Building Management - Editor's Note

It takes a proliferation of data centers to serve the growing computing needs of the Internet, and all those servers churning away create plenty of heat. Might some of that heat be harnessed and used for residential or commercial heating? The emergence of district heating systems, which provide thermal energy to multiple buildings from a single source, demonstrates the approach has broad possibilities. Air-cooled chillers and air-handling units used to cool data centers are like the technologi...

The idea of Energy as a Service involves shifting the traditional business model from selling energy as a commodity to providing a comprehensive package of goods and services to address a customer’s energy use and management. Rather than selling energy, the approach encompasses complete stewardship of a company’s energy needs in exchange for a monthly fee. Because 40% or so of a company’s typical energy needs are related to heating and cooling systems, implementing Energy as...

AHR Expo 2024 was abuzz with activity, befitting a dynamic industry in the throes of change.  Industry developments such as electrification and the refrigerant transition render business opportunities on the AHR Expo show floor, where exhibitors display a determination to meet the challenges and thrive in the process. Walking from booth to booth during the three-day show in Chicago, I saw the best the HVAC industry has to offer, up close and personal. Innovation and adaptability are the w...

Esthetics have historically not been a primary consideration when it comes to HVAC vents and grilles. Rather, HVAC vents have been typically concerned with performance and ease of production, manufactured from stamped metal or extruded. “There have been limited efforts to make HVAC components that are also interior design elements,” says Mark Mascarello, Head of Design and Production of InviAir. It’s a missed opportunity. “I’m not an interior designer, but I feel...

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...

Excessive consumption of single-use plastics and other packaging materials is an emerging concern in the HVAC market. Use of plastic and non-recyclable materials in equipment packaging is contributing to HVAC’s environmental footprint. For an industry building its future on concepts of decarbonization and the environment, seeking to minimize packaging materials is a natural concern. More HVAC manufacturers need to transition towards a more sustainable future and implement organic packagi...

In its simplest terms, artificial intelligence (AI) enables machines to mimic the operation of the human brain. Combined with the Internet of Things (IoT), AI currently has a higher profile than ever. In effect, AI is changing how we use information, analyzing massive amounts of data, and improving decision-making. The impact of AI is being felt in many industries and markets, from real-time monitoring of manufacturing processes to analyzing medical data trends to enable early detection of canc...

The building sector is a major player when it comes to lowering greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy efficiency. High-performance buildings with very low energy consumption are key to addressing the climate and energy crisis. Passive House Standard The Passive House Standard ensures that buildings are designed to be healthy, comfortable, durable, and resilient with very low energy needs. The focus is on making use of “passive” concepts to save energy rather than needing...

From supply chain challenges to decarbonization, from data analytics to maintenance programs, the themes that ranked highest among visitors to HVACinformed.com in 2022 reflected the dominant topics of conversation throughout the industry. As demonstrated by the most-read articles on the site, technology trends and regulatory issues all converged and had a profound impact on the industry in 2022. Timely and important issues in the HVAC marketplace dominate HVACinformed.com‘s list of most-c...

The looming deadline for HVAC compliance with new U.S. Department of Energy minimum performance requirements could cause disruptions in the construction trade as builders struggle to install existing stock and resolve other ‘logistical issues’ before time runs out. The new performance standards for all newly manufactured residential and commercial air conditioners, heat pumps and gas furnaces will take effect Jan. 1, 2023. Revised testing protocols will also apply. Supply chain di...

California is moving to ban the sale of natural gas furnaces, heaters and water heaters by 2030. It is the first US state to make the move, in order to meet federal ozone standards. In addition to California’s previous efforts to eliminate installation of gas-fueled equipment in new buildings, the new regulation will address the use of gas space heaters and water heaters in existing residential buildings. When it comes time to replace them, building owners will be required to transition...

High outdoor temperatures are a great indicator of demand for HVAC services, and HVAC companies are feeling the heat as they struggle to meet higher demand for services even as they face unprecedented supply-chain challenges and a critically tight labor market. HVAC contractors across the country agree that demand this summer is higher than ever. The phones are ringing off the hook, and HVAC employees are working long hours just to keep up. Some are working 12-hour days and on the weekend. The...

Two HVAC technicians, James Lewis and Robert Shook, were among six people murdered in April 2021 by former NFL player Phillip Adams. The gunman came across the technicians outside a customer’s home in York County, S.C., shot them both, and then entered the home and killed the entire family. The tragedy is an extreme example of the dangers HVAC technicians face every day as they complete their appointed assignments. Danger is inherent whenever a technician enters a stranger’s home. H...

Demand for HVAC services spiked during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Low interest rates, government stimulus checks and a greater emphasis on home improvement (because more people were spending time at home) drove new business for HVAC companies. However, labor shortages limited companies’ ability to meet the demand. In some cases, money was left on the table. There was another impact of the pandemic on industry labor trends: HVAC contractors kept working, even when much of the eco...

Some 38% of greenhouse gas emissions emanate from residential housing, specifically heating and cooling systems. Given the goal of ‘net-zero’ carbon emissions by 2050, new approaches have emerged to achieve that target. Some of the solutions currently being evaluated include the use of hydrogen as a replacement fuel, to store electricity from solar or wind power, or in fuel cells that use an electrochemical process combining hydrogen and oxygen to produce electrical energy and water....

Consumers associate warranties with peace of mind, which they should. In our hectic economic times, peace of mind is at a premium, so more customers than ever are willing to pay for it.  Manufacturers’ warranties typically cover manufacturing defects for a period of 5 to 10 years. Customers, who complete a product registration with the manufacturer, including product serial number, model number, installation date, and other information, may be eligible for an enhanced or longer-term...

Gradient seeks to bring the benefits of mini-split systems - variable speed drive, efficient operation, heat pump heating - to a wider audience, by simplifying the installation process. Gradient offers a design that is installed in a window, but it has more similarities to mini-split systems than to a window air conditioner. simple installation The system is designed for simple installation by a layman – it generally takes about 15 minutes. Using heat pump technology, Gradient has the e...

Climatech of Professional Air in Pensacola, Florida, USA, is known for putting HVAC customers first by providing first-class service and for doing what’s right, even when no one is looking. “We approach each customer like it’s our grandmother,” said Travis Thompson of Climatech of Professional Air, adding “We show all the options and we are fair with pricing. The open-book approach to options and our honest opinion is the best way. We sit and get to know the custome...

‘As a service’ is a familiar pattern in business today, especially in the technology arena. ‘Software as a Service’ is as common as Microsoft Office 365 and companies have been providing services, such as telephony and internet access for decades. But, how can the model be applied to the HVAC market? It’s not a common approach today, but the benefits of applying ‘As a service’ to HVAC are many – for customers and for equipment and service provider...

With a required 15% increase in seasonal efficiency looming in 2023, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are being challenged to design HVAC rooftop units (RTUs) that both meet the immediate efficiency requirements and also set the stage for a refrigerant transition in 2025 and beyond. Meeting the challenges requires that new hardware designs be more than ‘a little bit better’; rather, complete shifts in technology are called for. Insights on the changing technologies and regulat...

For 100 years, the Marley brand has provided evaporative cooling towers and fluid coolers, ranging from large industrial applications to smaller plants such as offices. The equipment is used to cool hospitals, data centers, and large commercial buildings. In data centers, for example, evaporative cooling uses 60% less power than air-cooled systems. Events at 100th anniversary  SPX Technologies, the corporate owner of the Marley brand, is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2022. Among th...

Rooftop units (RTUs) withstand a lion’s share of the burden, when it comes to heating and cooling commercial buildings, and they also represent a big portion of a building’s impact on global warming. Traditional low-tech approaches to controlling RTUs have failed to address global warming concerns, and these units, operating independently, may not even deliver sufficiently on the climate demands of a building. Intelligent approach to managing energy demand Providing an intelligent...

AHR Expo was back in a big way for 2022, reflecting a dynamic industry that not only survived the pandemic but has found new ways to thrive. Technical developments on display in Las Vegas spanned traditional product categories, which continued to display new levels of innovation in a mature market. Also reflecting progress were new digital offerings that increase control and efficiency of HVAC products and link them to the expanding world of data.  Omar Tabba, the Chief Product Officer at...

A new installation is using natural heat from groundwater to regulate the indoor climate of The Glen Mhor Hotel in Scotland. The groundwater is further heated by two electric heat pumps and distributed to guest rooms and apartments through a small heating district network. From the system, which is slated for completion this spring, the water will return to the sand and gravel layers in shallow ground around Inverness, and eventually back to the River Ness. The design, which replaces 20 gas-fir...

The HVAC market is moving fast. Supply shortages, technology trends and regulatory issues all converged and had a profound impact on the industry in 2021, even as the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic also made a mark. Looking back at the top articles of the year at HVACInformed.com, as measured by those that received the most ‘clicks’ on the website, provides a decent summary of how the industry evolved in 2021. Top 10 articles posted at HVACInformed.com in 2021 Timely and...

HVAC systems typically operate on a schedule. Heating, cooling and ventilation systems start and stop at fixed times of the day, scheduled around when and how a building is used. But, shouldn’t the number of occupants in a building or a room have an impact on how the HVAC system operates? Considering occupancy, when addressing HVAC needs, is an especially timely approach, given that building schedules are less predictable now, since the COVID-19 pandemic changed work patterns, possibly fo...

Society is prioritizing the mitigation of climate change, and new, potentially flammable, low-Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants are a key tool in broadly lowering the rate of global warming. The detection of fugitive (leaking) refrigerant is a new regulation emerging as HVAC equipment manufacturers convert to low-GWP refrigerants. Both A2L and A3 low-GWP refrigerants, while climate-friendly, are flammable. As such, OEMs will have to integrate refrigerant sensors that detect leaked ref...

The concept of district heating refers to a group of customers, or even a whole city, which shares a system providing ambient heat, often using steam or water heated by sources that emit less carbon dioxide. A network of insulated pipes, constructed underground in a community, transports the heat among customers, and various meters and billing systems keep up with how much heat is provided. District heating District heating is seen as an increasingly important option, as municipalities seek to...

A focus of research and development in the HVAC arena has been to develop alternative materials and technologies that requires less energy to function while still providing a benefit to regulate temperature. More passive approaches to regulating temperature offer green benefits and yield new components in systems to regulate temperatures in the future. Here are some examples and a glimpse of what’s to come. Phase-change materials have drawn interest because of their ability to change the...

‘Net zero’ is an unavoidable reality in the continuing fight against climate change. For example, both the United Kingdom and the European Union have set targets of having net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. These objectives are in line with a commitment to global climate action under the Paris Agreement. Net zero - carbon neutral Net zero refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere. It’s another term f...