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.
This article explores the nature of the efficiency tests required by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and raises issues (not unlike those being raised by the DOE itself) about the validity and long-term future of these test procedures.
Manufacturers are introducing new products that include everything from systems that diagnose themselves to variable-speed air handlers with electronic controls.
Integrated building design is often an essential part of green building construction, which is one of the biggest trends in the commercial market today.
Most think of Martha’s Vineyard as a pastoral place with pristine beaches, beautiful lighthouses, and quaint Victorian cottages that serve as second homes to those who can afford to come and play there during the summer. While that’s true to a certain extent, the 20- by-9 mile island off the southeastern coast of Massachusetts is also home to many residents who are very concerned with how to better manage their resources and environment.
For those who think that only wealthy customers with large homes are interested in purchasing high-end HVAC systems, think again. Many owners of modest homes are tired of their noisy, inefficient systems and are opting to pull them out and replace them with quiet, high-efficiency equipment.
Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005, was the most destructive and costly natural disaster in U.S. history. Numerous areas in and around New Orleans were devastated by the hurricane and subsequent storm surge, and almost two years later, many are still trying to put their lives - and homes - back together.
Sunbathing by the pool. Horseback riding. Golf. Skeet shooting. Fabulous food. Sounds like a great vacation. Combine these activities with several days’ worth of scintillating meetings regarding new products, best practices, and industry updates, and you have the Johnson Controls UPG National Sales Meeting.
Things are definitely rosy on the commercial side of the market. Reed Construction Data expects nonresidential building spending to rise 12.7 percent in 2007. New project starts totaled a record high $19.5 billion in January, so the pipeline is full enough to keep month-to-month spending gains averaging about 1 percent into 2008.
While the rest of the country shivered under a record cold spell, dealers and distributors at ICP’s Victory Tour 2007 basked in the warmth of 80° weather. The warm weather was a side benefit, as the real reason they gathered was to learn about ICP’s new product lineup.
Commercial cooling encompasses a wide variety of products. Air curtains, cooling towers, and evaporative coolers are just a few of the items that help keep occupants in commercial buildings comfortable. These types of equipment and more were located throughout the 2007 AHR Expo.