Commercial HVAC - Editor's Note

Annexair unveiled a new line of more sustainable and eco-friendly HVAC systems during AHR Expo in Orlando. The company displayed the new units, made from biosourced engineered composite panels, in a parking lot that was a short drive from the Orange County Convention Center. Composites are 50 to 60% lighter and five times stronger than metal. The engineered composite panels have reinforced glass fiber. Annexair combines the composite panels with green foam insulation made from recycled water bo...

There was plenty to see and appreciate at AHR Expo in Orlando. And there is good news to report: Innovation is alive and well in the HVAC market. Some new products on display demonstrated genuine ingenuity. Exhibitors had enthusiasm to spare as they shared what’s new in the market with this first-time visitor to the show. HVAC is not a new market, but it is changing and, in some regards, re-inventing itself. The vibrancy, variety and sheer size of AHR Expo showed off the newest and best th...

What is the cost of “rolling a truck” to service an HVAC system, and how can you maximize the efficiency of such a call while minimizing the cost? On the second day of AHR Expo in Orlando, several companies mentioned the benefits of various diagnostic and analytics systems that can be accessed remotely and that provide information for a technician about the nature of a problem, and what parts are needed, before he or she leaves for the call. It’s an example of how technology ca...

Technologies such as machine learning and the internet of things (IoT) are taking their place alongside more traditional products at AHR Expo in Orlando this week. Performance of the industry’s historic product mix continues to improve from the standpoint of efficiency and sustainability, and elements of the industry’s “digitization” are making it even better. The “smart building” has finally arrived in earnest. “Our world is changing,” said Jenny...

Around 1,900 exhibitors display the latest HVACR products and services at the AHR Expo 2020, Feb. 3-5, in Orlando. Show organizers are expecting a great turnout, judging by pre-registration activities. The 500,000-square-foot exhibition, billed as “The World’s Largest HVACR Marketplace,” includes well-known HVACR brands such as Emerson, Samsung, Johnson Controls, Daikin and Mitsubishi Electric. “The show is unique in that it is the gathering place for professionals from...

Trade jobs in general are really struggling to find talented individuals interested in the opportunities. The “dark and dangerous” stigma needs to start being overturned, and people need to realize the great success that can be found in industries like HVACR. That’s why HARDI, Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International, is working on a workforce recruitment initiative that includes a video project to highlight different people with different backgro...

Smart homes are a key focus at CES 2020, the world’s largest technology event, January 7-10 in Las Vegas. The giant show features more than 170,000 attendees, 4,500 exhibitors and 1,100 industry thought-leaders featured on the CES stage. A range of technologies will be on display, from artificial intelligence (AI) to 5G, vehicle technology to AR/VR (augmented and virtual reality), robotics to home automation. smart home environment The role of intelligent HVAC systems in the smart home w...

ASHRAE and NIST have pledged to strengthen their partnership focusing on key issues in the HVAC market. A new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalizes the agreement and sets the stage for continued cooperation for the benefit of the HVAC marketplace. ASHRAE, the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers, is a global professional society committed to advancing the arts and sciences of heating ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and related fields. The...

Teenage students at Greenfield-Central High School in Indiana are learning about the installation, operation and maintenance of air-handling systems. The career and technical education class is giving them a head start toward a decent-paying career in HVAC, including the opportunity to earn multiple certifications. “You’ll get a job if someone else doesn’t have the certifications you do, so [there are] more job opportunities,” one student told the Greenfield Daily Report...

Could lack of ventilation impact the performance of students in the classroom? A study of ventilation and other HVAC issues in California classrooms raises the issue. According to the study by the University of California-Davis and the Berkeley National Laboratory, nearly 85 percent of HVAC systems recently installed in California K-12 schools do not provide adequate ventilation. Nearly 85 percent of HVAC systems recently installed in California K-12 schools do not provide adequate ventilation...

The HVAC market in Europe is expected to show sustained growth in the upcoming years, but with variation among product segments. The decarbonisation strategies in Europe stimulate a strong demand for energy-efficient heating and cooling solutions. The heat pump market in particular has done exceptionally well, with double-digit growth for several years in a row. That’s the outlook from Eurovent, Europe’s Industry Association for Indoor Climate (HVAC), Process Cooling, and Food Cold...

Record hot temperatures in Europe last summer contrasted sharply with the region’s traditional aversion to air conditioning. Unlike the United States, where some 90% of homes are air conditioned, only around 5% of European buildings are equipped for the hottest temperatures. I can’t help but think that days and days of summer temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) must have motivated some building owners to reconsider the issue. Increasing Opportunity For Th...

Interfacing with customers is a fundamental skill in the HVAC market, whether it is the person answering the phone at a small business, a technician visiting a homeowner’s residence, or an engineer working on a large system at a customer site. How well employees interact and communicate with customers helps determine the success (or failure) of any HVAC organization. One important skill is the ability to “think on your feet.” A survey by the commercial subsidiary of Royal Acad...

Johnson Controls’ recently expanded Rooftop Center of Excellence in Norman, Okla., reflects the company’s optimism about the future and growing prominence of RTUs. “Investing in the future of rooftop unit innovation in design and manufacturing is an investment in our customers,” said Steve Maddox, Vice President of Engineering, Commercial Ducted Systems, Johnson Controls.  Includes two-story testing lab The Rooftop Center of Excellence includes a two-story, 52-foo...

If the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol is ratified in the United States, the HVAC industry could benefit for years to come. Overall, the amendment could provide an additional 33,000 jobs and $12.5 billion in annual economic output. Those numbers are from a study by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy. It’s one quantifiable estimate of the economic impact of the Kigali Amendment, which promises to...

Words have meaning, and understanding the specific meaning of key words promotes more effective communication in an industry such as HVAC or refrigeration. What, exactly, is refrigeration? What is a cold chain? basic terminology used in HVAC&R industry ASHRAE and the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) have been working to establish new definitions for five keywords in the refrigeration field. In addition to refrigeration and cold chain, the organizations have also agreed on de...

A key deadline for phasing out hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) from residential air conditioning systems is less than a year away. Jan. 1, 2020, is the deadline after which there will be no U.S. production or import of HCFC-142b and HCFC-22 (also called R-22). The deadline is part of an incremental phazeout of HCFC consumption and production based on the U.S. commitment in the 1997 Montreal Protocol aimed at protecting stratospheric ozone. Section 605 of the Clean Air Act establishes phazeout...

There is an enormous labor shortage in the skilled trades, and women have stepped up to assume many positions beyond office work alone. Throughout the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) industry, women are proving to be excellent technicians, service managers, sales people, marketers and more. Networking, mentoring, and education The increasing role of women in the HVACR industry is reflected in the rapid growth of Women in HVACR, a non-profit organization dedicat...

Advanced, connected technologies will drive the evolution of smart buildings and improve operation of various systems including HVAC. Johnson Controls’ 2018 Energy Efficiency Indicator (EEI) survey examines the current and planned investments and key drivers to improve energy efficiency and building systems integration in facilities. Systems integration was identified in the survey as one of the top technologies expected to have the biggest impact on the implementation in smart buildings...

The commercial trucking industry faces a shortage of drivers that could impact the ability of the HVACR market to move its products through the interstate supply chain. To help fill the need, a bill introduced in Congress would allow commercial drivers who are under 21 to travel across state lines. Safety-Training Standards The DRIVE-Safe Act, sponsored by Congressman Trey Hollingsworth (R-IN) and Senator Toddy Young (R-IN), would offer high school graduates training for interstate commercial...

The primary goal of HVAC systems is to ensure the comfort of people in a building, but often “comfort” isn’t at the center of conversations with customers. HVAC solutions provider Emerson advocates more emphasis on comfort in the HVAC marketplace. Discomfort due to access heating or cooling 70% survey respondents say their performance at school or work has been affected by heating or cooling discomfort A consumer survey by Emerson shows that issues such as humidity, zoning,...