Liquid Subcooling: What it is and When to Apply it
Subcooling is often a lightly understood practice for new HVACR technicians entering the field. This blog post seeks to outline what it is, why it’s useful, and some of its best practices. In most cases, a new-to-the-field HVACR technician can tell you, in general terms, what liquid subcooling is. Perhaps even what it does, or […]
Lights Out for Expanded Lighting Energy Efficiency?
If you’ll excuse the pun, a threat does indeed exist against the legal requirement for larger swathes of lightbulbs to be energy efficient, and it’s no laughing matter. The Trump administration is seeking to undo an Obama-era regulation that applies to specialty lightbulbs, leaving it out of the upcoming 2020 federal efficiency standards. These types […]
In Connected, Smart Technologies, the HVACR Industry Sees a Real Game-Changer
Some of the best places to gain insight on the future outlook of specific technologies or industries are trade shows, conferences, and educational sessions hosted by industry leaders. Often, a new technology or product will ignite a flurry of buzz and anticipation, but without a full understanding of its impact or integration into its particular […]
In the Grocery Game, Refrigeration and HVACR Must Keep Evolving
As corporate goals in the grocery industries continue to evolve—with energy efficiency, sustainability, and wanting systems that provide more “bang for your buck” leading purchasing decisions—so too are the refrigeration systems being developed these days. Don Newlon, Vice President and General Manager of Emerson’s Commercial and Residential Solutions division, advises manufacturers to keep customer’s wants […]
Hey, HVACR Contractors, Here Are 5 Ways Smart Controls Can Improve Your Client Relationships
The majority of our blog posts are crafted with a general audience in mind. Those seeking to learn more information about energy efficiency, the operation and energy consumption of their commercial or industrial refrigeration equipment, how those systems tie into their operations management, as well as general trouble-shooting or maintenance tips. These types of posts […]
Decreasing Energy Costs as a Produce Facility — a PMA Webinar
Last month, the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) hosted an educational webinar about ways in which produce businesses can decrease energy costs, and pursue sustainability goals. Three guest speakers shared their expertise and described the tools and measures they implemented to achieve their desired results. There is a growing focus on being more cognizant of energy […]
Evaporator Fan Cycling: Is it Really a Risk?
In most walk-in coolers and freezers, the evaporator fans run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at full speed. Those fans are not only consuming energy the whole time, they are also generating heat, and the constant swirling of the air picks up even more heat from surrounding lights, walls, open doors, and […]
Engineer’s Corner: An Opinion on Calculated Versus Deemed Savings Approach
In nearly every state, energy efficiency programs exist to help business owners, residents, government institutions, schools—and most other entities that utilize energy—conserve said energy and prevent waste. Through these programs, retrofitting of equipment loads such as refrigeration, lighting, and HVAC, is incentivized either monetarily or by other mechanisms that ease the cost of an energy […]
Energy Audits Reveal Areas Where Cold Storage Facilities Can Save Money
Cold storage facilities, the kind found in the produce, fresh foods, and floral industries, offer huge opportunities for energy savings. A recent article in Fresh Digest looks at how one company helps. It isn’t a secret that both companies and state utilities are looking for ways to make energy consumption more efficient. From state mandates, to incentives programs […]
Coolers/Freezers and Energy Efficiency 101: The 6 Types of Cold Rooms and Their Temperature Requirements
Cold storage. Refrigerated warehouse. Frozen storage. Walk-in cooler. Reach-in cooler. Walk-in freezer. Working with commercial refrigeration systems, you may see these descriptors thrown about sometimes to describe the same space. It may not be harmful to use such terms interchangeably in general conversation but when it comes to technical materials, or speaking in customer-facing situations, it’s important to be specific to leave no margin for misinterpretation […]