Articles Tagged with ''Technology and HVACR''

HVAC contractors come into contact with countless doorbells, light switches, and home appliances. They’re trusted advisors to the customers in their care. So when the time comes for their customers to replace those doorbells with their smart home counterparts, shouldn’t HVAC contractors be the “smartest” choice for the job?

By 2022, the company estimates as many as 1.3 billion smart devices will have made their way into households. That factors out to one smart home device for every sixth person (babies and children included).

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.

My thinking was something like this: It costs a lot, may not be all it’s claimed to be, and looks to be pretty involved (learning curve), so maybe the thing to do is to sit on the sidelines for a while to see how it does. Soon, there was broad use of technology we weren’t familiar with, and I began to sense that some of our competitors had an advantage.

According to a recent study by Parks Associates, 13 percent of U.S. broadband households owned a smart thermostat by the end of 2017. And while that’s still under a quarter of eligible homes, that number has nearly tripled from just three years prior, influenced by factors like the ubiquity of the smartphone and the rise of in-home AI.

Despite the fact that there’s a lot of airtime given to smart thermostats in the media and throughout industry conferences, the reality is that only about 15 percent of households own a smart thermostat, according to Rob Munin, president at Lux Products.

Technology is rapidly changing, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the HVAC industry. It is more important than ever for HVAC instructors to keep up with these changes, and 750 teachers did just that by attending the 12th annual HVAC Excellence National HVAC Educators and Trainers Conference in Las Vegas.

It’s not always easy — or productive — to police employees’ private email and social media usage. Company devices can be monitored, but personal devices generally can’t, and it can get tricky when personal devices are used for work or when company devices are allowed to double as personal.

With 3-D printing, HVAC companies can deliver more efficient, affordable, and creative products when compared to prior methodologies.