Featured Stories - Articles - Page 271

App Zone: October 28, 2013

October 28, 2013

As technology continues to advance, more and more industry mobile applications are becoming available for smartphones and tablets. Here are a few of the latest.

Variable-Speed Pumps Reduce Energy Use

Ultrasonic Flow Meters are Key to Controlling Energy Management

Jack Sine

October 28, 2013

WM Group recently helped a large New Jersey pharmaceutical company save nearly $400,000 per year in energy costs by upgrading the chiller system at its 100-acre research and development campus.

RPA Seeks to Expand Radiant Market

New Executive Director Pushes for Awareness, Broader Perspective

Kimberly Schwartz

October 28, 2013

There’s a strong push to grow the hydronic and radiant market, and one of the forces behind that push is Mark Eatherton, the Radiant Professionals Alliance's new executive director.

HVAC Contractors Profit from Offering Duct Services

Industry Leaders Share Tips for Selling Duct Services to Consumers

Jen Anesi

October 21, 2013

In most homes, ductwork carries conditioned air from the HVAC units throughout the house. But with as much as 40 percent of that air leaking out before it ever reaches the vent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), it seems there is still room for improvement in most customers’ homes. Enter the HVAC technician.

Millennials Motivate Employers

HVAC Contractors Look for Ways to Accommodate New Generation of Workers

Joanna R. Turpin

October 21, 2013

The millennial generation, born between 1980 and 2000, numbers more than 80 million, and they are entering the workplace in greater numbers each year. For HVAC contractors, this trend is a mixed blessing. Younger workers are needed, but this generation comes with a unique set of challenges.

DOE: Leaky Ducts are Top Energy Waster

Sealing Ductwork Can Improve IAQ, HVAC System Performance, Occupant Comfort

Jen Anesi

October 21, 2013

The average home’s ductwork leaks 30 percent or more. And while some model building codes now require duct-leakage testing and sealing, there is still a significant amount of work to be done — and a significant amount of energy to be saved.

Duct Insulation on the Rise in Retrofit

Insulating Ductwork Improves Energy Efficiency, Building Acoustics

Jen Anesi

October 21, 2013

In many high-end new-build projects, ductwork is routinely insulated to help minimize energy loss as conditioned air travels from the HVAC units through the ductwork. But duct insulation is being used more and more during retrofit projects in an effort to make older homes and buildings more efficient.

Geothermal: A PowEARTHful Investment

Even the Most Modest Contractors Should Consider a Geothermal Investment

Butch Welsch

October 21, 2013

As a contractor who likes to stay out in front of the public eye, I receive more questions regarding geothermal systems than any other topic. It appears to me that those of us in the contracting community are not doing a very good job of informing the public about geothermal.

Marketing Magic: The X Factor in Your Marketing

The Importance of Customer Retention Marketing

Adams Hudson

October 21, 2013

If you’ll practice the rare art of “active” customer retention, a lot of good things can happen. This is already known by a small, well-rewarded group of contractors who’ve held a tight lid on this weapon as long as they could.

Americans Using More Renewable Energy

Solar, Wind Energy Production Increases as Cost of Renewable Energy Drops

October 21, 2013

Americans are continuing to use more renewable energy resources. Use of natural gas, solar panels, and wind turbines were up in 2012, while use of coal declined as a means to generate electricity, according to the recent U.S. energy charts released through research conducted by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.