Helix Energy Partners LLC

10/17/2024

The previous post was showing a cross section of a wall in a "shipping container" house. The temperature distribution in the wall is colored; red being warm and blue being cold. Can you guess which side is indoors and which is outdoors? You can see where the blue cold from outside is penetrating into the house. Why is it so cold in that spot?

Engineers call this a thermal bridge. The heat inside your home is jumping onto this convenient bridge and escaping.

The next image shows the flow of heat (heat flux). In this case, the red colors indicate places where heat is escaping the fastest (ie. the thermal bridge).

Modern energy codes require the construction of walls to have a minimum insulative value. For most constructions, such as wood studs with fiberglass batt insulation, the insulative value is well known. However, non-standard constructions, such as steel container houses, can have very different constructions.

If you need help showing your calculations to the building code plans reviewer, please give us a call!

10/16/2024

One of our newest projects that we’re pretty excited about!

Any guesses on what it is? 🏡

06/03/2020

The Covid Moonshot

Since March, Helix Energy Partners has been donating our idle computing power to help researchers tackle drug creation to fight COVID-19. In this open-source computer project, our computers contribute to the worlds largest super computer (Folding@home is now at 2.4 exaflops!).

As an open-source project, all information is being shared free of charge. In addition, hundreds of scientists from around the world are contributing their expertise, free of charge. Multiple laboratories have been parsing and analyzing the structures of the virus as well as designing thousands of drug trials for testing, free of charge. For more information, check out this short video from CoffeeBreak.

COVID Moonshot needs YOUR support here⬇️ https://www.gofundme.com/covidmoonshot Links to follow the project: https://postera.ai/covid https://twitter.com/cov...

02/26/2020

If you are interested in building energy modeling, check out our new tutorials for this powerful, free software: Department of Energy's OpenStudio with the EnergyPlus simulation engine!

08/08/2019

On August 8, 1907, the first professional engineering license was issued to Charles Bellamy in Wyoming. Since that time, licensure has expanded and professional engineers across the U.S. have made the commitment to protect the public health, safety, and welfare.

All of our engineers make public safety priority number one. Join us in celebrating Professional Engineers Day!

12/10/2018

3D Scan -> Model -> Order -> Install

We are leveraging 3D scanning and modeling technology to ensure new equipment fits with existing infrastructure.

11/28/2017

Is it a Ghost?

IR Selfie in the Window: Energy efficient windows these days are formulated with reflective coatings both on the inside and outside. These coatings not only target the visible light spectrum, but also the infrared spectrum. This window coating is doing its job by reflecting heat back into the house when it is cold outside!

04/08/2017

Granular insulation can settle over time. As it is compressed, air pockets are reduced and there is a loss of insulative value. Walls are the most noticable (as see in this picture), but this also happens in attics as well. Use a ruler or measuring tape to measure the depth of your insulation. 12 inches will give you the recommended R38 insulative value. Cold climates will need about 16 inches (R49).

03/14/2017

As seen in this photo, solid state GFCI outlets are a source of parasitic power usage: Modern GFCI outlets use solid state electronics to monitor the difference between incoming and outgoing electrical currents. When a difference is detected, power is cut from the outlet.