Technology & Trends - Heating

How can UK businesses effectively tackle the challenge of cooling commercial and industrial buildings? Cooling commercial and industrial buildings can be a challenge for UK businesses. In recent years, the spiraling energy costs have put pressure on businesses with regard to finding new and innovative ways to achieve the same result with less capital outlay and less maintenance. New system installs have sometimes been put on hold and maintenance schedules squeezed, leaving many businesses with...

From temperate climates that reach mid-90 F in June and mild winters allowing people to be outdoors without jackets to the “May flowers” that bloom in early March, it’s evident that society is experiencing World Refrigeration Day’s 2024 theme: “Temperature matters.” In addition to driving climate change, global warming is driving changes in how people live and how industries adapt and innovate to support new dynamics. This is especially true for the HVACR Indu...

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...

By now, most of the HVACR industry is familiar with the HFC phasedown portion of the U.S. EPA American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act that was signed in 2020 and finalized in 2021. The first phasedowns started Jan. 1, 2020, with a 10% reduction in HFC refrigerant production, importation, and consumption, and was followed by an additional 30% reduction that began Jan. 1, 2024. As these regulations work to achieve a total 85% HFC phasedown from historic baseline levels by 2036, Tech...

“Decarbonising home heating represents one of the biggest challenges to the government achieving net zero,” was a conclusion of the recent National Audit Office report ‘Decarbonising home heating’. The facts, the report states clearly in the opening are: 18% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2021 were from home heating and 55,000 heat pumps were sold in the UK in 2022. decarbonizing home heating Crucial to decarbonizing home heating is the government&rsquo...

Refrigerant transitions are imperative to comply with evolving emissions regulations and decarbonization agendas. The dynamic landscape necessitates continual adaptation to meet current requirements, with further changes anticipated. However, switching refrigerants poses numerous HVAC/R system design hurdles, affecting system performance and component selection. Energy efficiency standards Energy efficiency standards are a paramount concern, driving innovation towards systems that perform we...

I remember Dr. Dave Bowman from Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" commanding HAL 9000 to open the pod bay doors, and HAL chillingly responds, "I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that." Fortunately, unlike the fictional HAL," ChatGPT and other GenAI tools remain compliant and helpful, far from refusing commands or leaving us stranded in space. In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) should play a pivotal role in transforming various aspects of our dai...

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...

Although the European Union is several steps ahead in the transition away from hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants, members of the HVACR industry in other countries currently find themselves in a more urgent situation when it comes to stepping down HFCs and stepping up use of new-generation hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerants and emerging A2Ls. EPA’s AIM Act This is especially true in the U.S., where 2024 kicked off with an additional 30% reduction in HFC production and consumption un...

Peter Van Den Heede, Head of Sales and Marketing, Benelux, ABB Motion, explains how electrification systems are paving the way for sustainable urban landscapes.  As the fight against climate change intensifies, the European Union has set crystal clear targets on the path to Net Zero. If we are to meet the EU’s ambitious goals of a 55 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and complete climate neutrality by 2050, then we need to find ever-smarter ways to save energy.&n...

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’...

This time of year, a lot of planning is underway. Companies throughout the HVACR industry are mapping out the best path to maintain their current level of business, pursue growth while staying in their lane, or expand into a new area based on changing customer needs and industry opportunities. Whether you’re a small family-owned residential HVAC shop, a major player in commercial HVACR service or manufacturing, or anywhere in between, it’s helpful to be aware of the strong dynamics...

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...

Circularity. Some may call it a “hot topic.” But in reality, the concept and practice of circularity is here to stay, indefinitely, for the simple reason that the sustainability of our planet depends on it. Whatever type of product you sell, “widget” you manufacture, or service you provide, achieving circularity, that is, putting practices in place so that materials remain in circulation and never become waste is finding its way onto the priority list of every business....

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....

Summer may not seem like the most opportune time to be selling heating products and solutions. The temperatures are already hot, so why would a homeowner need to worry about their heating source? For many HVAC clients, the idea of being proactive before the cold weather drops is foreign. That’s why contractors need to remind them of the importance of focusing on their heating units during the summer. capitalize on heating solutions There are plenty of opportunities available for contra...

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...

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...

With each passing year, more and more individuals are becoming conscious of the importance of sustainability. As a result, there has been a boom in the electric vehicle (EVs) market. According to the International Energy Agency, the sales of EVs doubled in 2021 with nearly 10% of global car sales being electric. Two million electric vehicles were sold in the first quarter of 2022 alone. It was estimated that 13% of new cars sold in 2022 would be electric. Gas-Powered vehicle For those who cho...

The energy savings due to the lowering of heating temperatures during unoccupied periods can exceed 20% in the tertiary sector and 30% in the education sector.  When buildings are not occupied continuously, the idling or even the optimized shutdown of heating systems is one of the main sources of energy savings. heating system consumption Indeed the heating system consumption matches the thermal loss of heated buildings. When we willingly let the internal temperature drop during a vacant...

A preventive maintenance program could save 12-18% over reactive maintenance, as the U.S. Department of Energy predicted in 2010. For many businesses, the savings could be higher, considering the risks of downtime and today’s economic conditions pushing up costs across the supply chain. It’s also possible for a program to miss the mark. By one measure, 50% of the costs of a preventive maintenance program are often wasted. The question is, how do you know if your maintenance program...

Following the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement on 23 March, several imminent and future changes were laid out by the UK government. This included VAT scrappage for residential energy-saving measures like heat pumps and solar panels, a 12-month cutting of fuel duty by 5p per liter, and to support the decarbonization of commercial premises, targeted business rate exemptions for eligible plant and machinery used in onsite renewable energy generation and stora...

‘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...

Energy consumption continues to be one of the primary contributors to a building’s carbon emissions and its operational costs. Around 40% of this energy is used to power HVAC systems. To improve sustainability and reduce operating costs, it’s in a building owner’s best interest to find ways to make their building’s heating and cooling systems more efficient. Identifying areas that will make the biggest difference starts with knowing which systems consume the most energy...

Net-zero is high up on the agenda. And to achieve the UK’s carbon-neutral pledge by 2050 the country’s building stock must be decarbonized. Embodied carbon When we talk about decarbonizing buildings, there are two distinct categories of emissions that come into play. The first is embodied carbon. Here, the embodied carbon of a building includes emissions deriving from the construction materials, the building process, and the fixtures and fittings inside. It also covers emissions f...

Decarbonizing heat is one of, if not the biggest challenges we face in our journey to net zero. Most of the heat in UK homes and businesses is currently provided through fossil fuels, predominantly gas. Gas releases carbon emissions and other particles that are bad for air quality and bad for our environment. So, to get to net-zero we need to replace gas as our main source of heat. The Government plans to phase out gas boilers in newly build homes from 2025, but with the vast majority of exist...

Housing market dynamics, pressures on global supply chains, and the rising costs of materials and labor are a few of the trends that are impacting the HVAC industry. While COVID-19 restrictions may have been largely lifted throughout the U.S., many of these lingering trends can be traced back directly, or indirectly, to the pandemic. Jobber’s Home Service Economic Report: Record Growth Fuels Labor Shortage explores these trends and their true impact on home service businesses’ abili...

There are several benefits to using unit heaters in a variety of locations. Whether they are in a home garage or a large commercial warehouse, unit heaters can provide space-saving heating options that can be installed quickly and easily with the right preparation. Unit heaters can be used as a primary or secondary heat source, and the directed warm air of a properly installed unit can make a noticeable difference in the overall comfort level of a space. Unit heater installation Unit heaters...

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...