Joanna Turpin is a Senior Editor at The ACHR NEWS. She can be contacted at 248-786-1707 or joannaturpin@achrnews.com. Joanna has been with BNP Media since 1991, first heading up the company’s technical book division before moving over to The ACHR NEWS, where she frequently writes about refrigerants and commercial refrigeration. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Washington and worked on her master’s degree in technical communication at Eastern Michigan University.
The latest report from Heating, Air-conditioning, and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) showed that average sales for HARDI distributor members increased 9.4 percent in November 2014, but that annualized growth through November was 6.9 percent, which is where it was throughout 2014.
Year-to-date combined shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps increased 11.1 percent, and U.S. shipments of gas warm air furnaces increased 5.1 percent over the same period in 2013 (oil warm air furnaces increased 8 percent).
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.
While small data centers are not going away any time soon, the increase in data collection in a number of industries is spurring growth in the size — and type — of data centers.
Companies are looking at this alternative method of financing in order to bring all kinds of new products to market, including products for the HVAC market.
Considered to be the premier event in the HVACR industry, the AHR Expo is the place where contractors, engineers, and other building professionals meet to learn about new products.
The conference, along with the AHR Expo, are historically ASHRAE’s best-attended events, giving attendees from around the world the opportunity to discuss the latest topics in the building industry.
Apps are inherently more interactive than the old pen-and-paper method, as they encourage customers to participate in selecting the best system for their situation — ultimately selling themselves on it along the way.
Manufacturers will initially bear the brunt of this change, as they will need to redesign their furnace lines in order to comply with the new standard, which takes effect in 2019.