The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it has received the first official submission by a manufacturer to a voluntary challenge for a new generation of high-efficiency cost-effective air conditioners for commercial buildings.

McQuay International will be showcasing the Daikin McQuay Rebel™ rooftop unit. The new unit is expected to challenge the status quo for energy efficiency at almost double the ASHRAE 90.1 minimum standard.

Rheem launched what the company says is a first-of-its-kind integrated air and water system that can substantially reduce utility costs for full-service restaurants.

Expanding its Commercial Replacement Expert (CRE) certification program, Carrier announced that it now offers two courses for residential dealers and commercial contractors looking to be more proficient in the growing 3- to 27.5-ton rooftop unit replacement business.

The light commercial WeatherMaker® Series rooftops unit sizes have been expanded up to 27.5 tons. With an AHRI-certified rating of up to 10.4 EER, the new WeatherMaker® 48/50TC unit offers highly efficient indoor fan motors and handled access doors.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has announced the extension of its HVAC Business Partners Program, which provides training and support to HVAC contractors to use advanced diagnostic tools as part of national standards for quality maintenance of rooftop units.

For New Horizons Hospitality’s Hilton Garden Inn, the objective was to achieve a LEED Gold rating with energy-efficient HVAC.

It’s time again for the annual Commercial Cooling Showcase. The NEWS’ annual issues have traditionally introduced 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.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman highlighted how Minnesota companies and workers are supporting U.S. leadership and global competitiveness in manufacturing during a series of events across the Twin Cities area. One of those events was a tour of Daikin McQuay’s technology center in Plymouth, Minn.

3M, through its New Ventures business, announced that it has invested in 7AC Technologies Inc., a Woburn, Mass.-based developer of high-efficiency commercial HVAC systems that use liquid desiccant technology to remove humidity from the air. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.