I am on an energy efficiency drive,,,and have an issue with windows being left open and heating being left on by employees in 4 buildings. Despite constant reminders, this still keeps happening so id like a electronic solution thus... a sensor on all upstairs windows that open, and if more than a quarter on an inch open, the sensor will send out a wireless signal to a receiver near the boiler to turn it off. I was thinking of using a wireless door bell as a prototype.
Maybe some more formal warnings to your employees impressing on them the extra incurred costs of their actions would be a start. It may sound a bit harsh but companies are getting hammered more and more to save energy and all the employees have to play their part in that.
As others have mentioned, you seek a technical solution to what is a social problem. This sounds like a failure of leadership to me. ...and as has also been mentioned, because it is has an *economic* element, you should stress THAT with a "power of the purse" approach.
If you are still intent on using *devices* to pursue this, a description of the type(s) windows would be apt in order to determine the proper type of gizmo to use. Taking a picture of the window(s) and posting a link to that would be apt. Stating what material(s) the sashes and frames are made of would also be apt.
Since what you seek is essentially a burglar alarm, this is not the most appropriate group for this either.
Even better: tell them anyone caught violating the company energy policy will not get a raise that year and no bonus, of any type for two years.
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Without knowing more about your business, buildings and heating systems, I have some suggestions for you to consider. First, if your business has specific working hours, where employees work a set schedule, then a timer on the heating system might work, so that the system is on only during those hours. Allow a little warmup time before the day starts so the spaces aren't stone cold in the morning. Anticipate the end of the day and start shutting down a bit before the work day ends. Second, you might consider IR sensors in the heated spaces. They would detect the presence of warm bodies and when those warm bodies are no longer detected, then turn off the heat. Next, you might install counters at all the entrances/exits, so that as a person enters a building, increment a counter. When a person leaves, decrement the counter. When the counter has decremented to zero, and outside normal business hours, shut the system down.
Magnetic sensors used in burglar alarm systems would be a natural choice to sense open windows/doors.
Cheers, ==============
Dave M Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill at the same time!!
At Motorola, the primary job of security was to turn off all the coffee pots ;-)
...Jim Thompson
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| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC\'s and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | |
| Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |
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| America: Land of the Free, Because of the Brave |
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| Due to excessive spam, googlegroups, UAR & AIOE are blocked! |
Err, have you tried finding out *why* they open the windows? Why is the heating on? It's summer in the northern hemisphere. I open the window because our building's air conditioning is too weak to cope with a lab full of techno toys and computers.
Perhaps your ventilation system needs a good cleaning, your employees need oxygen.
Right. The floggings will continue until moral improves.
I don't suppose it might be useful asking the employees _WHY_ the are opening the windows? Presumably, it's because it's hot inside and the air conditioning isn't doing its job. Perhaps that's because it's undersized for the monumental heat load produced by the people, lighting, computahs, and test equipment? It's concievable that reducing the heat load somewhat, might both save electricity costs, while simultaneously improving air conditioner efficiency. Extra credit for installing IR reflective coatings on the windows.
Many years ago, one of my cheap customers ran an experiment. His HVAC bill was monumental (in his opinion) at his offices. I did a quick analysis of the various sources of heat and broke them down to: Humans (about 60 watts each times about 30 people) Test equipment (about 10Kw most of which did NOT need to be running) Overhead lighting (80 watts per fixture times about 150(?) fixtures) Misc (negligible) Turning off the test equipment was a big win. Turning out the lights was also a big plus, but some people just couldn't function well in the dark. Small desk lamps were distributed, which reduced the complaints. I used a small flashlight. I don't recall the exact savings, but it cut the electricty bill roughly in half.
Hint: Fix problems at their source, not at the end user.
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Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
It's probably too warm in the building. Turn down the thermostat.
...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC\'s and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | |
| Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |
| |
| America: Land of the Free, Because of the Brave |
| |
| Due to excessive spam, googlegroups, UAR & AIOE are blocked! |
Yep. I hate overly warm rooms in winter time... probably a humidity thing. It's rare when we heat during the winter. Usually a small log in the fireplace will hold the house all night.
I have a son-in-law who drives me nuts keeping their house "toasty". He also over-does the heavy coats on the grandkids :-(
...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC\'s and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | |
| Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |
| |
| America: Land of the Free, Because of the Brave |
| |
| Due to excessive spam, googlegroups, UAR & AIOE are blocked! |
I ignored that because one normally does not _OPEN_ a window when it's too cold inside. On the other foot, if the employees are being asphyxiated by the heating system, perhaps opening a window might be useful.
Also, assuming the OP is in the continental US, temperatures have been fairly well above normal. See:
I don't see much need for heating.
Yeah, it affects the writing skills.
Drivel: Wanna drive someone insane? Just buy them a VoIP FXO/FXS adapter or IP Phone. Only about 500 assorted configuration options, no templates, and no way to save or load settings. I'm down to trial and error (mostly error). Maybe that's why my blood pressure is too high?
--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
I don't do VOIP... just Skype and it works great! Although the sound-card-use set-up was quite obscure.
...Jim Thompson
-- | James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at
formatting link
| 1962 | | | | America: Land of the Free, Because of the Brave | | | | Due to excessive spam, googlegroups, UAR & AIOE are blocked! |
Just checked mine: 125/73. I'm often seeing 115/65 in the morning. Been low like that since the hip pain was replaced with Titanium ;-)
Used to hit as bad as 165/105 :-(
Only draw-back... my shoes are so loose-fitting I'm going to have to drop 1/2 a shoe size (and I have only lost 5# ;-)
...Jim Thompson
-- | James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at
formatting link
| 1962 | | | | America: Land of the Free, Because of the Brave | | | | Due to excessive spam, googlegroups, UAR & AIOE are blocked! |
I've also been using Skype. Works great. You might want to look into various "Skype phones" that are appearing. The idea is to be able to call or receive a Skype call, without having to leave your computer turned on all day and night.
I need a rant();
Having worked for Ma Bell in the distant past, I recognize the problem. Telco people do things differently from computer people, and never the two shall meet. The same features have different names in telco lingo and computer lingo. For example, it's not a computer, it's a switch. It's not a telephone instrument, it's an FXO or FXS. One does not do programming, one does provisioning. Ad nausium. If I were conspiratorial, I would suspect that telco has institutionalized being different. All this from a Justice Dept ruling that Ma Bell has to stay out of the computer business. I guess this is Ma Bell's way of getting her revenge. Pages and pages and pages of incomprehensible menus and settings. Argh!
Well, I'm finally able to authenticate with my provider after I determined that "account name" is not my login name, but is the DID phone number. Too bad I can't dial out because I haven't written a suitable dial plan string and the examples in the docs don't quite work.
Of course, nothing ever happens without slamming in bugs. This time it's Firefox 3.0, which will NOT display some of the menus in the Zoom
5801. IE6 and Firefox 2.0.0.14 work fine, but not Firefox 3.0. This is just after discovering that the Google Toolbar causes IE6 to hang for 60 seconds before displaying the home page, but only with W2K.
Checking the BP meter: 163/96 with Omron HEM-775 135/85 done manually When the cardiologist does it, it's usually 120/75. Go figure.
End rant()
--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
Late at night, by candle light, "Mr Sandman" penned this immortal opus:
How about having the sensors just turning the heat off when the windows are open? Before taking any draconian measures try to figure out _why_ they open the windows, you'll need to learn to talk nicely with them for that. Is it bad air, too warm, or something else? It's unlikely they do it for kicks, it's up to you to keep them comfy and cool (or warm) without forcing them into some scheme they dislike. Might affect productivity and all that. You'll also need to take into account differences in people. What one finds comfortable another may find too stuffy or too cold.
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