HVAC Industry News

Incorporating cool and dry outdoor air into commercial HVAC systems can save money and energy, while causing less wear-and-tear on cooling systems. An economizer is a device that works alongside rooftop HVAC systems to augment the system with outdoor air, in order to provide what has become known as ‘free cooling’. Economizers Economizers introduce low-temperature or low-enthalpy outdoor air into a building to reduce or eliminate mechanical cooling, depending on outdoor air conditi...

This year’s Texas deep freeze struck the region hard, causing an estimated $10 billion in damage. It was one of the costliest winter weather events in the state’s history. The extreme weather conditions severely impacted HVAC systems, too, overtaxing equipment and challenging contractors to keep up with the pace of repairs. What did not happen, despite some homeowner insurance claims filed in the aftermath of the extreme cold snap, was ‘frozen refrigerant.’ Although the...

Membranes made of an organic material called polyimides, which are then treated to become hydrophilic, provide a promising approach to developing dehumidifiers that could eventually bring down the price of HVAC systems and make them more environmentally friendly. Research at Texas A&M University’s College of Engineering describes how the polyimide material could be used to dry environmental air using less energy. Triggering Hydrolysis Polyimides are made of chains of repeating, ring...

The practice of working from home soared during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and many observers see a likely continuation of the trend, as infection risks gradually subside. Both environments – home and office – depend on HVAC systems to keep occupants comfortable (and safe!). Therefore, the industry stands to be impacted whichever way the trend plays out. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: How will remote working affect residential and commercial HVAC?

The most likely scenario for the next 12 months in the United Kingdom is far lower risk of serious COVID-19 illness due to the vaccine. However, there will be big swings in R rates, and there is uncertainty about how effective vaccines will be against COVID variants. The ‘R’ rate is the number of people one infected person will pass a virus on to, on average. As the scenario plays out, and more companies open for business, issues of indoor air quality will continue to be top of mind...

Innovation is a driving force behind most industries, including HVAC. Keeping up with industry research, and looking toward the future, helps HVAC professionals to anticipate upcoming changes to the industry, and to be prepared when they happen. There is no shortage of innovation in the sphere of HVAC. I recently came across some interesting designs (and one product already on the market!) that provide a useful glimpse into the types of projects that may shape the HVAC industry of tomorrow. La...

The cruise ship industry has cracked the code on keeping passengers and crew safe from the coronavirus (COVID-19) spread, including changes to on-board HVAC systems to use more outside air and to filter out particles as small as the novel coronavirus. The industry, which voluntarily suspended worldwide operations at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, under the guidance of international and national health authorities, plans to resume worldwide operations fully later in 2021. Health protoc...

The connectivity of the Internet of Things (IoT) provides new tools to monitor the well-being of an HVAC system, to provide instant alerts to any operational problems and even to predict when problems are likely to occur. Being alert to early warning signs of a problem enables deployment of less-expensive fixes before the problem escalates. predictive analytics Remote monitoring and predictive analytics of HVAC systems have been even more valuable during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, when...

The demographics of the HVAC workforce are changing and more women are being welcomed into the HVAC industry in a wider variety of roles. In part, the changes are because of necessity as Baby Boomers retire from the workforce and leave a labor and skills gap to be filled. HVAC commercial service business, HB McClure Company, based out of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is embracing change and encouraging more women to consider a career in the HVAC workspace. The company’s female employees are h...

The computing power we know as the Internet actually resides in millions of data centers that house rows and rows of computer servers. And each data center represents a unique HVAC challenge: How to keep the equipment cool, the air pure and the humidity low. Providing the ideal operating conditions for a room full of computers requires the best that the HVAC market can offer.  Data centers come in all shapes, sizes and configurations. Some are huge facilities that serve the needs of giants...

The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of physical objects embedded with sensors, software and other technologies to facilitate connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the internet. Use of the IoT is expanding among both business and residential applications. However, there are hurdles to overcome, including security, privacy and networking challenges. As more HVAC devices embrace the IoT, we asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the impact of the Internet o...

Deadly cold weather recently made headlines in Texas, where wintry conditions knocked out power to around 4.5 million homes at one point. Power outages, combined with freezing conditions, sent Texans scrambling for home heating alternatives, such as generators and fireplaces, and to seek shelter in powered warming centers or businesses. Some resorted to living in running cars. Snow, ice and extreme cold have been widespread this year in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States, too. At one...

If history truly repeats itself, might we learn lessons from the past – even lessons about managing a novel coronavirus that upends our way of life and changes the world forever? The most commonly cited parallel to the COVID-19 pandemic is the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918. Both diseases are caused by viruses that had not been seen before. In both cases, no one had immunity to a highly infectious germ that was spread through respiratory droplets. Both outbreaks occurred in multiple waves o...

Attitudes about indoor air quality need to change, especially given the current pandemic that forces people to spend most of their time indoors. But addressing the pandemic through increased ventilation and better indoor air quality can be expensive. For example, the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest in the nation, has spent $6 million on HVAC upgrades and new air filters in response to the pandemic and expects to pay about $1.7 million a month for ongoing inspections and...

The pandemic of 2020 presented unique challenges to the HVAC market, and in many instances, responding to those challenges relied on technical innovation. It’s safe to say that the pandemic accelerated several technology trends, redirected others, and overall raised the stakes in the industry’s ongoing challenge to meet customer needs across a wide spectrum. But what comes now? We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable to weigh in on this question: What technologies and trends will define...

Imagine a HVAC system that captures cardon dioxide and water from the air to be converted into renewable hydrocarbon fuels that can take the place of fossil fuels. This futuristic approach is a reality today, although on a small scale with little impact – for now. The challenge is to scale up the processes to create a “circular” CO2 economy that uses chemical processes to create renewable synthetic oil that substitutes for non-renewable fossil-based oil, while eliminating emis...

When a freezer failed at a medical center in Seattle, there was a mad dash to use as many of 1,600 stored doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine as possible before they expired. Facing expiration at 5:30 a.m. the next day, nurses, firefighters and volunteers worked throughout the night to ensure none of the precious vaccines went to waste. Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna Vaccine freezer requirement The episode underlines the conspicuous role that refrigeration plays in distribution and delivery of...

During the coronavirus pandemic, UV-C systems have surged from a niche market to mass production capable of meeting historic demand levels. As a result, UV lamp manufacturers, as well as their component providers (e.g., glass suppliers), have struggled to meet the growing demand. Because of UV-C’s historic proven effectiveness, interest in and orders for UV disinfection equipment have increased exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, in July, lighting manufacturer Signify...

The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in a poorly ventilated indoor space depends on the number of people who exhale their breath in that space. And aerosol virus contained in exhaled breath is a common way that COVID-19 germs are spread. Therefore, might the CO2 level in a given space serve as an approximation of the likelihood of coronavirus spread? Broadly speaking, poor ventilation of indoor spaces can increase the likelihood of aerosol transmission, and a higher CO2 level is an indicator of i...

Data is playing an increasingly important role in smart buildings. Analysis of building system data is guiding an expansion of capabilities in the smart building environment, making building systems - including HVAC - more efficient, effective and smarter. The growth of intelligence in the HVAC market was among the more prominent industry trends in 2020. This article will revisit some of the year’s most popular articles on HVACinformed.com that focused on the trend toward more intelligent...

The year 2020 will forever be remembered for the global pandemic that transformed almost every aspect of our lives. COVID-19 impacted the HVAC market, as it did most other business sectors. However, HVAC also rose to a new level of prominence at the center of the pandemic, both as a potential cause of virus spread and as a source of solutions to fight the virus. This article will highlight the intersection of HVAC and COVID-19 based on articles published during 2020 at HVACinformed.com. Impac...

Sustainability and environmental impact are core issues of the HVAC market in 2020 or any year. During the last year, HVACinformed.com has addressed multiple facets of sustainability in some of our most popular articles. This retrospective will highlight some of the sustainability articles published during 2020 at HVACInformed.com. An HVACInformed.com Expert Panel Roundtable commented on various aspects of sustainability, including the responsibility of HVAC manufacturers to develop more susta...

Artificial intelligence (AI) provides a tool to deliver significant savings and dramatically reduce carbon emissions, enabling a self-operating building. Because of AI’s ability to be proactive in buildings, rather than reactive, a 25% reduction in total energy costs is possible, along with a 20-40% decrease in carbon footprint. "Our mission is to fight climate change by bringing innovation and cutting-edge artificial intelligence to the built environment, making buildings smarter and gre...

Millennials have been shaped by their experiences growing up with technology and by their heightened awareness of the environment. These facets of a consumer market dominated by millennials will guide the future of the HVAC market over the next several years. Each generation reshapes markets in their own image. In the case of millennials, trends and behaviors are influencing how companies design new solutions, including those in the world of HVAC. Sustainable solutions and personalized experie...

Elon Musk has proclaimed that HVAC is his ‘pet project’ and has even suggested a timeline: ‘Maybe we can start working on that.’ As a high-profile business magnate, industrial designer and engineer, Musk is CEO of automobile company Tesla, whose goal is to accelerate the use of sustainable energy. Tesla is on the cutting edge of technologies that can transform how we use energy, and Musk believes the benefit of that technology will translate well into home HVAC systems....

In an economic sense, the COVID-19 pandemic has created winners and losers. While the tragic human and societal consequences are undeniable, when it comes to economics, some businesses have clearly fared better than others. For example, the hospitality industry has basically been decimated. Meanwhile, the HVAC business has thrived during the pandemic. Part of our success has been driven by increasing awareness of the role of air ventilation in fighting the virus. There has been renewed interes...

The impact of HVAC systems on the spread of the novel coronavirus has been a hot topic since the beginning of the pandemic. However, it is striking that, even given all the discussions and guidance, there is still a lot that we do not know. Vaguely speaking, we know that crowded spaces with poor ventilation and/or low humidity levels tend to promote virus spread that filtration can help to remove the virus, and that measures such as UV-C radiation can help to disinfect indoor air. But even thos...

A 93-year old woman in Glasgow, Ky., lost her husband last November after 73 years of marriage. Thousands of miles away, a disabled veteran in Rancho Cordova, Calif., suffers from asthma. Both were in dire need of a new HVAC unit, and neither could afford it. They are two of the 210 recipients of new HVAC units in the Lennox International “Feel the Love” campaign for 2020, which honors residents and families facing physical, mental or social disabilities, financial challenges, or th...

The cannabis industry offers unique challenges to the HVAC market, including the need to create an optimum indoor grow room environment that perfectly balances variables such as temperature, humidity and airflow at each stage of a plant’s growth cycle. The consequence of a system failure could be the catastrophic financial loss of an entire crop. Despite these weighty challenges, there is opportunity aplenty for HVAC installers in the emerging cannabis industry. Legalized cannabis is expa...

Is wall paint a feasible element in an HVAC system? That’s the supposition that underpins Thermic heat-generating paint, which is applied like conventional paint but then can heat up a room when it is connected to a safe level of 24 volts of electricity. The paint is a water-based, solvent-free and low-pollutant dispersion that provides a wafer-thin carbon specialty coating (about 0.4 mm), which can be connected to a low-current circuit to provide radiant heat. In effect, the product allo...