Throughout the 2016 AHR Expo show floor in Orlando, manufacturers displayed tools that are becoming smarter, less cumbersome, and altogether easier for consumers to use and manage.
The geothermal industry is acutely aware that government-issued commercial and residential tax credits are set to expire at the end of 2016. Currently, geothermal heat pumps in commercial applications are eligible for a 10 percent income tax credit, and residential applications may receive up to a 30 percent incentive.
While there are still a significant number of single-speed motors still in operation, many OEMs are making a concerted move toward variable-speed equipment in order to meet a growing demand for higher efficiency. To help OEMs meet their goals, and to meet increasingly stringent motor efficiency regulations from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), motor and drive manufacturers have introduced their smartest, most efficient products yet.
According to HVAC manufacturers, customers are looking for highly efficient furnaces that shave dollars off their utility bills while providing the best possible levels of comfort. As a result, most furnaces displayed at the AHR Expo were designed to meet these market demands.
As the DOE mandates minimum efficiency performance and the EPA delists ozone-depleting refrigerants, manufacturers are being tapped to create speed-controlled compressors that run on an array of natural refrigerants.
Many new testing and monitoring products were on display last month at the AHR Expo in Orlando, Florida, where manufacturers showcased and demonstrated their newest, smartest products.
When it comes to figuring out what the market demands in a boiler, it usually comes down to the highest efficiencies possible along with advances in control technology. Indeed, efficiency and advanced control technologies were on display for most of the boilers introduced at the AHR Expo.
As technology improves, portable equipment manufacturers will continue to work to meet the growing needs of their customers, from those needing small-scale residential solutions all the way up to data centers and factories in need of industrial-grade solutions.
As more states across the U.S. adopt stricter, tighter building codes, fresh air is becoming a commodity. Building professionals and consumers are aware of this and the HVAC industry is offering solutions that focus on the addition and subtraction of air into sealed spaces.
While some consumers want geofencing to control their thermostat, others want to simply set it and forget it. Thermostat manufacturers are learning that they need to be all things to all people.