ryerson and TCLC will be demolished.

The Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt a four-school model that includes:

• New construction of a pre-K to 5 elementary school on the Green Hill Campus on Mungertown Road

• Improvements to Brown Intermediate School to transition to a K to 5 school

• Maintaining Polson Middle School as grades 6-8 and Daniel Hand High School as grades 9-12

• Renovations at Polson Middle School would include new air quality systems/HVAC improvements, renovation of the auditorium, and various security upgrades. The 4-school plan would result in the closure of both existing K to 3 elementary school buildings as well as the TCLC.

New Construction

The new building will house grades pre-K to 5 for students and families in the southern half of town. The school facility will meet current space, security, and indoor air quality standards and provide students and teachers with modern learning environments. If the project is approved, a building committee of community volunteers will have final say over project architect selection and the finer design details of the building. The pre-K to 5 building will be constructed on parcel of land accessed by Mungertown Road. Moving the building off of Copse Road will alleviate some traffic concerns in and around the Green Hill Campus.

Approximate building size:

82,000 square feet

Approximate Cost: $61 million

Convert Brown to a K to 5 School

Renovations at Brown will take place over several summers and both a renovated Brown Elementary school and the Green Hill Road Elementary school will open their doors at the same time. Renovations include changing the entrance to the building, converting classrooms on the ground floor into a kindergarten wing complete with classrooms and private restrooms, renovated spaces for grades 1 to 5 complete with enlarged windows, and general renovations/improvements to bathrooms, corridors, the outdoor courtyard, and parking lot. In addition, the renovation will include significant security upgrades.

Building size: 107,077 square feet

Approximate Cost: $6.2 million

Walter C. Polson Middle School

The Renewal Plan dedicates approximately $21 million for renovations at Polson Middle School including HVAC replacement and installation, auditorium updates and improvements, and security upgrades.

Currently approximately 50 percent of Polson has AC and some of the heating and ventilation system in the building is original to the 1960s construction. Sections have been replaced over the years but the last major replacement was in the 1990s. This plan would replace the buildings electrical system and put HVAC throughout the entire building. Estimated costs for these improvements total close to $17 million.

The auditorium updates and improvements make up roughly $2.95 million of the $21 million designated for Polson in the referendum question. Those auditorium dollars will go towards new lighting, a new sound system, electrical services, HVAC equipment and ductwork, and other items like new seating.

The money dedicated to Polson in the referendum total does not address all the issues in the building, but it does take care of projects that should be taken care of before items such as window replacement can be considered.

The remaining Polson projects, such as locker room renovations and pavement restoration, are accounted for in the town’s Capital Improvement Program over the next 10 years.

Project Budget/Cost to Taxpayer

Of the total cost for the proposed project, it is expected that an estimated $10,000,000 will be reimbursed by the State of Connecticut. Accordingly, the net cost to the Town of Madison for the three bonded projects described above is estimated to be approximately $79,200,000.

Project Bonding Cost Impact Taxes

Years 1 to 5, average annual tax, for each $100,000 assessed: $96

Years 6 to 10, average annual tax, for each $100,000 assessed: $202

Years 11 to 15, average annual tax, for each $100,000 assessed: $189

Years 16 to 20, average annual tax, for each $100,000 assessed: $180

Years 21 to 24, average annual tax, for each $100,000 assessed: $83

Average annual bonding cost over 24 years per $100,000: $153

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Originally Appeared Here