Cooling News & Trends

With the UK finally out of lockdown many professionals are once again heading to their offices to complete their working day. Over the past 18 months, the task of accessing CPD (Continuing Professional Development) hours by HVAC engineers and professionals has been a real challenge but SPX Cooling Technologies quickly identified the issue and has been running online webinars that offer CPD hours throughout the global lockdown. SPX will continue to deliver these online sessions, but following fe...

Trane Technologies, a climate innovator in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and transport refrigeration, has reaffirmed its commitment to net-zero emissions at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP26). 2050 net-zero target As part of both the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Race to Zero campaign and the Science-Based Targets initiatives (SBTi) Business Ambition for 1.5°C, Trane Technologies has...

Vice President Kamala Harris will join U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm in New York to announce the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has confirmed the first six industry partners to participate in the Cold Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge. The challenge, which was announced in May 2021 at the White House, aims to reduce the carbon footprint of cold climate heating solutions by improving the efficiency and affordability of new heat pumps in the field. W...

Baltimore Aircoil Company (BAC) will showcase innovative commercial and industrial refrigeration solutions at RETA 2021 – The Refrigerating Engineers and Technicians Association National Conference, taking place November 9-11, 2021, at the Schaumburg Convention Centre Hotel, Schaumburg, IL, Booth #304. Optimizing energy savings Highlighted in the booth are the Vertex™ Evaporative Condenser, where peak reliability meets easy maintenance and the TrilliumSeries™ Adiabatic Produc...

DENSO Corporation has been contributing to spreading the use of electric vehicles, extending their mileage, and reducing CO2 emissions from vehicles by developing SiC (silicon carbide) power semiconductors, which incorporate DENSO’s proprietary structures and processing technologies, and using them in its in-vehicle products. A power semiconductor is like the muscles in the human body. It moves components, such as inverters and motors (limbs), based on commands from an ECU (brain). DENSO...

Bluegreen Energy Services Limited has announced they are ceasing to trade. Bluegreen Energy supplies around 5,900 domestic customers and a small number of non-domestic customers.   Under Ofgem’s safety net, customers’ energy supply will continue and funds that domestic customers have paid into their accounts will be protected, where they are in credit. Domestic customers will also be protected by the energy price cap when being switched to a new supplier. Things to do Custome...

COVID-19 has caused major disruptions in the lives of millions of people across the US and the world. As the pandemic gets under control users are dealing with the ripple effects of the virus. A shortage of raw materials, copper and steel in particular, as well as a shortage of semiconductors, create headaches for HVAC contractors. COVID is not the only cause of shortages. Other factors include high tariffs on imports from China, high summer demand, a shortage of drivers, rising ocean freight r...

BrainBox AI, a pioneer in autonomous building technology, announces a $24M raise to further deploy its AI technology in the built environment and develop its next phase of innovation. The first close of its Series A round includes new lead investor, ABB, and investments by Esplanade Ventures and Desjardins Capital. BrainBox AI offers predictive and self-adaptive artificial intelligence to optimize buildings’ energy usage, carbon footprint, and operational efficiency. To date, BrainBox AI...

Busy careers, bustling families, engrossing hobbies, and overwhelming responsibilities keep most people busy day in and day out. It’s understandable why worrying about the air filter in user heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is probably way down at the bottom of the priority list.  maintenance However, the team at Tassio Temp Control wants to pass along a gentle reminder about the importance of this small maintenance task.  It takes only a minute or tw...

As part of its ambition to make buildings smarter, safer, and more secure, while also improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions, ABB (ABB Group) has announced an investment in Montreal-based building technology startup, BrainBox AI. Investing in BrainBox AI Launched in 2019, BrainBox AI has pioneered the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions from Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems in commercial buildings. Financia...

Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions has reported that its IFS Remote Assistance solution has had a positive impact on improving customer service efficiency across Europe. The company reports that the initial response times have been improved, the remote diagnostic and fault resolution has been increased, and a higher customer satisfaction level was achieved. As the HVAC+R support teams throughout Europe have taken up the use of this tool, the appreciation for the benefits this technolog...

If users are a do-it-yourselfer in the house, they may be the type who wants to remove an old water heater, as opposed to having a plumber do it for them. Fortunately, it’s not all that complicated, and can be done. While it’s fairly easy to disconnect everything and get the heater ready to be moved, they’re often quite heavy. Sediment that has built up in the tank might make it even heavier, so be prepared to have help removing it, if need be. Removing an Old Water Heater...

Britain’s biggest generator of zero-carbon electricity, EDF, has been tasked by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) to help guide the public sector organization to significantly improve its energy efficiency. In accordance with the Scottish government’s target to achieve net zero by 2045, EDF will be helping it reduce the emissions associated with the energy used to power its buildings, as well as its extensive fleet of emergency vehicles. Zero-Carbon source The ongoing ca...

QM Power and the SPARK Lab at the University of Kentucky shared the combined results of a large-scale, multi-objective design optimization study, and lab testing of a prototype motor designed to meet the ambitious 2025 power density goals set by the US Department of Energy (DOE). The research demonstrated the high torque and speed capability of QM Power’s innovative permanent magnet motor technology. This, combined with advanced manufacturing and cooling technologies, achieved a record-hi...

Hiplus Aire Acondicionado (HITECSA), one of Spain's foremost manufacturers of HVAC equipment for the commercial sector, has been formally approved to join the Eurovent family during a recent online meeting of the association’s Board of Directors. Since 1982, HITECSA has been one of the Spanish market leaders in the design and manufacture of medium- and high-powered climate control equipment. Its range of products includes, for example, air-air and water-air packaged units, rooftop units,...

Proposals for a new solar farm across farmland south of the M20 and northeast of Aldington will be the subject of a second public consultation from Tuesday, 26 October to Monday, 29 November 2021. The proposed East Stour Solar Farm is being brought forward by EDF Renewables UK. It has the potential to generate up to 49.9MW of renewable electricity, enough to meet the equivalent needs of approximately 17,000 homes in the Borough of Ashford every year. Second public consultation This second pub...

American Coolair has named Bobby Graves Jr. as a Sales Representative in the Agriculture Sales Division. In this role, Graves will work with American Coolair customers in the greenhouse, poultry, and dairy industries. Experience and qualification  Bobby Graves Jr. has been with the company since 2017, starting as an Inventory Clerk while attending college. He has worked in the production and assembly departments, as well as in the onsite research and development facility to le...

The best way to maintain a healthy drainage system in the home is through prevention. As a rule of thumb, if users are watchful about what they put down the drains, it’s likely they won’t need to clear them too often. However, drains can still get blocked now and again and it’s important to know what to look out for and how to keep the drains in good working order. Healthy drainage system The first step to preventing clogged drains is to clean them as regularly as possible -...

A historic Art Deco icon meets cutting-edge luxury at The Sinclair, a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel. Built during the early 20th Century oil boom of Texas, the Sinclair Building has stood as one of the most recognizable landmarks of downtown Fort Worth, since 1929. The Sinclair, a historic hotel Designed to reflect the Gilded Age Art Deco style of the roaring 1920s, the Sinclair Building served the surrounding business community and employed thousands of Texans over the decades before un...

The owner of a 107-year old home sought an advanced hydronic heating solution for a major basement finishing project and to alleviate his existing heating woes on the first and second floors of the residence. The installation of an innovative and highly efficient boiler from Weil-McLain helped make the basement remodel a success and the family's home comfortably warm throughout. Hydronic heating solution Michael Bartholomay-Berreth, owner of the 2,700 square-foot, two-story Craftsman residenc...

Danfoss has been recognized in multiple categories in the 2022 AHR Expo Innovation Awards. The annual awards competition honors the most inventive and original products, systems, and technologies showcased at the International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) in the categories of building automation; cooling; green building; heating; indoor air quality; plumbing; refrigeration; software; tools & instruments; and ventilation.  In the Cooling category, Danfo...

Businesses and organizations across the UK are under pressure to implement commitments and actions to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. But, to truly commit to a carbon-neutral (or even a carbon-negative) future, cutting down on emissions is not enough. That's why technologies for energy reuse are beginning to receive a lot of attention from governments and other stakeholders. Over the last decade, the UK has been developing technological options to remove carbon dioxide from the atmos...

The Eurovent Product Group ‘Air Handling Units’ (PG-AHU) has published the second release of its Guidebook on Air Handling Units. The publication provides additional information in the control systems chapter and more. The Eurovent AHU Guidebook provides information on application areas, functions and components, energy efficiency and life cycle costs, and updated information on control systems which clearly elaborates on their importance, key tasks as well as essential control fu...

CoolAutomation is proud to announce that its Service Provision App has made it to the Software Category finalists, in the AHR Expo 2022 Innovation Award! About the AHR Expo Innovation Award The AHR Expo Innovation Awards is an annual competition that honors the most inventive and original products, systems, and technologies showcased at each year’s AHR Expo.  Products go head-to-head in the following categories: building automation; cooling; heating; indoor air quality; plumbing; r...

Johnson Controls, the globally renowned company for smart, healthy and sustainable building solutions, has introduced an all-in-one solution that empowers building operators to track sustainability, health and wellness metrics, while also reducing energy use, water use, waste, and carbon footprint. OpenBlue Performance Advisor The new OpenBlue Performance Advisor application expands on the rich capabilities of Johnson Controls OpenBlue Enterprise Manager solution, supporting organizations seek...

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed many weaknesses in school buildings across the country. According to a recent report from the American Society of Civil Engineers, 53 percent of the public schools in the United States have building systems in need of replacement or upgrades. Forty-one percent of these schools report problems with their HVAC system. Half of those schools report systems that are either in poor or fair condition. Until these issues are addressed, students and staff remain at risk. W...

RectorSeal, a globally renowned manufacturer of quality HVAC/R and plumbing tools and accessories, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of CSW Industrials, Inc., has announced the release of PRO-Fit Precision Flaring and Swaging Kits with hardened, forged steel bits for added durability. Brian Ilagan, the Product Manager at RectorSeal, said “HVAC technicians depend on top-quality tools that allow them to work quickly, accurately, and stand up to the rigors of frequent use. Our PRO-Fit kits allow...

The Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy is a welcome development in decarbonizing the UK heating sector but must be supported by the further policy if net-zero is to be achieved, according to polymer pipework specialist, REHAU. UK’s Heat and Buildings Strategy The long-awaited strategy was launched in October 2021, by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), with the £450 million Boiler Upgrade Scheme being the centerpiece of the development. Fr...

As the world prepares for COP26, the time for action and concrete agreement to reduce carbon emissions and invest in the future. Government and industry have a crucial opportunity to agree on tangible commitments, that benefit future generations across the world. The role as part of the Built Environment and Construction Sector (which accounts for 38% of global carbon emissions) is vital. The Construction Leadership Council’s Construct Zero program is heading the industry’s drive to...

The Sustainable Homes and Buildings Coalition, consisting of NatWest, Worcester Bosch, British Gas, and Shelter, has released its first comprehensive report titled ‘Home is where the Heat is.' The report ‘Home is where the Heat is’ directly engages with consumers, going into clear detail on how the UK can decarbonize homes and buildings across the UK. The aim is to place consumers at the heart of the conversations and ensure they have a better understanding of the technology o...