For the second time in four months, the founder of Yes! Air Conditioning and Plumbing, Kenneth Goodrich, has announced a major donation to the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) to help train students in HVACR technologies.

The Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) Santiam Correctional Institution (SCI) in Salem, Ore., has implemented $1.85 million in facility enhancements designed to improve operations, comfort, and efficiency in four buildings with approximately 96,000 square feet.

Cemtrex Inc. announced that Xcel Energy of Colorado will give a 20 percent rebate to customers who install Cemtrex’s Green DCV equipment as part of an energy management system in their buildings.

Carrier Corp. has signed a letter of intent to form a distribution venture that combines its company-operated residential and light commercial distribution in California with Russell Sigler Inc., an independent distributor of Carrier, Bryant, and Payne HVAC products.

Carrier Corp. has acquired Metro Mechanical Service Inc., a Las Vegas-based HVAC contractor specializing in the service of commercial applied equipment and energy saving retrofit projects. Metro Mechanical Service will operate under the Carrier Commercial Service organization.

California became the first state to establish a smart grid law when Senate Bill (SB) 17, sponsored by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), was signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The bill is intended to improve electric power distribution reliability and efficiency through the deployment of smart grid technology.

Representatives from Bryant Heating and Cooling announced that Wright Total Indoor Comfort, the largest residential replacement heating and air conditioning company in southern Colorado, has been selected as the first and only Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer in the entire state of Colorado.

Kenneth D. Goodrich, the founder of Yes! Air Conditioning and Plumbing, has established the J. Duncan Goodrich Air Conditioning Technology Endowment at the College of Southern Nevada (CSN).

VRTX Technologies, a water treatment company specializing in chemical-free treatment for cooling towers and evaporative condensers, has been awarded the first-ever Going Green Award in the innovation category from the San Antonio Business Journal.

SunEnergy Hawaii has introduced to the Hawaiian market a new solar water heating system that, according to the company, reduces annual water heating costs by 50 to 65 percent. Developed by Harpiris Energy, the SunCache system is said to be the nation’s lowest-cost solar water heating unit.