February 1, 2008
Photo: New Hampshire Community Technical College Laconia Energy Services and Technology (EST) student, Heidi Masek (Nashua – far right), points to the Minneapolis Blower Door fan system recently donated to the College’s EST Program by New Hampshire’s Core Utilities, Public Service of NH, Unitil, NH Electric Co-op, and National Grid. Joining Masek, left to right, are Rachel Williams (Dover), Wes Golomb (Deerfield), Stephen Smith (Manchester), and Leona Simon (Ossipee). Williams, Smith, and Simon are EST Program students as is Masek. Golomb is Lakes Region CC’s EST Program Coordinator and teaches the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Methods class where the Blower Door was demonstrated.
“The Minneapolis Blower Door is a big fan with a computerized pressure gauge attached to it. With all the doors and windows closed, the Blower Door measures how much air it can pull through a structure. It is the only practical way of measuring air infiltration in buildings,” says Professor Golomb. “Reducing air infiltration is an extremely cost effective method of saving energy and reducing greenhouse gasses.”