HVAC Software - Expert Commentary
By now, the HVAC industry is well versed in, and operating successfully with, various HFC refrigerant production and consumption reduction schedules put forth by regulatory bodies. Under the EPA American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act, for example, the U.S. experienced a significant reduction (another 30%) in January 2024, advancing the goal of an 85% HFC phasedown from historic baseline levels by 2036. And the EU is working toward its stated objective of an HFC phaseout by 2050. tech...
Automotive HVAC is a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system installed in automobiles, such as passenger cars, pickup trucks, and heavy-duty trucks. Like other air conditioning systems, automotive HVAC cools the air by transforming the refrigerant into a liquid or gas. The heating process, on the other hand, is characteristic of automotive HVAC as it uses the heat created by the engine. HVAC systems in the automotive The adoption of heating, ventilation, and air conditi...
How can UK businesses effectively tackle the challenge of cooling commercial and industrial buildings? Cooling commercial and industrial buildings can be a challenge for UK businesses. In recent years, the spiraling energy costs have put pressure on businesses with regard to finding new and innovative ways to achieve the same result with less capital outlay and less maintenance. New system installs have sometimes been put on hold and maintenance schedules squeezed, leaving many businesses with...
It’s an exciting and challenging time to be an HVACR professional. The industry is rapidly evolving to implement advanced technology and adapt to environmentally conscious regulations all while experiencing a skilled labor shortage. As contractors struggle to keep up, many are turning to HVACR press fittings for their efficiency, safety, and reliability. The demand for these press fittings has nearly doubled in the past five years alone. unique characteristics While the global sh...
By now, most of the HVACR industry is familiar with the HFC phasedown portion of the U.S. EPA American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act that was signed in 2020 and finalized in 2021. The first phasedowns started Jan. 1, 2020, with a 10% reduction in HFC refrigerant production, importation, and consumption, and was followed by an additional 30% reduction that began Jan. 1, 2024. As these regulations work to achieve a total 85% HFC phasedown from historic baseline levels by 2036, Tech...
“Decarbonising home heating represents one of the biggest challenges to the government achieving net zero,” was a conclusion of the recent National Audit Office report ‘Decarbonising home heating’. The facts, the report states clearly in the opening are: 18% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2021 were from home heating and 55,000 heat pumps were sold in the UK in 2022. decarbonizing home heating Crucial to decarbonizing home heating is the government&rsquo...
I remember Dr. Dave Bowman from Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" commanding HAL 9000 to open the pod bay doors, and HAL chillingly responds, "I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that." Fortunately, unlike the fictional HAL," ChatGPT and other GenAI tools remain compliant and helpful, far from refusing commands or leaving us stranded in space. In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) should play a pivotal role in transforming various aspects of our dai...
Peter Van Den Heede, Head of Sales and Marketing, Benelux, ABB Motion, explains how electrification systems are paving the way for sustainable urban landscapes. As the fight against climate change intensifies, the European Union has set crystal clear targets on the path to Net Zero. If we are to meet the EU’s ambitious goals of a 55 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and complete climate neutrality by 2050, then we need to find ever-smarter ways to save energy.&n...
College was never the only path to success. There are many other nontraditional avenues to success, and I had the privilege of blindly venturing down one myself. My path included a short stint in college, then trade school, an apprenticeship, a role building a training program, a managerial role running a branch, and ultimately a leadership role running a large region of companies. I started my career as a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technician, and I didn’t think I’...
This time of year, a lot of planning is underway. Companies throughout the HVACR industry are mapping out the best path to maintain their current level of business, pursue growth while staying in their lane, or expand into a new area based on changing customer needs and industry opportunities. Whether you’re a small family-owned residential HVAC shop, a major player in commercial HVACR service or manufacturing, or anywhere in between, it’s helpful to be aware of the strong dynamics...
Nothing is immune to entropy. As buildings age, they suffer natural breakdowns in efficiency, performance, and useability, compromising occupant comfort and leading to higher energy bills. Luckily, they do not have to stay that way. Retro-commissioning brings existing structures up to speed so they can function their best. What Is Commissioning? Commissioning helps buildings operate as the owners intended and ensures staff maintains their equipment and systems. During new construct...
Circularity. Some may call it a “hot topic.” But in reality, the concept and practice of circularity is here to stay, indefinitely, for the simple reason that the sustainability of our planet depends on it. Whatever type of product you sell, “widget” you manufacture, or service you provide, achieving circularity, that is, putting practices in place so that materials remain in circulation and never become waste is finding its way onto the priority list of every business....
Using air conditioners and electric fans to stay cool accounts for nearly 20% of the total electricity used in buildings around the world, according to a report from the International Energy Agency. hybrid work model As a unique mix of key factors, such as the adoption of the hybrid work model and escalating heatwaves in certain regions of the United States keep people indoors for longer periods, this 20% share represents an increasingly costly line item on household budgets. Those within th...
You’re looking for ways to increase revenue for your HVAC business, and texting is one more tool you can add to your arsenal. 70% of people report that texting is the fastest way to reach them, and 99% of texts are read within just a few minutes. That kind of speed can help you secure more appointments, get paid faster, land more referrals, and boost sales in general. Scheduling service appointments So where do you begin? Below, we’ll show you five tactics your HVAC business can...
Patented new filtration technology proved it can upgrade AC units and Air Curtains to become highly effective Air Purifiers. Background and problem AC Split Units and Air Curtains employ coarse dust filters that are normally installed within the housing at the air return vent to allow for frequent filter cleaning. While this vital activity is generally performed on a regular basis in professional settings, it may be overlooked in home settings, leading to the clogging of these filters. This de...
When your HVAC system isn't working correctly, it's often difficult to pinpoint the exact issue. Does your home have hot and cold spots? Do doors randomly close on their own? Is your A/C blowing warm air on a hot summer day? If so, your HVAC might have an uneven airflow. There are many symptoms of uneven airflow and many solutions. Amid the increasing demand for HVAC repair, homeowners need to learn how to keep their home system operating at its best. Understanding the potential causes of unev...
Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) has been a longstanding problem within educational institutions, where it has been known to affect productivity and performance, as well as mental and physical health. And it’s not just the pupils at risk, with studies finding that this deleterious phenomenon can also compromise teaching performance and delivery, which inevitably affects the quality of the information received. CO2 concentrations This has recently been evidenced in a study conducted by the U...
A preventive maintenance program could save 12-18% over reactive maintenance, as the U.S. Department of Energy predicted in 2010. For many businesses, the savings could be higher, considering the risks of downtime and today’s economic conditions pushing up costs across the supply chain. It’s also possible for a program to miss the mark. By one measure, 50% of the costs of a preventive maintenance program are often wasted. The question is, how do you know if your maintenance program...
The importance of caring for the environment has become a top priority both around the world and increasingly in the United States. As regulations and social expectations become more stringent, future-proofing our infrastructure - beginning with energy consumption in buildings - is a natural first step. There are four key strategies a building owner or facility manager can focus on to improve energy efficiency and reduce a building’s carbon footprint, all while improving building performa...
Achieving carbon neutrality has, once more, become a business priority. Whilst COVID-19 distracted attention away from the drive towards Net Zero, green issues are once more back on the agenda and rising to the top of it. Building specifications The built environment accounts for around 28-40% of global emissions, so there is a collective ambition to start specifying buildings with as low a carbon footprint as possible. This is particularly true of commercial office spaces where operational...
Following the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement on 23 March, several imminent and future changes were laid out by the UK government. This included VAT scrappage for residential energy-saving measures like heat pumps and solar panels, a 12-month cutting of fuel duty by 5p per liter, and to support the decarbonization of commercial premises, targeted business rate exemptions for eligible plant and machinery used in onsite renewable energy generation and stora...
As COVID-19 becomes endemic and hybrid working becomes the norm, a great deal of time and energy is going into managing a safe return to the office and a move to new styles of working. As hard FM systems are adjusted to suit new workplace expectations and futureproof sites, Johnpaul Pearson, Business Support Director at Anabas, talks about understanding workplaces and using technology to better design and plan a workplace of the future. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, we were witnessi...
‘Energy storage holds the key to providing clean energy for heating and powering the home and reducing carbon emissions’ Carlton Cummins, CTO and Co-Founder of clean technology company Aceleron explain how this will work. As we transition away from natural gas and other fossil fuels, there is no question that we absolutely have to make better use of renewable energy. Using a battery energy storage system (BESS) combined with renewable technology such as solar means that it can be st...
Energy consumption continues to be one of the primary contributors to a building’s carbon emissions and its operational costs. Around 40% of this energy is used to power HVAC systems. To improve sustainability and reduce operating costs, it’s in a building owner’s best interest to find ways to make their building’s heating and cooling systems more efficient. Identifying areas that will make the biggest difference starts with knowing which systems consume the most energy...
Net-zero is high up on the agenda. And to achieve the UK’s carbon-neutral pledge by 2050 the country’s building stock must be decarbonized. Embodied carbon When we talk about decarbonizing buildings, there are two distinct categories of emissions that come into play. The first is embodied carbon. Here, the embodied carbon of a building includes emissions deriving from the construction materials, the building process, and the fixtures and fittings inside. It also covers emissions f...
With COP26 behind us, the words ‘Net Zero’ still hangs heavy in the air as we look to make the most of the momentum gained by the summit. On the face of it, it’s a daunting task. However, like so many challenges in life, it becomes considerably more manageable when broken down into smaller steps. It’s now a widely accepted fact that lighting, heating, and cooling operating emissions account for a significant proportion (28%) of all carbon emissions emitted by building an...
Decarbonizing heat is one of, if not the biggest challenges we face in our journey to net zero. Most of the heat in UK homes and businesses is currently provided through fossil fuels, predominantly gas. Gas releases carbon emissions and other particles that are bad for air quality and bad for our environment. So, to get to net-zero we need to replace gas as our main source of heat. The Government plans to phase out gas boilers in newly build homes from 2025, but with the vast majority of exist...
Indoor air quality (IAQ) has never been closer to the forefront of the public mind. After all, the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing. The government’s scientific advisors have warned that, during the coming winter, daily hospitalizations could plausibly reach heights of 7,000 per day. And, of course, we are all thoroughly aware at this point that COVID is an airborne virus and, as such, spreads very effectively indoors – a fact which many people will have reflected on as they...
AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a smart buildings’ biggest ally. Without it, a building could hardly be classed as smart. For building owners and managers, AI is imperative to create a secure and comfortable experience for their occupants every day. What a building platform should do is gather data from various sources from the building management system and other smart technologies, to gather it all in one place. The data should then be fed into a flexible, scalable cloud-based platform...
Every six years, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) reviews how much energy certain home appliances and mechanical systems use and determines if an increase in energy efficiency requirements is justified. New energy conservation standards As a result of the 2017 assessment, the DOE has mandated new energy conservation standards that take effect on January 1, 2023, for all newly manufactured residential and commercial air conditioners, heat pumps, and gas furnaces. In addition t...
