Amazon - Experts & Thought Leaders

Start-ups tackling some of the world’s biggest sustainability challenges will trial the technology with Amazon across Europe after winning funding in this year’s Amazon Sustainability Accelerator. Eleven start-ups have been awarded the opportunity to test their pioneering innovations within Amazon operations with a potential investment of up to £2 million.  The start-ups will work with Amazon in the UK, Denmark, France, Germany, and Spain to test new ways to recycle electronic waste, innovative packaging methods, ground-breaking building materials, and using AI to improve energy efficiency.  Opportunity for wider partnerships HT Materials Science from Dublin and American-based Phaidra will do the same at Amazon The pilots will vary in both duration and scope depending on the challenge that is being addressed, with the opportunity for wider partnerships on completion. Cheesecake Energy from the UK will deploy its compressed air and thermal technology to provide safe, reliable energy storage within Amazon's European operations, reducing emissions from electricity usage. HT Materials Science from Dublin and American-based Phaidra will do the same at Amazon solely in the UK.  Energy storage systems Cheesecake Energy was founded at the University of Nottingham and uses energy storage systems to capture electricity generated by solar power during the day to provide additional energy during peak hours or at night when the sun doesn’t shine. The technology will be used in selected European fulfillment centers.  “Storing energy for longer periods is vital as we accelerate towards net zero,” said Michael Simpson, Chief Commercial Officer at Cheesecake Energy. “We are excited to test our innovative technology with Amazon. This will help the company store excess solar energy and use it when needed. It’s great that Amazon shares our belief in the potential of the Cheesecake Energy technology, to reduce the cost of energy storage as well as ensuring renewable energy is used efficiently.” Heating and cooling systems HT Materials Science will add a nanofluid solution to the heating and cooling systems at Amazon HT Materials Science will add a nanofluid solution to the heating and cooling systems at Amazon fulfillment centers in Coventry, Daventry, and Doncaster. The aluminum-based technology, a winner of the Green Product Award, is expected to reduce energy consumption by up to 14%. From early 2025, Phaidra will use its AI tool with the heating and cooling system at one of Amazon’s UK fulfillment centers, which is expected to lower carbon emissions by up to 40% and reduce energy costs by up to 25%. When connected, Phaidra’s software will use algorithms to optimize energy usage in real time based on factors such as the weather and the number of occupants in the building. Reducing carbon emissions “Through our world-pioneering AI tools, we are committed to reducing carbon emissions and energy use in heating and cooling systems,” said Jim Gao, CEO of Phaidra. “Our collaboration with Amazon in this pilot is a significant step towards achieving a more sustainable future in commercial, industrial and data center facilities. We aim to provide a scalable and seamless solution that not only benefits the environment but also offers substantial savings and efficiency improvements.” Amazon’s packaging reduction efforts The Amazon Sustainability Accelerator will see similar innovative pilots across Europe The Amazon Sustainability Accelerator will see similar innovative pilots across Europe. To support Amazon’s packaging reduction efforts, start-ups Re-Zip and Hipli will launch pilots to ship close to 100,000 orders across France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria using unique, reusable packaging.  Circu Li-Ion from Luxembourg will help extend the life of Amazon’s batteries, using robots to disassemble and support batteries upcycling, giving them a second life, reducing lithium-ion waste and decreasing carbon-intensive material extraction. Amazon’s commitment Throughout the pilots, Amazon’s subject matter experts will work closely with the start-ups, offering feedback, troubleshooting assistance, and opportunities to refine their technologies to ensure they work smoothly in their respective placements. Upon completion, Amazon will assess the environmental impact, financial viability, and overall effectiveness of the pilots to determine whether any can be scaled across other sites as part of a long-term partnership.   “This trailblazing program is a testament to Amazon’s commitment to supporting innovation and driving positive change,” said Amazon’s Sustainability Director, Justine Mahler. Amazon Sustainability Accelerator Mahler added: “By providing a real-world testing ground for unique and cutting-edge technologies, we’re not only reducing our environmental impact but also creating a blueprint for more sustainable practices across industry.” Since launching in 2022, the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator has supported more than 40 start-ups across the UK and Europe, provided more than £1 million in grants and credits, and helped those businesses on average increase sales by 700% and raise over £15 million to date.

Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors National Association (PHCC) unveils Jeff Butler and Mary Kelly as the keynote speakers for CONNECT 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama, October 7-10, at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. Jeff Butler is a workplace strategist, who has offered expertise to help companies like Amazon, Google, and John Deere foster a harmonious and high-performing workplace. Butler will present a keynote address, “Building an Effective Multi-Generational Workplace.” He will also lead a breakout session on the topic of “Winning the Talent War.” Practical strategies and innovative solutions Mary Kelly is a Council of Peer Award of Excellence speaker, best-selling author and Navy commander Mary Kelly is a Council of Peer Award of Excellence speaker, best-selling author and Navy commander. At CONNECT, Kelly will share various stories and experiences of interest to p-h-c contractors during her keynote address, “Why Leaders Fail and the 7 Prescriptions for Success.” Kelly will also lead a breakout session, “Master Your World,” where she will emphasize effective tactics, practical strategies and innovative solutions that are tailored to dilemmas faced by pioneers. “I know that many attendees, including myself, are anticipating the remarks that Jeff and Mary will share,” says Joe Cornetta, PHCC national president and co-owner of Cornetta Brothers, Inc., Elmont, New York. “We are excited to have these two pioneers join us and help offer invaluable insights to the industry.” Information on education sessions For more details, including the schedule-at-a-glance, visit the website. This site offers information on education sessions, speakers, exhibitors, registration and hotel reservations, as well as the many attractions of Birmingham, known as “The Country’s Best Kept Secret.”

ATMOsphere, the publisher of NaturalRefrigerants.com, has finalized the program for the ATMOsphere (ATMO) America Summit 2024 on natural refrigerant-based cooling and heating, with sessions on refrigeration and heat pump case studies, end users, market trends, project funding, training, PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and policy; famed environmental attorney Robert Bilott will deliver the keynote.  13th ATMO America This 13th annual edition of ATMO America will be held Monday, June 10, and Tuesday, June 11, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. Attending will be key industry experts, including manufacturers, policymakers, end users, and contractors to learn about the latest developments in natural refrigerant-based systems. End users can register for free, and contractors/installers of HVAC&R systems are eligible to receive one free ticket per organization, with a 50% discount on additional tickets. refrigeration and heat pump case studies Flow Environmental Systems and Lawrence Berkeley National Labs will deliver case studies on CO2-based heat pump applications A wide range of refrigeration and heat pump case studies involving the use of CO2 (R744), propane (R290), and ammonia (R717) as refrigerants will be presented by industry-pioneering companies. Energy Recovery, Kysor Warren and Kroger; Copeland and Future Green; Hillphoenix; Güntner, Zero Zone and Amond World; VEIC; and Zero Zone and Coolsys will present CO2-based refrigeration case studies. In addition, Dorin; Hillphoenix and Flō Energy Solutions; Intellihot; Flow Environmental Systems, and Lawrence Berkeley National Labs will deliver case studies on CO2-based heat pump applications. Other related case studies will be presented by Axiom Cloud and Ratio Institute.  propane-based refrigeration, ammonia absorption heat pump Delivering case study presentations on propane-based refrigeration will be Tecumseh and TruMed; Embraco and Structural Concepts; and VEIC. Ammonia-based refrigeration case studies will be presented by Evapco and ColonialWebb jointly, as well as Smart Care. An ammonia absorption heat pump case study will be offered by Stone Mountain Technologies.  Event highlights Other technology highlights include:  End users will share their experiences using different types of natural refrigerant technologies, including benefits, challenges, and plans. Speakers will include Bob Siler, Operations Engineer, Amazon; Megan Rodriguez, Senior Manager of Refrigeration, Grocery Outlet; Aer Teale, Director of Engineering, Lineage Logistics; and a representative of General Refrigeration.  The latest natural refrigeration market trends in North America will be discussed by representatives of Hillphoenix, Hussmann, Copeland, Kysor Warren Epta US, and Johnson Controls–Frick/M&M Carnot. Heat Pump Market Trends: the latest market trends related to natural refrigerant heat pumps in North America will be addressed by Andy Baker, Owner & Project Manager of YourCleanEnergy. Training Panel: Natural refrigerants-based training and certification opportunities will be discussed by Rusty Walker, Training Director, North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC), and Jim Barron, Executive Director, Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association (RETA).  PFAS and policy  Bilott’s keynote will be followed by a PFAS and global warming panel discussion The link between PFAS and refrigerants will be a focus of ATMOsphere America. Robert Bilott, the pioneering U.S. environmental attorney, will open the conference with a keynote on how he exposed the global threat of PFAS, with lessons for the cooling and heating industry. Bilott’s keynote will be followed by a PFAS and global warming panel discussion including Richie Kaur, Non-CO2 Climate Pollution Reduction Advocate, Climate & Energy, for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC); Mindi Messmer, Senior Research Scientist for MedStar Health and former New Hampshire State House Representative; Gabriel Salierno, Green Chemist for the Toxics Use Reduction Institute; and a representative of ATMOsphere.  policy and standards session In addition, a policy and standards session will discuss developments impacting the uptake of natural refrigerants in North America. Speakers will include:  A representative of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s StratosphericProtection Division at the Office of Atmospheric Programs, will provide an update on the U.S. AIM Act. Ram Narayanamurthy, Deputy Director, Building Technologies Office, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Suzanne Hagell, Chief of the GHG Mitigation Bureau, Office of Climate Change, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.   Beth Porter, Senior Climate Policy Analyst, Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA). Dr. Rajan Rajendran, Advisor – EIA, Five Rivers Research and Consulting.   Tony Lundell, Senior Director of Standards and Safety, International Institute of All-Natural Refrigeration (IIAR). funding options There will also be a session on current and future funding options for natural refrigerant-based systems There will also be a session on current and future funding options for natural refrigerant-based systems, including the $65-million California F-gas Reduction Incentive Program (FRIP), and other states actively pursuing funding programs. Presenters will include Danielle Wright, Executive Director, NASRC, and Michael FitzGibbon, Branch Chief, Research Division, California Air Resources Board (CARB). ATMO Awards/North America ceremony At the end of day one, the conference will hold the ATMO Awards/North America ceremony recognizing companies and individuals pioneering the transition to natural refrigerant-based technologies. The Platinum sponsor of ATMO America 2024 is Hillphoenix. Gold sponsors are Hussmann, Kysor Warren, Copeland, M&M Carnot and Frick.

Data centers worldwide are under intense pressure. High-powered computing is a global necessity that seemingly gets more demanding by the day. There’s also the need to prioritize sustainability improvements ranging from resource conservation to decarbonization. And data centers must consider their bottom line and remain competitive. Anticipating the challenges data centers will continue to face, scientists and engineers have innovated two-phase (2-PIC) immersion cooling. With the capacity to meet the elevated cooling requirements driven by high-powered computing, this next-generation solution delivers on environmental priorities by significantly lowering data center energy consumption, slashing, if not eliminating, water use, while supporting decarbonization, circularity missions, and more. Emergence of 2-PIC Traditional approaches are fast approaching capacity for meeting current and future cooling needs The emergence of 2-PIC comes at a critical time, because the traditional cooling methods that have kept data centers up and running so far—namely air cooling and water cooling—are doing so at the detriment of the planet.  Additionally, these traditional approaches are quickly approaching capacity for meeting current and future cooling needs. Air- and water-cooling methods are used in approximately 95% of the estimated 8,000 data centers that exist today. The criticality of high-powered computing Once seen as a future need, high-powered computing, and faster-than-ever processing are now established as critical to the operation of businesses, governments, organizations, and other entities that support the way communities function, survive, and thrive. Whether it’s health and wellness, financial institutions, economic growth, safety and protection, entertainment, education, or any other service supporting our way of life, successfully providing that service fully depends on the ability of data centers to quickly and reliably obtain, store, and process data.  Influence of AI AI has a profound influence and, generates far more power than traditional internet uses Moreover, when we say “data centers,” we’re not just speaking of big players like Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Amazon. Equally dependent on high-performance, high-speed computing are enterprise data center operators, such as our governments and military, financial institutions, healthcare systems, educational institutions, and more.  We also must acknowledge the profound influence of artificial intelligence (AI), which generates far more power than traditional internet uses. Its effects are far-reaching, enhancing patient care, supporting risk management and fraud detection in finance, boosting crop yields within agriculture, and more. The environmental costs of data centers According to the latest estimates by the International Energy Agency, data centers worldwide produce 1% of energy-related carbon emissions and in 2022 used approximately 460 TWh of electricity per year—equating to 2% of global electricity demand. McKinsey and Company estimates 40% of this electricity is used for data center cooling. Data centers’ impact on the environment also includes their significant water consumption, averaging 300,000 gallons per day, and a physical footprint that averages 100,000 square feet but in the case of some hyperscale data centers can range between 1.3 to 2 million square feet. In terms of growth, a U.S. market report from Newmark tells us that in the U.S. alone, the U.S. data center footprint will absorb 35 gigawatts by 2030, which is more than twice the data center power consumption of 2022. The emergence of liquid cooling: the elevated interest in 2-PIC From reducing energy and water consumption to shrinking physical footprints, 2-PIC offers the planet a better data center solution. In less than two years, traditional cooling systems won’t be able to support the exponential growth in the world’s data processing and storage applications. Based on publicly available product roadmaps from major chip manufacturers, by 2026, air-cooled systems will no longer be able to meet the cooling needs of most next-generation, high-performance computing chips. Capable of removing heat more effectively than air cooling, liquid cooling uses a liquid such as water or a dielectric fluid to cool the heat-generating components of servers. The liquid can cool these components directly, or it can be done indirectly through a heat exchanger. With two-phase immersion cooling the entire server rack is submerged in a tank filled with a dielectric fluid. Single-phase and two-phase liquid cooling Single-phase liquid cooling uses a pump to circulate the liquid through a closed-loop system Single-phase liquid cooling uses a pump to circulate the liquid through a closed-loop system. Two-phase liquid cooling uses a phase-change material, such as a refrigerant, which evaporates and condenses as it absorbs and releases heat. With 2-PIC, which is a form of two-phase liquid cooling, the entire server rack is submerged in a tank filled with dielectric fluid. The fluid boils as it’s heated by the components of the servers, creating bubbles that rise to the surface and condense in a heat exchanger. Gravity then returns the condensed fluid to the tank, creating a natural circulation loop that does not require pumps or fans. Advantages of 2-PIC 2-PIC is commanding attention as the solution for meeting the cooling demands of the high-powered computing components of today and tomorrow. Moreover, the technology of 2-PIC systems, combined with the right dielectric fluid, delivers advantages to “take the heat off” data centers. Here’s a breakdown of additional 2-PIC benefits: Up to 90% reduction in energy consumption: Based on modeling completed by the industry, 2-PIC is expected to reduce up to 90% of data center cooling energy consumption and 40% of overall data center energy consumption*. (*Compared to traditional air-cooling technologies) Enhanced computing performance and data center reliability: 2-PIC allows servers to operate at higher temperatures and power densities, while reducing the risk of overheating. Significant reduction in water consumption: Depending on the data center location and cooling design methodology, water consumption could even be eliminated completely. 60% reduction in the physical footprint: 2-PIC reduces the space required for cooling equipment, freeing up more floor area for servers and increasing the rack density of the data center. Lower GWP and circularity: Chemours Opteon™ 2P50 is a developmental dielectric heat-transfer fluid, currently pre-commercial, pending regulatory approval. It offers an extremely low global warming potential (GWP) of 10 and was specifically created to optimize the performance of the electronic components in a 2-PIC system. This 2-PIC fluid also enables the reprocessing/reuse of existing fluid to maximize circularity.  The bottom line: In addition to other compelling data, a recent study commissioned by Chemours and LiquidStack through Syska Hennessy, revealed that, compared with other state-of-the-art liquid cooling methods, 2-PIC can deliver up to a 40% lower total cost of ownership (TCO) and significantly reduce operational expenditures (OPEX), with savings ranging from 54% to 88.6%. Benefits of new data center cooling technologies compared to single-phase direct-to-chip, and single-phase immersion methods. 2-PIC, the future-ready solution As the world’s reliance on AI and other high-powered computing capabilities escalates, data center cooling solutions must grow with demand while significantly reducing their impact on the environment. In global energy savings alone, 2-PIC could generate an estimated savings of 340 TWh by 2055—the equivalent of powering more than 517 million laptops 24/7. And even with increasing IT loads, 2-PIC maintains its performance, ensuring long-term cost-effectiveness and adaptability to meet future demands. With society at a crossroads between the criticality of high-powered computing and a planet in crisis, the industry is turning its attention to 2-PIC as the solution for today and tomorrow.

Johnson Controls’ Advanced Development Engineering Center (JADEC) in New Freedom, PA., about 25 miles from Philadelphia, highlights and demonstrates the company’s capabilities related to development, testing and manufacturing.  The 357,000-square-foot facility is an advanced engineering and testing facility for water-cooled chillers, air-cooled chillers, air handlers, compressors, and heat pumps. Much of the development in the facility centers on advancements in a critical vertical market for the HVAC industry – data centers. Big challenge  Data centers are a big challenge – and a huge opportunity – for the HVAC industry. “You cannot ignore the tremendous growth opportunity in this vertical,” says Todd Grabowski, president, Global Data Center Solutions for Johnson Controls. Unlike other verticals that are more dominant in certain geographic regions, data centers are growing everywhere globally – and at a breathtaking pace. “As a growth company, it is critical that we have solutions to handle the growth and serve the customers in the data center market,” says Grabowski. Performance of various components Testing options at JADEC include testing the performance of various components Testing options at JADEC include the ability to test the performance of various components in a controlled environment that approximates how they will operate in the customer’s real-world setting. There are more than 20 testing labs available at the JADEC campus, covering some 250,000 square feet.  “We want everyone to understand the unique position Johnson Controls is in to use our technology and our manufacturing scale to accomplish desired outcomes,” said Grabowski. Non-compressor solution  JADEC displays the full breadth of what they offer, including a non-compressor solution using direct evaporative cooling and an air-cooled unit that uses a screw compressor or a magnetic-bearing centrifugal compressor. Also included are various water-cooled chillers.   Johnson Controls owns, develops, tests, and manufactures all the compressors on display. Customers are assured of getting a fully engineered and supported solution from Johnson Controls (e.g., no third-party compressors). Johnson Controls owns, develops, tests, and manufactures all the compressors on display. Colocated data centers  Grabowski emphasizes that each customer installation has site-specific needs that require unique solutions that Johnson Controls seeks to fulfill. The company works closely with data centers, including those operated by “hyperscalers” such as Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and Meta, and colocated data centers that rent space and capacity to customers based on their growth and needs. Colocated data centers come in a variety of sizes and types; some of them are operated by companies such as Equinix and NTT. Data center solutions Sustainable methods include the use of refrigerants with ultra-low GWP The sustainability of data center solutions is a bigger issue than ever, given the sheer volume of data centers being built to handle the world’s growing computational needs. Sustainable approaches include the use of refrigerants with ultra-low GWP, and water-free systems that do not require higher costs or create higher demands on a locality’s water infrastructure. Magnetic bearing centrifugal compressors are more energy-efficient because no friction is lost in the compression; also, the equipment is quieter. Impact on global electricity demand “Sustainability has always been an important aspect, and now it is critical in 2024 and beyond,” says Grabowski. Because data centers are huge consumers of energy, they can put more strain on the electricity grid and have a big impact on global electricity demand. Lowering energy usage helps to address the challenge.  “We want to contribute to energy efficiency, be good stewards of water, and reduce noise,” says Grabowski. Increasing the challenges are the proliferation of new artificial intelligence (AI) chips, more common in newer data centers, which need more power and create more heat than older chips.   Advantages of water cooling  The liquid contained in a cold plate on top of the chip is denser than air and accept more transferred heat Closed-loop liquid systems are used to cool individual chips, an application that does not cause a strain on local water supplies. The liquid contained in a cold plate on top of the chip is denser than air and can accept more transferred heat.  However, chillers and cooling towers lose water through evaporation and can strain local water supplies. Johnson Controls is researching and testing systems that provide the advantage of water cooling without losing excess water to evaporation. Air-cooled systems  In contrast, air-cooled systems can cool chips to a point, but may not provide enough cooling for high-density chips. Johnson Controls provides air-cooled machines up to 600 tons and water-cooled systems up to 4,000-plus tons.  “As chip technology evolves, the way you cool, secure and automate the entire data center changes as well,” says Grabowski. “Companies such as Johnson Controls must keep up with evolving trends and provide unique solutions.” As chips become denser from a heat-generation perspective, systems must be optimized from a footprint and energy standpoint.  JCI provides air-cooled machines up to 600 tons and water-cooled systems up to 4,000-plus tons. Technological solutions “As chip density increases, we will have technological solutions ready for the next generation of chips when they come out,” adds Grabowski.  Johnson Controls is also involved in developing new approaches to managing the heat from data centers, such as the possibility of recapturing the heat and circulating it into a district-heating system for a nearby community, university, or hospital. A more widely deployed approach in Europe, the concept of district heating is gaining acceptance in the U.S. market. {##Poll1725623180 - What is the biggest challenge the data center market presents to the HVAC community?##}

Data-driven control of centralized home and building HVAC systems is helping to minimize energy usage, lessen sustainability concerns, and provide greater levels of comfort for lower costs. However, room air conditioners are globally the fastest growing segment, each operating independently with the aid of a remote control. How can the lessons and capabilities of data-driven control systems be applied to the world of room air conditioners?  Sensibo is looking to do just that. Sensibo aims to be the brains of an indoor climate system, using data to provide the best comfort, energy efficiency and air quality to every home and office. The company’s systems connect to ACs and may be remote-controlled via a mobile app, along with full integration with Google Assistant, Alexa, Siri, and Apple HomeKit. HVAC systems The backgrounds of Sensibo founders Ran Roth and Omer Inbar are not in the HVAC market. Coming from the world of data and artificial intelligence (AI), they were looking for an industry that could benefit from data more than it was. Constituting a quarter to a third of the energy used by humanity and representing substantial sustainability challenges, the HVAC market had the potential to benefit greatly from an approach using data, computational power, and machine learning. Computational power to leverage the data points into knowledge of how to control the HVAC systems In fact, Ran Roth, Sensibo’s CEO and co-founder, says there were two major elements previously missing from how HVAC systems were controlled. The missing elements were data points, provided by various sensors and other information, and computational power to leverage the data points into knowledge of how to control the HVAC systems. “The combination of computation power in the cloud and more data from systems can save a lot of energy, 20% on average,” says Roth. Sensibo control systems Emerging control systems such as Nest, Ecobee, and Emerson’s Sensi provide high levels of control for centralized HVAC systems, but what about the 87% of systems that use room air conditioners? How can new technologies address this fastest-growing market segment? Sensibo’s low-power solution controls any room air conditioner that uses a remote control and is among the easiest systems to install for do-it-yourself homeowners. Some 99% of users install the units themselves. Sensibo control systems communicate using the infrared remote-control protocols of the 30,000 or so available models of room air conditioners. The company mapped out more than 1,000 protocols used by various models, and “reverse-engineered” them to be controlled by the system, a process that took about three years. The technology is also compatible with variable refrigerant flow (VRF) and mini-split ductless systems – basically any system that uses a remote control. Sensibo’s mobile application Sensibo’s mobile application suggests recommendations based on a user’s behavior patterns In the area of artificial intelligence (AI), Sensibo recently integrated OpenAI’s ChatGPT into its smart AC products. The advanced language model uses a deep learning architecture called transformers. For the first stage of integration, Sensibo’s mobile application suggests recommendations based on a user’s behavior patterns, such as an automated AC schedule based on the customer behavior of the user and climate react personal recommendations.  “Since we come from the field of AI, we are very excited about the recent developments (regarding ChatGPT),” says Roth. “There is a lot of hype, but there are also results beyond the hype. We were amazed by what it could do.” Traditional approaches Sensibo is using the new technology to fine-tune products and to improve how they process results, with more accuracy and better cost-effectiveness. “With Chat GPT, you get both good results, and you can understand why,” says Roth. The company expects to see additional uses for the technology over time. Traditional approaches to analyzing AC data require a lot of fine-tuning in terms of signal processes. Advanced language models and other new technologies make it easier to develop a smart system at scale. “We can analyze data in new ways and come up with new answers and fewer customizations,” says Roth. “It’s a game changer.” Environmental elements Sensibo collects more than a billion data points a day from more than a million unique uses Sensibo systems collect more than a billion data points a day from more than a million unique uses by customers. The resulting data, including factors such as humidity and temperature, and air quality elements such as volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide, enables computations that allow the system to control environmental elements more precisely. The system also considers factors such as local weather conditions based on geolocation, and presence sensors that let the system know if a home or room is occupied. “We found that around 37% of people use a totally incorrect temperature on (their thermostat setting),” says Roth. “Because of various circumstances they may never reach the target temperature and then you spend more and more energy in an ineffective way.” The system also analyzes air quality indoors versus outside and may advise a user to open a window for greater ventilation, for example. Sensibo’s technology Interfaces and notifications are provided through a smartphone, and the system’s application programming interface (API) enables integration with 100 home automation systems and with programs of utility companies, which might subsidize or pay for the unit. Directing power usage to non-peak hours, the system saves money for consumers and helps utility companies shift usage patterns to be the most cost-effective. “If a house is insulated, you can pre-cool before you arrive home from work (in a non-peak period) for less money,” says Roth. Sensibo’s technology is not compatible with smart thermostats. Currently, Sensibo sells mostly through Amazon and the company website Currently, Sensibo sells mostly through Amazon and the company website. They are looking to expand their distribution in big-box stores and to work with professional HVAC installers and trade distribution. “It’s a product people love,” says Roth, who urges interested HVAC installers to contact the company through their website. Customer Involvement A benefit of the product is greater customer involvement in how their AC system operates. They might use the app several times a day, which provides greater potential to connect and, possibly, more service and maintenance opportunities for HVAC professionals. “Part of our philosophy is that indoor climate is not just about heating and cooling,” says Roth. “The gases around us are more than just how we feel. We see air quality as part of the same system. Currently air quality systems are disconnected from the heating and cooling systems, but they should be the same systems.”