Performance Systems Development, an Ithaca, NY and Pennsylvania-based building performance software and services provider, today announced the release of a comprehensive software suite designed to smoothly manage energy efficiency programs. Green Energy Compass Suite for Programs is an innovative software suite that packages four tightly integrated modules to serve the needs of all program stakeholders, including homeowners, program managers, auditors, contractors, and program quality assurance providers.

“When launching an energy efficiency program, time to market is critical,” says Greg Thomas, CEO of Performance Systems Development. “Our Suite is designed for efficient program start up and operation, allowing efficiency programs to get up and running and achieve goals more rapidly.”

A consumer portal module, including templates, educational content, and energy saving tips, allows the program management team to create and maintain an effective public program website. Homeowners interested in an energy audit can select from an on-screen list of service providers registered with the program.

Performance System Development’s field audit tool, Surveyor, is the second module in the suite. Surveyor is built on the US Department of Energy approved TREAT modeling software and offers rapid on-site energy simulation and savings predictions with an easy to use menu-based interface.

The third module, Green Energy Compass, forms the central information hub of the suite, and serves as a workflow management, tracking and reporting tool. Compass also provides the tools for tracking real energy savings and provides fast feedback on actual performance.
Finally, a customer relationship management (CRM) module built on the popular Saleforce™ platform provides Program Managers powerful tracking and reporting capabilities along with effective campaign management tools to maximize participation rates.

Programs have been using these market-tested components with great success. Green Energy Compass was implemented as part of PA Home Energy’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program, and contributed to a dramatic increase in reported jobs. Surveyor, another module in the Compass Suite, was chosen by a Midwest utility to support the fast deployment of a pilot residential energy audit program. What’s more, Compass Suite has already been selected as the core IT software to power the programs of over fifteen of the DOE’s innovative Better Buildings program cities.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) included a $20 billion investment in energy efficiency, including the Weatherization Assistance Program, Better Buildings, and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, which aim to retrofit 600,000 residential homes. ARRA funds have spawned the creation of energy efficiency programs across the country. Green Energy Compass Suite for Programs was developed to provide the tools needed to create and sustain these and other energy programs.

“The Green Energy Compass Suite for Programs integrates the software, data, workflow management, and communications needed to support all program participants,” says Thomas. “We’re excited about this product and look forward to working with many energy efficiency programs to ensure their success.”

Source:http://www.prlog.org/11394073-psd-launches-new-software-suite-for-energy-efficiency-programs.html

Daniel Sheiner is a designer and software programmer. He has been suffering from constant fatigue and exhaustion throughout the daytime and suspects that he has sleep apnea, a disorder which runs down his family. Despite being of normal weight, Sheiner was diagnosed with apnea through a sleep study conducted by his doctors.

University of Pennsylvania Hospital ENT surgeon Erica Thaler says that Sheiner’s case is one of the most extreme. So severe in fact that Thaler has recommended robotic surgery. Sheiner wakes up almost 112 times each hour, translating to almost ten seconds of losing breath for each minute of sleep. Surgical robots will be removing cancerous tumors at the rear of his throat in order to prevent blockage of his air passage during sleep.

Thaler shares that Sheiner had extremely large tonsils which are getting in the way of his soft palate and tongue. Robot hands, being small and extremely nimble, were easily able to access the tiny spaces in Sheinier’s throat in order to remove his tonsils. Sheiner is now one of only six patients having undergone robotic surgery to treat apnea.

Source:http://www.shiftworkdisorder.com/software-designer-becomes-one-of-six-to-undergo-robotic-surgery-101934.html