Founded in 1969, locally owned, Apex Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. offers top-notch customer service and expertise every time! Whether you are in need of routine service, repair or new installation, we will work with you every step of the way, to ensure that you are knowledgeable at all times. Our dedication to customer satisfaction is the reason that so many customers call us time and time again. Our mission is to provide professional, courteous service and quality workmanship to every customer.

Apex Heating and Air Conditioning Inc., recipient of the prestigious Carrier Presidents Award for service excellence, has built a solid reputation for customer satisfaction through quality work, attention to detail and prompt service for 48 years. A local SMALL business with a BIG IMPACT!

When it comes to your family or staff, you want a dependable heating and air conditioning system, as well as a quality installation! As a Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer, we can provide you with the most efficient system save you time and money and help the environment too! Count on us to deliver PEAK comfort to you in Apex, Cary, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina and the entire Triangle area.

Read more from the original source:
Apex Heating and Air Conditioning, HVAC Install and AC ...

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sun Capital Partners, Inc. (Sun Capital), a leading private investment firm specializing in leveraged buyouts and investments in market-leading companies, today announced that an affiliate has completed the acquisition of Horizon Services, Inc. (Horizon, or the Company). Wilmington, Delaware-based Horizon Services is the premier residential provider of plumbing, heating and air conditioning services for Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Maryland. Terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1987, Horizon Services is the regions largest and most-referred home services company, specializing in heating, air conditioning, plumbing, drain cleaning, and sewer and water line replacement and repair. Horizon is also a leading seller and installer of energy-efficient heating and cooling systems in the mid-Atlantic.

Were eager to leverage our knowledge of the home and business services industry to help grow Horizon Services even further, said Marc Leder, Co-CEO of Sun Capital. Horizons founders and management team have built a great company, and we look forward to working with them to maximize the businesss potential.

Horizon currently operates six locations between Connecticut and Maryland, and manages more than 500 HVAC professionals. The Company has expanded rapidly in recent years, entering new markets organically and through acquisitions, including the acquisition of Hartford, Connecticut-based HARP in May 2016.

Adding value to services companies has been a special focus of Sun Capital over the years, said M. Steven Liff, Senior Managing Director at Sun Capital. We are eager to partner with Horizons management to provide the resources needed for growth, organically and through acquisitions, as well as to offer our expertise in strengthening systems and business processes and enhancing the Companys service offerings.

Horizon has differentiated itself from other HVAC and plumbing businesses through a growth strategy of acquisitions and integrations that have allowed the Company to build its client base across the region.

My partner Mark Aitken and I believe our Company is primed for growth with the right partner and resources. We spent 18 months going through an exhaustive process to find that partner in Sun Capital, said Dave Geiger, Co-President of Horizon Services. Sun Capitals team aligns perfectly with ours, from our vision for customer experience to our view on company culture.

Sun Capital has strong experience in related home and business services sectors through current and recent affiliated portfolio companies including Spectralink, a leading global provider of on-site enterprise mobile communication solutions, and Bundy Refrigeration, a manufacturer and supplier of fluid carrying cooling system components for the domestic refrigeration industry.

SF&P Advisors served as financial advisor to Sun Capital, and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP provided legal counsel. Horizon Services was advised by STS Capital Partners.

About Sun Capital Partners, Inc.

Sun Capital Partners is a global private equity firm focused on identifying companies untapped potential and leveraging its deep operational and financial resources to transform results. Sun Capital is a trusted partner that is recognized for its investment and operational experience, including particular expertise in the consumer products and services, food and beverage, industrial, packaging, chemicals, building products, automotive, restaurant and retail sectors. Since 1995, Sun Capital has invested in more than 340 companies worldwide across a broad range of industries and transaction structures. Sun Capital has offices in Boca Raton, Los Angeles and New York, and affiliates in London, Frankfurt and Shenzhen.

More here:
Affiliate of Sun Capital Partners Acquires HVAC Installation and ... - Business Wire (press release)

Karges-Faulconbridge Inc. drilled 12 geothermal bore wells next to its parking lot, then restored the field to a native prairie area. (Staff photo: Bill Klotz)

The Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies last year celebrated the opening of a 66,777-square-foot addition that included a geothermal exchange system for heating and cooling office space.

Cargill Philanthropies is one of a handful of organizations in Minnesota that have installed geothermal systems over the last few years. Although geothermal exchange systems require a significant upfront investment, the equipment generally lasts for decades and the fuel source, the Earth, costs nothing.

Geothermal exchange systems employ plastic tubing buried in the ground or placed in water to capture the Earths steady temperature by circulating a nontoxic liquid that transfers heat to and from the ground. The liquid passes into heat pumps, which through a refrigeration cycle concentrate heat in winter and cools it in summer.

The system at the Cargill office, 6889 Rowland Road, required drilling more than 140 well bores 250 feet deep to the create a vertical loop connected to heat pumps. The system manages heating and cooling for the new addition while enhancing the performance of the previously existing 28,460-square-foot building, according to Shawn Kinniry, office and facilities manager.

In the 10 months weve been in our expanded building, the system has operated efficiently, effectively, and according to design, he wrote in an email. By design, leveraging the Earths more constant ground temperatures, especially in this region where we have such wide temperature extremes, provides a jump-start of sorts to maintaining appropriate temperatures in the building.

Its an incredible technology, its the technology of the future, said Gary Connett, Great River Energys member and marketing services director. Theres nothing greener, cleaner and more efficient than a heat pump.

Many of the 28 members of Great River Energy, a wholesale electric cooperative, give customers rebates for installing geothermal exchange systems. Within Great Rivers territory, the systems have been installed in 12 schools, a number of churches, civic buildings and a few thousand houses, Connett said.

Karges-Faulconbridge Inc., 670 County Road B W. in St. Paul, worked on the Cargill project and several others involving geothermal systems. The engineering companys own office building has a geothermal exchange system attached to a loop underneath a field next to its parking lot.

The office was a former grocery store built on a site that once served as a city garbage dump, according to Karges-Faulconbridge principal Randy Christenson. Geothermal made sense both as a way to demonstrate the system to clients and to economically manage the office temperature, he said.

Geothermal takes the heat of the Earth, roughly 48 degrees in Minnesota, and uses that as a starting point for temperature control inside buildings. Youre using the Earth, with a constant temperature, for storing heat in the ground in summer and pulling heat back out in winter, he said.

Challenge and opportunity

One challenge facing the geothermal market today is low natural gas prices, he said. Theres little incentive for geothermal heating when a more traditional way, such as natural gas, is so inexpensive. When Christenson worked with the Alexandria school district recently, he suggested its desire for geothermal, while noble and sustainable, would take decades to pay back.

That hasnt been the experience of all geothermal users. The Cargill system should pay off in 13 years, Kinniry said. By comparison, a 112-kilowatt solar array installed at the same time on the new addition will take 80 years to exceed its return on investment, he said.

Theres also the idea that geothermal makes sense when an organization has aggressive sustainability goals. We see this building component as mission-related, Earth-friendly, and sustainable, so monetary payback is again only part of our design story for this design element, he said.

Jeff Beiriger, executive director of the Brooklyn Center-based Minnesota Geothermal Heat Pump Association, said geothermal energy is three to four times more efficient than traditional systems, such as boilers, and reduces energy use from 40 to 70 percent.

For building owners who know they are not leaving for decades such as schools and universities the heavy upfront cost can be paid off over time, Beiriger said. Zoned heating and cooling, which allows users to control temperatures in defined areas of an office or plant, is also simpler to create in a building with a geothermal system, he said.

Low natural gas prices arent the geothermal industrys only challenge. When the U.S. Congress extended tax credits for wind and solar last year, it did not do the same for geothermal. The 30 percent tax credit certainly helped sales, Beiriger said, but future changes to the tax code, depending on what they are, could potentially jump-start the industry again.

Where geothermal works

While geothermal energys upfront cost may not work for every Karges-Faulconbridge client, there are those willing to make the investment to meet sustainability goals. Cargill Philanthropies is one such client, even though its site required a few innovative strategies for the system to work.

The foundation had to drill bores to install piping in a wetland it owns, for example. The city of Eden Prairie and the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District gave their approval for drilling in the wetland, which ended up with 40 percent of the drill bores. The rest surround the perimeter of the new building.

While the bottom line mattered, the organization saw geothermal exchange as a way to have a smaller environmental footprint.

The chance to install a system that is more efficient than conventional heating and cooling systems, and leverages sustainable, Earth-friendly resources, is an opportunity that resonated very strongly with our organizations leaders, Kinniry said.

St. Paul-based Presbyterian Homes & Services installed geothermal heat exchange systems at two senior housing communities.

At Carondelet Village on the campus of the St. Catherine University, the project came about because the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet wanted to make the community an eco-friendly, said John Mehrkens, vice president of development at St. Paul-based Senior Housing Partners, a subsidiary of Presbyterian Homes.

The organization installed geothermal to the three-building Folkestone in the Promenade of Wayzata, 100 Promenade Ave., because the structure rests on pilings. Placing the piping into the concrete pilings added only an incremental cost to the 253-unit senior community, Mehrkens said. Moreover, he felt comfortable that the technology of heat pumps, more commonly used in the South, would be able to handle Minnesota winters.

He added that geothermal makes better financial sense for owners not looking to sell anytime soon.

As a long-term owner of these properties, we have a little different perspective, Mehrkens said. We can look at that return over 30 years rather than five years that might happen if you were developer building a project.

Perhaps the states largest geothermal heat transfer system is at Great Rivers Maple Grove headquarters, 12300 Elm Creek Blvd. The bottom of Arbor Lake, behind the building, holds 36 miles of piping that feeds into 72 heat pumps. It shows the advantages of geothermal heat transfer to cooperative members, Great Rivers Connett said.

Hes a huge fan of the technology. Natural gas prices will eventually rise and make geothermal more attractive, he believes, and more businesses and homeowners will see it as a way to reduce their carbon footprints.

Related:

Read more from the original source:
Sustainable: Organizations warming to geothermal energy - Finance and Commerce

Continental Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket, a leading aftermarket supplier of OE-engineered aftermarket parts for HVAC and engine cooling, door systems, brake systems, tire pressure monitoring systems, engine management, fuel systems and instrumentation, has expanded its full line of VDO HVAC motors with what the company says is exclusive aftermarket coverage of Subaru blower motors.

The new line addition, PM4114, includes a complete HVAC motor, wheel and housing assembly for 2002-07 Subaru Impreza, WRX and Outback sedans and wagons.

According to Rick Wagner, VDO product manager, This new motor comes from sound field research at the installer level to determine the needs of our professional technician customers. As a result, we were able to determine the HVAC motors most in demand and which features are essential for todays complex automotive heating and cooling systems. Because more and more OE components are installed as modules, the complete VDO HVAC motor assembly makes for an easy and trouble-free replacement. It eliminates the installation guesswork found in other brands and restores like new performance.

All VDO motors incorporate the exact electrical connectors required by the specific vehicle application. No flying leads or wire splicing is required. VDO mounting flanges and ventilation tubes are in the same position and configuration as the factory units, the company adds.

Wagner noted, Our VDO line is built on many years of proven experience and the ability to produce HVAC motors that deliver smooth, quiet and long lasting operation. We do use not universal application motors nor take any other shortcuts that can compromise service life. Our motors are designed to meet the specific performance and cooling requirements of the vehicle.

All VDO motors are made to the same specifications and quality standards as the OE components supplied by Continental to automakers worldwide.

VDO is a trademark of the Continental Corp.

For more information, visit: vdo.com/usa or contact: [emailprotected].

Read the original:
VDO HVAC Motor Line Expanded With New Applications For Subaru - AftermarketNews.com (AMN)

MILWAUKEE Last fall, Johnson Controls Inc. celebrated the grand opening of seven new Source1 HVAC Supply Centers, a supplier of HVAC equipment and factory authorized service parts and residential accessories for all Johnson Controls residential and light commercial unitary productsin Illinois, Michigan, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, Oregon, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The company also offers a broad variety of universal heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) parts, supplies and accessories from many manufacturers.

Stores had grand-openings at the following locations:

Were excited to offer contractors the benefits each of these stores offers, beginning with quick and easy access to HVAC parts, said Liz Haggerty, vice president and general manager, Johnson Controls Unitary Products Group. By providing contractors with a conveniently located, one-stop source for a comprehensive line of HVAC parts and systems, along with the tools and supplies necessary to install, maintain and service equipment, the centers allow contractors to get in, get what they need and get to the jobsite, eliminating wait time and improving efficiency and productivity.

In addition to York, Guardian and Source1 products, the new supply centers offer products from other HVAC manufacturers and a wide array of HVAC test instruments, tools and supplies everything from gauges, recovery equipment and vacuum pumps to tape, filters and pipe and electrical fittings.

A training resource

The supply centers will also give contractors the opportunity to tap into local training programs on York and Guardian equipment as well as HVAC and business fundamentals, like electricity, refrigeration, heating, financial analysis and sales techniques.

The technical expertise of our store employees provides another important resource to contractors, said Haggerty. In addition to unrivaled customer service, they offer industry experience and in many cases, first-hand familiarity with the challenges contractors encounter in the field.

At the Collinsville store we have three people working there, and they are all HVAC experienced, said Dave Smithey, vice president and general manager of Source1 HVAC Supply Centers. We hire people from both sides of the counter some have experience working on the distributor side, and some are from the customer side that have walked in the customers shoes, and can understand where customers are coming from.

According to Smithey, the opening last September at the St. Louis-based store went well.

There was a lot of engagement with our customers, said Smithey. They were very glad to see us open the store there, and they have access to the York product. What we have with Source1 is a concentrated effort to be an access point for any HVAC contractor to service, repair, and install York and Guardian brand products. Source1 HVAC Supply Centers were introduced in 2013 to make sure we have a well-defined communicable presence in the market. The differentiator with Source1 is the customer service we offer we are easy to do business with and have a great relationship with our customers.

The training offered at Source1 locations goes hand in hand with its customer service.

We view training as part of the service we provide to our customers, explained Smithey. If we give them product we need to give them training we offer this onsite and online training too. We customize training to what the customer needs. This starts with an in-store class, and then we customize training specific to the customers needs. We publish classes monthly for the customer, so they know what is available and what they can attend.

The seven new stores are part of a growing number of Source 1 HVAC Supply Centers Johnson Controls operates in Illinois, Michigan, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, Oregon, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

York products from Johnson Controls include energy-efficient, residential central air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces and accessories, and innovative light-commercial, packaged heating and cooling systems marketed through a national distribution network and delivered to home- and building-owners through qualified York heating and cooling contractors.

About Johnson Controls

Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. The companys 150,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and seating components and systems for automobiles. Johnson Controls commitment to sustainability dates back to its roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through Johnson Controls growth strategies and by increasing market share the company is committed to delivering value to shareholders and making its customers successful. In 2016, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the No. 17 company in its annual "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list.

Continued here:
Training goes hand in hand with customer service at Source 1 HVAC Supply Centers - Contracting Business

In addition to encouraging energy efficiency and lowering customer energy costs, the PSE&G filing further supports the New Jersey Energy Master Plan by reducing overall energy consumption in the state, producing environmental benefits, and creating jobs.

PSE&G's Hospital Efficiency Program has upgraded 34 hospitals by installing energy conserving equipment. The Residential Multifamily Housing Program has served more than 13,000 individual apartments and the Direct Install Program has helped more than 1,500 government facilities, non-profits, and small businesses become more energy efficient. Estimates show that the additional investment that is being requested will save enough electricity to power 9,000 average size homes annually and save enough natural gas to supply more than 7,000 homes each year.

The Hospital Efficiency Program helps hospitals and healthcare facilities upgrade outdated and unreliable heating, cooling, motors, lighting and other systems by providing expert advice, incentives and on-bill financing. Upgrades substantially reduce energy consumption and operating costs. PSE&G proposes to invest an additional $25 million for this program.

The Residential Multifamily Housing Program helps increase comfort and reduces energy costs by providing expert advice, incentives and on-bill financing to install efficient heating and hot water systems and controls, lighting, insulation, refrigerators and more in apartment buildings. PSE&G proposes to invest an additional $20 million for this program.

The Direct Install Program helps government agencies and non-profits, as well as small businesses located in Urban Enterprise Zones, reduce their energy consumption and bills by paying for 70 percent of project costs for lighting, heating and cooling systems upgrades, and by providing on-bill financing for the balance of the cost. PSE&G proposes to invest an additional $15 million for this program.

The Smart Thermostat Program is a newly proposed program that will offer a $150 discount for qualified smart thermostats available from a PSE&G marketplace or third party retailers. There will also be a pilot component to evaluate the installation of smart thermostats for multifamily and lower income customers. PSE&G proposes to invest $11.5 million for this program.

The Residential Home Energy Reporting Program will use a variety of data to analyze residential customers' energy consumption, identify energy savings opportunities and provide customized recommendations to lower energy bills. Customers will receive personalized Home Energy Reports periodically throughout the year with the goal of providing meaningful energy savings for participants. PSE&G proposes to invest $2.5 million for this new program.

About PSE&G

Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) is New Jersey's oldest and largest regulated gas and electric delivery utility, serving nearly three-quarters of the state's population. PSE&G is the winner of the ReliabilityOne Award for superior electric system reliability. PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG), a diversified energy company.

Visit PSEG at:

http://www.pseg.com PSEG on Facebook PSEG on Twitter PSEG on LinkedIn ENERGIZE! blog

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained in this communication about our and our subsidiaries future performance, including, without limitation, future revenues, earnings, strategies, prospects, consequences and all other statements that are not purely historical, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such statements are based on managements beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. When used herein, the words anticipate, intend, estimate, believe, expect, plan, should, hypothetical, potential, forecast, project, variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ are often presented with the forward-looking statements themselves. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in any forward-looking statements made by us herein are discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Form 10-Q and Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and available on our website: http://investor.pseg.com/sec-filings. All of the forward-looking statements made in this communication are qualified by these cautionary statements and we cannot assure you that the results or developments anticipated by management will be realized or even if realized, will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, us or our business, prospects, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements in making any investment decision. Forward-looking statements made in this communication apply only as of the date hereof. While we may elect to update forward-looking statements from time to time, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, even in light of new information or future events, unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws.

From time to time, PSEG, PSE&G and PSEG Power release important information via postings on their corporate website at http://investor.pseg.com. Investors and other interested parties are encouraged to visit the corporate website to review new postings. The Email Alerts link at http://investor.pseg.com may be used to enroll to receive automatic email alerts and/or Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds regarding new postings.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pseg-seeks-nj-bpu-approval-for-energy-efficiency-programs-300418619.html

SOURCE Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G)

Go here to see the original:
PSE&G Seeks NJ BPU Approval For Energy Efficiency Programs - PR Newswire (press release)

HARRISBURG, S.D. One woman has received the gift of heat from a plumbing and heating company.

Golden Rule Plumbing, Heating and Cooling installed a free, brand new furnace into Sandy Boelhowers home.

Boelhower has been battling different forms of cancer for nearly 9 years.

She started with a brain tumor, then doctors found lung cancer and a year later she had kidney cancer.

While shes won all her battles, it has left her with a big pile of medical bills.

A couple of weeks ago, Boelhower found out her furnace was leaking carbon monoxide.

But she couldnt afford to fix it and needed to keep using it to stay warm.

Thats where Golden Rule Plumbing, Heating and Cooling came into play.

They are so nice I just want to hug them all, says Boelhower. Im still in shock i think, because Im not a winner in anything.

Boelhowers daughter nominated her to win the free furnace.

Golden Rule Plumbing, Heating and Cooling has been offering to install a free furnace every year since 2014 as part of their give the gift of heat program.

This year, they had 90 applicants.

Go here to read the rest:
Heating Company Gives Heat To Harrisburg Woman - KDLT News (blog)

OCEAN COUNTY officials announced the County will receive $1.1 million in incentives from the state Board of Public Utilities for the installation of a energy efficient heating and cooling system at the Ocean County Justice Complex on Hooper Avenue, Toms River.

We are very happy to receive these incentives from the BPU, said Ocean County Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari, who serves as liaison to the countys Department of Buildings and Grounds. This is an important step in the work Ocean County has been doing to create more energy efficient facilities.

The BPU noted the County submitted an application under the New Jerseys Clean Energy Programs Combined Heat and Power & Fuel Cell Program requesting $1.1 million in incentives for the installation of a new Combined Heat and Power system at the Ocean County Justice Complex in downtown Toms River.

The Justice Complex is a multi-use facility housing courtrooms, some of the divisions of the Ocean County Sheriffs Office, jail facilities and other government functions.

The new 600 kW CHP system generates electricity to power the facility, while capturing and using the waste heat for space heating, cooling, and water heating.

According to Vicari and the BPU, the energy efficiency measures will provide both energy and cost savings.

The estimated annual energy cost savings is expected to be $383,000, Vicari said. That is substantial savings for the county taxpayers.

Ocean County has closely been working with the BPU on energy upgrades at County facilities.

In November, the County was notified by the state Board of Public Utilities that it accepted and approved the countys plan for energy upgrades.

With that approval we began to move forward with the upgrades, Vicari said.

Ocean County completed the energy audit in May submitting the information to the BPU for approval.

This audit is very important to us as we look at ways to reduce costs and improve our energy efficiency, Vicari said. The audit comes with a number of beneficial suggestions that we will be considering for implementation.

Under the program, Vicari said, costs for the improvements would be offset by incentives from the state.

And, he said, the money saved on energy could be reallocated to pay for additional energy upgrades. The audits recommendations could reap a self-funding potential of $19.3 million which is more than $1.3 million more than the amount appropriated for the upgrades.

The energy audit was the result of an exhaustive examination of six facilities that receive a lot of traffic both from the public and with our employees, Vicari said. That is why they were chosen for this initial review.

In addition to the Justice Complex the other facilities included the Ocean County Courthouse, the Ocean County Administration Building, the Ocean County Jail, the Ocean County Prosecutors Office and the parking garage all in downtown Toms River.

These facilities total 1,022,775 square feet, Vicari said. They produce an annual energy bill of $2.3 million.

Ocean County is looking at other improvements including upgrades to the lighting systems, automated controls for lighting, upgrades to existing heating and air conditioning systems and some building improvements.

The BPUs Clean Energy Program promotes increased energy efficiency and the use of clean, renewable sources of energy. The County began the process in late 2014 to participate in the Local Government Energy Audit to identify cost-justified efficiency measures. This audit results provided the Board of Freeholders with various energy alternatives that can be implemented.

Over the course of several months, representatives from DCO Energy, Lawrenceville, visited each county location noted in the audit and did a complete review of the buildings.

They looked at electric and natural gas usage, building architectural and engineering drawings, lighting systems, heating and air conditioning equipment and controls, roofs, windows, doorways, occupancy schedules and maintenance practices, Vicari said.

See the original post here:
$1.1 Million In Energy Incentives Coming To Ocean County - Micromedia Publications

(Photo submitted) A crane lowers a new commercial HVAC system onto the roof of Ashe Memorial Hospital in February.

FLEETWOOD-No matter how many times theyve seen it, Chad and Randall Scott say they never get tired of watching a crane hoist a giant heating and cooling system into the air.

Its like art to see somebody pick this massive thing up with a crane and place it gently on a roof, Randall Scott, co-owner of Fleetwoods Scott Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning, said. Its fun to watch every time.

And these days, the Scott Brothers are watching more HVAC systems go airborne than ever before thanks to a growing list of commercial clients. Ashe Memorial Hospital, for instance, recently turned to the company to install two new super sized HVAC systems to replace its aging rooftop units. Jobs like that lead the company to believe revenues will grow by some 15 percent this year alone.

Commercial install and maintenance work is a niche Scott Brothers has taken advantage of sporadically since the duo founded the company more than a quarter century ago, but its really only been the last year that its commercial business has picked up in a big way.

Weve done some small commercial stuff over the years, Chad Scott said. But the bigger stuff like the hospital systems have really only started to roll in over the last 12 months or so. Were focusing more on commercial work these days than ever before.

Thats a bit of a departure from the two man shop the Scotts launched in 1991 at the urging of their father. While working as an electrical lineman the elder Scott came to the realization the High Country lacked a solid base of heating and air contractors, and told his sons as much. Turns out he was right, Randall Scott said in previous interviews with the Jefferson Post.

The pair combined their own unique skill sets and have never looked back. Scott Brothers has survived multiple recessions and big shifts in HVAC technology and industry standards since getting their start at the tail end of the George H.W. Bush administration, and for nearly the companys entire history its relied on just two service technicians.

But that number has doubled since 2015, thanks in large part to the companys new emphasis on commercial installs and repairs.

For our first 23 years we basically worked with two service guys, Chad Scott said. Last year we were able to justify adding number three and within a year were adding our fourth. Thats how much weve seen things move.

And while commercial sized heating and cooling systems work in a nearly identical manner to their smaller residential cousins, Randall Scott said the company has to approach their clients in a slightly different manner.

On the commercial side its all about being able to effectively explain exactly what their return on investment will be, Randall Scott said. How will this system affect their bottom line? And they want to be assured that when something does come up, that youve got the manpower to make sure it gets taken care of right then. Thats been the main reason weve added a fourth service tech, to make sure weve got the guys on staff to work through service and repair issues for clients that just cant wait.

The companys second largest growth market? The exploding demand in recent years for new ductless mini-split heat pump systems like those produced by Mitsubishi. The systems relatively small footprint allows homeowners to heat and cool individual rooms without the expense that comes with larger outdoor heat pumps designed for an entire home.

The main application works for something like a bonus room, den or a garage that somebody has decided to finish out and a traditional system doesnt make a lot of sense, Randall Scott said. So you can quickly add a truly quiet, energy efficient mini-split system without a lot of hassle.

Chad Scott said the company may have installed just 10-12 systems a year when mini-split units first hit the market, growing to 25 units in 2015. But sales nearly tripled in 2016 as the company installed upwards of 70 mini-split systems.

And we cant take all the credit for that jump, Randall Scott said. Thats been the trend throughout the entire industry, and we think were going to see much more growth this year.

Mini-split systems are significantly more efficient than their traditional heat pump counterparts, Randall Scott said, and they dont require a homeowner to utilize a backup heating source when temperatures plunge below freezing.

No matter how cold it gets, these things are going to continue to work exactly like they should, Chad Scott said.

Combined with the fact that multiple minisplits can be combined to create a flexible whole home heating and cooling system, and the brothers say theyre not surprised at the systems popularity. Weve even had clients that close off most of their home and heat a single room with a mini-split, Randall Scott said. Thats kind of a no fuss solution, but they allow you that kind of flexibility.

Reach Adam Orr at 336-489-3058.

(Photo submitted) A crane lowers a new commercial HVAC system onto the roof of Ashe Memorial Hospital in February.

http://jeffersonpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_ScottBros-1.jpg(Photo submitted) A crane lowers a new commercial HVAC system onto the roof of Ashe Memorial Hospital in February.

.

Read more here:
Scott Brothers still breaking new ground after 25 years - Jefferson Post

Converting from fossil fuel heating systems to electric will help meet New York states climate goals and make home heating more affordable, according to a new study. The initial cost of installing electric systems is steep, but the report says there are ways the state could help.

Institute for Energy and Environmental Research President Arjun Makhijani wrote the report that advocates for electric technologies like geothermal and cold climate heat pumps. The heat pumps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using free energy from the ground and the air rather than burning fossil fuels. Makhijani said in the long-term, it will make home heating more affordable.

"When you install a geothermal heat pump, not only will you benefit, your neighbors will be benefiting, because you reduce the peak load on the electric grid during the summer," Makhijani said. "To meet the peak load you have to install gas turbines you have to install transmission and distribution systems. You're benefiting your neighbors and the utility and reducing everybody's costs."

But Makhijani said the challenge is the initial cost of installing these systems.

Part of the difficulty of making really efficient electric heating and cooling systems is that they are more expensive than natural gas and oil systems," Makhijani said. "Over the long term they save you money. How to reduce the cost is a big issue.

Makhijani said there are multiple ways to reduce the costs and the states Energy Research and Development Authority has addressed the issue.

One way to do it is to mandate efficient heating systems for public buildings, for new construction, so you create a market," Makhijani said. "Its a nascent market.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is also proposing a $15 million rebate plan for installing ground-source heat pumps. Makhijani said a state policy limiting energy costs for low-income residents to six percent of their income is another reason to push for the switch to electric.

Then the cost of heating goes down and the amount of public assistance money needed to help low-income households will also go down, Makhijani said.

Plus, Makhijani said New York could be a leader in manufacturing heat pumps and parts, which could lead to new jobs.

Read the original here:
NYS should switch to electric heating systems to save money, environment, reports says - WBFO