The transition to A2L refrigerants will offer benefits to the environment, as well as business challenges for HVACR OEMs, distributors, and contractors.

Since its inception, air conditioning has saved lives and driven technological innovation – take a deep dive into its transformative role.

Cooling towers offer a proven and cost-effective solution for rejecting heat from condenser water and industrial processes. To maximize the operating cost savings, the fill media must be properly designed and in good condition.

The world is headed into a greener future and Johnson Controls wants to act as a leader in getting there. That will take smarter, more efficient HVAC equipment.

At this year’s AHR Expo, WaterFurnace’s booth displayed a branding system that conveys the company leadership’s commitment to the commercial market.

The cooling towers located on the roof of Granite Tower in Denver were meant to last 20 years. But at nearly 40 years, the cooling towers and fluid coolers were well past their life expectancy.

A product round-up of chillers on the market.

Creative Composites Group's acquisition of Enduro will add to CCGs suite of manufacturing capabilities and geographic reach.

The city of Phoenix sought an energy-efficient HVAC solution that would restore Phoenix Art Museum’s lost efficiency and improve the indoor climate for the museum’s specialized environment while also contributing to the city’s energy conservation goals.

The rapid expansion of data centers has raised concerns about their massive energy use and carbon footprint. However, adopting sustainable HVAC solutions can reduce a data center’s environmental impact and energy consumption.

Constellation’s Offsite Renewables Plus (CORe+) retail power product, combined with Johnson Controls’ commitment to renewables, is supporting the development of two new Welcome Solar renewable energy facilities.

In addition to taking up less space, smaller chillers can be more easily installed, weigh less, and pose fewer shipping, rigging, and building-construction challenges. They can also be more energy efficient, with the same or even greater cooling capacity.

How does a tech know the a/c compressor he or she is diagnosing is actually failed and that the problem is not a crankcase heater, condenser fan, or rubbed out wire?

Technology is redefining how consumers control their homes. That includes everything from lighting to mood music to heating and air conditioning.

While “smart” tools and tablets are becoming more and more common in an HVAC tech’s toolbox, there are still plenty of things an app just can’t do.

Smart tools continue to grow in the HVACR industry, spurring manufacturers to create connected, digital devices that will make work in the field less manual and more automatic.

Advancements in technology have brought a lot of opportunity to the tool market, with items like reporting, mobile apps, and wireless data transmission.

The Fieldpiece booth commanded a lot of attention on the show floor at this year’s AHR Expo in Atlanta. Those who didn’t have time to wait in line to find out why may be wondering, “What was all the rage about?”

It was a celebration for Yellow Jacket as the company kicked off its 70th anniversary. In a square booth with a large, lit banner, attendees were invited to explore what the company had produced from 1949 to 2019.

Much like subcooling, understanding and calculating superheat can be somewhat difficult for newbie technicians.

Here are a few ideas that contractor can use to prime the marketing pump for this holiday.

It’s the contractor’s job to ensure consumers understand the functionality of smart thermostats without becoming overwhelmed by the features and data.

When homeowners purchase a Nest product, Google will connect the customers to a qualified installer, a “Nest Pro.”

It is hard to find a contractor who does not have a firm opinion on Nest and if the company is good for the HVAC industry.

Lack of comfort is a highly overlooked reason for poor sleep. Most people don't know that inadequate rest is a leading cause of various medical problems.

As people spend more time at home due to the lingering effects of the pandemic, the buzzwords that come to mind are comfort and convenience. The influx of smart controls and thermostats can help fulfill these desires.

Smart thermostats offer preventive maintenance options and rebates for customers, but contractors should be sure to get educated — and educate homeowners — on utility rebates like demand-response programs.

Programmable thermostats that can be accessed through an internet device are old hat. Here are just a few of the residential HVAC controls products featured at the Georgia World Congress Center, the host venue for this year’s Expo.

Through the new integration, ecobee thermostat owners who also own Generac home standby generators can easily see the status of the generator and remedy potential issues.

When considering the multitude of HVAC thermostat options available on the market, who better to decipher the best from the rest than those responsible for their installation and operation?

Since HVAC contractors are usually the ones installing the systems, not to mention performing maintenance, when necessary, their opinions on comfort controls are not to be taken lightly

Smart HVAC systems optimize energy usage without sacrificing comfort by using data analytics and machine learning to regulate the indoor environment.

While government incentives, savings in utility bills, word-of-mouth, and increasing popularity have led to homeowner’s increased awareness of smart thermostats, there is still a lot of room in the market for growth.

The NEWS was very busy at the AHR Expo in New York City, visiting as many booths as possible in search of new products. Below is a comprehensive list of all the HVAC commercial equipment we found on the show floor.

The NEWS honors the 2014 Dealer Design Award winners in the HVAC Commercial Equipment category.

According to the manufacturers that make equipment for schools, there are often many options available to districts looking to make those much-needed upgrades.

While traditional hospital HVAC systems often consist of chillers and boilers, other types of equipment are becoming more widely accepted in the health care market, including variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems, air curtains, and geothermal heat pumps. 

BasX Solutions, a manufacturer of custom engineered products including HVAC solutions, announced that it has completed its acquisition of the clean room product line from Seasons 4.

A lot of refrigerant reclaimers aren’t charging for mixed refrigerants anymore, which may in turn, mean an opportunity for HVAC contractors to make more money.

Chris Forth, VP at Johnson Controls, navigates the complex challenges in the HVAC industry, which include addressing regulatory, code, and environmental concerns.

ABC argues the rule could end up hurting legitimate contractors in the building trades, who are already strapped for workers.

The rule will effectively ban the sale of non-condensing gas furnaces and, according to the American Gas Association (AGA), will affect 55% of U.S. households.

AHRI launched an interactive US map showing state codes for A2L refrigerants, alongside a video series on low-GWP refrigerant transition.

In comments to EPA’s proposed rule regarding HFC management, many HVACR stakeholders expressed concern over issues including tracking cylinders, training technicians, and reclaiming refrigerant.

The Florida Legislature’s budget plan for the next fiscal year reinstates federal rebate money for high-efficiency home HVAC equipment and energy-saving upgrades. The governor’s office said he is reviewing the budget.

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are pushing back on attempts to regulate consumer appliances.

The ACHR NEWS sat down with ACCA CEO Bart James and ACCA Vice President of Membership, Advocacy, and Events Sean Robertson at the recent ACCA conference. The trio discussed issues that are affecting HVACR contractors including regulations, legislation, and business management.

In recent years, the cost of HVAC equipment has increased significantly, and regulatory changes, such as the phase-down of R-410A, will make the new A2L units even more expensive.

In early July, the Biden administration proposed a rule that addresses excessive heat in the workplace, as tens of millions of them were under heat advisories — the nation’s No. 1 weather-related cause of death.

“While the recent news is a formality, it makes the victory over these burdensome regulations official."