Construction Prices Sky Rocket Inflation - GineersNow Construction digital magazine

JULY 2022

NEWS

Building an Addition Onto Your House: Everything You Need to Know

Building Success: 3 Essential Tools for All Civil Engineering Owners in 2022

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Keeping the Future Clean: Top Advancements in Janitorial Technology

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EDITOR‘S NOTE

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nflation is wreaking havoc on the construction market as much as it is on the rest of the economy. The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) analyzed government data and found that construction material costs jumped 20% between January 2021 and January 2022.

Materials prices in the construction sector are indeed growing rapidly, aggravated by substantial supply-chain disruptions and a scarcity of available workers—a combination that threatens the financial sustainability of many construction firms. Government authorities, owners, and contractors can all take action to mitigate the impact of the crisis, but no one solution will be found.

Import taxes and quotas can be eliminated at any time by federal trade policy authorities. To temper the overheated pricing spiral, importing more goods at lower rates from countries like China and India will allow many customers of goods in short supply to avoid layoffs and shutdowns.

Officials at every level of government should analyze any rules, policies, and enforcement actions that may be unduly pushing up prices and stifling the importation of raw materials, components, and finished products into and out of the country.

The owners of projects that were awarded or started before the pandemic should be aware that major price or delivery date revisions are likely to be

Construction Prices Sky Rocket Inflation necessary. As for new and planned projects, owners should expect a wide range of pricing options and may want to consider including more design flexibility, a more flexible timeline, or cost-sharing arrangements.

Contractors must keep an eye on costs and delivery schedules for materials and communicate with owners throughout the construction process, both before and after they submit bids.

Prices for raw materials eventually level off. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved if that happens. The damage can be minimized while waiting for a solution to be found through cooperation and open communication.

CON TENTS

8 Power Up Your Site With Typhoon-Ready Essentials

20 Lg Launches New Virtual Platform For Air Solution ...

24 Construction Prices Sky Rocket Inflation

44 Building an Addition Onto Your House: Everything You ...

48 uilding Success: 3 Essential Tools for All Civil ...

52 Keeping the Future Clean: Top Advancements in Janitorial Technology

56 Big data and Artificial Intelligence to control algal blooms

64 Prestigious Springer Quartier building project

72 How To Find The Best Engineers For Your Projects?

80 Global Virus Network (GVN) Adds Four Preeminent ...

88 Efficient Generation for Sustainable Power

96 Studies Indicating T-Cells May Be Needed For Long-Term ...

F E AT U R E S T O RY

POWER UP YOUR SITE WITH TYPHOON-READY ESSENTIALS Typhoons occur and why every construction site needs to be a Typhoon-Ready. Click here to see the list of essential equipment.

A typhoon is one of the most typical natural disasters that challenge human capabilities and can be destructive to any construction site. It is necessary for engineers, architects, and construction workers to be prepared and plan ahead to determine or survey the area with potential exposure to high winds, heavy rains, and flooding.

With severe weather events, there will be cases of emergency and site-specific risks. We need the right equipment and gear to help minimize the risk and prevent losses of the project. Two of the must-have emergency equipment are flashlights and generators. Invest in high-grade equipment to withstand the typhoon’s strength and aid site emergencies that needs power.

Here are the top picks for spotlights and navigators to get you ahead before a typhoon: Pelican Spotlight Remote Area Lighting System (8-LED light) PL9480YLW This spotlight is a sound investment for every construction site. It has a running time of 28 hours with a 50,000-hour life expectancy. It also has a light output of 4,000 lumens and a low-battery indicator that will help you determine when to change the batteries.

An amazing feature of this product is that it can be paired with an iPhone application to control multiple units. It also has a 12-volt power supply.

You can also walk around with this product with no problem since it has a convenient shoulder strap and a quick-release function.

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Pelican Spotlight Remote Area Lighting System (6-LED light) PL9460YLW Its advanced Remote Area Lighting System (RALS) gives off a light output of 12,000 lumens, which by calculation is 6,000 lumens per light head. It has a Bluetooth function that allows the user to control the light intensity from 0%-100%.

It has rechargeable batteries that it cannot easily run out of power. However, its batteries are made of lead batteries that are sealed, which can emit hydrogen gas, so remember to charge it with its lid opened.

It can also be left charging to help you prepare in case you need to use it on a construction site. To top it off, it can also run continuously on wall power.

Pelican Spotlight Remote Area Lighting System (24-LED light) PL2000NCYLW There might be times when there is a need for a search-and-rescue operation on a construction site during a typhoon, and what better way to conduct it is to have a powerful light that can provide visibility to the rescuers.

This is the best spotlight that light up an area to a hundred yards with a running time of 15 hours.

Pelican Flashlight Nemo (Yellow) PL9430SLBLK This flashlight comes in handy when you need to go to various places and look for things in heavy weather. It comes in yellow color, which is visible in the dark and it is submersible that it can be use under the water.

It runs on 4.5 volts, and its size is 19.8cm long. A must-have, even for the household.

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Saving lives every day

Part of Blue Ocean Robotics

F E AT U R E S T O RY Navigator Generator (Gasoline) NVRD6910EX Another essential item in terms of preparedness has a backup power supply.

This generator runs on 11 horsepower and up to 5000 watts. It is unique from other generators because it uses gasoline instead of diesel.

Navigator Generator (60HzDiesel) NVNDG5000SE This generator gives out a max output of 5000 watts and low noise while it is on power. It can carry up to 15L of diesel, giving off 6 hours of power.

Navigator Generator (60-HzDiesel, Max Output of 11KVA) NVNDG11S This generator is a more advanced and more powerful that it can carry up to 42 liters of diesel, giving a continuous running time of 8 hours. It is an ultra-silent type of generator.

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Navigator Generator (60HzDiesel, Max Output of 5500W) NVNDG5500CLE This generator can hold up to 12 liters of diesel and give off a running power of 6 hours on ¾ load. Its maximum power can reach up to 5500 watts. Its motor is also single-phase.

Ridgid PowerClear™ Drain Cleaning Machine RG59138 The powerful, compact and versatile new PowerClear™ drain cleaner effortlessly cleans tub, shower or sink blockages from 3/4” (20mm) to 1 1/2” (40mm) diameter.

Its lightweight design makes it easy to maneuver in small spaces like under a sink.

Typhoons has an impact to every livelihood. Protect your construction site, workers and project by having a concrete weather-proof plan and properly securing materials and equipment.

These high quality products are essential to any construction site that will help everyone to be prepared in times of emergency, especially during a typhoon.

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F E AT U R E S T O RY Co Ban Kiat Hardware, Inc.

Coby’s Design Center

Ground Floor, Cobankiat Building II 231 Juan Luna St. Binondo Manila, Philippines.

Phone +632 8243-1931 Phone +632 8242-6925 Phone +632 8894-6561 & +638-272-931-981 Email info@cobankiat.com.ph; ind@cobankiat.com.ph

Unit 467 level 4 Shangri-La Plaza Edsa Corner Shaw Boulevard Mandaluyong City, Philippines Phone +632 86364895

Where to Buy? For over 100 years, Co Ban Kiat Hardware Inc. has been the most trusted distributor of home improvement and hardware items in the Philippines.

Let’s shop wisely. #StayAtHome and order online at your convenience. Visit us on the following sites and enjoy deals, discounts, and more!

Lazada Store: Website: https://shop.cbkhardware.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbkhardware/ Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cbkhardware Join our Fast-Growing Viber Community https://bit.ly/39Lngjg

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About CBK Hardware For over one hundred years, a family’s surname has become synonymous with the country’s biggest hardware supply company. Co Ban Kiat Hardware Incorporated of the Cobankiat family has a regular client network of more than 1,500 industrial organizations, 1,600 traditional community hardware stores, and 584 home building specialty chains of stores across Luzon Visayas and Mindanao. This ever-growing conglomerate traces its humble roots to Manila Chinatown, as a pioneer enterprise started by the family’s patriarch, Mr. Cobankiat, in 1920.

Despite the ruins of World War II, the business got back to its feet in 1948, rebuilding a storefront from the very same spot where it was known for three decades.

While the Filipinos continued to rebuild their lives post-war, CBK Hardware saw the opportunity to introduce the retail concept once unheard of in the hardware industry. Cobankiat Hardware brought the first DIY business in Asia. The Hardware Workshop Store is the fruit of this endeavor.

CBK Hardware further cemented its legendary distribution channel with the creation of Coby’ Design Center in Edsa Shangri La in 1996, a specialty store that caters to the discriminating taste of modern Filipinos.

In 1997, Mr. Johnny Cobankiat, the 4th generation Cobankiat leader, set another milestone for the company when he brought the franchise of Ace Hardware USA to the Philippines and signed up CBK Hardware as one of its major suppliers. This further expanded into delivering quality world-class products nearer to families of Filipino overseas workers in the countryside.

A century’s excellence can quickly pass, and guided by the vision to be the largest network supplier of the biggest global brands in the hardware industry, CBK Hardware resolves to source the best products to supply its customers anytime and every time.

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F E AT U R E S T O RY

LG Launches New Virtual Platform For Air Solution Technology The LG HVAC Virtual Experience Provides Visitors with the Opportunity to Explore a Wide Range of Residential and Commercial Solutions

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s consumers and business have looked to online recourses to help influencer their purchase decision, virtual experiences have become a key trend. In light of this, LG Electronics (LG) Home Appliance & Air Solution Company has opened a new online showroom, LG HVAC Virtual Experience. Utilizing the latest in digital technology, this interactive online showroom lets visitors get to know LG’s diverse range of residential and commercial indoor environmental solutions from the comfort and safety of their homes.

The showroom delivers an intuitive, virtual experience that lets visitors view the compa-ny’s latest solutions in a variety of virtual environments to learn about the benefits they provide, such as greater comfort, improved indoor air quality and seamless control, all important in helping customers make informed and important decisions for the family or employees.

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Upon entering LG HVAC Virtual Experience, visitors can choose from a range of busi-ness and living space categories: Residential Apartment, Residential Villa, Office Gen-eral, Office High-Rise, Retail and Hotel. Customers can roam the 3D environments freely using their mouse or touchscreen. Menus offer additional information on every model, including specifications, features, product videos and case studies. Simple to use and navigate, LG’s new virtual platform is a great tool for consumers, industry profes-sionals and partners looking to create healthier and more comfortable indoor spaces.

What’s more, the virtual showroom allows visitors to see the behind-the-scenes details and technologies.

Press the onscreen Airflow and Piping buttons to see how air travels in an air conditioner or air purifier and how pipes direct water and refrigerant through a system. Virtually switch operational modes and observe how airflow changes from one air conditioner to another. Beyond the technology and science, the showroom is also a great place to check out all the products’ stylish designs to see how they match various virtual interiors.

LG HVAC Virtual Experience is an open, engaging online resource that will give visi-tors a thorough understanding of LG’s latest, optimized HVAC solutions for all kinds of spaces, helping them figure out which products are best suited to their specific needs.

Visit LG Virtual HVAC Experience to discover the company’s latest indoor environ-mental comfort technologies on your PC or smartphone.

About LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company The LG Home Appliance & Air Solution Company is a global leader in home appliances, smart home solutions, air quality systems as well as visionary products featuring artificial intelligence. The company is creating total solutions for the home with its industry leading core technologies and is committed to making life better for consumers around the world by developing thoughtfully designed kitchen appliances, living appliances and air solution products. Together, these products deliver enhanced convenience, superb performance, efficient operation and compelling health benefits. For more information, visit www.LG.com.

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Easy-to-use, powerful estimating software to use with Asta Powerproject A scalable, multi-functional costing tool to help with projects of all sizes and levels of complexity To find out more please visit: elecosoft.com/bidcon

elecosoft.com/bidcon

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he construction sector in the United States is still feeling the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, even after two years have passed. Contractors and project owners alike have been hit hard by rising material prices, supply-chain interruptions, and a shrinking labor pool.

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When construction costs rose sharply in March 2021, the AGC began posting multiple issues of the Construction Inflation Alert to educate project owners and government authorities as well as the general public about the consequences. That Alert has been updated five times already, indicating that things are far from normal.

In contrast to the rest of the economy, the construction sector has had a much more uneven recovery in 2021 and seems to be on track for continued expansion. Various contractors were unable to completely pass on their increased costs due to a lack of demand for many forms of non-residential building projects until recently. As a result of several Covid-19 outbreaks, there has been a significant reduction in production, distribution, and workforce availability.

It is a mix of supply chain bottlenecks, unexpected prices and delivery delays, and smaller bid price increases that threatens to put some enterprises out of business.

In 2021, the cost of materials soared to a new high for contractors. While certain expenses have decreased recently, others have continued to climb or have become unpredictable in both directions, which is a hazard in its own right.

An all-time high increase in the PPI was recorded in 2021. It increased by 24.1% between June 2020 and June 2021 before dipping marginally.

There was still a 19.6 percent increase in the rate of growth between December 2020 and December 2021, compared to the 4.4 percent rise in 2020 and the 1.8% gain in 2019.

Every kind of building project has seen its costs soar. There are PPIs for inputs to roads and streets, commercial, healthcare, and industrial buildings, electricity, and communications, education and vocational, as well as single- and multifamily development. New multifamily construction had a 14.6 percent rise in these input cost indices between December 2020 and December 2021, while commercial buildings saw a 20.7 percent increase.

What is the reason behind these astronomical price rises? In a nutshell, the data shows practically everything. Steel mill goods saw a 127.2

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percent increase in the PPI from December 2020 to December 2021. For plastic construction materials, the PPIs increased by 34.0 percent; 29.8 percent for aluminum mill shapes; 23.4 percent for copper and brass mill shapes; 20.7 percent for gypsum products; 17.6 percent for timber and plywood; and 13.9 percent for architectural coatings (paint).

Prices for commodities and services utilized by contractors have increased in tandem with those for building supplies. As an example, contractors spend a lot of money on diesel fuel, which they use to power their own trucks and offroad equipment, as well as fuel surcharges on delivery of various supplies and equipment, and to cart away dirt, debris, and other construction-related waste.

Truck transportation of freight rose 17.7 percent, but the PPI for diesel fuel rose 54.9 percent from December 2020 to December 2021.

Construction companies have also been dealing with a never-ending string of logistical issues since the outbreak of the pandemic. A slew of products, including elevator components, floor tiles, and kitchen appliances, has been in short supply since manufacturers in China and northern Italy was forced to close in February 2020.

Firms canceled orders and suppliers lost employment because of COVID-19 or shut down to comply with governors’ edicts when the US economy took a nosedive. A shortage of labor, ships, port berths, containers, chassis, trucking, rail, and warehousing personnel meant that commodities couldn’t be produced or transported.

Although contractors are unable to clear ports or repeal tariffs, it is possible for them to give project owners fast and trustworthy third-party information regarding changes in key material pricing as well as supply-chain congestion that may have an effect on the duration and expense of a project that is currently under progress or has already received a bid.

Materials and components may also be a topic of discussion between parties.

Purchasing products ahead of schedule might help you avoid price spikes.

Owners and bidders may wish to think about including terms that protect them against unforeseen changes in the cost of materials, such as price-adjustment provisions

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Building an Addition Onto Your House: Everything You Need to Know

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dding house extensions can be quite beneficial for you and your family since it will not only increase the value of your house but will also add more space.

The prices for a house extension can vary depending on the size, type of extension, and quality. But, before you start planning your home addition, you should be aware that home improvements are not an easy task, and they require good planning.

you’re planning to hire a contractor there is a wide range of different contractor estimates, and if you’re confident enough you can consider this as a DIY project.

Smaller extensions, for example, are the most affordable and are less complex.

An average house extension cost can be between £15.000 and £125.000.

The price range can seem quite large because there are various factors one should consider. For example, a small extension cost may be around £21.000 to Below are some useful things that £100.000, and it’s usually used for small might help before you start planning an additions like adding more space to a extension to your home. kitchen, living room, patio, or bathroom.

A two-storey extension, for example, can How much would an extension cost between £72.000 and £114.000 for a cost? mid-range build. Remember, the location of your house is also an important factor.

An addition to your house depends on the variables of your home design and Other costs to consider what you want. Note that the bigger your project, the bigger the costs. If There are some important additional 44

costs you should consider including extension groundwork costs, architect costs, regulation costs, and permissions costs. If you’re thinking of hiring an architect to plan and design your new extension, you may find that the cost is around £18 to £30 per hour. Regulation and planning costs are also among the most important things to keep in mind when planning an addition to your house.

may also consider costs for windows and doors.

Types of house extension There are a few different styles of home extension including rear extensions, side return extensions, double-story extensions, wrap-around extensions, and dormer extensions.

Rear extensions are usually placed at the back of your house, extending onto the garden or patio, and they can usually be done without planning permission.

The combination of rear and side return extension means moving outer walls in two directions which is great for extending the living space creating an opportunity to expand your kitchen or dining area.

You’ll probably need planning permission if you’re considering a major project. But, don’t forget to check with your local council and find whether you need one depending on the type of your extension. When it comes to regulations, remember various elements must be signed off by a professional as proof that your property is safe including flooring, Double-storey extensions mean ventilation, internal and external walls, extending over two floors by using and foundations. the rear, side return, or wrap-around extension. One of the advantages How much do the stages of an would be that you will get double the extension cost? space but not double the cost. If you have no use of your attic, then you There are a couple of stages involved in should consider a dormer extension. It building an extension to your house, and removes the pitch of the roof and will each one has individual costs that you create a flat roof so you can get space need to know when setting your budget. which would be ideal for creating new First of all, the building regulations and rooms. designs. As we mentioned, you have to find out whether you need planning Final thoughts permission, and if your plans don’t adhere to the conditions, know that you Planning to add an extension to your will need to pay around £200 to apply house can be daunting, so you need for your extension to be approved. to plan your budget well, and don’t Before you start building, the ground forget to ask important questions about also has to be fully prepared, so this your build before you start. House involves excavation which can cost extensions are excellent since they between £30 and £50 per cubic meter. boost your home’s space and value, You might also consider removing and can be so satisfying and useful. pipework and installing drainage So, don’t forget to write down your which will ensure that your extension is plan, think carefully about what you protected against damages and it may want to include, and consult with the cost around £700 to £10.000. Finishing right contractors and designers. touches like fixtures and fittings may cost around £1000 to £7000, and you

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N E WS

Building Success: 3 Essential Tools for All Civil Engineering Owners in 2022

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aking it in the engineering business world today takes hard work and determination.

And aside from these essential traits, becoming successful also requires knowledge of particular business tools.

With all of the technology we have in the world today, it’s hard to maintain a traditional mindset when it comes to networking or making business tasks more simplified. And thankfully, the business tools we have today are fairly easy to use for the most part.

Studies have shown that companies belonging to big tech hold a combined worth of over 5 trillion dollars. This is a

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nearly unfathomable amount of worth. And these are the companies largely responsible for providing engineering business owners with the tools they need to be successful.

But if you’re jumping into the industrial business world today, you have to familiarize yourself with the tools that you’ll need to be successful. The following will explore a few essentials that you’ll need heading into 2022.

Inventory Management Tools One thing that any business owner needs to keep up with is inventory. And this is just as true for restaurant owners as it is for those who own roadside watermelon stands.

Without adequate means to keep up with or a wall computer screen covered in Post-It inventory, you’re basically in the dark when notes. it comes to profit margins and ROI. But thankfully there are several tools that you IT Support can use to your advantage when it comes to keeping up with inventory management.

The only downside to networking and using the latest technology is that sometimes First, having both a paper inventory system glitches occur. And you’re going to need to and a spreadsheet will prove vital for keeping be ready to fix any issues that might arise. an accurate count for all of your inventory.

Second, there are a variety of software The main problem with a malfunctioning programs on the market today that specialize network is that these problems are often in inventory management. too technically complicated for the average business owner to solve on the fly. As such, Project management software will probably this is why you’ll need available tech support prove to be your most valuable tool for for your business when things break down. inventory allocation. And keeping this software regularly updated is also a best The key to tech support is to ensure that you practice. have a local IT support system available when you need it. Basically, if you’re a San Networking Tools Antonio-based business, you’ll need IT support in San Antonio for the fastest results.

If you’re going to be in business, you’re going to have to network with others within The last thing you’ll want to do is hire a your company and outside of it as well. And company that attempts to fix your problems to do this, you’ll need to set up a networking over the phone. And though sometimes this infrastructure. can be convenient, you’ll also find that you’re the one doing most of the work.

For example, software such as Hivebright and Jostle are great tools for community Remember, glitches happen in just about management and engagement. And you can every system from time to time. So having use these tools to help build your business IT support ready is going to be the key to network from within while also keeping resuming business as usual. detailed files for customer relations as well.

All in all, the tools that you’ll need to operate your business effectively are going to The bottom line is, a properly running be largely dictated by the nature of your network operates much more efficiently when business. But keeping the aforementioned everyone within your enterprise has a sound tips in mind will prove beneficial as you grow means for communication. And utilizing the your company and reach your business latest software tools will get you much better goals. results than using a company bulletin board 49

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Keeping the Future Clean: Top Advancements in Janitorial Technology

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ith the ever-evolving threat of the pandemic, very few of us can claim any longer that janitorial work is unimportant.

While the general cultural perception of janitorial work is still very dismissive, figuring it to be a low-paying, low-effort job for people with few ambitions, janitorial work is in truth essential to every single industry those same people patronize daily.

Even before we were all deathly afraid of a rapidly spreading respiratory virus, janitorial work was the unsung foundation of a number of industries, maintaining positive perceptions of the company through general cleaning and maintenance, upholding health and safety standards, and cleaning up after careless customers. While janitorial workers are currently hard to find, as a direct result of a lack of thoughtfulness on the part of employers and low wages, a company with a skilled janitorial staff is likely to find that the efficacy of other functions steadily increases.

Yet, even as the pandemic continues to surge and new variants begin to come out of the woodwork, the number of janitors employed at corporations and cleaning companies continues to decrease. Despite the claimed ignorance of business leaders, the reasons are simple and easy to detect:

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not enough pay, not enough respect, and not having the tools to do their jobs efficiently in such a dangerous environment. The latter very much bleeds into the former two, as not investing in tools that will make janitorial work easier tends to subtly communicate to those workers that their role is not that important.

If you’re looking to lure janitorial workers back into the fold, you may want to consider investing in top-of-the-line janitorial tech that will help them do their work safely in these trying times.

The pandemic has proved that the need for such work will be constant, as nobody knows when a new threat may come up, and failing to do such work can result in disease spreading like wildfire through your customer base. If you’re interested in improving the quality of life of your cleaning staff, here are a few vital pieces of new janitorial tech you may want to invest in.

Self-Dumping Hoppers Taking out the trash can be one of the most physically arduous duties your janitors will have, and also one of the most dangerous if your company specializes in food: coming into close contact with food waste and other potentially infected materials is not exactly appealing for your staff. However, with hoppers that self-dump, one of the newest innovations in the janitorial tech market, your janitors will have limited contact with your garbage and have to expend less energy physically to do their duty.

your janitorial staff. In addition to dispensing predetermined amounts of the cleaning materials, making your staff refill them less often, implementing these devices in bathrooms and other high-contact spaces will decrease the likelihood that pathogens can spread easily in your workplace. Putting these in highly visible places also increases the likelihood that your customers will see your business as a safe place to patronize in these trying times.

Roombas, Robots, and Other Investments If you work in a less-trafficked office space, it may also behoove you to invest in automated cleaning machines like Roombas to patrol your office during the day. While this is definitely not a good idea for areas that are highly trafficked by consumers, like the lobby of a restaurant (as your more expensive investment is likely to get trampled and broken), Roombas can reduce a janitors workload in calmer office areas by sweeping the floors for detritus and dust. Automated cleaning companions are definitely an investment, and one that you may think renders janitorial staff redundant, but remember: artificial intelligence only goes so far, and Roombas are made to lighten the workload of cleaning staff, not eliminate it.

All they have to do is haul the garbage into the hopper from a designated drop point, cart it to the dumpster, and then let the hopper dump itself via automation. In addition to giving your janitors an easier workload, self-dumping hoppers tend to be compact, fitting easily into tight spaces and ensuring you make the most out of your backroom space.

Pandemic or not, investing in janitorial tech is a good move for any company looking to Smart Dispensers grow with the times and increase the overall quality of life of their staff. While many of Already implemented in many a restaurant these innovations will require you to put out and corporate bathroom, adding smart a significant chunk of change, you’ll find sanitizer and hand soap dispensers to your that investment returns tenfold in employee company restrooms (and other frequently retention, improved customer perception of visited hotspots) can be a valuable asset for your business, and the like.

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Big data and Artificial Intelligence to control algal blooms

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oxic algal blooms are a problem that is globally increasing due to nutrients pollution and climate change. Although the use of chemicals may provide temporary relief to the problem, it does not offer a solution. Now an alternative method for chemical algae control is available.

Based on the acquisition of big data, artificial intelligence and ultrasound, this novel method can control algal blooms in large water surfaces without disrupting the ecosystem.

Toxic blooms of algae are increasing globally in our waterways, causing a variety of health-related issues and environmental degradation. Climate change and pollution lie at the source of most algal blooms, making it a problem that is not easy nor quick to solve. Nitrogen and Phosphorous form the main food source for algae, which enters our waterways through pollution from industrial or urban sources. These nutrients may build-up in the sediments of our lakes and waterways, providing food for algae for years to come, even when nutrient inflow to the lake has already stopped.

Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, may cause illness in humans and kill animals because they canproduce a variety of toxins and release

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them in the water. In the production of drinking water, algae growth may hinder the treatment process by cloggingup filters, increased THM formation and increased use of water treatment chemicals. In addition, taste and odor molecules produced by blue-green algae give a foul taste and odor to the water which is difficult to remove from the final product.

For the last 100 years, the main practice of water treatment plant operators to remove algae from their reservoirs has been the addition of chemicals. Chemicals that have been dosed in our waterways may include copper sulfate or other algaecides as well as metals (Fe, Cu, Ag, Al, Ca).

Although these methods are considered as fast working and economical, their impact on the ecological balance of a waterbody cannot be disregarded.

Effects of chemical algal control may include toxicity, lysis of the algal cells and non-target response, which will lead to a degradation of the overall quality of the water.

Many different algal types can bloom in a water body. Some of these algae are plant cells, while others are bacteria.

Algae may vary in size, shape and cell characteristics. Typically, the type of algae that blooms depends on water temperature and sun hours. As a result, algal types may change several times during a season. In addition to that, algae are also highly adaptive. Some algal types can resist extreme temperatures or pH values and cope with fluctuations in these conditions better than other organisms such as plants. Because of algae’s adaptability, algae can easily develop resistance to algaecides and other treatment methods, including Based on a European Research project, ultrasound.

LG Sonic has developed a method to selectively control algae in freshwater LG Sonic has been researching the lakes and reservoirs called the MPC- effect of ultrasound on specific algal Buoy (Monitor, Predict, Control). In-situ types, different types of water bodies and monitoring equipment is used to detect variations in water quality since 2005. and determine algae species, and In collaboration with different European predict blooms based on water quality universities, they have created a database parameters. The MPC-Buoy controls defining optimal ultrasonic parameters for algae by using relatively low power, an different algal species and water quality ultrasonic signal that is emitted over the characteristics. By continuously updating surface of the reservoir. The ultrasound these ultrasonic parameters, the system of one MPC-Buoy system can cover a prevents algae from becoming resistant surface area of approximately 50 acres. to ultrasound.

Algae rely on their buoyancy to float close enough to the water surface to The MPC-Buoy automatically monitors, take up sunlight. This allows them to analyzes and predicts algal presence outcompete other organisms in the water in the waterbody. For the collection of such as plants, that are also depending water quality data, near real-time sensors on sunlight intake. The ultrasound used are used to measure pH, Chlorophyll a, by the MPC-Buoy systems fixes the algal Phycocyanin, Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen, cells in a deeper layer of the water column, and optionally nitrogen and phosphorous. preventing them to take up sunlight at the Based on this information, the MPC-Buoy surface. can determine the presence of different algal species and forecast algal blooms.

Why do we need to use data to control algae?

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Data Sources By using different sources of data and combining those in a unique algorithm, LG Sonic can forecast algal blooms 3 to 10 days in advance. This allows for effective mitigation strategies through the MPC-Buoy systems. The algorithm can be fed by different data sources, such as hydrological characteristics of the water body and meteorological data sources. The hydrological data consists of streams of data generated by in-situ water quality measurement and remote sensing satellite imagery.

The use of remote sensing has an unparalleled advantage when forecasting algal blooms and specifically scum layers because remote sensing is the only data-

source that provides a spatial overview of water quality parameters over the entire lake. For this forecast, mostly data from Sentinel-2 and Landsat satellites are used due to the resolution. Sentinel-2 and Landsat satellites can provide a resolution between 10 and 30 meters and provide images every 5-8 days. Other satellites such as MODIS and Sentinel-3 show images on a more frequent basis, but the resolution is generally lower, which makes them unsuitable for smaller lakes and reservoirs.

For the collection of in-situ water quality data, near real-time sensors are used to measure pH, Chlorophyll a, Phycocyanin, Turbidity, Dissolved oxygen, Nitrogen, and Phosphate. Nutrients, temperature, and oxygen can be measured at different

depths in the reservoir to identify lake stratification and nutrient release from the sediments. Meteorological data is provided through different data sources.

Sun irradiance is measured through an irradiance sensor installed on the water quality monitoring buoys on the lake while wind speed and rainfall are gathered through the closest weather station.

Effective algae control The MPC-Buoy controls algae by using relatively low power, an ultrasonic signal that is emitted over the surface of the reservoir. The ultrasound of one MPCBuoy system can cover a surface area

of approximately 50 acres. Algae rely on their buoyancy to float close enough to the water surface to take up sunlight.

This allows them to outcompete other organisms in the water such as plants, that are also depending on sunlight intake.

The ultrasound used by the MPC-Buoy systems fixes the algal cells in a deeper layer of the water column, preventing them to take up sunlight at the surface. Currently, LG Sonic is running project in Dubai in collaboration with Dubai Municipality to treat algal blooms in Al Quadra lakes. 60 days after the installation of systems, bluegreen algae concentration was reduced by 73%.

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Prestigious Springer Quartier building project Weight reduced by 1,240 tonnes thanks to much lower use of concrete

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n 2015, the MOMENI Group acquired publisher Axel Springer’s Hamburg headquarters, built in 1956, intending to create a premium property with office, retail, restaurant and residential space in the SPRINGER QUARTIER. Internationally renowned architects Gerkan, Marg and Partner (gmp) took on the challenge of dynamically renovating the Springer highrise office block, listed since 1997, and of expanding it into a modern, contemporary, urban building. The entire complex is to earn a gold rating under internationally recognised LEED system specifications. In order to achieve this goal and be able to cope with the particular structural environment, void former modules from HEINZE Cobiax

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Deutschland GmbH were included in the plans during the structural design phase

by WTM Engineers Hamburg, in order to reduce the amount of concrete and building weight. As a result, it was possible for the main construction contractors, Ed. Züblin AG, as general contractors, to reduce the amount of concrete needed for the new wing by 496 m³, and to achieve weight savings of 12,400 kN. The new building’s inner city location and the various uses for the ground and basement levels, compared to the uniformly designed upper floors, presented a challenge for the architect and structural engineer. The proximity of adjacent buildings, whose

foundations could not be disturbed during the civil engineering work, also had to be taken into account. In order to achieve gmp architects’ ideas, the structural design experts at WTM Engineers Hamburg suggested using Cobiax SL modules, since using void formers compared to reinforced concrete allows weight to be reduced by up to 35 percent. “Our planning office had already met with positive experiences using Cobiax products in other projects, and so they came up with a perfect solution for this challenging project,” recall Detlev Haasse and Christopher Gabbert, Project Managers at WTM Engineers. The patented Cobiax system, consisting of 250 cm long reinforced steel modules, where void formers are installed once the halfparts have been put together, replaces up to 35 percent of concrete in areas where no concrete is required for the (bending) load-bearing ability of the slab. “Significant savings in materials and weight can be achieved through using our technology,” explains Dipl.-Ing. Volkmar Wanninger, Managing Director of Heinze Cobiax Deutschland GmbH. “The positive impact on the building’s structural design provides the architects with previously unthinkable opportunities for designing further spaces:

on the one hand through shallower slab depths, and on the other through spanning up to 20 m.”

These advantages could be exploited to the full in the SPRINGER QUARTIER, as various areas of the building could not have direct foundations, complicated foundation issues arose at the property boundaries and the varied uses on some floors made it necessary to use different retaining wall designs. “Weight savings achieved by using our void former systems made many of the retaining walls viable in the first place, as well as constructing some parts of the building overhanging by up to 8 m,” explain Gabbert and Müller with one voice.

Any values needed for planning the use of void former systems were calculated for the demanding architectural geometry in the SPRINGER QUARTIER using “Quick and Light” software, which Cobiax provides to all structural engineers free of charge.

These structural design specifications were subsequently incorporated into the structural and reinforcement plans by the Ed. Züblin AG Hamburg Technical Office, and so could be implemented on the construction site.

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Inner city location demands complex logistics A particular challenge for large-scale construction sites in inner-city locations was the limited space available and the requirement to minimise the impact on normal city traffic. “Due to the SPRINGER QUARTIER’s central location, the time slots when materials could be delivered to the construction site were very tight. What’s more, there was only limited space available on site for unloading delivery vehicles, “ reports Christoph Wieghaus, site manager for Ed. Züblin AG. Ed. Züblin AG is part of the STRABAG SE group of companies, one of Europe’s leading construction services technology groups.

Since a total of 5,500 tonnes of steel and about 34,000 m³ of concrete were needed for shell construction, all deliveries had to be precisely coordinated to avoid traffic jams in the surrounding streets. Delivering 68

the Cobiax SL void former modules to the construction site over a total of seven loads was also included in the time planning. We pre-assembled the void former systems for the first delivery at the HEINZE Cobiax Deutschland factory, so the concreting work could start straight away. For the remaining six, the individual components were assembled and processed on site instead.

“After finishing the first mid-layer slabs, those areas could be used as temporary storage and assembly space for the Cobiax modules,” explained Wieghaus. “After preassembling the void former modules, we then put them into position on the individual slab sections.” On the first day using the void former modules, the Cobiax Team gave training to all workers on site to ensure quick and easy assembly. For the laying itself, plans were drawn up where the slab surfaces were covered in void formers. These were drawn up by the Cobiax experts, taking into account the structural engineering design calculations, in order to avoid any structural problems with the slabs.

Once the modules had been put into position as specified in the plans, the concreting was done in two stages. “The pre-concreting for putting the void former system into position, to prevent them bouncing around, was done using the concrete pouring bucket.

Pouring the concrete and assembly work was suspended in order to concrete in the Cobiax void formers on the surfaces, and presented a further challenge in terms of the limited space,” explains Wieghaus.

“This means the spacers, which also function as structural parts, create the bond.

Subsequently, in a second step, the slab is concreted over.”

smaller amount of concrete and reinforcing steel used. “An added bonus is that the smaller amount of concrete also reduces the emission of pollutants toxic to the environment. For the SPRINGER QUARTIER project, saving 496 m³ of concrete meant reducing CO2 by 105 tonnes. Among other things, this results from eliminating 80 concrete mixer journeys to the construction site. “Within the next 5 years, we want to reduce CO2 emissions by a total of 1 million tonnes, through using our products in reinforced concrete construction, in order to progress the rethink towards sustainable construction”, concludes Wanninger. As more than 14 million square metres of Cobiax voided flat slabs have already been Potential savings from using produced, corresponding to 2 million tonnes void former modules of concrete saved and a CO2 reduction of 180,000 tonnes, this objective seems quite The cost of the entire supporting structure of realistic. the building also came down, thanks to the

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How To Find The Best Engineers For Your Projects? engineer that’s looking for work, then pay attention to all the things listed below. If you understand how companies hire engineers, then you can alter your approach to appease them.

On that note, here’s how you find the best talent:

Build A Strong Brand Image

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he right engineer can make or break a project. It’s crucial that you recruit the best person for the job every time.

As a result, you’ll have someone who can carry your vision forward and help you achieve all of your goals.

The hiring process starts from within.

Engineering is an interesting industry in that there are so many businesses looking for different engineers. As such, qualified and talented engineers are in demand. This means that you may struggle to get people to apply for jobs or to work for your company as they may have better job offers from elsewhere.

So, you have to build a strong company image.

Create a brand that engineers can identify with. Make it clear what your business wants to do and what your key aims are for the future.

There’s a higher chance of someone wanting to work for you if they know your company How do you find the top engineers? You have is moving in the right direction. Give them a many considerations and steps to follow. In sense of direction, let them know what they’re this article, you’ll see some of the best tips to in for. Talented engineers want to be part of help you find the most talented engineers for something special; they want to have a sense your needs. Additionally, if you’re an upcoming of purpose. If your brand image is pretty poor

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and doesn’t impress them, then you’ll fail to Trade shows work in a similar way, but they’re more about getting your business out find any applicants for your positions. there. Engineering trade shows give you the opportunity to create a little booth and advertise Attend Networking Events & your business. Use big and bold banners at Trade Shows your event to draw in the crowds and direct You need to try and connect with as many people to your booth. In essence, you drive engineers as possible. Therefore, trade crowds of budding engineers straight to your shows and networking events are the perfect business. Here, you can talk about your brand, situations for this. They give you an excuse disclose information on projects, and provide to get amongst engineers and talk to them. people with resources to learn more. Again, Networking events are particularly effective you can generate lots of leads by getting a lot at gaining some new contacts within the of contact information from this event. Now, industry. From here, you can follow-up with you’re in a position to speak to lots of talented emails or calls to let them know about an engineers about your latest job. exciting new position at your company for an upcoming project.

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Post Online Job Adverts While a lot of hiring gets done by connecting with individuals, it’s still worth putting job adverts out there. This gives you a chance to find other engineers that you may not have been able to reach out to. After all, not everyone can attend events! Online job adverts are still one of the most effective ways of finding talented individuals to be part of your team. There are lots of websites you can hire engineers from, so try and put your ads up on as many as possible. From here, you just wait for engineers to connect to you.

to the point about your brand image; make them feel like your business is worth working for. Also, include all the essential skills, qualifications, and experience that you’re after. Make candidates list all of these things as part of their application, so you can easily vet the ones that don’t tick all the right boxes.

Ask For A Portfolio

It goes without saying that you need a portfolio of work before hiring any engineer. In this line of work, you depend on experience. You need to know that the person you’re interested in has the skills Make sure you write a compelling advert and experience to carry out your project. for your job. Be clear about the engineer’s The best way to see this is by looking at roles and your company mission. Go back their previous jobs. All engineers should 76

create their own portfolio - this is a pro tip for any young engineers reading this article! It shows businesses what you’re capable of, and it can be the difference between getting hired or not.

Ideally, you should look for examples of projects that are similar to yours. While any experience is better than none, this is a great way to separate the best from the rest. It’s less risky to hire an engineer when you know they have experience dealing with projects that are a lot like yours.

Look For Referrals This last tip is brilliant at both sourcing potential engineers and vetting them.

Referrals will tell you how good a candidate is at their job. It lets you know what previous clients think about them. As such, you get a feel for how they work and whether

or not they’ll bring something positive to your business. Ask fellow businesses for referrals when you’re looking for a new engineer. Instantly, this can help you build a shortlist. If you find any from other sources, then ask them for referrals. They will put you in touch with their previous clients, so you can contact them and ask questions about the engineer.

Ultimately, this gives you peace of mind that you’re hiring someone you can trust.

Never close a deal and shake someone’s hand unless you have clear referrals from elsewhere.

There you have it, this is how you find the best engineers for your projects. Go through each of these points and make sure you cover all of them before hiring someone. For engineers, look at these points and use them to improve your chances of getting jobs.

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Global Virus Network (GVN) Adds Four Preeminent Academic Institutions To Strengthen Global Collaboration In Viral Research And Response To Pandemics

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he Global Virus Network (GVN), comprising foremost experts around the world in every class of virus causing disease in humans and some animals, today announced the addition of three new Centers of Excellence including the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands and the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health in the United States of America (USA), and one Affiliate, the University of the West Indies at St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago through GVN’s Center of Excellence in HIV and HCV Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory in the Center for Integrated Global Biomedical Sciences, at the University at Buffalo, The

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State University of New York (SUNY), USA. The latest additions bolster GVN to 61 Centers of Excellence, with 11 Affiliates in 34 nations.

The GVN is a global authority and resource for the identification and investigation, interpretation and explanation, control and suppression, of viral diseases posing threats to mankind.

“We look forward to working with each of these esteemed new members to combat the current pandemic emergency and plan for, and mitigate, future outbreaks,” said Dr. Christian Bréchot, President of the GVN and Associate Vice President for International Partnerships and Innovation, Professor, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of

Internal Medicine at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

particularly the National Museums of Kenya and the Kenya Wildlife Service, regarding our surveillance studies in bats, rodents and “These new Centers and Affiliate offer not just camels in East Africa.” deeper global reach, but encompass some of the world’s most cutting-edge science Radboud University Medical Center in the and thought leadership,” said Dr. Robert Netherlands is renowned for conducting Gallo, GVN co-founder and international research in innate immunity, non-specific scientific advisor, who is also The Homer & vaccines, targeting leukocytes, and Martha Gudelsky Distinguished Professor metabolic differentiation, especially against in Medicine and Director of the Institute of coronaviruses.

Human Virology (IHV) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

“I am looking forward to increasing my collaborations with the GVN,” said Dr. The Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), Chinese Mihai Netea, a GVN Task Force member Academy of Sciences, offers, among other who will direct the new Center, and who world-leading expertise, valuable resources also heads the division of Experimental in bat viruses and coronaviruses and will be Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, an important Center for studying response to Radboud University Medical Center in the emerging viral diseases.

Netherlands. “I am pleased that our research in understanding the factors influencing “I support increasing global collaborations variability of human immune responses, and transparency in science, particularly the biology of sepsis and immunoparalysis related to this current pandemic crisis,” in bacterial and fungal infections, and the said Dr. Zhengli Shi, Professor at WIV and study of the memory traits of innate immunity director of GVN’s new Center in China. “In is already helping to shape GVN’s thoughtaddition to sharing our coronavirus research leadership on utilizing innate immunity to and any new breakthroughs with my fellow mitigate our current pandemic and future colleagues at the GVN, I am also looking ones.” forward to sharing my experience in Africa,

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The Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in the USA leads major genomic studies of Lassa virus, Ebola virus, and Zika virus and have carried out extensive work in virology and microbial diagnostics, including contributions to the development of innovative technologies.

Chikungunya, Zika and bat coronaviruses, and will contribute to many of GVN’s initiatives.

UWI St. Augustine joins the GVN as an Affiliate through GVN’s Center of Excellence in HIV and HCV Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, at the University at Buffalo, SUNY, USA.

“My lab has contributed to a range of fields including human and microbial genomics, information theory, and infectious disease diagnostics and surveillance, while developing new and cutting-edge diagnostic and computational technologies for outbreak prevention and response,” said Dr. Pardis Sabeti, a Professor at the Center for Systems Biology and Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), who will direct the GVN Center. “Together with the GVN, we can expand our study of pandemic resilience in the future.”

“We look forward to working with our GVN collaborators, particularly at the University at Buffalo, SUNY to share our expertise in viral epidemiology research, as well as, to participating in broader training programs to enhance our virus research capacity,” said Dr. Christine Carrington, Professor of Molecular Genetics and Virology at UWI St. Augustine and Director of the new GVN Affiliate.

Dr. Gene D. Morse, Distinguished Professor and Director at the Center for Integrated Global Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, SUNY who leads the GVN Center of Excellence said, “I am pleased to see my The University of the West Indies (UWI) St. colleagues from Trinidad and Tobago come Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago routinely under the GVN umbrella. I look forward to investigates a variety of important human helping them share resources with the GVN, and animal pathogens vectored by mosquito, test and develop antiviral therapies and tick, culicoides and bats including dengue, biomarkers, promote translational science and

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build infrastructure and capacity for global virology research.”

GVN members collaborate on research areas including immunology and vaccines, antiviral drug therapy, virus-host interaction, diagnostic virology and epidemiology, morphogenesis and structural biology, emerging and reemerging viruses, viruses as biotechnological tools and trending topics in virology. GVN is at the frontline of virology research to share knowledge, collaborate, and train the next generation of virologists as effective tools to combat epidemics of the future.

About the Global Virus Network (GVN) The Global Virus Network (GVN) is essential and critical in the preparedness, defense and first research response to emerging, existing

and unidentified viruses that pose a clear and present threat to public health, working in close coordination with established national and international institutions. It is a coalition comprising eminent human and animal virologists from 61 Centers of Excellence and 11 Affiliates in 34 countries worldwide, working collaboratively to train the next generation of virologists, advance knowledge about how to identify and diagnose pandemic viruses, mitigate and control how such viruses spread and make us sick, as well as develop drugs, vaccines and treatments to combat them. No single institution in the world has expertise in all viral areas other than the GVN, which brings together the finest medical virologists to leverage their individual expertise and coalesce global teams of specialists on the scientific challenges, issues and problems posed by pandemic viruses.

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Efficient Generation for Sustainable Power

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move away from traditional coal and nuclear energy has created significant opportunities for combined heat and power generation (CHP).

Companies such as Yanmar are providing low carbon solutions that are becoming an increasing part of the energy mix.

Countries across the world are finally taking much larger steps to reduce their carbon footprint. Chief among these is Germany, which is now going even further by turning its back on coal-fired and nuclear-powered generation.

benefits on a micro-generation level with combined heat and power (CHP) units such as Yanmar’s ‘neoTower’ being installed in many businesses and homes. They create energy for self-use and feed any excess back into the grid.

These efficient gas engine power plants can play an important role in the future energy mix.

In brief, CHP units run on clean natural gas, which they use to generate electricity and heat. They gain their high energy efficiency by capturing and using the excess heat that comes from the engine during electricity generation, as the single fuel source provides both heat Ambitious targets and electricity. By generating directly (and locally), grid transmission losses are avoided, As such, heavy-polluting coal plants across which also increases the energy efficiency and the nation are being closed and nuclear lowers the carbon emissions. power is being phased out by 2023. This offers potential on the one hand for the creation of The German Government believes that CHP is fast-reacting natural gas plants that fire up the best way forward to help decarbonise its quickly to ensure a stable energy supply. economy. In addition, it overcomes the potential On the other hand, there are significant problems of intermittent supply to the grid.

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As such, Germany has enacted the CHP law to support cogeneration by boosting the number of highly efficient CHP plants in Germany. It also rewarded owners of CHP systems with significant financial bonuses lasting up to ten years for the electricity generated via their cogeneration ‘plants’. This support has made consumers and businesses keen to install ultra-efficient lowcarbon generation solutions in their homes and workplaces.

rise, along with a significant need to reduce CO2 emissions. CHP is recognised as highly efficient, which is why the German Government is supporting it with customer incentives to divest from carbon-intensive generation.

Yanmar’s highly efficient solutions will help meet the challenges of the future.”

Reliable partners for added value

The Yanmar Group also acquired a majority holding in RMB AG (RMB), a major German provider of industry-leading CHP units. This ensured that its efficient gas-powered solutions Yanmar has a long-standing reputation for are not only meeting customer needs, but also providing quality sustainable power solutions supporting Germany’s energy policy goals. to a variety of industry sectors, from marine to agriculture, and from power generation to The strategic goal with RMB is the joint air conditioning. It has established a new development of cogeneration units with company in Germany, Yanmar Energy Systems Yanmar engines. It also aims to continue its Europe, to provide a full manufacturing, sales market leadership of the micro-CHP sector, and service solutions for a range of heating, combining the best of Japanese and German ventilation, air-conditioning (HVAC) and manufacturing with unrivalled technological power generation requirements. expertise.

With a mission to deliver clean and efficient CHP solutions to customers in Germany It’s a perfect match for RMB’s General Manager and throughout Europe, Yanmar is already Jens Brake, who has been instrumental in making sufficient strides in helping German promoting CHP’s role in the energy mix. An consumers reduce their energy carbon engineer by trade, he designed his first CHP footprint, according to Chief Executive Officer system in 2008 and helped to bring RMB’s Yosuke Tajima. revolutionary neoTower unit to the market three years later. In 2015, the first cogeneration units “Our mission is to provide optimal heat and with Yanmar engines were unveiled, available power solutions to customers throughout with an electrical capacity of 25 and 30kW. Europe. Demand for power continues to

Gas-powered technology for a better world

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“Combined heat and power is the best current solution for today’s energy needs in both the commercial and domestic sectors,” says Jens. “From a business perspective, if you compare it to the other energy sources, the biggest driver is the cost savings for customers. Essentially, they are producing electrical power and heat with their own power plant – and doing it at a low cost.”

A spark of genius?

This business model is known as “Sparkspread’, which is basically the difference between the cost of producing and using your own energy, compared to the cost of buying it. In the case of a CHP unit, owners in Germany are paying roughly four euro cents for one kilowatt hour of natural gas. This is then used to create electricity (for their own use) that would otherwise have cost them around 28 cents per kilowatt hour to buy.

Therefore, for many people it’s not entirely about saving the planet. This is because

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the cost savings from these reliable, highly efficient units do stack up, with a return on investment in less than four years in some cases.

The proof is with the customer A good example may be found at a typical customer installation: the Sportpark Hilden, near Düsseldorf, which is one of a successful chain of fitness centres that have been in operation since 1977. Its owner, Hans Buschmann, didn’t need too much convincing about the benefits of CHP, having installed several units at various sports centres before.

However, the Sportpark Hilden’s constantly increasing requirement for heat and power around the clock, 365 days of the year, made him choose wisely.

“We’re open 16 hours a day every day and need energy constantly for heating the swimming pool, showers and saunas, as well as our electrical power requirements,” says Hans.

“We installed the latest neoTower 30 CHP system, because of the obvious ecological and financial benefits, and the ability to produce our own energy where it is needed. We have a responsibility to our customers to work ecologically, but it’s also in the interests of our company to be costeffective.”

With its busy peak periods running throughout the year, especially during the winter season, CHP was the most efficient option. Furthermore, it was the CHP’s additional benefit of being able to use excess heat as an energy source to warm the centre’s swimming pool and hot water (a constant, year-round energy demand) that made sound economic sense.

“The cost savings are significant – we’ve been able to reduce our energy bills by 50 per cent – and that makes a huge difference to the bottom line,” adds Hans.

“Furthermore, the neoTower’s ease of operation, combined with long maintenance intervals, means that we don’t need to worry about it at all.

“In fact, with its quiet operation, we hardly know it’s there! We’ve used CHP for ten years with great success and see no better alternative at present. Based on our previous experience, we expect a return on investment in less than three-and-a-half years.”

Germany’s efforts to support companies and individuals that invest in energy efficient technology have to be commended. As other nations make the transition to a low-carbon economy, CHP is expected to play a significant part in this, with companies like Yanmar committed to providing efficient and innovative co-generation technology for a more sustainable future.

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Studies Indicating T-Cells May Be Needed For Long-Term Protection From The SARS-Cov-2 Virus

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ccording to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the tide in the global fight against COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARSCoV-2 virus, may soon begin to turn. Last month, three pharmaceutical companies announced promising results from vaccine trials. Countries around the world are now poised to begin the largest mass vaccination campaigns since the 1950s. Researchers led

by Dr. Dan Barouch of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center used monkeys to look at levels of antibodies and immune cells required to prevent reinfection with the virus. NIH

against SARS-CoV-2. This information would be valuable both for tracking the effectiveness of vaccines and designing new ones in the future.

It said that This finding suggests that T cells are needed for long-term protection from the virus.

“Antibodies alone can protect, including at relatively low levels, but T cells are also helpful if antibody levels are insufficient,” Barouch says. “Such knowledge will be important in the development of next generation vaccines, antibody-based therapeutics, and public health strategies for COVID-19.”

Active biotech companies in the Covid-19 developments this week include Sorrento said some questions remain about what types Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRNE), BioVaxys and amounts of immune system components Technology Corp. (OTCPK: LMNGF) (CSE: are needed to produce long-term immunity BIOV), INOVIO (NASDAQ: INO), CytoDyn Inc. 96

(OTCQB: CYDY), Novavax, Inc. (NASDAQ: NVAX).

BMJ. Com reported on a similar test but humans were the patients here, to find out how long the T Cells last after an infection.

The results were that Robust cellular immunity persists for at least for six months after even mild or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, research has shown. The study of 100 people showed that all had a cellular immune response against SARS-CoV-2 six months after infection although the size of response was 50% higher in those who had experienced symptomatic disease. There has been concern that the cellular immune response following covid-19 infection may not be sustained. “This data is reassuring,” lead study author Paul Moss, from the University of Birmingham, told a Science Media Centre briefing on 2 November. “However, it does not mean that people cannot be re-infected. We need to have much larger population studies to show that.” Moss also added that the findings “can’t be taken as confirmation that an ‘immunity passport’ would be feasible.”

BioVaxys Technology Corp.

(OTCPK: LMNGF) (CSE: BIOV.CNQ) BREAKING NEWS: COVID-T™ CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INITIATED REGULATORY ADVISORY GROUP ENGAGED - BioVaxys Technology Corp. (“BioVaxys”) is pleased to announce that it has initiated the clinical development program for Covid-T™, the Company’s novel diagnostic platform for detecting T-cell activity. The US Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has tentatively agreed to permit that BioVaxys can file for a pre-Emergency Use Authorization (“EUA”) for Covid-T™. Under an EUA, FDA may allow the use of unapproved medical products, or unapproved uses of approved medical products in an emergency to diagnose, treat, or prevent serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions when certain statutory criteria have been met, including that there are no adequate, approved, and available

alternatives. Covid-T™ addresses an unmet need for a low-cost, easy-to-administer, and accurate tool to test for the presence of T-cells which may offer lasting protection against SARS-CoV-2. It is believed that detection of T-cells can potentially identify safe and/or atrisk populations. Covid-T™ also provides an ability to evaluate the effectiveness of any SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate in stimulating T-cell immunity. Mass availability of Covid-T™ would complement antibody testing and various public health risk mitigation strategies.

James Passin, CEO of BioVaxys, stated, “We believe that our low cost, scalable, easy-to-administer test for T cell immunity to SARS-CoV-2 may help solve the urgent global public health crisis of prioritizing the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines; we look forward to rapidly advancing Covid-T™ towards commercialization.”

Current methods of measuring T-cell immunity require drawing blood from the test subject, followed by a time-consuming and expensive analysis of the blood sample at laboratories possessing specialized equipment. Covid-T™ is based on the well-established concept of Delayed Type Hypersensitivity (“DTH”), the oldest and most reliable test of human T lymphocyte function. The process involves an intradermal “skin prick” of an immunogenic composition of the SARS-CoV-2 S-protein, where an inflammatory response develops 24-72 hours after skin exposure to the s-spike antigen.

BioVaxys anticipates that once clinical testing is complete, Covid-T™ would have the potential for detecting differences in T-cell responses between the original SARS-CoVC-2 virus and the two new strains of SARS-Cov-2 the had originally been identified in the UK and South Africa---B.1.1.7 and 501Y.V2, respectively--but which are spreading worldwide.

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“Although our vaccine programs are of major importance to us, Covid-T™ is a priority for BioVaxys, especially given the unmet need for such a simple, disposable, and accurate tool to test for the presence of T-cells against SARSCoV-2,” says BioVaxys President and Chief Operating Officer Ken Kovan. BioVaxys has prepared the clinical development plan for Covid-T™, and engaged global regulatory advisory group Rio Pharmaceutical Services (“RPS”) of Bridgewater, NJ, to provide strategic regulatory guidance, prepare an FDA pre-submission guidance package, adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells recommend regulatory pathway, and support (COVI-MSC™) for patients suffering from COVID-19-induced acute respiratory distress (ARD) or acute respiratory distress syndrome BioVaxys on the registration (ARDS). This ongoing study (PSC-CP-004) filing. is a single arm, non-randomized Phase 1b RPS has provided pharmaceutical and study of the safety and preliminary efficacy of medical-device advisory services across COVI-MSCs administered every other day for the entire drug, biologic and device three infusions for a total of 1 x 106 cells/kg. development and approval spectrum of The primary objective is to evaluate the safety the pharmaceutical industry since 2000. of intravenous infusion of allogeneic adipose Collectively, the RPS team of pharmaceutical MSC cells in patients with COVID-19-induced industry executives offers nearly 150 years of ARD or ARDS. The secondary objective is to experience in providing advice and support evaluate efficacy outcome variables to give services for medical, scientific, clinical-trial guidance and regulatory issues to clients including regarding the risk/benefit ratio in patients with a majority of Fortune 500 pharmaceutical COVID-19 respiratory distress. companies.

The first three

Read this full release and more patients enrolled tolerated treatment well and news for BioVaxys Technology at: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news- improved rapidly. Each of the three patients was discharged from the hospital within a week biov/ of starting the patient’s COVI-MSC infusions and two patients were discharged on the day of Other recent their last infusion. One of the patients had been in the hospital for three weeks, unable to be developments in the biotech industry weaned from significant oxygen support, and include: another patient with uncontrolled diabetes had been discharged previously but had to be Sorrento readmitted due to recurrent ARD. Each of the Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRNE) recently infusions were well-tolerated and no patient announced positive preliminary results from reported any infusion-related adverse events.

A fourth patient is currently at the beginning of its Phase 1b study of human allogeneic a course of treatment, with no safety issues

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following the patient’s first infusion. Additional for publication in the Journal of Translational enrollment continues. INOVIO (NASDAQ: Autoimmunity. Dr. Agresti’s research findings INO), were based on four critically ill COVID-19 patients treated with leronlimab under eIND. a biotechnology company focused on bringing to market precisely designed The manuscript Ms. DNA medicines to treat and protect people from infectious diseases and cancer, and No. JTAUTO-D-20- 00043R1 is entitled Advaccine Biopharmaceuticals Suzhou Co., “Disruption of CCR5 Signaling to Treat Ltd. (“Advaccine”), an emerging biotech COVID-19-Associated Cytokine Storm: Case company with next-generation technology in Series of Four Critically Ill Patients Treated vaccines, both preventive and therapeutic, with Leronlimab.” Nicholas J. Agresti, M.D., recently announced that they have entered stated, “We are very thankful with the clinical into a collaboration and license agreement for outcomes for these patients and are honored COVID-19 DNA vaccine candidate INO-4800. by the acceptance of our research for Under the collaboration and license publication. We hope this work will continue agreement, Advaccine will have the to advance research to understand how to exclusive right to develop, manufacture effectively mitigate the effects of COVID-19.” and commercialize INO-4800 within Greater China, inclusive of Mainland China, Hong Novavax, Inc. Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. Advaccine will license its plasmid manufacturing process for (NASDAQ: NVAX), use with INO-4800 and other INOVIO pipeline a late-stage biotechnology company product candidates to INOVIO with the right developing next-generation vaccines to sublicense to INOVIO’s manufacturing for serious infectious diseases, recently partners. Additionally, Advaccine will provide announced that it has finalized an agreement its clinical data to INOVIO in support of with the Government of Canada to supply up INOVIO’s global INO-4800 regulatory filings to 76 million doses of NVX-CoV2373, the and INOVIO will provide its INO-4800 clinical company’s recombinant protein-based data for Advaccine to incorporate into its COVID-19 vaccine. Canada has committed to marketing applications in Greater China purchase 52 million doses of the vaccine with Advaccine will make to INOVIO an upfront the option for up to an additional 24 million payment of $3.0 million as well as pay doses. NVX-CoV2373 is currently in Phase an aggregate of $108.0 million upon the 3 clinical development for the prevention of achievement of specified development COVID-19. “We thank the and sales-based milestones for INO-4800 Government of Canada for their confidence in Greater China. INOVIO will be entitled to in our program and ongoing partnership in receive a royalty equal to a high single-digit the regulatory review and delivery of a safe, percentage of annual net sales in each region effective COVID-19 vaccine for the citizens within Greater China. of Canada,” said John J. Trizzino, Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Business CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY), Officer, Novavax. “Novavax is proud to play our part in working tirelessly together with a late-stage biotechnology company governments, scientists, regulators and developing Vyrologix™ (leronlimab-PRO 140), others in the global effort to put an end to the a CCR5 antagonist with the potential for pandemic.” The company expects to supply multiple therapeutic indications, announced NVX-CoV2373 to Canada beginning as early this month a research manuscript submitted by as the second quarter of 2021, following Nicholas J. Agresti, M.D. has been accepted authorization by Canada’s regulatory agency.

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