TECH NOTES – wind turbines, building envelopes, concrete, business performance

ZweigWhite has released a 2008 Financial Performance Survey of A/E/P & Environmental Consulting Firms. See www.zweigwhite.com

Recent Advances in Bridge Engineering and Structural Health Monitoring is a new book by the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering. Authors are Baidar Bakht, P.Eng., Aftab Mufti, P.Eng. and Shamim Sheikh, P.Eng. A two-day course based on the book is being offered by CSCE in Toronto, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver during April and May. Contact: mahmoud @csce.ca, www.csce.ca

The Association of German Engineers has approved standard values for vibration in wind energy turbines. “The vibration stress on parts and components of wind power plants is extremely high and causes damages in the millions,” says a press release. More than 450 onshore wind power plants with power outputs below 3 MW were analyzed. The guideline, “Measurement and evaluation of the mechanical vibrations of wind energy plants and their components,” is issued by the VDI Society for Development, Design and Marketing. A German/English version is available.  E-mail foreignsales@beuth.de, tel. +49 30 2601-2759, www.beauth.de

“Green Living envelopes for food and energy production in cities,” is one of several conference proceeding papers on urban planning offered by WIT Press in the U.S. The paper was given by D. Roehr & J. Laurenz of the University of B.C. See www.witpressusa.com

The American Concrete Institute has released the 2009 Edition of the Manual of Concrete Practice. It is available in hard copy, CD-ROM or on-line. www.concrete.org