HVAC News, June 2020

Volvo Group North America recently received a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Better Plants Better Practice Award for preventing and reducing waste at several North American facilities. The Volvo Group was chosen among a record number of applicants to receive the honor. The Better Practice Award is presented to partners for innovative and industry-leading accomplishments in implementing and promoting practices, principles and procedures of energy management. The Volvo Group implemented several...

Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation have revealed new details of their innovative heat pump system, deployed in Hyundai and Kia's global electric vehicle (EV) line-up to maximize their all-electric driving range in low temperatures. Hyundai and Kia's heat pumps are a renowned heat management innovation that maximizes the distance that Hyundai and Kia EVs can travel on a single charge, scavenging waste heat to warm the cabin. It enables EV drivers to heat their car's cabin in cold w...

Kiwi Energy, a New York and Ohio energy supplier providing environmentally conscious products, is pleased to announce that they have partnered with Cinch Home Services in order to offer new customers HVAC protection for their homes. The service will be incorporated as part of Kiwi Energy's Kiwi Guard product. They will soon offer a full suite of additional services for the home through the Cinch partnership. The premier offering available through the Cinch partnership will provide new customers...

IT Tech Packaging, Inc., a globally renowned manufacturer and distributor of diversified paper products in North China, has announced that its operating entity in China, Hebei Baoding Dongfang Paper Milling Company Limited (Dongfang Paper), expects to launch the construction of a combined heat and power generation project utilizing biomass technology (Biomass CHP project) with the total construction area of 80,373 square meters which is located in its Wei County production base. Biomass CHP Th...

Emerson introduced two new compressed air dryers designed to significantly extend maintenance intervals, minimize downtime and reduce energy costs in rail applications, including brakes and door control. Typically, air dryers have an average service interval of less than two years. The AVENTICSTM RDD (Roll-Up Dessicant Drying) and RDDmin air dryers, have a service interval of eight years or 25,000 operating hours. The new products feature a proprietary adsorption medium that removes humidity fr...

There is a demonstratable link between humidity and the infectivity and longevity of a variety of viruses, such as influenza and coronaviruses, according to a new whitepaper by Munters, a globally renowned company in energy-efficient and sustainable air treatment solutions. Titled ‘How Humidity Control Can Reduce Viral Infectivity and Longevity’, the scientific report addresses how it is possible to reduce the transmission and longevity of harmful viruses by controlling indoor Relat...

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) announces the successful completion of two joint energy efficiency projects. In total, the projects are saving the university 66,000 therms of energy every year. The reduction in energy use equates to removing about 350 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the same as a reduction of 866,516 miles driven by passenger vehicles per year. Both projects were part of California's joint Energy Efficiency P...

Alfa Laval, globally renowned company in heat transfer, centrifugal separation and fluid handling technology, has signed two frame agreements, running over the coming three years, for ballast water treatment systems. Alfa Laval PureBallast 3 The agreements comprise firm orders to deliver Alfa Laval PureBallast 3 to about 40 vessels, with options covering another 40 systems. Even as the shipping industry has been heavily hit by the current pandemic, Alfa Laval has continued working closely with...

Behind most modern portable and fixed evaporative cooling systems is a component known as rigid evaporative media. At first glance, this component appears to be a simple block of corrugated cardboard-like material. Outside appearances are often deceptive though, and this is most assuredly the case with evaporative media. Within the intricately and proprietarily designed flutes and angles is the ability to cool many everyday aspects of our lives, from data centers that support our daily online li...

Today’s homes are built with more insulation than ever and are known for being airtight. While this practice lowers energy bills, harmful contaminants are also kept in, which reduces the overall indoor air quality (IAQ). The effects of poor IAQ are most acute in areas of high humidity or uncontrolled moisture, such as the bathroom. Accumulation of these substances can result in health problems and mold growth as well as the deterioration of furniture and paint. Contractors make great effo...

Building technology industries veteran Mike Fischer has joined Armstrong Fluid Technology as Commercial Director and Country Leader, USA. In this role he will be responsible for all sales and sales support functions for the United States and will report directly to Joachim Schulz, Global Commercial Director, Building Business. Executive management positions Fischer brings more than 30 years of experience working with the organizations focused on building technology. In his 29 years with Honey...

J2 Innovations, the developer of the easy-to-configure and use software platform for building automation and IoT applications, FIN Framework (FIN), has launched the FIN microBMS, a compact feature-rich building management software package that enables its OEM partners to deliver easy-to-install solutions for small to mid-sized buildings across multiple sites. The entry-level FIN-based system is a powerful simple-to-use plug-and-play solution for efficient building management that has removed mu...

Honeywell and Dimer LLC announced a partnership to bring an ultraviolet cleaning (UVC) system to airlines that, when properly applied, significantly reduces certain viruses and bacteria on airplane cabin surfaces. The Honeywell UV Cabin System can treat an aircraft cabin in less than 10 minutes for just a few dollars per flight for midsize to large airline fleets. "This offering is a big win for our airline customers, which are seeking affordable ways to clean their cabins effectively and quick...

NearU HVAC Services, announced the successful completion of the acquisition of Carolina Heating Services in Greenville, SC. With this acquisition, NearU has established a multi-state footprint and tripled its employee base within the first four months of its inaugural acquisition. "Carolina Heating Services has established itself as the market leader in Greenville since the late 1980's and has built a strong local brand. The company's dedicated focus on customer experience and employee training...

Creative Realities, Inc., a renowned provider of digital marketing solutions, announced a reseller program to support broader distribution of its Thermal Mirror solution. CRI moved quickly to anticipate and meet the growing need for thermal screening solutions as businesses resume normal operations following the COVID-19 shutdown. Since introducing its Thermal Mirror solution several weeks ago, CRI has expanded its partner program to make its thermal screening solution more broadly available. T...

Johnson Controls, announced a series of acquisitions, namely of East Lancashire Refrigeration Ltd, H&C Contracts Ltd and McDowall Air Conditioning Ltd. These acquisitions form part of Johnson Controls’ ongoing strategic growth plan within the HVAC sector, allowing the company to diversify its product portfolio and fill geographical service gaps across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Johnson Controls offers a large portfolio of HVAC equipment and controls in the world, and these acquis...

The American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2019 would provide an orderly national framework to guide replacement of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) over the next several years in the United States, with newer refrigerants that have less negative impact on the environment. HFCs are potent greenhouse gases with very high global warming potential. The future of the HVAC industry is tied to the manufacture of next-generation refrigerants and their adoption. Versions of the AIM Act – Sen...

Residential HVAC is a fulfilling business to be in. Whether be it servicing a furnace or installing an air conditioning unit, the individual is doing important work to help keep families in the community safe and comfortable. The work also comes with perks such as good margins, some great customers, and the ability to set varying pricing and schedule. If an individual is in a growing business in this space, chances are that they have seen more than a few hectic days. Days where it becomes diffi...

The Eurovent Product Groups ‘Air Conditioners’ (PG-AC) and ‘Liquid Chilling Packages and Heat Pumps’ (PG-LCP-HP) elected new Chairmen and Vice Chairmen, with a clear scope and timeline of activities. Mr. Henk Kranenberg was separately elected Chairman of both Products Groups. He is joined by Vice Chairman, Mr. Stefano Vit (De'Longhi Group) in the Air Conditioners Group and Vice Chairman, Mr. Mariano Covolo (Mitsubishi Electric Hydronics & IT Cooling Systems S.p.A.) i...

Product reviews are one of the most critical elements in the buying process. Experts estimate that nearly two-thirds of consumers seek product reviews before making a purchasing decision. In addition to providing more in-depth product descriptions, product reviews builds trust and confidence in products long before a consumer even uses the product. Marley Engineered Products announced that it featured in two BestReviews product evaluations. BestReviews, which shares its product reviews on Amazo...

Atomic Blue LLC has announced that it’s high-performance UV-C germicidal light has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Atomic Blue's ultraviolet light has been registered with the FDA as a disinfectant medical device with the product code LRJ under device Class 1. UV-C germicidal light The UV-C germicidal light fixture, known for its ability to eradicate the COVID-19 virus from surfaces and air, is now approved for commercial use by the U.S. Food and Drug Admini...

uHoo has announced launching the ‘uHoo Virus Index’, the world's first real-time assessment of virus survival (such as COVID-19) based on air quality. The ‘uHoo Virus Index’ is a patent-pending technology that analyzes air quality data, monitored by uHoo, and provides an assessment on the risk of viruses surviving in homes or workplaces, as well as how the air affects general health and immune system. uHoo Virus Index The uHoo Virus Index works on a 10-point system, an...

Members of a family were eating lunch in a restaurant in Guangzhou, China, seated at a table below an air outlet and return air inlet for the central air conditioner. At another table sat a family who had just traveled from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. There was another family seated at a third table. One of the diners experienced the onset of fever and cough later in the day and went to the hospital, later diagnosed with COVID-19. That was on Jan. 24, 2020. By February 5 – some 12 day...

Armstrong Fluid Technology is sponsoring a Virtual Summit June 10th, designed to help building owners and operators create and maintain healthy indoor spaces in this challenging environment. Entitled Healthier Buildings for a Greener Future – Improving Air Quality in Buildings Post-COVID, the discussions will focus on indoor air quality, sustainability, energy savings and occupant comfort. Addressing health challenges The first session of the virtual summit, Risk Reduction in the MUSH S...

Electrolux announces a plan to replace all high-impact greenhouse gases in all of its appliances by 2023 at the latest, as part of its commitments to the United Nations global Cool Coalition initiative. The plan, which helps Electrolux deliver on its objective to significantly reduce its climate footprint over the coming decades, is one of the actions taken under the company's Better Living Program. As global temperatures rise, the transformation of cooling technology will make a big contributi...

ABB is collaborating with its global strategic partner, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), on jointly developed technology to significantly reduce the energy consumption of high-performance supercomputers, while at the same time increasing their computing capacity and reliability. Answers to some of society’s most pressing challenges are buried in massive amounts of data. The world’s top research centers use supercomputers to find answers to some of the most complicated problems such...

The profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the HVAC industry is being felt by all of us in the HVAC industry. The current challenges and threats have been well documented and, unfortunately, will continue to evolve over the coming days, weeks and months.  However, as with many tragic events, there can be positive changes that come from this tragedy. One of these positive changes will be the more rapid development and deployment of smart HVAC systems and remote asset management solutio...

Interxion, a European provider of carrier- and cloud-neutral colocation data center services and a Digital Realty company, announces it has reduced its cooling system energy consumption by 20% during the first year of an ongoing project with data center optimization specialist, EkkoSense. The project – which commenced last February – has been designed to focus on thermal monitoring and airflow optimization, increasing cooling capacity and reducing the energy cost of cooling equipmen...

Smart buildings innovator Igor announces the general availability of Nexos Intelligent Disinfection. The solution pairs ultraviolet (UV-C) lighting with Internet of Things (IoT) controls to enable widespread, automated disinfection of surfaces. According to Igor Founder and Chief Technology Officer Dwight Stewart, the patent-pending solution was inspired by the need for confidence in this time of uncertainty and risk. "As more spaces reopen, intelligent disinfection becomes even more crucial,"...

Las Vegas entrepreneur & casino veteran, Bryan Lindsey, and other business industry veterans have partnered with Palm Beach, Florida-based RGF Environmental Group to create Environ Safety LLC., (‘Environ Safety’) a Nevada Corporation. After a complete shutdown of Las Vegas casinos, resorts, conference centers, restaurants and arenas due to COVID-19 pandemic, the welfare and safety of both patrons and workers is one of the great concerns that has delayed the reopening of these bu...