Advice from industry leaders on looking forward during these

Spring/Summer 2009
A SUPPLEMENT TO PENTON PUBLICATIONS
THE MAGAZINE OF THE AIR-CONDITIONING, HEATING, AND REFRIGERATION INSTITUTE
A Brighter
Tomorrow
Advice from industry leaders on looking
forward during these unprecedented times.
• OUTLOOK FOR CHILLED BEAMS
• GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMPS
• INDUSTRY PREPARES FOR
HCFC PHASEOUT
W
NE
S
IL
VE
N
U
RI
H
A
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tableofcontents
A resource for HVACR contractors and
technicians, AHRI Trends is published
in May and September prior to the
annual cooling and heating seasons.
Visit us online at www.AHRInet.org and
www.AHRIdirectory.org.
The Air-Conditioning, Heating,
and Refrigeration Institute
2111 Wilson Blvd., Suite 500
Arlington, VA 22201
Phone: 703/524-8800
Fax: 703/528-3816
e-Mail: [email protected]
www.AHRInet.org
coverstory:
12
Leadership
Keith Coursin
Weathering the Economic Downturn
Chairman
Jack W. Klimp
features
CEO
Stephen R. Yurek
President
Acknowledgements
10
AHRI Communications Staff
Francis Dietz, Colleen Hughes and
Courtney Nogas
AHRI Technical Advisors
(for this issue)
Karim Amrane, Don Davis,
Henry Hwong, Sunil Nanjundaram,
Maryline Rassi, and Frank Stanonik
1300 E. 9th Street
Cleveland, OH 44114
216/696-7000 tel
216/696-1752 fax
www.pentoncustommedia.com
Mike Weil
Dan Ashenden
Bob Mader
Editor-in-Chief
Outlook for Chilled Beams
Geothermal Heat Pumps
Industry Prepares for Next Step
in HCFC Phaseout
departments
2
4
Chairman’s Message
Legislative Watch: Engaging Lawmakers
on Climate Change, Energy Issues
Editor-in-Chief
Account Manager
Lisa Murton Beets
Managing Editor
Steve Palmison
Marketing
Shaun Kelly
Production Manager
Cavedweller Studio
Art Direction
905CSTMAHR1.indd 1
Advertising Index
AHR Expo 2010 ............................. 25
Airwell Fedders ................................. 9
Desert Aire........................................ 3
ECONAR GeoSystems ..................... 7
Emerson Climate Technologies ......... 5
Energy Conservatory ...................... 17
HARDI ............................................ 23
HVAC Comfortech 2009 ................. 28
IPEX ............................................... 15
Mitsubishi Electric ........................... 11
Rheem .......................................... IFC
Ritchie Engineering ........................ BC
Trane .............................................. 29
www.AHRInet.org
Christy Barksdale
|
Penton Custom Media
AHRItrends
Joe Fristik
Publisher
22
26
Publishing Office
Group Publisher
18
AHRI Establishes a New Mark and a
New Home for all AHRI Certified™ Products
1
4/23/2009 4:18:18 PM
chairman’smessage
Explore
Industry Trends
with AHRI
session of Congress to complete, we
can expect an energy bill this year.
As we work to increase our shipments
and get our industry moving again,
it can be inspirational to take a look
at new technologies and how they
might impact our sector in the coming years. Two of those new technologies, chilled beams and geothermal
heat pumps, are profiled in this issue.
Spring is perhaps my favorite time of
year. Warmer weather, birds chirping, flowers growing – they have a
way of making me feel better about
everything. Here’s hoping my fellow
consumers feel better about their lives
this spring, as well, so that we can
begin to right our economy and move
forward toward a brighter future.
AHRItrends
|
Spring/Summer 2009
The stimulus bill passed by Congress
earlier this year, while not perfect, is
designed to revive economic growth
by spurring spending, manufacturing
and job creation. The bill contains
several tax incentives for the purchase
of highly efficient HVACR products
– details can be found on page 4.
AHRI’s government affairs team is
now hard at work protecting our –
your – interests in energy and climate
change legislation. While the climate
change bill might take longer than this
Finally, most of our member companies are having to make difficult decisions to protect their current market
position and to prepare for the
A SUPPLEM
ENT TO PENTON
The Maga
zin
future. On page 12, folks representing a cross-section of our industry tell
how they have been coping and steps
they’ve been taking to ensure their
survival and future growth.
This is the third issue of AHRI
Trends since our association began.
Please let us know how we’re doing.
Thanks for reading!
Keith Coursin
AHRI Chairman
PUBLICATION
S
e of The
air-Cond
iTioning,
Spring/Sum
mer 2009
he
eaT
ea
aT
aTi
Ting
ng, and
ref
efr
rig
ige
era
raT
ra
T
Tio
ion
n insTiTuTe
A Brighter
Tomorrow
Advice fr
forward duom industry leaders
ring these
on looking
unprecede
nted times.
• OutlOOk fO
r Chilled Beam
s
• GeOthermal
heat PumPs
• industry Pr
ePares fOr
hCfC PhaseOut
w
ne
ils
ve
n
u
ri
ah
O
OG
dl
ifie
t
r
Ce
e
aG
eP
se
10
2
905CSTMAHR2.indd 1
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You Wouldn’t Throw Your Car in
Reverse Driving Down the Highway.
Why Would You Do the Same with Your Heat Pump?
Desert Aire’s 100% Outdoor Air, Water Source,
Non-Reversing Heat Pump
Are 2-element reversing heat pumps taking you backwards when it comes to efficiency and functionality? You might ask, “Why would they?” The answer is found in Desert Aire’s non-reversing Q-Pump.
A 2-element reversing heat pump uses only one air coil as both an evaporator and condenser – very
inefficient since no one coil is designed to ideally perform both functions. Our 4-element Q-Pump
uses one air condenser and one air evaporator, each one devoted to perform its function as
designed. Our other two elements are water chillers in the water loop, one for the balance of the
total heat of rejection and the other used as the evaporator in the reverse cycle. No reversing
valve! The benefits of Q-Pump?
•
•
•
•
•
Avoids inefficiencies of high pressure on compressors when 2-element systems reverse to cooling
No reversing valve allows for quick, easy transition between winter and summer modes
Water chiller used as an evaporator in the water loop helps achieve COPs of 6+
Less potential for slugging and flashing compared to 2-element systems
Q-Pump DOAS units control LAT to ± 2.0° F in heating and cooling
Want more details and a diagram? Visit our special web page at: http://Q-Forward11.desert-aire.com
Or, see us at AHR ‘09 in Chicago at booth #4269.
Germantown, WI • Ph: (262) 946-7400 • Fax: (262) 946-7401
• E-mail: [email protected]
DEHUMIDIFY
905CSTMAHR3.indd 1
WITH THE
EXPERTS ....
4/21/2009 5:31:03 PM
legislativewatch
Engaging
Lawmakers
on Climate Change, Energy Issues
Efficiency Summit Helps
AHRI Focus Legislative and
Regulatory Priorities
• A strategy to facilitate the replacement of old and inefficient CFCbased chillers through the use of
well-designed incentives.
• A framework for a Code Enforcement Structure that could be
implemented at the state level.
• A strategy for promoting manufacturer’s tax credits as an alternative
to mandating higher product
energy efficiency standards.
• Accelerating replacement of the
installed base.
Participants in the 3rd Energy
Efficiency Summit received a briefing
on energy efficiency provisions in the
House and Senate economic stimulus
bills and how they would likely help
achieve the participants’ shared goal of
increasing the amount of energy-efficient equipment in the nation’s homes
and businesses. Allen Stayman, a staff
member for the Senate Committee on
Energy and Natural Resources, also
outlined some of the priorities of his
committee for the next two years. He
noted that the “summer” of goodies
contained in the stimulus bills will
soon give way to the “winter” of reality when the appropriations process
gets into gear in mid-year.
In response to a question, Stayman
endorsed the idea of the government leading the way in purchasing
emerging energy-efficient technology
through its procurement programs.
With regard to the timing of an
energy bill, the Senate has introduced
a bill and the House is planning to
introduce a bill in late spring.
In an address to attendees, AHRI
President Steve Yurek spoke of the
AHRI President Stephen Yurek addresses
attendees at the AHRI-ACEEE Energy
Efficiency Summit.
need for “balance” in energy and
environmental policy, warning against
trying to implement “good ideas” that
have not been fully analyzed. Such
approaches can result in the “dreaded
law of unintended consequences,”
Yurek said. He reiterated the HVACR
industry’s commitment to working in
an open and honest
way with utilities and
efficiency groups, and
said AHRI expects
the same of them.
A major theme of the
meeting was how to
address a more timely
replacement of the
installed base of heating and air conditioning in the U.S.
At the summit’s
conclusion, participants agreed to
collaborate on:
The group agreed to meet again in
the fall to discuss progress on these
issues and others that arise between
now and then.
Stimulus Bill Delivers Incentives
for HVACR Industry
President Obama signed into law
February 17 an economic stimulus
package that includes billions of
dollars in incentives for consumPresident
Obama
signs
economic
stimulus
bill.
Photo by Larry Downing/Reuters/Landov
AHRItrends
|
Spring/Summer 2009
Energy efficiency advocates, representatives from utilities and AHRI
member companies, and AHRI staff
gathered February 4–5, 2009, in
Arlington, Va., to discuss the “new
reality” of a new Administration
and a new Congress, and how it
is likely to affect ongoing collaborations on energy efficiency and
environmental stewardship.
905CSTMAHR4.indd 1
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905CSTMAHR5.indd 1
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legislativewatch
publications reaching lawmakers and
their staff. Next on AHRI’s agenda is
the launch of a targeted campaign to
state governments to stress the value
of spending their stimulus money on
energy-efficient upgrades to government heating and cooling systems.
Below is a chart of tax incentives
contained in the stimulus bill.
ers, businesses, building owners and
the state and federal governments
to upgrade the nation’s heating and
cooling system infrastructure. AHRI
worked closely with lawmakers
throughout the negotiation process
to support maximum funding for
equipment upgrades, which are
expected to create thousands of
industry jobs, reduce building energy
costs, and help the nation meets its
environmental goals. To obtain the
greatest reach and support for the
energy-efficiency upgrade provisions
in the bill, the association placed
advertisements in the top three news
Product Type
Spring/Summer 2009
|
• The efficiency levels have been
modified to reflect the highest
tier of the CEE High-Efficiency
Specification for Residential
HVAC Systems for equipment
Tax Credit
Effective Date
Find Qualifying Equipment on
www.ahridirectory.org
RESIDENTIAL
CENTRAL A/C
Split: EER >= 13
and SEER >= 16
Packaged: EER >= 12
and SEER >= 14
The tax credit
is for 30% of
the total cost.1
Feb. 17, 2009–
Dec. 31, 2010
Go to Air Conditioners and Air
Conditioner Coils, and enter the
minimum EER and SEER.
RESIDENTIAL
AIR-SOURCE
HEAT PUMPS
Split: HSPF >= 8.5
and EER >= 12.5
and SEER >= 15
Packaged: HSPF >= 8
and EER >= 12
and SEER >= 14
The tax credit
is for 30% of
the total cost.1
Feb. 17, 2009–
Dec. 31, 2010
Go to Heat Pumps and Heat
Pump Coils, and enter the
minimum HSPF, EER and SEER.
Closed Loop:
EER >= 14.1
COP >= 3.3
Open Loop:
EER >= 16.2
COP >= 3.6
Direct Expansion:
EER >= 15
COP >= 3.5
This one-time
tax credit
is for 30%
of the total
investment.2
The credits
are available
for systems
“placed in service”
from Jan. 1,
2006, through
Dec. 31, 2016.
Go to either the Water-to-Air
and Brine-to-Air Heat Pumps or
Direct Geoexchange Heat Pumps
directories. Limit your search by
entering the qualifying efficiency
ratings specified in the second
column on this page.
RESIDENTIAL GAS, OIL,
PROPANE FURNACE
OR HOT WATER BOILER
Furnaces:
Gas >= 95% AFUE
Oil >= 90% AFUE
Propane >= 95% AFUE
Boilers:
AFUE >= 90
The tax credit
is for 30% of
the total cost.1
Feb. 17, 2009–
Dec. 31, 2010
Go to Boilers.
RESIDENTIAL GAS,
OIL, PROPANE
WATER HEATER
Energy
Factor >= 0.82
or Thermal
Efficiency >= 0.90
The tax credit
is for 30% of
the total cost.1
Feb. 17, 2009–
Dec. 31, 2010
Go to Water Heaters.
RESIDENTIAL
ELECTRIC HEAT PUMP
WATER HEATER
Energy Factor >= 2.0
The tax credit
is for 30% of
the total cost.1
Feb. 17, 2009–
Dec. 31, 2010
Go to Water Heaters.
RESIDENTIAL
GEOTHERMAL
HEAT PUMP
AHRItrends
Tax Credit Specification
Tax Credits for Homeowners
 Total cost includes cost of the product + installation up to a $1,500 maximum cap per homeowner for all combined improvements made
in 2009 and 2010.
 This credit is not limited to the $1,500 home improvement cap footnoted above.
6
905CSTMAHR6.indd 1
4/22/2009 4:18:43 PM
Stimulate Your Environment.
Your home environment should be comfortable, inviting and stimulating. An ECONAR GeoSystem
helps to create this environment for you and your family. A GeoSystem is far superior to a conventional HVAC set up. Imagine–one unit for all of your heating and cooling needs–from the hottest
summer day to the coldest winter night. And, it’s great for the environment. Instead of using natural
gas, oil or propane, a GeoSystem uses naturally occuring, renewable energy. This energy comes
from under the ground, right on your property!
Stimulate Your Wallet.
The financial benefits of installing a GeoSystem are both short and
long term. The recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 gives you a 30% Tax Credit for installing qualifying
geothermal heat pump systems. That’s 30% of the total system cost
back in your pocket!
The savings don’t stop after you receive your tax credit. With a
GeoSystem, you’ll save money every month on your heating and cooling bills. A typical system pays for itself in a few years. After that it’s
all savings!
®
®
The Leader in ColdClimate™ Geothermal Heat Pumps
Call 1-800-4-ECONAR or visit www.econar.com for more information.
905CSTMAHR7.indd 1
4/21/2009 5:33:53 PM
legislativewatch
“placed in service” between
Febuary 17, 2009, and
December 31, 2010.
• Please note: Equipment listed
in the chart on page 6 (except
water heaters, which only need
to achieve one of the efficiency
specifications) must meet all
performance specifications for its
category. For example, a tax-crediteligible split central air conditioner
must have stated performance ratings of 13 EER and 16 SEER.
• The maximum credit has been
raised from $500 to $1,500 for the
two years (2009–2010). However,
some improvements such as geothermal heat pumps, solar water
heaters and solar panels are not
subject to the $1,500 maximum.
What is reasonably sure,
however, is that a climate
change bill ultimately will
reach the President’s desk in
the next couple of years.
several different ways, it is difficult at
this point to predict the eventual outcome. The President, the Speaker of
the House, and the Majority Leader
of the Senate have all said they would
like to have a bill enacted this year.
AHRItrends
|
Spring/Summer 2009
That might be easier said than
done, however, as environmental
wishes meet political realities in a
poor economy.
• Improvements made in 2009 will
be claimed on your 2009 taxes
(filed by April 15, 2010). Use IRS
Tax Form 5695 (2009 version); it
will be available late 2009 or early
2010.
Climate Change Bills Introduced;
AHRI Issues List of Principles
As expected, given the change in
leadership in Congress and in the
White House, several bills designed
to address climate issues have been
introduced in the House and Senate. Because the various bills would
address greenhouse gas emissions in
•
•
What is reasonably sure, however,
is that a climate change bill ultimately will reach the President’s desk
in the next couple of years. How
significantly the bill will affect our
industry remains to be seen, but
AHRI members and staff, in concert
with associated organizations such as
ACCA, HARDI and the Association
of Home Appliance Manufacturers
are spending a good deal of time and
energy educating policymakers about
potential ramifications.
•
To focus the issue, the AHRI Government Affairs Committee approved
a Statement of Principles to guide
association staff and members as
they meet with policymakers. The
principles include support for:
•
• A regulatory approach that
provides for an appropriate
•
•
phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs), including provisions
for allowances and transition
assistance.
Assurance of an adequate supply
of HFCs during a transition to
low global warming potential
(GWP) refrigerants.
An appropriate initial cap set at
actual HFC market demand in
metric tons of carbon dioxide
equivalent.
The ability of appliance and
HVACR equipment manufacturers that rely on HFCs to
purchase allowances that could
be used or transferred without
restriction; the proceeds should
be used to facilitate the deployment of lower GWP refrigerants
and research on alternatives and
transition assistance.
A distribution scheme that makes
allocations available to HFC
users, HFC importers and HFC
producers.
An allowance proceeds program
that provides funding for promotion of energy-efficient and
low GWP products, transition
assistance for manufacturers and
research and recovery assistance.
Offset credits for the capture and
destruction of CFCs, HCFCs
and HFCs.
8
905CSTMAHR8.indd 1
4/22/2009 4:19:32 PM
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905CSTMAHR9.indd 1
4/23/2009 12:11:00 PM
featurestory
AHRI Establishes a
New Mark and a
New Home for all AHRI Certified™ Products
Now that AHRI is home to all of
the industry’s performance certification programs for heating, cooling and commercial refrigeration
equipment, and has merged all
these products into one
searchable, online database
(www.ahridirectory.org), the
association has announced it
is moving toward applying
one unified mark of performance assurance to all certified equipment and components.
AHRItrends
|
Spring/Summer 2009
The new mark will replace the ARI
Performance Certified, GAMA Efficiency Rating Certified and I=B=R
marks. These changes will be made
according to an implementation
schedule that provides enough time
to bring all certification programs
into compliance with internationally
recognized accreditations.
“Manufacturers have been given an
18- to 30-month transition period
to apply the new marks to their
equipment, change their nameplates
and update their sales and marketing
collateral,” said Bill Tritsis, AHRI's
vice persident of certification. “It
also provides enough time to bring
the space heating and water heating
programs under the accreditation
scope of the Standards Council of
Canada, which is necessary for products being shipped there.”
Introduction of the new certification
mark is just one of many initiatives
that AHRI is currently undertaking to enhance awareness of the
AHRI Certified™ brand. AHRI will
be working to expand the number
of utilities that require the AHRI
Certified reference number in their
rebate applications, exploring ways
to encourage engineers to require
AHRI Certified™ in their construction specifications, as well as
promoting among green building
leaders the importance of recommending third-party performance
certification for HVACR products in
their green building guidelines.
Wendell Nixon, president of Presidential Heating & A/C in Gaithersburg,
Md. “You’re doing this to not only
comply with building codes and so
your customers can get a tax credit or
utility rebate, but also to give
them just one more reason to
choose you over your competitors and to reduce your liability.”
“Forward-thinking contractors
understand the compelling
business reasons to educate their
customers on the importance of
choosing AHRI Certified™ heating,
cooling and commercial refrigeration
equipment,” said Nixon.
AHRI’s certification programs help
contractors and their customers make
fair comparisons and informed purchasing decisions. AHRI certification
also helps marketing activities and
builds consumer confidence in the
product’s performance.
Phrase Marks
While the performance ratings
among certified products vary, customers can be confident that certified
products have cleared a significant
hurdle acceptable to most environmental groups. Finally, third-party
certification sets standards of conduct
for ethical behavior, including requiring manufacturers to de-rate their
product’s performance claims when
they fail tests and to undergo annual
testing of random samples from their
product lines to monitor their claims.
• “ASK ABOUT OUR CERTIFIED
PRODUCTS.”
• “WE INSTALL CERTIFIED
SYSTEMS.”
“If you are an HVACR contractor and
want to be successful in today’s green
building market, you are using AHRI’s
directory and printing the equipment
certificates for your customers,” said
To help dealers and distributors build
consumer awareness of the value of
purchasing AHRI Certified HVACR
systems, AHRI has developed two
phrase marks offering the following
message options:
The two phrase marks may be used
on an array of promotional materials, company-owned cars and vans,
advertisements, circulars and other
marketing collateral.
For more resources to promote
AHRI Certified equipment and
components, and to educate your
customers about the value of certification, go to the Specifiers/Contractors area of www.AHRInet.org
for downloadable brochures, phrase
marks, and other promotional ideas.
10
905CSTMAHR10.indd 1
4/22/2009 4:20:03 PM
© 2009 Mitsubishi Electric and Electronics USA, Inc.
“
Everything that can be
”
invented has been invented.
or
Charles H. Duell,
Commissioner, U.S.
patent office, 1899
Profiting from new technologies other people miss.
We never stop inventing ways for you to make money. While unitary system sales have fallen
flat over the last five years, Mr. Slim® sales have soared. If you’re looking to distinguish your
business, generate higher profits with less labor, and provide lasting, precision comfort
for your customers, Mr. Slim is made for you. Mr. Slim is the market leader in service and
sales support, and the contractors’ #1 preferred brand.* It’s time to seize your opportunity.
Learn how at mrslim.com/sell
*2006 ACHR NEWS Survey
905CSTMAHR11.indd 1
4/21/2009 5:34:46 PM
coverstory
Weathering
the Econo
Downturn
N
o corner of the HVACR
industry has been spared
from the negative effects
of the economic downturn. AHRI
Trends asked representatives from
various sectors of the industry what
they have been doing in their own
companies to maintain balance, and
for words of advice to others.
The magazine thanks the following
participants for their contributions:
AHRItrends
|
Spring/Summer 2009
Advice from
industry
leaders on
looking forward
during these
unprecedented
times.
12
905CSTMAHR12.indd 1
4/22/2009 4:20:33 PM
Mitchell Cropp
ng
nomic
CONTRACTORS
Mitchell Cropp
President
Cropp-Metcalfe
Alexandria, Va.
Dewey Jenkins
Owner
Morris-Jenkins Co.
Charlotte, N.C.
DISTRIBUTOR
George F. Wheelock, III
President
The Geo. F. Wheelock Co.
Birmingham, Ala.
MANUFACTURER
OEM
Edgar M. Purvis, Jr.
Executive Vice President of Emerson
and Business Leader of Emerson
Climate Technologies
Sidney, Ohio
Policy and procedures. Are they right for the times, and
are you following them? Do they need updating?
Ask your managers, co-workers and business associates for
their ideas on how your company can get through these
challenging times. Wait for their answers; don’t lead them
with what you think.
Now is a time of opportunity to fine-tune your organization. When things are not working well, you need to get
back to the basics and make things happen – not wait for
things to happen. There will be companies in your market
that give up. Who will get their customers? Hopefully, it
will be you. —Mitchell Cropp
Dewey Jenkins
To succeed in this economy,
we’re taking a threepronged approach. First,
we’re turning a laser
focus on all expenses.
We’ve found savings in
all areas ranging from
office supplies to our
GPS service to our Nextel
bills. For instance, our current gas card provider was charging $1.50 monthly for each card. By changing vendors, we
not only eliminated this fee but we will receive rebates on
gas purchases for an annual savings of $4,120.
www.AHRInet.org
OEM SUPPLIER
People. Review all the great managers and leaders in your
organization. Are they performing up to expectations?
Whatever you do, don’t stop training; in fact, you may have
to increase it.
|
Rod Rushing
Vice President and General Manager,
Unitary Products Division
Johnson Controls Inc.
Milwaukee, Wis.
Business plan. Does the plan you formulated last year or
the year before still make sense? Work your plan – don’t let
it work you.
AHRItrends
Dennis Laughlin
President
Arzel Zoning Technology, Inc.
Cleveland, Ohio
Some view the current
economic conditions as a
disaster or a time to quit.
I think it’s a time for all
of us to take a closer
look at our companies
to see if we are in need
of some “refreshments.”
I suggest contractors take
a close look at the following three areas:
13
905CSTMAHR13.indd 1
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While reducing costs is important, we didn’t want to
accomplish that by cutting employees. Instead, we asked
employees to take a fresh look at everything about their jobs
to see if there are better, less-expensive ways to do them.
The person responsible for the job, and therefore the costs,
always has the best suggestions for savings and efficiency.
Second, we’re focusing on our systems and procedures
with the goal of making it easier for our customers to
do business with us. This encompasses all our activities,
including answering the phones, getting our technicians
to the customers’ doors, making sure we have the proper
parts and accessories on the service vans, collecting our
receivables and following up with our customers. The
result is better service, happier customers and lower costs.
Third, we’re wrapping our existing customers in a warm
blanket of service. Now more than ever, we want to
keep each one of our existing customers. While we are
continuing our marketing efforts to get new customers, we don’t want to forget that our existing customers
are the ones responsible for our success. Plus, we know
that our competitors want them. So, we’re offering service
specials and contacting them more frequently. We’re making a concerted effort to let them know that we value their
business. —Dewey Jenkins
AHRItrends
|
Spring/Summer 2009
George F. Wheelock, III
In the 34 years that I have
been in the distribution business, this has
been the deepest, most
protracted economic
storm that I have
experienced. Unlike
previous recessions, basic
core businesses were never
threatened like they are now.
Individual investors have seen
dramatic declines in their net worth, and retirement is
now out of the question for a lot of small business people.
How to minimize the damage? Don’t resist change! If we
as an industry learned anything at all from the 10-to-13
SEER transition, embrace the transition to R-410A. Try to
be leading-edge, not bleeding-edge. Look for new products
and technology that will set you apart from your competition. Know what is going on around you. Keep an ear out
for news that affects your business. Keep up with trade
magazines. Rely on your industry associations to help decipher all the news coming out of Washington and how it
affects you. Take advantage of the new tax incentives, and
learn how they will impact you and your customers. Use
this slowdown to further educate and train your workforce.
Review all operating costs and make necessary adjustments.
Work every day to generate “cash flow” for your business,
and understand there is still some business you must turn
down! This is the time to invest money to get the best
advice possible. Use your CPA or other trusted advisor.
Maintain good relations with your vendors. Last, but not
least, it’s important to maintain a good balance between
your work life and home life. This economic storm will not
last forever! —George F. Wheelock, III
Dennis Laughlin
Manufacturing in 2009
is like being one of the
Flying Wallendas. It
is easy to lose your
balance. You need to
be constantly aware of
changing winds, and
if you are looking for a
net, you are casting your
focus in the exact direction
you do not want to go.
Manufacturers are faced with the need to contract operations to match sales trends while not losing the capacity
for recovery that we all anticipate. Maximizing inventory
turns and keeping resources focused on sales efforts are in
everyone’s best interest.
These times are the real litmus test of whether the message
of your selling proposition is being understood. This year,
unlike 2006 and 2007, any disconnect in resonance will
not be masked by volume of opportunity. It will be critical
that manufacturers connect with their ultimate customers
and maintain reality in R&D projects in the pipeline. A
miss here will endanger recovery, whenever it happens.
We also recognize that increased communication on our
part is a great antidote for the media-imposed malaise that
is pandemic among the talking heads of our world. All
manufacturers have great stories of success with products,
applications, and their wholesaler and contractor partners.
Those messages need to be told.
This is not Business 101. Simple blocking and tackling
will not guarantee you will be around. I don’t think you
can win this game on defense. The challenge is to develop
the next round of answers when we have the least amount
of capital and a changing environmental horizon. The
extra degree of difficulty is a consumer base in need of
1
905CSTMAHR14.indd 1
4/22/2009 4:21:18 PM
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905CSTMAHR15.indd 1
4/21/2009 5:45:23 PM
real education on our product lines. These are the most
competitive times many businesses have faced. Better have
your shoes laced up tight. —Dennis Laughlin
Rod Rushing
You don’t have to be a
rocket scientist to know
that these are tough
economic times for
the HVACR industry.
But as the saying goes,
when one door closes,
another one opens.
To be in a good position
when the economy bounces
back, consider the following:
Now, more than ever, become your customers’ consultant, not their salesperson or technician. Today’s marketplace is more confusing than ever – tax credits, rebates,
green, efficiency, modulation, multistage, the list goes on
and on. With your knowledge of the business and a few
questions, you can serve as the customers’ consultant and
help them make very good comfort decisions that can
show a better rate of return than most investments available today!
Take advantage of the economic stimulus package,
federal tax credits and manufacturer’s rebates. The
stimulus package has the potential to be very important
for our industry. Educate your residential customers
This year, unlike 2006 and 2007, any
AHRItrends
|
Spring/Summer 2009
disconnect in resonance will not be
masked by volume of opportunity.
— Dennis Laughlin
about the federal tax credits available under the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The new law
makes important changes to existing tax incentives for
homeowners who make qualified improvements using
high-efficiency HVACR products and equipment in their
primary residences. (See page 6.)
Help your customers achieve “attainable sustainability.” In the past, many customers were faced with the
choice of paying a premium, but not receiving a good
payback, on their purchase of “green” HVACR products.
Today, however, customers can achieve attainable sustainability. Give them heating and cooling options that are
not only affordable (attainable), but also make them feel
good about being green (sustainable).
Today’s HVACR products are better than ever. So don’t
let the sagging economy get you in the dumps. Realize
that new doors are opening for our industry. Help your
customers walk through them. —Rod Rushing
Edgar M. Purvis, Jr.
This is a challenging time
for the HVACR industry
and business at large.
The global economic
crisis requires aggressive actions and clear
prioritization of our
resources.
Like many other companies, we have taken actions
to reduce operational expenses. These cost-reduction
efforts have been difficult but necessary. In addition, we
are asking employees to partner with us to identify other
cost savings, which has produced many positive ideas and
actions. I am very proud of how our team has responded
in these difficult times. Internally, we continue to openly
share information so employees are best prepared to support our customers and the company during tough times.
Externally, we are staying in touch with our customers
and suppliers in order to respond quickly to changes in
the market.
We are confident in our strategy of investing in growth
and concentrating our efforts on the key programs where
we see the greatest long-term potential for Emerson and
our customers. These include advanced electronics and
integrated solutions for air-conditioning and refrigeration
applications. More than ever, we must continue to invest
where we identify opportunities for product innovation,
new or expanding markets, and expanding the value we
add to our customers.
Though we face additional economic uncertainties
ahead, Emerson is well-positioned to deal with these
challenges. We continue to constantly monitor all of
our businesses and make adjustments as needed in this
dynamic environment. We also intend to continue
driving future opportunities with strategic product
investments while maintaining our role in industry
stewardship. —Edgar M. Purvis, Jr.
16
905CSTMAHR16.indd 1
4/22/2009 4:22:19 PM
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905CSTMAHR17.indd 1
The ENERGY
CONSERVATORY
DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS TO MEASURE BUILDING PERFORMANCE
4/21/2009 5:36:53 PM
featurestory
Outlook for
AHRItrends
|
Spring/Summer 2009
Chilled B
This green
technology is
beginning to
catch on in
the U.S.
By Lisa Murton Beets
C
hilled beams have been used
in Europe and Australia for
approximately two decades
and are just now finding their way
into the United States marketplace.
While chilled beams offer numerous benefits, their energy efficiency
makes them especially attractive
for building owners and facility
managers. They also are appealing to
architects and engineers in that they
can help a design team earn LEED®
points from the U.S. Green Building
Council (USGBC).
Chilled beams are essentially ceiling-mounted diffusers operating like
fan coils without fans. They deliver
cooling or heating via circulated
chilled or heated water rather than
by air. Water is cooled to approximately 59º F to 65º F (or heated
to approximately 85º F to 115º F)
and is pumped to the chilled beam
units. The lower water temperatures
increase the coefficient of performance (COP) of the chiller plant.
18
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Both passive and active types of
chilled beams are beginning to be
applied in North America. Active
chilled beams are either flushmounted in the ceiling or exposed
below the ceiling. A third type,
multiservice, integrates other building services such as lighting, sprinklers, detectors, speaker systems, IT
recirculated air into the space.
Smaller ducts, smaller fans and lower
horsepower requirements are all
benefits of this technology.
Active chilled beams are said to
dramatically reduce fan energy. “In
the typical office building constructed
today – one with a good envelope and
a reasonably efficient lighting system
– the number one energy consumer is
usually fans,” says one major chilled
beam manufacturer. “Active chilled
beams stand to reduce fan energy by
65 percent to 85 percent when compared to a conventional all-air system,
because they reduce the amount of air
that needs to be circulated,” he adds.
d Beams
systems, etc. Thus far, however, this
type has only been used in Europe
because pricing-, code- and unionrelated issues have prevented its use
in the U.S.
|
A linear passive chilled beam diffuser installed in an exposed-mount ceiling application.
Photo courtesy of Titus, Inc.
www.AHRInet.org
Active chilled beams (see Figure 2 on
page 21), which also are sometimes
referred to as “induction diffusers,”
are connected to an air-handling
unit and provide dry ventilation
air to a space through “induction”
nozzles, which then provide cool,
AHRItrends
Passive chilled beams (see Figure 1 on
page 21) work via natural convection
by locating the beam below the ceiling
where the warm air on the ceiling can
pass through the coil, which results in
the heavier cool air from the coil falling to the lower-level occupied zone.
They have no air supply and therefore
require a separate air-handling system
to provide ventilation air. They are
usually best-suited to supplement
other ventilation systems for perimeter
areas in a building.
19
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“Active chilled beams sta
when compa
that time, he traveled to Europe to
tour several buildings with executives
from chilled beam manufacturer Trox
in the UK, which now has a U.S.
operation as well.
“Since then, we’ve been doing chilled
beam designs for labs and office
spaces. We’ve done six or seven in the
U.S., including one for the University
of Washington. We are pleased with
the technology. From our perspective,
they are relatively easy to install, and
the pricing continues to come down as
more companies begin to manufacture
the beams in the U.S.”
A linear active chilled beam diffuser with two-way air distribution in an
exposed-mount ceiling application (top) and in a flush-mount ceiling
application (bottom). Photos courtesy of Titus, Inc.
AHRItrends
|
Spring/Summer 2009
Chilled beams are 2 ft. wide and are
available in various lengths, up to
10 ft. They fit into the ceiling like a
diffuser and the installation is generally straightforward.
Other benefits offered by active
chilled beams include quiet operation,
few moving parts, lessened maintenance requirements and improved
thermal comfort due to minimal air
flow. Because bulky ductwork is not
needed, chilled beams have the potential to reduce floor-to-floor ceiling
height by about one foot – which in
a 10-story building would save nearly
an entire floor. Less space is needed for
the mechanical room as well, because
chilled beam systems don’t require
equipment and large ductwork.
Markus Benzenhofer, P.E., principal
of Exrgy LLC, Santa Clara, Calif., had
many years’ experience designing radiant ceiling and chilled beam systems
in Europe before he relocated to the
U.S. nine years ago. He is currently
working on a project for the Dallas
Performing Arts Center.
“Chilled beams started to catch on
here about five years ago,” he says. “In
the past, I saw a lot of retrofit applications, but now we’re seeing new construction projects as well. Universities
and institutions are the primary early
adopters. We see it more in historic
buildings, too, because of the savings
in ceiling space.”
Mike Walters, P.E., LEED AP,
sustainable market leader, Affiliated
Engineers, Inc., Madison, Wis., says
his company started looking at chilled
beam systems about five years ago. At
Good applications for active chilled
beams include the previously
mentioned universities and historic
buildings, government buildings,
laboratories, open plan office buildings, meeting rooms, libraries and
hospitals. Spaces with low noise level
requirements are good candidates, as
are applications where there is a high
concern for proper ventilation and
high humidity control.
“Chilled beams are not a silver bullet,” Benzenhofer says. “They are
not for kitchens that have greasy air
or for data centers, which in most
cases need more cooling than chilled
beams can provide. And if the ceiling
height is above 14 ft., an underfloor
system with radiant panels might be
a better option.”
“Buildings with a high level of humidity infiltration, including old buildings with leaks and/or buildings with
operable windows, also are not good
candidates. Neither are areas with high
occupancy,” says a representative from
another major manufacturer. This
company got into the chilled beam
20
905CSTMAHR20.indd 1
4/22/2009 4:24:04 PM
ms stand to reduce fan energy by 65 percent to 85 percent
n compared to a conventional all-air system...”
market several years back and views
the technology as one of several tools
to achieve energy savings. Its engineers
also are working with chilled floor,
displacement ventilation and other
energy-efficient technologies.
Manufacturers believe that as more
emphasis is placed on green buildings and energy efficiency, this market
should continue to take off. Federal,
state and local requirements for energy
efficiency are all putting more pressure
on buildings to be more efficient.
Chilled beam technology is in the early
stages in the U.S., but manufacturers
report that the number of installations
has grown exponentially over the last
few years.
If initial cost is a decision-making factor, manufacturers note that in many
cases, the increased first cost of an
active chilled beam system can be offset by smaller central air handlers and
elimination of the ductwork systems
that conventional systems require.
Among the other positive aspects of
the technology are the fact that chilled
beams do not require electrical line
power connections, so electrical wiring
installation costs can be reduced. In
addition, commissioning of a chilled
beam system requires only adjustments to the water-balancing valves
and primary air-balancing dampers
through static pressure readings.
“Humidity and condensation issues can
be addressed through proper control
strategies,” Walters says. “In most cases,
we just control the water temperature
with a few sensors.”
In addition to first cost and lifecycle cost issues, there also is a need
for more education about chilled
beam technology. “Most engineers
in the U.S. are most familiar with
VAV technology,” Benzenhofer
notes. “We’re beginning to see more
information published about chilled
beam technology, and with more
manufacturers entering the market,
education should grow.” Benzenhofer
points to large, high-profile projects,
such as the SmithGroup’s Constitution Center building redevelopment
in Washington, D.C. – which will
feature both passive perimeter chilled
beams as well as active chilled beams
to handle the majority of cooling
and all the heating for the nine floors
of office space – as models for the
industry moving forward. According
to Benzenhofer and Walters, two of
the primary misconceptions about
chilled beam installations at this
point involve condensation issues and
installation.
“Installation is easy,” adds Benzenhofer.
“You attach the beams to a hanging system and make the connections. It’s very
straightforward. I saw one mechanical
contractor allot 20 hours to install a
2 ft. x 4 ft. beam, which should only
take about two or three hours. They
factored in a lot of risk because they
were unfamiliar with it. I think as more
projects are completed, we’ll see prices
drop on installation as well.”
Benzenhofer also notes the lack of
product certification.
“We have a lot of different manufacturers in the marketplace, but we lack the
tools to compare the products,” says
Markus. “We are going to need a way
to certify the ratings. Engineers are
eager for test labs and certification. All
we have are the European standards to
go by. An ASHRAE technical committee is in place working on this. It will be
an important part in being able to sell
these systems and a key factor for gaining the trust of engineers and owners.”
www.dadanco.com, www.titus-hvac.com
Lisa Murton Beets is a Cleveland-based
freelance writer specializing in HVACRrelated topics.
www.AHRInet.org
Figure 2. Active chilled beams are
connected to an air-handling unit
and provide dry ventilation air to a
space through “induction” nozzles,
which then provide cool, recirculated
air into the space. Source: Affiliated
Engineers, Inc.
|
REFERENCES: www.aeieng.com,
Figure 1. Passive chilled beams work via
natural convection by locating the beam
below the ceiling, where the warm air on
the ceiling can pass through the coil, which
results in the heavier cool air from the coil
falling to the lower-level occupied zone.
Source: Affiliated Engineers, Inc.
AHRItrends
The Engineering Committee of
AHRI’s Chilled Beams Section is currently developing a standard for these
products. Once completed, the section
intends to develop a certification
program.
21
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featurestory
Geothermal
Heat Pumps
A market whose
time has come.
By Lisa Murton Beets
G
AHRItrends
|
Spring/Summer 2009
eothermal heat pumps
(GHPs) have come a long
way since they were first
introduced in the United States
market somewhere around the late
1970s. What used to be viewed as
somewhat of an alien concept by
many homeowners has grown more
mainstream, into a multimilliondollar industry in fact.
According to GHP manufacturers, one out of every 38 new homes
built in the U.S. in 2008 featured a
geothermal system. That translates
into 2.6 percent of all homes; that
figure was about 0.5 percent just a
few years ago. Many factors have
contributed to the growth, including more consumer awareness of the
benefits of geothermal; increased
demand for energy efficiency and
reducing carbon footprint among
consumers; technological improvements; more experience on the part
of dealers and installers; high-quality
training opportunities; and refined
sales tools from manufacturers to
their dealers.
Equipment
Enhancements
Over the last 10 years, GHP efficiencies have gone up dramatically. Some
of the technology improvements
include variable-speed fan motors,
two-stage compressors and advanced
controls. These all have led to
increased comfort, better dehumidification and quiet operation.
Todd Zeplin, owner of Collier’s
Heating & Air Conditioning,
Ft. Wayne, Ind., started out in the
geothermal industry in the mid’80s. He compares the changes in
geothermal heat pump technology to
those experienced in the auto industry. “Years ago, you had to choose
between horsepower and gas mileage
– did you want the Mustang, or did
you want the Chevette? With today’s
electronic ignition systems, you can
have it all – good horsepower, good
mileage and a nice, quiet ride.”
Zeplin says that back in the ’90s,
geothermal was a niche market,
but that’s no longer the case.
“The industry has learned from
its failures, warranty claims and
complaints. Again, it’s just like
the auto industry: years ago, you
just assumed you couldn’t get over
100,000 miles from a car; today it’s
200,000 miles or more.”
Technology
for Today
Growth in GHP sales has greatly
increased over the last few years.
Good growth was experienced in
2003 and 2004 when the EER
efficiency ratings of geothermal heat
pumps went from below 20 percent,
up to 25 percent to 30 percent.
Then the dramatic surges in gas
prices that began in 2005 seemed to
make people more cognizant of how
much energy they were using in their
homes. On top of that, awareness
of geothermal has grown as people
continue to look for ways to reduce
their carbon footprint. Installing a
GHP in the home is one way to save
energy and reduce emissions.
22
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4/22/2009 4:24:50 PM
Today’s geothermal systems, using
the earth’s natural energy, can heat
and cool a home, and provide
domestic water heating as well. They
also can be used in combination with
radiant floor heating systems, including systems integrated with solar
panels, and can also provide heating
for snow-/ice-melting and pools.
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) touts GHPs as one of
the “most efficient and comfortable
heating and cooling technologies currently available” and estimates that
ENERGY STAR®-qualified GHPs
use about 30 percent less energy than
standard heat pumps. How much a
homeowner can save in energy costs
by installing a geothermal system will
depend on his or her location and
the type of equipment to which it is
being compared. For an example of a
Tax Incentives for
Homeowners Who
Install Geothermal
Homeowners who install
geothermal heating and cooling
systems that meet ENERGY
STAR® requirements will now
be able to take a 30 percent tax
credit on the total cost.
Additional tax incentives are
available in certain states.
For more information, go to
www.dsireusa.org.
Previous legislation offered
a one-time tax credit with a
maximum credit of $2,000 for a
single residence. The American
Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009, signed into law on
February 17, 2009, extended
and expanded the credit.
Contractors who want to
download geothermal tax guides
to share with their customers
may do so by going to www.
climatemaster.com/index/taxinformation or www.waterfurnace.
com/tax_credits.aspx.
The new tax credits apply
to equipment installed
between January 1, 2009,
and December 31, 2016.
Note: A credit of 10 percent
of the total investment is also
available for commercial system
installations.
Hardi
23
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4/22/2009 4:25:25 PM
Tapping into the
Earth’s Energy
savings calculator, go to www.waterfurnace.com/savings_calculator.aspx.
Geothermal systems tap the free,
renewable supply of solar energy stored
just a few feet below the Earth’s surface
and use the energy to drive heating and
cooling systems. Closed-loop systems
(see Figure 1) circulate a water-based
solution through a loop system of smalldiameter underground pipes. Such
systems can be installed horizontally,
vertically or in a pond.
Replacement Market
Is Growing
Horizontal loops are often used when
adequate land surface is available.
Pipes are placed in trenches that range
from 100 ft. to 400 ft. in length.
Vertical loops are used where land is
limited. Holes are bored from 100 ft. to
400 ft. deep.
Pond (lake) loops are economical to
install when a pond or lake at least 8 ft.
deep is located nearby. Coils of pipe are
placed at the floor of the lake or pond.
Source: WaterFurnace International, Inc.
Direct exchange (DX) GHPs
circulate refrigerant utilizing highly
conductive copper loops buried
entirely underground to transfer heat
between the earth and the building.
The underground location protects
the system from the outdoor elements
and extreme temperature conditions.
In the summer months, heat is
transferred from the building to the
earth, thus cooling the building. In
the winter months, heat is transferred
from the earth to the building, thus
heating the building.
Figure 1. From left to right: a pond loop,
a horizontal loop and a vertical loop.
Several GHP manufacturers have
indicated that the replacement
market for their products is growing
faster than they anticipated. In one
case, the ratio moved from 75/25
new construction/replacement to
a 60/40 ratio. Another company
reported moving from 90/10 to
about 50/50 over the last few years.
Zeplin reports that Collier’s primarily
did new construction when they first
started out. When new construction
dropped off dramatically, Collier’s
was at 70 percent new construction/30 percent replacement. Fortunately for his company, Zeplin had
made the decision to begin focusing
on the replacement market and had
hired a replacement salesperson
about a year before the housing bust.
Today, the company is at 35 percent
to 40 percent new construction/60
percent replacement.
When Zeplin started out, he and the
manufacturers had little competition.
“We have plenty now, though,” he
says. “The prices are coming down,
the equipment is more efficient,
and we as contractors have gotten
better and more efficient. If I were
to make a prediction, I’d say that all
the major manufacturers who used
to view geothermal as a niche will
probably start focusing on it within
the next five years. Mass production
of units would help bring the costs
down even farther. I also think that
contractors would be well advised
to jump on the bandwagon or face
being left behind.”
One major manufacturer said his
company began to focus on the
growing residential business three
years ago. This included produc-
ing design software and software
for dealers to share with customers
showing how the customer would
gain “positive cash flow” by installing
a GHP. The company representative
said, “You can’t even use the term
‘payback,’ because the savings are
more than the cost per month to own
one. The software also shows customers how much carbon dioxide they
will reduce in hundreds of thousands
of pounds over 20 years. We are the
only renewable technology that offers
a positive cash flow versus solar and
wind. Geothermal is saving people
money now.”
From the contractor’s point of view,
Zeplin says that geothermal has
become a much easier sell. “We
have so many successful installations to point to and many customer referrals. Plus, the tools we’ve
been given over the last few years
make it much easier to explain to
customers how geothermal works.
They also have the Internet, which
is where they are often doing their
preliminary research and finding a
lot of good information.”
Looking Forward
As the government continues to
demand higher and higher efficiency
ratings, and environmental issues come
increasingly to the forefront, geothermal sits ready and waiting. Recent
expanded tax incentives (see sidebar on
page 23) should help stoke the fire.
As one manufacturer said, “We’ve
been growing slowly and steadily
over the years, and we have a
proven track record. We have a solid
foundation to work on. We feel …
we hope the tax incentives will be
enough to insulate us during these
difficult economic times.”
Lisa Murton Beets is a Clevelandbased freelance writer specializing in
HVACR-related topics.
2
905CSTMAHR24.indd 1
4/22/2009 4:25:49 PM
Co-sponsored by:
See You Next Year in
Orlando
INTERNATIONAL AIR-CONDITIONING • HEATING • REFRIGERATING EXPOSITION
January 25-27, 2010
Orange County Convention Center
Orlando, Florida
Co-sponsors:
Honorary sponsor:
For information on attending visit our Website: www.ahrexpo.com
For exhibiting information contact:
15 Franklin St. • Westport, CT 06880 • tel: (203) 221-9232 • e-mail: [email protected]
905CSTMAHR25.indd 1
4/23/2009 4:47:47 PM
featurestory
Industry Prepares
for Next Step in
HCFC Phaseout
T
he Montreal Protocol (MP),
to which the United States
is a party, requires signatory nations to ultimately eliminate
ozone-depleting substances according to a timeframe agreed to by the
parties. January 1, 2010, marks the
next major MP implementation date,
for it is then that the manufacture of
ozone-depleting hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants will no
longer be allowed.
As of that date, HCFCs will no
longer be allowed to be manufactured
in, or imported to, the U.S. for use
in new equipment manufactured
after December 31, 2009. This will
naturally affect the use of those
refrigerants for comfort cooling and
refrigeration systems, for many such
systems in use today use HCFC-22
(also known as R-22).
chlorine or bromine, and therefore
do not deplete the ozone layer.
Equipment using HFC refrigerants is
already in widespread use and will be
the primary choice for those making
HVACR purchases after 2010.
However, this does not mean the
existing equipment in facilities across
the country will be rendered obsolete
on January 1, 2010. HCFC refrigerants manufactured before January 1,
2010, as well as reclaimed refrigerants, can still be used to service
existing equipment. How much
refrigerant will be available, however,
depends in large part on the effectiveness of recovery and reclamation
practices carried out by end-users
and their vendors. While the reuse of
these substances is not a new concept,
the phaseout has made end-of-life
procedures even more important.
What Contractors
and Technicians
Need to Know
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and the air-conditioning and commercial refrigeration
industry agree there will likely be an
HCFC shortfall beginning next year.
This will likely cause the cost of these
refrigerants to escalate.
Contractors and technicians need to
act now to create a management plan
for their existing HCFC refrigerants. They should begin looking at
replacement options and prepare for
the eventual complete phaseout of
HCFCs. The two main choices most
facilities have are to plan to replace
the equipment or to retrofit with an
alternative refrigerant that does the
same job. Those who plan for the
AHRItrends
|
Spring/Summer 2009
For the time being, these refrigerants
will be replaced with hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which do not contain
26
905CSTMAHR26.indd 1
4/22/2009 4:26:40 PM
Headline 1
eventual absence of HCFCs from the
marketplace will be in the best position to meet this challenge.
Headline
2
EPA Rule in Process
In
December 2008, the EPA issued
Kicker
a draft rule governing the sale of
By Lisa Murton Beets
equipment precharged with HCFC
refrigerants and their blends. The
Air-Conditioning, Heating and
Refrigeration
ext Institute (AHRI) and
its members had requested the rule in
2007 to Subhead
close a loophole that would
allow foreign-manufactured equipment precharged with HCFC refrigerants to be imported into the U.S.
With a new Administration in place,
the
draft rule
is under fresh review,
• bullet
points
but is expected to be released as a final
rule in late summer/early fall 2009.
T
It is important for contractors to
be aware that refrigerants can be
removed from equipment and
“reclaimed” for future use. A
“reclaimed” refrigerant means it has
been processed to remove impurities,
according to AHRI 700.
The EPA requires recovered refrigerants to be reclaimed by an EPA-certified reclaimer before they can be
resold. Certified reclaimers verify the
purity of the reclaimed refrigerant
by testing it according to the AHRI
(ARI) 700 Standard for Refrigerant Purity. This provides assurance
to contractors and facility managers
that those reclaimed refrigerants will
not impede the efficient operation of
their equipment. EPA’s list of certified
reclaimers is available at www.PhaseOutFacts.org or on the EPA’s Web site.
might want to manage their existing
refrigerant supplies as an asset and
consider banking reclaimed refrigerant for continued use in their facilities. Refrigerants can be deposited
with an EPA-certified reclaimer that
offers such a banking program. The
reclaimer reprocesses recovered refrigerant to meet AHRI 700 Standard
specifications and stores it until the
depositor requests a withdrawal.
New Web Resource
Available
AHRI and its members have
launched a new informational
Web site, www.PhaseOutFacts.org,
designed to help educate facility
managers, contractors, technicians and equipment owners about
what this means for them. The site
provides information that covers the
phaseout schedule, rules and regulations, refrigerant availability and
much more.
If the site’s content doesn’t provide
the answers to all questions, users
are encouraged to take advantage of
the site’s “Ask the Expert” feature,
which provides access to industry and
government sources that can respond
accurately. Contractors and facility
Understanding that HCFC refrigermanagers can also download a sample
ants will be more scarce and therefore refrigerant management plan from
more valuable in the near future,
the site to help them comply with the
Caption
facility managers and contractors
latest rules and regulations.
www.AHRInet.org
As supplies of HCFC refrigerants
become more limited, reclaiming
refrigerants will become more financially attractive. This likely will result
in reclaimers offering incentives for
recovered refrigerant. This should
prompt contractors and equipment
owners to take steps, such as monitoring for and quickly stopping leaks
and instituting other responsible use
measures, to ensure no emissions and
the maximum amount available for
reclamation.
EPA Branch Chief Julius Banks addresses
AHRI members and media about the 2010
HCFC phaseout.
|
“A precharged component manufactured before January 1, 2010,
could be used to service an existing
appliance. For example, the regulatory text for the proposed precharged
Reclaiming Refrigerant
AHRItrends
Since release of the draft rule, the
EPA has issued a clarification document addressing several concerns
expressed by affected parties such
as AHRI and its members. For
example, the original draft rule
did not contain a “pass-through”
provision, leaving manufacturers concerned that unshipped or
unsold equipment manufactured
before the cutoff would be unable
to be sold. The clarification makes
clear that the condensing unit of a
split residential system is only one
part of that system. Therefore, a
pre-2010 HCFC-charged condensing unit could be installed in 2010
or beyond to “service” the existing
split system. The language states that
“servicing of existing (pre-2010)
appliances containing HCFC-22 or
HCFC-142b would be allowed. As
the 2010 allocation proposal notes at
73 FR 78699, servicing includes the
replacement of components.
appliances rule lists condensing
units as a type of component.
Thus the proposed rules would not
prohibit the sale or installation of
stockpiled precharged condensing
units that were manufactured before
January 1, 2010, and used to replace
a condensing unit in an existing
residential split system.”
27
905CSTMAHR27.indd 1
4/22/2009 4:27:14 PM
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905CSTMAHR28.indd 1
4/24/2009 10:43:45 AM
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