Even though prices are way down, oil cant catch a break from homeowners who remain willing to spend thousands of dollars converting their heating systems to natural gas.

Heating oil has been losing market share to natural gas, electricity and other heat sources for years. Only 6% of U.S. homes used oil heat in 2012, government data show. But in the chilly Northeastern states, oil warms about 25% of all homes.

The price of a gallon of No. 2 heating oil a highly refined, cleaner-burning fuel used in single-family homes is down 26% this year, from a high of $4.242 on Feb. 24 to $3.142 on Dec. 15, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Oil industry leaders believe the price drop and the $5,000 to $19,000 expense of installing gas lines, furnaces and other equipment ought to make homeowners think twice about switching from oil to gas. Theres a large capital cost to making this kind of switch, said Richard Sweetser, president of Exergy Partners, which consults for the oil industry.

But theres no sign the price plunge has slowed the pace of oil-to-gas conversions.

Data from Con Edison, one of New York Citys gas utilities, says big buildings are switching from oil to gas at a faster pace than in 2013.

Through October, 1,249 large buildings in Con Eds New York City territory switched from oil to gas, a pace of 125 conversions per month. In all of 2013, Con Ed won 1,293 new big-building gas customers, or 108 per month. Some building owners are being pushed to change to gas becasue of city anti-pollution rules requiring a phase-out of dirtier, less refined No. 4 and No. 6 heating oil.

Con Edison has no data on single-family home conversions, but says they seem to be running at about the same pace as last year.

Cheap oil has probably kept a few people from switching over to gas, said Ryan Williams, general manager of 128 Plumbing, Heating and Cooling in Wakefield, Mass.

But Williams says customers who have changed to natural gas are still happy despite cheaper oil prices. The technology behind the gas equipment is far superior to any oil equipment, he said. Nobody would ever put oil in their house unless there was no gas on their street.

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Home hearing oil is now cheap, but natural gas is even cheaper

Deloitte's new corporate headquarters in Amsterdam has been certified as the most sustainable office building in the world by BREEAM. The Edge was awarded an "Outstanding" rating with the highest ever BREEAM score of 98.36 percent. It takes the title from One Embankment Place in London.

BREEAM (short for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology) is an approach for assessing and rating the sustainability of buildings. It is licensed for use by independent assessors around the world and is claimed to be "the world's foremost environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings." Among the criteria considered during a building's assessment are energy and water use, transport links, materials used, waste and management processes.

According to the building's designers PLP Architecture, The Edge is the second largest building to ever achieve BREEAM's Outstanding certification. The building covers 40,000 sq m (430,000 sq ft), and features a mix of passive temperature control and energy-efficient design, and generates its own electricity, too.

The building's south faade is covered with solar panels on all surfaces that aren't windows. In order to generate enough electricity to meet its level of consumption, though, developers OVG partnered with the University of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences to install a further 4,100 sq m (44,100 sq ft) of solar panels on the rooftops of the schools.

The heating and cooling of the building is catered for in part by orienting it to benefit passively from the path of the sun and also by using an aquifer thermal energy storage system. Such systems use one well to provide heating during the cool periods and another to provide cooling during warm periods. When it is warm, water is extracted from one well, pumped through a heat exchange and pumped back into the well for storage until a cooler time when it can be used to heat the building. The second well is used in reverse to provide cooling when it is warm.

Among its other features, OVG says The Edge was the first building to make use of Philips Ethernet-powered LED connected lighting for offices, which we detailed back in July. As well as providing power to the lighting, the system is able to transmit data. As such, lights can be paired with sensors and used to monitor aspects like movement, light and temperature throughout the building, helping to inform energy management.

Elsewhere, rainwater is collected for use flushing the building's toilets and watering its green areas. There is good access to public transport links and the local cycle route network, with 500 bicycle parking spaces on-site.

The video below provides an overview of some of the innovative technologies used by The Edge.

Sources: BREEAM (in Dutch), OVG

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Deloitte's Amsterdam HQ becomes world's most sustainable office building

Grants Pass, OR (PRWEB) December 18, 2014

Proposed Environmental Protection Agency (RPA) indoor air quality regulations address pollution and ventilation but not indoor humidity, according to fresh water advocate and radio host Sharon Kleyne.* Indoor humidity is especially important in winter because low indoor humidity, as a result of artificially heated air, can magnify the effects of exposure to other indoor pollutants that build up in winter such as radon gas, carbon monoxide, mold spores, ambient bacteria and particulates such as wood smoke, dust and carbon soot.

The syndicated Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water radio show, hosted by fresh water advocate Sharon Kleyne, is heard weekly on VoiceAmerica and Apple iTunes. The show is sponsored by Bio Logic Aqua Research, a global research and technology center founded by Kleyne and specializing in fresh water, the atmosphere and dehydration. Natures Tears EyeMist is the Research Centers signature product for dry and dehydrated eyes.

Kleyne will discuss indoor air quality in winter on her Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water radio broadcast of December 22, 2014 (Live show or podcast: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/2207/the-sharon-kleyne-hour).

Kleyne is neutral on the question of whether the EPA should regulate indoor air quality in private residences. She does believe that the public needs to become educated on the health hazards of indoor winter air, including the increased health risk that can result from low atmospheric water vapor content (humidity). Low humidity is far more common in winter than summer.

Cooler air, Kleyne explains, cannot hold as much water as warmer air. The difference in water vapor holding potential between air at 80 degrees (f) and air at zero degrees (f) is huge. As a result, artificially heated indoor air in winter tends to be quite dry, often with a relative humidity below 10%.

When the humidity is high, the body absorbs moisture from the air. When the humidity is low, water at or just below the bodys surface in the eyes, skin, mouth and lungs - evaporates into the air, eventually causing body surfaces, and the body interior, to become dehydrated. Dehydrated body surfaces have less resistance to viral, bacterial and mold spore invasion. Atmospheric humidity is also important to breathing and oxygen transfer in the lungs.

The human immune system, like all other body processes, says Kleyne, requires water to function ideally. When the body is dehydrated, the skins ability to defend is compromised and the internal immune system is also compromised.

The ideal room humidity at 70 degrees (f) is 40 to 60 percent, says Kleyne.

Wind from heating ducts increase the rate of body surface evaporation, according to Kleyne. When water evaporates out of the surface of the skin, Kleyne explains, it forms a thin protective layer of warm moist air around the body. Any kind of wind warm or cold can blow away the moisture layer, replacing it with less humid, colder air that increases evaporative pressure on the skin (and eye) surface.

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Proposed indoor air quality law does not address winter humidity reports fresh water advocate

Wall Street normally gives the price to a company that it actually deserves (Efficient Market Theory) but at times, due to some event not related to a company's business, it gives an irrational price to the stock. Sometimes this irrationality leads to an overvaluation of the company and at other times it causes a company to become undervalued. Gentherm (THRM) falls in the later category.

Company Introduction

Gentherm is a leader in manufacturing technology which designs, develops and manufactures heating and cooling systems for diverse global markets. Their products are based on proprietary thermal technology called TED (Thermal Electronic Device). Gentherm's products can be found on the vehicles of nearly all major automotive manufacturers, spanning all major automotive markets. The company's main product is Climate Control Seats (CCS), which was once available only for luxury cars but lately more mid-segment cars are offering it as an upgrade feature. Some of the other products based on TED are as follows:

CCS products are currently offered as an optional or standard feature on automobiles produced by Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Fiat Group, Toyota Motor Corporation, Nissan Motor Corporation, Tata Motors Limited and Hyundai Motor Company.

As of December 31, 2013, Gentherm held 432 issued patents, of which 177 were U.S. patents and 255 were non-U.S. patents. As of December 31, 2013, Gentherm had 317 patents applications pending at the authorities, 41 of which were new U.S. applications and 45 of which were new non-U.S. applications filed in 2013.

Gentherm's Moat

Most of my article is focused around CCS because it's the major revenue driver for Gentherm. As I have listed above, Gentherm has some of the top car manufacturers as it's clients. I strongly believe that Gentherm was able to achieve such a strong client base because of their great product, and since they use proprietary technology to manufacture CCS, its difficult for competitors to provide exactly the same product. Also, the following extract from Gentherm's report clearly shows how lengthy the process of approving a new CCS manufacturer can be for automobile companies.

"If a manufacturer wishes to integrate our CCS product into a seat, it provides us with automotive seats to be modified so that we can install a unit in a prototype. The seat is then returned to the manufacturer for evaluation and testing. If a manufacturer accepts our CCS product, a program can then be launched for a particular model on a production basis, but it normally takes two to three years from the time a manufacturer decides to include our CCS product in a vehicle model to actual volume production for that vehicle."

Because of their excellent Climate Control Seats, Gentherm is able to market some of its other products that are based on the similar technology as CCS.

Link:
Gentherm Inc: One Of The Few Undervalued Stocks In Today's Market

Portland, OR (PRWEB) December 16, 2014

All heat pumps redistribute heat from one location to another and act as a center for temperature moderation. Rather than installing both a traditional furnace and air conditioner, homeowners can install a heat pump and use one unit to both cool down the home in the summer and keep the home warm in the winter.

Heat pumps are an excellent HVAC choice for moderate climatesregions that experience extreme temperatures will not benefit as much from a heat pump since the amount of energy it takes to convert one extreme temperature to another is significantly higher than transforming one moderate temperature to its opposite.

Because not all heat pumps perform their heating and cooling tasks in quite the same way, homeowners should select the unit that best fits their needs regarding size and cost:

Air-source heat pumps

Ground-source heat pumps

Selecting and installing a new heat pump system has the potential for significant savings for homeowners on their heating and cooling costsand those who opt to install a heat pump could be eligible for energy-efficient tax credits and utility rebates.

Contact Jacobs Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. to learn more about heat pumps and determine which one might be right for your home.

About Jacobs Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc.

Operating out of Southeast Portland, Jacobs HVAC (CCB #1441) offers residential and commercial customers the best in heating and air conditioning equipment, installation and repair. Since 1952, Jacobs has provided solutions for energy conservation and reduction, backed by the companys extensive experience and expertise. The local HVAC company offers heat pumps, furnaces, air conditioners, water heaters, fireplace inserts and more. Jacobs is a Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer and a Daikin 3D Network dealer, as well as a trade ally of the Energy Trust of Oregon. For more information, visit http://www.jacobsheating.com.

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Not all Heat Pumps are Equal: Know the Facts Before Making a Purchase

Fort Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) December 16, 2014

With the Holiday season rapidly approaching, All Year Cooling, a local South Florida air conditioning company, is focusing on critical money saving tips that will help homeowners conserve their budget. Listed below are four helpful tips designed to help families save money during this Holiday season.

Investing in a programmable thermostat can be an easy way to lower monthly bills. Programmable thermostats allow consumers to keep their homes comfortable when occupied. When empty, it will switch to an energy-saving setting that will save energy, and in turn, save money. All Year Cooling can install the newest automated thermostat available, Nest. Using innovative technology, Nest learns its users schedule, programs itself, and can even be controlled remotely from a smart phone. Nest technology has been proven to lower monthly heating and cooling bills up to 20%.

In order to extend the life of an HVAC system, it is important to have it checked annually. Its also important to get heat pumps checked and serviced yearly, preferably before the heating season begins. By doing this, homeowners can be assured that all of their air conditioners components are in proper working. Remember, it is better to catch an issue early on rather than later down the road.

Often times, much of the air from HVAC systems is not actually reaching its anticipated destination due to damaged duct work. If ductwork has holes, tears, or any other damage, it can cause a significant amount of air to leak out before it can be circulated throughout an area. This forces systems to run longer and waste energy. Have a professional inspect ductwork for any signs of damage; it can usually be repaired with metal tape or mastic sealant.

Preventative maintenance for HVAC systems ensures they are working at the highest level of efficiency. All Year Coolings President, Tommy Smith, believes that keeping up with preventative maintenance is the best way to ensure everything is in working order. By scheduling preventative maintenance customers are more likely to find and resolve issues while they are minor rather than when they are of much greater cost.

All Year Cooling is a South Florida family-owned company that has been in business for the past 41 years. Specializing in air conditioner repairs, maintenance, and installations, All Year Cooling keeps South Florida out of the heat. Able to service customers from Vero Beach to the Keys, President Thomas Smith is available 24/7 to answer his customers phone calls at 954-635-5453.

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All Year Cooling Shares Money Saving Tips for This Holiday Season

The West Aurora School Board is moving closer to putting a referendum on the spring ballot to build and improve facilities across the district.

West Aurora District 129 will finalize a decision and may adopt a resolution Jan. 12 for a referendum question to appear on the April 7 election ballot.

The district has a list of $94.3 million worth of building improvement projects identified through a combined audit of buildings and a health/life-safety study, as well as the listening tour held August through October to gather public input.

The School Board continued the discussion on the projects at a special meeting Monday.

Superintendent Jeffrey Craig assured the public no decisions have been made and there were a variety of approaches the district could pursue for the projects.

One project would be replacing Nancy Hill Elementary, which was built in 1888, 23 years after the Civil War ended, Craig said.

Hill Elementary has given us 127 years of service. It is probably time to give her a rest, Craig said.

Four of the districts 18 educational facilities were built prior to World War II, he added.

The districts architectural firm, Studio GC Architecture of Chicago, said the newer geothermal heating and cooling system at Smith Elementary has demonstrated significant energy savings since it was installed two years ago. Architect Pat Callahan estimated the district would realize $250,000 in utility savings annually for the schools that are conducive for having geothermal well fields on their campuses.

He said Hall and Schneider elementary schools, Jefferson Middle School and West Aurora High School are all on schedule for boiler replacements, which can cost $150,000 to $200,000 per school, which does not include any needed work on piping systems.

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West Aurora continues discussion about proposed major projects

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched its Energy Star Home Advisor, an online tool designed to help Americans save money and energy by improving the energy efficiency of their homes through recommended, customized and prioritized home-improvement projects.

As we enter the winter months, homeowners can use our new Energy Star Home Advisor to increase energy efficiency and save money while reducing greenhouse gas emissions that fuel climate change, said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. When homeowners take advantage of this important tool and increase the energy efficiency of their homes, many families will notice savings on energy bills and improvements in the comfort of their homes.

The updated Energy Star Home Advisor guides the homeowner through a do-it-yourself energy assessment to create an Energy Star home profile. Based on the newly created profile, the Home Advisor provides customized, prioritized recommendations for improvements. From these recommendations, users can create their own to-do lists of projects such as adding insulation to the attic or replacing an HVAC air filter.

Over time, users can update their home profiles as they make improvements, see the positive environmental impacts of the changes theyve made, get additional recommendations, and update their to-do lists for future projects. The home profiles can also be printed and used at the time of sale.

The announcement is part of EPAs Energy Efficiency Action Week, during which EPA regional offices across the country will hold events to increase awareness about the energy and cost savings associated with energy efficiency upgrades, especially in the winter months.

Homeowners can also use the following Energy Star tips to save energy and money at home this winter:

Get a Home Energy Audit - Home energy auditors are trained and certified in how to find energy problems using specialized equipment to pinpoint key areas for improvement and provide customized recommended solutions. In select states, Home Performance with Energy Star offers an energy assessment that focuses on a systematic approach to improving energy efficiency and comfort.

Seal and Insulate - The average home spends $2,000 on utility bills each year. Heating and cooling costs account for nearly half of that amount. Energy Star estimates that homeowners can save up to 10 percent on heating and cooling costs by sealing air leaks and adding insulation.

Heat Efficiently Energy Star recommends that homeowners check their HVAC system air filters every month. A dirty filter will slow air flow and make the system work harder wasting energy and possibly shortening the life of the system. A good rule to follow is change the filter every three months.

Energy Star also recommends that homeowners have HVAC systems serviced annually by a licensed contractor to ensure theyre running at optimum efficiency. If the heating system is over 15 years old, consider planning for its replacement with a high efficiency unit. Today's Energy Star certified condensing furnaces operate at over 90 percent efficiency. Depending on where one lives, replacing old heating and cooling equipment with newly certified Energy Star equipment can cut annual energy bills by more than $115.

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EPA releases 'Energy Star' tool for seasonal utility savings

WASHINGTON Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching its Energy Star Home Advisor, an online tool designed to help Americans save money and energy by improving the energy efficiency of their homes through recommended, customized and prioritized home-improvement projects.

As we enter the winter months, homeowners can use our new Energy Star Home Advisor to increase energy efficiency and save money while reducing greenhouse gas emissions that fuel climate change, said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. When homeowners take advantage of this important tool and increase the energy efficiency of their homes, many families will notice savings on energy bills and improvements in the comfort of their homes.

The updated Energy Star Home Advisor guides the homeowner through a do-it-yourself energy assessment to create an Energy Star home profile. Based on the newly created profile, the Home Advisor provides customized, prioritized recommendations for improvements. From these recommendations, users can create their own to-do lists of projects such as adding insulation to the attic or replacing an HVAC air filter.

Over time, users can update their home profiles as they make improvements, see the positive environmental impacts of the changes theyve made, get additional recommendations, and update their to-do lists for future projects. The home profiles can also be printed and used at the time of sale.

The announcement is part of EPAs Energy Efficiency Action Week, during which EPA regional offices across the country will hold events to increase awareness about the energy and cost savings associated with energy efficiency upgrades, especially in the winter months.

More on EPAs Energy Star Home Advisor: http://www.energystar.gov/homeadvisor

Homeowners can also use the following Energy Star tips to save energy and money at home this winter:

Get a Home Energy Audit - Home energy auditors are trained and certified in how to find energy problems using specialized equipment to pinpoint key areas for improvement and provide customized recommended solutions. In select states, Home Performance with Energy Star offers an energy assessment that focuses on a systematic approach to improving energy efficiency and comfort.

Seal and Insulate - The average home spends $2,000 on utility bills each year. Heating and cooling costs account for nearly half of that amount. Energy Star estimates that homeowners can save up to 10 percent on heating and cooling costs by sealing air leaks and adding insulation.

Learn more through Energy Stars Rule Your Attic! campaign, which encourages homeowners to measure their attic insulation levels as a first step toward making their homes more energy efficient and comfortable. More: http://www.energystar.gov/ruleyourattic.

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EPA announces Energy Star tool for homeowners.

The new outdoor units(4) feature APF values of 5.1 with the 8HP (horsepower) type and 4.8 with the 10HP type. Both types are 1,505 mm in height, 970mm in width and 370mm in depth and 165 kg in weight, making them some 40% smaller (in volume ratio) and 25% lighter than current offerings. To enable usage in more severe ambient temperatures, the air conditioners' performance has been enhanced by extending the permissible cooling range from 43degCDB (dry bulb temperature) to 50degCDB and extending the corresponding heating range from -15degCWB (wet bulb temperature) to -20degCWB.

All new outdoor units are provided with built-in renewal kits that enable use of existing refrigerant piping when the system equipment undergoes replacement. A choice of four refrigerant piping directions (front, side, down, rear) is possible and freedom of piping layout has been improved by bigger hole size than that of current models. Transport and transfer of the units has been easier by use of four handles (front, rear, left, right) located at the same level. Installation and service works have also been significantly improved through the addition of wire insertion holes for fall prevention and a transparent cover to protect the units against rain.

The 10 new indoor units are offered in a lineup from P40 (1.5HP) to P160 (6HP) type(5). Through the adoption of high-performance DC (direct current) fan motors, etc., APF values are 5.6 with the P40 type, 5.3 with the P50, 5.4 with the P63 and 5.6 with the P112 - all among the top values in their respective classes. Dimensions have been trimmed by approximately 20% from current models (in volume ratio): the P50 and P56 type, which earlier featured a medium-size matrix, in the new models incorporate a small-scale matrix enabling dimensions of 210mm in height, 1,070mm in width and 690mm in depth. In the six models ranging from P63 to P160, weight has been reduced by more than 10% by reducing the number of blower motors from two to one.

As an option, indoor units can be equipped with an automatic up-and-down front panel for lowering the filter for easy cleaning. The panel's up-and-down range has been substantially extended from 1.6m to 4m. This added convenience makes it possible to clean the units' filter installed in high ceilings.

Going forward, MHI will continue to seek expansion of its operations in air-conditioning systems through focused development of products featuring outstanding operability and energy savings in line with today's expanding market demands.

Notes:

(1) The new standards set targets in nine categories for residential air conditioners and 16 categories for industrial-use air-conditioning systems, according to capacity and unit type.

(2) Annual performance factor: an indicator of performance calculated by dividing the total capacity necessary to cool and heat for an entire year by the amount of energy consumed by the cooling/heating system. The higher the APF value, the higher is the level of energy efficiency.

(3) Industry comparisons are based on data research by MHI valid as of November 2014.

(4) Two standard models (8HP and 10HP) and two corrosion protection treatment models (8HP and 10HP).

The rest is here:
MHI to Launch 4 New Outdoor Units and 10 New Indoor Units in "Hyper Inverter" Series of Packaged Air Conditioners