HVAC IoT - Editor's Note

The term ‘robotics’ refers to technology or machines that substitute or replicate human actions. ‘Human augmentation’ is another term, referring to the use of technology to reduce strain and fatigue as workers perform strenuous tasks over long periods of time. Hilti Group has introduced robots and semi-automated technologies to the construction trades, including HVAC. The role of these technologies in the HVAC market is to increase efficiency and accuracy, reduce costs,...

What do customers want from their HVAC company? It’s a challenging question, and the answers reveal a path to a more successful and customer-centric company. There are numerous articles written that offer consumers advice on choosing an HVAC company. In the simplest terms, wouldn’t it be possible to ‘reverse engineer’ that advice to provide a roadmap to guide HVAC companies in how to succeed? Addressing consumer concerns Often, consumers’ concerns surround whether...

There are way too many stories of contractors falsely telling homeowners they have mold or other toxic substances in their HVAC systems, often using scare tactics to persuade homeowners to pay for costly, unneeded services. Unfortunately, these dishonest companies can make the whole industry look bad. Working to end such abuses, and to promote the value of professional inspection, cleaning and restoration of HVAC systems, is the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), which was formed i...

Incorporating cool and dry outdoor air into commercial HVAC systems can save money and energy, while causing less wear-and-tear on cooling systems. An economizer is a device that works alongside rooftop HVAC systems to augment the system with outdoor air, in order to provide what has become known as ‘free cooling’. Economizers Economizers introduce low-temperature or low-enthalpy outdoor air into a building to reduce or eliminate mechanical cooling, depending on outdoor air conditi...

The most likely scenario for the next 12 months in the United Kingdom is far lower risk of serious COVID-19 illness due to the vaccine. However, there will be big swings in R rates, and there is uncertainty about how effective vaccines will be against COVID variants. The ‘R’ rate is the number of people one infected person will pass a virus on to, on average. As the scenario plays out, and more companies open for business, issues of indoor air quality will continue to be top of mind...

The cruise ship industry has cracked the code on keeping passengers and crew safe from the coronavirus (COVID-19) spread, including changes to on-board HVAC systems to use more outside air and to filter out particles as small as the novel coronavirus. The industry, which voluntarily suspended worldwide operations at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, under the guidance of international and national health authorities, plans to resume worldwide operations fully later in 2021. Health protoc...

The connectivity of the Internet of Things (IoT) provides new tools to monitor the well-being of an HVAC system, to provide instant alerts to any operational problems and even to predict when problems are likely to occur. Being alert to early warning signs of a problem enables deployment of less-expensive fixes before the problem escalates. predictive analytics Remote monitoring and predictive analytics of HVAC systems have been even more valuable during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, when...

The demographics of the HVAC workforce are changing and more women are being welcomed into the HVAC industry in a wider variety of roles. In part, the changes are because of necessity as Baby Boomers retire from the workforce and leave a labor and skills gap to be filled. HVAC commercial service business, HB McClure Company, based out of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is embracing change and encouraging more women to consider a career in the HVAC workspace. The company’s female employees are h...

The computing power we know as the Internet actually resides in millions of data centers that house rows and rows of computer servers. And each data center represents a unique HVAC challenge: How to keep the equipment cool, the air pure and the humidity low. Providing the ideal operating conditions for a room full of computers requires the best that the HVAC market can offer.  Data centers come in all shapes, sizes and configurations. Some are huge facilities that serve the needs of giants...

The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in a poorly ventilated indoor space depends on the number of people who exhale their breath in that space. And aerosol virus contained in exhaled breath is a common way that COVID-19 germs are spread. Therefore, might the CO2 level in a given space serve as an approximation of the likelihood of coronavirus spread? Broadly speaking, poor ventilation of indoor spaces can increase the likelihood of aerosol transmission, and a higher CO2 level is an indicator of i...

Data is playing an increasingly important role in smart buildings. Analysis of building system data is guiding an expansion of capabilities in the smart building environment, making building systems - including HVAC - more efficient, effective and smarter. The growth of intelligence in the HVAC market was among the more prominent industry trends in 2020. This article will revisit some of the year’s most popular articles on HVACinformed.com that focused on the trend toward more intelligent...

Artificial intelligence (AI) provides a tool to deliver significant savings and dramatically reduce carbon emissions, enabling a self-operating building. Because of AI’s ability to be proactive in buildings, rather than reactive, a 25% reduction in total energy costs is possible, along with a 20-40% decrease in carbon footprint. "Our mission is to fight climate change by bringing innovation and cutting-edge artificial intelligence to the built environment, making buildings smarter and gre...