HPAC-Heating Plumbing Air Conditioning Sept/Oct 2011

PAIRING DIVERTING VALVES PLUMBING PRODUCT REVISITING ELECTRIC FURNACES WITH HYBRID SYSTEMS SHOWCASE

A DIFFERENT VIEW

THE CHANGING HVAC LANDSCAPE

New technology in the field Also Inside:

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Vol. 85 No. 6

40 Mini-Split Installation

By Lou Laroche

Accessory Checklist

42 On The Job Excess pressure and the under-appreciated PRV.

By Steve Goldie 44 Duct Leakage Under Scrutiny Duct sealing is on the agenda of regulatory bodies—does this present an opportunity for contractors?

By Jim Barnes

22

Electric Furnaces: A 20th Century Artifact?

66 About Heat Pumps Serendipity and the workings of a popular heating and cooling option.

By Dave Demma

Electric air handling systems offer significant features and benefits.

BY Ian McTeer

68 Attract, Inform, Impress Get results from your show investment.

By Marc Gordon

16 Meeting The Need For Lifetime Housing

An aging demographic accentuates IAQ and IEQ.

By Robert Bean

76 Heating Efficiencies Identifying energy losses in commercial buildings using thermal imaging.

By Colin Plastow

28 Hydronic Ultralights Low mass heat emitters are essential to the

Cover Photo iStockphoto

future of hydronic heating.

21 Apps In The Field

By John Siegenthaler

34 Diverting Valves In Modern Systems When paired with modern system controls, these

Technology changes the role of the technician in the field.

By Mark Evans

valves are a good fit with hybrid systems.

By Mike Miller Contents continued on page 4

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september/october 2011

Vol. 85 No. 6

contents

HPAC Magazine 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 TEL: 416.442.5600 FAX: 416.510.5140 www.hpacmag.com

85 Innovations

Finally Come To Cargo Vans

By bill roebuck

Editor Kerry Turner (416) 510-5218 KTurner@hpacmag.com Sales & Marketing Kim Rossiter (416) 510-6794 Coordinator KRossiter@bizinfogroup.ca ACCOUNT John Chiasson (416) 510-6791 MANAGERs JChiasson@hpacmag.com Associate David Skene (416) 510-6884 publisher DSkene@hpacmag.com

91 Understanding The Basics Utilizing thermal mass to reduce temperature variations and improve interior comfort.

By Richard Kadulski 94 Expansion Tank Sizing

By John Siegenthaler

For Solar Collector Circuits

98 T he $300,000 Lunch Corporate-owned life insurance offers up some pretty impressive tax savings.

By Hank Bulmash

Art Director Franca Romano (On Leave) Sandy MacIsaac (416) 441-5600, ext. 3242 SMacisaac@hpacmag.com Market Production Karen Samuels (416) 510-5190 Manager 800-268-7742, ext. 5190 KSamuels@bizinfogroup.ca Circulation Manager Selina Rahaman (416) 442-5600, ext. 3528 SRahaman@bizinfogroup.ca PUBLISHER Peter Leonard (416) 510-6847 PLeonard@hpacmag.com Executive Publisher Tim Dimopoulos BIG Magazines LP VICE-PRESIDENT OF Alex Papanou CANADIAN PUBLISHING President of business Bruce Creighton information group

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by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. HPAC Magazine is the leading Canadian business publication for the owner/manager of mechanical contracting businesses and their supply partners.

Products

ISSN: 0017-9418 Contents Copyright © 2011 by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd., may not be reprinted without permission.

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Hydronic

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PLUMBING PRODUCT SHOWCASE

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Heating

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Departments 6 Editorial 8 Industry News 87 Mechanical Supply News 90 People 99 Training 101 The Source

Subscription Price per year: $40.00 CDN; Outside Canada per year: $80.00 US; Single copy Canada: $5.00 CDN. Heating Plumbing Air Conditioning is published 7 times per year except for occasional combined, expanded or premium issues, which count as two subscription issues.

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Notice: HPAC Magazine, BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd., their staff, officers, directors and shareholders (hence known as the “Publisher”) assume no liability, obligations, or responsibility for claims arising from advertised products. The Publisher also reserves the right to limit liability for editorial errors, omissions and oversights to a printed correction in a subsequent issue. HPAC Magazine’s editorial is written for management level mechanical industry personnel who have documented training in the mechanical fields in which they work. Manufacturers’ printed instructions, datasheets and notices always take precedence to published editorial statements.

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HPAC | september/october 2011

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< UPFRONT oUT WITH the bottle...in with the fountain You do not have to travel very fountains seem to be few and far between. Many people far these days before you will see report that fountains are not being maintained to a satisfacsomeone toting a water bottle but that tory level. Repair existing fountains and install new units in is changing rapidly. Soon, being seen municipal facilities."

Point-of-use and point-of-entry filtering systems may also while in possession of a water bottle will have a similar stigma to being seen see a rise in sales. For those who were driven to the bottle by with tobacco products. From Nelson, BC concerns over tap water, these systems may be the solution.

Inside the Bottle Watch is a part of the Polaris Institute and to Charlottetown, PE, provinces, municipalities, businesses and institutions are banning the waste generators. Whether offers information on relevant regulations and some insight the objection is to the use of a public resource for private sec- into which governments and organizations are moving to tor gain, or the momentous contribution the bottles make to bans. While the website is not as current as it might be, it is just one resource on this topic. landfill, the end result is the same.

Armed with the right information, plumbing companies and We will be using refillable bottles, or heading to the public fountain, cold water spigots and water refill stations, such as manufacturers should target municipalities, school boards those that will be installed at the St. George campus of the and so on with marketing campaigns geared to putting their companies front and centre when the fountains, fill stations University of Toronto following its recent bottled water ban.

This is good news for manufacturers and plumbers alike. and the filters finally replace the bottle.<> A news release at www.insidethebottle.org suggests: "water fountains have been an important means for people to keep 26285_CallCenterAD_HPv2_CANADA_Layout 1 7/26/11 11:29 AM Page 1 hydrated with publicly provided tap water, yet increasingly Editor

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SEE THE LATEST HPAC e-newsletter @ hpacmag.com Energy Efficiency Initiatives Include Changes To Renewed ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes The Government of Canada's ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes program includes two important changes. From June 6, 2011, until March 31, 2012, homeowners are eligible to receive grants of up to $5,000 but participants must register directly with the program before booking their evaluation. Second, homeowners are required to provide receipts to their energy advisor at the time of the post-retrofit evaluation to confirm eligibility for the grant.

The Honourable Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources, also announced more recently that the Government of Canada is investing $78 million over the next two years to improve energy efficiency in buildings, industries, vehicles and consumer appliances.

"Canadians gave our Government a strong mandate to complete our economic recovery and focus on continued job growth," said Minister Oliver, speaking in Ottawa. "Support for energy efficiency is an effective way to both create high-quality jobs for Canadians and save homeowners money."

The Next Phase of Canada's Economic Action Plan promotes job creation through investments in energy efficiency and clean energy technology. The ecoENERGY Efficiency initiatives will implement additional standards, regulations and other cost-effective measures to help Canadians use energy more efficiently. New labelling, benchmarking, training and information sharing tools will also be incorporated.

These initiatives are aimed at: establishing a more stringent National Energy Code for Buildings with provinces and territories; the implementation of new energy management system standards for industrial facilities; and an upgrade to new home energy rating systems to adapt the latest technologies.

In early August, the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute (HRAI) together with its partners in the Save ecoEnergy Coalition received a response from Minister Oliver concerning the Coalition's request to have the government make a multiyear commitment to the ecoEnergy program. The Coalition's position advocates for this commitment on the basis of job creation and the significant "return on investment" in energy savings for the public funds allocated to the program over the long term. Concerns were also expressed about the negative impact on the market of short-term government incentive programs.

In his response, Minister Oliver stated that the government had reinstated ecoEnergy as a short-term economic stimulus measure and to help the environment. "By extending the program for one year, we are balancing the need for short-term stimulus with the importance of achieving balanced action that will not put an undue burden on future generations." He went on to say that the government's overarching objective is to balance the budget by 2015 and an extension to the ecoEnergy program would run contrary to this objective.

For details, contact Warren Heeley at 800.267.2231, ext. 227, or e-mail warren.heeley@hrai.ca. www.nrcan.gc.ca continued on page 10

Award Goes To Global Collaborators The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has presented the 2011 Lou Flagg Historical Award to HPAC columnist Robert Bean, R.E.T., P.L. (Eng.) and two collaborators from Denmark and South Korea, for a recently published, two-part historical series on radiant heating and cooling.

The trio was recognized at the 2011 ASHRAE Annual Conference in Montreal, held June 24-29, for the most outstanding recorded history of either projects or persons related to the HVAC/R industry.

From left, 2011 Lou Flagg Historical Award winners The History of Radiant Heating and Cooling Systems, was published Kwang Woo Kim, Bjarne Olesen and Robert Bean. in the January and February 2010 issues of the ASHRAE Journal.

A chronological history of radiant cooling and heating is now being maintained at Bean's website.

"I am grateful to the ASHRAE Journal editorial team, the members of the Historical and Radiant Technical committees, and of course my co-authors who brought the European and Asian elements into the project," Bean comments. The three authors also wish to credit those who freely shared historical documents and photographs during the research.

"The "History of Radiant Heating and Cooling Systems," said Bean, "is necessarily a work in progress. Each year, archeological digs and newly discovered literature from around the globe reveal more of the early history of architecture and the means with which inhabitants tried to stay comfortable under often very cold and difficult conditions."

8

HPAC | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

hpacmag.com

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CLIPS >> The 2011 Radiant Flooring Guide is available as a digital edition. Browse by page or use the Table of Contents for direct links to articles. The Guide provides the information necessary to make proper choices on flooring over radiant heating systems, including an updated directory of radiant floor product manufacturers. http://digital.bnpmedia.com Brad Diggens of MJS Mechanical Ltd. in Calgary, AB is the 2011-2012 MCAC chairman.

MCAC Rendezvous 2011 The Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada held its 70th National Conference in Quebec City.

More than 220 delegates attended the event, which was held September 14-17. Education was a conference focus with several of North America's top speakers and instructors providing ideas and applying real world experience on issues such as subguard versus bonding, estimating, succession, the Red Seal program and growing profits by increasing the maintenance base. www.mcac.ca

Earthquake resistance provisions in the 2010 National Building Code The devastating earthquake that rocked Japan on March 11, 2011 generated inquiries to the NRC Institute for Research in Construction--Canadian Codes Centre regarding the magnitude of earthquake that Canadian buildings are designed to withstand. According to NRC-IRC, there is no simple answer to this question, as the effect on a particular building depends on an earthquake's magnitude, its distance from the building, and the building's characteristics.

The recently published National Building Code of Canada 2010 (NBC) incorporates several new technical requirements to ensure that Canadian buildings are protected.

They include prescriptive requirements in Part 9 (dealing with housing and some small building types) that provide for adequate lateral load resistance through the use of braced wall panels, as well as fastening and framing based on local seismic conditions that apply primarily to high risk areas, mainly the Pacific coast of British Columbia.

Revisions made to requirements in the NBC for Part 3 buildings (dealing with all other types and sizes of buildings) address building site properties, irregularities, steel structures, static and dynamic procedures, and diaphragms.

A quadratic equation was used to determine spectral acceleration values for Canada's different zones to improve the fit of seismic data. www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca 10

HPAC | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

>>

The 2011/2012 SkillTech Academy Course Schedule is available online at www.hrai.ca under SkillTech/Training Resources.

>> An incentive program from the Canadian Oil Heat Association (COHA), known as the Retire Your Tank cash-back tank replacement program, gives homeowners a $125 rebate on the purchase of select models. The program runs to December 31, 2011. www.coha.ca >> The ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems Standard is now available in Canada. The voluntary global energy management system standard is designed to help businesses manage and reduce energy consumption and costs and remain competitive in today's marketplace.

According to a CSA/Leger Marketing survey, almost a quarter of Canadian executives do not feel that energy is consumed efficiently within their organization. The new standard outlines best practices for streamlining energy consumption, such as the measurement of current energy use and the implementation of an energy measurement system to document, report and validate ongoing improvements in energy management. www.iso.org >>

Effective August 01, 2011, Ontario's Technical Standards Safety Authority (TSSA) revised the following application forms: Application for Field Approval of Appliances of Equivalent; Application for Approval of Digester Gas and Landfill Gas Installations; Application for Approval of High Pressure System; Application for a Variance/Deviation; and Application for Registration to Operate an Underground Fuel Oil Tank.

The new forms identify the owner of the appliance or equipment, the invoice, the location address and the technical contact for the particular application. With the introduction of these forms, TSSA will also treat the owner of the appliance, equipment or installation as the person or organization who undertakes the legal obligation and who becomes the owner of the file and its contents. www.tssa.org (fuels section) www.hrai.ca. hpacmag.com

Industry News > BC Incentive Adds Demand For Accredited Installation The Province of British Columbia, in partnership with BC Hydro and FortisBC, is extending and improving its LiveSmart BC: Efficiency Incentive Program, where homeowners can receive more than $7,000 in rebates for energy saving improvements and equipment. The program is extended for an additional two years.

Rebates applicable to the heating industry have had a few key changes to: eligible rebate amounts; eligible equipment types; and contractor paperwork submissions.

Notably, an additional $100 consumer incentive is offered for using TECA Quality First or HRAI-accredited contractors, or an AScT. The "accredited" extra incentive has attracted attention and questions from the industry. The idea of adding this extra incentive came about from analysis of the prior LiveSmartBC incentive program.

LiveSmart BC determined that there was a higher than acceptable rate of issues with installed systems (especially heat pumps). These either did not meet ENERGY STAR requirements or were not installed to 'acceptable'

industry standards, resulting in homeowner dissatisfaction and/or poor overall performance. The extra incentive was added with the intent to support contractors who follow good industry installation practices and to improve the installed performance of such systems. www.livesmartbc.ca

Bulletin Tightens Up Saskatchewan's Venting Requirements SaskPower has issued bulletin 02-2011 regarding exterior masonry chimneys and gas leaks. Effective June 1, 2011, when replacing a gas appliance vented into an exterior masonry chimney, the masonry chimney may not be used unless it is lined with a properly sized B vent, L vent or an approved double wall liner. As well, the chimney must be boxed in and insulated such that the building provides a heated space for the chimney.

From the same bulletin, effective June 01, 2011, the SaskPower inspection department is invoicing a minimum of a $75.00 inspection fee per leak found on new jobs and the installing contractor will be required to retest the entire piping system. www.saskpower.com continued on page 12

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FOCUS ON INNOVATIONS IN COLD CLIMATE HVAC DESIGN Members of the HVAC/R, architecture, interior design and building construction industries professionals from around the world will gather in Calgary, AB, for the seventh International HVAC Cold Climate Conference on November 12-14, 2012.

Cold Climate HVAC 2012 will provide key elements of a strategy by which scientists, designers, engineers, manufacturers, and other decision makers in cold climate regions, can achieve good indoor environmental quality (IEQ), with a minimum use of resources and energy.

The planning committee has issued a call for papers featuring innovations in cold climate HVAC design including new technologies and applications; improved methodologies, improvements to computational models or other design tools; novel methods of management, organization or quality assurance; and novel avenues of research or revised conceptual

frameworks for designers. Submit abstracts no longer than 350 words, and five to seven keywords, by December 1, 2011.

For specific topics, to submit a conference paper abstract, or for more information, visit www.ashrae.org/ColdClimate or e-mail: meetings@ashrae.org.

ON THE MOVE

>> HPAC Magazine has moved, please update your records: 80 Valleybrook Dr., Toronto, ON M3B 2S9. The editor can be reached at 416.510.5218 or by e-mail: kturner@hpacmag.com. The publisher can be reached at 416.510.6847 or by e-mail: pleonard@hpacmag.com. >>

Enermodal has opened an office in Vancouver (tel.

604.685.1979), its seventh Canadian office location. Located at 1045 Howe Street, Suite 700, the Vancouver location offers the full suite of Enermodal services. www.enermodal.com

ST. JOHN'S UPS THE ANTE ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY

12

HPAC | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

St. John's Newfoundland has experienced rapid growth in the last decade.

TAKING STOCK • There has been an average of 600 new homes built in St. John's each year for the past 10 years or 6,000 homes over this period.

• Greenhouse gas emission savings are estimated to be between four and 8.7 tonnes per year per home (based on marginal values) with the upgrade to EnerGuide 80 standards.

• 600 homes/year x 8.7 tonnes emissions per year per home = 5,200 tonnes • 600 homes/year x 4 tonnes emissions per year per home = 2,400 tonnes • 6,000 homes x 8.7 tonnes = 52,200 tonnes of emissions per year • 6,000 homes x 4 tonnes = 24,000 tonnes of emissions per year • 10 year accumulation (at 8.7 tonnes - high end of range) = 287,000 tonnes of emissions • 10 year accumulation (at 4 tonnes - low end of range) = 132,000 tonnes of emissions > A reduction of 287,000 tonnes of emissions is the equivalent of taking 51,000 cars off the road annually.

HPACMAG.COM

Photo: Istockphoto

The City of St. John's Public Works, Environment and Protection Standing Committee and the Department of Building and Property Management has developed an energy reduction strategy for new homes in conjunction with initiative partners takeCHARGE, a joint initiative between Newfoundland Power and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro (Hydro), and the Canadian Home Builders' AssociationEastern Newfoundland (CHBA-EN) branch. The CHBA is the delivery agent for the EnerGuide for New Homes Initiative for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The policy, which came into effect September 1, 2011, calls for all new one and two-family home constructions in the city to be built to meet energy targets of 80, as specified in the EnerGuide Rating System. Improvements include the mandatory insulation of basements, and upgrading ventilation, heating, windows and electrical systems.

Admiral's Beach, St. Mary's Bay, was the first winner of the province's first takeCHARGE of Your Town Challenge.

The town received $10,000 for energy efficiency upgrades to its municipal building(s). The utilities measured energy consumption over a three-month period beginning November 1, 2010, and concluding January 31, 2011.

Admiral's Beach reduced their energy consumption by approximately nine per cent, compared to the same period last year, the highest percentage reduction of all participating municipalities. www.takechargenl.ca

AMENDMENT CALLS FOR HETS, DUAL FLUSH AND HEUS Effective October 3, 2011, the British Columbia Building Code regulation was amended to require the installation of high-efficiency toilets (HETs) or dual-flush toilets and high efficiency urinals (HEU) in all new residential buildings and renovation projects involving toilet replacements in British Columbia. Previously, the BC Building Code required toilets with a six-litre flush volume. In recent testing by Veritec Consulting and Koeller and Company, all of the high-efficiency models (over 100) demonstrated good to excellent flushing performance.

According to several recent research reports, HETs have no difficulty meeting the waste transport requirements typical of residential drainline installations. However, when HETs are installed in industrial, commercial and institutional buildings, there are concerns about the drainline carry of a 4.8 litre flush volume. Until further research on drainline transport issues becomes available, the BC Building Code's HET requirement will be limited to residential buildings.

A performance testing protocol similar to that for toilets has not yet been developed for HEUs, but flushing HEUs must meet the same performance standards as other flushing urinals sold in North America. Because the flush volume of a urinal can often be set at either 3.8 litres or 1.9 litres through the flushometer valve, the cost and availability of HEUs is the same as that of higher-volume urinals.

The requirement date was selected to address implementation and supply issues, and to better coordinate with the next edition of the Building Code. www.housing.gov.bc.ca/building/green/het/index.htm

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See HPAC at Booth #341 The 23rd edition of Construct Canada will be held November 30-December 2 at the Metro Convention Centre South Building in Toronto, ON. With over 1050 exhibits, Construct Canada will be held concurrently with HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo, PM Expo and Concrete Canada. www.constructcanada.com

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>> Honeywell International Inc. has announced a voluntary recall of Electric Baseboard and Electric Fan Heater Thermostats, Model numbers T4700, CT1957 and CT1959,

CLIEN All models meet California low NOx standards. © 2011 International Comfort Products, LLC

continued on page 14 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 | HPAC

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recall of Electric Baseboard and Electric Fan Heater Thermostats, Model numbers T4700, CT1957 and CT1959, manufactured between 2000 & 2006 were sold under the Honeywell and Cadet brand names. According to Honeywell, approximately 240,837 units were sold in Canada.

Honeywell received 16 reports of thermostats melting. For instructions on how to receive free replacement products visit www.yourhome/honeywell.com/T4700.

>> The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) in Ontario has issued a recall notice stating that some models of air exchangers have the potential to overheat due to motor failure. The recalled air exchangers were manufactured by Venmar between 1983

HRAI Members share the Wine Region Experience The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute (HRAI) held its 43rd Annual General Meeting on August 25-27 in the heart of Ontario's wine region at the White Oaks Conference Resort in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. Over 310 attendees enjoyed the "Planning for the Next Generation" message delivered from the keynote address of Michael "Pinball" Clemons.

The program of more than 14 business sessions included: the impact of the 2012 Ontario building code changes; how internet marketing can increase your sales; next generation refrigerants; geothermal residential and commercial applications; retaining customers; heat pumps; and harnessing social media. Manufacturer and wholesaler delegates participated in product section meetings on refrigeration, heating and air conditioning, indoor air quality and controls.

Ron Robinson of AtlasCare was appointed chair of HRAI. He has been in the HVAC/R industry for more than 30 years and has served on the HRAI board since 2007 as a representative of the contractors division. He has also served on the contractors division board since 2001 and as chair of the division from 2009 to 2011. Marc Gendron, of Les Entreprises MLG & Fils Inc. in MontrĂŠal, QC, replaces Robinson as HRAI contractors division chair.

At the annual awards luncheon, Rusty Jennings (2010/2011 chair) acknowledged the contributions made by individuals, companies and organizations to HRAI and the industry. The Merit Award went to Mark Boncardo of Mexichem Fluor Canada Inc. and industry trainer Dara Bowser. Wayne Fischer, AIRIA Brands Inc. received the President's Recognition Award, while Nick Reggi received the Education Leader Award.

John Murphy formerly of J.E. Murphy Heating and Cooling in Windsor, Ontario, received the Craig McCarty Memorial 14

HPAC | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

and 2001. For details of the notice navigate to www.esasafe. com/pdf/Recall_Notices/RCL11-32.pdf.

new directive applies to pressure equipment Information Bulletin No. IB11-006, which was jointly issued by the Alberta Boiler Safety Authority (ABSA) and Alberta Municipal Affairs, introduces a new directive, under Sections 12 and 13 of the pressure equipment safety regulation, to ensure that repairs or alterations made to pressure equipment in the Province of Alberta meet the provisions of ABSA Document AB-513 "Pressure equipment Repair and Alteration Requirements, Edition 2. AB513 provides detailed guidance as to the requirements that must be met for all post construction repair and alteration activities performed under a Award in appreciation of his long-standing dedication to HRAI's contractors division and the HVAC/R industry. The Gearld Inch Award for Chapter Leadership went to Jim Wood of McKeown and Wood Fuels Ltd. The 44th Annual Meeting and Conference will be held August 23-25, 2012, at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront in Halifax, NS. www.hrai.ca

Contractor division director Dave Weishuhn (l), Blue Flame Heating & Air Conditioning Ltd., 2011-2012 HRAI chair Ron Robinson (centre) of AtlasCare, and incoming contractors division chair Marc Gendron, of Les Enterprises MLG & Fils Inc., share a moment at the Chair's banquet on August 27.

The AGM kickoff breakfast featured keynote speaker Michael "Pinball" Clemons.

The AGM kickoff breakfast featured keynote speaker Michael "Pinball" Clemons.

hpacmag.com

< IAQ

Meeting The Need For Lifetime Housing

T

he expression, "long term care" rarely invokes thoughts of a non-institutional healthcare facility, such as one's own home, but toss in phrases such as, "Aging in Place" or "Universal Design" and most people in the world of building and health science know what you are referring to. I have always seen these descriptors as lacking in substance because the implied ergonomics of such spaces is predominately product- or geometrically-based (i.e., devices or aids for daily living and accessibility). They virtually ignore the indoor environmental ergonomics of light, sound, thermal comfort and indoor air quality (IAQ).

I am not aware, for example, of any residential builder along with their HVAC contractor who designs homes to accommodate the scope of CSA Z317.2 Special Requirements for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems in Health Care Facilities or ANSI/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170 Ventilation of Health Care Facilities. Yet 16

HPAC | september/october 2011

some elements from these institutional standards, and all of the elements of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55 Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy, have a place in homes that for some, will become non-institutional, end of life satellite facilities to the institutional healthcare system. For this reason I am more supportive of the terms "inclusive housing" or "lifetime housing." These recognize that indoor environmental systems are in fact on an evolving continuum serving the physiological needs of the newlywed through to the nearly dead, in the same way ergonomics addresses products and space geometries to accommodate changes in physical abilities.

Consider the physical and physiological changes due to aging on: mobility, agility and personal and environmental hygiene. Consider that respiration, thermal, sound and lighting discomfort drive behaviour. For the able bodied, the active and adaptive strategies of opening a window, putting hpacmag.com

Photo: Istockphoto

In the face of an aging demographic mechanical professionals can choose to observe, follow or lead change. BY robert bean

“…indoor environmental systems are in fact on an evolving continuum serving the physiological needs of the newlywed through to the nearly dead.” on a sweater, adjusting a thermostat or closing the blinds is easily accomplished. In the case of seniors or those with disabilities, these seemingly simple tasks can be hampered by reduced agility and mobility, reduced visual acuity, loss of manual dexterity and impaired cognitive abilities.

Compensating for general and local discomforts such as drafts, cold floors, excessive temperature stratifications and radiant asymmetry can become very difficult. This is compounded for those with circulatory ailments or diseases affecting thermal regulation. Also, consider the effects to the respiratory and olfactory systems from the use and inadequate disposal of incontinence products, or failures to respond to building-related moisture problems resulting in environments supportive of mould, bacteria and other microbes.

Those who live indoors with pets and/or smokers, and subsequently become “immune” or “desensitized” to the odours, illustrate an unfortunate aspect of the olfactory system and hygiene. They are not immune to the physiological effects of microbial associated with animal urine and feces, or toxins from tobacco products. Add in the fact that air-based heating and cooling systems require recirculation of contaminated air, regardless of the means of ventilation.

What develops is a complex combination of indoor environmental quality aspects that are very difficult for live-in or visiting caregivers and can create both physiological and psychological stress for all involved. This is particularly true in the presence of better living options, such as modern institutional healthcare facilities.

The worse case scenario is the senior with physical and mental disabilities and impaired hygiene who refuses to leave his/her dilapidated home regardless of the conditions. At the other end are the able bodied, active seniors who have no problem taking care of themselves and their property and are quite satisfied with their indoor environments.

To give some perspective around the demographics, this quote relating to the Alberta population states: "Most seniors live in private housing. In 2006, approximately 71 per cent of the seniors' population lived in homes that they owned. An estimated 19 per cent resided in rental accommodation and about seven per cent lived in provincial hous-

ing settings, including seniors' lodges. Approximately three per cent of seniors lived in long-term care facilities.i Regardless of the quantitative distribution of quality of living standards, the message is that most seniors avoid the institutional offering but the need for the environmental offering of the modern institution is present regardless.

In addition to the need for healthcare standards in conditioning of air, lighting, sound and thermal comfort systems, there may be need for specialized healthcare devices and instruments for those who stay home right to the end.

Many of these aids, such as dialysis and oxygen machines, lifts and elevators, need an uninterrupted power supply of sufficient load capacity.

Some equipment is sensitive to electromagnetic interference or to indoor environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity and other devices are sensitive to light. ii Devices needing air filtration are sensitive to particles, such as pet hair, lint and dust.iii Many of these devices are wheel mounted, as such the choice in floor coverings is also an important consideration. Lifetime housing requires the original designers to think about future power needs, HVAC systems, interior design, as well as the more traditional "Aging in Place" or "Universal Design" principles.

As noted by specialists in the field, "The goals of human factors are to optimize human and system efficiency and effectiveness, safety, health, comfort, and quality of life. iii In consideration of these factors and the home as an "end of life satellite facility" to the institutional healthcare system, I default to the virtually invisible and integrated HVAC strategies of; 1. R adiant cooled and heated slab on grade floors for safety, hygiene, comfort and efficiency. edicated outdoor air systems with high performance air 2. D filtration on the intake for indoor air quality, efficiency and effectiveness.

3. Heat recovery on the exhaust for efficiency.

4. D edicated dehumidification and steam humidification for indoor air quality and comfort.

5. B ackup power supply of sufficient capacity for life safety systems, 6. E xtra circuit outlets in one or more "care" rooms to accommodate future equipment. continued on page 18

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september/october 2011 | HPAC

17

< I AQ

continued from page 17

For many it will be difficult if not impossible to predict end of life states of physical, physiological and psychological heath. Likewise, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to predict the required and necessary state of the power systems, interior design and indoor environmental systems necessary to serve the occupants in an end of life non-institutional facility. However, with certainty one can observe, follow or lead the changes necessary to integrate "lifetime housing" principles today to serve one or more generations over the evolving continuum of indoor environmental quality. <> Robert Bean, R.E.T., P.L.(Eng.), is a registered practitioner in building construction engineering technology (ASET) and a professional licensee in mechanical engineering (APEGGA).

He has over 30 years experience in the construction industry specializing in energy and indoor environmental quality and is the author and lecturer for professional development programs addressing building science, thermal comfort quality, indoor air quality and radiant based HVAC systems. www.healthyheating.com

REFERENCES i) Seniors' Programs ENetwork, (Alberta), No. 84, September 2, 2011 ii) The Role of Human Factors in Home Health Care: Workshop Summary, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, 2010 iii) Health Care Comes Home: The Human Factors, Committee on the Role of Human Factors in Home Health Care, Board on HumanSystems Integration, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Academy of Sciences, 2011 Bibliography: 1. The Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access. http://www.ap.buffalo.edu/idea/ 2. National Academy of Sciences - Health Care Comes Home: The Human Factors. http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13149 3. The Canadian Building and Health Sciences Network (CBHSN) http://cbhsn-rcesbs.proteus.cisti.nrc.ca/eng/relevant.html.

4. Chan, S.L., Wei, Z., Chigurupathi, S., Tu, W., Compromised respiratory adaptation and thermoregulation in aging and age-related disease, Ageing research reviews, 2009. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19800420 5. Taylor, N. A.S.., Machado-Moreira, C., van den Heuvel, A., Caldwell, J., Taylor, E. A.. & Tipton, M. J. The roles of hands and feet in temperature regulation in hot and cold environments. Thirteenth International Conference on Environmental Ergonomics; Boston, USA: University of Wollongong; 2009. 405-409. http://ro.uow.edu.au/hbspapers/190/

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< Technology

Apps In The Field Improving information flow can improve profitability. By Mark Evans

T

here has been a fundamental shift in the collection, transmission and retention of information relating to the services provided by the mechanical contractor.

While there are differences in how much this applies to service work in comparison to new installations, both are affected.

The premise here is that field staff, with some exceptions for on-site project managers or foremen, were once only responsible for the work itself and participated little in any of the work related to dispatch, billing, purchasing, or other clerical work. While it is widely acknowledged that cellular voice communication has increased the productivity of field staff, the potential for growth in productivity to be gained from the integration of cellular data communication and other smart phone features will dwarf that by comparison.

The simple integration of smart phones with e-mail and web access is the first game changer according to Garth Johnstone, general manager of Archie Johnstone Plumbing and Heating (AJPH) of Nanaimo, BC. AJPH is a medium-sized mechanical contracting firm, who as a union shop is an active member of the Mechanical Contractors Association of BC. As the grandson of the founder, Johnstone can look back over his own experience of growing up in the field to see how much things have changed and what the potential for the integration of new technology truly represents. “Simple

things like the ability to send a photo from the field to the office allowing the technician to relate the nature of a problem encountered on a job site, or a picture of a part required to complete a service call greatly improves our efficiency,” said Johnstone.

Contractor business software has been available for decades, but in the past was limited mainly to back-office functions. Now, the evolution of functionality is being driven by the integration of customer relationship management, giving contractors the ability to track past transactions, schedule equipment service and scheduled maintenance and use this information to optimize the revenue opportunities residing with both current and past customers.

The low-cost integration of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and push e-mail from corporate servers allows for the transmission of information from the field to the office and changes how job scheduling, service dispatching and even vehicle maintenance routines can be determined.

Further, if a technician is actively involved in job costing by reporting labour hours and materials as the work is completed, sending this information back on billing templates that will change the flow of paper through the office as part of the billing process. The ability to shift time from clerical staff to field staff can have two outcomes: 1. A greater margin for error and inaccuracy; or 2. The opportunity to increase net revenue.

Array of software platforms A review of software from providers such as Canvas (www.gocanvas.com/mobile-forms-apps/899-Plumbing-WorkOrders-w-Checklist-Product-Catalog-Deluxe-6540) gives you an insight into just how easy and powerful these tools can be and how the ease of use may move us closer to the second outcome mentioned previously: the opportunity to increase net revenue.

The product description states; “Make your phone the pipeline to all the forms you’ll ever need on the job site.

Specifically designed for plumbers, this app allows you to not only keep track of hours put in a job, but provides you with a breakdown of the work completed, complete with totals and subtotals based on time, labour rates and materials.

Add to that signature capture capability and PDF auto-convert, and you can have an e-mailed copy in your customer’s hands within minutes.”

Supported platforms include all the popular smart phone operating systems including iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile. As a free app, this may be an entry point for contractors prior to them moving forward with a full business mobile software platform.

20

HPAC | september/october 2011

hpacmag.com

Photo: Ford

Mark Evans has more than 30 years of sales and marketing experience gained during the course of his career in the wholesale and manufacturing sectors of the mechanical industry. Contact him at mark@markevans.net. hpacmag.com

Powerful tools in the field result in technicians streamlining what was once done solely in the office.

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While service work comprises about 15-18 per cent of their annual revenues, this is where Johnstone sees the greatest impact potential for data communication.

“The data and GPS functions of smart phones would allow us to dispatch service calls more efficiently. A work order could be e-mailed to the technician along with a GPS map of the location of the call. There are lots of options for us to look at,” said Johnstone.

However, he recognizes some pitfalls and sees the first outcome as a real challenge. “Job costing and billing are not part of the normal training for field staff.” According to Johnstone, “Starting from the initial call from the customer, a service call generates paperwork in a work flow that is touched by us 12 times, 11 of which are in the office, four of which are a doublecheck for accuracy. While most of these steps remain necessary, the manner in which they occur can be open to review. We turn a simple work order into an invoice in about five working days, however turning the receivable takes more time and our internal office systems are pretty efficient.”

A crucial part of closing the time gap in the service context is the speed and accuracy of the contractor purchasing function related to materials required to complete a service installation as well as the speed and accuracy of the invoicing system of the wholesale distributor who supplies the service contractor.

The cost of contractor software is now almost an afterthought. This is possible due to the plummeting cost and exponential growth of computing power. The rate of growth is simply stated in Moore’s Law, “Computing power doubles every 18 months.” The proof of this is apparent in an easy comparison. In his new book The Physics of the Future, author Michio Kaku states that your latest generation smart phone has “more computer power than all of NASA in 1969.” This combined with the vast number of smart phones currently in use makes apps powerful, cheap and reliable tools for contractors (see sidebar at left).

Improved customer satisfaction and higher profits are among the goals of many contractors. “Allowing the technician to spend a few more minutes talking with the customer as they complete the paperwork opens a greater dialogue between the technician and the customer and adds to the customer’s understanding of the value of the work,” noted Johnstone. <>

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< HVAC

Electric Furnaces: A 20th Century Artifact?

BY Ian Mcteer

"W

hat about an electric furnace?” There is a question that I am willing to bet that Toronto area HVAC contractors never hear.

Hydro Quebec regularly monitors electric utility rates around the country. In an April 2010 study, electricity was selling for an average of 11.82 cents per kWh in the Toronto area: excluding taxes. If a 19.2 kW electric furnace (65,600 BTUH) has all its elements turned on for a full eight hours (33 per cent of the day), then at 11.84 cents per kWh the furnace will use $18.19 worth of electricity in that time period, plus tax (19.2 kWh x 8 hrs x .1184 = $18.19). Depending on the heating load of the building and the area of Canada in which it is installed, this could get to be very expensive for the end user. Electricity prices in Ontario are expected to increase in the range of 40 per cent in the next few years making electric furnaces the least likely heating choice for residential new construction or retrofits.

In the same study, Hydro Quebec reported that the average price of electricity per kWh (taxes excluded) in Vancouver was 7.79 cents, Winnipeg 7.08 cents, and Halifax 12.89 cents. Montreal paid the least at 6.88 cents and Charlottetown paid the most at 16.15 cents per kWh. The widespread use of utility generated electricity for residential space heating distributed through the aging North American grid is truly a thing of the past. Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia continue to burn coal for

much of their power; new federal regulations will eventually force utilities to phase out traditional coal-fired power plants.

Nuclear, gas-fired, hydraulic and alternative sources of power generation all face their own production hurdles so electric furnaces seem to be nothing more than an unheralded artifact of 20th century technology. In the future, the grid will be required to fuel fleets of electric cars, which will further strain the dilapidated resource.

It is a pity though because I do like electric heat. Some readers might remember the slogan, “Live Better Electrically.”

Coined by the General Electric Company and used by many local power companies throughout North America the idea was to promote electric heating and cooling along with kitchen appliances and water heating as being part of the best, most modern and most desirable homes. All-electric houses were known as “Medallion Homes” and had an outdoor plaque attesting to that fact. First built in the '50s, Medallion Homes had electric baseboard heaters and window air conditioners. I remember some Medallion Homes in Toronto having ductwork roughed in so that central cooling could be installed as an option. Builders liked electric baseboards: no chimney required; no ductwork; no bulkheads; and the baseboards could be installed by the electrician.

My first experience with electric furnaces came in the early 1970s. I liked their small size and light weight. The 20 kW and 25 kW Canadian Chromalox electric furnaces

Limit Controls turn off banks of elements when overheating due to low air flow 19.2 kW heater 19.2 kit (at 240 VAC ) consisting of two 3.84 kW elements and two 5.76 kW elements.

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HPAC | september/october 2011

Fusible link opens in the event of a short circuit and provides over current protection. hpacmag.com

Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heater kits feature advanced electronics capable of updating sophisticated system controllers using RS 485 internal communications cabling. Some models feature communicating controls that can be tied directly into a data bus talking to room thermostats or to remote control systems accessed through the internet.

Electrical wiring and connections must be inspected yearly.

Replace loose connections or deteriorated components. we installed had two stages; a term that now creates all the buzz with gas-fired furnaces. Chromlalox is long gone, but yes, electric furnaces are still available.

Electric furnaces are typically multi-poised; require no chimney or combustion air; and fit easily into alcoves, attics, closets and crawlspaces. Electric furnaces produce no soot. Some models are super quiet. When properly installed in a small, well-insulated home with a centralized duct system I cannot imagine using any other fuel in an off-the-gas pipeline area.

Electric heater kit installed downstream of the evaporator coil.

AIR HANDLERS Operating cost notwithstanding, electric heat is a viable option for many consumers out of reach of a natural gas pipeline. Major manufacturers of residential HVAC equipment produce a specialized air handler specifically for electric heating applications. In fact, an air handler is often flexible enough to handle a hot water coil in place of electric heaters allowing for operation with a hydronic heating system.

The boiler may be fueled electrically or by other fossil fuels. In 2008, the Office de la Protection du Consommateur Quebec reported that 85 per cent of all newly built homes there had electric heat. I suspect the majority of new systems were of the baseboard type because, admittedly, the hpacmag.com

Older heater kits used electro-mechanical controls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; reliable, but they could be noisy as the contactors clicked in and out. first cost of an air handler and duct system would increase the selling price of a new home somewhat.

However, like any other material purchase, an electric air handling system has several significant features and benefits that can be offered to a prospective homeowner leaving the purchaser to determine the ultimate value of the increased cost. continued on page 24 september/october 2011 | HPAC

23

< H VAC

continued from page 23

FEATURES AND BENEFITS An air handler is a device much like an electric furnace but it is different in that an evaporator coil is incorporated into the cabinet along with the ability to install an electric heater kit or a hydronic heating coil. Electric heater kits are typically slide-in open coil elements usually starting at 10 kW heating capacity and increasing in size by five kW increments to 25 kW or 30 kW. Air handlers were once primarily used in cooling only or air to air heat pump applications but hydronic and geothermal systems now use the versatile air handler too. Once connected to a condensing unit and incorporated into a duct system, the air handler is capable of providing the same level of comfort as any fossil fueled furnace.

Air handlers are designed to allow central humidification, HRVs, and air cleaning systems to be incorporated easily.

Many of the latest air handler designs feature low air leakage cabinets, electronic expansion valves for precise refrigerant metering and variable speed fan motors. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s air handlers use thermoplastic inner cabinet walls (no loose fibres) and can be completely disassembled into four sections making attic and crawlspace installations a bit easier.

INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE Electric heater kits must be sized properly: cabinet size, cabinet orientation, and airflow capability dictates the maximum amount of electric heating capacity for any given air handler.

Follow manufacturer guidelines carefully. High voltage electrical wiring must be sized and installed by a qualified electrician to all applicable codes. Just like any fossil fueled appliance, an electric forced air heating system must operate within a manufacturer specified temperature rise range. Your electric heat pump system may have a higher airflow requirement during electric furnace operation, thus your duct design should be able to handle the increased airflow to avoid excessive air noise or limit tripping.

Again, like any fossil-fueled appliance, an electric air handler must be serviced regularly. Monthly air filter maintenance and an annual inspection by a qualified HVAC technician are very necessary. Electrical connections (both low and high voltage) must be inspected for signs of overheating or arcing. Electrical connections must be tight and free of corrosion. If moisture is present in the cabinet, find out why and eliminate the source.

Other internal air handling components like the blower wheel and evaporator coil must be kept clean.

WITHER ELECTRIC HEAT? How ironic that the most efficient space heating appliance on the market is also one of the least desirable residential continued on page 26 24

HPAC | september/october 2011

hpacmag.com

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< H VAC

continued from page 24

HOW DOES THE ELECTRIC ELEMENT HOLD UP?

heating options in many parts of Canada today. While electric heat is 100 per cent efficient, generating and delivering electricity through the grid is hopelessly inefficient.

North American electric utilities are more interested now in demand side management; whenever services can be delivered using less electrical energy, the production and consumption of supply side fuels is conserved.

This is a tenet of the low carbon society-part of the roadmap to our future. But construction of large scale power plants and necessarily enormous electrical distribution systems was encouraged by monopolistic, short-sighted governments using a central planning template more at home in post-Second World War Eastern Europe; a philosophy that has long outlasted its welcome in my view.

26

HPAC | september/october 2011

atively small mass. Unlike a fossil-fueled furnace, there is no need to pre-heat a heat exchanger prior to starting the fan and no need to leave the fan running to disperse residual heat. Electric heaters are easily controlled allowing the equipment to proportion the output to the required heating load requirements.

Life Expectancy

Normal life expectancy depends mainly on the resistance coil operating temperature (see Figure 1) which is a function of the sheath operating temperature and the wattage per unit heated length of element.

Factors such as cycling frequency will also affect life.

FIGURE 1 - Life versus Coil Temperature (Typical) 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000

20,000

10,000 8,000

LIFE (HOURS)

I recently spoke with Rob Johnson, production manager at CCI Thermal Technologies, a manufacturer of heating elements located in Orillia, ON. Johnson told me that two types of electric heating elements are commonly used: the open coil element often seen in forced air applications, and metal sheathed mineral insulated elements such as the bake element used in an electric stove.

In either case, the heart of the heater is its resistance wire that heats when current is passed through it. Johnson told me that a derivative of Ohm’s Law (W=E2/R) is the physics behind all element design (W = power in Watts; E = applied voltage in Volts; R = resistance in Ohms). Electric elements are rated by their power output in kilowatts at a specific applied voltage; thus, 1 kilowatt = 3412 Btus).

I asked him about the reliability and longevity of electric heating elements. He said the heating of an element takes place at the molecular level so there are no moving parts contributing to wear. The main reason elements fail is because they somehow reach melting point, which is typically 1,175C (2,150F) or higher depending on the material used. Open coil elements are usually designed to operate with a surface temperature not greater than 650C (1,200F).

Open coil resistance wire is an alloy specifically formulated to have low electrical conductivity relative to standard copper wire. Resistance wire contains high levels of nickel and chromium making it resistant to corrosion. In fact, a properly designed element should last more than 20 years.

Johnson concluded by saying that open coil elements are ideally suited to heating air. They heat up and cool down quickly having little residual heat as a result of their rel-

6,000 4,000

2,000

1,000 800 600 400

200

100 1,550

1,650

1,750

1,850

1,950

2,050

2,150

WIRE TEMPERATURE (ºF) 800

850

900

950

1,000

1,050

1,100

1,150

WIRE TEMPERATURE (ºC)

Perhaps, in the future, each building will generate its own electricity using solid oxide fuel cells consuming natural gas or even sewer gas. Next time you are on the internet, take a look at the Bloom Energy (www.bloomenergy.com) website. Part of Bloom Energy’s credo states: “By generating power on-site, where it is consumed, Bloom Energy offers increased electrical reliability and improved energy security, providing a clear path to energy independence.”

With any luck, The Grid is doomed. I think the possibility of truly “Living Better Electrically” will be our future. <>

Ian McTeer is a field service representative with Trane Residential Solutions--Ingersoll Rand. He can be reached at imcteer@irco.com. hpacmag.com

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< hydronics

Hydronic Ultralights Low mass heat emitters are essential to the future of hydronic heating.

BY John siegenthaler

I

f the North American hydronics industry held a contest to determine the best type of hydronic heat emitter for residential applications, there is little doubt that radiant floor heating would win. During the last 20 years, the market for hydronic radiant floor heating has grown as both the heating trade and consumers have learned about the benefits floor heating offers. Given the wide variety of hardware now available for its implementation, some might even say that radiant floor heating is now a “commodity” among other heating options.

I have met heating professionals who feel that radiant floors are always the best solution for heating any building.

If the budget for floor heating is not there, other types of heat emitters such as fan-coils, panel radiators, and baseboard are available, but are often presented as a downgrade from floor heating.

As one who has designed hundreds of miles of tubing into floor heating systems, I can certainly attest that they perform well in many applications. I can also state that floor heating is not, and never has been, a one-size-fits-all solution for every space heating need.

icant internal heat gains occur within the building. The slow response of a heated slab also precludes use of daily setback schedules. Although turning the thermostat down several degrees immediately stops further heat input to the slab, it does not stop further release of the heat already parked in tons of concrete. The building, especially if it is well insulated, may only drop down a couple of degrees over a 10-hour setback period on a cold winter night. The energy savings potential associated with regular night setback is just not there.

Longer duration setbacks of several successive days are possible in buildings with heated floor slabs, but timing is everything. It can take many hours to restore normal comfort conditions in buildings where a heat slab is recovering from a deep setback condition as illustrated in Figure 1.

These curves show the average temperature of two 2,400 square foot concrete floor slabs versus time, based on a steady heat input rate of 60,000 Btuh. Both slabs are starting from an assumed temperature of 60F. The room temperature is assumed constant at 65F. Eventually, the

Figure 1 Heat Recovery In A Deep Setback Condition

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE

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HPAC | september/october 2011

78 mean slab temperature (ºF)

The classic approach to floor heating is tubing embedded in a concrete slab. This method has been used for over a century. It is one of the most cost-effective forms of radiant panel heating for projects where the slab, and good underslab insulation, are already planned for the building.

One very dominant characteristic of slab heating is high thermal mass (e.g. the ability of the slab to store a large quantity of heat). In some situations this mass is a godsend. One example is a garage structure in which overhead doors are often opened for several minutes in cold weather.

During such times, heat stored in the slab is quickly delivered to the surface to compensate for the rapid increase in heating load. As soon as the doors are closed, comfort is rapidly restored by the “surge” of heat from the floor.

High thermal mass can also be a detriment to intended performance. One example is the inability of a high mass floor slab to quickly reduce its heat output when sudden and signif-

76 74 72 70 low mass (1.5" concrete slab) radiant floor panel

68 66

high mass (6" concrete slab) radiant floor panel

64

2,400 sq. ft. slab on grade

60,000 Btuh heat input

62 60

0

5 10 15 20 elapsed time from first heat input (hours)

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MINUTES VERSUS HOURS The coming generation of low energy use houses, especially those that are designed for significant passive solar heat gain, will require heat emitters that can respond quickly. They need to reach normal operating temperatures quickly when “turned on.” They also need to stop emitting heat quickly when “turned off.” The key to fast response is low thermal mass.

I recently compared the thermal mass of several hydronic heat emitters. To keep it as an apples-to-apples comparison, I sized each of several heat emitter for 1,000 Btuh output while operating with an average water temperature of 110F, and an assumed room air temperature of 70F. The low average water temperature reflects favourable operating conditions for contemporary hydronic heat sources such as condensing boilers, geothermal heat pumps, and solar collectors. Figure 2 shows the results.

This graph shows a huge difference in thermal mass. The low thermal mass panel radiator has less than 0.5 per cent of the thermal mass of the four-inch heated floor slab for equivalent output at the same operating conditions. It achieves this low mass by using a fin-tube element with very little water content. These panels can quickly warm up when necessary, such as recovery from a setback condition. Just as importantly, they can quickly stop heat output when solar energy, or other internal heat gains present themselves. continued on page 30

Figure 2 A comparision of thermal mass for several common hydronic heat emitters, each having the same heat transfer capability.

50 0

low mass panel radiator

100

compact panel radiator

150

radiant ceiling

200

cast iron radiator

250

Thermal mass computed for heat emitter rated at 1,000 Btuh output at average water temperature of 110ºF, and room temperature of 70ºF.

tube&plate floor

300

4" concrete slab

six-inch slab reaches the same nominal 77F average temperature as the 1.5-inch thick slab. However, this nominal 17F rise in average slab temperature is going to take more than 24 hours, even with a constant heat input of 60,000 Btuh. It is like trying to accelerate a loaded freight train using a lawn mower engine.

Another classic situation that illustrates the sluggish response of a heated slab is a house in a cold climate with significant window area facing south or southeast.

During a cold winter night the floor heating system does just what it is supposed to do in keeping the home comfortable. By 6 a.m. the surface temperature of the slab is probably in the lower 80s and there is a lot of heat percolating to the floor surface. However, by 9 a.m. there is abundant sunlight streaming in through windows. The incoming solar radiation is more than capable of meeting the home’s heating load and the thermostat quickly responds to increasing indoor temperature by turning off further heat input to the floor.

Unfortunately, the thermostat cannot stop the heat already stored in the slab from continuing to flow into the room, at least not until the room reaches a temperature somewhere in the mid 80s. The resulting temperature overshoot brings discomfort, frustration, energy waste and complaints. This scenario has probably played out tens of thousands of times over the last several years and it will only worsen as heat loads decrease and houses are designed to capture more solar gains.

The slow response characteristic of a heated concrete slab floor is further exacerbated by sloppy installation techniques that leave the tubing at the bottom of the slab. Such placement greatly increases the amount of concrete that must be warmed in the process of pushing heat to the slab’s surface.

The solution is to lift the tubing and reinforcing wire to approximately half the slabs' depth during installation. Again, I have had heating professionals tell me this is just too much to expect. All I can respond with is: 1. It is proven to be important for proper performance.

2. The wire reinforcing is supposed to be between one third and one half the slab’s depth below the surface for proper structural performance (regardless of whether there is tubing in the slab).

3. Failure to place the mesh properly is – and I am not mincing – a sign of sloppy, lazy, and less than professional work on the part of the masons. It could even be “breach of contract” if the plans and specifications upon which the contract is based delineate proper placement.

september/october 2011 | HPAC

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< h ydronics

continued from page 29

Figure 3a E xternal appearance of micro-fan enhanced low mass panal radiator.

Figure 3a shows an example of a low thermal mass panel radiator. The specific product is the “low H2O” panel from Jaga North America. It uses an internal rack of “microfans” sitting atop a large fin-tube element to enhance convective heat transfer at low water temperatures. The microfans, seen in Figure 3b, only draw about one watt of electrical power each at full speed. Their speed is controlled by a small circuit board and temperature sensor supplied by Jaga. The microfans can boost low temperature convective heat output by up to 250 per cent. These panels can operate at water temperatures down to 95F making them ideal matches for systems using mod/con boilers, solar collectors, or hydronic heat pumps.

The combination of low mass panel radiators supplied by a simple home run distribution system powered by a variable speed pressure-regulated circulator is an ideal approach for the coming generation of low energy use houses. One example of such a system, with optional continued on page 32

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HPAC | september/october 2011

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Photo: Jaga North America

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Mike Miller, Business Development Manager

Simply Controls At Uponor, we believe that our controls offerings provide the most innovative solutions in the industry.

This commitment is reinforced by the people who represent our product. People like Mike Miller, a controls expert who shares his extensive knowledge and experience with our customers. It’s that commitment to customers and innovation that helps to ensure we deliver results that exceed your expectations.

That’s because at Uponor we offer Simply More.

Uponor Climate Cŏntrol Network System

Founding Sponsor

@uponor_miller

www.uponor.ca

< h ydronics

continued from page 30

Figure 4 Simple "green" hydronic system

Figure 3b Internal construction of the micro-fan enhanced low mass panel radiator from Figure 4a.

panel convectors TRV

TRV

TRV

TRV

TRV TRV

collector temperature sensor! (in collector well)

or

ct y ra ar

mod con boiler! with integral circulator

lle

drainback tank! w/ sight glass manifold station

co

slope all piping min.!

1/4" per foot

ar

l so

small diameter !

(3/8", 1/2", 5/8") !

PEX or PEX-AL-PEX

pressure-regulated!

ECM circulator! motorized! mixing valve! w/ outdoor reset!

PRV

DHW

Schematic: Jaga North America

CW

heat input from a solar collector array, is shown in Figure 4. This system provides both space heating and domestic hot water.

This system uses a “tank-in-tank” style thermal accumulator to provide operating stability, hydraulic separation of circulators, and storage for solar heat. A single mod/con boiler provides as needed supplemental heat for both space heating and domestic hot water. The low mass panel radiators are supplied by a homerun distribution system powered by a pressure-regulated variable speed circulator. A wireless thermostatic radiator valve regulates the heat output of each panel. This allows for excellent room-by-room temperature control. The solar

air separator

domestic! hot! water! (inner tank)

thermostatic! tempering! valve! temperature! sensor

VS Solar circulator / controller! (configured for drainback)! thermal accumulator

internal heat exchanger coil

system uses drainback freeze protection meaning there is no antifreeze required.

This system is simple, extremely fast responding, reliable, thermally efficient, hydraulically efficient, and adaptable to renewable energy heat sources. It is one example of a hydronics solution that many green-minded architects and consumers are looking for. <> John Siegenthaler, P.E. is the author of Modern Hydronic Heating. The third edition of this book is now available. Visit www.hydronicpros.com for reference information and software to assist in hydronic system design.

Radiant Heating and Potable Systems HeatWeave® Electric Floor Warming

SubRay® Subfloor Radiant System

Infrared image of a radiant heated home

Learn more at www.wattscanada.ca or call 1-800-268-4045

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HPAC | september/october 2011

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< controls: applications

Diverting Valves In Modern Systems With the growing number of heat pump applications, diverting valves are becoming more and more popular.

Just one type of three-way mixing/diverting valves available today.

BY mike miller

D

iverting valves allow effective and energy efficient change of direction of flow from two different sources to a common load, or, from a common source to two different loads. These valves, in conjunction with modern system control strategies, are suited to many applications, including heat pumps.

Diverting valves typically have three ports available and those are commonly labeled ports A, B and AB. The AB port is the common port, where port A and port B are the ports that flow is being diverted to or from. Depending on the application, the installation direction of the diverting valve will vary and close attention will have to be given to this during the installation.

DIVERTING INSTALLATION

A power one-way, spring return the other way motor often takes a switched 24Vac on or off signal (depending on whether the motor is power open or power closed) to divert the flow through the valveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ports. A floating mixing valve motor would require a 24Vac power open and a 24Vac power signal to close. Other modulating valves may run off a 0-10Vdc signal to divert its flow through the ports.

Besides the control signal used to divert a valve, attention must be given to the time it takes the motor to move from one position to the other before operating additional devices, such as heat source or pumps/circulators. Generally, mixing valve motors (even those with adjustable speeds) have a slower response/throttling time.

Figure 1 Diverting Valve Orientations

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HPAC | september/october 2011

Photo: Uponor Canada

Figure 1 illustrates diverting valve installation options. The examples on top show the valve installed from a common source on AB, diverting the flow to a load on either port A or B. The examples on the bottom show the valve installed from flow coming from a source on either port A or port B to a common load on port AB. Diverting valves are often operated by a motor, which is powered one way, but spring returns the other way. Position change is often very fast (typically under 45 seconds). Having said that, mixing valve motors are used for diverting applications as well; the difference being that the motor operates on a different control signal. hpacmag.com

the mechanical room where the four pipe system leads Now letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look at examples of diverting valve applications. up to those, allowing for cost effective distribution piping The first is an application where there may be one, two, to the actual fan coil, which may or may not be located or even more heat pumps (common source) that provide eiremotely. ther heated water to a heating tank, or cooled water to a Now letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look at a complete system with the diverting cooling tank (two different loads). valves utilized to provide maximum system and energy effiIn Figure 2, two heat pumps are staged and rotated for ciency while keeping the piping as simple as possible. As equal run-time to provide either heat to a heating tank, or shown in Figure 4, this is a rather complex but very powercool to a cooling tank. The supply mounted diverting valve ful system that allows for simultaneous heating and coolpasses flow from the common port AB to port B for the ing at various parts of the building. heating tank, or to port A for the cooling tank. The return The heat pumps are staged and rotated based on equal mounted valve accepts return flow from A, the cooling tank run-time to provide cooling for the cooling storage tank, or or from B the heating tank, with the common port AB returnheating for the heating tank. A backup boiler is utilized to ing the flow to the heat pumps. boost the heating Figure 3 shows the use of the diverting valve in an oppotank if the heat site configuration: two different sources to one common Figure 3 pumps are running load. Here, diverting valves are used to allow the pump to Different Sources for the cooling tank either deliver heated water from the heating storage tank or To One Common and/or the heating cooled water from the cooling tank to a fan coil depending Load tank drops below on heating or cooling requirement. The diverting valves pass continued on page 36 the flow through the common port AB to Figure 2 Common Source To Different Loads the fan coil from the cooling tank on port A, or, from the heating tank on port B. This allows the fan coil with a single coil on a two-pipe system to provide heating or cooling.

Often, the diverting valves are located in Figure 4 Simultaneous Heating and Cooling Application

Zone Control Module

Zone Control Module

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< c ontrols: applications

continued from page 35

required system water temperature for any of the systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heating calls. The backup boiler is also responsible for providing DHW production and optional snow melting, as shown in this example.

One could easily add additional loads such as pools or hot tubs to the boilers responsibilities (if not off the heating storage tank). The rest of this particular system consists of multiple radiant floor heating or radiant floor cooling zones, zoned by manifold loop actuators, as well as a zoned air system utilizing motorized air zone dampers for second stage heating and/or cooling calls. The air system also provides for ventilation, humidification and dehumidification.

Communicating two-wire thermostats with air, slab and humidity sensors in each, communicate to a smart zone control module that operates the various manifold loop actuators for either a radiant floor heating or radiant floor cooling call, but also coordinate air system requirements to the main control panel. This system allows for one manifold location to provide floor cooling, while the other may provide floor heating to accommodate potential differences in requirements in various parts of the building.

NOTE: For those concerned about condensation on cooling panels: Absolute humidity is controlled to inhibit microbial growth (bacteria and mould), for stabilizing hygroscopic materials (wood), and for thermal and respiratory comfort. If you control moisture for these greater priorities, condensation on any surface becomes a moot point.

When running in cooling, the thermostats provide zonebased indoor humidity levels and regulate floor surface dew point temperatures. When a manifold is in cooling mode, the diverting valves switch the flow of cooled water from the cooling storage tank. The other manifold may still receive water from the heating tank if still in heating mode. This system also includes a modulating mixing valve on the cooling loop header, but also one on the heating loop header.

For the cooling side of the system, the cooled water temperature provided for radiant floor cooling is modulated not only based on outdoor reset (coldest water temperature when warmest outside temperature and less cool water continued on page 38

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HPAC | september/october 2011

hpacmag.com

Viega’s Climate Panel® system provides versatility and reliability in radiant heating.

Viega Climate Panels are made of aluminumbacked plywood with specially designed grooves for ViegaPEX™ Barrier tubing. The Viega Climate Panel system can be installed over wood subfloor or concrete and under most types of floor covering. Viega also offers all the controls, manifolds and mixing stations you need to operate the system.

Climate Panel Advantages: • Heats floors quickly compared to thin slab installations • Adds value to a house • Easy to install in walls and ceilings too • Great for night setback and energy savings • For new construction or retrofit applications

www.viega.com | 1-800-976-9819

Viega provides everything you need for a complete radiant heating system.

The global leader in plumbing, heating and pipe joining systems

< c ontrols: Applications

continued from page 36

temperature when milder outside). It is fine-tuned further based on indoor condition (indoor temperature feedback), as well and humidity levels of the highest demand zone.

The slab sensors are used to float the floor surface temperature down to design conditions.

With a manifold running on floor heating, the diverting valves are switched to allow the flow of water coming from the heating tank. Between the heating tank and the radiant floor heating manifold, the mixing valve allows for water temperature control again and is modulated based on outdoor reset (warmest water temperature when coldest outdoor temperature and less warm water temperature when milder outside) and indoor feedback.

In both cases, floor warming or floor cooling, outdoor reset with indoor feedback gains as much of a continuously circulating system as possible, thus operating at the highest system efficiency.

The radiant system serves the base heating and cooling load, with the smaller air system as opposed to being the sole contributor of heating and cooling, providing the second stages, as well as space ventilation and humidification. The smaller fans allow for significant electrical energy

savings. The zone control module communicates air requirements to the main control panel that is responsible for coordination of air zone dampers, fan calls, humidification and ventilation requirements.

A hybrid system of radiant floor heating, radiant floor cooling, air heating and air cooling, as well as ventilation and humidification control are all required ingredients to attain ultimate comfort and highest system efficiency. <> Mike Miller is a system controls specialist with experience in the manufacturing, distribution and contracting sectors of the industry. He can be reached at mike.miller@uponor.com, LinkedIN or @hydronicsmike on twitter.

Looking for controls, valves or boilers?

Check out the 2011-2012 National Buyer's Guide: www.hpacmag.com.

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HPAC | september/october 2011

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< hvac

Mini-split Installation Accessory Checklist

Time is money, therefore the fewer return trips to the wholesaler for forgotten accessories the higher the profits. BY lou laroche

M

ini-split air conditioners are similar to central air conditioning or commercial split systems in that they all have an evaporator and condenser.

However, mini-splits require far different support accessories for efficient, aesthetic and code-compliant installations.

Therefore, contractors should refer to a minisplit checklist

of accessories before leaving the wholesaler. For example, wall sleeves for linesets, condensate pumps for interior wall installations, condensate traps and other items are easily forgotten when picking mini-split installation materials at the wholesaler. Since another trip back to the wholesaler raises job costs, the following checklist of mini-split accessories is a time and money-saver.

q Wall Sleeves for Linesets A wall sleeve and flange fitting provides a clean and smooth passageway that protects the lineset from unnecessary wearand-tear from vibration on jagged internal wall surfaces as it passes through the structure. It also prevents ingress of water, insects and vermin into the wall cavity.

q Condensate Trap ravity drained evaporators should have a special G in-line waterless, freeze-resistant trap installed in the drain line on the outside wall. Without a trap, the drain line acts as a 5/8-inch hole in the system that allows outside air and odours to be drawn in as well as permitting insect ingress.

A sometimes forgotten, but essential part of a mini-split a/c installation drain line is a special in-line waterless, freezeresistant trap installed in the drain line on the outside wall of gravity drained systems. Without a trap, the drain line acts as a 5/8-inch hole in the system that allows outside air and odours to be drawn in as well as permitting insect ingress.

q Drain Hose hose that connects to the drain panâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 5/8-inch drain fitting is A needed for condensate gravity draining. The hose should be kinkresistant to eliminate kinks that can lead to a build-up or clog.

Typically hoses come non-insulated with variations such as UV resistance or smooth bores. Insulated hoses must be used in non-conditioned spaces, such as attics to prevent condensation from developing on the hose surface. Hose clamps are needed to connect the hose.

An easily overlooked technicality is insulated drain hoses, which must be used in non-conditioned spaces, such as attics to prevent condensation from developing on the hose surface. Condensation can eventually lead to mould, mildew and other IAQ problems.

q Couplings & Adaptors A hose coupling and adaptor (typically 5/8-inch hose to 3/4-inch PVC) may be needed to fit the hoses to the installation.

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HPAC | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

hpacmag.com

q Condensate Pump ini-split installations that are mounted on a wall with M no direct access for draining outdoors will need a condensate pump. There are condensate pumps made specifically for mini-splits. They should be chosen based on the type of installation required and serviceability.

Both surface-mounted and concealed pumps are available that fit: underneath the evaporator; in the elbow of the lineset cover where the lineset comes down the wall and enters from the side; in the evaporator drain pan; or remotely in another area. Typically capacities range from 26 feet of head at 24,000-Btuh to 65 feet of head at 60,000-Btuh.

This wall bracket for hanging condensers is a popular style.

Minisplit a/c evaporators positioned on inside walls need a condensate pump to drain away condensate that could overflow and damage interior spaces. Condensate pumps come in a variety of formats, such as this model that is slim enough to be hidden aesthetically under the evaporator coil or in the lineset ducting.

q Support Pad any mounting variations exist for mini-split condensers.

M Pads can be concrete or lighter weight artificial materials. Condensers can also be wall-mounted with brackets, or ground-supported with slab stand or riser footings on a slab to avoid snow accumulations and yard debris. Dualcondenser projects can be streamlined with a duplex floor mount bracket. Roof mountings for upper floor installations and adjustable sloped roof brackets are also available.

q Lineset

q Power and Communication Cable

obody is going to forget the third most obvious part of N a mini-split besides the evaporator and condenser, but it’s important to mention lineset size requirements vary by brand and model. For extra long runs, lineset couplings and an additional lineset might be needed.

o minisplit manufacturers supply a power and comN munication cable to link the evaporator and condenser.

These cables, which are the contractor’s responsibility, can vary by gauge and number of conductors. They must also conform to manufacturers’ specifications and local electrical codes.

q Power Disconnect uilding codes require a separate wall or pedestal-mounted B weatherproof disconnect switch for AC power to the outdoor condenser. A correctly sized condenser whip is needed as well.

q Locking Cap for Schrader

q Lineset Duct Cover

alve locking caps prevent refrigerant theft, leakage, tamV pering and teenage “huffing.” The International Mechanical Code (Section 1101-10) and International Residential Code (Section M1411-6) now mandate tamper-resistant locking caps on all outdoor access ports of new air conditioning installations, including mini-splits. <>

o finish off the lineset portion of the project with an aesthetic T and professional appearance, lineset ducting, fittings and accessories should be included in any mini-split project.

Lou LaRoche is a 30-year veteran of the HVAC/R industry and is currently with RectorSeal.

To finish off the lineset portion of the project with an aesthetic and professional appearance, lineset ducting, fittings and accessories, such as this collection should be included in any mini-split project.

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< plumbing

On The Job

E

very Friday night I lace up the skates and take to the ice for, in the words of Stompin’ Tom, a “good ole hockey game.” In addition to being the best game you can name, it is also a great way to relieve some of the pressures of the week and let off steam. Hockey has become a valued part of my life, providing an oft-needed outlet.

Dealing with excess pressure is an important aspect of life and an integral part of plumbing and heating systems as well. As most readers are aware, pressure relief valves (PRVs) are commonly used to protect systems and components against operating at pressures in excess of what they were designed, tested and rated for.

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HPAC | september/october 2011

PRVs are one of the simplest and most common components in the plumbing and heating business. Without a PRV, the water heater in the basement could easily become a rocket, capable of launching its way through the roof and hundreds of feet into the air. Many of us may remember seeing ancient training videos of this type of explosion in trade school. For those who do not remember, look up the “hot water heater rocket” episode on the cable series Mythbusters (www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bU-I2ZiML0).

You will witness an incredible display of the awesome power of H20 under pressure.

In fact, a 30-gallon water heater potentially has the same force as one pound of dynamite; more than enough to dehpacmag.com

Photo: IstockPhoto

Giving pressure relief valves their due. BY steve goldie

“… a 30-gallon water heater potentially has the same force as one pound of dynamite; more than enough to destroy a house.” stroy a house. The PRV, a simple spring loaded valve, protects us from such catastrophic incidents by opening and releasing water or steam from a system before such dangerous pressures are reached.

I think most people in our industry know and understand why PRVs are necessary, and how they work. They really are very simple and reliable devices. In the early days of hot water tanks and boilers, before PRVs were mandatory or standard practice, accidents and explosions were quite common occurrences, often with deadly consequences.

Today, such accidents are almost unheard of.

Still, it is worth reviewing due to the frequency of errors we see involving the installation and purpose of relief valves. These mistakes do not occur as a result of a lack of knowledge or understanding about them, but rather out of “complacent forgetfulness.” The valves are so common and have been doing their job so well for so long, perhaps we just stop thinking about them and errors that should be obvious go unnoticed.

One of the most common mistakes is improper piping of the discharge line. I often see hot water tanks and boilers with no discharge drain line at all. The tanks are often in overhead installations -– common with smaller tanks serving washrooms in offices. If an unsafe condition occurs and the relief valve does its job and discharges, the potentially scalding steam or hot water could cause serious injury to anyone below or nearby. Aside from the potential for injury, the water damage to the property could be considerable.

Even in a basement boiler room or a mechanical room, it

is important to pipe the discharge properly and safely.

Discharge lines must be piped with no restrictions, no valves and no traps. The pipe size must be the same as the valve outlet pipe size. They must terminate between six and 12 inches off the floor and can terminate above a floor drain, but must not be directly connected to a drain. Any potential discharge must be plainly visible.

Visible discharge brings us to another common mistake.

I would hazard a guess that we sell hundreds of replacement PRVs every year simply because, in the words of the purchaser, “the old one is no good, it leaks.” I have seen installers come back two and three times to return PRVs from the same hot water tank or boiler. We have to remember what the purpose of the valve is in the first place. It is there to “leak” in case of an unsafe condition.

Instead of blaming the valve, have a closer look at what is going on in the system. Chances are the PRV, rather than being faulty or “no good,” is actually doing the job it is there to do. The cause of the leaking is more likely an inadequate or nonexistent expansion tank, or in a boiler system, possibly a malfunctioning makeup water valve. But those are topics for another day and it is time for me to go lace up the skates and work off some steam. <> Steve Goldie worked as a plumbing and heating contractor prior to joining Noble as manager of the heating department. In his current position Goldie focuses on product specification and system design solutions. He can be reached at sgoldie@noble.ca.

This could be your last issue of see pg 100 or Visit www.hpacmag.com to renew your free subscription to HPAC Magazine.

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< HVAC

Duct sealing technology developed by Berkeley Labs offers an option for retrofit applications.

Duct Leakage Under Scrutiny

T

he ductwork in a building can be a black hole for energy – especially an older home. Losses through leaks can be substantial, sometimes running to more than 40 per cent of the heating and cooling bill (for a commercial perspective, see p.48). Indoor air quality (IAQ) also suffers in terms of temperature levels, odour, dust, mould and other contaminants. That is something that is not escaping regulatory bodies.

Properly installed and sealed ductwork could be the best bet for increasing energy efficiency in a typical building.

“The furnaces are really efficient. The insulated walls are really efficient. The windows are really good. Now, you're down to the air-distribution system,” notes John Williams, president of Deflecto Canada, Ltd., St. Catharines, ON. Despite the obvious benefits, duct sealing has not won a lot of attention from the public or from most contractors.

"The contractors who have a real passion for resolving issues have this frustration about correctly sealing the ducts they install,” says Jeff Zimmermann, technical coordinator, 44

HPAC | september/october 2011

Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute (HRAI), Mississauga, ON. There is a cost in time and materials, but the paybacks for duct sealing are well worth it, notes Mark Terzgini, project manager, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA), Chantilly, VA. "The feedback that we have gotten from contractors in general is that it is worthwhile to seal ductwork to (SMACNA) Seal Class A," whether it is required by code or not.

Despite the significant energy paybacks, the contractors we talked to saw little interest from their customers in improving the energy efficiency of their ductwork.

"We don't get into duct sealing very much,” says Charlene Graham, business manager, Bell’s Oil Burner Service, Coldwater, ON. The firm does some duct cleaning, but mainly as remediation work. It is also involved in training other contractors. Again, notes Graham, few contractors have shown much interest in duct cleaning or sealing, despite the potential energy savings for their customers. hpacmag.com

Photo: Aeroseal

Long ignored as a source of energy savings, duct sealing is on the agenda for many regulatory bodies. BY jim barnes

Mickey Redmond, general manager, Barracuda Mechanical, Fletchers Lake, NS, also perceives a lack of interest among customers in the potential energy savings. The company does a very small amount of duct cleaning related to remediation, equipment upgrades and oil-to-gas conversions, he says. "I don't think any of them [customers] are doing it for efficiency.”

Photo: IstockPhoto

REGULATORS TAKE NOTICE Regulatory bodies, most with green agendas and mandates to protect health, are starting to take a different view.

Changes are being considered to the Ontario Building, Code, for example, which emphasize sealing all joints in supply or return air duct in unconditioned space to SMACNA Seal Class A. For conditioned space, Seal Class C is prescribed.

"As a basic building code, I would say that the way this is worded is a pretty good solution,” says Terzgini of the proposals. At the same time, he says, it is important that the language in these sorts of proposals reflect the realities of HVAC technology, to prevent disputes later on.

Among his concerns: • “Ductwork” needs definition…Some people extend the definition beyond the familiar round or rectangular duct to include equipment.

• The proposals may require contractors to seal equipment that is already UL- or ULC-listed as manufactured.

By modifying a product in this way, you may void the listing.

• Penetrations into ductwork may be an issue. Do they mean penetrations into the air stream or any penetration whatsoever into the ducting system (into a flange, for example)? The difference in cost could be significant. As well, certain screws are designed to prevent leakage without being sealed. Would they require redundant sealing?

• Rods are also mentioned. Some rods are control rods for fire dampers and volume dampers, and sealing them conventionally might impede their function. As well, some rods are designed for use with gaskets, making sealing redundant.

• “Conditioned space” needs to be defined. He suggests that any space with a vent entering it be defined as conditioned; everything else is unconditioned. Otherwise, utilize the definitions in ASHRAE 62.1.

• Pressure is not addressed in these proposals. If you are building according to SMACNA standards, the pressure in the duct is also a factor that may require Seal Class A – whether the space is conditioned or not. hpacmag.com

There is a range of approaches to duct sealing, some better than others.

Associations are taking notice. At its annual general meeting last year, HRAI resolved to review and modify requirements for return-air structure duct losses and radiant losses in its residential system design manual. The changes were related to the proposals for changes to the Ontario Building Code, says Zimmermann. As well, a working group under the National Building Code is looking at setting requirements for duct sealing in those regulations.

RESIDENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES Many existing homes offer huge potential for energy savings.

“In buildings built in the 1980s or earlier, duct sealing was kind of a new concept,” says Neal Walsh, vice president, sales and marketing at Aeroseal LLC, East Syracuse, NY. “The losses are about 50 per cent. If you have a fourton heat pump, you're only delivering two tons of cooling into the space.”

These losses are starting to be noticed, and the Canadian energy-efficient home improvement market is expected to grow by 25 per cent by 2014, according to continued on page 46 september/october 2011 | HPAC

45

< H VAC

continued from page45

“…the Canadian energy-efficient home improvement market is expected to grow by 25 per cent by 2014.”

Aeroseal estimates.

The problem with retrofitting duct sealing is that most ductwork is inaccessible. You have to break down drywall and rip out flooring to do this job by hand, notes Walsh. The technology his firm markets, developed and patented by Berkeley Labs in 1994 and first commercialized in 1999, does not require this.

Essentially, it involves blocking the vents and blowing a pressurized “mist” of inert particles through the ducts. The particles don’t stick to the ducts but accumulate on leaks, sealing most of them permanently in two hours or less.

To set up, a contractor needs to buy or lease the equipment, buy supplies and take the training. Dealers get exclusive licences for their areas.

Over the past 15 years, contractors have applied the process to more than 75,000 homes in the US. The average job costs the consumer about $1,500 and provides energy

savings of around $400 per year, according to Walsh.

The product won’t repair bad ducts. If there is mildew or rust, that has to be addressed first. “If it's a functioning duct, then this is an appropriate process,” says Walsh.

TYPES OF DUCTING There are four basic categories of duct, each with its own advantages and issues in terms of function and sealing, notes Williams.

• Standard metal duct, the most widely-used.

• Flexible duct, often used in the US. While it is easy to make elbows with this insulated or non-insulted flexible plastic polyester, the internal coefficient of friction is higher.

• Semi-rigid duct: made from aluminum and other materials, it has a smooth internal surface and can be bent or formed to make elbows without joints • Ductboard: highly insulated, it can be assembled into any shape required.

There is a range of approaches to sealing. "Most of the contractors around here just use duct tape, which falls off after a while," says Williams.

Some jurisdictions require a ULapproved tape and clamp. In others, a mastic or caulking is used.

There are other approaches. One is a durable, peel-and-stick product, he says. Another is a sealant in the joint itself that stays pliable until you seal it.

The heat from the furnace cures it after installation.

Pre-sealed systems are also available, such as a flexible pipe wrapped in insulation, with a vapour-barrier sleeve on the outside to protect it.

Comparable sleeves also can be pulled over standard metal pipe or duct and closed at both ends to make it airtight, says Williams. "It's like a sock... you pull it over the duct."

Conventional attitudes toward ductwork may soon become dated. "The continued on page 48

46

HPAC | september/october 2011

hpacmag.com

With a Sprinter you’ll save up to $6,400 over 5 years. That’s a lot of lumber.

Sure, you’d expect a Mercedes-Benz to be an expensive acquisition. But the truth is with its amazing fuel efficiency – via our BlueTEC diesel engine – and 15,000 kilometer maintenance intervals, the 2011 Sprinter will cost you less to own over 5 years compared to the competition. In fact, up to $6,4001 less – which is money better spent on your business. How’s that for a Mercedes?

The 2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Starting from $42,900.* mercedes-benz.ca/sprintersaves ©2011 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. *Base national MSRP $42,900, all-in pricing up to $46,516.25 dependent on region. National MSRP pricing is shown for informational purposes only. Price does not include taxes, levies, fees and delivery charges. Price does not apply in provinces with total pricing requirements. Please contact your local dealership directly for total price applicable in those provinces.

Price subject to change. Dealer may sell for less. 1Based on analysis of Canadian market for 2500 and 3500 series vans performed in March 2011 by Vincentric LLC. $6,400 savings claim based on comparison of 2011 GMC Savana Cargo 2500 and 2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 144" WB. Average savings across all models analyzed is $6,900. Visit mercedes-benz.ca/sprintersaves for more details.

hpacmag.com

september/october 2011 | HPAC

47

< H VAC

continued from page 46

traditional approach was that air leakage went into the heated space, so it was not a loss,” says Williams. “Now, with air delivery requirements throughout a building, it matters.”

Design and construction remain the keys to avoiding duct leakage. A bad design, with a lot of elbows and joints or im-

properly sized duct, is going to cost the owner later on. “If somebody slams the ductwork together and it is not straight, you know it is going to leak,” says Williams. <> Jim Barnes is a Toronto-based writer with 30 years of experience in business journalism.

annual Energy Consumption – A Commercial Perspective A typical response to unanticipated ductwork air leakage has: 1. Increased design airflows which increases the initial construction costs for equipment and ductwork, 2. Increased fan energy, 3. Increased energy for heating, cooling, and dehumidifying the air stream, 4. Increased difficulty in air balancing the system airflows, 5. Impacts on the indoor air quality (IAQ), and most importantly 6. Compromised occupant comfort.

Computer simulations previously reported through PIER1 and confirmed by actual field measurements found the impact of air duct leakage on the total energy used to condition the occupied space: 1. “…the increase in total annual HVAC site energy is 2% – 14%” and 2. “…includes supply and return fan electricity consumption, chiller and cooling tower electricity consumption, boiler electricity consumption, and boiler natural gas consumption.”

For a less complex constant volume system, the annual increase in energy consumption for the supply fan alone (see below) ranges from four per cent for a leakage class 6 system to 101 per cent for a leakage class 48. Leakage class 3 is the tightest leakage class currently recognized by SMACNA and ASHRAE. A Leakage Class 48 is what one may expect with unsealed rectangular ductwork and is the highest recognized leakage class. This table represents what would be expected in an actual operating system based upon: changes in the system delivered cfm (CFM2) due to air leakage; revised system total static pressure (TSP2) as calculated using established fan laws; and the actual required fan brake horsepower (BHP2) using the published fan performance data from a nationally recognized fan manufacturer.

Increase In Energy Consumption

Leakage CFM CFM2 ISP2 ESP2 TSP2 BHP2 Total Dollars Class Leakage (iwg) (iwg) (iwg) (iwg) per year

% Increase from class 3 per year

3

143

20,190

2.04

2.04

4.08

16.7

$8,465

0%

6

291

20,482

2.1

2.1

4.19

17.4

$8,820

4%

12

605

21,087

2.22

2.22

4.45

19.03

$9,646

14%

24

1,309

22,395

2.51

2.51

5.02

22.79

$11,552

36%

48

3,098

25,493

3.25

3.25

6.5

33.6

$17,031

101%

Assumptions: 20,000 design cfm 2.00 iwg ISP1 (internal static pressure loss: air handler cabinet, filters, heating coil, and cooling coil) 2.00 iwg ESP1 (external static pressure or friction losses in ductwork) 4.00 iwg TSP1 (total static pressure or TSP=ISP+ESP) 3,000 ft2 exposed ductwork Greenheck 44-AFSW-21 fan and Greenheck's CAPS program (ver 2.6.2.1) 90% motor efficiency, 70% run time, $0.10 per KWh, PF=1.0 From: The Impact of Duct Leakage White Paper—Lindab.

48

HPAC | september/october 2011

hpacmag.com

PolyPro ®

VENTING FOR CONDENSING GAS/OIL APPLIANCES

An environmentally safe and performance enhanced alternative to PVC or CPVC, PolyPro is an engineered venting system made of 100% recyclable polypropylene. Designed for use with high efficiency gas furnaces, condensing boilers, and instantaneous hot water heaters.

Choose from double-wall flex, rigid single-wall pipe or concentric vent options.

No messy solvents or glues. No ugly terminations. PolyPro’s terminations are engineered to work in cold, harsh climates without freezing up. Gasketed connections meet with a precise, tight seal. Can be cut to the desired length needed. PolyPro has successfully vented appliances in Europe for over 15 years. Listed to ULC-S636.

Find out more at www. duravent.com

Twin Pipe Horizontal Termination

Single Horizontal Termination

Poly Pro® Twin Pipe Horizontal Termination below grade installation

Horizontal Concentric Termination M&G DuraVent is a member of the M&G Group. © Copyright 2011 800-835-4429 www.duravent.com

PRODUCTS hydronics

REHAU offers the LoopCAD PRO 2011 and LoopCAD 2011 non-graphical design software. The software has been engineered in partnership with Avenir Software Inc. for designing REHAU’s heating and snow and ice melting systems. It provides an interface to facilitate radiant outputs and calculations for crosslinked polyethylene (PEXa) based systems in a variety of applications. The software automatically generates circuit layouts and roomby-room heat loss calculations. It also creates a detailed material list and Column style Décor radiators from Myson are available in eight to

project quotation, including all products required for each individual design.

21 tubes (12" to 33" wide) and are 79" high. They are constructed

www.na.rehau.com/loopcad

of steel with white epoxy polyester powder coating and offers ranges from 7,110 to 18,663 Btuh.

The GeoStar Aston Single Hydronic units,

www.mysoninc.com

available in 1.5 - to six-ton capacities, combine hydronic heating and cooling with the GeoStar Aston Series. Designed to provide hot water for radiant floor heating, domestic hot water, pool heating and snow and ice melt, the units are also capable of providing chilled water for cooling applications. They feature a microprocessor that controls the load pump, source pump and compressor pump. A controller enables the user to view all modes of operation and adjust temperatures.

All units use R410A refrigerant and feature ThermaShield foam insulation. www.geostar-geo.com www.waterfurnace.com

Synex Controls has released inSite for the ModSync tool. It provides a private portal for remote web-based access to a facility’s boiler room controls. Used in conjunction with the Synex ModSync sequencing system, the interface provides realWeil-McLain announces the launch of the GV90+ cast iron gas boiler

time boiler system status using

and Aqua Plus indirect-fired tank. Offering up to 92 per cent AFUE

any web browser, including

and featuring a cast iron primary heat exchanger and seven-pass

a web-enabled cell phone.

heat exchanger design, the GV90+ is designed to maximize per-

The system responds to

formance and heat transfer. Aqua Plus features corrosion-resistant

outdoor temperature read-

tig and plasma welded 316L stainless steel, large diameter heat

ings and adjusts the loop

exchanger and two inches of dense foam.

setpoint accordingly.

www.weil-mclain.ca

www.synexcontrols.com continued on page 55

50

HPAC | september/october 2011

hpacmag.com

Why Not Use the Best?

Good

There’s no better way of joining pipe and fittings than physically turning them into one piece.

Plastic

A fused connection: • Is identical all the way through • Doesn’t use glues, gaskets, or solders • Is unbreakable and leak-proof • Is fast, easy, and simple Most heat fusion connections can be done perfectly in less than two minutes. Aquatherm agents provide hands-on training for all firsttime installers, making the transition as easy as possible. The jobsite is also safer since there are no dangerous chemicals or open flame.

Better

And on top of all that, certified installers can offer an unmatched 10-year multi-million dollar warranty covering product liability, personal injury, property damage, and even incidentals.

MEtal

Switch to Aquatherm and get faster, safer, and more profitable connections. After all, shouldn’t you be using the best?

Turn the page to see how others have used the world’s best pressure piping option to boost their bottom line.

www.aquathermpipe.com www.aquathermpipe.com

Best

POlYPROPYlENE

www.emcoltd.com/webmap/ drafts/finalmap.php

Goal! Aquatherm Scores at New WHL Arena

M

osaic Place is a multi-purpose arena in Moose Jaw, SK, and home to the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League. The multi-use facility features 4,500 seats, a curling facility, and other amenities.

Operated by the Mosaic Company and designed with LEED silver certification in mind, it is a worldclass facility.

Its piping system is also world-class: Aquatherm’s polypropylenerandom (PP-R) pressure pipe was used throughout for domestic water and HVAC distribution.

GML Mechanical Ltd., located in Delta, BC, partnered with Ventana Construction Corp. as the design-build plumbing and mechanical contractor, with Sterling Cooper & Associates serving as the mechanical engineer.

While steel and copper were considered, “The benefits of the Aquatherm system were superior. It was easier to work with since it is lighter than steel or ductile iron,” said GML Project Manager Hermann Koechl.

R.N.G. Marketing Inc. in Regina provided local assistance for GML and worked extensively with government and labour officials to ensure that everyone was onboard. EMCO Corporation’s Richmond, BC office supplied the bulk of the Aquatherm product, which was direct-shipped from Germany, with the EMCO Regina branch supplementing it.

Approximately 6,000m of Aquatherm Climatherm® and Greenpipe® ranging from 20mm to 250mm was installed. “We met the challenging completion date, and the use of Aquatherm helped to keep the tight deadlines with the available manpower on hand,” Koechl concluded. And the labour and material savings, combined with stable prices didn’t hurt either.

Copperwood Cond from Copper Alter

T

he Copperwood Condomini over a three-year period be copper prices were increasin contractor, Tosco Mechanical, sou for the domestic water and hot w With 235 units in two condo buildings and thousands of metres of pipe, Tosco wanted to save the owner money while providing a lasting option. Tosco President Frank Scobie had notice Corporation’s Calgary office. “I saw what I saw.”

The materials were ordered via the Aquatherm training session, a welding tools were purchased. On learning curve, the installation of mm went quickly and smoothly.

“The system has held up very w problems,” Scobie added.

In subsequent years, Tosco used the Calgary area for potable wate all with good results. “On labour i

do Benefits rnative

ium complex in Calgary was built eginning in 2005. At the time, ng rapidly and the mechanical ught an alternative piping option water heating systems.

ed Aquatherm pipe at the EMCO w it, did some research, and liked

EMCO, Tosco installers completed and the necessary heat fusion nce the installers got past the initial pipe ranging from 20 mm to 125

well and there have been no

d Aquatherm on commercial jobs in er and heating system applications, it was about even with steel and copper, but longterm there is no maintenance.

We always factor into cost leakage or failed soldered joints where you’ve got to fix it, but we didn’t have that here.”

Greenpipe® Excels at Olympic Village Housing Project

T

he Vancouver Olympics are now only a memory, as is the massive construction activity that preceded them. However, at the Millennium Water South East False Creek Olympic Village housing project, the domestic water piping systems in parcels 3 and 6 parcels were designed to last a lifetime.

Aquatherm Greenpipe® systems were installed in those 300 residential units. Jeda Mechanical served as the mechanical contractor, and the company’s Owner/Manager, Jim Myers, introduced Aquatherm to the design team after being introduced to it by the local EMCO office.

“It has so many good characteristics. It will last the lifetime of a building. It is much lighter than metals, and isn’t going to get stolen like copper. Its flow rates are far better, and it has a natural insulation value,” he said.

“Around here, the corrosiveness of the water tends to eat up copper piping within 15 years. When I told the owner that it would last the life of the building he was sold. The system as a whole provided a lot of labour and material savings. We didn’t have to have any solder, flux, acetylene, or torches. We were able to downsize the pipe since Aquatherm’s flow rate is so much better than copper or ductile iron, and it’s also lighter and easier to use,” Myers said.

“Any time you can use a piping system that’s going to last a lifetime and provide the customer with a far superior product, you want to do it.

That system will not need to be re-piped for 75-100 years.

Those are the only parcels like that and the others will need to be re-done in 15 years or so.”

Aquatherm’s heat fusion is quick, simple and long-lasting.

That’s why it’s the fastest growing pipe system in North America.

1

2

3

Once fused, the Aquatherm joints become as strong as the pipe itself.

When heated, the polypropylene-random (PP-R) chains are able to bond perfectly to each other. As they cool, the connection between the pipe and fitting becomes unbreakable and leak-proof.

Use the best piping system in the world.

Call or stop into your local EMCO office to see for yourself today!

www.aquathermpipe.com 403.809.8707

www.emcoltd.com/webmap/ drafts/finalmap.php 780.452.3626

PRODUCTS hydronics

continued from page 50

The EcoFlex 90+ modulating fan-powered economizer system from ENERVEX Inc. may Saniflo Canada has introduced Sanicondens, a

be installed as a new installation or retrofit,

small pumping unit that removes condensate

single or multiple appliances, modulating or

from a variety of applications. It was specifical-

on-off boilers, condensing or non-condensing

ly designed for disposing of acidic condensate

boilers. For applications where a by-pass is

from condensing boilers, but can also be used

required, the chimney flue can be split into

for HVAC systems and water heater systems.

two separate vertical sections as shown. The

The Vantage boiler, from Fulton is a high effi-

This pump allows condensation to be lifted ver-

control will use the dampers to direct the

ciency condensing hydronic boiler, which can

tically from a boiler or high efficiency furnace

flow in the right direction based on whether

use B100 biodiesel and ultra-low sulfur (un-

through a small bore pipe to a nearby drain.

by-pass is necessary or not.

der 15 ppm) heating oils for full condensing

www.saniflo.ca

www.enervex.com

operation. It is commercially available up to 4,000,000 Btuh and is capable of configura-

The full colour, 744-page edition by John Siegenthaler

tions for liquid fuel, natural gas, or dual fuel

includes the latest information on solar thermal systems,

operation. For boiler installations that do not

geothermal heat pumps, variable speed pumping, hydraulic

yet have biodiesel or ultra-low sulfur heating oil

separation, thermal accumulators, web-enabled controls,

available, boiler controls can allow the boiler to

Btu metering and system balancing. From simple applica-

be fired short-term with conventional #2 heat-

tions to multi-load/multi-temperature systems, learn how

ing oil in non-condensing mode.

to use the newest and most appropriate hydronic heating

www.fulton.com

methods and hardware to create systems that deliver the ultimate in heating comfort, reliability and energy efficiency.

Engineering-level design information is transformed into practical tools that can be used by technical students and heating professional alike. www.hydronicpros.com/whatsnew/ The Radiant Ready 30E from Uponor is a complete radiant mechanical room designed in a compact, preassembled panel. The installer hangs the panel on a wall and connects the tubing, thermostat and electrical

HBX Control Systemsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; microprocessor based

power. The Radiant Ready 30E includes a 30,000 Btuh

thermostats are available in both program-

electric boiler, an engineered plastic (EP) heating mani-

mable and non-programmable options. The

fold, a pump, expansion tank, pressure-relief valve, iso-

non-programmable THM-0100 can also func-

lation valves, thermostat and air vent. It is designed

tion as a single setpoint control, while the

to cover up to 2,000 square ft. of radiant floor heating

programmable THM-0200 can also function as

(based on 15 Btuh/sq. ft.) and 4,000 square ft. of radi-

a single boiler reset control. Features include

ant floor warming (based on 7.5 Btuh/sq. ft.). It comes

backlit visual graphic display, push button key-

standard with a five-loop manifold, which can be cus-

pad control, external sensor and integrated two

tomized to add additional loops if necessary.

amp dry contacts.

www.uponor.ca

www.hbxcontrols.com continued on page 56

hpacmag.com

september/october 2011 | HPAC

55

PRODUCTS hydronics continued from page 55 The tekmarNet Touchscreen Thermostat 552 from tekmar Control Systems is a programmable seven-day thermostat with touch screen technology that allows the user to adjust schedules, settings and room temperatures. Two sensor options measure indoor, floor or outdoor temperatures. Precise floor temperature control is available for radiant floor heating applications. www.tekmarcontrols.com

HeatLink Group Inc. announces the addition of several new panels in its Mechanical Room in a Box series. By placing the most common Jaga Climate Systems has introduced the Briza,

components of a radiant hydronic installation on a plug-in panel with

a slim fan coil radiator. It is available in two- and

an appliance-like cover, panels have simplified the installation process

four-pipe configurations in a range of colours.

and added a level of standardization. The TMP series is available

Measuring 5.75â&#x20AC;? deep, it uses low temp H20,

with four-zone capability, the HEP series has a more compact heat

and can be mounted horizontally on a ceiling or

exchanger version for smaller applications and the CDP series has

vertically on a wall. It can be connected to low-

been expanded to include outdoor reset and a higher output for the

temperature systems such as heat pumps, solar

RFH circuit.

energy systems and condensing boilers.

www.heatlink.ca

www.jaga-canada.com

The wall-mounted, condensing Mascot II

Tacoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1900 VFD close-coupled, in-line pumps

boiler by Laars has a built-in condensate trap

with integrated variable frequency drives are de-

and auto air-elimination vent. It is a low NOx,

signed to enhance pump and building efficiency.

sealed-combustion, fully-modulating system

The single- or three-phase 1900 VFD line offers

and is available as a 125 MBH input boiler or

five models ranging in size from 1-1/2"x1-1/2" to

A light commercial hydronic system feeder by

combination boiler and water heater. The gas

2"x 2" with a flow range of 10 to 250 GPM, and

HG Spec supplies pressurized water or a

valve is accessible directly behind the front

head capability to 160 ft. Rear, pull-out design al-

water/glycol mixture to a closed-loop space

lower panel that rotates down via a hinged

lows servicing of the pump without disturbing the

heating, chilled water, snowmelt, radiant heating

connection. While the lower panel is open,

piping. They are self-supported by system piping

or process control system, to ensure that mini-

the center console that houses the control

and can be mounted horizontally or vertically. All

mum system pressure levels are maintained. It is

display remains closed and fully visible.

1900 Series pumps come standard with ceramic

available in 50- and 200-gallon models.

www.laars.com

seals. www.taco-hvac.com

www.hgspec.com

56

HPAC | september/october 2011

hpacmag.com

Logic controller: dedicated to HVAC and R machines – 23 up to 120 I/O. Save up to 30 percent on the energy consumption of your HVAC and R machines.

Specifically designed for HVAC and R applications, Modicon™ M168 logic controllers provide optimum control of HVAC and R machines, improving their performance by increasing their energy efficiency.

This simple to use offer is based on two types of logic controllers: parametric controllers, which are preprogrammed and ready to use, and programmable controllers for customised control solutions.

Communication modules (BACnet IP/WEB, BACnet MS/TP, Modbus™ TCP/WEB, LONWorks, and KNX) make it easy to integrate them in your building management systems.

SoHVAC, programming software specifically designed for HVAC and R machines.

• Simple HVAC control solutions are based on two types of Modicon M168 logic controllers for a closer match to your requirements.

• Competitive, innovative solutions for your HVAC amp; R machines.

• Optimize the costs and design of your HVAC amp; R machines.

• Improve performance while reducing the energy consumption.

Make the most of your energy

Download the FREE White Paper, “Energy savings in commercial refrigeration equipment.”

Visit SEReply.com Key Code h552v © 2011 Schneider Electric. All Rights Reserved. Schneider Electric, Modicon, Modbus, and Make the most of your energy are trademarks owned by Schneider Electric Industries SAS or its affiliated companies. 998-4999_CA-EN

SM

Plumbing Product

Showcase

The freestanding Savoy from MTI Whirlpools is a slipper tub featuring a raised backrest. It is made of a poured mixture of organic minerals and binding agents that looks and feels like natural stone. The backrest is contoured vertically, horizontally and diagonally. The Savoy measures 66"x34.325"x31.5". It is available in white or biscuit matte finish or in gloss finishes of white, biscuit, osprey or raven. When specified with a pedestal base, it can be equipped as an air bath. www.mtiwhirlpools.com

The standard setting of the operating lever of a single-lever faucet is straight ahead; that is, in the “six o’clock” position. With some faucets, lifting the lever brings a mix of hot and cold water. On the KWC AVA single-lever basin faucet with COOLFIX technology, the six o'clock middle position has been designed "full cold," so that no hot water is delivered in this setting. The only way to draw warm water is to rotate the lever clockwise and away from the middle position. The KWC AVA basin faucet also incorporates the Neoperl Caché aerator, which reduces water flow to 1.5 GPM. www.nortesco.com

The Governor 80M2 Toilet Fill Valve from Watts employs a leak sensor that detects a leaking toilet flapper and prevents the tank from continuously refilling. It includes an adjustable flow control device to ensure the tank will only fill to the

The Fold-Down Shower Seat from Moen Home

appropriate level. The built-in

Care folds down into a secure wall-mount show-

surge release protects plumb-

er seat and folds up into a thin, compact pro-

ing from pressure surges due

file. It is constructed with an aluminum frame

to thermal expansion.

and water-resistant teak wood with a 20" by 15"

www.watts.com

seating surface that supports up to 400 lbs. www.moen.ca

58

HPAC | september/october 2011

continued on page 60 hpacmag.com

11:38 AM CONFERENCE ROOM

2:45 PM CORNER OFFICE

1,417mm max cargo height

centre console with file and laptop storage*

9:02 AM POWER PLANT

3:12 PM DESK

powerful and efficient 5.6L V8 and 4.0L V6 engine options

fold-down passenger seatback with optional 120V power

7:15 AM EXECUTIVE CHAIR

4:45 PM STORAGE CLOSET

wear-resistant and water-repellent seats

up to 6,629L of cargo space

The All-New 2012 NV Lineup INNOVATION THAT WORKS

Your business card may say contractor, plumber, landscaper or electrician, but we know that’s only half of the story. You’re also the accountant, customer service department and CEO. And that’s why the Nissan NV is so much more than a van.

With a built-in filing cabinet,* and expanded desktop surface,* it’s your entire office on wheels – perfect for all your jobs.

You’ll have a hard time finding any other van than can do the same.

Starting from $30,998 For more information, visit ncv.nissan.ca *Available features. MSRP for 2012 NV 1500 (X41A72 AA00) is $30,998. Freight and PDE charges ($1,630), license, registration, insurance, duties and applicable taxes (including excise tax, fuel conservation tax, tire recycling tax and duties on new tires, where applicable) are extra. All prices are subject to change without notice. TMThe Nissan Commercial Vehicles names, logos, product names, feature names, and slogans are trademark owned by or licensed to Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., and/or its North American subsidiaries.

Plumbing PRODUCT showcase continued from page 58 The Lahara and Addison styled Delta lavatory faucets are now

Therm-Omega-Tech has released

available with Touch2O Technology, similar to the technology on

a drain tempering valve with twice

the brand’s kitchen faucets, or Touch2O.xt Technology. Touch2O.xt

the flow capacity of its original

Technology is an adaptation of Touch2O Technology in the kitchen,

DTV valve. It can be used in ap-

and Proximity Sensing Technology in commercial bathroom appli-

plications where a high volume

cations. The blend of the two enables the user to turn the water on

of effluent must be tempered.

by approaching the faucet’s sensing field or by tapping the faucet

It is open only when the effluent

anywhere on the spout or handle.

exceeds the specified setpoint

www.deltafaucet.ca

temperature and conserves water by automatically turning off cold

PLUMBING

MECHANICAL

HVAC

ELECTRICAL

water when not needed. www.thermomegatech.com

Blanco Canada has introduced Truffle, a granite sink colour. A neutral taupe that is available for most of the company’s sink models in its Silgranit range of kitchen sinks, it is one of six natural colours offered for the sinks in Canada. Made of 80 per cent natural granite, the sinks are scratch-proof and heatand stain-resistant. www.blancocanada.com

RIDGID’s SeeSnake nanoReel N855S industrial inspection camera system is designed

Supplying the Building Industry since 1989.

MARFAB is a leading manufacturer of custom, made-to-order metal products for the construction industry. We also offer a wide range of standard products for plumbing, mechanical and electrical installations. To find out more, call or visit our website today.

Tel: (905) 660-3460 60

HPAC | september/october 2011

www.marfabmetal.com

for use in ultra-small diameter lines ranging from 3/4" to 2”, and has the ability to make tight turns for specialized applications. Users are able to push cable distances of up to 85 ft. and weighs 9 1/2 lbs. The internal drum cartridge can be removed from the housing assembly and can be exchanged with optional interchangeable drums to allow the system to fit specific applications. www.ridgid.com continued on page 62 hpacmag.com

Beauty meets

Beast

Patents Pending

The bold new macerating toilet with RazorCutTM technology.

Making impossible bathrooms possible.

800.543.2550 libertypumps.com Copyright Š Liberty Pumps, Inc. 2011 All rights reserved.

hpacmag.com

september/october 2011 | HPAC

1.28 GPF

61

Plumbing PRODUCT showcase continued from page 60

ThermaSol's Serenity Light & Music System is now Bluetooth-equipped. Users can enter Cash Acme’s MultiFLEX, part of the Heatguard

their bathroom with any Bluetooth-enabled

The Clean Check valve from RectorSeal Corpo-

Thermostatic Mixing Valve line, achieves a mix

devices, and start streaming music. Users

ration has a replaceable 75 psi-rated flapper

of hot and cold water to safeguard against

can wirelessly control the audio in their steam

at 100 ft. of head to prevent sewage backups

scalding, prevent bacteria, and increase hot

shower from anywhere in the bathroom. The

resulting from plugged or flooded municipal

water system capacity. It delivers water at a

system includes an all-in-one, high intensity full

sewer system lines. The extendable valves con-

safe temperature while allowing the heater to

spectrum LED light system, as well as a high-

sist of a tee-shaped valve body and a top and

be set at 140F to satisfy hot water demands.

performance speaker set. The system features

bottom collar. In the event of backpressure,

MultiFLEX combines a Heatguard thermostatic

a built-in FM receiver and an additional input

the flapper blocks the reverse flow preventing

valve, a flexible connector and a water heater

source for Bluetooth-enabled MP3 players, tele-

sewage from entering into the structure. Clean

tee in one package. It is available in 3/4"

visions, cable tuners, stereo receivers and DVD

Check valves are available in ABS, PVC and in

MNPT x 3/4” FNPT.

players.

multiple sizes.

www.cashacme.com

www.thermasol.com

www.esgallagher.com continued on page 64

Join The Green Scene

New WatcoFlex Bath Waste ...installs faster/easier TM

Special patent pending PVC flexible tubing. Eliminates four field joints.

Innovator overflow parts assemble by hand. No screws. Approved by IAPMO. It’s green. You’ll get used to seeing it.

Just ask your wholesaler

WATCO MANUFACTURING COMPANY

1220 South Powell Road, Independence, MO 64057-2724 Phone 816-796-3900 • FAX 816-796-0875 A Division of WCM Industries, Inc.

62

HPAC | september/october 2011

hpacmag.com

NEW HIGHER PERFORMANCE 4/10 hp 9SN 1/2 hp 10SN 75 gpm @ 10 ft 95 gpm @ 10 ft 20 ft shut-off 25 ft shut-off

ENERGY EFFICIENT Lower amp draw and power consumption.

EPOXY COATED Little Giant products have provided the industry with durable epoxy coated cast iron motor housings for more than 40 years.

PSC MOTOR Permanent Split Capacitor (PSC) motor built for continuous duty and runs cooler for longer life.

(10SN model shown.)

The new Little Giant 9SN and 10SN effluent/sewage pumps are backed by a proven brand and trusted by professionals.

For more information on Little Giant products, contact your local plumbing distributor.

Follow us.

www.franklin-electric.com/lg

Plumbing PRODUCT showcase continued from page 62 Leonard Valve Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Building Management System Interface (BMSI) allows real-time temperature monitoring of water temperature mixing valves and communication to facility building management systems. Through the use of a point-of-use connection with integrated building management software, BMSI gives real-time temperature readings in order to monitor tempered water to the domestic hot water system. The water temperature system can be integrated with existing installations or new designs. It verifies accurate temperature readings with a modbus TCP/IP protocol. The temperature is displayed on the digital read-out and can be monitored remotely

Franklin Electric has introduced Little Giant

using the CAT-5E Ethernet connection.

9SN and 10SN sewage pumps. This series

www.leonardvalve.com

features permanent split capacitor (PSC) motors. Built on the 9S platform, the 4/10 hp

Tacoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest addition to its 00 family of circulators includes a line of

9SN series consumes 8.5 amps while produc-

variable speed 00 solar pumps designed to match solar collector out-

ing 110 GPM at five feet of head and reaching

put, a feature that is designed to increase solar system performance

a maximum shut-off of 20 ft. With a rating of

by 20 per cent. Circulators with integral solar control include the

9.5 amps, the 10SN expands the series as

009 solar drain-back circulator and several cast iron and non-ferrous

a 1/2 hp motor option. Producing 120 GPM

pump sizes with integrated controls for jobs of all types and sizes.

at five feet of head and maximum shut-off of

Wiring for power and sensors is done directly to the circulator, while the LED status panel makes it

25 ft, the 10SN features a cast iron motor

easy to check function. The pumps continually adjust speed to reduce short-cycling.

housing, cover and volute.

www.taco-hvac.com

www.franklin-electric.com

64

HPAC | september/october 2011

hpacmag.com

Think of it as a 50-storey hose.

Get a convenient and reliable rooftop water source when you specify the Woodford RHY2-MS roof hydrant.

Engineered for quality and durability, the Woodford RHY2-MS is perfect for washing down cooling towers, cleaning condenser coils or providing water for window washers and other types of roof equipment.

The hydrant support allows for installation flexibility, while its unique mounting system secures above and below the roof deck, providing exceptional strength and security. It also comes with a 2-degree shim for pitch adjustment. Featuring ASSE 1052 backflow prevention and Woodfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s freezeless technology, the RHY2-MS makes getting water on the roof easier than ever before.

The choice of professionals.

For more information, visit WoodfordMfg.com.

hpacmag.com

september/october 2011 | HPAC

65

< hvac/r

About Heat Pumps Serendipity and the workings of a popular heating and cooling option. BY dave demma

heat/hēt/ A heat pump is nothing more than an air conditioning system that is configured with the evaporator outdoors and the condenser indoors. The same basic refrigeration cycle employed in a standard air conditioning system is also employed in a heat pump. Low pressure superheated refrigerant vapour flows from the evaporator into the compressor, where it is compressed into a high-pressure vapour.

The compression process adds heat to the refrigerant vapour, resulting in a high temperature high pressure vapour. The superheated refrigerant vapour leaving the compressor flows into the condenser, which is located in the conditioned space. Condensation of the refrigerant occurs by blowing the cool air from the conditioned space across the condenser. The heat rejected from the condenser is then used to raise the temperature in the conditioned space.

Completing the cycle, the liquid refrigerant flows from the outlet of the condenser to the expansion device, resulting in a reduction in pressure and saturation temperature. The low66

HPAC | September/october 2011

temperature, low-pressure refrigerant flows into the evaporator, which is located outside. Heat is transferred to the refrigerant by blowing the relatively warm (in comparison to the refrigerant temperature) outdoor ambient air across the evaporator, vaporizing the liquid refrigerant.

pump/pəmp/ We normally think of an air conditioning system being used to lower the temperature of a conditioned space. In the case of the heat pump, we are cooling a space in which we could care less about the conditions. The heat removed from that space, plus the mechanical heat developed during the compression process, is “rejected” to the conditioned space, resulting in an increase in its temperature, or heating that space if you prefer.

Now, it would not make sense to have an air conditioning unit solely dedicated for heating purposes. What differentiates an air conditioning unit from a heat pump is the addition of components that allow the flow of refrigerant to “reverse” as needed, depending on the temperature in the conditioned space. For comfort cooling, the indoor coil is utilized as an evaporator while the outdoor coil is utilized as a condenser.

Figure 1 Four-Way Reversing Valve

Photo: Ranco

T

he invention of the heat pump can be credited to American inventor Robert C. Webber and it was quite by accident that the concept for the heat pump was discovered. In the late 1940s Webber was experimenting with his deep freezer and, get this, he accidentally touched the “outlet pipes of the cooling system” (the discharge line) and burned his hand.

He then decided that some minor modifications were in order for the old deep freezer unit. He connected the discharge line from the compressor to his hot water heater, and hooked up the outlet of the water heater to a piping loop. A small fan was used to transfer the heat from the hot water to the air and voila – the heat pump was born.

According to Lord Kelvin’s Second Law of Thermodynamics, heat will always travel from a warmer area to a colder area.

Webber saw this as “pumping” heat from a warmer area to a colder area, hence the term “heat pump.”

hpacmag.com

serendipity\ˌser-ən-ˈdi-pə-tē\ Figure 3 Reversing Valve In Heating Mode

Figure 4 Reversible Liquid Filter-Drier

Image: Sporlan Valve

Figure 2 Reversing Valve In Cooling Mode

Reversing the refrigerant flow allows the indoor coil to be utilized as the condenser, with the outdoor coil then being used as the evaporator. Reversing the refrigerant flow is accomplished with a four-way reversing valve (see Figure 1).

The reversing valve is located in the discharge line between the compressor outlet and the condenser inlet. A solenoid coil (not shown), when energized, allows the valve to “shift” from one position to another. In the de-energized mode the refrigerant flows from the compressor discharge port to the inlet of the outdoor coil. The other two ports allow the refrigerant vapour from the evaporator to flow to the compressor suction port (see Figure 2).

When the temperature in the conditioned space falls below the minimum heating temperature setting of the thermostat it will cause the following sequence of events to occur: 1. W ith the thermostat set in the heating mode the reversing valve will be energized.

2. The “Y” terminal on the thermostat will supply power to the compressor contactor, starting the compressor and outdoor fan.

NOTE: Since there is no dedicated condenser or evaporator in a heat pump, the two heat transfer coils are normally referred to as “indoor” coil and “outdoor” coil.

3. T he “G” terminal on the thermostat will supply power to the indoor coil blower motor, starting the motor.

The unit is now in the heating mode, and the refrigerant flow through the reversing valve is shown in Figure 3.

There are several other modifications required in the refrigerant circuit to allow for trouble free reverse flow.

The liquid filter drier will need to be mounted in the common liquid line (the refrigerant line between the coils).

And, it will need to be a bi-directional filter drier, which is capable of removing system contaminants regardless of which direction the refrigerant is flowing. Bi-directional flow is accomplished with a series of check valves at each end of the filter-drier housing. They allow refrigerant to enter from either fitting, directing it to flow from the outside of the core to the inside and then exiting the shell through the opposite fitting.

In addition to the reversible filter-drier, the Thermostatic Expansion Valves (TEV) will need to be installed in parallel with check valves, or a TEV with an internal check valve will need to be used. This will allow the unrestricted flow of refrigerant to exit the coil being used as the condenser without attempting to flow backwards through the TEV, something the standard TEV is not designed to do. <>

Dave Demma holds a degree in refrigeration engineering and worked as a journeyman refrigeration technician before moving into the manufacturing sector where he regularly trains contractor and engineering groups. He can be reached at ddemma@uri.com.

Next month: A discussion on the types of heat pumps.

hpacmag.com

september/october 2011 | HPAC

67

< marketing

Attract, Inform, Impress

Learn the key components to creating a booth that will attract more people, accumulate more quality leads, and close more sales. BY marC gordon

T

he first step to having your presence at shows pay off is to change the way you think about shows. They no longer need to be long days of standing around waiting for people to notice you. Your booth can be the first destination attendees seek out. Qualified leads will be lined up waiting to talk to you. Visitors will remember you when you follow up with them days later. And most importantly, you and your staff will have fun.

All you need to do is apply the tips laid out here and share them with all those who will be working with you at your next show. If the preparation work is more than your staff can handle, consider the services of an outside marketing specialist.

They will be able to help carry the load and allow you to concentrate on the tasks you feel most comfortable with.

Obviously the booth design will be influenced by your company's offerings. Most readers have service-based companies and will tend to have more open concept booths. If you do have products you want to highlight you will need more displays to showcase items. Avoid having tables that create barriers between staff and visitors.

Open concept booths are more appealing with some form of media. A big screen (LCD televisions can be rented) displaying visually rich information can create a powerful visitor experience. Another key point is booth placement. Show organizers will provide you with a map showing the layout and available booth spots. Booths by the entrance, on main paths and food areas tend to get the most traffic. If one of those spots is not available, try to get as close as possible to the biggest booth by a non-competitor.

1

4

2

5

3

6

PLANNING Treat your next show as if it were your first. Take nothing for granted. A successful show can produce more sales than all your annual advertising combined. Also be aware that your competitors will also be there vying for the same clients and market share.

The question is, what can make your participation more successful than theirs? It comes down to planning. Start by making a list of every detail you can think of pertaining to the show. Brainstorm with others. Organize a process and delegate tasks to ensure everything is done on time. The sooner you start, the better.

PRE-SHOW MARKETING Once you have signed on for the show, let the world know you will be in it. Post it on your web site. Send out mailings, e-mails, even cards with your technicians. Combine it with a promotional incentive to get people to visit your booth. Mention any show specials on products or services. Have them bring the card or e-mail to your booth for a free gift.

QUALITY BOOTH Your booth is your only opportunity

to flex your marketing muscles. No other advertising medium will allow you to communicate directly to so many people in such a short period of time. Do not cut corners on the visual appeal of the booth or your staff.

Do a quick ROI to see how much business you will have to generate to pay for a quality booth. Keep in mind that the booth can be reused for other shows.

68

HPAC | september/october 2011

DRESS THE PART Try to avoid formal business attire as it can subconsciously create a barrier between you and your visitors. Instead opt for matching golf shirts or dress shirts with your logo on them. Have staff match the shirts to a colour of pant (black is always safe). This common look will create a high energy team atmosphere that will make your visitors excited to speak with you.

You will also get additional advertising when your staff roam the trade show floor.

SUFFICIENT STAFFING Avoid working alone at all

costs. Having at least one other person with you will keep your energy up. It will also help avoid visitors from having to wait to speak to someone. For a 10x10 foot booth, three staff is ideal. Be sure all staff are capable of answering visitor's questions. More importantly, stay hydrated, take breaks throughout the day and smile.

EFFECTIVE MATERIALS While giving out product

samples may not be practical or cost effective, you still need to give out something. A corporate brochure can help potential clients learn more about your company after they have left the show. What is key is that it be professional. When they are sorting through the dozens of pieces of information back at home, will yours leap out at them or end up in the blue box? hpacmag.com

7

PROMOTIONAL ITEMS People love free stuff, so make sure everyone who visits your booth gets something. Divide your promotional items inventory into two groups: premium gifts and handouts. Premium gifts are given to those who visit your booth and bring a coupon or e-mail that you previously sent them (see #2). These gifts should be around $5-10 depending on your industry and should be innovative, yet useful. As for everyone else, make sure they leave with something that has your company name on it. Pens, magnets or note pads are all popular items that people will tend to hold on to rather than throw away. Remember, items that you give out are a direct reflection on you and your company. Quality companies give out quality promotional items.

8

INFORMATION GATHERING Do your best to collect information about each person who visits your booth. Some show organizers will make data collection systems available to exhibitors (at a cost) that retrieve visitor information from their show passes. Otherwise someone has to manually input the information into a database. Make notes as to the quality of the prospect and what product or service they are most interested in.

Adding a note after they leave your booth about something specific you talked about is also a good idea.

Photo: Shaun Mitchell Photography

FOLLOW UP Within 24 hours of the show, send an

9

e-mail to those who came to your booth thanking them for visiting. Make sure the e-mail is sent by the person that the visitor actually spoke to. The e-mail should casually refer back to comments from the booth visit and let them know that a telephone call will follow in the next day or so and in the meantime they can visit your company's website for more information. Make sure that telephone call is actually made. Note that effective postshow correspondence can increase the chance of a sale by 65 per cent.

hpacmag.com

10

SEMINARS Many shows will offer you the opportunity to hold a seminar in a separate area, often at no charge. This is a great opportunity for you to explain to a "captive" audience what makes your products or services so special. If you are not comfortable speaking to a group, find someone who is. Make sure the presentation is energetic, interesting, and entertaining. Using visual aids such as product demos or PowerPoint is always a good idea.

11

SHOW SPECIALS You may be able to close some sales at the show. Offering a strong promotion, either through price or product incentives, can increase sales to the point that visitors may even pay for the whole show. For those services/products that cannot be sold at the show, be sure to offer incentives in the follow up e-mails and personal visits.

12

SCREENING There is a good chance that there will be more visitors to your booth at one time than people manning it. So be sure to screen visitors quickly to separate potential buyers from those with some time to kill. Ask qualifying questions to find out if the visitor is a potential client. Do they have a legitimate need for your product?

Do they fit your profile of the "ideal" client?

Although each of these points is important, some may prove to be more relevant to you depending on your company and target market. In the end, what is important is that people leave your booth having had a positive experience and the opportunity to learn how your company can help them. <> Marc Gordon is a professional speaker and marketing consultant based in Toronto, ON. His firm, Fourword Marketing, specializes in helping businesses create a brand identity and developing effective marketing campaigns. Marc can be reached at 416-238-7811 or visit www.marcgordon.ca. september/october 2011 | HPAC

69

PRODUCTS goods & gadgets

The Energy Conservatory has released an improved version of the Minneapolis Blower Door, which measures building envelope airtightness, diagnoses and demonstrates air leakage problems, estimates natural infiltration rates, estimates efficiency losses from air leakage and certifies construction integrity. The system comes standard with one precision-engineered calibrated

70

HPAC | september/october 2011

fan, the DG-700 digital pressure and flow gauge

The Thermal Arc Fabricator 181i system from

with serial and USB connectivity, lightweight du-

Thermadyne is a portable welding system that

rable door frame and panel, fan speed controller

delivers up to 180 Amps of welding output pow-

and automated testing control. For airtightness

er and weighs less than 33 lbs. This system in-

testing in larger buildings, it can be configured

cludes three welding process capabilities (MIG,

with two or three fans in a single doorway. It is

Stick & TIG), detailed weld set-up guide, digital

available as a standard system or with a complete

meters with preview, variable voltage control,

kit that includes cables, software, flow rings, flow

metal feed plate with quick change drive rolls

plates, adjustable door frame, frame case, gaug-

and a receptacle for connecting remote control

es and carrying case.

devices/spool gun.

www.energyconservatory.com

www.thermalarc.com, www.thermadyne.com

hpacmag.com

Think ouTside The ducT. Introducing new Mini Split systems from Lennox®.

Now available through Lennox PartsPlus™.

The LENOX Tight Spaces Tubing Cutter features a smaller, ergonomic design that needs only 1/2” clearance to make a cut. The non-slip grip is made from grooved cast aluminum to allow for secure handling and the stainless steel interior parts prevent rust if exposed to moisture. It comes in 1/2”, 3/4” and 1” sizes, as well as in a storage kit containing all three. www.lenoxtools.com

Stores open M–F 7:30am–4:30pm

MSA’s FlameGard 5 MSIR Detector is a multi-spectral infrared detector that features neural network intelligence for reliable discrimination between actual flames and nuisance false alarm sources. Additional members of the FlameGard 5 flame detector family include the FlameGard 5 UV/IR detector and the FlameGard 5 UV/IR-hydrogen detector, which both use ultraviolet and infrared detection technology to help prevent false alarms.

The FlameGard 5 test lamp for testing the FlameGard 5 detectors is the final component in this series.

5350 86th Ave. S.E. Calgary, Alberta 403-279-8075

115 Randall Drive, Ste 10 Waterloo, Ontario 519-886-3666

10 Woodslea Road Brampton, Ontario 905-799-9911

1 Adelaide Street N., Ste 5 London, Ontario 519-439-3377

2010 Ellesmere Road, Units 13&14 Scarborough, Ontario 416-754-4311

2962 Lake City Way Burnaby, BC 604-421-1767

351 Nash Road North, Unit #10 Hamilton, Ontario 905-560-4200

133 Isley Ave, Unit D Dartmouth, Nova Scotia 902-486-5995

1177 Parisien Street Ottawa, Ontario 613-745-1528

Visit your local Lennox PartsPlus store or go online to LennoxPartsPlus.com for more details.

www.msanet.com/flamegard5 hpacmag.com

september/october 2011 | HPAC

71

PRODUCTS goods & gadgets The heavy metal-cutting Turboshear from Malco inserts into the chuck of a corded or cordless drill to make straight, curved or square cuts in most common sheet metals. An alumiA WORLD OF

num cast shear head and moulded drill clamp allow portability. The compact telescoping drill

SUSTAINABLE ings of lithium ion battery powered units. The shear’s wide-opening jaws can operate at high CHOICES

clamp adjusts to fit both length and width of popular drill sizes, including smaller motor housor low speeds to follow a precise trim line, navigate crosscuts through profiles of metal building and roofing panels or cut through layered metal and seams, including the ribs of spiral duct. Heavy-duty gearing and hardened carbon steel blades combine to offer up to 18-guage (1.22 mm) cutting capacity in mild steel. www.malcotools.com

The Mechanical Insulation Family From Knauf Insulation

Knaack LLC and Weather Guard Truck Equip-

At Knauf Insulation, made an from unparalleled to providing Earthwool 1000º Pipewe’ve Insulation Knaufcommitment Insulation North America is manufactured from sand,

ment have re-designed the Hi-Side Truck Box-

a minimum 40 per cent post-consumer recycled bottle glass and ECOSE Technology. Based on preciousof resources.

es. Features include a gutter design to chan-

All of our products contain a minimum of 45% post-consumer renewable bio-based materials, the insulation containsrecycled no phenol, formaldehyde, acrylics or artificial

nel rain and snow off the box to keep contents

colours.

It features ASJ+, which is composed of aluminum foil, reinforced with a glass scrim, bonded binder that contains no formaldehyde.

dry. A drill-resistant lock core protects against

to a kraft paperInsulation interleaving with an outer film layer, leaving no paper exposed. It is designed to be Plus, Knauf products are certified to GREENGUARD Children

theft and vandalism. An attachment point has

resistant to UV and moisture and can be used to insulate iron and copper piping in ICI applications projects earn LEED credits.

been added to the rear of each box to secure

with hot, concealed exposed piping systems operating You cold, can make a world of or difference by specifying Knauf Insulation today. at temperatures from 0° to 1,000F.

or lock down tools and supplies in the truck

products that make mechanical systems more energy efficient and preserve

content and are made with ECOSE® Technology, a revolutionary bio-based

and SchoolsSM for indoor air quality as low emitting, and help your

Download specifications at www.knaufinsulation.us/specs.aspx. www.knaufinsulation.us

bed. Other features include a top-mounted, removable parts bin, and adjustable tool-less quick-release doors that open from 90º to 180º. Hi-Sides are available from 45-1/2” to 96-1/4” in length and with 5.6 to 11.8 cubic ft.

The Touch Screen Panel from Reli1475 PipeFam_8.25x10.875.indd 1

able Controls is a compact, fanless 1475 PipeFam_8.25x10.875 touch

Client/Filename:

Knauf

Job #:

AKFG-1475

panel computer with an em-

bedded Windows operating system

Job Name:

Pipe Family Ad

of capacity. Larger Super-Sides add 2” in height

Size/Specs:

8.25" x 10.875" (trim); 4C

for web browser, kiosk and all other AD:

and 3” in depth, and 7.7 to 15.2 cubic ft. of

Insertion Date:

March/April 2011

Pub:

Insulation Outlook

HMI touch CW: applications. It features

capacity. A Steel Jumbo Super-Side is available

Acct. Serv.

a 15” panel-PC and works with RC-

111 Monument Circle, Suite 4150 / Indianapolis, IN 46204 /t 317/632/6500 /cvrindy.com /

with 24” height and 21.4 cubic ft. of capacity.

Studio 2.0. A four-point VESA 75

Accessories include an adjustable shelf and a

mounting bracket is an optional

parts cabinet.

accessory.

www.knaack.com, www.weatherguard.com

www.reliablecontrols.com/TSP

72

HPAC | september/october 2011

hpacmag.com

2/15/11

PRODUCTS heating The Minneapolis Duct Blaster from the Energy Conservatory is a calibrated airflow measurement system used to test and document the airtightness of forced air duct systems in houses and light commercial buildings. These measurements diagnose and demonstrate leakage problems, estimate efficiency losses from duct leakage and certify the quality of duct system installation. The kit includes the Duct Blaster fan, the DG-700

Enertech Manufacturing, LLC has released its

digital pressure and flow gauge,

latest geothermal heat pump model, the Hy-

three flow rings, 12 ft. of flex duct,

dron Module Revolution Series CT combination

static pressure probe, sample roll

unit. The unit utilizes a multi-positional cabinet

of DuctMask temporary register

that is field convertible to upflow/downflow with

seal, manual, training video and

right or left return. It is available in sizes from

carrying case.

two to six tons and features enhanced heat-

www.energyconservatory.com

ing and cooling efficiencies (4.8 COP and 27.9 EER on three ton models, part load) compared to the previous generation. They have the flexibil-

The CO1224TR Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector from

ity to provide forced air heating, forced air cool-

System Sensor includes RealTest, a field functional CO

ing, and domestic hot water plus hot water for

test fully compliant with NFPA 720-2009. If required, the

radiant floor heat. The quadruple compressor iso-

audible alarm can be silenced for five minutes. The red

lation, foamed-in source coaxial heat exchanger

alarm light will continue to flash in temp-4 pattern. If car-

and insulated airtight access panels help reduce

bon monoxide is still present after the five-minute hush

vibration and airflow noise.

period, the audible alarm will sound. The hush facility will

www.hydronmodule.com

not operate at levels above 350 ppm (parts per million) carbon monoxide. The detector has multiple mounting options, the latest electrochemical sensing cell and a sixyear, end-of-life timer. www.systemsensor.com/co

Superior Radiant Products offers two models of two-stage gas-fired infrared tube heaters. Series TA/TX/TXR is designed for heavy-duty commercial and industrial use and is available in rates from

ASHRAE Thermal Comfort Tool, Version 2, main-

40,000 to 220,000 btuh and lengths from 10 to

tains consistency with ANSI/ASHRAE Standard

70 ft natural gas or LPG. The jet stream burner

55-2010, Thermal Environmental Conditions

design maximizes radiant output and is combined

for Human Occupancy. The tool makes ther-

with 100 per cent efficient parabolic aluminum. The Series LT/LTX/LTXR two-stage infrared heaters

mal comfort predictions using several existing

are designed for low clearance applications. They allow a softening of the radiant output over a

thermal comfort models, including the Adaptive

much longer length of tube with an end-to-end variance of less than 15 per cent and a bottom clear-

and Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) models. Inclu-

ance of 36". Available in rates from 40,000 to 100,000 btuh, lengths from 30 to 50 ft, natural gas

sion of these models can allow engineers to

or LPG, both units include a hi-low output capability allowing for quick recovery on the high fire and

fine tune the comfort analysis to the particular

economical steady operation on the low fire.

needs of the occupants in the building.

www.superiorradiant.com

www.ashrae.org/bookstore

74

HPAC | september/october 2011

hpacmag.com

PRODUCTS heating C e n t ro t h e r m Eco Systems

Frigidaire has released a 95 per cent AFUE furnace model. This FG7SD/M is a single-stage, fixedspeed model and is available in upflow/horizontal and downflow configurations. Capacity ranges

Why

InnoFlue ? ®

Polypropylene Vent Systems

from 38,000-120,000 Btuh. The furnace features

Compete in our InnoFlue ® Challeng e!

an insulated blower compartment for quiet operation, SmartLite technology for longer igniter life, diagnostic troubleshooting lights and a low-boy height to accommodate tight spaces and higherSEER coils. www.frigidaire.net

EasyHeat has upgraded its line of floor warming system thermostats to include built-in Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter safety (GFCI).

Dubbed the G Series, the new thermostats are identical in size, functionality, use of the floor temperature sensor, and mounting configura-

Because time really is money.

tion to the company’s existing thermostats.

The thermostats are available in 120V and 240V, in programmable or non-programmable designs. www.easyheat.com

labor savings System Type

PVC

CPVC

InnoFlue®

Material Cost

$167

$520

$172

Labor Cost

$120

$120

$60

Total Installed

White-Rodgers’

Two-Stage

HSI

inte-

$287 $640

$232

* Based on ULC-S636 listed 3" diameter 24 foot long system with 4 elbows.

Based on labor rate of $40/hr.

grated circulator furnace control kits are available in both three-speed and variable speed. The variable speed model 21V51U-843 replaces all 50V51 and 50V61 two-stage HSI systems with 80V or 120V ignitor. The three-speed version model 21M51U-843 replaces all 50M51242 and 50M61 two-stage HSI systems with an 80V or 120V ignitor. The twostage HSI integrated circulator furnace

Compete in our upcoming InnoFlue® Challenge and see for yourself how InnoFlue® saves time and money. You’ll have a chance to win $200 gift cards, and the fastest contestant will win a trip for four to Germany!

control kits include an ignition control module, Universal 120V Nitride ignitor kit – 21D64-2 and quick-select/quickconnect wire harnesses (for the 21V51U843). Features include stored fault recall, a red LED light used for diagnostic flash codes and a cover label that contains diagnostic fault codes. www.white-rodgers.com

hpacmag.com

Locate Participating Distributors and Details at: www.centrotherm.us.com 877-434-3432

< test & measurement

HEATING EFFICIENCIES

Energy loss screen capture.

The top six places to look for energy losses in commercial buildings. BY COLIN PLASTOW

A

lot of energy loss is actually temperature related.

Hot or cold air leaks from a building are an obvious one. It took energy to condition that air, and when it dissipates due to a leak, you have wasted that energy. But many other systems and pieces of equipment, when they are operating inefficiently, manifest their wasted effort/energy in terms of heat.

There is a technique called thermal imaging that uses an infrared camera to scan the temperature value of objects.

The camera screen uses colour to represent temperature and software to set performance and benchmark alarms.

With a small amount of training, most people can readily spot abnormal temperatures and follow the heat trail to energy waste. The technique works best when used by people who already possess a good working knowledge of the structures and systems being scanned and can better interpret the temperature variances they see on camera.

A typical scan can show energy saving opportunities of up to 15 per cent, with varying degrees of repair investments.

76

HPAC | september/october 2011

The following systems are identified by thermal imaging experts as target areas for building owners, building managers and/or facilities engineers to identify energy losses.

BUILDING ENVELOPE "Building envelope" refers to the building structure, as well as the climate controls within it. The envelope is what separates the outside environment from the inside and it is frequently imperfect. The key to building envelope inspection is that the degree of temperature variance may be as small as one or two degrees. So, the best time to scan is during a heating or cooling season, when the outside temperature is at least 10C higher or lower than the inside temperature.

Similarly, do not scan an exterior wall when the sun is shining on it, and wait until dawn or dusk to scan roofs, when the temperature differential is greatest.

What to scan: â&#x20AC;˘ Roofs. Wet roofing insulation loses its R-rating. Scan the roof surface and follow temperature differences to possible hpacmag.com

Air infiltration through glass.

entry/exit areas for conditioned air. Note – spot repairs are less expensive than replacement, and old roofs are often a challenge to dispose of because of their contents.

•W alls between conditioned and unconditioned spaces, including outside walls. Concentrate on the top and bottom of conditioned spaces and also look for indications of missing or wet insulation.

• Construction joints and connections. For example, at floor slabs that extend outdoors, there are often heating or cooling losses by conduction through the slab.

•P enetrations of the building envelope (pipes, conduits, chimneys, etc.). Uninsulated gaps often exist around roof and wall penetrations.

•D oor and window frames and seals. Look for leaks due to poorly fitting doors and windows, but bear in mind that spot repairs to major losses such as roof leaks usually offers faster payback than fixing door and window seals.

HVAC SYSTEM The HVAC system is usually one of the biggest energy consumers within a facility.

What to scan: • Ductwork & registers. Even the highest rated HVAC system wastes energy without a well-sealed duct system. With infrared technology one can see the thermal pattern of air loss or gain in ducting and also monitor registers to determine whether heating or cooling output is optimal.

• Fans and blowers. These mechanical elements are, of course, motor driven. For more details about what to look for in motors, see "Motors and Generators" below.

In fans and blowers, mechanical imbalance will manifest itself in overheated bearings and other components. hpacmag.com

Thermal imaging works best when used by people who possess a good working knowledge of the structures and systems being scanned.

Thermal images of these systems can also identify shaft misalignment in couplings between the motor and fan.

• Electrical connections. A loose or corroded connection increases resistance at the connection, resulting in overheating.

Studies indicate that commercial buildings with constantair-volume systems often experience energy losses from air leakage of as much as 33 per cent. Also, studies indicate that air-supply temperature differentials due to conduction losses can be as great as 6C (10.8F) or more.1 Considerable savings can be achieved with duct-sealing (see p.44) and insulation remedies.

MOTORS AND GENERATORS Electrical motors are one of the biggest energy consumers in any facility. Overheating and malfunctioning motors and generators tend to indicate mechanical or electrical inefficiencies that lead to more energy use and ultimate failure.

Since generators are, in a sense, "reverse motors," diagnostics are similar for both kinds of units.

What to scan: • Airflow. In fan-cooled motors, a restricted airflow will cause general overheating manifesting itself on the entire housing.

• Electrical unbalance. The usual cause, a high-resistance connection in the switchgear, disconnect or motor connection box, can usually be pinpointed by an infrared inspection and confirmed using a multimeter, clamp meter or a power quality analyzer.

• Bearings. When thermal images reveal bearing housings with abnormally high temperatures, either lubrication of the bearing or its replacement is called for. continued on page 78 september/october 2011 | HPAC

77

< T est & measurement

continued from page 77

• I nsulation. Look for higher than normal housing temperatures in areas associated with windings.

• Electrical connections. As with electrical connections in HVAC systems, look for loose or corroded connections that increase resistance. With motors and generators, specific energy losses are usually of less consequence than failure of the unit. The impact of a motor or generator failure will be contingent upon the nature of the enterprise and the system(s) affected.

That said, the two best ways to reduce motor energy expenditures are to keep motors well maintained and operating at maximum efficiency, and to size them appropriately and ensure they operate at constant speeds.

Doing this for a period of time will yield incremental energy savings, after which you can re-invest in motor controls that will significantly reduce energy usage.

STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS Today, steam systems are more common in industrial settings than commercial settings, but some commercial buildings still use them for central heating.

The best time to scan is during a heating or cooling season.

Where to look and what to look for: • Steam traps. Check traps using both thermography and ultrasonic testing. Each technology works better than the other for some traps and trap configurations.

• Radiator coils. Check for leaks much as was done in the inspection of HVAC ducts.

• Steam lines and valves. Look for telltale signs of leaks and blockages and for blow-by at valves that are supposed to be "closed."

• Condensers. Look for leakage of outside air, which reduces the condenser's vacuum, thereby decreasing its efficiency.

In a 100-psig-steam system, if a medium-sized trap fails open it can waste approximately $3,000 per year.

BOILERS Boilers, of course, are the heart of steam and hot water heating systems.

Electrical systems can waste money as components degrade.

78

HPAC | september/october 2011

What to scan: • Refractories. Thermography makes possible in-service monitoring of the condition of refractory linings.

• Leakage of outside air. This condition is difficult to pinpoint with diagnostic technologies other than thermal imagers but can lead to substantial inefficiencies.

• Boiler casing insulation. Look for heat loss from damaged insulation.

• Fan motors. As with motors in other applications, check hpacmag.com

for impeded airflow, electrical unbalance, overheated bearings and failing insulation.

• Valves. Thermography can identify blocked valves that are nominally open and leaking valves that are nominally closed.

• Pumps. Look for hot bearings, leaking seals and, as withfans, also look for motor faults.

• Electrical connections. As with other kinds of systems, look for loose or corroded connections that increase resistance.

In boilers, major energy losses – those associated with stack losses as well as radiation and convention losses – typically represent 10 to 20 percent of fuel input, depending upon fuel type. Insulation and boiler economizers can reduce these losses.

investment, keeping lighting controls (time clocks, photo sensors, occupancy detectors, etc.) operating properly will help save energy.

Thermal imagers have come down so far in price that most facilities can recoup the cost of purchase in terms of energy savings within six months. Incorporating thermal imaging into regular maintenance builds efficiencies into a maintenance program while helping identify and prevent expensive electro-mechanical failures. <> Colin Plastow is industrial product manager for Fluke. He brings his expertise in electronic test and measurement to customers in high-tech and industrial markets. Plastow shares his industry knowledge through customer seminars and educational articles.

Contact him at colin.plastow@fluke.com.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Many people do not realize that electrical systems can actually waste money. As components degrade and resistance increases, incremental waste occurs.

What to scan: • Distribution panels. Check for unbalance in circuits and loose and corroded connections at breakers, contacts, fuse clips, busses, etc.

• Transformers. Monitor high- and lowvoltage bushing connections, cooling tubes and cooling fans and pumps. Look for overheated connections, comparatively cool cooling tubes and hot or cool pumps. Be aware that if the temperature of one electrical leg on a transformer is significantly hotter than the others that leg may be failing.

• Lighting control circuits. Check all wiring splices and connections at fuses, switches, and fixtures. Be aware also that thermography can also be used to monitor low-voltage control circuits.

According to some estimates, lighting accounts for about 20 per cent of all electricity use with more than 40 per cent of that used in offices, stores, and other commercial buildings. While complete retrofits of lighting systems are producing phenomenal returns on hpacmag.com

1

See, for example, the white paper (found at http://eetd.lbl.gov/IE/pdf/LBNL44221.pdf), "Duct system performance and energy losses in large commercial buildings," written by researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Bryan Triple-Flex™ boiler technology delivers minimum 90% operating efficiencies.

GUARANTEED. • Minimum 90% thermal efficiency with 160° return, 180° supply@max. input • Efficiencies of up to 99% will be delivered with lower temperature design systems • Retrofit systems or new installations, one boiler does it all, Bryan Triple-Flex™ • Get the whole story now at bryanboilers.com

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Commercial/Industrial Steam and Hot Water Boilers, Boiler Room Accessories september/october 2011 | HPAC

79

PRODUCTS hvac/r

The CLEANSUITE system from Huntair, Inc. is designed to prevent healthcare-associated infections

Dri-Steem’s XT electrode steam humidifier line

(HAIs) caused by airborne contaminants in hospital operating rooms, outpatient surgery centres and

includes a 2.3 kg/h model. Features include:

other mission-critical healthcare applications. Features include an aseptically detailed design, HEPA

capacity range from two to 90 kg/h; durable,

filtration and anti-microbial construction materials. Each system is custom-designed to meet air-

corrosion-resistant, stainless steel enclosure

flow, structural and component specifications. The modular air-delivery plenums can include integral

with moulded ABS doors; and an integrated Va-

boom mounts, lights, medical gas connections, air balancing, HEPA filters and sprinklers. Modules

por-logic4 controller. The unit works with hard

can also be designed to fit through standard doorways to provide faster, less-disruptive installation.

or softened water.

www.huntair.com

www.dristeem.com

At Refrigerative Supply & York, Ladies Matter... ing t! See s grea ng that a w ip ti The tr unt of tes h o throug the am ment goes of t lo ip a u the eq es me ality of u ely giv definit ce in the q en confid uct. d the pro gain, sa Thank Paula

Refrigerative Supply recently hosted their first ever York plant tour for women at their residential products factory in Wichita, KS. A total of 16 women and 7 territory managers from Victoria to Winnipeg took part and shared their comments.

I just wa that th nt to let yo u e factory trip was gre know at. The to u r was fa and le arning ntastic how th these ey u unders nits helped build tand in de us to comple tail th x pro e cess behind that is each u n Laura C it. h Trades omsky men M echanic al

The fa c a new tory tour g ave m a e produc ppreciation t tha t I p for the Seeing u r c e hase. mploy workin g env ees in the ironme ir me ha nt ma pp de produc y knowing that th t we sell h e hard w as ma or ny in its p king hands involv ro ed Kelly M duction. archan t

very ur was The to nal and tio w educa nd I no ative a ected with m r info n n o ore c nitely feel m ld defi . I wou ” k r o Y “ . t again do tha Ltd. Maggie Sheet Metal ’s g n li h Fe

www.rsl.ca ad-horizontal-rev2.indd 1 80RSL HPAC | september/october 2011

9/29/11 12:04:50 PM hpacmag.com

The P3 Series thermal imagers from Fluke Corporation includes the Ti32 and TiR32 models, and the Ti27 and Ti29 models for industrial, electrical, mechanical, and process applications; and TiR27 and TiR29 models for building inspection, energy audit, weatherization, and building maintenance applications. They feature thermal Greenheck’s new rooftop ventilation unit, Model RV/RVE, fully conditions

sensitivity, a large total pixel image count

and controls any mixture of outdoor and return air. The pre-engineered sys-

(76,800 pixels for the Ti32/TiR32 models)

tem features 2” double-wall construction, coupled with direct-drive plenum

and spatial resolution on the 3.7” diagonal

fans, heating options (indirect gas furnace, hot water or electric), cooling

VGA-colour LCD displays. The imagers measure temperature from -20C to

options (packaged DX, chilled water or split DX) and an optional energy

600C on Ti models and -20C to 150C on TiR models. They have optional

wheel (Model RVE). It has performance capabilities of up to 9,500 CFM.

interchangeable wide-angle and IR-Fusion-enabled telephoto lenses.

www.greenheck.com

www.flukecanada.ca/P3series iWorx from Taco Electronics Solutions is a web-based building management, monitoring and control system designed for high-end residential and light commercial markets. A full suite of control product applications ranges from boiler controls, heating and air conditioning applications and Btu metering. Every controller is self-discovered on the system network and seamlessly integrates with existing Lonworks, Modbus and BAC net building automation protocols. It creates a complete submittal package that includes wiring and air flow

diagrams, bill of materials, sequence of operations, and job specifications. www.taco-hvac.com Project1_Layout 1 11-09-22 15:59 Page 1 continued on page 82

December 7-8, 2011

CGC Caucus Caucus CCÉG Ontario Ontario

5th National GeoExchange Technical & Policy Forum Hilton Suites Toronto/Markham Conference Centre Also featuring the The Canadian GeoExchange Coalition’s 5th Annual Prize for Excellence and Leadership Award As well as The announcement of the first CGC Bursary Program recipient http://www.geo-exchange.ca/en/national_conference.php hpacmag.com

september/october 2011 | HPAC

81

PRODUCTS hvac/r continued from page 81 The Porta-Vac 23 from Meyer is a high powered duct cleaning vacuum which features a 23 HP Kohler Command OHV CARB Compliant gas engine, a heat exhaust safety shield, a lightweight steel frame, and heavy duty 10" wheels. www.wmwmeyer.com

Fieldpiece Instruments offers the wireless HG3 HVAC Guide system analyzer and ET2W wireless transmitter. This sysCustom-made air conditioner covers from

tem turns its accessory heads into wireless test meters. Up

HVAC Covers are designed for off-season/

to 12 parameters can be measured wirelessly at one time

winter use. They are made of heavy-duty vinyl

and sent to the HG3 for live viewing and analysis. Measure-

with a fleece-like backing. Available in an as-

ments can be taken up to 100 ft. away from the ET2W wire-

sortment of colours, the covers are designed

less transmitter. The HG3 uses CFM measurements from up

so that there is enough clearance from the

to 13 grilles to calculate total CFM. It is designed to store

bottom of the condenser unit's base to per-

up to 200 tests. These can be downloaded to a PC for cus-

mit the correct amount of airflow so that con-

tomer tracking and data organization. Each set of test data

densation does not occur.

contains a customer ID and a time stamp.

www.hvaccovers.com

www.fieldpiece.com

NRG

Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc. has launched an electronic unit controller for Copeland condensing units with low-pressure controls. It is an integrated electronic pressure control solution to replace traditional mechanical low-pressure control switches. Electronic pressure-sensing accuracy maintains a tighter low-pressure control tolerance to help decrease callbacks, while the LED interface allows field setup time to be reduced to less than one minute. It eliminates the use of cap tubes and enables smart discharge line temperature protection to shut down the compressor in the event of high return gas temperatures or high compression ratios. It shows current suction pressure, plus stores alarm occurrence codes, discharge temperature trips and service run time information. The controller also features smart fan cycling control through mid-coil temperature sensing on all dual-fan units. It is designed to work with any refrigerant. www.emersonclimate.com/electronicunitcontroller continued on page 84 82

HPAC | september/october 2011

hpacmag.com

PRODUCTS hvac/r continued from page 82 Johnson Controls, Inc. has increased the capacity of its YORK model YVAA aircooled, variable-speed, screw chiller to 350 tons. It can be configured to offer design efficiency of up to 11.6 EER, and an integrated part load value (IPLV) up to 19.8 EER and uses HFC-134a refrigerant. Fewer joints and potential leak points keep the refrigerant inside the system, while a proprietary falling-film evaporator and advanced microchannel condenser coils may reduce the refrigerant charge by up to 15 per cent. It offers a SilentNight feature that works with a BAS (or programmable control) to load-limit the chiller when noise reduction is a priority. www.johnsoncontrols.com

84

Air Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s model AK100D dual-speed Quiet Series exhaust fan

The UGSL1200 retrofit kit from Belimo is de-

offers a low profile grille design, a metal housing and duct collar.

signed to attach to the valve bonnet on select

A spring-loaded, back draft damper prevents drafts from entering

Siemens 599 MT/MZ short-stroke valves uti-

back into the room through the ducting. It is ETL listed for instal-

lizing Belimo CM and TF series actuators. The

lation over a tub or shower on a GFCI circuit. It is available in

coupler design allows the UGSL1200 to be

contractor packs of four units.

mounted on any 1/2" to 1-1/4" two-way or

www.airkinglimited.com

three-way valves. www.belimo.ca

HPAC | september/october 2011

hpacmag.com

< service vehicles

Innovations Finally Come To Cargo Vans 2012 Nissan NV

Manufacturer asks van drivers what they want, and delivers. BY Bill Roebuck

Y

ou would think there is not much new or innovative that could be developed in the cargo van market. After all, it is just a truck body with a big box attached. Well, it turns out Nissan did not agree with that philosophy, and spent several years setting up a North American light commercial vehicle group and doing research and development to invent the NV – an all-new cargo van.

“We’ve invested more than five years researching the comfort, style and smart functionality demands that will enable business owners to accomplish more throughout their day," said Joe Castelli, vice-president, commercial vehicles and fleet, Nissan North America.

The NV planning team employed a wide range of customer research methodologies all across America, including focus groups, on-site visits and concept reviews. The team met with large fleet owners and managers, small business owners, aftermarket suppliers and converters and rode along with owners of competitive vehicles. In developing the new van, one of the goals was to combine pickup truck-like comfort, interior amenities and drivability with a cargo van’s capacity and security.

“Looking at the commercial vehicle market in recent years, there’s been a migration of van users to light-duty pickups due to the lack of comfort, image and dependability of the current outdated van platforms,” said Castelli.

“Yet many of these truck owners admit they need a van for weather protection, security and the convenience of a tall roof van to carry large items or equipment.”

Nissan also decided to enter the tall cargo van market by producing a high-cargo-area version in which, like others on the market, you can stand up while you work. That tall configuration is a boon for contractors and technicians who will appreciate the opportunity to do detailed work, cutting or assembly jobs at a workbench inside their vans. No matter hpacmag.com

how miserable it gets outside, relief can be found by having a full workshop -- and mobile office – in the van.

The NV is available in three models, the NV1500, NV2500 and NV3500. All three are available with the Standard Roof, while the High Roof body is offered in the NV2500 and NV3500 models only. Two engines are available – a 4.0-litre V6 or a 5.6-litre V8. Both are matched to a standard five-speed automatic.

The NV’s cargo area has a 3,066 mm (120.7-in.) cargo floor length and 1,786 mm (70.3-in.) maximum cargo floor width. Standard Roof models offer a maximum 1,407 mm (55.4 in.) cargo area height. The High Roof version provides a maximum 1,943 mm (76.5-in.) of cargo room height – enough for most users to move about the cargo area while standing up straight.

We recently got behind the wheel of the 2012 Nissan NV for a few days and can report on what it is like to drive.

First off, this is no small cargo van. The small box is a cavernous 234 cu. ft., while the high-roof model offers 323 cu. ft.

We tested a standard-height V6 NV1500 model, and although it is much larger than other cargo vans, it was surprisingly nimble to handle. The front end is built like a pickup truck, so there is no doghouse in the passenger compartment to eat up valuable space. The seating position is quite high so you can easily look out over the hood.

Massive side mirrors ease the challenge of backing up and manoeuvring around tight spots. Both side mirrors fold flat against the body. The NV body is 2,029 mm (80 in.) wide so you need to pay attention to those mirrors, especially when navigating city streets.

On the highway, the NV zips along easily, belying its mass. There was no sense of the vehicle straining to keep up, even going up hills. On one fairly windy day, the crosswinds did not cause the NV to drift or sway, despite its size.

So what else did Nissan come up with in its five-year research project? continued on page 86

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 | HPAC

85

continued from page 85

Well, upfitting the NV is certainly made easier because of the interior design. For example, the roof rack mounting brackets are designed for various rack systems without piercing holes in the roof, which can lead to corrosion and water leaks. The available upfitter pre-wiring allows easy access into the electrical system.

The NV also offers a full-length cargo area inner panel to protect the outer walls from dents and dings from the inside, and there are multiple weld-nut attachment points for shelving and racks. In addition, the NV’s somewhat vertical sidewalls maximize the usable cargo space, accommodating common aftermarket storage systems, as well as a bulkhead behind the driver.

Regarding driver comfort and roominess, the interior has extra-wide front doors for easy ingress and egress, easily adjustable bucket seating and a comfortable yet truck-like driving position. The optional removable centre console -- it is huge -- can hold hanging files and a laptop computer, and the passenger seatback folds down flat, providing the function of a worktable.

There is also an array of storage pockets, spaces and compartments, including an under-seat drawer for small

The NV offers multiple weld-nut attachment points. tools, stationary and the like. The door pockets are large enough to fit flashlights, legal-size binders and clipboards.

An optional overhead console on High Roof models is designed to hold work gloves, legal size binders, safety glasses and system books.

For once, the mobile office and the mobile workshop have been combined in a practical package. <> Bill Roebuck is a veteran member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada.

SYSTEM XFR ® – The world’s first PVC DWV piping system rated for plenums & high rises

A

s any contractor or engineer knows, cast iron is heavy, cumbersome and prone to corrosion. That’s why we’ve created System XFR®, a revolutionary PVC Drain, Waste and Vent piping system rated for high rises and plenums.

And as the world’s first uncoated PVC DWV system fully approved for non-combustible applications, XFR® meets all fire-resistance and smoke development code requirements.

System XFR® is 75% lighter than equivalent lengths of cast iron, making it easier to handle and install. Very durable, it won’t rust, pit, scale or corrode like cast iron and its interior and exterior walls stay smooth, ensuring years of reliable service.

Add up all the advantages and it’s clear that System XFR® is the preferred choice for DWV in non-combustible construction.

To find out more, call us at 1-866-473-9462 or visit: www.ipexinc.com

86

HPAC | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

System XFR DWV ®

Tough Products for Tough Environments

®

hpacmag.com

MECHANICAL SUPPLY NEWS MANUFACTURERS • distributors • wholesalers • associations

CIPH Focuses On Building Sustainability The 2011 Annual Business Conference of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH) was held in Victoria, BC, on June 26-29. More than 260 delegates and companions attended the event.

Highlights of the conference included a presentation by Jeff Vasey, assistant deputy minister, Office of Housing and Construction Standards, B.C. Government. He provided an update on present and future provincial conservation initiatives. A keynote by former astronaut Dave Williams, titled “Building Sustainability from Sea to Sea to Sea,” wrapped up the event. Another key feature of ABC 2011 was the groundbreaking ceremony on June 29 for CIPH’s Habitat for Humanity Home Build in Saanich.

This is the 8th Home Build that CIPH has sponsored in Canada to date.

ABC 2012 will be held at the Fairmont Chateau FLIR bSeries - HPAC Sep08:3.375x4.875 9/8/08 4:55 Montebello in Montebello, QC, June 24-27. www.ciph.com

Past chair Russ Morgan of IPEX Inc. with 2011/2012 chairman Kevin Fullan (right). Fullan is vice-president and general manager of Flocor Inc.

PM

P

check out industry events on page 102

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september/october 2011 | HPAC

87

< MSN

continued from page 87

Fast Company Recognizes Kohler as Iconic Brand

Reliable Controls: Employer Of The Year Times Two

Kohler Co. received high design praise in Fast Company magazine's recent 2011 design issue. The United States of Design feature, which highlights companies that are bringing American design to the global forefront, remarked that Kohler Co.'s "fixtures that make the loo worth the visit." Kohler was the only plumbing manufacturer recognized among Fast Company's list of 30 design strongholds in corporate America and was one of 11 brands to earn a spot in the Icon category.

Others icons include Apple, Nike, Starbucks, and OXO. "The Bold Look Of Kohler" was originally conceived as an advertising campaign for the Kohler plumbing business in 1967 and remains a well-known tagline. www.kohler.ca

Over 500 Tectorians recently gathered at the VIATeC Technology Awards to applaud the technology community's success in making Greater Victoria, BC, a leader in advanced technology in Canada. It was a banner night for Reliable Controls, winner in the "Employer of the Year" category.

Reliable Controls was also the recipient of the Camosun College School of Trades and Technology "Co-op Employer of the Year" award. To view the awards, visit: www.reliablecontrols.com/corporate/awards.

Mirolin Expansion Strengthens Commitment To National Market Toronto-based Mirolin Industries Corp., a Masco Company, has announced that it will be expanding its operations to include a manufacturing facility in Western Canada. The new 150,000 sq.ft. manufacturing facility and distribution centre will be located in Airdrie, AB. Production at the new facility is expected to start in the first quarter of 2012. www.mirolin.com

Taco Receives 2010 Rheem Zero Defect Award The 2010 Rheem Zero Defect award was given to Taco at the 2011 Rheem Supplier Summit in Dallas, TX. This is the second year in a row that Taco has received the award. www.taco-hvac.com

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS Granby Industries and Pensotti North America recently announced that Granby Industries will purchase all of Pensotti North America (PNA) assets. PNA manufactures boilers and panel radiators. Manufacturing, sales and customer service will remain intact in Brewer, ME. www.granbyindustries.com www.pensotti-pna.com

WaterFurnace Lab Leads With ISO Accreditation The WaterFurnace Engineering Laboratory of WaterFurnace Renewable Energy, has received ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation through ACLASS (ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board), making it the first geothermal manufacturer to achieve this recognition. It is the main standard used by testing and calibration laboratories to document a laboratory's ability to consistently produce valid results.

"As part of the accreditation process, we built an entire quality system for our lab," explained Bob Brown, vice president of engineering at WaterFurnace. "This accreditation assures WaterFurnace dealers and customers that our laboratory is accurate and that our products perform just as our specifications indicate. It really underscores the credibility and performance of the equipment we design and manufacture.

"In addition, ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation improves the national and global reputation of the WaterFurnace Engineering Laboratory," said Brown. "Lab reports generated at our Fort Wayne facility can now be accepted directly, without third party verification, by other compliance organizations, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy and the British Department of Energy and Climate Change, which require proof of performance and efficiency." www.waterfurnace.com 88

HPAC | september/october 2011

Stringer Sales is now REHAU's Alberta representative for its heating and plumbing products. www.stringersales.com A.O. Smith Corp. has officially acquired Lebanon, TN-based Lochinvar Corp. "This acquisition fits squarely within our stated strategy to expand our core product offering with new technologies, which emphasize high-efficiency products that can be applied globally," said Paul W. Jones, chairman and CEO of A.O. Smith. www.aosmith.com NIBE Industrier has acquired the element manufacturing business of Emerson Electric Co., which was first announced in August 2011. Emerson Heating Products has operations in the U.S., Mexico and China. The acquired operations will form part of the NIBE Element business area. www.nibe.com The recent addition of EnergyConnect Group Inc., a provider of smart grid demand response services and technologies, to Johnson Controls' portfolio of building energy management solutions will enable Johnson Controls to help building owners and operators connect their buildings to the grid. www.johnsoncontrols.com hpacmag.com

MSN > Fluidmaster, Inc., a manufacturer of toilet tank components and trim has acquired Opella Limited based in Hereford, England. Opella manufactures toilet filling and flushing products. www.fluidmaster.com

SEE PEOPLE ON P.90

>>Novanni Stainless Inc. has appointed Equipco Ltd. as its representative for the province of British Columbia.

Equipco will represent Novanni in both the residential and commercial sectors and promote the Novanni Pro, Novanni Elite, AMI Novanni Commercial and all Elkay brands. www.equipcoltd.com

ON THE MOVE

CLIPS

Flir Systems Ltd. has moved to 920 Sheldon Court in Burlington, ON L7L 5K6. Contact information (tel: 800613-0507) remains the same. www.flir.ca

>>Bryan Steam has received UL environmental claims

DISTRIBUTION NEWS >>J.C. Whitlam Manufacturing Company, a manufacturer of specialty chemicals and hand tools, recently recognized their manufacturer's representative, Dierks Equipment Sales Ltd. of Vancouver, BC for over 30 years of service. www.dierksequipmentsale.ca www.jcwhitlam.com

>>Ceralux has appointed Can-Mech Agencies as its rep for Eastern and Northern Ontario. www.ceralux.com ZIL Sustainable-QtrHPAC_Layout 1 8/11/11 4:55 PM Page 1

validation for its Triple-Flex (patent pending) Ultra-High Efficiency Condensing Boilers. Triple-Flex Boilers feature flexible stainless steel tubes, minimum thermal efficiency of 90 per cent with 160F return, 180F supply at maximum input. www.bryanboilers.com.

>>The Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA) came into force on June 20, 2011. Key provisions include reporting of incidents, maintaining records, general prohibition, packaging and labeling, and information on public safety. www.hc-sc.gc.ca continued on page 90

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89

< MSN

continued from page 89

PEOPLE A.O. Smith Corp. has named Ajita G. Rajendra president and chief operating officer. He will be responsible for A.O. Smith's water heater operations in North America, China, Europe and India, as well as the company's water purification business in China. In addition, Rajendra will be responsible for the Lochinvar global boiler business.

Bredeson

Jeff Bredeson has joined the Wilo team as senior vice president sales region Americas. He will oversee the growth and development of the North, Central and South American subsidiaries.

Rick Wrobel has been named North American wholesale manager for Nu-Air Ventilation Systems Inc. Nick Kugler has joined Caleffi Hydronic Solutions in the newly-created position of sales engineer. Caleffi veteran Roger Corrente has been promoted to national sales manager.

Briggs Industries has announced the election of Charles “Chuck” Dockery to president and CEO, succeeding Stephen Glaser, who left to pursue other interests.

Racher

David Racher has been promoted to director of accounting and logistics at NCI Marketing Inc. In addition to his current accounting duties, Racher is now responsible for NCI’s warehouses in Aurora, ON and Surrey, BC. As a result of this change, Dale Findlay has been named vice president and general manager. Clifford Sarjeant will continue as president and CEO.

Findlay

Kloster

International Environmental Corp. (IEC), a manufacturer of hydronic fan coils in North America, recently promoted Dennis Kloster to the office of president. Kloster's promotion follows the retirement of Larry Jewell.

Saint-Gobain appointed John Crowe as president and CEO of both Saint-Gobain Corp., Saint-Gobain's North American holding company, and CertainTeed Corp., its North American subsidiary.

OS&B has named Bob Evans vice president of sales where he is responsible for wholesale sales in Canada and the U.S. Mike Pinet will continue his role as director of marketing and will also be responEvans sible for OS&B sales to the retail channel in Canada and the United States.

Garry Scott has joined Moen Canada as its vice president of wholesale marketing and brand development. In addition to implementing and maintaining marketing strategies, Scott is a member of the operating Scott team and participates in setting the overall company direction.

Peter Cook of IPEX Inc. was presented with the eleventh J. K. Seidner Award at the recent annual meeting of the Canadian Advisory Council On Plumbing. Cook's contribution to the plumbing industry includes involveCook ment with CSA and ASTM committees. He also served as a member of the National Plumbing Code Standing Committee for 17 years and continues to be an active member of PIAC.

(From left) David Garlow, Viega vice president of sales, Mark Evans, Viega director of sales--Canada, Dale Heath and Dan Schmierer, Viega president and chief executive officer.

Canadian Top Gun Dale Heath of Canadian Aqualine Sales Inc. was among 11 recipients of Viega's Top Gun Award at the company's 2011 national sales meeting. Winners are determined through peer nominations and buy-in from territory directors. The award recipients will be heading to Costa Rica later this year. www.viega.com

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HPAC | september/october 2011

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< THERMAL MASS

Understanding The Basics How to best utilize this cost-effective way of reducing temperature variations. By richard kadulski

A

properly designed building can get a significant amount of its heating needs from the sun. However, in winter, the sun is only available for a few hours per day, especially the further north one moves, but the need for heat is greatest then and at night, thus, there is a need to store heat.

An effective way to store the heat from day to night is the holy grail of every passive solar designer. Many materials and approaches have been tried over the years – some work in practice, others only in theory.

Interest in the use of heat storage in a building, to reduce daily temperature fluctuations and to store it for times when heat is needed, has been rekindled recently with the push for more sustainable, energy efficient homes.

In the 1980s there was a flurry of activity with passive solar designs and with different thermal storage approaches. A variety of options were considered, with everything from water, rocks, and paraffin wax, to eutectic salts being tried. A number of projects were studied and monitored but unfortunately, research into renewable energy was curtailed in the early 1980s. Renewable energy programs were shuttered and a lot

Water thermal storage Not many years ago ice was used for cooling. Blocks of ice were moved from the mountains or underground storage caves into cities where they were used in ice-boxes (for food refrigeration before the wide spread availability of refrigerators) and also to help cool buildings.

The original definition of a "ton" of cooling capacity was the amount of heat needed to melt one ton of ice in 24 hours. This was approximately the amount that an average 3,000 square foot house in Boston would use in a summer day. Today mechanical engineers still refer to tons of cooling, but it means 12,000 Btuh.

One metric ton of water can store 317,000 Btus (334 MJ) of energy for each 1C temperature rise. One cubic meter is 1,000 litres (or the same volume as 500 two-litre jugs of milk).

Raising one cubic meter of water by 10C will require 3,170,000 Btus.

of valuable resources and documentation was lost. Some research documents and monitoring reports sit in uncatalogued storage boxes in various locations where researchers may have taken their papers – they could offer valuable insights to help update new approaches.

When correctly incorporated into buildings, thermal mass can be a cost-effective and useful way of reducing daily temperature variations and to keep building interior temperatures within thermal comfort limits.

Historically, thermal mass has been a primary characteristic of housing in hot climate regions. The traditional use of thermal mass in desert climates such as the southwest U.S. and the Middle East, where outside temperatures swing above inside temperatures during the day and below at night, evolved as a response to the hot days and cold nights of the desert. High thermal mass masonry building shells can store the heat from the outside during the day and release that heat to the inside at night, keeping the inside comfortable using almost no additional energy.

In temperate and cold regions, passive solar design and thermal storage must be combined with energy conservation to be effective.

Thermal Mass Principles Heat always moves from a warm area to a cold one. In a building, solar energy first heats up the air. Then, because the construction materials (floors, walls and ceilings) are cooler, the heat is absorbed and conducted into these materials. When the sun sets and the air temperature inside falls, it will reach a point where the materials are warmer than the room air, and the stored energy will be radiated back into the room. The more mass there is in the home, the greater the amount of energy that could be stored – up to a point.

The principle of thermal mass for heat storage relies on the ability of a material to absorb heat and then slowly release it back into the environment. Every building contains thermal mass – the framing, gypsum board, furniture, brick or stone feature walls and tile floors are all able to absorb and store some heat. Good materials for use as thermal storage have the ability to conduct and store energy, both continued on page 93

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september/october 2011 | HPAC

91

2012

continued from page 91

heat and cold, and to release that energy back into the living space when it is needed.

Thermal mass should not be confused with insulation.

Materials used for insulation have a much lower thermal conductivity than materials used for thermal mass and do not have a high capacity to store heat. Insulation materials reduce unwanted heat transfer but they do not store heat in themselves. A combination of good insulation and thermal mass is needed to achieve an optimum solution.

The simplest thermal storage designs are referred to as direct-gain passive systems. These are the easiest and most cost-effective ways to use solar energy. The structure itself is the solar system. The south-facing windows are the solar collectors that warm the construction materials indoors during the day. The interior surfaces of walls and floors that are exposed to winter sunshine are the storage (mass). A concrete floor (slab-on-grade) that is insulated below, either left exposed or finished with conductive materials such as ceramic tiles, is a simple example of a thermal mass.

For best performance, it is important to orient the structure and largest window areas as close to true south as possible. Materials with high thermal capacity should be placed with direct exposure to the sun in order to capture the most heat. This can be done as an interior masonry feature wall or concrete and tile floor.

More sophisticated attempts incorporate indirect solar storage. This is where the storage materials are not in the direct sun, and require some form of means to move the excess heat into the thermal storage. Insulated water tanks and rock storage bins are perhaps the most common thermal storage mediums. These indirect systems take the excess heat collected through windows and in solarium spaces and occasionally also active solar collector panels.

Table 1 Heat Capacity Of Typical Materials

Material

Heat Capacity Density (J/gK) (kg/m3)

Heat per volume MJ/m3K)

Water

4.18

1000

4.18

Gypsum

1.09

1602

1.746

Air

1.0035

1.204

0.0012

Concrete

0.88

2371

2.086

Brick

0.84

2301

2.018

Dry sand

0.835

1602

1.337

Granite

0.79

2691

2.125

Wood

0.42

550

0.231

hpacmag.com

Efforts have also been made to use the thermal storage as a seasonal storage. In this case, thermal storage is designed to retain heat collected during the summer for use during the winter. The heat may be captured using solar collectors, as well as using excess heat in the building.

The major challenge for these larger thermal storage approaches is the need to be able to store and retrieve the heat easily, but more importantly to contain the heat. A major reason many thermal storage approaches have failed in the past is the inadequate levels of insulation used for the thermal storage containers.

Thermal Materials Thermal mass refers to a material’s capacity to store heat.

All materials can store heat, but the quantity of energy that can be stored depends on the thermal capacity of the material. The ability to store heat varies from material to material and is known as the specific heat capacity. Because the source of heat is the sun, the size and type of windows is an important factor that must also be considered.

Distributed thermal mass – such as a concrete floor or masonry wall – needs to be spread over a large area rather than in a compact volume. Typically, this means a thickness of about 3-4". A thicker mass has too much heat capacity, and will be much more of a heat sink, and will not cycle – in other words, it will not absorb and give off heat on a daily cycle.

For a material to be used in a building for thermal mass, a combination of heat capacity and density is needed.

Of common building materials, concrete and stone has the best heat capacity per volume, is inexpensive and easy to work with.

Table 1 lists the heat capacity of typical materials. As can be seen, air has a higher heat capacity than concrete.

However, because of the low density of air compared to that of concrete or water, air is not able to hold much heat. That is why forced air heating systems need large ducts to move a lot of air, while hydronic heating systems do it with small diameter pipes.

Water has the best heat capacity per volume, which is why some passive solar designs in the past incorporated tubes or barrels of water to capture and store heat in the house. The problem is that water is a liquid that has to be contained, can leak in the wrong place at the wrong time, and is difficult to incorporate into a building design. <> Reprinted with permission from Solplan Review No. 144 (January 2009) - Canada's independent journal of energy conservation, building science and construction practice. For more information e-mail: solplan@shaw.ca. september/october 2011 | HPAC

93

< solar

Expansion Tank Sizing For Solar Collector Circuits

BY John siegenthaler

T

he absorber plate in a modern flat plate solar collector can get very hot, especially if there is no flow through it.

This is called a “stagnation” condition. If stagnation occurs on a hot/bright summer afternoon, the absorber plate temperature could exceed 350F and it is very likely the fluid in the collector will vaporize. This phenomenom is quite different than what occurs in a standard hydronic system and has to be taken into account when sizing an expansion tank for the collector circuit. With the proper sizing it is possible for the collector array to stagnate without causing the circuits pressure relief valve to open.

Figure 1 shows the relationship between absolute pressure and the boiling point for a 40 per cent solution of propylene glycol, a common collector circuit fluid.

To maintain this solution as a liquid at a stagnation temperature of 350F requires an absolute pressure of about 118 psi (with a corresponding gauge pressure of about 103 psi) in the solar collectors. This is not practical and may even violate some mechanical codes that require the collector circuit presFigure 1 Relationship between absolute pressure and boiling point

110 100 90 80 70 60

30

atmospheric pressure

10 0 100

94

Before calculating the volume of the expansion tank it is necessary to know the rated opening pressure of the system’s pressure relief valve. Valves are available with a wide range of rated pressures for solar thermal applications.

Start by checking local codes to see if they mandate a maximum pressure relief valve setting in solar thermal systems. If this is the case, the code mandated rating is obviously the maximum rating the valve can have.

If there are no code restrictions, I suggest the relief valve pressure be determined as follows: 1. Assume a cold fluid static pressure of 25 psi at the top of the collector array, and then calculate the corresponding pressure at the relief valve location.

2. Select a relief valve with a rated opening pressure 15 to 20 psi above this pressure.

Use Formula 1 to determine the cold fill static pressure at the relief valve location. See Figure 2 (on p.96) for the corresponding terms and dimensions.

40

20 14.7 psia

SELECTING THE PRV

Formula 1:

50

219ºF

Vapour pressure (40% propylene glycol) (PSIA absolute pressure)

120

sure to be no higher than the pressure of the domestic water.

Thus, do not count on pressurization to suppress boiling under stagnation conditions. Under these conditions the liquid in the piping leading to and from the collector array could also be very hot.

To prevent the relief valve from opening under these conditions, the expansion tank must absorb both the fluid displaced by vaporization in the collectors, as well as the expanding volume of the remaining liquid in the circuit.

150

200

atmospheric boiling point

250

300

temperature of fluid (ºF)

HPAC | september/october 2011

350

Where: P@PRV = static cold fluid pressure at pressure relief

valve location (psi) P@top = static cold fluid pressure at top of collector array (psi) H = vertical distance from pressure relief valve

to top of collectors (feet) 0.45 = a factor based on units and the density of

40 per cent propylene glycol solution at 50F hpacmag.com

For example, assume 25 psi static cold fill pressurization at the top of the array, and 22 feet of vertical distance from the top of the array down to the relief valve location. The static pressure at the relief valve location would be:

Table 1

Tube type/size 3/8" type M copper 1/2" type M copper 3/4" type M copper 1" type M copper 1.25" type M copper 1.5" type M copper 2" type M copper

Gallons/foot 0.008272 0.0132 0.0269 0.0454 0.068 0.095 0.165

Based on this, a relief valve rated at 50 psi seems appropriate.

Formula 3: OVERFLOW PARKING Since it is highly likely the collector fluid will vaporize during stagnation, we will size the expansion tank to accommodate this expansion as well as that of the remaining liquid in the collector circuit.

Step 1: Determine the volume the expansion tank must accommodate at stagnation using Formula 2. This formula assumes vapour will form in the collector during stagnation. A small amount of vaporized fluid will create sufficient volume to push the remainder of the liquid out of the collectors. The formula assumes the liquid temperature in the remainder of the system will reach 200F above the temperature at which the system was filled. This is a conservatively safe assumption.

Formula 2:

Where: Pstatic= static pressure at the relief valve location (psi) H = height of collector circuit above location of pressure relief valve (feet) 0.45 = a factor based on units and the density of 40 per cent propylene glycol solution at 50F Note: The air side of the diaphragm expansion tank must be pressurized to this calculated static pressure before fluid is added to the collector circuit. This ensures the diaphragm is fully expanded against the tank shell before the fluid begins to warm.

Step 3: Calculate the minimum required expansion tank volume using Formula 4, which is derived from Boyle’s law.

Where: Va = expansion volume to be accommodated (gallons).

Vc = total volume of collector array (gallons) Vp = total volume of collector piping and heat exchanger excluding collectors (gallons) 0.08 = expansion factor for 40 per cent propylene glycol solution for 200F temperature rise 1.1 = 10 per cent added safety factor to allow for system volume estimates The fluid volume contained by a collector is usually listed in manufacturer’s specifications, as is the volume of the circuit’s heat exchanger. The volume of copper collector piping can be estimated using data from Table 1. If other types of tubing are used obtain volume data from the manufacturer.

Step 2: Calculate the cold fluid static pressure at the location of the pressure relief valve. This is the pressure caused by the weight of fluid in the collector circuit above the pressure relief valve location, plus the static pressure maintained at the top of the system. It can be calculated using Formula 3. hpacmag.com

Formula 4:

Where: VT = minimum required expansion tank volume (gallons) Va = expansion volume to be accommodated (from Step 1) (gallons) Pstatic = cold fluid pressure at the relief valve location (from Step 2) (psi) PRV = maximum allowed pressure at the relief valve location (psig)* Here is an example that pulls this all together. Assume a continued on page 96 * I suggest this value be the pressure relief valve rating minus three psi. This provides a slight safety factor against relief valve “dribbling” as the pressure approaches the valve’s rating. september/october 2011 | HPAC

95

< s olar

continued from page 95

residential solar water heating system has the following components: • Four collectors, each having a volume of 1.0 gallons • Total of 120 feet of 3/4-inch copper tubing between heat exchanger and collector array • Heat exchanger volume = 2.5 gallons • Height of top of collector array above relief valve = 20 feet • Pressure relief valve rating = 50 psi • Collector circuit fluid = 40 per cent solution of propylene glycol Determine the minimum size of a diaphragm-type expansion tank for the system such that the relief valve doesn’t open under stagnation conditions. The cold fill pressure at the top of the system is 25 psi.

Solution: The total collector array volume is 4 x 1.0 = 4 gallons The total piping + heat exchanger volume is 120 ft x (0.0269 gallon/ft) + 2.5 = 5.73 gallons.

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3: Figure 2 Terms and dimensions

air vent! w/ shut off valve

so

la

rc

ol

le

ct

or

ar

ra

y

Note: The PRV value used in Step 3 was the rated valve pressure minus three psi to guard against “dribbling” of the relief valve as it approaches its rated pressure.

height = H (ft)

anti-scald tempering valve cold water hot water pressure &! temperature! relief! valve air! separator

pressure! relief! valve

electric! heating! element

check valve

purging! group

solar storage tank! w/ electric element

As you can see, the expansion tank for the system is significantly larger than a hydronic heating system of similar volume. This is partially the result of very conservative assumptions, and partially the result of steam flash in the collectors at stagnation. As in hydronic heating systems, a conservatively sized expansion tank is good “insurance” against the system needing fluid replacement following a stagnation condition.

Finally, be sure to locate the check valve in the collector circuit so that fluid can be pushed out of the bottom and top of the collectors as vaporization occurs (see Figure 2). This is an important detail to allow expedient emptying of the collector as boiling begins. <> John Siegenthaler, P.E. is the author of Modern Hydronic Heating. The third edition of this book is now available. Visit www.hydronicpros.com for reference information and software to assist in hydronic system design.

Looking for controls, valves or boilers?

Check out the 2011-2012

expansion! tank

96

HPAC | september/october 2011

National Buyer's Guide: www.hpacmag.com. hpacmag.com

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< Finance

The $300,000 Lunch Tax savings using corporate-owned life insurance can be significant.

BY HANK BULMASH

98

HPAC | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011

sonally, having your company pay for the policy really makes sense.”

“Because the company can deduct the premiums?”

“No. But the company pays tax at the small business rate of 15 per cent. You pay tax at the maximum personal rate of 46 per cent. That means if your insurance premiums are $10,000 per year, you have to earn about $18,600 to pay them.”

“Now you have lost me,” Jack said.

“Say you earn $18,600. Your tax is $8,600, leaving you $10,000 to pay your insurance premiums. So, although the insurance cost is $10,000, you have to earn nearly $19,000 to pay for it. On the other hand, the company’s tax rate is only 15 per cent. So for the company to pay a $10,000 insurance premium it only has to earn $11,800.

By moving the life insurance to the company, you lower the after-tax cost of premiums by nearly 40 per cent.”

“Okay,” Jack said. “Clearly that is a good idea. How do I move the policy to the company?”

“You call your insurance broker and tell her what you want to do. You have to make the company the beneficiary of the policy but the company will be able to receive the proceeds of the policy tax-free. And generally the proceeds can be paid out tax-free to your heirs.”

“Aren’t I disposing of assets when I transfer the policies to the company? Is not there a tax cost involved in that?”

“Yes, you are disposing of assets. And the tax implicahpacmag.com

Photo iStockphoto

A

s soon as I saw Jack Newfield, I realized that the rumours I heard about his health were true. Jack was standing by a table in the restaurant where we had agreed to meet, but he was not the old Jack. He had lost about 30 pounds and his skin was pale and thin as parchment. We sat down together and before I could utter a word, Jack said, “It is the chemo. If I took off this beret, you’d see I have lost my hair.”

“I am so sorry,” I said.

“I have had a good life, no regrets, and the odds of survival for my cancer are okay. I am hopeful about the future.

But what I want to talk about is tax. I have about a million dollars in my company and I understand that I will have to pay about 30 per cent in taxes if I take it out as a dividend.”

“That is about right,” I said.

“Paying $300,000 to get my savings out of the company really ticks me off. Is there any way out of that?”

“If the business is still active, you might be able to sell it. Then you would likely be eligible for the capital gains exemption.”

“I have thought of that,” Jack said, “and I have some people working on it. But frankly, even if we do find a buyer, they won’t pay for the money I have in the company. They will make me take it out before the sale.”

“What about life insurance?” I asked.

“What about it?”

“Do you have any?”

"I have three policies. Two are term with no cash surrender value on them. The third is a whole life policy with a cash surrender value of $85,000 and a death benefit of $250,000."

"How long are the terms on the term policies?" I asked.

"One is permanent -- it is term to 100 and its face value is $500,000. The other is renewable and the current term is up in three years. That one is worth more -- $1.5 million."

“Rolling the insurance policies into your company could save you a lot of money,” I said. “There are two issues, really. If the premiums are not tax deductible to you per-

tions are different for whole life policies and term policies.

And they are fascinating.”

“Fascinating? Hank, please,” chuckled Jack.

“Just listen. When you transfer any asset to a corporation, the proceeds are generally deemed to be its fair market value, but not in the case of a life insurance policy. The tax value of a life policy is not its fair market value: it is the policy’s cash surrender value. Since term policies have no cash surrender value, you can transfer them to a company without recognizing any proceeds.”

“So far this is not exactly fascinating.”

“But the company must pay the fair market value of the policy. The policy is valued by an actuary. If the actuary gives the policy a high value due to the state of your health, you receive those proceeds tax free since the Income Tax Act treats the proceeds for tax purposes of term insurance as the nil cash surrender value,” I explained.

“So if my term policies with face values of $2 million are valued at $1 million, I can take that money out tax free?”

“Is that fascinating enough for you? It could save you $300,000.”

“Well, let’s say I am getting interested,” said Jack.

“The outcome is more complicated for your whole life policy. In that case, the transfer of the policy could trigger an income inclusion in your hands. Whether it makes sense to have that transaction take place can only be determined after we get an idea of what the policy is worth, how much the corporation will pay you, and what the determination of the policy’s cost basis is.”

“That sounds confusing,” noted Jack.

“Well…yes. It does. All I am saying is that we will have to get the numbers from your insurer before proceeding.”

“Nonetheless, this has been an interesting lunch.”

“Fascinating, would you say?” I laughed.

“Let me see the numbers first. Then I will tell you if I am fascinated.” <>

Hank Bulmash, CA, MBA, is senior partner with Bulmash Cullemore Chartered Accountants and is president of its consultant subsidiary BusinessLab Inc. E-mail Hank at hbulmash@ bulmashcullemore.com.

Training

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GeoExchange Training

Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency is once again offering workshops focusing on improving efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering operation costs. http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca

Developed by the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition (CGC), the three-day training program is intended for those involved with the installation of residential geothermal systems. skilltech@hrai.ca

CMCEF National Seminar Program Canadian Hydronics Council Certification The Canadian Hydronics Council has issued the fall schedule for the Two-Day Introduction to Hydronic Heating Installations Course and an Intermediate Course. www.ultimatecomfort.ca

The Canadian Mechanical Contracting Education Foundation program includes: commissioning, inventory management, estimating and project management. www.cmcef.org

LEED Canada Training

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Sign up for one of the Canada Green Building Council's (CaGBC) LEED workshops at www.cagbc.org or tel. 613-241-1184.

Skilltech Academy has released its 2011/2012 national course schedule. Becoming an HRAI member can save you approximately $150 when registering for a SkillTech Academy training program. www.hrai.ca

TECA's Quality First Training To register for the Thermal Environmental Comfort Association's (TECA) Quality First training courses, visit www.teca.ca or call 604-594-5956.

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THE SOURCE

Advertisers in this issue

Adrian Steel.................................(800) 677-2726..................... www.adriansteel.com.................................... page 46 AHR Expo................................................................................. www.ahrexpo.com......................................... page 19 Airia Brands.................................(855) 247-4200..................... www.lifebreath.com...................................... page 18 Apollo Valves................................(905) 761-6161..................... www.apollovalves.com.................................. page 73 Aquatherm...................................(403) 809-8707..................... www.aquathermpipe.com.............................. page 51 Arcoaire.......................................(905) 795-8113 ................... www.goarcoaire.com..................................... page 13 Beckett........................................(800) 665 6972.................... www.beckettcanada.ca.................................. page 30 Bradford White.............................(866) 690-0961..................... www.bradfordwhite.com.................................. page 6 Brant Radiant Heaters..................(800) 387-4778..................... www.brantradiant.com................................... page 21 Bryan Steam................................(765) 473-6651..................... www.bryanboilers.com.................................. page 79 Canadian GeoExchange Coalition.............................................. www.geo-exchange.ca................................... page 81 Cash Acme...................................(888) 820-0120..................... www.sharkbite.com....................................... page 15 Centrotherm.................................(877) 434-3432..................... www.centrotherm.us.com.............................. page 75 CMX/CIPHEX........................................................................... www.cmxshow.com....................................... page 92 CSA.............................................(877) 510-7772..................... www.shop.csa.ca.......................................... page 36 Delta Faucet Canada....................(800) 567-3300..................... www.deltafaucet.ca......................................... page 7 Duravent......................................(800) 835-4429..................... www.duravent.com........................................ page 49 Flir Systems.................................(800) 430-6754..................... www.goinfrared.com...................................... page 87 Fluke...........................................(800) 363-5853..................... www.flukecanada.ca/P3series....................... page 27 Franklin Electric...........................(260) 824-2900..................... www.franklin-electric.com/lg.......................... page 63 Fujitsu.........................................(888) 888-3424..................... www.fujitsugeneral.com............................... page 103 GeoSmart Energy.........................(866) 310-6690..................... www.geosmartenergy.com....................... page 87, 89 Giant Industries............................(800) 363-9354 ................... www.giantinc.com......................................... page 64 Hood Chemical.............................(800) 567-9791..................... www.hoodchemical.com................................ page 30 IPEX............................................(866) 473-9462..................... www.ipexinc.com...................................... page 9, 86 Lennox Parts Plus........................(214) 576-3800..................... www.lennoxpartsplus.com............................. page 71 Liberty Pumps..............................(800) 543-2550..................... www.libertypumps.com................................. page 61 Marfab Metal Products.................(905) 660-3460..................... www.marfabmetal.com.................................. page 60 Mercedes Benz......................................................................... www.mercedes-benz.ca/sprinter.................... page 47 Mitsubishi Electric.......................(905) 475-7728..................... www.zubahome.ca.......................................... page 5 Nissan..................................................................................... www.ncv.nissan.ca........................................ page 59 Noble...........................................(800) 529-9805..................... www.noble.ca............................................... page 97 NTI..............................................(506) 432-1130..................... www.nythermal.com...................................... page 38 Perfect Comfort............................(866) 233-4022..................... www.perfectcomfort.ca.................................. page 82 Redmond Williams........................(888) 571-2627..................... www.redmondwilliams.com............................ page 25 RMC............................................(866) 622-0209..................... www.refrigerantmanagement.ca............... page 70, 84 RSL..............................................(800) 663-9635..................... www.rsl.ca................................................... page 80 Saniflo.........................................(800) 363-5874..................... www.saniflo.ca............................................. page 11 Schneider Electric........................(800) 565-6699..................... www.SEReply.com......................................... page 57 Selkirk Corp.................................(888) 735-5175..................... www.selkirkcorp.com...................................... page 3 Taco............................................(905) 564-9422..................... www.floproteam.com..................................... page 39 Testo...........................................(800) 227-0729..................... www.testousa.com/fallpromo........................ page 24 Thermo Mfg..................................(888) 678-3709..................... www.thermopan.com.................................... page 83 Uponor.........................................(888) 994-7726..................... www.uponor.ca............................................. page 31 Victaulic......................................(905) 884-7444..................... www.victaulic.com.......................................... page 2 Viega...........................................(800) 976-9819..................... www.viega.com............................................. page 37 Viessmann...................................(800) 387-7373..................... www.viessmann.ca/productrange.................. page 33 Watco Mfg...................................(816) 796-3900..................... www.watcomfg.com...................................... page 62 Watts...........................................(888) 208-8927..................... www.wattscanada.ca............................. page 32, 104 Woodford Mfg...............................(800) 621-6032..................... www.woodfordmfg.com................................. page 65 Zurn.............................................(905) 405-8272..................... www.zurn.com.............................................. page 89

hpacmag.com

september/october 2011 | HPAC

101

Calendar 2011

FOR THE LATEST EVENT NEWS SEE HPAC'S NEWSLETTER @ hpacmag.com Construct Canada November 30-December 2

Solar Canada December 5-6

Construct Canada will be held in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. www.constructcanada.com

The Canadian Solar Industries Association will hold its 2011 conference at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building. www.cansia.ca

2012

The National GreenBuilding Conference will be held in the same venue on November 30-December 1. www.nationalgreenbuildingexpo.com

CGC National GeoExchange Business & Policy Forum December 7-8 The 5th National GeoExchange Technical & Policy Forum will be held at the Hilton Suites Toronto/Markham Conference Centre in Markham, ON. www.geo-exchange.ca

AHR EXPO January 23-25

Green Development: Sustainable Buildings & Infrastructure February 2-3

The International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition will be held at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, IL. www.ahrexpo.com

Slated for the Vancouver Convention Centre-West Building, Vancouver, BC, this conference will provide advice on the current state of green infrastructure and the anticipated impact of future developments. www.pbli.com

Buildex Vancouver February 8-9

National Home Show March 16-25

CMX-CIPHEX March 22-24

Held at the Vancouver Convention Centre, Buildex offers a comprehensive seminar program in addition to the trade show.â&#x20AC;¨ www.buildexvancouver.com

The National Home Show, presented by RE/MAX, is Canada's largest and longest running consumer show. It is held at the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place in Toronto, ON. www.nationalhomeshow.com

The National Trade Show and Forum will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building. www.cmxciphexshow.com

Kitchen & Bath Industry Show April 24-26 KBIS 2012 will be held in Chicago, IL, at McCormick Place. www.kbis.com

HRAI Annual Meeting & Conference August 24-27 The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) will hold its 44th annual meeting at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront in Halifax, NS. www.hrai.ca

MEET May 2-3

Cleaner Heat June 12-13

CIPH AGM June 24-27

The Mechanical Electrical Electronic Technology Exhibition will be held at the Moncton Coliseum Complex in Moncton, NB. www.masterpromotions.ca/ meet-2012

The Canadian Oil Heat Association will hold its conference at the Fairmont Tremblant Resort in Mont-Tremblant, QC. www.coha.ca

The Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating will hold its annual general meeting at the Fairmont Chateau Montebello in Montebello, QC. www.ciph.com

Chillventa October 9-11

CIPHEX West November 7-8

The International Trade Fair For Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Heat Pumps in Nuremburg, Germany, includes a congress program on October 8. www.chillventa.de/en/

Western Canada's largest trade show for plumbing, hydronics, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and water treatment products will be held at the Vancouver Convention Centre (West Building) in Vancouver, BC. www.ciphexwest.ca

HVAC Cold Climate Conference November 12-14

MCA Canada National Conference November 12-15

The 7th International HVAC Cold Climate Conference will be held in Calgary, AB. www.ashrae.org/ColdClimate

The Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada is heading to Maui, Hawaii for its 71st annual conference. www.mcac.ca

102

HPAC | september/october 2011

For Training Opportunities See Page 99

hpacmag.com

Who Says You Can’t Please Everyone?

Fujitsu’s new Hybrid Flex Inverter line provides individual comfort to up to 8 zones at once.

Let’s face it, one temperature does not please all, which is why Fujitsu’s new line of Halcyon Hybrid Flex Inverter (HFI) models allows up to 8 indoor units to be connected to one outdoor unit, providing 8 individual zones of heating or cooling.

• Up to 17 SEER energy efficient operation lowers utility bills • Flare connections make HFI models easier to install • One Central Remote Control can control all 8 zones • Long piping lengths of up to 230 feet increase installation options • Inverter technology regulates the compressor speed to its optimum energy usage, producing higher refrigerant performance with less power consumption

With Fujitsu’s line of Halcyon Hybrid Flex Inverter systems, you really CAN please everyone.

To find out how you can please everyone and how to become a Halcyon Dealer visit

www.fujitsugeneral.com

— Superior Sediment Filtration —

— Convenient Ultra Filtration —

Micro Z Filtration System

The Residential and Commercial Micro Z™ Filter System is a backwashing media filtration system for the removal of sediment and suspended solids from water. Provides higher service flow rates which reduces over all system size and cost.

Connection Sizes: 1" to 3" (25 - 80 mm) Flow Rates: Up to 106 gpm (401 lpm)

— No-Salt Anti Scale Options —

Ultra Filtration featuring Kwik-Change Cartridges

This Ultra Filtration Membrane Water Filtration System with long-reach easy faucet features Kwik-Change™ Cartridges — the fastest changeable cartridges on the market —and space-saving, low maintenance design with no storage tanks or minimum pressure required.

• Advanced design uses unique technology

— No-Waste Reverse Osmosis —

OneFlow Anti-Scale Systems

ZeroWaste Reverse Osmosis System

OneFlow® Anti-Scale Systems prevent scale by transforming dissolved hardness minerals into harmless, inactive microscopic crystal particles. A full line of solutions for cold and hot water, including tankless water heaters, hot beverage systems, appliances, steamers, etc.

The patented ZeroWaste Point- of-Use Reverse Osmosis System is the first ever that wastes no water. Comparable systems typically waste up to 4 -12 gallons for every gallon of RO water produced.

• 99.95% reduction of cysts and other impurities

Connection Sizes: ½" to 2" (15 -50 mm) Flow Rates: Up to 75 gpm (285 lpm) /450 gpm (1710 lpm) in manifold configuration

• 100% efficient - No wasted water • Four-Stage Filtration System • Upgraded Watts top mount faucet • 3 Gallon Storage Tank

— Multi-stage RO —

4-Stage Reverse Osmosis System

Refreshing.

The ideal RO System for high quality, great tasting water with superior value. Stage one is a 5-micron sediment filter, stage two is a 5-micron carbon block filter, stage three is an RO membrane and stage four is a high-quality GAC final filter. One of Watts’ most popular and hard-working water quality solutions!

• Four-stage water filtration • Easy to install

Introducing Pure Water by Watts

P

ure Water by Watts is a nice change. Your customers will like the easier installation and better-than-bottled water quality. What you’ll find refreshing are the new opportunities Pure Water offers for new and incremental business.

• Innovative technologies customers already want • Filtration, softening, disinfection and conditioning • Broad array of filter change kits and replacement cartridges, including competitor-compatible options • Backed by Watts’ quality, support and quick-turn availability

wattscanada.ca/purewater

— Water Softening —

Whole House Water Softener Series Pro SE Water Softeners are designed for residential and light commercial use applications ranging from 30,000 to 90,000 grains of hardness removal capacity at flow rates up to 15.5 gallons per minute.

• Fully-assembled and ready for install • Up to 90,000 -grain capacity • 1" (25mm) plumbing connections

— UV Disinfection —

UV Disinfection Systems This durable system provides high quality UV disinfection at a superior value. Provides disinfection for chlorine-resistant bacteria, virus and cysts. Ideal for wellwater applications.

Connection Sizes: ½"-1" (15-25mm) Flow Rates: Up to 12 gpm (45 lpm)

A Watts Water Technologies Company

For more product information visit www.wattscanada.ca/purewater