The Asia Society is a leading global and pan-Asian non-profit organization working to strengthen relationships and promote understanding among United States and Asian people, leaders and institutions. As an international nonprofit, nonpartisan, educational organization, the Asia Society helps build awareness of the more than 30 countries generally defined as the Asia Pacific region. <\/p>\n\n
Because the society\u2019s programs outgrew capacity, the organization needed a new building to house its many programs. Construction began on the new building and is scheduled to be complete in late 2011, with the building opening in early 2012. The 38,000-square-foot building is located on two city blocks in Houston\u2019s Museum District. It was designed by Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi, who also designed the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The new Asia Society Texas Center will be located on the south section of land along Southmore Boulevard in Houston with the north side reserved for garden spaces and landscaped parking. <\/p>\n\n
One aspect of the building is a \u2018green\u2019 design, which includes the use of geothermal energy. Geothermal energy is a safe renewable energy that is stored within the earth. Due to the earth\u2019s constant temperature, energy can be efficiently used for heating and cooling purposes without harm to the environment. The importance and demand for renewable energy sources are growing drastically due to the publics\u2019 growing concern for reducing waste. The use of geothermal energy is also supported and endorsed by the United States Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). <\/p>\n\n
By creating a heat exchanger in the ground, geothermal energy can be used efficiently. A heat exchanger is typically created by running a series of pipe loops horizontally or vertically throughout the ground, hence the term \u201cground loops\u201d. The ground loops are filled with water or water based liquid and connected to a heat pump inside the building. The heat pump circulates the water through the ground loops, thus creating a heat exchanger that is far more efficient, clean and cost efficient. <\/p>\n\n
The Asia Society in Houston needed a green, high efficiency and low maintenance geothermal vault in order to use geothermal energy to heat and cool the new center. The design consultant on the project, Greg Tinkler of the engineering firm Redding Linden Burr, Inc. (RLB), specified the use of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geothermal vaults for the project, detailing an ISCO Industries custom designed vault, the Circuit Maker Vault\u00ae as an example. A geothermal vault is the structure that serves as the connection point for the ground loop and the heat pump for the building. <\/p>\n\n
The contractor chosen for the geothermal project was Los Angeles-based Enlink Geoenergy Services, Inc. Project Manager Stuart Lyle of Enlink contacted ISCO Industries\u2019 representative Mike Golightly to supply ISCO\u2019s custom-designed HDPE geothermal vault for the installation. <\/p>\n\n
ISCO Cicuit Maker Vaults\u00ae are leak proof and easy to install. They are also custom made to fit any engineering requirements. Some features of ISCO\u2019s geothermal vaults include: butt-fused circuitry; a 100 percent leak-free polyethylene structure; H-20 (Highway Traffic) load rating availability; an OSHA compliant access ladder; custom fabrication to customer\u2019s specifications; extrusion welding; Pressure Temperature (P\/T) ports on all outlets; choice of metal or polyethylene valves; quick pressure test of individual circuits; easy purging and isolation of circuits; and a plastic cap retainer. <\/p>\n\n
Enlink Geoenergy Services decided to work with ISCO Industries for this project because the company worked with ISCO in the past and was aware of the reliability and quality of ISCO\u2019s geothermal vaults.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cISCO has always been a wonderful company to work with,\u201d said Lyle. \u201cBoth Bruce Thompson and Michael Golightly have always treated Enlink as a first class customer. They seem to always know what I need to order when I call. In particular, Michael Golightly has always been especially helpful when helping me deal with project engineers. Concerning ISCO\u2019s prefabricated HDPE vaults, it is always so nice to see it arrive on site and ready to plug into our system without worrying about building our own manifold assembly. Additionally, the construction of the vault is always so neatly and professionally done. It is easy to see why ISCO is an industry leader in geothermal supplies and vaults.\u201d <\/p>\n\n
ISCO Industries designed, shipped and delivered the geothermal vault to the site on April 2010. According to ISCO\u2019s vault installation standards, Enlink installed the vault on April 28 with the use of a tracked excavator. <\/p>\n\n
\u201cLike all other geothermal projects that Enlink Geoenergy Services has been a part of, it is a privilege to be an instrumental player in the promotion of geothermal systems in the green energy movement,\u201d Lyle added. \u201cEnlink strives to be an industry leader much like ISCO and continues to welcome
The installation of the vault was \u201csimple and issue free\u201d according to Lyle. The geothermal system will be joined to the internal HVAC system on December 2010, but will not be fully operational until the beginning of 2012 when the facility is due to open. <\/p>\n\n
Once the building is completed, visitors will be able to experience the comfort and innovation of a geothermal energy system.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
To meet the growing energy demands of its cultural center, the Asia Society of Texas partnered with ISCO Industries and Enlink Geoenergy Services to install a high-efficiency, low-maintenance geothermal solution for its new sustainable building.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":10365,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[227,281],"application":[181,180],"topic":[166,185,163],"class_list":["post-10361","field-reports","type-field-reports","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-spirolite-en-ca","tag-vault","application-district-energy-en-ca","application-power-generation-en-ca","topic-installation-maintenance-en-ca","topic-products-en-ca","topic-spirolite-en-ca"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n