Packaged Units/RTU News & Trends

Encycle Corporation (Encycle), a software technology company focused on helping commercial and industrial customers dramatically improve the efficiency of their HVAC systems and energy efficiency programs, using IoT-enabled services, has officially introduced its SwarmStat Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) offering, which is aimed at Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs).  SwarmStat, cloud-based Solution SwarmStat is a cloud-based, enterprise-level solution that delivers Encycle’s multi...

The successful launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was a long-awaited event for the Optics team here at SSTL because way back in 2006, they started work on the Integral Field Unit (IFU) for an instrument called NIRSpec (Near InfraRed Spectrograph), one of four science instruments on board the mission and SSTL have been waiting patiently since then for launch.  Optics module The optics module SSTL supplied for JWST is highly complex with over 90 mirrors precisely aligned into a...

Draeger’s Market is an upscale grocery chain with four successful stores located in the San Francisco Bay area, in California, USA. The Draeger’s legacy spans 95 years of serving families and culinary professionals in this area, specializing in gourmet items, produce, meat, wine, liquor, prepared bakery and deli foods, flowers and housewares. Draeger’s mission is to be the best in food, wine, and service. Everything from the design of the marketplace to the equipment inside su...

As the omicron variant is surging across the United States, Cassia Regional Hospital is shining a light on COVID-19 prevention. Intermountain Cassia Regional Hospital is using a variety of cutting-edge technology in the battle against COVID-19. Trying to disinfect their facility and keep people safe is a top priority for the hospital. Their newest weapon in the battle is a device that uses Ultraviolet (UV)-C light to destroy pesky microorganisms. 360-degree ultraviolet light “This...

Vons-Safeway-Albertsons has over 2,200 stores in the U.S.A., across 33 US states. It is the largest supermarket chain in California, and is among the largest grocers in the world. They have quietly built one of the most impressive environmental records of any retailer in the United States of America. Vons-Safeway-Albertsons has already replaced a significant amount of its shaded pole fan motors with electronically commutated motors. Vons-Safeway-Albertsons evaluated QM Power’s Q-Sync®...

Carrier has reaffirmed its commitment to investing in the UK as a key European geography for its advanced air conditioning and heat pump solutions. Carrier is part of Carrier Global Corporation, the global provider of healthy, safe and sustainable, and intelligent building and cold chain solutions. Speaking at a major customer event held at The Oval, London, Didier Genois, Vice President and General Manager of Carrier Commercial HVAC, Europe, said, "The UK is an important segment for us, and we...

SSTL is pleased to be running a side event 'Expanding Domestic Industrial Space Capabilities for the National and Regional Benefit' on 6 December 2021 for the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (#APRSAF2021). SSTL's Kasia Clatworthy will host the event and will be joined by panelists from GISTDA, the Philippines Space Agency, Singapore Space & Technology Ltd, and the Australian space agency.  Event Agenda The purpose of this event is to share experiences of countries in the Asi...

Dynamic food retail market trends are driving changes in commercial refrigeration design strategies. Over the past decade, retailers have expanded their store portfolios to include smaller-footprint grocery stores targeted to serve growing urban markets. However, traditional centralized rack refrigeration systems simply aren’t always the most optimal choice for these smaller formats. Many operators are exploring distributed refrigeration strategies that leverage the merchandising flexibil...

Thermo King®, the transport refrigeration brand of global climate innovator Trane Technologies premiered its trailer refrigeration system with zero direct carbon emissions at the Solutrans international trade show in Lyon, France. The Thermo King® AxlePower technology combines a fully electric refrigeration unit, highly efficient battery storage, and the ability to run on low or zero-emissions power sources, such as an axle energy recovery system, shore power, or hyb...

For the past four years, Aggreko has supported Warwick-based children’s charity - Molly Olly’s by raising funds at its annual charity golf day.  At the event, more than £22,000 was raised. The Charity helps support children with terminal or life-limiting illnesses and their families and was set up by Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw in 2011 after their daughter Molly died from rare kidney cancer. signed golf bags Held at Fulford Heath Golf Club in Wythall, Birmingham, 23 groups of...

Johnson Controls, the globally renowned company in smart, healthy and sustainable building solutions, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the company’s commercial HVAC manufacturing plant in Norman, Oklahoma, USA. The 900,000 square-feet facility, known as Johnson Controls Rooftop Center of Excellence, serves as the company’s flagship location for industry research, manufacturing and testing of commercial rooftop units. Johnson Controls Rooftop Center of Excellence  In 1971, t...

Aggreko, the global provider of mobile, modular energy solutions, has conducted an industry-wide survey with 859 participants to understand what the energy market will look like in the next decade. Survey details  The survey, conducted in October 2021, highlights that the shift to renewables will be a transition rather than an overnight change, with 83% of respondents believing fossil fuels will still have a role to play in the energy mix for the next 10 years. These fuels will work alon...

It looks like something out of a science fiction movie, a 6-foot tall lightsaber on wheels that emits a deadly glow to invisible enemies. But it’s not fighting the Galactic Empire. The UVDI-360 is a health care lifesaver, using ultraviolet radiation to destroy more than 30 high-risk microorganisms, including the coronavirus. The Lufkin State Supported Living Center Environmental Services staff have used this $55,000 deep cleaning machine at the facility since 2014. Due to a large donation...

Proposals for a new solar farm across farmland south of the M20 and northeast of Aldington will be the subject of a second public consultation from Tuesday, 26 October to Monday, 29 November 2021. The proposed East Stour Solar Farm is being brought forward by EDF Renewables UK. It has the potential to generate up to 49.9MW of renewable electricity, enough to meet the equivalent needs of approximately 17,000 homes in the Borough of Ashford every year. Second public consultation This second pub...

A historic Art Deco icon meets cutting-edge luxury at The Sinclair, a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel. Built during the early 20th Century oil boom of Texas, the Sinclair Building has stood as one of the most recognizable landmarks of downtown Fort Worth, since 1929. The Sinclair, a historic hotel Designed to reflect the Gilded Age Art Deco style of the roaring 1920s, the Sinclair Building served the surrounding business community and employed thousands of Texans over the decades before un...

Aggreko, the provider of mobile, modular power, temperature control, and energy services announces the immediate availability of its solar power rental offer. The 1 MW PV solution is optimized for weak or off-grid applications and delivers clean energy innovation without long-term financial or technical commitment. Aggreko Solar Power Aggreko Solar Power can be contracted on a rental basis, with no upfront CAPEX required. Deployment time is three to four months, the system has low O&M req...

Danfoss announces the groundbreaking on its new manufacturing facility in Tallahassee, Florida on September 21. The 167,000 SF building, scheduled for completion in early 2023, will host state-of-the-art manufacturing for the VTX line and two TT/TG lines for Danfoss’ Turbocor compressors. The new facility will triple current manufacturing capacity to meet fast-growing demand from the American, European, and Asian Pacific markets for cooling and heating high-efficiency compressors. Once m...

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed a contract for HydroGNSS, a 55kg small satellite to measure climate change variables.  The contract, with an initial value of €24 million, was signed during ESA Phi Week by Phil Brownnett, SSTL’s Managing Director, and ESA’s Acting Director of Earth Observation Programmes, Toni Tolker-Nielsen. Scout program Scout program marks a new approach for ESA, recognizing the performance and uti...

EDF Renewables is announcing that its onshore development pipeline in Ireland has now grown to almost 1GW, enough to power up to 600,000 homes. The number of projects has expanded rapidly over the past few months and the company plans to have up to 500MW of onshore wind and solar projects operational by 2030. This is in addition to its flagship Codling Wind Park project, a joint venture between EDF Renewables and Fred. Olsen Renewables off the coast of Wicklow, which will be one of Ireland's la...

Artus Air Ltd. (Artus) has announced the launch of a new brand to market. Artus brings new advanced technology in air conditioning, with a unit that combines the flexibility of a fan coil unit and the low energy of a chilled beam. Artus Artus represents a step forward in traditional Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems and offers a more sustainable and comfortable future for buildings and their occupants.  This new innovation not only transforms the way buildings are...

EDF has stepped in to help customers left without a supplier after Utility Point ceased trading on 14 September 2021. EDF will take on approximately 220,000 Utility Point domestic customers. EDF has agreed to protect any money a customer may be owed and existing customers’ credit on their accounts will be transferred to their new account with EDF. Energy supply Customers will be matched to standard variable prices to provide a guaranteed rate through winter and protection against the ex...

The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a contract with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) for communications services from Lunar Pathfinder, due to launch in 2024. Commercial Lunar Mission Support Services The Commercial Lunar Mission Support Services contract was signed between ESA’s Director of Human and Robotic Exploration, Dave Parker, and SSTL’s Managing Director, Phil Brownnett, on 15 September 2021 at The Royal Society in London. Amanda Solloway, UK Government Scien...

The days of having someone knock on the door to read the meter will soon be a distant memory due to smart meters. What is a smart meter and why get one? Smart meters Smart meters send meter readings from the house directly to the energy supplier, so users don’t need to answer the door to a meter reader and readings are always up to date, meaning users can wave goodbye to estimated bills and only pay for the energy they use. In other words, a smart meter is just like a traditional gas an...

Heater power control can be performed with one of three methods: Mechanical Contactor Solid State Relay Silicone Controlled Rectifier Many are not aware of the difference between the last two methods, Solid State Relay (SSR) and Silicone Controlled Rectifier (SCR) Power Control. Each of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages.  Typically in a desire to have finer or more efficient control of an electric heater in a process, system owners will switch from an old-fashioned...

Aggreko’s provision of modular energy services spans more than 80 countries, and it has serviced the mining industry for more than 30 years. Aggreko Australia Pacific Managing Director George Whyte said the newly commissioned gas power station was built at Ora Banda Mining’s Davyhurst Gold Mine, which is about 150km north of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.  Mr. Whyte said the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) station project was another step in the company’s mission to help mi...

Carrier and Bryant have announced the 25 recipients of 2021’s Carrier & Bryant Distributors’ Education Foundation scholarships. Recipients will receive this support for their college or vocational education during the 2021-2022 school year. Carrier and Bryant are part of Carrier Global Corporation, the global provider of healthy, safe, and sustainable building, and cold chain solutions. Bridging the technician gap All in all, this is a special way for us to acknowledge our con...

Physical Company, an industry renowned firm in fitness & gym equipment supplies, who occupy a two-floor commercial office building in Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire, in the United Kingdom (UK), approached SFE Services to install air conditioning systems in a number of their offices and reception area. multi split systems installed The client opted for Panasonic equipment and two multi split systems, with one multi split system serving the upstairs offices and the other system for the downst...

Danfoss has officially finalized its US$3.3 billion (approximately €3 billion) acquisition of Eaton’s hydraulics business following confirmation of all necessary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. The move will see the Danfoss Group grow in size by a third and establish itself as a global pioneer in mobile and industrial hydraulics. Increasing innovation capacity Mobile hydraulics has been one of Danfoss’ core and most successful businesses for over 50 years. The ac...

Rinnai America Corporation, the manufacturer of the number-one selling brand of tankless gas water heaters in North America, announced Shelley Kiley has joined the organization as its Vice President of Operations. Role and responsibilities Kiley’s extensive knowledge will help Rinnai continue to grow and expand manufacturing capabilities in North America, including overseeing the completion of its new manufacturing plant in Griffin, Georgia. In addition, Kiley has assumed responsibility...

American Wheatley HVAC BDT Multi-Purpose Bladder Expansion tanks are ASME-constructed, pre-charged bladder expansion tanks. They are designed for the storage of potable water for pressure boost systems, as well as typical cooling/heating applications. The system’s expanded water is constrained in a heavy-duty bladder preventing tank corrosion and waterlogging problems. The factory set pre-charge for these tanks is 12 PSIG. The BDT Multi-Purpose Bladder tank is suitable for potable wa...