Together, residential and commercial buildings account for a staggering 40 percent of energy use in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). However, DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is developing a suite of tools to tame this energy beast - and it is free to anyone who wants to use it.
What is good judgment anyway? It’s not the same thing as sheer brain power, or mental capacity, or natural intelligence. It’s not a matter of accumulated knowledge or memorized information. It’s more than the mastery of techniques and tools. In simple terms, good judgment is the ability to see the connection between causes and their effects.
This month’s troubleshooting situation involves an under-counter refrigeration unit in a commercial application. The first technician explained to the customer that the compressor needed to be replaced. After that technician left, the customer called the office to request a second opinion.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced a decision to defer for one year - from Jan. 1, 2012 to Jan. 1, 2013 - the withholding of 3 percent tax on all payments for goods and services made by the federal, state, and local governments with total expenditures of $100 million or more. The 3 percent withholding tax applies to the total contract, not to the net revenue generated from a project.
Energy Concepts Co. is developing a waste heat powered 3-ton chiller for the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC). The engine exhaust heat powered chiller must operate in 122°F desert climates with dry cooling; it must also be lightweight, compact, and efficient.
Recent industry trends have given rise to a new generation of building design tools known as building information modeling, or BIM. BIM goes further than traditional CAD drawings by providing intelligence to building components (such as HVAC) as well as providing system- and building-wide information and awareness (system flows or building loads) in addition to spatial relationships.
It’s a story that’s playing out across the country - cash-strapped governments are scrambling to balance their budgets while hamstrung by the contracts of current and retired public union workers. Without the ability to renegotiate contracts or get concessions from unions, governments are left to increase their tax rates and cut services.
Bob has been sent on a service call where the customer is complaining about her power bill. She thinks that the heat pump may be the problem. Her power bill is much higher than last year. She explained this to Bob and he started by asking a question, “Does the auxiliary heat light come on very often on your thermostat?”
Radiant heating company Reid Heating & Energy Inc. has completed an in-floor radiant heating and cooling system for Hall St. Helena Winery in Napa Valley. The energy efficient installation has allowed for Hall to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Martinson-Nicholls new residential Heated Snow Melting Stair Mats are designed to be quickly and easily connected to prevent snow and ice accumulation on stairs around the home. The Heated Stair Mats can be interconnected with the company’s residential Heated Walkway Mats to create a continuous system of snow melting mats.
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