Tag Archives: United States

Air Conditioning Systems

Air conditioning refers to a system for controlling and regulating the humidity, ventilation and the temperature of a building or room for making it comfortable for the occupants. Air conditioning finds application in domestic, commercial and industrial fields.

Air conditioning also form an integral part of the medical and transportation sectors also, in both hospitals and transporting temperature fragile goods.

Conventional methods of air conditioning require a large energy source for maintaining the temperature. This translates into a high-energy requirement, high cost and high carbon dioxides emissions which has negative impacts both economically and with regard to the environment A break through in the air conditioning field came with the use of a new technology which makes use of the latent heat from the outside environment for controlling and regulating the indoor temperature. Using this technology Daikin has startled the Air conditioning industry with the production of its all-new Altherma! Daikins Altherma has high-energy use optimization.

This has been made possible with the advent of the new technology which absorbs the latent heat from the environment for its process. Altherma from Daikin has literally revolutionized the air conditioning industry.

Conventional air-conditioning systems depend upon water at heightened temperature during winter seasons to regulate the temperature. Modern day buildings are well-insulated structures built specifically with the comfort and well being of the occupants in mind. These well insulated buildings have made it easier for the working of the air conditioning systems making a reduction in the temperature of the water circulated thus saving a lot of energy. Altherma comes with a hydro-box that is compact and can be installed in limited spaces out side the building.

Air conditioning refers to the cooling and de-humidification of indoor air for thermal comfort. In a wider sense, the term can be referred to as any form of cooling, heating, ventilation or disinfection that modifies the condition of air.

An air conditioner or an air-con is an appliance, system, or mechanism designed to stabilize the air temperature and humidity within an area, typically using a refrigeration cycle but sometimes using evaporation. Most commonly for comfort cooling in buildings and transportation vehicles. Refrigeration air conditioning equipment usually reduces the humidity of the air processed by the system. The relatively cold evaporator coil condenses water vapor from the processed air, sending the water to a drain and removing water vapor from the cooled space and lowering the relative humidity.

For air conditioning in residential homes, some countries set minimum requirements for energy efficiency. In the United States, the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) often rates the efficiency of air conditioners. The higher the SEER rating, the more energy efficient is the air conditioner. The SEER rating is the BTU of cooling output during its normal annual usage divided by the total electric energy input in watt-hours during the same period.

The Oreck Family History

The Oreck company is known for making vacuums, but it also produces air cleaners and miscellaneous household products. The company makes several models of household vacuums, shop (wet/dry) vacuums, floor waxers and refinishers, and air purifiers.

The Oreck Corporation was founded by David Oreck in the United States in 1963. The company is based in New Orleans, Louisiana, and its principal manufacturing facilities are in a modern 375,000 square foot factory in Long Beach, Mississippi.

Oreck Corporation started as a manufacturer of upright vacuum cleaners for the hotel industry in the United States. They designed a lightweight yet powerful and durable vacuum which was preferred by hotel housekeepers over the very heavy models available at that time. Oreck vacuums proved so popular that they are now used in over 50,000 hotels worldwide. After using these efficient vacuums at work, hotel personnel wanted to buy the machines for home use, which prompted Oreck to manufacture household models as well as their commercial line. Their products, while not cheap, are known for exceptional durability and ease of handling.

The Oreck XL 8-pound vacuum cleaner, aside from being one of the lightest models on the market, has a factory-tested estimated product lifespan of 18 years. The Arthritis Foundation gave this vacuum an Ease-of-Use Commendation for its exclusive Helping Hand Handle, which is ergonomically designed to reduce strain on wrists and arms. The user can simply push and pull the vacuum without having to grip the handle tightly, making it much easier to use for arthritis sufferers.

The Oreck air cleaner works by attracting air particles such as pollen and dust onto an electrically-charged collection grid. One unit can clean the air of a 30 foot square room. After passing air over a collection plate to trap particles, an Air Revitalizer is added at the end of the air cleaner which releases negative ions to revitalize the air. The Air Revitalizer can be turned on or off on the Professional Air Purifier. Leaving theAir Revitalizer on provides a pleasant, clean smell, but has no effect on the air purifiers cleaning efficiency.

The Oreck Air Purifier is not an ozone generator because it does not rely on ozone as part of the cleaning process. However, ozone is a natural by-product of many electrical appliances. The Air Purifiers Air Revitalizer emits only a very low level of ozone, well under UL and FDA guidelines of 50 ppb (parts per billion). Though ozone generators are sold by other manufacturers, they do a poor job of cleaning the air and generate high levels of ozone, especially in small spaces, which irritate the lungs. Consumers are advised by health authorities and the EPA not to purchase these units.

The collection grid of the Oreck air purifier, which should be kept clean to maintain the efficiency of the unit, is easy to remove and can be washed simply by a short soak in warm water and detergent. The company offers a specialized cleaning solution for the collection cell, but unless the air is full of tarry substances such as cigarette smoke, this is not necessary. Other than the carbon filter, which is not necessary to clean the air, there are no disposable filters to buy.

The Oreck model functions differently from a HEPA filter. HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance, and These filters use a mat of very fine fibers to capture airborne particles.

HEPA filters create high resistance to airflow, which gets worse as the filter loads with dirt. This resistance causes HEPA units to use more energy , and cost more to operate. As the filter becomes more and more clogged, performance declines. Therefore, HEPA units require the user to frequently change the expensive filters. Since Oreck uses only a washable collection plate, continuing cost is not an issue with their air filters.

However, it is important to keep the collection cell clean, as it does not function well once it covered with dust. The company advises users to wash the collector after 4 weeks of initial use and every 8 weeks thereafter, but every house has a different amount of dust, so it is best to check the unit every few weeks to see whether a film has accumulated on the collector.

New units come with a 3-year warranty, and reconditioned units come with a 1-year warranty. The company has been in business for a long time and has a good reputation for honoring its guarantees.

Custom Home Builders Vaincrease Energy Efficiency Of My Home

Custom Home Builders VA:What can I do to increase the energy efficiency of my current home?

by: www.CustomHomeBuildersVA.com

Most advisers agree that energy prices are going to continue to go up. If you look at the possibility of further devaluation of the dollar combined with the possibility of draconian energy legislation, the opportunity of extraordinary escalation of energy prices exists.

Many Americans are living in homes larger than they need. Homes that were built for size rather than quality.

In my opinion, getting prepared for high energy costs is a critical component of any preparedness strategy.

First do all the conventional things to make your home as energy efficient as possible.

Add insulation, upgrade windows and doors (while you are doing this it is an excellent opportunity to upgrade your security), change light bulbs, upgrade appliances, install water heater blankets. If the plumbing pipes have relatively short runs it is very likely that a propane fired tank-less water heater would make sense.

Secondly, consider your heating system. This is an intensive area of energy for many homes.

We recommend wood-fired outdoor boilers where feasible. These units circulate hot water and can be used for many heating applications including home heat, domestic hot water, greenhouse radiant heat and swimming pools, to name a few.

If you have a heat pump, a propane furnace installed with the heat pump is a very good combination. This allows for an energy efficient propane furnace to do the heating when the heat pump is out of its operating range. While there are very efficient and comfortable heat pumps, the back-up heating strips on heat pumps are very energy intensive. Propane is still primarily produced in the United States.

Also, we have had very good experiences with geo-thermal. While it is still electric based, it provides an excellent source of heating in mild climates and is incredibly energy efficient.

We always recommend some alternate options in heating, so there is some source of heat in the event of grid failures. For example, if you have a geo-thermal heating system, install a wood stove as the back-up.
There are a number of structural changes or modifications which could result in much greater energy efficiency. These would include adding a vestibule or windbreak if you have children or go in and out of the house a good bit. You might be able to earth berm part of the north side of your house, or add a solar room to the south side of the home, just to name a few possibilities.

Upgrade Your Building With Led Retrofitting Lights – Add A Innovative Touch And Save Energy

If all the existing high-rise structures and buildings that heighten the skyline of the United States were to be retrofitted with LED Retrofit Lighting, as much as $33 billion can be saved in a single year by the end of 2030. Sounds too far-fetched? Well, it is not too far from the stark reality that the country urgently needs to plan an energy-efficient retrofit to save energy as well as the planet.

Buildings are the largest source of energy efficiency, especially in the United States. LED retrofitting light helps achieve environmental synergy through energy efficient lighting fixtures installed at commercial centers, buildings and homes. Retrofitting buildings with this technology helps to save money on energy bills and reduce global warming.

Within the next twenty years or so, if all buildings in the United States were to be upgraded with LED Retrofit Lighting, the surging demand in lighting electricity can be reduced by as much as 33 percent, generating energy savings of around $265 billion. By using energy efficient lighting for just one-twentieth of all the homes in the United States, the government can definitely, avoid the need for 13 new medium-sized (300MW) power plants every year. At the same time, the total associated greenhouse gas emissions can be lowered by up to 160 million metric tons annually, thus saving our planet from further depletion of natural resources.

The mission behind every strategic initiative towards energy-efficiency is to reduce the emission of harmful carbon dioxide with the help of breakthrough concepts, such as LED Retrofit Lighting, that produces higher levels of energy output using lesser amount of energy. Advancement in technology has made it possible to retrofit any interior or exterior lighting to an LED component with minimal downtime.

However, despite the energy savings and environmental benefits of energy efficiency with LED retrofitting lights, several barriers had earlier prevented homeowners and businesses from retrofitting their buildings. Until a few years ago, affordable financing was one such barrier. Homeowners who were willing to invest in home retrofits and undertake energy efficient improvements were not aware of any financing options that could have been devised keeping the best interest of the community in mind.

The scenario has changed today, thanks to licensed companies in the energy smart industry, who offer innovative retrofit lighting service for homes, commercial complex and other governmental buildings, ensuring guaranteed energy cost savings and unbelievable positive cash flows. These companies specialize in LED Retrofit Lighting and encourage home owners or businesses to upgrade their existing facilities with state-of-the-art energy-efficient lighting with no money paid up-front.

The leading providers of LED retrofitting lights in the United States are well-equipped to retrofit an entire building through a professional turn-key approach, bringing about a neat 75 percent saving in energy bills. In fact, buildings that are powered by LED Retrofit Lighting require less power generation compared to facilities that are powered by other green-power systems. This makes LED Retrofit Lighting a far more economical and technically-feasible energy solution for the modern man. It goes without saying that American homes and buildings present an unprecedented opportunity to save energy and make the world a greener place.

Global Energy Efficiency Challenge Is Spearheaded By The Us

Forward thinking companies have immediately taken steps towards initiatives in response to the Global energy Efficiency Challenge that was recently launched by the U.S. government. While some initiatives are very diverse and also niche related, others are focused on the promotion of education and awareness towards taking action in the mainstream market. Most of such initiatives were already launched at the Clean Energy Ministerial that recently took place in Washington DC. The United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) points out that there are recently significant investments made on energy efficiency across the board. Most of such initiatives are focused on building efficiency, that are estimated to account for about 60% of the GHG emissions worldwide in every year. Seeing such as a priority, the DOE has already invested funds for the certification of inspectors, operators, technicians, auditors while allocating grants for research as it is pushing energy efficient initiatives.

A variety of forward thinking initiatives have been created as a result of the Global Energy Efficiency Challenge, which was launched recently by the United States government. There would be diverse initiatives which could also be niche related, with the other aiming towards the promotion of education and taking action in the mainstream. The Clean Energy Ministerial has launched many of such initiatives in Washington DC.

The Global Superior Energy Performance Partnership (GSEP) is among the most significant initiatives out of the Clean Energy Ministerial. This partnership involves a three-pronged approach to efficiency improvements in commercial buildings and industrial facilities. Some countries that have participated in the Copenhagen energy Summit have thrown criticisms at the United States, and the United States government’s initiative on the Global Energy Efficiency Challenge could concoct a very welcome buzz. There are some other countries which have signified support to the project to become part of such partnerships, with such countries combined would represent over 80% of the total worldwide energy consumption.

One of the primary goals of the GSEP is to develop a certification process to make sure that energy efficiency improvements are meaningful and sustainable. The companies that are participating in the pilot program will need to adopt an energy management system and establish baseline energy performance. There is also a need to undergo a process that ensures the improvements of efficiency in the future, which are to be done according to approved protocols that have been subjected to unbiased validation. Large companies like Target and Wal-Mart, which comprise the largest retail outlets across the globe, have signified commitment to have a dedicated staff implement partnerships which are created under the Global Energy Efficiency Challenge. The staff will in turn ensure that employees within the organization are trained on the program. Participating companies will upload their findings to a centralized database, where the data will be made available as generic sector benchmarks.

The companies selected to take part in the GSEP represent commercial buildings, retail operations, industrial facilities, public buildings and educational settings and the information collected from their operations will be made available as application specific case studies. As soon as the feedback is achieved, the actual process of certification shall be deemed final which will be released to be adopted across the board. Companies are in a waiting list, ready to participate, which is also an indicator that the GSEP pilot project is very popular. The GSEP partnership and the Global Energy Efficiency Challenge are further reminders that every organization needs to be fully aware of its relative efficiency. This program is so popular, which becomes a very strong indicator of its consequent impacts to energy efficiency that would bring gains in any company’s reputation and improving an organization’s proactive stance in such direction.