Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News articles from December 2008

Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News archives from December 2008

Trane.(Manufacturers)
December 1, 2008... Trane (Tyler, Texas) launched its Residential Systems Website at www.trane. com/residential.

ecobee.(Manufacturers)
December 1, 2008... ecobee (Toronto), maker of smart thermostats, opened sales offices in California and Massachusetts.

York.(Manufacturers)
December 1, 2008... York (Norman, Okla.) made portions of its In Home Selling Tool available to consumers on York Liberties[TM] Plus dealer Websites.

Daikin AC.(Manufacturers)
December 1, 2008... Daikin AC (Carrollton, Texas) launched the Daikin DNA Dealer Web Locator on its Website at www.daikinac.com.

Superior Boiler Works Inc.(Manufacturers)
December 1, 2008... Superior Boiler Works Inc. (Hutchinson, Kan.) named Doug Wright as president and CEO.

Nomaco Insulation.(Manufacturers)
December 1, 2008... Nomaco Insulation (Wake Forest, N.C.) hired Todd Howland as technical sales engineer, based in Jackson, Mich.

LonMark International (San Jose, Calif.) added Wonderware (Lake Forest, Calif.).(Organizations)
December 1, 2008... LonMark International (San Jose, Calif.) added Wonderware (Lake Forest, Calif.), Monterey Bay International Trade Association (Santa Cruz, Calif.), and The EnOcean Alliance (San Ramon, Calif.) to its membership.

American Indoor Air Quality Council.(Organizations)
December 1, 2008... The American Indoor Air Quality Council (Glendale, Ariz.) scheduled its 15th annual executive meeting for Jan. 23-24 in Phoenix.

Pump Systems Matter (PSM).(Organizations)
December 1, 2008... Pump Systems Matter (PSM) is hosting a free Web briefing on Dec. 12 and Jan. 19 at 11 a.m. EST.

The International Facility Management Foundation (IFMA) released its FM Technology Update.(Organizations)
December 1, 2008... The International Facility Management Foundation (IFMA) released its FM Technology Update, a detailed report on the current state and future outlook of technology in facility management.

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).(Organizations)
December 1, 2008... The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is calling for members of its Proposed Standard 189.1 committee through Dec. 4.

HVACR tackles refrigerant reclamation.(FOCUS: REFRIGERANTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The third "R" of recover-recyclereclaim is solidly in place and just waiting for more contractors to bring in questionable refrigerant. That was apparent in the results of a NEWS survey of reclamation companies,...

What students look for in future employers: part one of two-part series explores HVACR career choices of FSU students.(VIDEO SPOTLIGHT)
December 1, 2008... BIG RAPIDS, Mich. -- Both young and old have many career choices, whether they are just starting out or making a mid-life change. The rise of "techno-geekie" careers has pulled students away from traditional careers in the construction and...

Running a company in hard times.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... I wanted to comment on Butch Welsch's article ["My Two Cents: Make Your Business Stronger During the Tough Times"] in the Oct. 13 issue of The NEWS. Coming from an entrepreneur family who owns two different businesses, your article really hit...

Taking inventory of inventory.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... [Editor's note: This letter is in response to John R. Hall's editorial "Taking Care of Business: Sorting the Sock Drawer, Er, Inventory," Oct. 20.] This is a great editorial! This is the kind of idea that employers need to hear right...

Direct mailing and seeding.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... I just finished reading Terry Nicholson's article ["Money Talks: Campaign Season Mail Slows Ad Deliveries," Oct. 6] about direct mail delays and delivery options. He is right with most everything he pointed out, with one minor exception. When...

Keeping readers informed.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... By far this is the most informative issue [Oct. 20] that The NEWS has published. And I want to say thank you for keeping us [the readers] involved and informed. Christopher Williams, P.E. California Comfort H.V.A.C. Inc. ...

Carrier acquires Noresco, expands capabilities.(newsline)
December 1, 2008... FARMINGTON, Conn. -- Carrier Corp., a unit of United Technologies Corp. acquired Noresco, a leading independent energy services company. The acquisition was completed on Nov. 20. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Established in 1984,...

Construction shifts.(newsline)
December 1, 2008... ARLINGTON, Va. -- Economic numbers are dipping across the board as the United States, among other nations, endeavors to rebalance its shifting economy. The HVAC and construction industries are not immune to the resettling as is evidenced by the...

Jack Hasick.(OBITUARY)
December 1, 2008... CALGARY -- Jack Hasick, 84, passed away Nov. 7, 2008, surrounded by family at the Southwood Hospice. During his 50-plus-year career in the HVACR industry, Hasick was involved with many organizations, such as the Refrigeration Service Engineers...

Taco training announced.(newsline)
December 1, 2008... CRANSTON, R.I. -- Taco has announced its 2009 Factory Training Schedule of advanced hydronics training sessions to be held at its Cranston, R.I., facility. Three advanced courses for hydronics installers and designers will be offered next year....

IIR partners in e-Learning.(newsline)
December 1, 2008... PARIS -- The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) partnered with elearningtraining.com to assist, primarily, developing countries in equipping refrigeration and a/c engineers with the skills and knowledge required for the...

Carrier dedicates ASHRAE Library.(newsline)
December 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- Carrier Corp. participated in dedicating the Willis H. Carrier Engineering Library at the headquarters for the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony....

Hydronic zone controls.(what's new)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Three residential zone controls that are loaded with features that ensure easy, trouble-free operation of zoned hydronic heating systems are available. They are nonnetworked devices intended to be used for circulator...

Residential HVAC control panel.(what's new)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The second generation of the Comfort Control System (C[C.sup.2]S) is available. The new HVAC control panel provides a combination of advanced diagnostics and customizable system control. The Prestige Series 16 SEER,...

Commercial HVAC balancing valve.(what's new)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Total Authority Valve[TM] is a pressure-independent dynamic balancing valve for commercial HVAC systems. It was designed especially for multicircuit HVAC systems that typically include multiple fan coils,...

IAQ products.(what's new)
December 1, 2008... The York[R], Coleman[R], and Luxaire[R] brands of hybrid electronic air cleaner, the deluxe media air cleaner, whole-home humidifiers, and UVC germicidal single and dual lights, are available through Source 1[R]. According to the company, the...

Solar heating software.(what's new)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As part of Right-Suite[R] Universal, the Right-SolarDHW software module calculates the performance and operating cost savings of solar domestic hot water heating systems. By integrating the solar option with...

Low-NOx burner.(what's new)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The operation of the low-NOx MSC2[TM] burner is based on the Multi-Stage Combustion (MSC) burner. The staged Q-jet[TM] design introduces fuel into primary and secondary airstreams. The primary stream allows for the...

Modern supply hosts Team Hackman.(distributor corner)
December 1, 2008... KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Approximately 250 people attended Modern Supply's Counter Day in Knoxville, Tenn. Customers participated in a variety of activities and educational opportunities. Multiple vendors were on hand displaying products as...

Meier supply expands DC.(distributor corner)
December 1, 2008... JOHNSON CITY, N.Y. -- Meier Supply Co. Inc. celebrated the expansion of its distribution center and corporate headquarters in Johnson City, N.Y., with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The expansion project, which was completed earlier this year,...

WinWholesale ranks on list.(distributor corner)
December 1, 2008... DAYTON, Ohio--WinWholesale was listed in the 2008 InformationWeek 500 and ranked No. 112 on the list of companies recognized for innovative use of information technology (IT). In the list's distribution industry category, only one other...

Coburn Supply's Prostock store.(distributor corner)
December 1, 2008... HOUMA, La. -- Coburn Supply, a Ruud distributor, has opened a new Prostock[R] store in Houma, La. This addition joins the company's five other Prostock stores located in Louisiana and Texas. The grand opening was attended by dozens of...

Reclaim survey: where to go, what it costs.(FOCUS: REFRIGERANTS)
December 1, 2008... The following information is based on responses to an informal survey sent by The NEWS in September 2008 to companies listed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the summer of 2008 as "EPA-Certified Refrigerant Reclaimers." Out of 51...

Contractors face step up in rules, regs: Kyoto Protocol support likely to change.(FOCUS: REFRIGERANTS)
December 1, 2008... Rules, regulations, and legislation face contractors and technicians as they enter the transition year of 2009 that will end with a major cutback in supplies of HCFC-22 and the end of its use in new equipment. The formal inauguration of a...

Four timely benefits of indirect-direct evaporative cooling.(field solutions)
December 1, 2008... As the cost of energy rises, businesses are forced to re-examine their current way of doing things. Not only does the energy crisis have businesses looking for effective ways to reduce overall costs, but they are also faced with the pressure...

GreenChill catches secondary-loop fever.(REFRIGERATION ZONE)
December 1, 2008... ORLANDO, Fla. -- Companies joining the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) GreenChill initiative are called upon to demonstrate ways in which they are helping reduce the amount of refrigerant used in a supermarket, as one of their...

Cub store goes gold with GreenChill.(REFRIGERATION ZONE)
December 1, 2008... The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) GreenChill Partnership awarded its Gold-Level Certification to the new Cub Foods supermarket in St. Paul, Minn. The store is the first in the nation to receive this certification as part of...

Scroll compressor internal protection.(REFRIGERATION ZONE: the professor)
December 1, 2008... Many modern day scroll compressors incorporate a variety of internal safety controls that can actuate the internal line break motor protection (Fig. 1). Some safety features that can be found in the air conditioning scroll less than seven tons...

Work smarter, not harder.(REFRIGERATION ZONE: ice breaker)
December 1, 2008... Servicing refrigeration systems can be grueling. Some jobs are physically demanding, others are more time consuming, and still others are plain mentally challenging. Technicians need to work smarter, not harder. One major difference between an...

HARDI fills the House.(meeting update)
December 1, 2008... PHOENIX -- Come early and stay late was the simple message from Randy Boyd, 2008 president of the Heating, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI), prior to the 2008 Fall Conference. As usual, HARDI packed a lot...

HVACR committee busy at HARDI.(meeting update)
December 1, 2008... PHOENIX -- The HVACR Systems and Equipment Council was among several HARDI committees that gathered standing room only crowds for topics of interest. As is customary, committees meet throughout the day on Sunday, the second day of full meetings...

In touch with your humor being.(meeting update)
December 1, 2008... PHOENIX -- Steve Rizzo told an audience at the Heating, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) Fall Conference that the power of choice, the power of your humor being, and the power of your thoughts are three of...

Weighing in on replacement system selling.(business management)
December 1, 2008... In an earlier issue of The NEWS (July 21), Business Editor John R. Hall and Editor-in-Chief Mike Murphy squared off in a debate about how contractors should sell replacement HVAC systems in dueling columns "Dear Johnny, Have You Lost Your...

Guidance for generation succession: consultants supply insights for family-owned business.(conference update)
December 1, 2008... Content not available due to copy right restrictions.

Raw: refrigerants and material costs.(POWELL'S PONDERINGS)
December 1, 2008... One of the most talked-about issues in the industry's changeover from HCFC to HFC refrigerants is when the per-pound cost of the former is expected to overtake the cost of the latter. The argument is that when the cost of, say, HCFC-22 would be...

Murphy's law: work with me people.(editors' blogs)
December 1, 2008... In today's economic climate, many employees are fearful of losing their jobs, and employers know the difficulties associated with finding quality replacements when a good employee exits the company. At a time when both labor and management...

AirTight Mechanical (Charlotte, N.C.) earned the Premier Partner designation.(Contractor)
December 8, 2008... AirTight Mechanical (Charlotte, N.C.) earned the Premier Partner designation from American Power Conversion Corp. (West Kingston, R.I.).

Bacharach Inc.'s.(Manufacturers)
December 8, 2008... Bacharach Inc.'s (New Kensington, Pa.) President, Dan Strafalace (right), is retiring after 40 years of service. Stacy Brovitz has been named his successor. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

DiversiTech Corp. (Atlanta) acquired the Hef-T-Pad[TM] and related equipment support products from NDS Inc.(Manufacturers)
December 8, 2008... DiversiTech Corp. (Atlanta) acquired the Hef-T-Pad[TM] and related equipment support products from NDS Inc. (Woodland Hills, Calif.).

Emerson Climate Technologies.(Manufacturers)
December 8, 2008... Emerson Climate Technologies (St. Louis) appointed Deborah Monnin as vice president, engineering, Refrigeration Division.

Johnson Controls Inc.(Manufacturers)
December 8, 2008... Johnson Controls Inc. (Milwaukee) launched mygreenprint.org, reinforcing efficiency as the solution to energy crisis.

Carrier Corp.(Software)
December 8, 2008... Carrier Corp. (Syracuse, N.Y.) released version 4.40 of its E20-II Hourly Analysis Program software.

The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) elected Keith Coursin, president of Desert Aire Corp.(Organizations)
December 8, 2008... The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) elected Keith Coursin, president of Desert Aire Corp. (Germantown, Wis.), as chairman of its board of directors.

American Filtration and Separations Society.(Organizations)
December 8, 2008... The American Filtration and Separations Society (AFS) will hold its 22nd Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition May 4-7, 2009, in Bloomington, Minn.

Indoor Air Quality Association.(Organizations)
December 8, 2008... The Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) is hosting its 12th Annual Meeting and Indoor Air Expo Feb. 24-26 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Soft economy, energy prices spur interest in technologies: contractors, manufacturers must adapt to changing landscape.(industry trends)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "The world is changing very fast. Big will not beat small anymore. It will be the fast beating the slow." Th at quote from media mogul Rupert Murdoch effectively describes what's happening in the world of HVAC. The...

Facility mgr. study good news for contractors.(industry news)
December 8, 2008... Facility managers are increasingly following a master plan when implementing sustainable practices and are tying their efforts to measurable goals and business strategy, according to the results of a new International Facility Management...

Carrier participates in Green Russia.(newsline)
December 8, 2008... MOSCOW -- Carrier and its Russian partner, Airconditioning & Heating International (AHI) sponsored the Moscow 2008 Green Buildings Conference, a daylong event focusing on commercial building trends, products, policies, and regulations. Global...

AMCA releases new information.(newsline)
December 8, 2008... ARLINGTON HEIGHTS -- The Air Movement and Control Association International Inc. (AMCA) has recently made multiple strides in an effort to continue growth and expansion. The association released its revised version of Publication 111-99,...

Project files: shopping.(newsline)
December 8, 2008... COMPANY: Emcor Group Inc., Norwalk, Conn. INSTALLATION: All mechanical systems COMPLETION: Winter 2009 "We are extremely excited to start work on this top drawer project and look forward to applying our expertise and experience to...

Duct smoke detectors.(what's new)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The InnovairFlex[TM] duct smoke detector line offers a variety of detectors and accessories. One detector unit can accommodate multiple installation footprints to overcome mounting constraints. According to the...

Coil cleaners.(what's new)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A range of eco-friendly coil cleaners is available under the company's Green Kleen Program. The Eco-Kleen (EKC-1) coil cleaner is a degreaser formulated to remove oils, grease, grime, etc. safely and quickly. It is a...

Downblast exhaust fans.(what's new)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The CDB belt drive downblast exhaust fans provide quiet operation within a weather-resistant spun aluminum housing. The fans are ideally suited for roof- or wall-mounted applications, said the company. They can be...

Pipe insulation and tape.(what's new)
December 8, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Tubolit W SS (White Self-Seal) polyethylene pipe insulation and Tubolit W Tape is a complete insulating and closure system for heating and plumbing piping. The company recommends the system for use on lines...

Wireless sensors resolve problems in retrofits.(FOCUS: SMART PRODUCTS)
December 8, 2008... Accurate temperature sensing is a prerequisite for satisfying tenant/ owner expectations for comfort control, and sensor location is critical to accurately measure temperature. Installation difficulties can make sensor placement difficult;...

Standards, regs, and bears, oh my!(MURPHY'S LAW)
December 8, 2008... Let's start with a quick summation of the recent Airconditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) 2008 Annual Meeting. This industry is going to change. A strong message at the AHRI meeting came from Keith Coursin, president of...

Taking care of business: can we add service tech to job list?(editors' blogs: MORE ONLINE AT ACHRNEWS.COM)
December 8, 2008... I just read an online article from a writer who claims there are five recession-proof industries: 1. Education 2. Accounting & Auditing 3. Health Care 4. Information Technology 5. Security I won't argue with those...

Trane (Piscataway, N.J.) increased prices 5 percent for select large commercial rooftops.(Price Increases)
December 15, 2008... Trane (Piscataway, N.J.) increased prices 5 percent for select large commercial rooftops, effective immediately for new quotations.

Johnson Controls.(Manufacturers)
December 15, 2008... Johnson Controls (Norman, Okla.) appointed three new brand managers for its Unitary Products division: (pictured from left to right, below) Jeff Hurt for York[R], Brian Michael for Coleman[R], and Walter Jacobe for Luxaire[R]. ...

Rinnai Corp.(Manufacturers)
December 15, 2008... Rinnai Corp. (Peachtree City, Ga.) was awarded the Super Nova Star Award by the Alliance to Save Energy (Washington).

Uponor Inc.(Manufacturers)
December 15, 2008... Uponor Inc. (Apple Valley, Minn.) appointed Wes Sisco as a senior trainer for its factory training program and Steve Swanson as customer trainer.

Henry Technologies Inc.(Manufacturers)
December 15, 2008... Henry Technologies Inc. (Beloit, Wis.) named Michael Giordano as president and CEO.

The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) partnered with Yellow Roadway and YRC Regional Transportation.(Organizations)
December 15, 2008... The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) partnered with Yellow Roadway and YRC Regional Transportation to provide members with 70 percent discounts on qualifying shipments.

The Canadian GeoExchange Coalition (Montreal) awarded Stan Marco, CEO of Geo-Smart Energy Inc. (Cambridge, Ontario).(Organizations)
December 15, 2008... The Canadian GeoExchange Coalition (Montreal) awarded Stan Marco, CEO of Geo-Smart Energy Inc. (Cambridge, Ontario), its prize for national leadership.

The Unified Group (Broadville, Ill.) honored Greg Crumpton, president of Air Mechanical Inc. (Charlotte, N.C.).(Organizations)
December 15, 2008... The Unified Group (Broadville, Ill.) honored Greg Crumpton, president of Air Mechanical Inc. (Charlotte, N.C.), for his commitment to its 2007-2008 board of advisors.

The high cost of deferred maintenance.(maintenance)
December 15, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Deferred maintenance" is a terrible misnomer for what really happens when maintenance doesn't get performed for a long time. Another name for it is "catastrophic failure." According to participants in a recent NEWS...

Report discusses energy consumption.(FOCUS: ENERGY PRICES & COMMERCIAL MARKET)
December 15, 2008... The first couple of paragraphs of the Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration's (DOE/ EIA's) Annual Energy Outlook 2008 (AEO 2008) reads like a warning. The report indicates that its energy consumption scenario, which...

Some Answers to current HVACR cuestions.(letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 15, 2008... [Editor's note: This letter is in response to Mark Skaer's blog "Skaer-Tactics: More Questions to Ponder... " Sept. 29.] On why contractors don't have a Website: There are still contractors that do not have Websites because not everyone is...

It's not an extension of the tax credits.(letters)
December 15, 2008... [Editor's note: This letter is in response to Mike Murphy's editorial "Murphy's Law: An HVAC Stimulus Package," Oct. 20.] After reading Mike Murphy's column in The NEWS, I think that it was a little misleading when you say the tax credits...

Research Products' geothermal acquisition.(newsline)
December 15, 2008... MADISON, Wis. -- Aprilaire manufacturer, Research Products Corp., has acquired Econar Energy Systems Corp., based in Elk River, Minn. Econar is a geothermal heat pump technology provider for residential and business customers. According to the...

NAD refers Ads to FTC.(newsline)
December 15, 2008... NEW YORK -- The National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus has referred advertising from Goodman Global to the Federal Trade Commission for further review. NAD, the advertising industry's self-regulatory...

HI accepts new members.(newsline)
December 15, 2008... PARSIPPANY, N.J. -- Robert K. Asdal, executive director of the Hydraulic Institute (HI), announced that six new organizations have joined the team of 95-plus HI member and associate member companies during 2008. New members include Smith &...

NATE awards football tickets.(newsline)
December 15, 2008... ARLINGTON, Va. -- North American Technician Excellence (NATE) announced BW Service Experts in Mishawaka, Ind., as its NATE Bowl grand-prize winner of a trip for two to Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Fla. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "We are very...