Per the DOE’s second annual “National Energy Employment Analysis,” a total of 6.4 million Americans now work in the traditional energy and energy-efficiency industries. More than 300,000 net new jobs were added in 2016, which accounted for 14 percent of the nation’s job growth.

Manufacturers in the realm of IAQ are seeing an uptick in interest due to increased awareness among consumers as well, as the air quality concerns that come as a byproduct of efforts to tighten up buildings to increase energy efficiency. In response, they’ve been updating IAQ products for the age of the smartphone and the “smart” HVAC system.

Home builders need to begin preparing for the big refrigerant shift that is quickly approaching.

Designing a forced-air system for proper air movement and efficiency is a challenge faced by multiple players in the HVAC industry.

Here’s an answer for contractors wondering, “How do I effectively sell air movement and ventilation efficiency, and why should I?”

High-volume, low-speed (HVLS) fans can mobilize and destratify large volumes of air in any facility.

HVAC industry members are debating how the DOE’s new rules — the first-ever for commercial and industrial fans — will impact their operations.

Thanks to the prevalent use of online search engines like Google, consumers everywhere are becoming more educated on the products they buy, and HVAC systems are no exception.

The York^® Mission Critical Direct Evaporative Cooling (DEC) Air Handling Units (AHUs) from Johnson Controls Inc. are designed to meet data centers’ specific needs.

While not often addressed, the air handler in an HVAC system has a significant role to play.

Unico Inc. announced it is making highly efficient EC motors standard for all blower models within its modular air handling units.

One-year study conducted on Atlanta commercial high rise’s HVAC systems proves UVC lamps reap energy efficiency payback benefits.

Here is the potential problem: A contractor quotes a customer on the compressor replacement, and he agrees to repair the cooler at the quoted price. Then, as the technician is completing the job — or even after he has finished replacing the compressor — he finds out there is another system problem.

Ongoing and evolving U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) regulations have created a complex landscape for supermarket owners.

Refrigeration systems can become restricted in both their high and low sides for a variety of reasons.

With over 20 years of experience in natural refrigerants, Embraco’s compressor portfolio features products for commercial food service, food retail, merchandisers, and aftermarket segments. Conveniently, the booth was sectioned into these four different segments, so AHR Expo attendees could easily find the R-290 solution they were looking for.

In Greek mythology, Argus was a son of Zeus. Having the king of the gods up on Mount Olympus for a dad probably raised the bar in terms of expectations. Fortunately, Tecumseh seemed comfortable with that kind of lofty namesake for its biggest launch at this year’s AHR Expo, the ARGUS condensing unit platform.

SPX Corporation has completed the acquisition of SGS Refrigeration Inc., based in Dixon, Illinois.

Most outdoor units will have survived another winter intact, but nearly all will need some routine (or added) TLC to get into game shape.

There are several reasons why the compressor discharge temperature of a refrigeration system can be high when the condensing temperature is not, and a checklist can help a technician figure out the root problem.

The most commonly heard three-letter term in the ice machine business used to be “ice.” Now, it has been joined by “EPA” and “DOE,” which both are garnering as much attention as the actual end products.

Integrated Facility Services (IFS), a full-service mechanical contractor with offices in St. Louis and Columbia, Missouri, announced it has acquired Wally’s Refrigeration, Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri.

Emerson Climate Technologies has filed a patent application for a simulation model of a commercial ice machine to support development of more efficient equipment that can meet upcoming U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) targets.

The U.S. commercial refrigeration systems market is projected to expand at a healthy compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.2 percent in terms of value through 2025, according to a report from Future Market Insights.

This year’s Dealer Design Awards gold winning product in the Refrigeration and Ice Machine category is the Quantum Air™ Remote Air Cooled Condenser from Heat Transfer Products Group Inc.

Emerson spent more than three years researching and designing its 2018 Dealer Design Award gold-winning product in the Refrigeration and Ice Machines category.

Like other companies working in the sector, Heatcraft Refrigeration Products faced a new set of DOE Annual Walk-In Energy Factor (AWEF) standards taking effect on Jan. 1 of this year.

The Gold award in the Refrigeration and Ice Machines category goes to the Copeland Digital Outdoor Refrigeration Unit, X-Line Series by Emerson.

The Refrigeration & Ice Machines category winners include a refrigerant charging scale, evaporative control technology, and a condensing unit.

The Gold award in the Refrigeration and Ice Machines category goes to a self-contained refrigeration system for walk-in coolers and freezers that eliminates several of the steps required for a traditional system.

The winner is a kit that is a universal, field-mount refrigeration controller with temperature sensors and pressure transducer kit that can be installed up to 40 feet from an air or electric defrost unit cooler.

This time, the conversation turns to duct sealing and what it means in terms of system efficiency and energy savings.

By employing a ventilation strategy such as a DOAS, conditioned fresh air can be brought into the building, thus improving IAQ and ensuring a safer environment.

Context can help professionals direct their attention to where duct leakage can best be addressed.

The awardees will focus on early-stage R&D projects exploring innovative technologies for drilling geothermal wells that show the ability to reduce non-drilling time, improve rates of penetration, and identify methods to accelerate the transfer of geothermal drilling and related technologies from the laboratory to the marketplace. 

While hydronic systems have long been recognized for their energy-saving properties in HVAC and plumbing applications, designing an efficient hydronic system and narrowing down the necessary system components can be challenging.

 “Technology’s not going to solve everything, but you need to know how to use it,” Nelson Valderrama, CEO of Intuilize, told HVACR distribution professionals during the recent Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International conference.

Read this eBook to find out more on software solutions that help contractors reduce wasted time and cost.

Contractors can get more productivity from staff by letting software take care of the small things.

Having the right fleet management solution can increase employee accountability, efficiency, safety, and grow an HVAC company.

The first phase took effect on January 1, 2018, and increased the minimum efficiency of commercial rooftop units (RTUs) by about 13 percent.

Commercial rooftop units feature a host of intelligent solutions to improve efficiency and ease of service/installation.

The second phase will take place on Jan. 1, 2023, and require an additional 15% increase in efficiency.

For many manufacturers, higher efficiency systems have been in the works for a while, but the 2023 DOE standards, pandemic, and current supply chain issues have added pressure.

While new DOE standards drive innovation and opportunity within the HVAC industry, they also add pressure and complexity for manufacturers.

Trane introduces Thermal Battery™ Storage-Source Heat Pump System, Trane/Mitsubishi Electric HVRF, Versatile Axiom™ Water Source Heat Pumps, Next-Generation Precedent® Rooftop Units, and two enhanced air handlers. 

Garett Edde’s new role includes promoting, selling, and supporting Fujitsu’s residential products.

Bacharach has been in acquisition mode lately, and the company was showing off the new products and relationships that resulted from that at this year’s AHR Expo in Atlanta.

At the AHR Expo, RectorSeal LLC highlighted several new products designed to combat leaks and corrosion, both on the inside of the unit and from salty sea breezes on the coast.

Available for commercial and industrial applications, this product supports safety compliance inside of machinery rooms, mechanical equipment rooms, chiller plants, cold storage facilities, and walk-in freezers by monitoring for refrigerant leaks for numerous gases including HFCs, HFOs, HCFCs, CO2, and ammonia (NH3)).