Those in favor of the Inflation Reduction Act’s incentives for residential building decarbonization say the numbers show they’re working, but critics fear the program is flawed.

The IRA is driving heat pump sales in New York, and there are a few things lessons contractors in other states can learn from the success.

The enclosed drive configurations allows standardization on the PowerXL platform regardless of horsepower and harmonic mitigation requirements.

It took more than 17 months for Jackson Systems to research and build the Virtual Technician app, which won gold in the Contractor Services and Software category of the 2018 Dealer Design Awards.

Managing equipment is increasingly important to the HVAC industry. Parasense Refrigerant Management Software, gold winner, helps with this.

Inc. magazine revealed that iMarket Solutions is No. 4987 on its annual Inc. 5000 list.

ServiceTitan was named to the 2019 Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies in America.

Success Group International recently hosted its fall 2019 Expo at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Dallas.

Manifold Cloud Services Ltd. received the 2020 Gold award in the Contractor Services and Software category for its measureQuick app. The product is a universal Bluetooth application that allow tools from multiple manufacturers to be used on a single platform.

The Gold award for the Contractor Service and Software category went to SmartDiagnostics with SmartTutor™ (SDST) from Smartech Alliance, a division of SmartHVAC LLC.

The last couple busy seasons, HVAC contractors have seen a high influx of calls due to remote work. There are steps HVAC companies can take to meet demand while also alleviating the stress of the season.

The Contractor Services & Software category winners include an app that provides access to online product information, an app that helps contractors install and diagnose geothermal equipment, and a computer-based platform for home service businesses.

The Millennium Tower, a luxurious condo-and-retailer tower in Boston, will incorporate Schöck Isokorb® structural thermal breaks in the terraces at the penthouse levels to ensure thermal comfort in the city’s tallest and most expensive residential building. 

A new, national program from Carrier and Orca Energy, a leading geothermal utility provider, is designed to makes geothermal heating and cooling more accessible in new construction homes. Orca Energy will provide financing for geothermal earth loops in new residential developments with the purchase of a Carrier geothermal system.

The global HVAC market is forecast to grow steadily at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7 percent from 2016 to 2020, according to a new report available from ReportsnReports. Rapid growth in the construction and real estate markets worldwide is having a positive impact on the HVAC market.

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and Autodesk, a leading global 3D design and engineering software company, have announced a strategic partnership to enable construction professionals to work smarter by harnessing digital solutions to increase productivity, reduce redundancy, and eliminate waste.

The global data center precision air conditioning market is expected to record a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 10 percent to 2020, according to the latest market research report by Technavio.

Acco Engineered Systems announced that it will join forces with All Area Plumbing, a regional design-build plumbing contractor serving Southern California. Adding All Area Plumbing’s capabilities, Acco said it will strengthen its position as one of the largest mechanical contractors in the western United States.

B&I, based in Fort Myers, Florida, is one of a growing number of contractors across the country to adopt “lean construction” techniques: a plug-and-play approach to construction that lets workers prefab a project off-site, section by section. Then, at the job site, all that remains is putting the pieces together.

A ban on the installation of natural gas infrastructure in new buildings is coming soon to a town near you, and the local HVAC industry needs to be prepared — or maybe not.

Let’s look at five hidden reasons HVAC systems might not keep up when the temperatures get hot, how to test for them, and potential repairs.

HVLS fans offer an affordable and effective solution for large-scale ventilation, as well as demonstrating success in smaller applications.

In the right situations, whole house fans provide a good option to homeowners who want to avoid running air conditioning all the time.

At the 2020 AHR Expo, Broan-NuTone introduced Overture, a fully automated, cloud-connected, whole-home IAQ system that monitors and optimizes air in the home.

Frost on an evaporator coil will prevent the correct amount of airflow across the coil. Anytime the evaporator coil experiences reduced airflow across its face, there will be a reduced heat load on the coil.

The future of classroom environments just got a little quieter, thanks to the recent certification of Changeair’s Freshman Series Vertical Air Handler by the Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA) Intl. Inc.

Heat recovery systems can be divided into two categories based on the thermal parameters of the system: Systems with high and low thermal parameters.

One-year study conducted on Atlanta commercial high rise’s HVAC systems proves UVC lamps reap energy efficiency payback benefits.

New technology has made air handlers more efficient and much quieter, and when paired with heat pumps, a great all-electric and sustainable option.

Chris Forth, vice president of codes, standards and environmental affairs at Johnson Controls Inc., told a group of AHR attendees the industry can increase equipment installations with the help of the tax incentives and consumer rebates in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Can the type of ultraviolet light known as UV-C light kill the novel coronavirus? Manufacturers are not making that claim … yet.

The condenser is the most underrated component in an air conditioning or refrigeration system.

Very few end users fully understand the importance of properly cleaning and sanitizing their ice machines, storage bins, and dispensers. Yet the quality and safety of every beverage they serve as well as the longevity and power consumption of their equipment depends on proper maintenance.

In contrast to many other countries around the world, Americans consume a lot of ice. That’s probably why ice machines are found virtually everywhere here, from convenience stores and supermarkets to hotels and hospitals. It doesn’t really matter what shape it takes — cubes, flakes, nuggets, chips, etc. — but it does have to look and taste good.

Refrigeration contractors who have not yet attended the annual National Restaurant Association (NRA) show really need to put it on their bucket lists. For four days each year, McCormick Place convention center is filled to the rafters with vendors exhibiting everything from gluten-free pasta to pizza ovens to high-tech ice machines.

Alex Tappé, vice president of sales and marketing at Ice-O-Matic, announced organizational changes to its sales team.

Like other companies working in the sector, Heatcraft Refrigeration Products faced a new set of DOE Annual Walk-In Energy Factor (AWEF) standards taking effect on Jan. 1 of this year.

Once restaurants started reopening, smart owners asked contractors to clean and sanitize ice machines before they were returned to service.

The Gold award in the Refrigeration and Ice Machines category goes to the Copeland Digital Outdoor Refrigeration Unit, X-Line Series by Emerson.

The Refrigeration & Ice Machines category winners include a refrigerant charging scale, evaporative control technology, and a condensing unit.

The Gold award in the Refrigeration and Ice Machines category goes to a self-contained refrigeration system for walk-in coolers and freezers that eliminates several of the steps required for a traditional system.

The winner is a kit that is a universal, field-mount refrigeration controller with temperature sensors and pressure transducer kit that can be installed up to 40 feet from an air or electric defrost unit cooler.

Residential air movement and ventilation can be a challenge that requires multiple callbacks. There is a way to fix that, though.

This time, the conversation turns to duct sealing and what it means in terms of system efficiency and energy savings.

How can an effective airflow strategy ensure quality ventilation and optimal indoor air quality, without breaking the budget?

Poorly installed HVAC systems work twice as hard as they should and suffer from a wide variety of invisible health problems.

Don’t assume equipment capacity or conditions. Instead, do some digging and find the tables for the equipment you install and service.

By employing a ventilation strategy such as a DOAS, conditioned fresh air can be brought into the building, thus improving IAQ and ensuring a safer environment.

Diverse examples show the importance of air movement and the creative ways in which contractors and manufacturers have dealt with it successfully.

In the end, it's about airflow control. Unless your solution involves airflow and pressure measurement, you're guessing whether the repair worked.