The internal workings of the refrigeration system involving condensers, compressors, and coils came to the forefront at the 2009 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) in Chicago.

I started writing about carbon footprints and carbon offsets a number of years ago in terms of building projects. Now there’s a Website to find out “the impact of your travel choices.”

The fact that there was a need to launch a rocket to really make sure information about the negatives of CO2 emissions was really correct is yet another instance of “how factual are the facts” concerning climate change.

Faith-based refers to initiatives that are religious in nature and created without government assistance. Sustainable refers to initiatives that are green in nature designed for energy conservation. In recent years, those two concepts have started to meld together.

The HVACR industry is facing a shortfall of R-22 as early as 2010 rather than 2015 as had been expected. So talk is now on alternative HFC refrigerants that can be retrofitted into R-22 systems and the need for a major step up in reclamation efforts. Driving the focus was the recent release of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed allocation rule.

Silent night? The eve of this past Christmas Eve was hardly silent and calm in the HVACR industry. For on that day - Dec. 23 - the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register two proposed rules that launched a double barrel of initial confusion, then consternation, and now concern.

“Climate Warming Gases Rising Faster Than Expected” was the headline of an Associated Press story published in mid-February. It summarized a report from the Carnegie Institution for Science given at a Chicago conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

I think I know something about mechanical ice making. But I apparently don’t know much about mechanical snow making. Did you know it can get too cold to make snow artificially?

The turmoil of the current economic climate does not negate the fact that homeowners want comfort in as cost effective a way as possible. In terms of HVAC, they are not willing to give up the mechanical creation of that comfort and instead rely on chopped wood in the winter and an open window in the summer. But there are new dynamics in play today.

A proposed rule by the EPA that would create about a 20 percent shortfall in supplies of R-22 as early as next year is stirring up even more calls for reclaim. So here’s the deal: I’m looking for feedback from you about your feelings on this whole reclaim issue.