What Are The Emerging Career Opportunities In HVAC?

During the online meeting of the Eurovent Product Group ‘Energy Recovery Components’ (PG-ERC) on 16 November 2021, the participants unanimously elected Thomas Richter (Head of Product Management, Hoval), former Vice-Chairman of the group, as its new Chairman. Nomination approval The nomination of Mr. Richter was endorsed by 100% of PG-ERC participants. He will succeed Peter Mueller, who served as PG-ERC Chairman for four years. Thomas Richter, who is the Head of Product Management at Hoval AG, has extensive years of experience within the Product Group and the Eurovent network as a whole. With Mr. Richter taking over the position of the Product Group Chairman, the Vice-Chairman position remains vacant, and participants are encouraged to present their candidatures should they seek to run for the position. Richter's comments Thomas to strengthen the interests of heat recovery in the ventilation sector Following his election, the new Chairman Thomas Richter stated, “I would like to thank my colleagues from PG-ERC for their unanimous support. We need to continue the quality work done by Peter Mueller in his spirit. In the next two years, I would like to strengthen the interests of heat recovery in the ventilation sector, as well as intensify our cooperation with the Eurovent Product Group ‘Air Handling Units’.” PG-ERC schedule meet The next meeting of PG-ERC will take place on Wednesday, 01 June 2022 and the venue will be discussed in due course depending on the COVID-19 situation. The Eurovent Product Group ‘Energy Recovery Components’ covers rotary heat exchangers, run-around coils, and heat pipes. It is engaged with European and national legislation regarding the European air conditioning industry and is also concerned with the development of EN, ISO, and Eurovent standards.

Forrest Anderson Plumbing and Air Conditioning, a family-owned business in the Phoenix area since 1961, installed a new free HVAC unit at the home of Peoria Veteran Olga Tucker. The U.S. Army Veteran was a winner of Forrest Anderson’s 6th Annual Military Hero A/C Giveaway, a local event designed to honor the sacrifices of veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. “I am so grateful for Forrest Anderson providing me peace of mind. I am relieved to know that next summer I won’t have to worry about our system failing,” said Tucker. “This experience has been like winning the lottery.” Reasons to replace the A/C unit Tucker’s previous A/C unit was original to the house that was built in 1994. Since moving to the home in 2017, the aging unit has needed multiple service calls and struggled to cool the home. Tucker and her children relied on window units to stay comfortable. The aging unit has needed multiple service calls and struggled to cool the home On November 17, Forrest Anderson replaced Tucker’s failing, 27-year-old A/C unit with a brand new unit, fully installed with the help of industry partners, MORSCO HVAC Bush Supply and Smiley Crane Service. “A working air conditioning unit is a necessity here in Arizona. We are happy that Olga and her children can now be comfortable in their home,” said Audrey Monell, President of Forrest Anderson. “It’s such a small thank you compared to Olga’s sacrifices and service to our country and community.” Working with the veteran community After serving in the Army from 2004 to 2012 as a Sergeant and 88M-Motor Transport Operator, Tucker became actively involved in giving back to the Veteran community. She serves as the Veteran’s Resource Coordinator and Advisor for Operation Enduring Gratitude and volunteers to several non-profits including Mission 22, 22 Until None, and the PTSD Foundation of America. Tucker is also actively involved in the Peoria community as a member of the Peoria Military Affairs Committee and as a community leader within Peoria’s Pine District. Supporter of Veteran community “The support and positive response from the community and strangers has been overwhelming. This is such a gift,” said Tucker. As a strong supporter of the community, Forrest Anderson has worked with local partners since 2016 to sponsor the Military Hero A/C Giveaway every year around Veterans Day. To recognize the two runners-up, Monell is also giving Mark Denman of Litchfield Park and Andrez Romero of Mesa a free A/C Tune-Up valued at $84.95.

Molekule is bringing its Air Mini+ and Air Pro air purifiers, powered by patented PECO technology, to the United Kingdom and Europe for the first time. Molekule, the globally renowned air purification solutions company that reinvented air purification with its ground-breaking PECO technology, has announced that its award-winning air purifiers will be available to consumers in the United Kingdom and across Europe, directly via Molekule’s website. Expansion in UK and Europe Molekule’s mission is to destroy indoor air pollution and provide crisp, clean indoor air in homes, businesses, and beyond. Now, Molekule’s best-selling air purifiers, Air Mini+ and Air Pro will be available for purchase throughout the UK and Europe region. Molekule was founded in 2014, after 25 years of research and development resulted in its innovative PECO technology, which sits at the core of each and every Molekule purifier. Molekule’s air purifiers with PECO technology Using PECO technology, Molekule’s air purifiers not only collect but also destroy the widest range of tiny pollutants Using PECO technology, Molekule’s air purifiers not only collect, but also destroy the widest range of tiny pollutants, when compared to traditional air purifier technology, breaking down pollutants at molecular levels, such as allergens, mold, bacteria, viruses, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Recent research from third-party laboratories shows that Molekule destroys COVID-19 virus, by over 99% in 1 hour, in small chamber and swatch lab tests, and inactivates H1N1 flu virus, by up to 99.99%, in single-pass experiments. Air Mini+ and Air Pro air purifiers Air Mini+ and Air Pro air purifiers are both cleared by the U.S. FDA, for the destruction of bacteria and viruses, and Air Pro air purifier is additionally cleared for the destruction of mold. Many consumers are well aware of the dangers of outdoor air pollution, specifically in metro areas across Europe. According to the European Environment Agency, around 90% of people living in European cities are exposed to pollutant concentrations that are higher than what is deemed harmful to health. Addressing indoor air pollution What many consumers aren’t aware of is that indoor air can be just as polluted, sometimes even more polluted, than the air people breathe outdoors. Molekule was founded specifically to help address indoor air pollution, giving people more control over the air they breathe, in their daily lives. Jonathan Harris, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Molekule, said “The air we breathe day in and day out is critical to our overall well-being. Our air purifiers are able to destroy pollutants at microscopic levels – chemicals and particles that we aren't even able to see – and leave behind cleaner, safer indoor air.” He adds, “We've had our sights set on Europe for a long time and our team cannot wait to introduce European customers, to the power of PECO technology.” Extensive testing of Molekule’s technology Molekule conducts extensive testing of its technology internally, as well as with certified third-party laboratories As a science-based company, Molekule conducts extensive testing of its technology internally, as well as with certified third-party laboratories. PECO technology has been independently tested at the Intertek testing laboratory, independent third-party testing laboratory ARE, University of Minnesota and with one of the world's foremost research laboratories for indoor air quality, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley). Human-centered and contemporary design Alongside its revolutionary approach to air purification, Molekule’s human-centered and contemporary design ensures that its products are both beautiful and easy to use. The physical design is thoughtful in form, material, size, and footprint, and its product design considerations are expressed down to the finest detail. Consumers can control their Air Mini+ and Air Pro purifiers and receive status updates on their air purifier's filters, via the Molekule app, on iOS and Android. Headquartered in the US, Molekule now sells internationally in the United Kingdom and Europe, as well as in Canada, India, Japan, and South Korea, bringing its unique air purification process to a global market. In the UK and Europe, Molekule is launching its Air Pro and Air Mini+ purifiers.

Modine has announced the appointment of Jonas Caino as both general manager and managing director of the newly established Airedale by Modine global data center cooling business unit. This announcement comes as Airedale’s popular and long-serving managing director, Tony Cole retired after an impressive 31 years with the company. Originally appointed by Tony, Jonas joined Airedale in 2019 to lead the newly established data center solutions team. Since then, he has moved into a senior commercial role, before taking over as general manager. Role and responsibility Reporting to Eric McGinnis, Vice President, Building HVAC, Jonas will be located at Airedale’s UK headquarters – the impressive, 23,000 sq meter manufacturing, research, and development facility in Leeds. Jonas held various commercial roles spanning a 25-year career With additional responsibility for production sites in Consett (UK), Guadalajara (Spain), Buena Vista (US), and Grenada (US), this move will see the brand become truly global, as production is expanded across several continents for optimum output, to meet the demand for the booming worldwide data center industry. Experience With over 20 years in the IT and data center industry, Jonas has an extensive background in data center technology and regularly speaks on the future of data center design and trends.  Prior to joining Modine, Jonas held various commercial roles spanning a 25-year career, with the latter 10 years in senior management positions. Jonas joined Airedale from Etix Everywhere (Vantage Data Centres) where he held the positions of global vice president of sales and UK country director.  He also worked for Schneider Electric and Geist Global (Vertiv), amongst others. Strategy and growth Jonas said, “This is an exciting time to be leading Airedale and I am delighted to be appointed general manager. With exponential growth in the data center industry and the strategic realignment of our production resources across the globe, we can focus our talents, minimize waste and maximize efficiencies to allow us to deliver more of the high-quality, high-efficiency cooling solutions that are currently in demand, worldwide.” The newly appointed general manager added, “Becoming a truly global brand is an important part of our strategy. We have a wealth of possibilities ahead of us and we are embracing the opportunities we are creating.” Right leader to support the growth Jonas will lead the global expansion of data center products to the US and Western Europe Eric McGinnis, Vice President of Modine’s Building HVAC division said, “Jonas brings deep experience and expertise to this role and is the right leader to support our growth strategy for our data center business. In addition to having responsibility for our UK business, Jonas will also lead our global expansion of data center products to the US and Western Europe." "We are currently expanding our manufacturing capacity for chillers in the UK and will fully utilize our plant in Guadalajara, Spain for computer room cooling products, such as computer room air handlers and fan walls. We are also producing some of these products in the US, with plans to have full production capability in the next 12 to 18 months.” Eric concluded, “We have superior products for the data center market and a global manufacturing footprint to support our growth targets.”

AAON, Inc., a front-runner in innovation and production of premium quality, highly energy-efficient HVAC products for nonresidential buildings, announced that Gary Fields, CEO, and Rebecca Thompson, CFO, will participate in a virtual fireside chat at the Credit Suisse Global Industrials Conference. They will speak at 8:50 a.m. ET on Thursday, December 2, 2021.

As part of the Evotech Technical Services Group, a national HVAC engineering company founded in 2003, Evotech Air Quality (Evotech) is a growing team of engineers, technicians and data scientists passionate about the air we breathe. Evotech helps UK businesses and organizations create safe working environments by transforming indoor air quality. They began offering the Airthings for Business solution in June 2020 for accurate, accessible air quality data. In this case study, Evotech shall explore their installation at No1. Whitehall in Leeds. Indoor air quality "Airthings share our belief that everyone has the right to breathe clean air, and today the importance of indoor quality has never been greater. Using their industry-leading sensor platform, we have been able to provide our customers not only with enhanced indoor environmental surveillance, but, by integrating their technology with other 3rd party systems, we are creating greater end-user value through improved building performance and optimization.’’- Evotech. Evotech saw indoor air quality, pre-COVID-19, becoming the next asbestos health crisis Evotech saw indoor air quality, pre-COVID-19, becoming the next asbestos health crisis. In the UK, we have legislation for electric, gas, water hygiene, and safety, etc. but not for air quality. Then COVID-19 struck and indoor air quality (IAQ) became even more important. Enhanced environmental sensors Their objective was to help their clients provide safe, healthy indoor spaces, using IOT technology advancements. To do this, they provide enhanced environmental sensors above and beyond what a traditional building management system provides. By utilizing real-time data from Airthings IAQ sensors, they can optimize how buildings perform and achieve greater levels of energy efficiency. What’s more, Airthings sensors can alert them to issues with the HVAC system, so they could resolve it quickly, even before clients reported it. Improving operational management and energy efficiency Ensuring the health and wellbeing of employees and visitors Building management system Evotech really does offer the best to their clients, while drawing data from the Airthings solution Evotech really does offer the best to their clients, while drawing data from the Airthings solution via our API, they can also integrate with other IoT solutions and tailor to the needs of each client. For No. 1 Whitehall, Airthings air quality data enabled them to optimize a building management system using accurate IOT environmental data, monitor in real-time how the building performs, and respond to environmental changes and HVAC plant failures proactively. In early September, Evotech installed 22 Wave Plus for Business sensors at their client site, No.1 Whitehall Riverside Leeds, a circa 12,000 sq.m modern multi-tenanted office building. Let’s see how they got on! Incoming fresh air Insights, confidence, and comfort. Live monitoring of environmental conditions has given Evotech’s operational team real-time insight into on-site HVAC performance and provides their client with the confidence that their indoor spaces are safe and healthy. No. 1 Whitehall uses humidifiers designed to condition incoming fresh air No. 1 Whitehall uses humidifiers designed to condition incoming fresh air in order to keep indoor humidity at optimal levels. These are maintained in line with SFG20 guidelines, and Evotech visits them quarterly throughout the year to undertake scheduled maintenance to ensure that building occupants enjoy the healthiest air. Planned maintenance visit However, in early December 2020, the Airthings sensors reported low humidity levels throughout the building. After investigating, it was found that some of the humidifiers had stopped due to component failure. This can happen to anyone. Evotech knew instantly and ordered parts to replace them quickly. They got the humidifiers back online before the humidity levels dropped even lower. They demonstrated excellent foresight and a quick turnaround time simply by being able to access air quality data remotely thanks to the Airthings Dashboard and API integration. “Without the deployment of the Airthings sensors on site this HVAC plant failure would have gone unnoticed until our next scheduled planned maintenance visit, due many weeks later, or possibly until we attended site following occupant complaint(s).” – Evotech. Fully functioning chiller High temperatures were reported by the Airthings sensors in June 2021 on several floors In May 2021, the Airthings sensors reported unusually warm readings of 29 degrees Celsius at No. 1 Whitehall. As a result, an engineer was instantly deployed and a pressure issue was found in the chilled water system, which they were able to rectify immediately, allowing the air temperature to return to normal levels. Similarly, high temperatures were reported by the Airthings sensors in June 2021 on several floors in the building. Again, Evotech’s engineering team was immediately sent to investigate and identify a small refrigerant leak in one of the chiller circuits. Without the air quality data, they would have had to rely on tenant complaints. Instead, using the air quality data, they were proactive and returned the comfort cooling system back to full use. Acting immediately reduced the amount of refrigerant wasted and prevented the system from expending extra energy trying to cool a building without a fully functioning chiller.

The Royal Fine Art Commission Trust launches a new award scheme to promote beauty in UK buildings and streets, as part of its charitable mission to promote design excellence in the built environment.   The Building Beauty Awards celebrate buildings, engineering structures, and urban landscaping schemes that add beauty to our environment. Everyone from architects to members of the public is welcome to submit an entry free of charge at buildingbeautyawards.com. The deadline for entries is the end of March 2022. Judging panel The judging panel will be led by one of Britain’s foremost design critics, Stephen Bayley Hon FRIBA, founder of The Design Museum in London and Chairman of the Royal Fine Art Commission Trust. He will be joined by the architectural commentator Paul Finch OBE, the architectural writer Clive Aslet and the cultural historian Kassia St Clair. Other judges will be announced shortly. Winners will be announced at a ceremony in early Summer 2022.  Forthcoming reforms to the planning system will give people greater power to insist on beauty" Bringing attention to work Commenting on the new awards, Stephen Bayley said, “the importance of beauty in our surroundings is huge. Beautiful buildings make us happier and healthier while ugly buildings dull our senses and lower our spirits. Forthcoming reforms to the planning system will give people greater power to insist on beauty.” “Through these awards, we want to draw attention to the excellent work being done by architects, engineers, and designers, celebrating the contribution of those who take the trouble to ensure that our built environment lifts us rather than drags us down." Alongside the awards, the Trust is launching a Building Beauty Grants scheme to promote small-scale beautification projects across the UK.

Jobber, the provider of home service management software, announced that its annual Jobber Professional Development (PD) Day will be held on February 16, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. This 100% free and virtual event features expert sessions and lives networking opportunities designed to strengthen the business and leadership skills that small business owners and management teams need to succeed. Perspective from speakers and panelists “We were so humbled by the feedback we received from the thousands of home service professionals who attended Jobber PD Day 2021 that we knew we had to bring it back for a second year,” said Sam Pillar, CEO, and co-founder of Jobber. Speakers and panelists will offer the home service community fresh perspectives and insights" “Our roster of world-class speakers and panelists will offer the home service community fresh perspectives and insights, equipping them with the tools they need to continue driving their business success.” Registration for the free event is open on the company website. Q&A with Daymond John Jobber PD Day will kick off with a Q&A featuring celebrity investor, world-famous entrepreneur, 4-time bestselling author, and star of ABC’s Shark Tank, Daymond John. Daymond will speak about the top positive qualities and pitfalls that set successful entrepreneurs apart. Drawing on his own experience as a CEO of FUBU and The Shark Group, and as an original Shark Tank investor, Daymond will share how to apply his successful strategies to your business. Networking opportunities Jobber PD Day attendees build their event schedules from multiple networking opportunities Following the Q&A, Jobber PD Day attendees can build their event schedules, choosing from multiple networking opportunities and expert sessions to join throughout the day. Sessions will be organized into three tracks focuses People, Profit, and Process. Valuing outdoor spaces Landscape designer/contractor, TV host, author of Big Impact Landscaping, and STIHL spokesperson Sara Bendrick will also be speaking at this year’s event. Sara owns and operates Sarita Landscape Designs, which focuses on residential design throughout Southern California. She travels the country doing talks and often hosts landscape renovation shows that encourage people to value the outdoor spaces they have. Creating profitable businesses Additionally, popular Jobber PD Day 2021 speaker, entrepreneur, and author Mike Michalowicz will be returning for a session with Adrienne Dorison from their joint venture Run Like Clockwork. The session will show attendees how to shift their mindset, culture, and processes so they can create a lean, profitable business that supports them. Adrienne has spent the past 10+ years & has since created a simplistic approach to making business ultra-efficient Mike is best known as the creator of Profit First, which is used by hundreds of thousands of companies across the globe to drive profit, and Clockwork, a powerful method to make any business run automatically. Adrienne has spent the past 10+ years in the field of operational efficiency and has since created the most simplistic approach to making business ultra-efficient. Attendee feedback Past Jobber PD Day attendee Paul Langlois, the owner of Langlois Journeymen Electricians, said “Jobber PD Day came at a perfect time in my business. I was in a slowdown and restructuring. This day gave me the insight and focus I needed to launch into a great new year and success!” "I have been to every professional development event that I could find the last few years and this has by far been the best,” added Melissa Devine, owner of Focal Point Features. “Appreciate the lineup, and the talks, and the resources."

AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a smart buildings’ biggest ally. Without it, a building could hardly be classed as smart. For building owners and managers, AI is imperative to create a secure and comfortable experience for their occupants every day. What a building platform should do is gather data from various sources from the building management system and other smart technologies, to gather it all in one place. The data should then be fed into a flexible, scalable cloud-based platform that stores it securely and standardizes the data. However, that still doesn’t make it a smart building. Building platforms integration with built-in AI Truly smart buildings are made, when building platforms are integrated with built-in AI. These technologies facilitate integration and enhanced intelligence, across a building or estate, all the while improving building operation for its occupants. They can also monitor building and equipment performance, and factor in building system data, and external input, including weather and traffic. Ultimately, this allows for Machine Learning to constantly monitor building spaces and when systems need to be optimized. This allows for increased building efficiency and lowered costs, with limited human intervention. AI offers predictive analysis in HVAC AI can also apply predictive analysis in HVAC, lighting and appliances, as well as fault detection and diagnosis AI can also apply predictive analysis in HVAC, lighting and appliances, as well as fault detection and diagnosis. Any potential issues can then be addressed, prior to something serious happening and an engineer can be sent out to fix it, with the right part, the first time itself. For rooms that aren’t in use, energy-efficiency savings can be made easily and effectively, by reducing energy consumption in those areas. AI uses sensors to monitor room occupancy and makes real-time decisions, based on the insights. Occupants can then have the optimal levels of ventilation, temperature and light for the rooms they are in, but precious resources can be saved in the rooms that aren’t. All in all, this helps both the buildings bottom line and the planet. The Personal Benefits of AI When it comes to smart building technologies, the most important aspect is that the technologies work exactly how they need to. This is why AI is such a useful tool, as every Building Manager, Operations Executive, or Health and Safety Officer can plug into the platform, and make decisions based on real-time data. This comes from creating a scalable platform in the Cloud, helping monitor and action everything from HVAC to access control, to occupant experience to fire detection. However, it’s not just those people who are responsible for the building’s operations, can get hands-on experience with AI. Many smart buildings now put their technology in the hands of each occupant, including office workers, teachers, CEOs, or nurses. Smartphone apps, unique to your building or estate, can help guide visitors from A to B, book meeting rooms or operating suites, or inform maintenance, when something goes wrong, all from the palm of their hand. AI-enabled security cameras To access buildings, users can present their access control credentials, in the form of a card or pin To access buildings, users can present their access control credentials, in the form of a card or pin, as they traditionally have, but then face a camera to further verify their identity. These cameras use AI algorithms to identify users with very high confidence and the combination of facial recognition, and traditional card access provides a higher level of assurance for secure access, while minimizing disruption for the users. Importance of utilizing the right AI technologies Buildings that utilize the right AI technologies in the right ways can be truly transformed. For building management businesses, it can closely align them to a tenant organization’s business and deliver the experiences occupants need and want. In turn, they benefit their own business, both financially and operationally. Making buildings smarter – or smart in general – will help overcome some of our most prevalent challenges. In particular, the aggressive net-zero and sustainability targets that businesses have promised to reach. For most, the issue isn’t with having the data, but rather with actioning the insights to see real change. With AI, it becomes possible, and we can start to see real changes in our buildings.

Secure I.T. Environments Ltd, one of the UK’s design and build companies for modular, containerized, and micro data centers, announces that it has been awarded a contract to upgrade the air conditioning units at a Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust data center. The existing air conditioning solution had been in place since the data center was originally designed and built by Secure I.T. Environments in 2009 and 2010. Air handling systems The new contract will form part of the Trust’s investment and upgrade program and will bring about substantial energy efficiency improvements, once live before the end of 2021. Four GEA 18D Multi-DENCO® down flow close control direct expansion air handling systems and Four DENCO ambient air-cooled condensers will be installed. Chris Wellfair, Projects Director at Secure I.T. Environments, added “We are thrilled to be continuing our long-standing work on these data centers, which we originally designed, installed, and have maintained for a number of years. Cooling technology is always improving, and it will rewarding to help the trust achieve even greater energy efficiency and cost savings over the lifespan of this upgrade.”

Florida Gators Sports Properties and Air Pros USA, a residential and commercial air conditioning service company and the official Air Conditioning partner for Gators football, demonstrated gratitude for Veterans at the Florida Gators ‘saluting those who serve’ football game which took place on Saturday, November 13th. As part of the saluting those who serve game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Air Pros CEO Anthony Perera was recognized on the field and surprised the five local Veterans highlighted for their service earlier in the game with a free air conditioning unit. Small gesture of appreciation “Air Pros USA is committed to the honor and recognition of our Veterans and will continue to give back to those who have given so much to our country,” says Anthony Perera, founder of Air Pros USA.  “We are proud to present this small gesture of appreciation to these Veterans and thank the Florida Gators’ for including us in their ongoing dedication to the Veteran community.” During the game, the Gators also showed a touching video of decorated Veteran, Eddie Thomas, who was recognized for his sacrifice to the country and awarded a new A/C unit by Air Pros USA. Thomas served in the United States Air Force from 1954-1958, as well as during the Korean War. His service included overseeing security at his base in Germany and K-9 units. Incredible giveaway surprise Thomas, who is legally blind, still volunteers and serves on the Korean War Veterans of America Color Guard During active-duty, Thomas earned a Good Conduct Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Outstanding Unit Award, Small Arms Expert Award, the National Defense Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, as well as the United Nations Service Medal.  Thomas, who is legally blind, still volunteers and serves on the Korean War Veterans of America Color Guard at Veteran events and funerals. “We’re humbled our partners at Air Pros USA wanted to be a part of the ‘saluting those who serve game’ and surprise Veterans with this incredible giveaway,” said Lee Douglas, Vice President and General Manager of Florida Gators Sports Properties. Brave military servicemen “It was a wonderful moment to show gratitude to the brave military servicemen and women who’ve done so much for our country.” Air Pros USA is continuously finding ways to give back to the community, including Veterans and military service members. Air Pros USA will continue to look for opportunities such as donations, giveaways and hiring initiatives to support those who serve the country.

Every six years, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) reviews how much energy certain home appliances and mechanical systems use and determines if an increase in energy efficiency requirements is justified. New energy conservation standards As a result of the 2017 assessment, the DOE has mandated new energy conservation standards that take effect on January 1, 2023, for all newly manufactured residential and commercial air conditioners, heat pumps, and gas furnaces.  In addition to the new standards, there are also new, more stringent test procedures for all residential and 3-5-ton light commercial, single-phase equipment manufactured on or after January 1, 2023. The new, more rigorous testing procedure will determine energy efficiency ratings for all residential and light commercial single-phase, air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured on or after January 1, 2023. The procedure increases external static pressure (ESP) by 60%, from 0.3 to 0.5, which more accurately reflects field conditions. New testing metrics The new test procedures will result in reduced, yet more precise, efficiency ratings Compared to the current SEER, EER, and HSPF ratings, the new test procedures will result in reduced, yet more precise, efficiency ratings. Because of this, new metrics and nomenclature were developed, including SEER2, EER2, and HSPF2. Minimum efficiency ratings will be reduced for these versus the 2023 SEER, EER, and HSPF minimum efficiency ratings for each region. “Johnson Controls is committed to helping our dealers, contractors and partners overcome the challenges that these new regulations bring through educational offerings that cover all new HVAC products and testing updates to make this transition as smooth as possible,” says Chris Forth, Vice President, Codes & Environmental Affairs, Ducted Systems, Johnson Controls. Webinars and training programs Specifically, Johnson Controls is updating all HVAC products beginning in 2022 to meet minimum requirements for air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured for 2023 DOE compliance and simultaneously making additional performance and efficiency improvements. They are also complying with new DOE testing procedures to conform to upcoming regulations. Johnson Controls’ ongoing webinars and training on the new regulatory changes will continue through 2022 and 2023 regulatory training will be provided for each future product update and launch. Efficiency standards Air conditioners installed in northern climates must achieve a 14.0 SEER rating or 13.4 SEER2 For air conditioners, efficiency standards vary by region. The U.S. is divided into three regions based on climate: North, South (east), and Southwest. The climate makes a big difference in how often air conditioners and heat pumps operate; those that operate more have greater opportunities for energy savings. Therefore, air conditioners installed in northern climates must achieve a 14.0 SEER rating, or 13.4 SEER2, while those installed in the southeast and southwest must achieve a 15.0 SEER rating or 14.3 SEER2. For heat pumps, efficiency standards are the same for each region. Heat pumps in every region must achieve a minimum efficiency of 15.0 SEER or 14.3 SEER2. Testing capabilities “Manufacturers need to retest, optimize and relaunch every product tier by the new testing procedure,” says Forth. “For some, the scale of this project is huge and unprecedented. Many manufacturers expanded their testing facilities and advanced their technology to ensure all products are tested and ready when they are needed. Johnson Controls has dedicated our Rooftop Center of Excellence in Norman, Oklahoma, to driving innovation in manufacturing technologies and testing capabilities.” Residential and commercial equipment The new efficiency minimum for commercial, single-phase air conditioners and heat pumps are 13.4 SEER2 For now, the new energy conservation standards and new testing procedures will affect residential equipment more than commercial equipment. The new requirements apply only to commercial equipment with a single-phase power supply. The minimum efficiency of commercial equipment with a three-phase power supply will continue to follow 2018 requirements until these systems convert to the new SEER2 levels at some point in the future. The new efficiency minimum for commercial, single-phase air conditioners and heat pumps are 13.4 SEER2. IEER will remain the primary metric for commercial, three-phase products above 65K Btu/hr, making part-load efficiencies more important and increasing the use of variable-frequency drives (VFDs). Consequences of non-compliant equipment There are several possible enforcement consequences DOE can take should a dealer or contractor installs non-compliant equipment, if a distributor supplies non-compliant equipment, or if a manufacturer knowingly sells non-compliant equipment. They might have to replace non-compliant equipment at their own expense, and repeat violators may be placed on a national “no-sell” list. They might also be prohibited from purchasing any of the seven classes of products identified in the Code of Federal Regulations (10-CFR-430.32) and could be subjected to fines. HVAC professionals can avoid accidental non-compliance by familiarizing themselves with the specific DOE regulations and by keeping accurate, up-to-date records of products sold per DOE requirements. 2023 DOE compliant equipment One of the biggest misconceptions among homeowners is how the standards affect their existing systems" Johnson Controls and other manufacturers are also helping dealers, contractors and technicians learn about the new requirements and working with them to ensure they have compliant equipment now and when the new requirements become effective on January 1, 2023. “One of the biggest misconceptions among homeowners is how the standards affect their existing systems,” says Forth. “It’s important for contractors to communicate to homeowners that the 2023 requirements only apply to new systems manufactured to meet the new DOE 2023 efficiencies. The functional equipment they currently have installed in their home does not need to be replaced.” Reducing energy consumption   The new DOE minimum energy efficiency requirements are part of ongoing efforts to reduce energy consumption in the U.S. and save home and property owners money. When the time comes to replace or upgrade existing systems, home and property owners will be able to select new higher efficiency, 2023 DOE compliant equipment, says Forth. “If HVAC installers have questions, most contractors and distributors are ready to help them understand and prepare for the 2023 minimum efficiency change and answer any questions they have,” says Forth. “Understanding the efficiency standards for their region is going to be critical before the standards go into effect. Preparation and planning now as to which systems and components meet their region's requirements regulatory requirements will make the transition easier.”

HVAC systems typically operate on a schedule. Heating, cooling and ventilation systems start and stop at fixed times of the day, scheduled around when and how a building is used. But, shouldn’t the number of occupants in a building or a room have an impact on how the HVAC system operates? Considering occupancy, when addressing HVAC needs, is an especially timely approach, given that building schedules are less predictable now, since the COVID-19 pandemic changed work patterns, possibly forever. ‘Hybrid’ work arrangements mean employees could be working or not, at various times of the day or night, no longer adhering to the traditional 9 am to 5 pm workday. Operation of HVAC systems should be just as flexible. Nomad Go Nomad Go uses ‘edge computer vision’ sensors to count the people in a room and provides that data to the Cloud Occupancy represents a key variable, when determining HVAC requirements and a system called Nomad Go enables an HVAC system to operate based on occupancy. Nomad Go uses ‘edge computer vision’ sensors to count the people in a room and provides that data to the Cloud, where it is used to direct operation of a building’s (or a room’s) HVAC system in real time, based on occupancy. “Combining computer vision with artificial intelligence provides a balance between saving energy and ensuring comfort,” said David Greschler, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-Founder of Nomad Go. Impact of HVAC systems on carbon emissions He adds, “The system also emerges at a time of greater awareness about climate change and the impact of building HVAC systems on carbon emissions. The stars have aligned to make the solution we have developed very powerful.” Occupancy data is captured using the low-cost computer vision sensors, manufactured by Sony. Each sensor captures video data at 30 frames per second and uses computer vision processing to determine occupancy. Inference analysis occurs inside the device (at the edge). All video is captured anonymously, no individual is identified and video does not leave the sensor. Computer vision sensors David Greschler adds, “Computer vision sensors provide absolute precision and are ten times more accurate than other means of sensing occupancy. Computer vision is the only solution that gives you the precision you need for HVAC. The sensors employ ‘hyper-local learning’, that is, intelligence at the edge continuously improves the device’s accuracy.” In addition to occupancy information to drive the HVAC system, computer vision can also sense other factors, including mask or hard-hat compliance. This added functionality can be provided to Nomad Go customers. Fine-tuning HVAC system operation Fine-tuning HVAC system operation to conform to occupancy data also requires consideration of variables Fine-tuning HVAC system operation to conform to occupancy data also requires consideration of variables, such as how much time it takes to adjust a room to a required comfort level and how hot or cold an empty room is allowed to reach. “What we are really doing is widening the set points in unoccupied mode and narrowing the set points in occupied mode,” said David Greschler. At 1 am, for example, the system would allow room temperature in unoccupied mode to drift, but not so far as to require too long to return to the occupied comfort level. Factors impacting these variables include the outside weather, the time of year, the number of people involved, etc. “We look at how fast it takes for the room to go from unoccupied to occupied set points,” said David Greschler, adding “If it takes less time, we can widen the set points. We are constantly monitoring based on real data. We are saving money in unoccupied mode, but we need to quickly return to a comfortable temperature, if someone enters the room. We also constantly poll the ‘time to comfort’, to adjust the unoccupied temperatures, to ensure a rapid return to comfort.” Occupancy information processing in the Cloud Processing of occupancy information occurs in the Cloud and the system depends on technologies, such as Power over Ethernet (PoE) and WiFi. The system can communicate with building automation systems (BAS) too, in effect injecting occupancy as a new variable in building systems. Alternatively, it can communicate directly with a smart thermostat, such as Nest. The Microsoft Azure cloud platform provides resiliency to the system and Microsoft’s strong Internet of Things (IoT) management tools facilitate the exchange of IoT data with devices. The system also integrates easily with other systems. For example, it can work with Microsoft Outlook calendar software, so as to manage when rooms are likely to be occupied, based on what meetings are planned. Nomad Go operations similar to Nest smart thermostat Nomad Go substitutes occupancy data from computer vision for the smartphone location signal David Greschler compares Nomad Go’s use of occupation data to how a Nest smart thermostat can adjust a home owner’s HVAC system, based on location data from a smartphone. When an occupant (and his or her smartphone) is away from home, the Nest system operates in ‘economy mode’ and then cranks up the system, when the occupant returns home. For the commercial and multi-family environment, Nomad Go substitutes occupancy data from computer vision for the smartphone location signal. (Nomad Go is used in common areas of multi-family residential spaces.) Environmental benefits contribute to ROI “The system involves a monthly subscription fee, which is offset by a likely reduction in energy usage of 30%,” said David Greschler. With the broader trend toward net-zero emissions and large carbon footprint of buildings, environmental benefits also contribute to return on investment (ROI).

Technology advancements allow organizations across industries to deliver highly connected spaces that overcome the biggest challenges of today and tomorrow.   At the 2021 Global Security Exchange (GSX), Johnson Controls delivered an immersive experience to showcase various Johnson Controls security solutions, from clean air and vape detection technology to risk insights.   Johnson Controls also highlighted OpenBlue Secure, a holistic approach to security that anticipates risk and protects occupants against threats, from viruses to intruders to cyberattacks and even climate change. Connected Security Operations Centers OpenBlue Secure enables SOCs to efficiently deliver responses and enhance the abilities of the entire system Building managers need the right tools and processes to help keep up with the emerging risks created by continuously evolving global threats. Powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and workflow engines, OpenBlue Secure enables security operating centers, or SOCs, to efficiently deliver responses and enhance the capabilities of the entire system. The suite of connected solutions offers key solutions to proactively assess risk and keep platforms up to date, including: Active Responder: Active Responder creates digital procedure administration and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to deliver enhanced and efficient emergency responses. Risk Insight: This technology quantifies threat impact and helps determine key threats from insignificant events to mitigate risks in real-time. Cloudvue Technology: Through managed security, Cloudvue simplifies surveillance, streamlines access control, and provides powerful intelligence that can be securely accessed anywhere, anytime. OpenBlue Clean Air Solutions: Iso-Clean air filtration and Halo smart sensors contribute to healthy environments, which are critical for occupant safety. Digitalizing SOCs through OpenBlue security insights and intelligence allows for maximum protection. Moreover, SABRE cyber security solutions merge the physical with the digital to ensure healthy building solutions remain online, no matter what. A connected environment that operates continuously can monitor for emerging risks and prepare to mount a coordinated security response when action is required from anywhere. Future-Ready Solutions Johnson Controls offer cloud-ready, superior enterprise security with better insights, visibility, and management OpenBlue Secure was designed to create safe environments for occupants by offering solutions that exceed security standards, but one of the most critical aspects of the portfolio is its adaptability. Security threats are constantly evolving and, without a solution that is dynamic and designed for integration, SOPs can become quickly outdated, making resilient and real-time reactions essential to long-term system success. Through OpenBlue Active Responder, Johnson Controls offer cloud-ready, superior enterprise security with better insights, visibility, and management. The portfolio enhances security responsiveness to proactively assess risk and deliver faster, higher-quality security responses. Integrating security operations to create a connected SOC offers remote working capabilities and collaboration so building managers can respond to potential risks anytime, anywhere, guaranteeing the 24/7 safety of occupants and delivering future-forward building environments.

With an order of 900 PrimeLINE® units from Carrier Transicold, Korea Marine Transport Containers (KMTC) is expanding its refrigerated cargo fleet and replacing older units. The PrimeLINE unit is a container refrigeration unit designed for world-class performance with leading energy efficiency, capacity, and overall lifecycle cost. Carrier Transicold is a part of Carrier Global Corporation, the foremost global provider of healthy, safe, sustainable, and intelligent building and cold chain solutions.   Meeting the needs of the customers "Every year, we secure new reefer containers to meet the needs of our customers, offering them the highest level of performance and satisfaction. This is easily achievable with the 900 new PrimeLINE units by Carrier, which is especially vital to our customers in the lucrative durian market in Thailand,” said SW Nam, General Manager of Equipment Control Team, KMTC. Maintaining temperatures for transportation PrimeLINE units tight temperature controls prevent the fruit from spoiling and arriving at its destination in optimal condition These 20- and 40-foot high-cube containers will be used to transport durians from Thailand to Hong Kong and vegetables from China to Southeast Asia. Durians are high-respiring fruit, consuming high levels of oxygen and releasing a large amount of carbon dioxide. Maintaining temperatures between 13–15 degrees Celsius is vital to prevent the fruit from spoiling and arriving at its destination in optimal condition and this is easily achievable with tight temperature controls by the PrimeLINE units. Key features KMTC selected Carrier for its superior performance, backed by a dedicated customer service team. The PrimeLINE unit, which has been the industry sales leader for over 13 years, features: Efficient performance with its energy-conserving digital scroll compressor Fast temperature pull-down with an economized vapor injection system, to start compressor cycling sooner, minimizing power consumption Tight temperature control within +/- 0.25 degrees Celsius High airflow attributed to its aerospace-inspired fan design Excellent cost of ownership thanks to its efficiency and rugged design PrimeLINE refrigeration units are one of the solutions offered through Carrier’s Healthy, Safe, Sustainable Cold Chain Program to preserve and protect the supply of food, medicine, and vaccines.