While CO2 is being successfully used in subcritical applications in the United States, it is more of a challenge in transcritical situations because of demanding compressor technology and high pressures. The UK office of Sanyo Air Conditioners recently issued two case histories showing the refrigerant being used for heat pumps in commercial applications.

Every year The NEWS introduces the latest air conditioning units available for the upcoming summer season. The intent is to help contractors prepare for this busy period by doing the research that will help them to distinguish between brands. This feature provides our 2011 Residential Cooling Showcase.

“What good is all the high efficiency equipment in the world, if it isn’t being installed correctly?” asked Tom Grunstra, Fujitsu General America’s national trainer for HVAC products, to a classroom full of installation and sales pros.

At a time when unitary shipments have fallen, ductless systems have been experiencing impressive growth in the U.S. market in recent years, according to manufacturers interviewed by The NEWS. Ductless manufacturers say there are many reasons for this growth, but one of the main reasons is simply heightened awareness of the technology.

As ductless technology becomes more popular in the North American market, equipment manufacturers continue to introduce new units for both the residential and commercial markets. Read this roundup for a review of some of the latest ductless equipment on the market.

As TV technology has continued to evolve, WOOD-TV 8 has faced increasing problems in maintaining comfort within its facility. In 2008, WOOD’s longtime HVAC contractor, Seaman’s Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Inc. (Grand Rapids, Mich.) decided a major retrofit was needed to solve the station’s comfort problems.

Together with the Residential Heating Showcase product grid, The NEWS spotlights the industry’s latest residential heating products in this photo feature.

These remarks concern contractor and customer experiences with ductless systems.

A new Halcyon split-system heat pump line has equipment that achieves up to 27.2 SEER. The RLS2 line of heat pumps offers 9-, 12-, and 15,000-Btu models with a newly designed chassis and the ESP energy saving program. The 9RLS2 offers an HSPF of 12.5, a SEER of 27.2, and an EER of 16.1.

The AquaGuard AG-9300-U universal mini-split drain sensor is specifically developed to be compatible with all major manufacturers’ mini-split systems currently on the market. The compact control box and probe of the mini-split drain sensor are designed to fit completely inside the indoor mini-split unit.