News bits

Compiled by the American Society of Solar Energy, this "fact base" serves as a resource of technical information and market data on solar energy technologies, including photovoltaics, building design, wind and solar thermal. The Web site contains, for example, the annual U.S. shipments of photovoltaic modules. It also includes links to other renewable energy sites.

www.ases.org/solarguide/

The goal of the State of Wisconsin's new Web site is to promote the use of cool daylighting, which reduces the need for electric lighting and space cooling. The site includes sample projects, papers and design strategies, information about educational programs and even a cost comparison between a standard building and a daylit building.

www.daylighting.org

Airflow modeling software incorporates computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology for the design and analysis of HVAC systems. Airpak 2.0 allows users to build a model building using predefined objects, such as rooms, people, fans, partitions, vents, ducts and hoods, and then test the air flow using CFD in 3-D view.

www.fluent.com

The Associated General Contractors of America offers guidelines to help construction firms implement inspection policy and procedures necessary for enforcement of OSHA's new steel erection standard. Topics include site layout, construction sequence, hoisting and rigging, structural steel assembly, column anchorage and training.

www.agc.org