As an HVAC industry professional, its important to know where to put your limited time and resources when it comes to learning and adopting new strategies that will grow your businesses. It turns out that big national industry trends related to energy usage and technology do eventually trickle down to the guys on the service trucks. If you’re not up to speed, you’ll never be able to service the bigger more lucrative fish in your pond. But in 2020, what energy management strategies will make a difference in the commercial markets served by most commercial HVAC contractors?

What Is Hot in Energy Management?

It’s no secret that the manufacturing and industrial sectors have generally paved the way when it comes to energy management strategies. The reasons for this are fairly obvious as energy usage has a huge impact on their operating costs. Solutions to high energy costs have included the usual cast of characters including:

1. Negotiating energy costs directly with utility companies (Note: not a strategy available to your average business owner.)
2. Moving to renewable sources of energy as they become cheaper and more readily available. This also reflects a societal change in the value system we are using to asses our energy needs.
3. Implementing more sophisticated HVAC solutions in both the mechanical room and the data center
   

What is interesting however is that non-industrial, commercial businesses have finally gotten on board with at least 2 out of three of these strategies. Consider that in 2019 according to the EPA, commercial businesses accounted for 35% of US electricity usage, a full 8% more than industrial and manufacturing sectors. But the commercial sector is more fragmented and not all energy strategies available to say, General Motors, are available to small businesses, restaurants and other retail operators.

Thus with so many smaller commercial enterprises feeling the pinch, and the larger energy management players still focused on the big fish,  the time is right for players in the energy industry to offer practices and systems that can benefit an emerging, but as yet underserved light commercial market.

Selling HVAC Solutions to Light Commercial Businesses

So what does all this means for the average commercial HVAC company trying be the best solution for smaller companies with increasing energy awareness? Here’s a few thoughts from the heating experts at Heat-Timer®

1. Energy Management Technology is moving down market – Innovations like smart thermostat’s are well known now to both professionals and consumers. The tech is more functional than ever and at price point’s that make it easier to sell and implement. Add to that the many smartphone and mobile apps that allow you to control the environment in your small business and you need to have this as part of your offering or you’ll just seem like yesterday’s news.
   
   
2. Sell the Complete Solution, not just the boiler – Increased awareness amongst the light commercial energy market means they know and are more open than ever to hearing about advanced control solutions that promise to extend the life of their equipment as well as reducing energy use each month. Indeed, the Heat-Timer® Digi-Span series of controls was made to address exactly this market. They are both affordable, yet carry many of the most sophisticated features offered by our Platinum Series. They are a perfect fit for many of the light commercial jobs that are the lifeblood of commercial HVAC contractors.
   
   
3. Sustainability and Millennials, Perfect Together – According to a Nielsen study, 66% of global consumers are willing to pay more for a socially responsible product, with over 50% saying their purchase decision is impacted by a brand’s commitment to environmental responsibility. More than 9 in 10 Millennials say they would switch brands to one associated with a cause — an important statement from a market segment that wields over $1 trillion in purchasing power in the United States. This means corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives are increasingly important to a profitable business strategy, and energy consciousness and carbon emissions reductions must be a top consideration. Previously viewed as only a cost-cutting measure, saving energy is now also driving the top line, sales. The authenticity with which brands create and implement CSR programs has the power to make or break businesses of all sizes and your ability to talk all things sustainable will increasingly make the difference in attracting the clients you want.
   

Here’s to the New Decade

At Heat-Timer® we think it’s a great time to be in the energy management industry. The challenges are great but the innovation going on is also tremendously exciting. A new generation is rising into leadership, and they value solutions that will both challenge our industry, but that bring a better roadmap for energy consumption and the planet.

We’re proud to be part of it.  Have a great 2020 and beyond.

Original content posted on https://www.heat-timer.com/2020-hvac-trends-commercial-energy-management-is-getting-hotter/

As most HVAC professionals already know, tempering valves (sometimes referred to as hot water mixing valves or thermostatic mixing valves) are used to blend hot and cold water together in a domestic hot water delivery system. The resultant water at a reduced temperature is sent through the delivery system at exactly the right temperature for use at the sink, the shower etc.

Mixing valves like this solve a particular problem in the delivery of hot water in large buildings, during periods of peak demand. Hot water in the storage tank must be kept above 140 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Yet water at this temperature would instantly scald and burn anyone putting their hand under it.  By mixing the hot with cold water, and monitoring the “set point” temperature carefully, these valves ensure that water at the desired set point is delivered to users at all times and under all load conditions. See our discussion for a detailed explanation of the issues surrounding domestic hot water control and tempering valve operation.

In applications at hotels, nursing homes, hospitals, day care centers, schools, factories and universities, the mixing valve function is super critical, providing both tenant comfort and avoiding the injuries (and lawsuits) that come with a broken delivery system. In these applications, motorized tempering valve solutions with associated computer controls, are overwhelmingly preferred by commercial plumbing professionals due to their increased temperature accuracy, ability to adjust dynamically to load conditions, and better fail-safe capability.

How to choose a Motorized Tempering Valve Solution

Heat-Timer® introduced its first motorized tempering valve solutions over 2 decades ago and after thousands of deployments, we’ve developed a complete understanding of what professionals look for when designing or upgrading domestic hot water solutions. The ETV Platinum Plus is now the most sophisticated, and reliable motorized mixing valve in the world because it incorporates everything that professionals in the field have asked us for into its design.

1. A stainless steel valve body.
   
2. Motor does not come in contact with water at all.
3. Sensor accuracy is close to 1 degree Fahrenheit.
4. Full PID logic implementation quickly restores water temperature even after large changes in load conditions.
5. Unlike standalone valves, the Heat-Timer® ETV platinum plus can shut down water flow at both the valve and the primary supply, offering better protection against scalding in safety critical applications.
6. Can provide both alarm condition detection as well as temperature control (ETV Combo)
7. Comes in a fully plumbed version, the ETS (Electronic Tempering Station) that makes installation as simple as connecting hot and cold water.
8. Control can be placed up to 500 feet away from valve for centralized monitoring with easy to read display.

For busy plumbing professionals who want maximum ease of installation, Heat-Timer® also offers the Electronic Valve Station (ETS). This station effectively incorporates the ETV motorized tempering valve into a completely pre-plumbed assembly that includes the fully integrated control module. Simply connect hot and cold water and plug it in. Then program your set point and you are up and running. This solution is available in all standard piping sizes directly from the factory without need for special ordering.

For more information on our complete line of motorized tempering valves and domestic hot water system solutions, call our team today.

Original content posted on https://www.heat-timer.com/understanding-commercial-tempering-valve-systems/

As winter settles in over the northern USA, thoughts turn gingerly to the back breaking chore of shoveling snow off your driveway and walkway after each storm. Or if you own a business, paying the cost of having professional snow removal and hoping they’ll get to you before an employee slips and falls. Plus, constant plow snow removal wears down driveways and parking areas, destroys border blocking and landscaping, all leading to increased maintenance costs over time.

Hydronic Snowmelt Systems Are the way to go

For these and other reasons, many companies and homeowners, have turned to snow melting systems as an alternative to unreliable and physically difficult snow removal at homes and offices. While electric snowmelt systems are available, they are increasingly less popular than hydronic versions which are considered a “greener” and less costly solution to operate overall.

Hydronic snow melt systems in a residential application generally consist of a few parts as shown in the diagram below.

There are a few main components of your typical snow melt control system:

1. Either tubing or thermopanels placed under the slab, asphalt, or walkway.
2. A Motorized valve and pump that allows heated fluid (water/antifreeze) to flow when moisture is detected.
3. Sensors that provide both slab and outdoor temperature feedback.
4. A system controller like the Heat-Timer® DigiSpan series that uses PID logic to control the motorized valve which controls the flow of hot water.
   
   

It turns out that Heat-Timer® has a long history of making some of the most sophisticated, and energy efficient Snow Melt Controls for both residential and commercial applications.  These controls include one of the most energy efficient control algorithms in the industry as well as making the motorized valves, and the solid brass slab sensors that become an integral part of your slab. Note that despite the sturdy design of our sensor which is meant to withstand the force of cars and trucks driving over it, the sensor is highly accurate, having temperature accuracy to 1 degree and moisture sensitivity that detects even traces of precipitation. Furthermore the sophisticated algorithm in the RSM control can operate a system using only the outdoor sensor in scenarios where introduction of slab sensors is not possible such as in retrofit applications.

Commercial Snow Melt Systems

There are some additional features that are common to commercial snow melt systems like our SMC Snowmelt control as show in the diagram below:

Please contact the team at Heat-Timer® for more information on using our controls in your hydronic snow melt application.

Original content posted on https://www.heat-timer.com/what-is-a-snow-melt-control-system/