In a survey of more than 1,500 homeowners conducted by Emerson Climate Technologies Inc. late last year, a high percentage of consumers showed continued interest in potential energy savings as a major purchase criterion when replacing an existing HVAC system.

As a host of pressures - from demanding consumers to stringent regulations to rising energy costs - continue to bear down on the industry, compressor manufacturers are reiterating that energy efficiency is the best response to these issues.

Tall ceilings can be both a builder’s dream and an HVAC contractor’s nightmare. The introduction of air movement by means of large-diameter, low-speed fans can provide the necessary comfort, further optimize HVAC system effectiveness, and save money on both energy use and building supplies.

For some time, energy efficiency and IAQ were thought to be mutually exclusive HVAC goals. They actually can have negative or positive effects on each other that can be mitigated by contractors in a number of ways: coil care, duct repair, and the judicious use of specific equipment among them. A recent trend has been linking the impacts IAQ and efficiency can have on each other.

Hotel Indigo Athens is located five blocks from the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga., 75 miles east of Atlanta. One of 33 upscale boutique brand hotels developed by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), it is one of only five in the nation to achieve LEED Gold status. It is also the first LEED Gold certified hotel in IHG’s extensive portfolio of 4,500 hotels.

Three years ago, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) set out to achieve new efficiency goals for Standard 90.1. The association announced at its 2011 winter conference in January that it had been successful. It now attains site energy savings of 32.6 percent and energy cost savings of 30.1 percent without plug loads.

Many contractors are asking what happened to Home Star, the proposed legislation that would have extended rebates to homeowners who invested in energy efficiency upgrades for their homes. While the bill was a hot topic for much of 2010, it ultimately failed to pass in the Senate, and has not been reintroduced in Congress so far in 2011.

Honeywell has announced an $18.8 million energy conservation and building modernization program with the Yonkers Housing Authority that will help improve its facilities, energy efficiency, and resident comfort and save an estimated $1.4 million in annual utility costs. It will also create opportunities for local subcontractors.

The need for energy efficiency and the desire for intelligent energy efficiency have created a hunger for data. This trend started 10 years ago (or more) in the building controls industry and is now being seen in the refrigeration controls sector.

It is a familiar lament for those who work on supermarket refrigeration. There is a problem. The owner wants it fixed immediately. The technician can apply a quick fix, but that won’t deal with potential recurring problems - and the fact that the equipment may not be operating all that efficiently or even be all that up-to-date.