Variable Refrigerant Flow/Volume (VRF/VRV) News & Trends

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the ideal indoor humidity level should be between 30 – 60%. It’s optimal for overall wellness and the efficient functioning of the respiratory immune system. One of the biggest problems faced by people during winter is dry air. Low humidity contributes to the development of colds and flu. 60 to 80 percent of the human body is made up of water, which is why such an adverse bodily reaction to dry air.  Maintaining normal ho...

Panasonic has welcomed Kooltech, one of the UK's independently owned distributors of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning products, to its distribution network. Kooltech will now distribute Panasonic’s full range of commercial refrigeration CO2 Condensing Units from its seven branches across the UK. Paul Taylor, UK Sales Manager explains, “We are delighted to welcome Kooltech on board as a UK distributor of our Cold Chain CO2 Condensing Units. The company has a large, knowledgeable te...

Users need fresh air cycling through their property. An important part of AC maintenance is using the best air filters for the needs. Do users know that airborne pollution inside the property can be up to five times higher than outdoors? A good air filter reduces the pollutants to help them breathe easier, as well as help the HVAC system perform better. The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value indicates an air filter’s ability to capture air particles between 0.3 and 10 microns (µm)....

Jan Brockmann will join the Bosch Group on November 1, 2020, and will take over as Chairman of the Bosch Thermotechnology Division on January 1, 2021. Jan Brockmann is currently serving as the Chief Operations and Technology Officer of AB Electrolux, based in Stockholm, Sweden. He will succeed Uwe Glock, who will change to the Supervisory Board of Bosch Thermotechnik GmbH on January 1, 2021, and will continue to serve as President of the Federation of German Heating Industry (BDH). De-fossiliz...

Johnson Controls, the globally renowned provider of for smart and sustainable building solutions, has announced the completion of phase one of its project with Gunnison County, in Colorado, USA, which included the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and LED lighting in five County buildings. PV panels and LED lighting The phase one improvements are the continuation of the Gunnison County’s long-standing commitment to reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from its fa...

DENSO Corporation announced it has established the Pittsburgh Innovation Lab, a new U.S. R&D center designed to strengthen open innovation and enhance technology development that enables automated driving. DENSO began operations in Pittsburgh in July 2020. automated driving technologies DENSO’s development of automated driving technologies stems from its broader mission to offer safe and secure means of transportation for all people globally. At the Pittsburgh Innovation Lab, the co...

“While we welcome the details of Rishi Sunak’s new Green Homes Grant scheme, which could raise the profile of low carbon heating, there is disappointment that more measures are not included,” says the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council, HHIC, following the release of the scheme specifics. Improving Green Homes Stewart Clements, Director, HHIC continued, “Announced in the recent mini-budget on July 8th, the Green Homes Grant scheme aims to deal with green home improve...

Energy Solutions announced the company has hired Jeff Richardson as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and will start September 21, 2020. Jeff joins Energy Solutions after serving as SVP of Nuclear Projects for Ontario Power Generation (OPG) in Canada responsible for OPG’s $12.8 billion nuclear megaproject. Jeff has more than 25 years of nuclear industry experience, having started with Entergy Operations, Incorporated and later moving into Entergy Nuclear, Incorporated where he was responsible...

Almost 5 years ago, Danfoss introduced NovoCon S, the first –of-its-kind digital actuator, specially designed for AB-QM pressure independent control valves (PICVs). At the time, this was a revolutionary actuator for controlling flow through terminal units in hydronic HVAC applications. NovoCon S digital actuator With its bus-communication for BACnet MS/TP or Modbus RTU protocols, NovoCon S is a front runner in establishing new and innovative IoT solutions for smart buildings. The concep...

Security dealers now have the opportunity to offer their customers substantial energy savings while earning recurring monthly revenue (RMR) with a new integration developed between the Connect ONE cloud-hosted interface and ecobee WiFi SmartThermostats. Connect ONE Connect ONE, an award-winning service and management platform from Connected Technologies, now provides seamless support and control of popular ecobee, allowing dealers to expand into managed services for energy management and envir...

Danfoss is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its popular TU stainless steel thermostatic expansion valve, trusted for the most demanding refrigeration applications by OEMs and installers worldwide. TU thermostatic expansion valve With more than 15 million valves sold since its launch in 1995, TU's combination of high precision and unique stainless-steel construction has made it a staple of cold-chain systems in particular. Equipment manufacturers have come to value the TU's robustness, reli...

Danfoss Editron has joined the National Zero-Emission Truck (ZET) Coalition. The initiative is attempting to create a five-year point-of-sale incentive program totaling over US$ 2 billion at the federal level that would introduce tens of thousands of zero-emissions trucks into American fleets. Organized by CALSTART, the ZET Coalition is aiming to inject life into the U.S. economy by increasing manufacturing capabilities in the electric bus and truck industries. Trucks and buses represent 4% of...

District cooling stations, high-rise building cold supply, or data center cooling - gasketed plate heat exchangers for these applications require peak performance in terms of heat transfer whilst withstanding high system pressure. The new Kelvion plate size NP250L is tailored to meet these requirements, thanks to an extremely narrow plate gap and a smaller pitch. Features The attributes ensure highly turbulent flow and in turn, a good heat transfer at very small temperature differences with a...

Armstrong Fluid Technology is offering a carefully researched and detailed whitepaper that analyzes the features and benefits of Hydronic systems compared to Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems. Entitled, The Advantages of Hydronic Systems Versus Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) – A Critical Analysis, the 18-page whitepaper presents a detailed review of technical data plus post-installation analysis of system types. The insightful analysis also examines the cost-savings claims made by...

DENSO Corporation expressed its deepest sympathy to all those affected by the rainstorm disaster in Japan, in July 2020. DENSO Group companies are donating 3,000,000 yen (approximately US$28,000) and 500,000 yen (approximately US$4,600) from the DENSO Group HEARTFUL Fund to the Central Community Chest of Japan, to support the recovery and rebuilding efforts.

Residential HVAC systems contain unique characteristics when compared to commercial systems. Smaller registers and lower airflow are two key differences when put up against larger setups. For these reasons, testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) in residential buildings require appropriately sized and spec’d out airflow measuring devices. airflow capture hoods Most airflow capture hoods are designed for large commercial registers, and in some cases, they are jury-rigged to accommodate...

When users are looking at how the air conditioner works, it can depend on a wide variety of factors. Most people realize that the brand they select, the size, the features, and the efficiency rating all play a role in how well an air conditioner will cool the Los Angeles home. However, many environmental issues also play a significant part in not only the air conditioner’s performance but contribute to potential problems they may face. Their team of experts at Tassio Temperature wants to...

The heat of summer will soon be upon them. Users need to get AC maintenance now to help their unit face the large burden it will have to fulfill within the coming months. They’ll show users why it is essential below. An air conditioning maintenance costs about $100 on average. Here at Air Docs Heating & Cooling’s it only costs $85. However, users can recoup some or all of that cost over the coming months with one act of maintenance. It allows their unit to perform better and wit...

Baxi Heating announced that it would be moving its Heatrae Sadia manufacturing activities from Norwich to Preston. The relocation is well underway, with many processes already set up, and the manufacturing of electric hot water products and hot water storage cylinders is taking place at the Preston site.  Over the last few months, Baxi Heating has been in negotiations with Lotus Cars after the Norfolk-based sports car manufacturer expressed an interest in the site at Norwich. It is delight...

Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US (METUS), the exclusive provider of Zoned Comfort Solutions and a renowned supplier of Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) heating and cooling systems, introduces the next generation Lossnay Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) units, the RVX. During heating season, this high-performance ERV improves comfort and efficiency by tempering outside air with heat from the exhaust air stream before supplying it to a space, while during cooling season, the exiting cooler air re...

Jacques Technologies and Luxriot have officially announced the High Level Interface (HLI) between their systems. Combining Jacques’ quality audio intercom system with Luxriot’s renowned video management system, Evo, the solution captures and records audio streaming with the associated CCTV. Audio intercom System – Evo VMS Truly encapsulating the capabilities and benefits of third-party integration by efficiently using security resources, the integration between Jacques Techno...

Armstrong Fluid Technology has unveiled two new COMPASS R high efficiency models with ECM Motor Technology for up to 80% energy savings. COMPASS R circulators Featuring an air-cooled ECM motor and advanced Design Envelope variable speed technology, the new COMPASS R20-35 and R40-45 circulators can replace many competing models with bolt-for-bolt connection capability. The new COMPASS R models cover a wide performance range and are energy efficient upgrades for two and three-piece and wet roto...

Flax House is a five-story Victorian building with red brick, warehouse style construction, located on Adelaide Street, in the Linen Quarter of Belfast, Northern Ireland. Originally home to handkerchief manufacturer, McBride & Williams, the warehouse building was designed by Young & Mackenzie and built in the 1906-07 period. Straidorn Properties acquired 83-91 Adelaide Street, in 2016, after it had been derelict for 30 years. Flax House The refurbished and fully extended Flax House no...

Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivered his summer statement, announcing a number of interventions to help stimulate the economic recovery from Coronavirus. With measures tackling issues raised in the CIPHE’s manifesto for the plumbing and heating industry - such as education and energy efficiency - this mini budget is set to have a particular impact on the sector. The outlook for young people has been top of the agenda in recent weeks, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson enthusiastic about the co...

The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council, HHIC, has produced a Heat Pump Charter aimed at ensuring the best consumer experience is obtained when heat pumps are installed, replacing other systems. It is a starting point; and represents the minimum requirements needed to give consumers confidence that their new heating system will deliver the affordability, warmth, and comfort they expect. Benefits Of The Charter Stewart Clements, Director, HHIC said, “The heating industry wants to give c...

DENSO Corporation has established 'Global R&D Tokyo, Haneda' as a new base for R&D on automated driving and related technologies. It is located in Haneda Innovation City, which was opened in 2020. Global R&D Tokyo In April 2018, DENSO set up Global R&D Tokyo near Shinagawa Station, to conduct R&D mainly on automated driving. The newly established Global R&D Tokyo, Haneda will have an office to design and develop automated driving technology, an automotive service buildi...

Industry-renowned efficiency, precise temperature control and new remote servicing capabilities improve home owner experience and reinforce Lennox’ leadership in product innovation. Lennox Industries (Lennox), a trusted HVAC brand for 125 years, is raising the bar on its Ultimate Comfort System, by unveiling a 99 percent efficient gas furnace with enhanced diagnostics, and a new Lennox PROs Service Dashboard for contractors, in order to improve customer relationship management and remote...

Kiwi Energy, a New York and Ohio energy supplier providing environmentally conscious products, is pleased to announce that they have partnered with Cinch Home Services in order to offer new customers HVAC protection for their homes. The service will be incorporated as part of Kiwi Energy's Kiwi Guard product. They will soon offer a full suite of additional services for the home through the Cinch partnership. The premier offering available through the Cinch partnership will provide new customers...

ASHRAE published an updated guidance document, “Practical Guidance for Epidemic Operation of Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) Systems,” addressing concerns on the operation and use of energy recovery ventilators during an epidemic such as the current pandemic crisis. The updated guidance states that “well-designed and well-maintained air-to-air energy recovery systems should remain operating in residences, commercial buildings and medical facilities during the COVID-19 p...

Applied Comfort Products celebrated the production of its 150,000th packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) in June. The milestone was reached last week when the EA product rolled off the production line at the company’s headquarters in Cambridge, Canada. heating and cooling solutions Applied Comfort has been trading for over 25 years and is a manufacturer of through-the-wall and zoned heating and cooling solutions for the commercial and industrial sectors. Brett Richardson, President...