Monsoon season excites many residents and tourists during the summer, but hotel operators and building owners must recognize that monsoon season can pose serious threats to people and property. This year, unpredictable and intense monsoons have been sweeping the southwestern United States, increasing the amount of dust and debris particles in the air which can decrease the performance and efficiency of air conditioning units. Not only does this reduce the level of comfort in the building, but it also impacts the quality of the indoor air your employees and guests breathe. It’s no surprise your building’s commercial HVAC unit is...

ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News welcomes STEP HEAT to the Flooring/Radiant Heat section of its Green Product & Service Directory. STEP HEAT offers underfloor radiant heating solutions that bring warmth to hotels, reducing energy costs and improving indoor air quality. STEP Warmfloor® is a 24/48 Volt AC/DC heating system that warms the air by heating the objects within the space from the ground up. It features a self-regulating heating element that decreases its electrical consumption when the ambient temperature increases. STEP Warmfloor is installed by laying out the heating elements to the pre-designed layout and connecting to a low-voltage electrical...

One of the most interesting sustainability-focused megaprojects in the works currently is called GreenCity and is planned for the Richmond, Virginia metro region. The eco-district project will include commercial, entertainment and residential developments. Two hotels are planned for GreenCity, with the first scheduled to be developed in the initial development sequence, and the second to follow as the market dictates. A 17,000-seat arena is planned. Also included will be retail space and a 40-acre, publicly accessible park system. Transit connections are currently under study, but when completed will allow for easy regional access via bus and other systems. Some of...

STEP HEAT Underfloor Radiant Heating Solutions STEP HEAT offers underfloor radiant heating solutions that bring warmth to hotels, reducing energy costs and improving indoor air quality. STEP Warmfloor® is a 24/48 Volt AC/DC heating system that warms the air by heating the objects within the space from the ground up. It features a self-regulating heating element that decreases its electrical consumption when the ambient temperature increases. STEP Warmfloor is installed by laying out the heating elements to the pre-designed layout and connecting to a low-voltage electrical power supply. The elements can be put under most non-conductive floor covering be it hardwood,...

IRVINE, CALIF.—Bluon, Inc., a fast-growing company with a mission to bring unparalleled innovation to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning industry by empowering HVAC technicians, announced Danica Bunnett has been promoted to chief operating officer. Bunnett has been with Bluon for more than four years and takes on the COO role as the company continues to experience rapid growth with its unique HVAC support platform. The platform, which currently serves 60,000 of the nation’s HVAC service technicians and with more than 6,000 additional techs joining every month, is the first mobile app to aggregate detailed technical information on more than...

WEST LAFAYETTE, IND.—By now, it’s well known that circulating outdoor air in buildings is safer than recirculating indoor air. That point was driven home by the pandemic. Problem is, it is just not cost-effective. That may soon change. Purdue University engineers have proposed a system that combines new membrane technology with the latest HVAC systems to make 100 percent outdoor air systems more energy-efficient and economically feasible—especially in warm, humid climates. They say their system could save up to 66 percent in energy costs for large buildings that choose to use the safer outdoor air. Previous research at Purdue has shown that...

TULSA, OKLA.—AAON, Inc., a leading manufacturer of heating and cooling products, announced that its RZ Series Rooftop Unit has been selected 2021 Commercial Comfort Product of the Year in the Rooftop Units category, by a panel of independent engineers selected by the editorial staff of Engineered Systems magazine. AAON RZ Series Rooftop Units are designed to be selectable with all the features needed for a job, making it a simple, turnkey piece of equipment designed to minimize installation time and reduce labor costs. The units, available from 45 to 261 tons with air-cooled or evaporative condensers, feature variable-speed compressors optimized to maintain...

BALTIMORE, MD.—The Baltimore Aircoil Company (BAC) ENDURADRIVE  Fan System ensures unmatched peace of mind in the operation of mission-critical cooling applications through a dramatically simplified design. The ENDURADRIVE Fan System features permanent magnet, direct-drive technology, in which the fan motor is directly coupled to the fan, eliminating the need for intermediary moving parts like gears or belts. The advanced design is specifically engineered so that the motor, VFD, and cooling tower work together to provide unparalleled reliability. The ENDURADRIVE Fan System’s design reduces the risk and cost of failures due to moisture ingress, with upgraded insulation, a double O-ring, a...

SHELTON, CONN.—Budderfly, the fastest-growing firm in the North American Energy Efficiency-as-a-Service (EEaaS) market, announced the company has partnered with Lennox International, a global leader in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration markets. The nationwide agreement allows Budderfly to quickly scale its no upfront cost HVAC replacement program with the addition of Lennox Model L, an ultra-high efficiency rooftop unit, as well as expert service and maintenance on Lennox and other HVAC brands. For information on Budderfly’s HVAC replacement program, visit www.budderfly.com/landing/hvac-contact. “Budderfly’s EEaaS is truly unique in the industry, and our Model L rooftop unit is the perfect complement to enable them to replace...

BALTIMORE, MD.—Baltimore Aircoil Company (BAC) announces enhancements to the Nexus Modular Hybrid Cooler, the world’s first intelligent, plug-and-play, modular hybrid fluid cooler for HVAC and light industrial applications. The Nexus Modular Hybrid Cooler, which already led the industry for lowest installation costs, lowest operating costs, lowest maintenance costs, and maximum uptime now provides best water quality resulting from enhanced water management. An optional water disinfecting system as well as a product redesign now meet even the most stringent local building codes regarding fire safety and noise reduction. The BAC Nexus Modular Hybrid Cooler was designed to minimize maintenance cost by reducing spray water volume...