1. References

2. External links

The EMerge Alliance was formed in August 2008 to create and advance open standards for the adoption of hybrid low voltage AC-DC power distribution systems for commercial and residential building in the form of intelligent micro grids. This not-for-profit industry alliance seeks to do this by creating a sustainable ecosystem of product producers, specifiers and users to support this new electrical architecture. The EMerge Alliance espouses a non-discriminatory policy of open membership that includes OEMs, service providers, designers, specifiers, building owners and industry experts from the private and public sectors. It has formal liasion with other notable industry associations that seek to harmonize their interelated efforts.

Founding members of this open industry, non-profit, non-discriminatory industry association include Armstrong World Industries, Johnson Controls, Nextek Power Systems, Osram-Sylvania and Worthington Steel. As of February 2010, the Alliance had approximately 60 member organizations at six levels of membership.

EMerge issued its first standard in November of 2009. Its initial standard covers implimentaiton of intelligent DC microgrids in the interior space of commercial buildings. Subsquent standards are expected to cover data centers, service and utility space, and outdoor space in commercial buildings and residential buildings in the near future. The current standard is focused on North America, but the Alliance has announced plans to develop similar standards for other regions of the World.

The first formal EMerge standard divides its requirements into four key elements: Power, Infrastructure, Devices and Controls (see Fig. 2).

The Standard addresses DC power availability for the growing majority of digital and other dc power using devices present in the end-user occupied room space. It specifially calls out the voltage level to be 24V, which is below the 30V limit considered safe for plug and play type connectivity. At the final point of distribution, the power is required to meet NEC class 2 electrical power limits. This lower limit prevents electric shock or startle hazard when open conductors carrying the power are touched.

To reduce resistive losses typical of some low voltage systems, wire lengths and gauge size are specifically called-out in the Standard. This potential issue is further addressed through the use of a ‘hub and spoke’ topology wherein centralized power conversion is performed at the hub of an area of between 500-1000 sq. ft. This arrangement allows the use of dc powered devices without local or internal rectifiers.

The standard alternatively calls for the hub, something the Standard calls a ‘Power Server Module,’ to house means to directly connect site based DC supplied power up to 380VDC. Such alternate (or even primary in Net-Zero based applications) sources of supply include site based generated power from Photovoltaic arrays, wind turbines, fuel cells, batteries, ultra-capacitors and other storage devices. It also interconnect other remote supplies of DC power such as other campus or community wide DC mode micro-grids.

This section of the standard defines critical interface dimensions and profiles necessary for the design of low voltage DC power buses, separable connectors and pre terminated cable assemblies. These generic call-outs allow for innovation in the forms of products that can comply. In any case, the generic design rules allow DC power to be fed to grid-like buses from aerially distributed power server modules using structured cabling that is pre-terminated with connectors designed for connecting to the ceiling rails. Other connectors and/or cable assemblies are described in the standard intended to deliver power from the bus to the individual devices connected to it.

One example included in the standard is a suspended ceiling grid bus structure. Such an implimentation of the standard could provide convenient power connection for the significant number and type of devices located in or in close proximity to the ceilings in buildings. Underwriters Labs has created a new category of listing (UL 2577) for this type of power rail arrangement. This category includes all types of lighting, IT, AV, Security, HVAC, sensors, controls and a variety of other powered devices for building interiors.

Many types of lights and other electrical devices can be used in accordance of the Standard, including but not limited to solid state lighting. LEDs are particularly well suited for direct integration with the 24 Volt DC distribution called for because their electronic drivers are inherently DC-based. However, even electronic fluorescent lighting fixtures can be easily made or modified for the Standard since they too are driven internally through a DC power stage.

Luminaires with DC input ballasts or LED drivers use the same lamping, have the same output lumens, have the same output wattage per fixture, and have the same lighting performance characteristics as AC-input devices (See Fig. 6). The key change is that the electrical input of the device goes from line voltage/current AC (typically 277V-20A) to low voltage/low current DC. This simple change can have the important added benefit of improving the fixture’s efficiency and reliability. For LEDs, the efficiency gain can be significant and is estimated at between 10-20%. Electronic ballasts generally improve 7-15%.

Other devices likely to populate a room level EMerge compliant infrastructure include IT equipment, AV and sound masking equipment, HVAC actuators, security apparatus, sensors, controls and a variety of personal comfort devices.

Most of the devices expected to be used in the 24 Volt DC portion of the power distribution will not involve large motor loads. However, there is a significant opportunity going forward as induction motors are more frequently being controlled with adjustable speed drives. These drives inherently convert the AC to DC before conditioning the output to control frequency. Therefore, DC can be applied directly to the electronic drive to power the motor. And some motors have already been converted to DC motors so they can be powered directly by pulse width modulated DC. The best may be yet to come as the marketplace seizes on the opportunity to locate and relocate devices of all kinds at will.

Simple yet capable controls are an essential element of any highly flexible, efficient and sustainable energy management system. Systems that can be reconfigured quickly without significant rewiring or cumbersome recommissioning can save companies time, money and aggravation, and this is just what the EMerge Standard aims to facilitate. Much like the devices called for in the EMerge standard, the ideal controls called for are plug-and-play components too (See Fig.7). This means they are reusable, so an owner can take them with them when they move to a new building of location within a building.

The Standard requires controls, wired or wireless, that allow tunneling or gateway bridging to primary building automation control systems like BACnet. Whether this is done in the original design or added later, full system interoperability is the goal of the Standard.

In some context, the EMerge platform is remarkably unremarkable. That is, it portends to deliver so much for so little change. But what does actually change is a relatively small portion of the building wiring and more importantly its topology, the type of ballasts or drivers for lights (less complex) , and the type of power converters contained inside other devices (generally eliminates rectifiers). All of this should greatly enhance the reliability of these devices.

The type of controls used will generally favor wireless, mainly to preserve the new level of plug and play flexibility that comes with LVDC pluggable interfaces, but wired controls can also work, especially ones with simple plug and play interfaces.

As more and more device and control manufacturers join the Alliance, there is little chance going forward that having a wide choice of equipment to use will be a limitation. On the positive side, the idealization of power type and availability should lead to the development of new innovations in the equipment/device world. Already a number of Alliance member organizations had geared up their R&D groups to fulfill this potential.

The EMerge Standard applies to both existing and new construction with similar results. In existing structures the use of a ceiling grid as the main distribution infrastructure means that by simply replacing the ceiling grid, the whole space can benefit from the new capability (See Fig. 8). Since ceilings are often replaced during renovation, (typically every 5-15 years) a good portion of the cost can be shared with this ordinary expense. In new construction, the simple choice of a compatible interior set of finishes, potentially involving the ceiling, walls and floor are the quick route to applying the EMerge’s Hybrid DC platform.

In addition, the platform is scalable from doing a single room to a whole building. The electrical topology can be piggybacked on a building’s existing AC distribution (typically at the branch wiring level) or it can be used in combination with a backbone implementation of new, even primary, distribution of DC throughout a building or across a campus. The DC architecture can include just the occupied areas of the building (offices, conference rooms, common space, etc.) or it can include data center conversion to DC and eventually service and utility areas and outdoor wiring.

The normal rules of design apply to everything with few exceptions. For example, lighting design can follow normal conventions while keeping mind the new found flexibility that is inherent in the platform. These means that lighting arrangements can be even more specialized than normal. When things in the room change, the lighting design can be easily modified to idealize the lighting to the new configuration due to the plug and play flexibility. This holds true for sensors too. In the past even small changes in the layout of a room has meant that sensors and other room controls end up in the wrong place to function properly. But now, with some quick and convenient “re-plugging,” they can be rearranged to have them work correctly. The fact is, there’s little that cannot be rearranged with great ease and minimal cost. The day of compromised design and resulting functionality are largely a thing of the past.

Probably the most significant changes will accrue to MEP firms since the biggest single difference that the EMerge Standards introduce is the way the DC power is distributed at the room level. Fortunately, most electrical engineering firms are well versed in DC power conventions, which have been slowing making their way into the overall power topology since the invention of the transistor. With a little bit of basic familiarization (typically a few hours of on-line or face-to-face training) the average electrical engineer will quickly come to appreciate the simplicity of the overall system at this level. Data centers and service areas can be expected to be a bit more involved. But all-in-all it’s a matter of becoming familiar with way the pluggable busses are laid out and that’s pretty straight forward. The members of the Alliance are working on a set of simple as well as advanced tools that will facilitate electrical design. The on-line versions of these tools are expected to port well in and out of to traditional design platforms such as AutoCad® and Revit®.

Finally, contractors and trades people can breathe a sigh of relief as the Standard essentially maintains the traditional division of labor and trade. That is, electricians still do the electrical work and carpenters still do the carpentry. It’s generally viewed that for every labor saving device available in the Standard there’s an expansion of integration opportunity that fills the void. The best news may be the flexibility the platforms gives to installation scheduling for the general contractors and the level of inherent safety it gives to the trades, particularly to electricians. Implemented completely, it all but replaces device level 277VAC line current wiring with 24LVDC class 2 wiring.

The proposed EMerge Standard will give commercial building owners a way to facilitate room and floor reconfigurations and stop the wasteful cycle of one-time fixture and device use. EMerge will promote green construction and facility management practices by enabling the use of simpler devices that don’t have internal AC-DC converters (see figure 9).

Without power converters, electrical devices are more efficient, portable and reusable. Individually pluggable and addressable devices can be reconfigured as quickly as occupants' needs change. The platform is intrinsically safer and more flexible than an equivalent line-voltage AC system, and thus allows more flexible plug-and-play capability.

One of the most intriguing and useful aspects of the platform is the ability to seamlessly connect a low-voltage DC infrastructure to on-site generated alternative energy sources, such as solar, wind, fuel cell generated and stored power. This provides sustainability-minded building owners, those who are on the leading edge of power technologies, with a faster return on their investment in clean energy. Simply said, the EMerge Standard is paving the way for safer, more energy efficient, flexible and sustainable buildings.

The following are locations where the EMerge platform architecture can be seen:

• PNC Financial Services Headquarters, Pittsburgh, PA

• USGBC Headquarters, Washington DC

• University of California – San Diego Sustainability Resource Center, San Diego, CA

• University of California – Davis Lighting Research Center, Davis, CA

• Southern California Edison – Customer Research Center,

• Los Angeles Community College District – Tech Campus, Los Angeles, CA

• Lauck Group Headquarters– Interior Architects –Dallas, TX

• Armstrong World Headquarters – Innovation Center –Lancaster, PA

• Nextek Power Systems Headquarters – Next Energy Center, Detroit, MI

Here are some additional locations under construction or in design that will soon be available for viewing:

• Crestron Electronics Headquarters –Customer Experience Center,

• Johnson Controls Headquarters- Milwaukee, WI

• Optima Engineering Headquarters – Charlotte, NC

• Tyco Electronics-Lighting Products Group-Middletown, PA

References

External links

• example.com

• Mario Lobo Zagallo
• Mario lost levels
• Mario & Luigi 2x2
• Mario Luigi Ciappi
• Mario & Luigi:Partners in Time
• Mario & Luigi RPG
• Mario & Luigi RPG 2x2
• Mario Luis Rodriguez Cobos
• Mario Luis Rodríguez Cobos
• Mario López
• Mario Macea
• Mario Magnotta
• Mario Majoni
• Mario Mandzukic
• Mario Mandžukić
• Mario Manningham
• Mario Marazzi
• Mario Marcelino
• Mario Marcel Salas
• Mario Marin
• Mario Marin Torres
• Mario Marois
• Mario Martinez (painter)
• Mario Martinez (weightlifter)
• Mario Martinez (WL)