The allure of energy efficiency across multiple HVACR sectors is aiding in the rise of contractor interest in variable-refrigerant flow (VRF) technology. In fact, one contractor noted in a brief interview that he, “Wished the magazine wasn’t giving away one of the best kept secrets of HVAC by telling everyone about VRF systems.”

Even with the cat out of the bag, there are more VRF applications to discover. Take, for instance, the combination of VRF with renewable-energy concepts or geothermal equipment. That is what one contractor did on a 1907 courthouse located in Muscatine, Iowa.