COVID-19 - News

With the EU transition period set to cease on 31st December, attention has fallen onto the role of British ports in the supply chain. Those in the construction industry have been feeling the pinch of coronavirus-related supply issues through 2020, so with January looming, will the supply chain collapse as merchants run dangerously low on stock? The Guardian newspaper recently reported that since September, the port of Felixstowe has seen demand rise by 30%, due to ‘businesses rushing to r...

Registration is now open for the 2021 ASHRAE Virtual Winter Conference, slated to take place from February 9th to February 11th, 2021. The convenient online format of the conference will allow for global participation with a group of the world’s renowned presenters delivering timely and useful industry content. 2021 ASHRAE Virtual Conference “ASHRAE’s Virtual Winter Conference will include three-days packed with learning and live discussions from top experts,” said 2020...

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) to the health and welfare of building inhabitants. Insufficient air filtration and ventilation has proven to increase the risk of airborne viral transmission in closed spaces. While the need to improve IAQ has always been a public health priority, it is now an urgent necessity with far reaching economic and employment impacts. To ensure the safe operation of buildings, improvements to ventilation and air filtration...

PuriFi Labs, who creates whole-building air and surface purification systems, has announced the formation of its new Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), comprised of prominent research experts and pioneers in the field of plasma physics. The SAB will help guide the company's journey toward cleaning indoor air of tested particulates, viruses, bacteria, odors, smoke, mold, ozone, and harmful chemicals. Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrati...

One can watch and listen to REHVA expert speakers again with the video recordings of the REHVA Brussels Summit Conference now up on the REHVA YouTube channel. Access all the speaker's presentations materials on the company’s official website. The impact of COVID-19 is still present in everyone’s everyday lives. But what impact has it on the HVAC sector and building operations? Experienced speakers expand on research, good practices and innovations that emerged from this crisis. 0:...

Airthings, makers of indoor air quality and radon monitors for homeowners, businesses, and professionals, officially unveiled a brand-new capability for its business solution: the Airthings Virus Risk Indicator. Designed to create an indoor environment where people thrive, but viruses don’t, Airthings’ Virus Risk Indicator is now available to all new and existing Airthings for Business customers. The new feature helps people understand their indoor air quality and how it contributes...

As the evidence around the health impacts of poor indoor air quality (IAQ) continues to build, experts from across the ventilation sector have come together to drive awareness amongst installers and the wider public that the Green Homes Grant can cover ventilation improvements alongside insulation installations. Green Homes Grant scheme The UK Government scheme, which launched back in September 2020, aims to support improvements to energy efficiency and indoor air quality (IAQ). The scheme hig...

Viessmann fully supports the Prime Minister’s ambitious Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, announced recently. The plan outlines a set of initiatives designed to mobilize £12 billion of government investment to both create and support up to 250,000 highly-skilled green jobs. This level of focus and investment will be critical if the UK is to be successful in achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and particularly in the run-up to the COP26 climate summit tak...

Adcock (Adcock Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Ltd.), globally renowned HVAC systems and equipment servicing and maintenance firm, announced that they are delighted about the fantastic achievement at the Sawston Community Fun Run & Walk, for which they were pleased to be an official sponsor. The Rotary Club of Cambridge Sawston have raised a little over £20,000 for local good causes from this fun community run event, which was organized in October, 2020. Sawston Community Fun Run...

Honeywell has announced expanding its holistic Healthy Buildings Air Quality offering to help improve and measure commercial building indoor air quality (IAQ) with the introduction of Honeywell Electronic Air Cleaners (EACs) with UV Systems and a new line of indoor air quality (IAQ) sensors. Honeywell Electronic Air Cleaners Honeywell EACs with UV help remove impurities from the air as well as provide filtration and disinfection, without significantly impeding air flow. The new IAQ sensors inc...

Aircuity, the globally renowned provider of measurably better environments, has introduced ‘Air Quality as a Service’ (AQaaS), a new indoor air quality (IAQ) solution that helps building owners create ‘healthy buildings’ that meet both COVID-19 re-entry and longer term air quality requirements. ‘Air Quality as a Service’ (AQaaS) As an operating expenditure, Aircuity's AQaaS requires no or low upfront capital, making it easier and faster to deploy in existing...

The Luxaire® brand of Johnson Controls, the provider of smart and sustainable buildings and the architect of OpenBlue connected solutions, and distributor partner Design Air, rallied the communities of Wisconsin to help raise funds for children with critical illnesses during the Make-A-Wish® Wisconsin Walk For Wishes® event. The state-wide fundraiser garnered record-breaking funds of $250,000 compared to previous Milwaukee Walk for Wishes events, which will grant 50 wishes to Wiscon...

Registration is now open for HVAC Design and Operations training through ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI). The training course will run from December 2020 through June 2021. HVAC Design training “As technology continues to change, the need for training that incorporates the latest building performance solutions will become critical,” said 2020-21 ASHRAE President Chuck E. Gulledge III, P.E., adding “ASHRAE’s HVAC Design training offers comprehensive professional developm...

Spring Power & Gas announces that it is now offering heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) protection to eligible new customers as part of its partnership with Cinch Home Services, the home management industry's foremost provider. Spring Guard Products HVAC Protected The HVAC protection will be included in the Spring Guard electric and gas product to provide homeowners the benefit of knowing that their heating and cooling systems and appliances are covered should any unanticipa...

The 14th edition of Johnson Controls Energy Efficiency Indicator study surveyed 150 commercials, institutional, and industrial facility executives in the U.S. in September 2020. The COVID-19 pulse survey included questions on coronavirus-related improvements, investments, and impacts. Flexibility, Health, and Safety Drive With the pandemic, facility managers have new concerns about building health, changing their motivation for building investments. Increasing building flexibility to respond...

Sustainability is one of the key pillars of the Plymovent vision, mission and strategy. In the past years, they have taken several initiatives to comply with this principle. In 2019, Plymovent became a true energy neutral company by installing over 1600 solar panels on the roof of its Global Head Office and Logistics Center in Alkmaar, the Netherlands. The entire production location in Thailand was already equipped with solar panels earlier. Plymovent becoming an even greener company In Novem...

Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are used to maintain indoor air temperature, humidity and, most importantly now, air quality at healthy and comfortable levels. Employers are required by law to ensure an adequate supply of fresh air and a minimum working temperature in order to provide a healthy working environment. This has not changed. A well maintained and operated system providing good ventilation can help reduce the spread of coronavirus. The Health and Safety Execu...

As the Northern hemisphere heads into winter and people spend more time indoors, the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and other diseases will increase. The World Health Organisation states that COVID-19 is primarily spread through airborne droplets expelled when people who have the virus cough, sneeze and talk. Enclosed spaces can therefore become hotbeds for transmission. Recent research from the University of Colorado reveals that effective ventilation is one of the most e...

ASHRAE, a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment, announced a move to its new global headquarters, located at 180 Technology Parkway, Peachtree Corners, Georgia. The Society began renovations in January 2020 on an existing 66,700 ft building, originally built in 1978, on 11 acres of land. Located 10 miles north of its previous headquarters building, ASHRAE joins other innovation and sustainability-focused organizations based in the pop...

A smarter way of killing and containing airborne viruses, such as COVID-19, through a UVC light ventilation system could offer hope to millions of people worldwide. UV Diffusers, designed by Canadian-based EffectiV HVAC Inc., are an innovative solution to contain the spread of COVID-19 through ventilation systems using UVC light. UVC radiation is a well-known disinfectant for air, with the radiation being used effectively for decades to reduce the spread of bacteria. High-Efficiency filtering...

As children are going back to school and employees return to the workplace, indoor air quality has become a top priority. In order to prevent economic collapse, businesses must be able to safely reopen. Unfortunately, most building HVAC systems are not equipped to circulate clean air into occupied spaces fast enough to prevent the spread of viruses like COVID-19. Additional air purification systems and environmental upgrades are necessary to create safe working spaces as most Americans spend 90...

Heatcraft Refrigeration Products announces a general price increase for customers effective January 1, 2021, on commercial refrigeration products. This general price increase of 3 – 5% on equipment, service parts, extended compressor warranties, and extended service agreements is driven by cost increases in commodities and components, freight, labor, and COVID-related business measures during the course of 2020.

After more than 100 years of being in business ‘offline,’ Thermo King is introducing its first ever e-commerce functionality with the Online Parts Store. The new solution will allow customers and dealers to online order parts for the full range of Thermo King Marine products: SG3000, 4000, 5000, Magnum+ and the SuperFreezer, in addition to a few other competitive offerings. The main goal of the Online Parts Store is to create efficiencies for Thermo King’s customers and dealer...

Recognizing the critical need for reliable temperature-controlled airfreight solutions for safe transportation of vaccines and pharmaceuticals, Thermo King, and Envirotainer have announced that they are ready to meet the increasing shipping needs of the healthcare and aviation industries. Thermo King, a brand of Trane Technologies is a global provider of intelligent end-to-end active temperature-controlled transport and storage solutions, across the entire cold chain. Envirotainer is one of the...

Andy Green, Technical Director at Baxi Heating, offers half-term tips to ensure that the schools can rely on a reliable and efficient heating and hot water system heading into winter. As schools prepare to close their gates to all but key workers’ children, the half-term holiday is the perfect time to check on the heating and hot water system. Air quality Air quality and ventilation hygiene, along with cleanliness, have been the key areas of focus for school operators in recent months t...

Johnson Controls, a globally renowned solutions provider for smart and sustainable buildings, is offering a high efficiency pleated air filter that provides an affordable solution instead of costly HEPA filtration upgrades. Its MERV 13 performance rating make the filter an excellent upgrade in existing equipment for applications such as hospitals, laboratories and pharmaceutical plants, commercial office buildings, industrial plants, or any HVAC system in which a higher degree of clean air is d...

Adcock was approached by Stancold to provide a refrigeration solution for the MoD Abbey Wood - Ministry of Defence establishment in Bristol. Supplying & Installing Refrigeration Systems Adcock’s vast experience and wide expertise in refrigeration systems along with the competitive quote resulted in winning this contract. The project entailed supplying and installing temperature-controlled refrigeration systems to 3 chilled cold rooms and 2 freezer cold rooms within the catering buil...

Hubbell Lighting, a front-runner in lighting innovation, announced the launch of a series of ultraviolet (UVC) germicidal lighting solutions for the commercial lighting marketplace. SpectraClean™ 254 is an expansion of Hubbell Lighting's award-winning SpectraClean portfolio, which launched in 2019 with 405 nanometers (nm) solutions. The portfolio features a series of luminaires that leverage developments in the disciplines of lighting science and microbiology to combine white and ultravi...

Trane China has recently launched a new suite of Air Cleaning System that applies advanced technology to reduce containments including particulates, gases and viruses, in indoor environments. The system comprehensively improve indoor air quality (IAQ) and building environmental safety under the new normal with the COVID-19 epidemic, and meet people’s added requirements for a safe, healthy and comfortable indoor environment. As healthcare, business, education and other industries are in or...

Ofgem has confirmed plans to strengthen protections for customers who are struggling to pay their energy bills in winter. Following a consultation in June, Ofgem is introducing new license rules for suppliers from 15 December. One will require suppliers to offer emergency credit to customers struggling to top up their prepayment meter, many of whom are likely to be in vulnerable circumstances. This could be because they temporarily cannot afford to top up or get to their local shop to top...