I’ve been following the attention to green since way back to the mid-80s with the first wave of changes in refrigerants related to first ozone depletion and then global warming.

The National High Performance Building Conference (NHPB) is scheduled for Dec. 5-9, 2011 in Washington, D.C., as part of Ecobuild® America.

While manufacturers continue to look at ways to make HVACR equipment as energy efficient as possible, just as much attention is being paid to finding ways to get that equipment off the electric grid and powered as much as possible by such alternative energy sources as solar, wind, photovoltaic (PV), and geothermal.

Energy efficiency and energy savings go hand-in-hand. A few of the many products that can offer end users these types of savings are highlighted here.

In the green movement, the most measureable aspect is the LEED — Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — certification program. There is a need for HVACR contractors to fit into the mix of trades. Is it worth it? Well, it depends on who within the HVACR sector you talk to.

New technology in the HVAC industry stretches past equipment breakthroughs and component enhancements. Ancillary software and communication elements are often keys to making advanced heating and cooling solutions run correctly.

Siemens Industry Inc. announced that the Green Building Operations and Maintenance Manual: A Guide for Public Housing Authorities, developed in collaboration with Green Seal Inc., is now available to the public online and free of charge.

At Ball State University, the objective is to preserve the environment and save money by creating the nation’s largest closed-loop geothermal energy system.

Green is driving me crazy. The incessant nattering of a world hawking a green utopia has me up some nights doing research on products, practices, and legislation that promise to save me money, improve my life, and extend the life of the Earth. The problem lies in the definition of green or the lack thereof.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced a new LEED® program for hospitals and other health care facilities. LEED for Healthcare goes beyond the LEED for New Construction rating system, combining it with strong elements of the Green Guide for Health Care.