By H. Jay Enck, Member ASHRAE, and David Cantrill, P.E., Member ASHRAE A recent survey of the building construction industry by the Building Commissioning Association (BCA) on the issue of duct leakage resulted in some startling statistics. Seventy-five percent of the approximately 300 respondents felt that duct leakage contributes substantially to energy loss in commercial… more »
By James Piper, P.E. November 2016 The electric motor is one of the most important components in institutional and commercial facilities. It is also one of the most overlooked — until something goes wrong and a pump system goes offline, or the air conditioning system shuts down, or the facility’s fire-safety system fails to operate… more »
Workmanship is just as important as attitude! We have a service technician position open with our Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Controls company located in Billings serving eastern and central Montana. The position is ideal for an experienced, focused HVAC Technician with five years of service experience preferred. We are seeking craftsmanship and quality focused individuals to… more »
1. I am too busy to plan ahead. 2. I am sure I can Google and figure out how to fix that. 3. I haven’t been on the roof in years. 4. Where did I put that knife. 5. What budget? 6. I am never caught up. 7. I know a guy… 8. Storing gasoline… more »
Light Bulb Showdown: LED vs. CFL vs. Incandescent by Holly Johnson Just a couple decades ago, light bulbs were light bulbs. No matter your budget, you really had only one choice when it came to interior lighting options for your home: Head to the hardware store and pick up some incandescent bulbs, choosing a wattage… more »
Common pitfalls in specifying motors and VFDs Ten common issues that can affect functionality of motors and variable frequency drive (VFD) specification. John Yoon, PE, LEED AP, McGuire Engineers Inc., Chicago 01/21/2015 As specifying engineers, we have little control over the applicable efficiency standards and codes that we are mandated to follow. However, we… more »
“Why would I need a scheduled maintenance plan on my HVAC equipment?” We hear that statement all the time. My best response to that statement goes something like this: • HVAC preventive maintenance plans ensure your heating, cooling and ventilation equipment remains in good repair. By inspecting your systems regularly, our technicians will catch minor… more »
The function of the economizer is, as its name implies, to “economize” or save on cooling costs. Obviously, it costs money to operate the compressor. If the compressor can be shut down and the system still provide adequate cooling, energy savings can be realized. Heat internal to the building, such as people, lights, computers, copy… more »
Here are the key revisions to 2015 NFPA 70E from this month’s EC & M The 2015 edition of NFPA 70E reflects a major shift in how stakeholders evaluate electrical risk. In support of this, new definitions were added to Art. 100, including Hazard, Hazardous, Risk, and Risk Assessment. Throughout the document changes were made… more »
The purpose of testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) is to assure that an HVAC system is providing maximum occupant comfort at the lowest energy cost possible. Here is information from an article from The National Institute of Building Sciences: Most of today’s newest HVAC systems are being designed with many more individually controlled temperature zones… more »