Expert Commentary: HVAC Trends & Analysis

Hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) and so-called “natural” refrigerants have coexisted for more than two decades, with each serving the specific needs of the HVACR industry. However, over the past several years, the proverbial aisle has formed, with pro-HFO voices on one side and “natural” advocates on the other. EU F-gas regulations The debate is getting more “ink” these days, partly due to advances in proposed EU F-gas regulations as well as the acceleration of glo...

Although the European Union is several steps ahead in the transition away from hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants, members of the HVACR industry in other countries currently find themselves in a more urgent situation when it comes to stepping down HFCs and stepping up use of new-generation hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerants and emerging A2Ls. EPA’s AIM Act This is especially true in the U.S., where 2024 kicked off with an additional 30% reduction in HFC production and consumption un...

Peter Van Den Heede, Head of Sales and Marketing, Benelux, ABB Motion, explains how electrification systems are paving the way for sustainable urban landscapes.  As the fight against climate change intensifies, the European Union has set crystal clear targets on the path to Net Zero. If we are to meet the EU’s ambitious goals of a 55 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and complete climate neutrality by 2050, then we need to find ever-smarter ways to save energy.&n...

College was never the only path to success. There are many other nontraditional avenues to success, and I had the privilege of blindly venturing down one myself. My path included a short stint in college, then trade school, an apprenticeship, a role building a training program, a managerial role running a branch, and ultimately a leadership role running a large region of companies. I started my career as a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technician, and I didn’t think I’...

This time of year, a lot of planning is underway. Companies throughout the HVACR industry are mapping out the best path to maintain their current level of business, pursue growth while staying in their lane, or expand into a new area based on changing customer needs and industry opportunities. Whether you’re a small family-owned residential HVAC shop, a major player in commercial HVACR service or manufacturing, or anywhere in between, it’s helpful to be aware of the strong dynamics...

Nothing is immune to entropy. As buildings age, they suffer natural breakdowns in efficiency, performance, and useability, compromising occupant comfort and leading to higher energy bills. Luckily, they do not have to stay that way. Retro-commissioning brings existing structures up to speed so they can function their best.  What Is Commissioning?  Commissioning helps buildings operate as the owners intended and ensures staff maintains their equipment and systems. During new construct...

Circularity. Some may call it a “hot topic.” But in reality, the concept and practice of circularity is here to stay, indefinitely, for the simple reason that the sustainability of our planet depends on it. Whatever type of product you sell, “widget” you manufacture, or service you provide, achieving circularity, that is, putting practices in place so that materials remain in circulation and never become waste is finding its way onto the priority list of every business....

Using air conditioners and electric fans to stay cool accounts for nearly 20% of the total electricity used in buildings around the world, according to a report from the International Energy Agency. hybrid work model As a unique mix of key factors, such as the adoption of the hybrid work model and escalating heatwaves in certain regions of the United States keep people indoors for longer periods, this 20% share represents an increasingly costly line item on household budgets. Those within th...

According to some recent estimates, the cooling industry accounts for approximately 10% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. To place this in perspective, the transportation sector, as the highest contributor, accounts for approximately 20% of global CO2 emissions. While some may see this as a “glass half empty” scenario, the better approach is the one taken by key players in the HVACR space. As we see it, because the cooling industry has been a source of significant emis...

Most consumers choose an HVAC contractor based on their online reviews. Before making a final decision, potential customers actively look for what others have to say about your business, and having plenty of online positive reviews automatically positions you as a top pick. Reviews Reviews also help you rank higher in search results, and buyers are willing to pay more for brands with lots of strong reviews. So how do you get more of them? First, you have to create great customer experiences....

Energy bills for small businesses have become a major issue throughout 2023. As prices have risen drastically over the last twelve months, SMEs have been relying on the government’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme. Originally set up to support livelihoods, energy bills for businesses in the public sector were capped at £2,500 per year. However, in March, the government support scheme was replaced with the scaled-down Energy Bill Discount Scheme, leaving businesses and public sector organ...

Summer may not seem like the most opportune time to be selling heating products and solutions. The temperatures are already hot, so why would a homeowner need to worry about their heating source? For many HVAC clients, the idea of being proactive before the cold weather drops is foreign. That’s why contractors need to remind them of the importance of focusing on their heating units during the summer. capitalize on heating solutions There are plenty of opportunities available for contra...

Today’s HVAC contractors are acutely aware that they need visibility on the internet and in their community if they want the phones to ring with requests for new business. As a result, HVAC company leaders have become savvy about marketing and advertising and know that search engine optimization, direct mail flyers, and flashy truck wraps attract attention. Public relations But what they don’t stop to think about is that their competitors likely have a very similar marketing strat...

You’re looking for ways to increase revenue for your HVAC business, and texting is one more tool you can add to your arsenal. 70% of people report that texting is the fastest way to reach them, and 99% of texts are read within just a few minutes. That kind of speed can help you secure more appointments, get paid faster, land more referrals, and boost sales in general. Scheduling service appointments So where do you begin? Below, we’ll show you five tactics your HVAC business can...

Any time you enter into an agreement with a business or partner, they may want to check that everything is shipshape. What Is a Certificate of Insurance? - If you own a business, chances are you have certificates of all kinds on your wall, whether they be your hard-earned college degree or the certification needed by your city to run your business. These certificates prove that you’ve passed your classes or have met the requirements set out by the city. A certificate of insurance is simil...

Patented new filtration technology proved it can upgrade AC units and Air Curtains to become highly effective Air Purifiers. Background and problem AC Split Units and Air Curtains employ coarse dust filters that are normally installed within the housing at the air return vent to allow for frequent filter cleaning. While this vital activity is generally performed on a regular basis in professional settings, it may be overlooked in home settings, leading to the clogging of these filters. This de...

Coastal and tropical areas present their own unique challenges for business and residential HVAC units. For these machines, which we use to create comfortable, safe air for occupants, corrosion is enemy number one in high moisture environments. Due to the high level of moisture and salts in the air along the coast, HVAC solutions are more susceptible to corrosion. These salts can negatively impact unprotected coil fins and metal surfaces, causing them to corrode, which can ultimately lead to s...

With each passing year, more and more individuals are becoming conscious of the importance of sustainability. As a result, there has been a boom in the electric vehicle (EVs) market. According to the International Energy Agency, the sales of EVs doubled in 2021 with nearly 10% of global car sales being electric. Two million electric vehicles were sold in the first quarter of 2022 alone. It was estimated that 13% of new cars sold in 2022 would be electric. Gas-Powered vehicle For those who cho...

When your HVAC system isn't working correctly, it's often difficult to pinpoint the exact issue. Does your home have hot and cold spots? Do doors randomly close on their own? Is your A/C blowing warm air on a hot summer day? If so, your HVAC might have an uneven airflow. There are many symptoms of uneven airflow and many solutions. Amid the increasing demand for HVAC repair, homeowners need to learn how to keep their home system operating at its best. Understanding the potential causes of unev...

Each day we’re reading headlines about decarbonization ambitions for buildings while challenged with supporting day-to-day operational needs. Yet, we’re still tasked with delivering energy and cost reductions. Given the magnitude of energy consumption and the importance to occupant/tenant comfort, HVAC systems warrant significant attention. There are a lot of options with new equipment and controls to drive energy use down and enhance overall comfort that are very impactful, when bu...

The energy savings due to the lowering of heating temperatures during unoccupied periods can exceed 20% in the tertiary sector and 30% in the education sector.  When buildings are not occupied continuously, the idling or even the optimized shutdown of heating systems is one of the main sources of energy savings. heating system consumption Indeed the heating system consumption matches the thermal loss of heated buildings. When we willingly let the internal temperature drop during a vacant...

Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) has been a longstanding problem within educational institutions, where it has been known to affect productivity and performance, as well as mental and physical health. And it’s not just the pupils at risk, with studies finding that this deleterious phenomenon can also compromise teaching performance and delivery, which inevitably affects the quality of the information received. CO2 concentrations This has recently been evidenced in a study conducted by the U...

With the UK experiencing increasingly warmer summers and more frequent heatwaves, we’re equally seeing more air conditioning units installed in both commercial and residential spaces. As the demand for air conditioning continues to increase, so too will the demand for copper pipes. Copper is a trusted and reliable material that air conditioning installers have been using for many years and, not only that, it’s also infinitely recyclable – making it a sustainable alternative to...

A preventive maintenance program could save 12-18% over reactive maintenance, as the U.S. Department of Energy predicted in 2010. For many businesses, the savings could be higher, considering the risks of downtime and today’s economic conditions pushing up costs across the supply chain. It’s also possible for a program to miss the mark. By one measure, 50% of the costs of a preventive maintenance program are often wasted. The question is, how do you know if your maintenance program...

The importance of caring for the environment has become a top priority both around the world and increasingly in the United States. As regulations and social expectations become more stringent, future-proofing our infrastructure - beginning with energy consumption in buildings - is a natural first step. There are four key strategies a building owner or facility manager can focus on to improve energy efficiency and reduce a building’s carbon footprint, all while improving building performa...

Achieving carbon neutrality has, once more, become a business priority. Whilst COVID-19 distracted attention away from the drive towards Net Zero, green issues are once more back on the agenda and rising to the top of it. Building specifications The built environment accounts for around 28-40% of global emissions, so there is a collective ambition to start specifying buildings with as low a carbon footprint as possible. This is particularly true of commercial office spaces where operational...

Following the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement on 23 March, several imminent and future changes were laid out by the UK government. This included VAT scrappage for residential energy-saving measures like heat pumps and solar panels, a 12-month cutting of fuel duty by 5p per liter, and to support the decarbonization of commercial premises, targeted business rate exemptions for eligible plant and machinery used in onsite renewable energy generation and stora...

As COVID-19 becomes endemic and hybrid working becomes the norm, a great deal of time and energy is going into managing a safe return to the office and a move to new styles of working. As hard FM systems are adjusted to suit new workplace expectations and futureproof sites, Johnpaul Pearson, Business Support Director at Anabas, talks about understanding workplaces and using technology to better design and plan a workplace of the future. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, we were witnessi...

‘Energy storage holds the key to providing clean energy for heating and powering the home and reducing carbon emissions’ Carlton Cummins, CTO and Co-Founder of clean technology company Aceleron explain how this will work. As we transition away from natural gas and other fossil fuels, there is no question that we absolutely have to make better use of renewable energy. Using a battery energy storage system (BESS) combined with renewable technology such as solar means that it can be st...

Energy consumption continues to be one of the primary contributors to a building’s carbon emissions and its operational costs. Around 40% of this energy is used to power HVAC systems. To improve sustainability and reduce operating costs, it’s in a building owner’s best interest to find ways to make their building’s heating and cooling systems more efficient. Identifying areas that will make the biggest difference starts with knowing which systems consume the most energy...