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 […]
2018 E. Coli Outbreak can be Learning Opportunity for Leafy Greens Industry
The worst E. Coli outbreak in over a decade has affected a widespread swathe of the country—reaching as far as Alaska—but seems to have originated from just one location: Yuma County in southwest Arizona. According to public health officials with the FDA, the outbreak has sickened 197 people in 35 states, with five tragically having […]
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 […]
Coolers/Freezers and Energy Efficiency 101: Lighting Impact on Refrigerated Load Savings
In part one of this blog series, we sough to break down the various terms and descriptions for the sub-sections of what’s known as refrigerated space. In part two, we described the different lighting technologies commonly used in refrigerated spaces and compared them with more efficient LEDs. In part three today, we will highlight energy-efficient lighting’s […]
Coolers/Freezers and Energy Efficiency 101: The Definitive Lighting Guide
In the first part of this introductory series to the ins and outs of refrigerated spaces, we dove into the varying classifications out there and which temperature ranges really affect which spaces. In the second part, we will look at the different types of lighting we’ve seen in our twenty years of working with commercial […]
Compressor Short Cycling: A Hard-to-Find Energy Waster
In commercial applications, one of the most important tasks in keeping components running at their peak performance is determining what’s a cause and what’s a symptom if mechanical problems arise. The difference between knowing and not knowing could be thousands of dollars worth of diagnosis. In particular, short cycling seems to be one of those […]
As Companies Continue to Alter Their Processes to Adhere to FSMA, Some Remain Skeptics
Originally passed in 2010, it took the next six years to develop the full breadth of the act. The FSMA was legislation driven by the Food & Drug Administration with the goal of having companies be better equipped to prevent food-borne illness as opposed to just reacting to contamination. On January 26, 2018, the industry […]
A Quick Crash Course in Suction P-Traps for HVACR
The HVAC/R industry has frequently quarreled about the topic of suction p-traps in risers – when are they necessary, where to place them, how large and how deep should the trap be? Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Each facility and each installation will have its own considerations and concerns. It’s a great idea […]
6 Ways to Ensure an Evaporator Fan Energy Efficiency Retrofit is Done Right
Here, we’ll unpack some of the ways you can make sure that your energy-efficiency retrofit doesn’t turn into a refrigeration headache! Look for a strong reputation. There is no substitute for proven real-world results. This applies to both the technology and the implementer. Make sure that the controls hardware and the implementation installer both have […]
6 Do-It-Yourself Ways to Reduce Your Commercial HVAC Energy Costs
We focus a lot on commercial refrigeration in this blog and in our daily business, as this is often the area of energy management that can see the greatest gains by adopting more efficient practices. But it’d be foolish to ignore HVAC and lighting as slices of the “energy consumption pie” and not recognize them […]