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.
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.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Fuel Cell Technologies Program will host a webinar with the Clean Energy States Alliance and the Technology Transition Corp. titled “Fuel Cells for Supermarkets” on April 4 from 1 to 2 p.m. Eastern time. The webinar will detail the experiences that supermarkets in four states have had with stationary fuel cells.
Service Experts announced that it is helping consumers save energy by offering a new program, allowing them to upgrade old, inefficient heating and air conditioning systems for as low as $99 per month. With this program, homeowners can purchase a new Lennox® high-efficiency system to replace their older HVAC equipment.
When Southern California was blasted by record-breaking heat, the tenants of an LAX Airport Center office building were fortunate that the cooling tower that works in conjunction with the building’s chillers had just been replaced. So, rather than having to endure the sweltering heat, the tenants remained cool and comfortable.
Housing starts declined 4.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 529,000 units in the final month of 2010, according to figures released by the U.S. Department of Commerce. However, the year-end data indicate that production of new homes improved 6.1 percent in 2010 over 2009. On another positive note, permit issuance for construction of new homes and apartments rose 16.7 percent in December.
There have been two approaches to capturing the sun’s energy: photovoltaics, to turn sunlight into electricity, or solar thermal systems, to concentrate the sun’s heat to boil water to turn a turbine, or use it directly for hot water or heating. But there’s another approach that was sidelined because nobody found a way to harness it in a practical, economical way.
Housing starts rose 3.9 percent in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 555,000 units from an upwardly revised number in the previous month, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. This marked the first upward movement in new home production since August, and was entirely attributable to a nearly 7 percent gain in single-family home building.
Ingersoll Rand has made energy efficiency a priority by joining the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) Save Energy Now LEADER initiative. Since implementing a tiered internal energy audit program in 2005, the company has saved more than $4 million in energy costs.
QwikProducts has announced a partnership with the Home Builders Institute (HBI), the workforce development arm of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The partnership offers specialized HVACR and building maintenance training/certifications from QwikProducts to students in HBI Job Corps programs.