Articles by Joanna R. Turpin

If a boiler is not serviced regularly, products of combustion may build up on the heat exchanger, which may reduce heat transfer and result in lower energy efficiency and less comfort.

Sales of chilled beam systems have grown steadily over the past 10 years, with much of the growth occurring in government, health care, and educational buildings

BSRIA Inc. reports that from 2012 to 2016, sales of condensing boilers grew from 30 percent of the commercial market to over 60 percent, and that number is expected to climb to 80 percent by next year.

It takes a village to keep data safe, with manufacturers, contractors, and consumers all playing a role. But there is no question that manufacturers will continue to take the lead in cybersecurity, designing products that help keep customers safe and secure.

There is a lot of buzz these days about the Internet of Things (IoT) and how it will continue to influence — some say take over — our lives in the near future. But what does the IoT mean for HVAC contractors, and, more importantly, how can they profit from its proliferation?

The Internet of Things (IoT) market is expected to explode in the coming years, according to a recent report that predicts it will grow from an installed base of 15.4 billion devices in 2015 to 30.7 billion devices in 2020 and 75.4 billion in 2025. In response to this trend, many HVAC manufacturers are introducing IoT-enabled products designed to benefit consumers and contractors alike.

According to a recent study from BSRIA, data center traffic is expected to grow at a 23 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR), reaching 8.6 zettabytes by 2018. That means a lot of new data centers will be popping up around the country. Cooling these data centers is an energy-intensive endeavor.

Millennials are price-sensitive, as cost has the greatest influence on their purchase decisions above all other factors, including quality, brand, store, and availability. So, they may not be willing to pay more for the higher efficiency HVAC systems that they claim to want.

For those looking to take energy conservation to the next level, many contractors are encouraging the installation of a combination geothermal heat pump and solar energy system.

Having designed so many systems for others, it’s natural to wonder what kind of HVAC equipment contractors would install in their own homes if money were no object. Their answers just might surprise you.