Companies looking to “go green” want products that help them lower energy costs, reduce operating and maintenance costs, increase productivity, and decrease the amount of pollution generated. HVAC systems can affect each of these areas, which is why they’re usually considered first when building owners and managers look into making facilities greener. Boilers, in particular, can help facility managers achieve their green goals.
New technologies for the HVACR world seem to keep popping up every time we turn around. Consider GPS. Five or six years ago, GPS was virtually unheard of in the contracting world. Now it’s everywhere, allowing companies to track their technicians and boost productivity as a result.
Many of us remember being told to not let our bikes sit out in the rain, or else they’d rust. As adults, that same kind of advice holds true for the wide array of expensive tools that can be found in the back of any technician’s truck.
This article explores the nature of the efficiency tests required by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and raises issues (not unlike those being raised by the DOE itself) about the validity and long-term future of these test procedures.
Manufacturers are introducing new products that include everything from systems that diagnose themselves to variable-speed air handlers with electronic controls.
Integrated building design is often an essential part of green building construction, which is one of the biggest trends in the commercial market today.
Most think of Martha’s Vineyard as a pastoral place with pristine beaches, beautiful lighthouses, and quaint Victorian cottages that serve as second homes to those who can afford to come and play there during the summer. While that’s true to a certain extent, the 20- by-9 mile island off the southeastern coast of Massachusetts is also home to many residents who are very concerned with how to better manage their resources and environment.
For those who think that only wealthy customers with large homes are interested in purchasing high-end HVAC systems, think again. Many owners of modest homes are tired of their noisy, inefficient systems and are opting to pull them out and replace them with quiet, high-efficiency equipment.
Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005, was the most destructive and costly natural disaster in U.S. history. Numerous areas in and around New Orleans were devastated by the hurricane and subsequent storm surge, and almost two years later, many are still trying to put their lives - and homes - back together.
Sunbathing by the pool. Horseback riding. Golf. Skeet shooting. Fabulous food. Sounds like a great vacation. Combine these activities with several days’ worth of scintillating meetings regarding new products, best practices, and industry updates, and you have the Johnson Controls UPG National Sales Meeting.
