What Does HVAC Mean To You?

By Herb Woerpel

HVAC. By definition, the acronym stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. But,those four letters mean a lot more to the industry. HVAC represents a livelihood. It symbolizes success. It exemplifies passion, customer service, a challenge, a job, and so much more.

So, what does HVAC mean to you? While it may seem like a simple question at first glance, the answers we received were multifaceted.

“To me, HVAC means Healthy Veins and Arteries Circulating in our clients’ homes.”

D. Brian Baker
President, Custom Vac Ltd.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

“HVAC is the greatest occupation ever. I haven’t been going to work every day for the last 30 years, I’ve had a fun time providing a healthy, safe, comfortable, and efficient living environment for J.R. Bolton clients. HVAC is getting better with every passing year. I can’t wait for my 40th year.”

Jeff Bolton
President
J. R. Bolton Services Inc.
Sugar Hill, Ga.

“To me this is much more than a question; it is a prod into my most inner being. The industry of HVAC, which I feel so privileged to be a part of, is much more than a job or career: It is, in fact, my way of life. Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning, cool …. Rings hollow for me.

“As a very young second-generation service technician, I learned from my father how important customer service is/was. Customer service is what provided for my family and what provided a long and prosperous career for my dad, who served this industry until he passed in 1994.

“The ability to serve others is what my life’s mission is all about. It just so happens most of these people are hot, cold, or have an abundance of heat that they need to get out of the data center.

“The unique part of my ability and desire to serve is the interaction with the young people who are just starting their careers within the HVAC community. AirTight works really hard to find and recruit highquality people who have a good heart and a natural desire to serve others. We have been very fortunate over the years to find these types of people, nurture them, and help them get into a position in life where they feel comfortable in serving those in need.

“AirTight is a person-centric company. Person being described as customer, colleague, friend, family member, coworker, or even someone we just met who has no idea of what AirTight is really all about. We train hard, educate often, and serve with a humble mindset.”

Greg Crumpton
President
AirTight Mechanical
Charlotte, N.C.

“HVAC is the key to changing people’s lives. Keeping my clients comfortable, providing a great place to work for team members, and growing relationships through comfort.”

Jamie DiDomenico
President
N&M Cool Today,
Plumbing Today, and Energy Today Sarasota, Fla.

“The HVAC industry has allowed me the opportunity to have a positive influence in people’s lives, which provides a great deal of personal satisfaction. I am a firm believer that ‘to whom much is given, much is expected.’ I also have always believed that God gives us blessings to see what we are going to do with them. I know that may not be politically correct today, with so many people intent in removing all references of God from our society; however, I have no other explanation for the level of professional achievement I’ve achieved, only with a high school education. I view my family and personal success as a blessing, none of which I feel I deserve.

“A byproduct of working hard and doing a good job has been the significant financial security the HVAC industry has provided my family and I. We’ve been blessed with the opportunity to provide financial assistance to employees, family members, and many others.

“I am blessed to have a job that I have never thought of as a job, but as a blessing. Although there are many demands from owning a business for more than 37 years, I have never thought of the business as a burden or that I have had to sacrifice anything.

“My wife Debi and I have always put our kids first. I was home for dinner almost every night and she was a full-time homemaker. I never talked business at home or complained about the business. Our two kids were never expected to work at the shop, as our desire for them was to find what they love and to pursue it. Both of our kids and our son-inlaw had careers and decided to join the business after we had received a purchase offer.”

Russ Donnici
President
Mechanical Air Service
San Jose, Calif.

“Donning the spirit of Christmas, we dwell on thoughts of giving. The HVACR-plumbing industry can be the bearer of a gift of perpetuity to the consumer, a gift that is more than a one-time event. HVAC means more than the work in the trenches. It encompasses multifaceted opportunities to serve our customers.

“Taking a managerial approach, we in the HVACR and plumbing industries can engage our serving philosophy and broaden our services.What better way than the members of this industry to showcase their valuable management services and other services the industry has to offer than through a gift of a management program crafted to guide them in their management efforts.”

Jerry Grendahl
President
Grendahl Mechanical Inc.
Edina, Minn.

“When I think of HVAC, I think of the recognition of HVAC as one of the great inventions of the 20th century. It makes me thankful that I work in an industry that makes a difference in peoples’ lives every day. We matter.”

Roger Grochmal
Chairman and CEO
AtlasCare
Oakville, Ontario, Canada

“H is for hope, which burns eternal in all our hearts. V is for volunteering, giving life to the hope in our hearts. A is for action, because if we didn’t take action, our volunteering and hope would be for nothing. C is for community — for the friends, family, and neighbors we help by taking action through volunteering to bring them hope.”

Ellis Guiles,
Vice president
TAG Home Performance Syracuse, N.Y.

“It allows us to solve a problem.As a third-generation worker, it offered me a connection to my father and grandfather, which is very important to me. And, as you solve problems, relationships develop and you go from being someone who is a price to a professional, which makes price secondary.”

Rich Imfield
Owner
IC Refrigeration Inc.
Ceres, Calif.

“HVAC has many meanings to a lot of people. I wish to make an observation that some business owners may also have related to the holiday seasons.

“Our small company ranges between 16-25 staff members. We have two holiday events that we all share together. Christmas and the Fourth of July. We use these events to share quality time with the teams and their families/friends.The Christmas event allows us to meet at a local rented facility, such as a bowling alley, complete with a sports bar and video games. It’s amazing to see everyone having a good time together with their families … and it lends itself to many candid videos and camera shots.

“The evening for this event is a catered meal at a setting away from the first half where we share gifts and interesting slide show photos of family members at work during their time away. Fathers/mothers and kids see their dad or mom at work and they appreciate the recognition their family member receives. It is a fun time as we have usually some comments typewritten on many pictures so people can familiarize themselves with what they are looking at.

“The Fourth of July holiday is spent at Cedar Point, here in Ohio, which is the No. 1 rated roller coaster theme park in the world.Families again enjoy the time with their families, and get to experience great weather. And, how many kids hate roller coasters?

“So, HVAC does not mean so much to us here at Pro, except that we are a special breed of mechanical people who have fun at what we do for a living. We need to show our families that “specialness,” if you will, and enjoy that process also.”

Joseph Kokinda
President and CEO
Professional HVACR Services Inc.
Avon, Ohio

“To me, it means a way of life, a way to provide for my family, a way to put my daughter through college, a way to get to retirement, and a way to help people along the way. What can be better than going through life helping people solve their problems while they solve one for you and your employees, by providing jobs for all of us?

Brian McDonald
General manager
Outer Banks Heating & Cooling
Kill Devil Hills, N.C.

“HVAC means many things to me during the holiday season.First of all, it means working on furnaces and air conditioning systems in the same day. The winter weather in San Antonio is so unpredictable. One day, it may 45°F, and the next, it may be 80°. Or, it could be 65° and our clients open their windows. Our technicians must put on two different hats during the day. It could be 45° in the morning and 80° in the afternoon, so he might change a gas valve on a furnace in the morning and then add refrigerant to a unit in the afternoon. It is crazy!”

Michael Rosenberg
President
Rosenberg Indoor Comfort
San Antonio

“To me, it means a great industry that provides a better life for my customers through comfort; a better life for our employees and my family through a sustainable, secure, successful career.”

Paul Sammataro
Samm’s Heating and Air Conditioning
Plano, Texas.

“HVAC is a term in the construction industry that is not as understandable as some might think and is quite broad, especially with the technological advancements in the new systems. As a mechanical contractor, the meaning is quite deep and involves a large variety of airmoving and handling systems that provides comfort, cleanliness, and hygiene with IAQ.

“I believe that HVAC is becoming much more recognized and important in the eyes of the consumer.It has become essential and is critical for our society. And, as an experienced business providing these services, I’m glad to see HVAC getting the respect it deserves.

“One of our new slogans is, ‘Our Passion Equals Your Comfort.’ We are passionate about the quality and expertise of our work every day and we feel our services are invaluable.”

Matthew W. Smith
President
Smith Heating & Air Conditioning Inc.
Stockton, Calif.

“HVAC is solving customers’ problems. We never go to a house with a system that’s working properly because a proper system will have low, unnoticeable energy bills; be quiet; will not be heard both inside and out; and is comfortable.
Ideally, once my system is installed and working, they should never need to notice it. There are a lot of ‘HACs’ out there — people who install only heating and air conditioning, but we install systems for your home and integrate them into the home as a system instead of an individual component.”

Travis Smith
Owner
Sky Heating & Air Conditioning
Portland, Ore.

“HVAC is a unique industry that I found myself in after college. I didn’t choose it; it chose me. I was desperate for an engineering job after graduation, and one of the few opportunities I found was nearby at a Trane manufacturing facility.Getting the job at Trane set the course for my professional career and much of my life in general. I received excellent training and made some great friends at Trane. I eventually left the corporate world and got into design/build contracting, which has been better than I could have ever imagined.

“HVAC gives me a way to make a difference in my community every day and often in ways I wouldn’t expect. I am very thankful for this industry, the people I’ve gotten to know along the way, and the folks I’m privileged to work with. HVAC has been very good to me.”

Rick Tullis
President
Capstone Mechanical
Waco, Texas

http://digital.bnpmedia.com/display_article.php?id=1592870&id_issue=189879             

EXTENDED HOURS! TSI Inside Sales, Counter and Warehouse will have extended hours next week Monday - Friday 6:30am -5:30pm, January 27th - 31st.

 #Carrier #Greenspeed Heating Hours Calculator

Overview 
The Greenspeed Heating Hours Calculator is a sales tool to help graphically show the heating benefits and cost savings potential of the Greenspeed Heat Pump system for different unit size selections. One page shows the heating and cooling bin hours of the selected location, the other screen shows the heating capacity, balance point, and operating hour differences between a standard heat pump and a Greenspeed heat pump.


Using the Greenspeed Heating Hours Calculator:
The user first selects the state, nearest city, and heating design temperature from drop‐down menus. This displays a graph of the bin hours for the selected city. The bin hour graph helps to show that there are typically more heating hours than cooling hours in most cities, and helps tell the story of the importance of heating efficiency compared to cooling efficiency.

The user then clicks on the Heating Capacities button above the bin hours graph and inputs the heating and cooling loads for the particular structure. 

This screen allows the user to select a heat pump size for both the Greenspeed and standard heat pump, and compare the amount of hours the Greenspeed can satisfy the load without the need for auxiliary heat. When up‐sizing the Greenspeed unit per factory recommendations, it becomes clear that the Greenspeed system can delivers much more heating performance than a standard system, while not being over‐sized for cooling.

The user can then create a color print out of both graphs by clicking on the Create PDF button. This tool will aid the sales person by graphically showing the heating benefits of the Greenspeed system over a standard
heat pump in the customer’s particular weather zone. By showing how the Greenspeed system satisfies the heating load with less dependence on auxiliary heat, the sales person can more effectively build the efficiency and cost savings story for the Greenspeed heat pump.

http://www.tools.carrier.com/greenspeed/ 

Even though you have a gas furnace you still have electricity cost. Selecting the right furnace can save on your electrical bill. Watch this video, "How To Select A Furnace" for cost saving tips.  In this video from the #Carrier Consumer Education Series, Larry Hacker and Stuart Keith talk about the factors to consider when selecting a new furnace for your home. For more information go tohttp://www.carrier.com/carrier/en/us/ or call you local furnace dealer. Find a dealer near you: http://bit.ly/1eiJNuZ 

Engineering News

Temperature Systems, Inc. strives to give our customers the most innovative products and best value to serve the needs in the Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration fields.  TSI wants to provide as much support to our customers to make sure they are successfully serving their customers.  TSI is starting a monthly newsletter to help pass along information our customer can relate to and find useful.

To start our regular monthly newsletter, I thought we would start-out with something that seems to affect everyone, and is pretty simple to talk about: Electric Wall Heaters.

On almost every commercial project, we wind up putting in at least one ‘fan-forced electric wall heater’.  The reasons vary from job to job.  But, seems like we just about always put them in entry vestibules.  In our climate, when the weather gets really cold, and the thermostat turns down at night, those darn entry doors can get frozen.  Well, we just can’t have that now, can we?  So, we put the electric heater in to help keep that from happening.  Of course there are plenty of other reasons.

We don’t usually get any questions when we design a project with vestibule heaters.  At least not questions on putting them in.  BUT…..we do get questions on the make and model that we specify.  Most of the time, in commercial applications, we will specify an ‘Architectural Grade’ heater, like the Q-Mark # AWH-4404. 

The questions we get usually are aimed at the price of the unit: “Why did you spec that?  This other one that we have always used is cheaper”.
We specify an ‘Architectural Grade’ heater for a lot of reasons.  One of them is YOUR liabilty issues.

The ‘Architectural Grade’ heaters have heavier grilles, and most importantly, slightly lower surface temperatures when they are on.  The cheaper wall heaters have skimpier grilles and can have much higher operating surface temperatures.  So, bottom line is this:  If the heater is in a Church vestibule, or the entry to a Dentist’s office or something, a little kid or a disabled person might touch it when it is on.  The chance of getting burned is much higher with the ‘cheaper’ unit.  We use the ‘Architectural Grade’ units to protect the public, and thus, protect YOU.

A Q-Mark #AWH-4404, pictured above, might cost you $500 with all the needed stuff to go with it.  A Broan #BR-198 (at right) will probably cost about $350 for a comparable installation.  So, you’re thinking

: “Hey, I just saved $150!”  Now, if some little kid burns her hand on that heater, and you have to respond to it, how much did you really save?  That’s why we spec the ‘Architectural Grade’ heaters.

Watch for a new newsletter next month.
Dave Jones

Do you sniffle and sneeze and wheeze your way through the year? If you are plagued by allergies and/or asthma, you may be considering purchasing a home air filtration system. 

Air purifier buying guide;How to choose:
If you want a purifier and don't have a forced-air system, consider a large portable. In addition to removing more particles at high speeds, the better large models still did well at lower, quieter speeds.

Weigh features carefully. Most air purifiers have an indicator that tells you when first to clean or replace the filter to maintain efficiency. But some indicators turn on based on length of time the unit has been running, not how dirty the filter is. Skip odor-removal features. In past tests it took up to an hour for them to make a difference--when they did anything at all.

And the certifications on the box? All tell how well a model filters particles at its highest speed. The certifications all also allow up to 50 parts per billion of ozone, a respiratory irritant. We advise against using models that produce any ozone, even if they are effective cleaners.

Check an air purifier's efficiency rating
If you still want one, use this air-purifier guide to choose. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers certifies most room models as part of a voluntary program that includes appropriate room size and maximum clean-air delivery rate (CADR), a measure of cleaning speed. We judge a CADR above 350 to be excellent and below 100 to be poor. Choose a model designed for an area larger than yours for better cleaning at a lower, quieter speed. Many whole-house filters list a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV), developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers. The top performers in our tests typically had a MERV higher than 10.

Consider looking at the #Carrier Air Purifier.

                 EPA Proposes Final R-22 Phaseout Timeline

Peter Powell

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a final timeline for the phaseout in production of virgin hydrochloro-fluorocarbon (HCFC)-22. The proposal picks Stamer up on a previous timeline in production that allowed 62.8 million pounds of new R-22 in 2013 and 51 million pounds in 2014.

What the EPA is calling its “preferred HCFC- 22 consumption allocation for 2015-2019” shows an allowance of 30 million pounds in 2015, 24 million pounds in 2016, 18 million pounds in 2017, 12 million pounds in 2018, 6 million pounds in 2019, and zero in 2020.

“Under this approach, the annual decrease in allowances would be the same every year such that there is a constant annual decrease in allocation from 2015 to 2020,” said the EPA, in a statement.

Two Variations

The EPA also advanced what it’s termed two ‘variations’ to its phase down plan.

The first starts the final phase down at 27 million pounds in 2015, then drops it to 18 million pounds in 2016, and 9 million pounds in 2017, before ending all production in 2018.According to the EPA, this is being proposed to greater encourage reclamation of existing supplies of R-22 and retrofitting R-22 systems with alternative refrigerants.

The other variation, which is being labeled as an “estimation approach,” allows about 50 million pounds in 2015 and bases the phase down to 2020 on “estimates of servicing need, recovery, and reuse, which could also account for transitions to alternatives and any estimates of existing R-22 inventory,” according to a statement from the EPA.

A 60-day comment period takes effect once the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register.As of Dec. 16, 2013, the proposed rule had not been published, which means the comment period could extend into February 2014, at the earliest, thus a final EPA rule may not come until mid-2014.

Contractor Considerations

There will probably not be any short-term effect on a contractor’s ability to get R-22 when needed as the industry is currently sitting on an estimated 100 million pounds of inventoried R-22, based on input garnered by the EPA from large producers and importers.

This comes at a time in which no new R-22 systems are coming to the market. The air conditioning sector embraced HFC-410A over R-22 long ago. The refrigeration sector, especially in supermarkets, is rapidly moving away from R-22.In addition, end users are demanding, and contractors are utilizing, better leak-detection and tightening practices. In fact, the EPA, through its Greenchill program, is offering special awards and recognition to supermarkets utilizing alternative refrigerants and leak-tight systems.

Industry Comments

George Koutsaftes, business director, heat transfer products for Honeywell, said, “Honeywell recognizes and applauds the effort the EPA is making to understand industry concerns and develop a rule that is workable.

“It is generally understood the market was in a state of oversupply during 2013 and the EPA proposal suggests current channel inventories are now above where they were at this point in 2012. The resulting downward pressure on R-22 price has slowed the adoption of alternative products as many end users deferred or cancelled retrofit activity. Restrictions on allowances are required to restore the supply and demand imbalance, to resume forward progress in the conversion to alternative refrigerants, to increase recovery and reclamation, and to be prepared for no HCFC-22 allocation in 2020.”

Jay Kestenbaum, senior vice president of sales and purchasing for Airgas Inc., said, “The EPA offered several proposals as a way of focusing everyone on several specific options rather than leaving it wide open and subjecting them to so many different possible answers that they would have a bigger problem in deciding what to do. If they get a significant group of responses that favor one proposal, it would be much easier for them to decide on an action based on that response than if they get a wide range of responses across many different scenarios.”

Matt Ritter, director of government affairs for Arkema Inc., agreed with floating multiple options. “Considering that this will be the final HCFC rule, we believe it is indeed important to consider a number of scenarios before locking in on a final decision.”

Some companies are opting for the quickest phaseout possible.

“Of the options that the EPA has put forth for the 2015-2019 allocation, the smallest option — the three-year option with the smallest amount of allocation — is still too large,” said Gordon McKinney, vice president and COO, ICOR Intl. Inc. “Our opinion, based on the amount of product that we see in the market right now and the significant impact that alternative refrigerants have had on the industry, is that the R-22 service requirements are far smaller than what anyone ever imagined and that the R-22 allocation could be cut down to nearly zero for 2015 and we could still survive.”

Kevin Zugibee, chairman and CEO of Hudson Technologies Inc., believes that the EPA’s phaseout plans are not accomplishing its own goals of sustaining growth in recycling and reclamation.

“The best way to achieve those goals would be to provide no additional allowances after 2014, and that the reclamation industry could fully support the aftermarket starting in 2015,” he said. “However, of the options presented in the proposed rule, we believe that providing for final phase out by 2018 is the best option presented for achieving this goal.”

ACCA

Charlie McCrudden, senior vice president of government relations for the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), said, “ACCA is pleased that the notice of proposed rulemaking was released early enough to allow the EPA time to take comments and finalize the rule before the regulatory period begins.”

He joined others in favoring a linear timeline. “A linear drawdown is preferred to the estimation approach, no matter the starting point for 2015.The estimation approach is less certain and relies on EPA’s ability to respond to what could be rapidly changing — and possibly incorrect — market conditions.”

McCrudden also noted that the proposed rulemaking allows for further resolution of matters related to dry-shipping of R-22 units and no venting enforcement.

The dry-shipping issue arose in 2010 with a perceived loophole regarding continued production of R-22 condensing units produced as components after a ban on shipping entire R-22 systems took effect.

McCrudden said, “ACCA welcomes the request for comments on whether EPA should consider banning the dry-shipped R-22 condensing units through a separate rulemaking process. A longstanding petition that looks to end the allowance to manufacture and install dry-shipped units as replacement parts after the 2010 milestone needs to be resolved.”

And, he noted, EPA is seeking to find better ways to enforce bans on venting refrigerants.

“ACCA is also pleased that the EPA is requesting comments on ways to maximize compliance with Section 608 requirements. While most HVACR technicians abide by the rules in place, the playing field is tipped in favor of the bad actors who are not certified or purposefully vent refrigerants when no enforcement exists,” he said.            

http://digital.bnpmedia.com/display_article.php?id=1592681&id_issue=189879 

Cold and Flu season is here! Do you want to know how to kill bacteria and viruses in the air in your home? In this video from the #Carrier Consumer Education Series, Larry Hacker explains to Stuart Keith the different options available for home air filtration systems. For more information go to http://www.carrier.com/carrier/en/us/

Talk to your local hvac dealer; use this link to find a dealer near you:  http://bit.ly/1eiJNuZ

Options For Controlling Relative Humidity (+playlist)

Is your skin dry? Are you getting static shocks? Want to know some options for controlling relative humidity? Watch this video. In this video from the #Carrier Consumer Education Series, Larry Hacker and Stuart Keith talk about humidifier options for enhancing the air quality of your home.

Do you want your home warm when you get home?

By having a programmable thermostat you can program your thermostat to start warming the house beforeyou get home which is nice on these extreme cold days. In this video from the #Carrier Consumer Education Series, Larry Hacker and Stuart Keith talk about the different options that are available for controlling your home's heating and cooling system. For more information go to http://www.carrier.com/carrier/en/us/

The Science Of HVAC Efficiency Ratings
#HVAC

Joanna Turpin

Specific Formulas Clearly Define System Precision

Customers purchasing heating or cooling equipment typically want to know how energy efficient their new units will be.Contractors also want to be sure that the systems they are selling perform as advertised, which is why manufacturers usually rely on an unbiased third-party verifier, such as the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), to independently measure the performance — or energy efficiency — of their HVAC equipment.

Most in the industry are already familiar with many of the terms used to describe the energy efficiency of a unit — SEER, AFUE, EER, COP, etc. But other measurements are starting to be used as well, such as CEF, IEER, SCHE, and SCOP, which have been developed by AHRI, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other groups. Manufacturers say these terms are useful to know when determining the amount of energy used by certain systems.

Heat Pump Ratings

The appropriate rating acronym depends on the type of system that is being considered.For residential gas furnaces, one term is typically used in all instances: AFUE, which stands for annual fuel utilization efficiency. AFUE is a measure of how efficient the furnace is in verting the energy in its fuel to heat over the course of a typical year. Per the DOE, AFUE is the ratio of annual heat output of the furnace compared to the total annual fossil fuel energy consumed by a furnace. For example, an AFUE of 90 percent means that 90 percent of the energy in the fuel becomes heat for the home and the other 10 percent escapes up the chimney or elsewhere.

Air-source electric heat pumps are a little more complicated, as they have several different energyefficiency ratings that can be used to describe their performance. The most common, seasonal energy efficiency ratio, or SEER, measures cooling efficiency. It is calculated as the total heat removed from the conditioned space during the annual cooling season, expressed in Btu, divided by the total electrical energy consumed by the heat pump during the same season, expressed in watt-hours.Another cooling efficiency measurement is EER [energy efficiency ratio], which is the ratio of the heat removed (in Btuh) to the electricity required (in watts) to run the unit.

A heat pump’s heating efficiency is indicated by the HSPF [heating season performance factor], which is the total space heating required during the heating season, expressed in Btu, divided by the total electrical energy consumed by the heat pump system during the same season, expressed in watt-hours. And yet another term that can be used to describe a heat pump’s efficiency is COP, or coefficient of performance, which is the ratio of either heat removed (for cooling) or heat provided (for heating) in Btu per Btu of energy input.

In short, SEER and HSPF take into account the seasonal temperature and humidity variability under which heating and air conditioning systems operate, said Matt Lattanzi, director of product management, Nordyne. “EER and COP also measure cooling and heating efficiencies respectively, but these measurements are at one operating point and do not account for seasonal variations in temperature and humidity.”

When it comes to talking with customers about the efficiency of a heat pump, Lattanzi recommends that contractors stick with SEER and HSPF. “These metrics are visible to consumers via the Energy Guide label; EER and COP are not. That’s because the DOE can only regulate one metric for heating and one for cooling, and HSPF and SEER are those chosen metrics. By law, HVAC manufacturers can only promote these same metrics, which is why we talk about SEER and HSPF for heat pumps and not EER and COP.While important, EER and COP are not regulated and do not have established minimums, which can create confusion for homeowners.”

A Comparative Tool

As defined in AHRI Guideline V–2011, if a system includes an airto- air energy recovery ventilation (ERV) component with unitary equipment (packaged air conditioners, heat pumps, heating-only units, etc.), the energy efficiency at a design operating point is calculated by the CEF [combined efficiency factor]. CEF is a similar calculation to EER, but CEF outlines a method to sum the performance of individual components, said Scott Laurila, product manager, tempered air products, Greenheck Fan Corp.

“The CEF calculation combines the cooling capacity of the ERV component with the mechanical cooling capacity of the unitary equipment,” said Laurila. “Dividing the total net cooling delivered by the total electrical power consumed of the system results in a CEF. CEF can also calculate system efficiency during heating operation by determining the total heating delivered versus the total electrical power consumed.”

An example CEF calculation for an ERV matched with unitary air conditioning equipment is as follows:

CEFCOOLING = (Net Cooling CapacityERV + Net Cooling CapacityUNITARY) ÷ (Electric Power ConsumedERV + Electric Power ConsumedUNITARY)

Although the calculations in AHRI Guideline V require the ERV component to be certified, some of the data required to calculate CEF are not certified; therefore, CEF should be used as a comparative tool between different combinations of ERV components with unitary equipment, said Laurila.

“For example, one combination of an ERV component and unitary equipment may provide more net cooling, but the pressure drop of the system could require higher fan motor brake horsepower and electrical power consumption,” he noted. “This leaves the potential for a less effective ERV component with a lower pressure drop to have a higher CEF rating and ultimately resulting in a more efficient system for the end user.”

CEF is helpful in providing contractors, engineers, and end users a means to evaluate the energy efficiency of a system, said Laurila.“The concept of subsystem ratings like CEF may become a bigger part of energy codes and standards in the future, as the advancements in component technology — such as compressors, motors, fans, and ERV devices — may not be enough to achieve our energy-efficiency goals.”

New Seasonal Measurement

A newly developed measurement that evaluates the efficiency of a unitary air conditioning or heat pump system on a seasonal basis is the IEER [integrated energy efficiency ratio]. While often used for water- or air-cooled chillers and variable-refrigerant flow (VRF) split systems, it can also be applied to unitary packaged units and split systems over 5 tons, said Mike Ray, senior product manager, commercial rooftops, Lennox Commercial.

“IEER is best suited for chillers and VRF systems because these systems generally utilize multiple air handlers (or fan coils) as part of the system,” said Ray. “During operation, there will be times when it is not necessary to operate all of the air handlers (fan coils), and under these conditions, the system’s efficiency is higher. The IEER calculation evaluates the system operation at different specific conditions. The rating was developed as a way to compare operating efficiencies of different systems under the same conditions.”

IEER is calculated as follows:

IEER = (0.02 A) + (0.617 B) +(0. 238 C) + (0.125 D)

A = EER at 100 percent net capacity at AHRI standard condition (95°F)

B = EER at 75 percent net capacity and reduced ambient

C = EER at 50 percent net capacity and reduced ambient

D = EER at 25 percent net capacity and reduced ambient

While the IEER is a helpful value to know, the current certified efficiency measurement, EER, is usually the most appropriate for contractors to use, said Ray. “EER is important to the end user and utilities in reducing demand during the peak hours of the year; however, many state and utility incentive programs have recently incorporated both EER and IEER into their rebate offerings. In locations where there are incentives for both ratings, we encourage contractors to communicate the EER and IEER values to their customers.”

Other Ratings of Note

Another measurement used for VRF systems is SCHE [simultaneous cooling and heating efficiency], which is a tested energy metric that is defined by AHRI Standard 1230 as the ratio of the total capacity of the system (heating and cooling capacity) to the effective power when operating in heat recovery mode. It is a metric that applies only to units or systems with energy recovery features, said Jill Hootman, manager of commercial unitary product planning, Trane, a brand of Ingersoll Rand. “SCHE only applies to VRF heat recovery systems (capable of simultaneous heating and cooling); it does not apply to heat pump VRF systems.”

It is important to calculate SCHE when designing certain VRF systems, said Hootman, but it is also important to consider EER, which measures full-load energy performance at a defined temperature, and IEER, which is a part-load metric that portrays the energy efficiency of the system when only part of the system is needed. “IEER is a measure of VRF efficiency in cooling mode and applies to both heat recovery and heat pump systems.”

Like VRF systems, computer and data processing room unitary air conditioners also have a specific energy-efficiency rating. Per ASHRAE Standard 127-2007, SCOP [sensible coefficient of performance] is defined as the ratio of the net sensible capacity of the unit in watts divided by the power input in watts.

“The difference between SCOP and other ratings, such as EER or COP, is that SCOP is based on the cooling unit’s sensible capacity,” said Dave Kelley, director, application engineering, Liebert Precision Cooling, Emerson Network Power.
“Computer room/data center loads are primarily sensible, and units designed for those applications are optimized around sensible capacity, not total capacity.”

Kelley noted that ASHRAE Standard 127-2012 changed the term SCOP to NsenCOP, although their definitions are identical, and AHRI Standard 1360P-2013 also uses the term NsenCOP with the same definition.

With a veritable alphabet soup of acronyms now available to describe the energy efficiency of HVAC equipment, contractors have all the information necessary to educate their customers about how their systems will perform when installed correctly.            

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