Tag: hvac

Working with the best: Price Industries

Price Industries is amazing at commercial HVAC applications

Price Industries is a leading manufacturer and supplier of commercial HVAC equipment and systems, known for their innovative GRD, Chilled Beam and noise control designs and high-quality products. However, what truly sets them apart from their competitors, like Titus, Nailor, or Greenheck, is their outstanding engineering support team, which provides unparalleled technical assistance to their customers. I see it firsthand in every interaction we have with Price Industries!

The engineering support team at Price Industries is comprised of experienced and knowledgeable professionals who are dedicated to helping our customers find the best possible solutions for their Air Distribution, Sound Control, Custom AHUs and ERVs and Operating Room systems. They ensure that every project is successful, from design to installation notes and beyond. The labs (Winnipeg is show above) are full of real world examples of HVAC equipment, many fully operational, providing great hands-on training.

One of the key strengths of Price Industries’ engineering support team is their ability to provide customized solutions that meet the unique needs of each project. They use advanced software like Price Predict (CFD Modeling) and basis of design tools to simulate and analyze different scenarios, allowing them to develop solutions that are both efficient and effective. This level of customization ensures that each HVAC system is tailored to the specific needs of the building and its occupants, resulting in optimal performance and energy efficiency. For real. We just taught another consulting engineer how to layout diffusers automatically with Ripple, a REVIT plug-in. How cool is that feature! Bonus: The Price people become your friends, they really care about you and others.

ACI Mechanical won the Price Cup in November 2022. We only won because Price Industries understands, and lives by one of our Core Values: Thrive Together. Thank you Gerry Price and the Price Industries family!

Noise Control in action

ACI had an application where a four ton horizontal discharge heat pump was creating too much noise in a densely populated neighborhood. We engaged Price Industries noise control, and they delivered!

The Price team used aluminum panels with weatherproof insulation and perforated panels, the “AP” series, combined with a bill-nosed “RH” panel. The contractor installed the silencer in 90 minutes. All dimensions and colors custom, including an access panel for servicing the CDU. @priceindustries #scienceofcomfort @acimechsales

The silencer reduced the sound so much that the homeowner and nearby neighbor were thrilled with the outcome, “I can barely hear it run”, said the neighbor who had previously complained, particularly during cold spells where high speed compressor and fan noise were frankly loud.

Sometimes simple control is better

Penn A19BBC-2 line voltage thermostat

The KISS method is one of my favorite acronyms, keep it simple stupid. It is not about insulting a contractor about their knowledge, it’s about making things easy. Decades ago the PENN electric switch company, bought by Johnson Controls in the 1980s, made a line voltage thermostat that required no outside power to operate. No internet of things, no calibration or BSME required to operate it.

We needed an thermostat to operate a Loren Cook Gemini exhaust fan to remove hot air in a lobby where we installed a condensing unit. The VRF unit is inside for demonstration purposes and when the training room need a lot of cooling we need to exhaust the heat outside. The Penn thermostat simply turns on the fan when the room gets above 78F. Simple 120V one wire current interruption when room temp is OK, engages when the room gets hot. So simple!

Gree Condensing unit with Price Industries exhaust grille connected to Loren Cook exhaust fan
The finished product installed

AHR Las Vegas is a success

HVAC product exhibit halls were busy with people at the opening day Jan 31, 2022. It was great to connect with industry leaders and talk business.

Team ACI with our friend from Denver

Big manufacturers like Johnson Controls, Carrier, and Daikin had large booths with the latest equipment. They were packed with mask wearing engineers and contractors. We had no fewer than 20 different meetings with factory reps outside of the expo and in. No where else can I go and get that all done expect to AHR!

Plus it’s Vegas, so you get free Chihuly art!
Minus5 Bar with Rick and Anthony
Nice equipment stands look big in person!

#ahrexpo #hvac

Finally back to near normal-let’s celebrate!

Six months ago we gambled by setting a July date for ACI Open House events in Portland and Seattle. You know…the kind where we shake hands, talk about products and projects, and frankly just connect in person. It looks like the right decision!

Seattle opens up “fully” on June 30th. The city celebrated 70+% vaccination rates, the first US City to make it.

If you are in Seattle or Portland during the week of July 12-15th stop by and say hello!

Real winter in Seattle and our heat pump still works!

This is my second winter in Seattle. After six years in Minneapolis I have lived in warmer places like Dallas. Seattle winters are mild, one of the pleasant surprises of this beautiful city. One surprise is the biannual snowstorm!

My backyard after an 8” snowstorm

I was a little worried about my GREE VRF heat pump after windchills in the 15F temperature range. It turns out the heating is fine down to 4F, temps rarely seen in Seattle. Some models with UltraHeat work down to -31F. I feel good about pulling my old gas furnace and replacing it with a heat pump.

Smart defrost is shown with gold colored condenser fins. Outdoor temp 25F in this photo. Indoor 70F

Good news is I still have that shovel from Minneapolis!

Five reasons I like Webinars

  1. Fast and focused way to learn

Webinars are a fast paced medium of learning and have been with us for several years now. Where time is a valuable commodity they offer a niche well-timed learning experience.

  1. Recorded electronic source I can watch on my phone

From a technology standpoint as technology has progressed we can now even watch a webinar on the screen of our cell phones while sitting on a bus if we so desired with a 4G internet connection. Using YouTube we can even hold a repository of past webinars to be replayed when desired. I can also contact the presenter in most cases with follow up questions and go further into a subject.

  1. I can pick the topics to learn

If there is something you wish to learn about, be it industry specific or not, you can find a webinar covering just about any topic.

  1. I can do it at night

Convenience is a word that sums up the experience saving participants from traveling to a learning environment. Audiences are not limited by numbers or distance and people can attend a webinar event from just about anywhere in the World, at any time, without them or the host having to leave their office or even home.

  1. When I want to go further on the topic I can email or call the presenter

Webinars offer two-way interaction between the audience and presenters allowing for valuable structured question and answer sessions following presentations.

Ruskin® hosts a webinar series on the second Wednesday of every month offering learning on relevant HVAC topics. The next webinar on August 9th, 2017 will give attendees insight into the latest critical environment damper series, which offers products suited for corrosive prone, or sanitary based applications. The webinar will cover the product names and damper type, features and options that make them durable, and suitable applications. Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1839671351862350338

The Benefits of Sunshades

As you can see by the pictures above, when a designer or architect uses Sunshades (or Brise-soleil as they say in Europe) as part of a building’s design it can dramatically improve the exterior aesthetics of that building.

In addition to making the building look great, designers know how to also reduce energy usage of HVAC cooling units by applying best practices for passive sunlight control to help reduce glare and solar heat gain through glazing. This all reduces cooling energy load, and saves on building energy usage, a facility manager’s dream! With additional natural lighting benefits, this ultimately contributes to our main objective today, creating energy efficient buildings.

Taking the energy savings into consideration sunshades are a great way to accumulate LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) points for a project through the USGBC (United States Green Building Council). Sunshades tick the boxes for optimizing energy performance, using recycled content, regional content, daylight, and views. Sunshades can also be made to conform with ASHRAE 189.1, section 8.4.1/8.5.1 where shading with louvers and sunshades is detailed.

There are many varieties of sunshades which can be mounted both horizontally and vertically, as well as paint finishes to compliment any building’s appearance.  The use of factory supplied assembled, painted or in-house anodized sections assure that the submitted design is adhered to and meets local code requirements.

To learn a more about sunshades click here.