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In March, the International Code Council—with support from the American Institute of Architects; ASTM International; the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE); the U.S. Green Building Council; and the Illuminating Engineering Society—issued the first public version of the International Green Construction Code (IGCC). Although only a first draft, the IGCC is a commendable effort toward raising the bar in building quality. In particular, it is encouraging to see the commissioning (Cx) quality-assurance process defined more extensively than in previous codes and guidelines....More

It's been some time since we've heard cries for help regarding the degradation of the Earth's ozone layer and subsequent doom of life as we know it. But apparently, the keening has begun again....More

One result of America's growing water shortages likely will be an increased public-policy focus on water conservation, water-efficiency technologies, and on-site water treatment and reuse. This policy focus could offer unprecedented opportunities for mechanical contractors, technology suppliers, and engineering consultants....More

For three days in September, Baltimore will be the place "where the industry meets" when HPAC Engineering and sibling publication Contracting Business join forces to present the second annual HVACR Week (http://hvacrweek.com/)....More

Each year, the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) surveys its 11,000 members to determine market trends and forces impacting the profession. With the enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, AEE surveyed its members to determine the impact stimulus funding would have on the creation of green jobs....More

2009 saw the rollout of a major evolution in the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC’s) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green-building rating systems. The five rating systems cover new construction and major renovations, core and shell projects, K-12 schools, commercial interiors, and existing buildings. The oldest of these, LEED for New Construction (LEED-NC), was released as a pilot program in 1998 and more fully developed as Version 2.0 in 2000. LEED Version 3 includes all five of these rating systems....More

In January 2010 at the Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) in Orlando, Fla., we at the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration...More

As the writing team of Lennon and McCartney said in their 1968 hit Revolution 1, We all want to change the world. Back then, it seemed the only way to...More

At the close of our 81st year, HPAC Engineering and the entire HVAC industry breathe a sigh. Over the past two years, the country has been rocked by social,...More

Last week was all about firsts. It was the first presentation of HVACR Week, a live seminar and trade-show event combining three meetings: the Engineering...More

It's no secret that there has been significant criticism of the certification process for the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC's) Leadership in Energy...More