From energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) to filters and compressor technology, these manufacturers are pulling out the stops to meet consumer demand for better IAQ at home, work, school, and everywhere in between.

To figure out which efficiency improvements make the most sense, owners usually turn to HVAC professionals to conduct comprehensive energy audits, which are used to thoroughly evaluate existing mechanical systems. While energy audits have traditionally occurred on-site, some firms are offering virtual energy audits.

With today’s technology, it’s possible for a high-performance building to integrate and optimize all its major functions while also ensuring energy efficiency and comfort. Yet, while opportunities abound for HVAC contractors in this niche, many say there are still barriers restricting the growth of high-performance buildings.

The goal of a high-performance building is to optimize its performance and energy use at all times, in all conditions. And, trends in smart controls and system integration are making this goal more achievable than ever before.

ASHRAE is committed to improving the efficiency of the built environment. That commitment is best exhibited through ASHRAE’s standards, which, through constant improvement, continue to raise the bar for building efficiency.

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) presented its TEP BrightEE Awards to customers and contractors that took advantage of TEP’s energy efficiency (EE) programs to achieve significant energy savings.

In 2014, the HVACR industry saw an unprecedented amount of regulatory action from government entities, and, according to industry leaders, the regulatory action will continue through 2015. 

Thirty-seven years and one addition to the house later and McDermott is proud to claim that his geothermal system — including the original ClimateMaster heat pump unit from Friedrich (eventually assumed into LSB Industries subsidiary ClimateMaster Inc.) — is still working perfectly.

GridPoint, a provider of energy management systems (EMS), announced that its submetering, monitoring, and intelligent building control technology, combined with its cloud-based analytics software and service offerings, has helped national retailer VF Outlet achieve an average savings of 26 percent across its installed sites.

PRES Energy, a national real estate services company, has partnered with Pritchett Controls, an InsideIQ Building Automation Alliance member, for the delivery of energy management system (EMS) solutions for PRES Energy customers nationwide.