Technology & Trends - Air Ventilation
“If you don’t like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes.” To this day, Mark Twain’s quote is used to describe quickly changing weather conditions in regions throughout the United States, United Kingdom, and elsewhere. However, in contrast to the weather, the climate change being experienced globally is creating nontraditional conditions that are much more permanent. Consequently, HVACR systems are being subjected to a new set of conditions that, if not ad...
Devastating wildfires sweep across the US each year, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Aside from the immediate damage that fire causes to property and land, the additional impact that wildfire smoke has on air quality creates a serious but often overlooked threat to human health. This threat from poor air quality includes people in the workplace. IAQ management As wildfires increase in frequency and intensity, facility managers must be proactive to protect occupants inside...
Automotive HVAC is a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system installed in automobiles, such as passenger cars, pickup trucks, and heavy-duty trucks. Like other air conditioning systems, automotive HVAC cools the air by transforming the refrigerant into a liquid or gas. The heating process, on the other hand, is characteristic of automotive HVAC as it uses the heat created by the engine. HVAC systems in the automotive The adoption of heating, ventilation, and air conditi...
Advanced heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) systems have always been essential to healthcare. However, the need for clean, fresh air at the right temperature and humidity within clinical settings has never been made clearer during the COVID-19 pandemic. It illustrated the importance of effective HVACR systems in healthcare due to their ability to improve air quality, patient outcomes, and infection control measures. The need for change Many current...
It’s an exciting and challenging time to be an HVACR professional. The industry is rapidly evolving to implement advanced technology and adapt to environmentally conscious regulations all while experiencing a skilled labor shortage. As contractors struggle to keep up, many are turning to HVACR press fittings for their efficiency, safety, and reliability. The demand for these press fittings has nearly doubled in the past five years alone. unique characteristics While the global sh...
Hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) and so-called “natural” refrigerants have coexisted for more than two decades, with each serving the specific needs of the HVACR industry. However, over the past several years, the proverbial aisle has formed, with pro-HFO voices on one side and “natural” advocates on the other. EU F-gas regulations The debate is getting more “ink” these days, partly due to advances in proposed EU F-gas regulations as well as the acceleration of glo...
College was never the only path to success. There are many other nontraditional avenues to success, and I had the privilege of blindly venturing down one myself. My path included a short stint in college, then trade school, an apprenticeship, a role building a training program, a managerial role running a branch, and ultimately a leadership role running a large region of companies. I started my career as a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technician, and I didn’t think I’...
Nothing is immune to entropy. As buildings age, they suffer natural breakdowns in efficiency, performance, and useability, compromising occupant comfort and leading to higher energy bills. Luckily, they do not have to stay that way. Retro-commissioning brings existing structures up to speed so they can function their best. What Is Commissioning? Commissioning helps buildings operate as the owners intended and ensures staff maintains their equipment and systems. During new construct...
Using air conditioners and electric fans to stay cool accounts for nearly 20% of the total electricity used in buildings around the world, according to a report from the International Energy Agency. hybrid work model As a unique mix of key factors, such as the adoption of the hybrid work model and escalating heatwaves in certain regions of the United States keep people indoors for longer periods, this 20% share represents an increasingly costly line item on household budgets. Those within th...
Most consumers choose an HVAC contractor based on their online reviews. Before making a final decision, potential customers actively look for what others have to say about your business, and having plenty of online positive reviews automatically positions you as a top pick. Reviews Reviews also help you rank higher in search results, and buyers are willing to pay more for brands with lots of strong reviews. So how do you get more of them? First, you have to create great customer experiences....
Energy bills for small businesses have become a major issue throughout 2023. As prices have risen drastically over the last twelve months, SMEs have been relying on the government’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme. Originally set up to support livelihoods, energy bills for businesses in the public sector were capped at £2,500 per year. However, in March, the government support scheme was replaced with the scaled-down Energy Bill Discount Scheme, leaving businesses and public sector organ...
Today’s HVAC contractors are acutely aware that they need visibility on the internet and in their community if they want the phones to ring with requests for new business. As a result, HVAC company leaders have become savvy about marketing and advertising and know that search engine optimization, direct mail flyers, and flashy truck wraps attract attention. Public relations But what they don’t stop to think about is that their competitors likely have a very similar marketing strat...
Patented new filtration technology proved it can upgrade AC units and Air Curtains to become highly effective Air Purifiers. Background and problem AC Split Units and Air Curtains employ coarse dust filters that are normally installed within the housing at the air return vent to allow for frequent filter cleaning. While this vital activity is generally performed on a regular basis in professional settings, it may be overlooked in home settings, leading to the clogging of these filters. This de...
Coastal and tropical areas present their own unique challenges for business and residential HVAC units. For these machines, which we use to create comfortable, safe air for occupants, corrosion is enemy number one in high moisture environments. Due to the high level of moisture and salts in the air along the coast, HVAC solutions are more susceptible to corrosion. These salts can negatively impact unprotected coil fins and metal surfaces, causing them to corrode, which can ultimately lead to s...
When your HVAC system isn't working correctly, it's often difficult to pinpoint the exact issue. Does your home have hot and cold spots? Do doors randomly close on their own? Is your A/C blowing warm air on a hot summer day? If so, your HVAC might have an uneven airflow. There are many symptoms of uneven airflow and many solutions. Amid the increasing demand for HVAC repair, homeowners need to learn how to keep their home system operating at its best. Understanding the potential causes of unev...
Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) has been a longstanding problem within educational institutions, where it has been known to affect productivity and performance, as well as mental and physical health. And it’s not just the pupils at risk, with studies finding that this deleterious phenomenon can also compromise teaching performance and delivery, which inevitably affects the quality of the information received. CO2 concentrations This has recently been evidenced in a study conducted by the U...
The importance of caring for the environment has become a top priority both around the world and increasingly in the United States. As regulations and social expectations become more stringent, future-proofing our infrastructure - beginning with energy consumption in buildings - is a natural first step. There are four key strategies a building owner or facility manager can focus on to improve energy efficiency and reduce a building’s carbon footprint, all while improving building performa...
Achieving carbon neutrality has, once more, become a business priority. Whilst COVID-19 distracted attention away from the drive towards Net Zero, green issues are once more back on the agenda and rising to the top of it. Building specifications The built environment accounts for around 28-40% of global emissions, so there is a collective ambition to start specifying buildings with as low a carbon footprint as possible. This is particularly true of commercial office spaces where operational...
As COVID-19 becomes endemic and hybrid working becomes the norm, a great deal of time and energy is going into managing a safe return to the office and a move to new styles of working. As hard FM systems are adjusted to suit new workplace expectations and futureproof sites, Johnpaul Pearson, Business Support Director at Anabas, talks about understanding workplaces and using technology to better design and plan a workplace of the future. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, we were witnessi...
‘Energy storage holds the key to providing clean energy for heating and powering the home and reducing carbon emissions’ Carlton Cummins, CTO and Co-Founder of clean technology company Aceleron explain how this will work. As we transition away from natural gas and other fossil fuels, there is no question that we absolutely have to make better use of renewable energy. Using a battery energy storage system (BESS) combined with renewable technology such as solar means that it can be st...
Environmental ventilation is an incredibly important element of any building. It uses the natural, external airflow through a building to make the internal climate healthier. When appropriate environmental control is implemented, the benefits include better air quality, reduced CO2 emissions, and lower overhead costs. However, it’s not all sunshine and roses. This presents some issues that must be addressed. Residential buildings often use centralized heating systems, boilers, and ho...
Ventilation systems have never been more important as we battle against an ever-evolving pandemic, and crucially, they must be installed correctly to deliver good indoor air quality for years to come. David Millward, Group Product Manager at Elta Group, explains the practical considerations needed for contractors in charge of installing them. Good indoor air quality (IAQ) With a pandemic that has been raging for going on two years, there has never been a time where good indoor air quality (IAQ...
With COP26 behind us, the words ‘Net Zero’ still hangs heavy in the air as we look to make the most of the momentum gained by the summit. On the face of it, it’s a daunting task. However, like so many challenges in life, it becomes considerably more manageable when broken down into smaller steps. It’s now a widely accepted fact that lighting, heating, and cooling operating emissions account for a significant proportion (28%) of all carbon emissions emitted by building an...
Indoor air quality (IAQ) has never been closer to the forefront of the public mind. After all, the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing. The government’s scientific advisors have warned that, during the coming winter, daily hospitalizations could plausibly reach heights of 7,000 per day. And, of course, we are all thoroughly aware at this point that COVID is an airborne virus and, as such, spreads very effectively indoors – a fact which many people will have reflected on as they...
AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a smart buildings’ biggest ally. Without it, a building could hardly be classed as smart. For building owners and managers, AI is imperative to create a secure and comfortable experience for their occupants every day. What a building platform should do is gather data from various sources from the building management system and other smart technologies, to gather it all in one place. The data should then be fed into a flexible, scalable cloud-based platform...
Every six years, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) reviews how much energy certain home appliances and mechanical systems use and determines if an increase in energy efficiency requirements is justified. New energy conservation standards As a result of the 2017 assessment, the DOE has mandated new energy conservation standards that take effect on January 1, 2023, for all newly manufactured residential and commercial air conditioners, heat pumps, and gas furnaces. In addition t...
Even though the COVID-19 pandemic is seemingly drawing to a close, living, working and learning at home is set to continue. Under this new normal, home electricity use is expected to double by 2050. Simultaneously, as climate change devastates communities around the world, we are faced with a moral and economic obligation to cut CO2 emissions from houses. Our goal is to build Net Zero houses and we can't get there fast enough. Fossil fuels use in heating systems Many countries continue to rely...
Seasonal transitions are the perfect time to take inventory and inspect a building’s various systems. We’ve been reminded for years that when we set our clocks back, we should also replace the batteries in our smoke detectors. The same thought process can be applied in support of seasonal preventative maintenance for a building’s HVAC system. Now that the cooling season has passed for a large part of the country, it is time to ensure that HVAC systems have been shut down prope...
I am writing this the day after the Autumn Spending Review, which among many measures, included a huge focus on how the Government wants to ‘level up the country’, creating a new post-pandemic economy, with higher wages and higher skills. Part of this is the £500 million ‘Multiply’ scheme, which aims to increase numeracy and basic mathematics for adults in the United Kingdom via in person tutoring, digital training and flexible courses. Lack of basic skills to acce...
The development of digital technologies in the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) sector has been transformational for the industry, as well as for those who run HVAC systems. While the electrification and digitalization of machines, and assets has made a lot of operations simpler, it has also meant that the collection of machine data has never been more critical. Given that engineers can now view lots of different metrics on a single screen, including things like heating control...
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