Fastrack September 2007

20 Years of the Montreal Protocol
By Mack McFarland, PHD
Impact on the HVACR industry, successes to date, essential next steps, obstacles...[MORE]

Carrier and the Indianapolis Colts Donate Chiller and Generator
Carrier and the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts will donate a 25-ton Aquasnap air-cooled chiller and a Commercial Series Standby generator to the New Orleans Fire Department. The fire department lost 22 of its 33 firehouses in Hurricane Katrina two years ago...[MORE]

DOE Announces More Stringent Criteria for Refrigerators
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced increased energy-efficiency criteria for refrigerators carrying the Energy Star label. To qualify, full-size refrigerators must be a minimum of 20-percent more efficient than required by current federal energy-efficiency standards--an increase from the existing 15-percent minimum. The new criteria will go into effect April 28, 2008...[MORE]

Paper Mill Installs Heat Exchanger to Reduce Energy Needs
Fraser Papers, a specialty paper company, plans to install a heat-exchange unit at its Thurso, Quebec, pulp mill as part of an energy-saving and environmental program. The heat exchanger, which will be installed on the mill's main heat stack, will turn heat waste from the plant into thermal power that the company can use on site...[MORE]

Weaker Economic Growth Expected
Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA) International Inc. released a quarterly forecast newsletter authored by Hans Zigmund, a consulting economist. The industry's principal economic indicators provide mixed results, contributing toward a feeling of uncertainty about the economy's performance in the medium term...[MORE]

Top 10 Things Consumers Should Know About Air Conditioning
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) published a list of 10 points to help consumers become more aware of air-conditioning systems. Tips include information on how an air conditioner works, how to maintain an air conditioner, and how to increase the efficiency of an air conditioner in a home....[MORE]

Preliminary 2006 Renewable-Energy-Consumption and Electricity-Use Statistics
The Energy Information Administration, the official keeper of energy statistics for the U.S. government, released a preliminary report analyzing renewable-energy consumption and electricity use in 2006...[MORE]

Free HPAC Engineering Webinar: New Trends In Laboratory Exhaust
Wednesday, Sept. 26 @ 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT

Laboratory exhaust systems have been installed to ventilate lab facilities for decades. These systems range from field-assembled components to factory-fabricated systems. In either case, there has been no independent third-party verification of entrained dilution performance and total-discharge airflow from these systems. This Webinar will discuss these issues and the new Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA) International test standard and certification of performance for high-plume dilution blowers used in laboratory exhaust....[MORE]

According to the U.S. Green Building Council, the products and services market for green building is expected to exceed $12 billion in 2007. Virtually every new-construction and retrofit project undertaken today includes some element of green design.

For designers and specifiers of mechanical systems, this explosive green-building market means huge potential for growth. Engineering Green Buildings (EGB) 2007, the only green-design event dedicated to mechanical systems in non-residential buildings, presents an opportunity for you to learn how to be "greener" and provides the knowledge and skills you need to "go for the green" in the tremendously profitable green-design arena. www.egbconference.com

DISCOVER THE CRITICAL SECRETS TO SUCCESS IN COMMERCIAL HVACR CONTRACTING

* What are the most pressing issues affecting your business?
* What are the hottest technologies and applications on the market today?
* What do you know about new business-management ideas designed to make your business profitable?

Find the answers to these questions and much more at the 2007 Commercial Contracting Roundtable & Design/Build Seminar, presented by Contracting Business magazine and the ACCA. Two days of workshops and networking events will show you how to make the most of new opportunities in the commercial HVACR market. Dr. Martin Regalia, chief economist from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, will lead a provocative opening session offering attendees "A Layman's Look at Today's Economy."

Mark your calendars for Oct. 24 and 25 at Hilton Baltimore BWI Airport in Baltimore. For complete workshop information and easy online registration, go to www.contractingroundtable.com.