Environmental Efficiency by Controlled Air Inc

On Monday, October 4th is the Connecticut's Business & Industry Associations Business Energy Conference from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Cromwell. We will have a booth offering information about Cogeneration (Combined Heat & Power) and other forms of Energy Efficiency. Drop by and see us! Details: "Hosted by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA) and the Connecticut Power & Energy Society (CPES), this exciting event brings together industry experts and stakeholders for a day of networking, policy review, education, and the exchange of ideas and information on energy products, trends, and technologies. Register online or download a print registration form. Speakers and panelists—including Rep. Sean Williams (R-Watertown); Kevin DelGobbo, chairman of the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control; and representatives from NRG, Northeast Utilities, and ISO-New England—will offer policy and infrastructure updates and regulato...

I read this article today and felt that it fits right in the with greenwashing discussion. I thought that it was a worthy read. Are There Too Many Eco-Labels and Green Ratings? | Business | GreenBiz.com

To continue with the topic of greenwashing and elaborating on often misused and under explain terms, we will focus on the term "natural". Although the term "Natural" is not often used in the HVAC industry. It is often used when speaking about many items that are "green" or "sustainable." I think it best to include it in our list of terms. Natural defined by Dictionary.com: 1. existing in or formed by nature ( opposed to artificial): a natural bridge. 2. based on the state of things in nature; constituted by nature: Growth is a natural process. 11. having undergone little or no processing and containing no chemical additives: natural food; natural ingredients. Compare organic ( def. 11 ) . 25. not treated, tanned, refined, etc.; in its original or raw state: natural wood; natural cowhide. To look at this term quickly, it may also be a Synonym of organic, green and good for the environment, but when used in advertising unfortunately this is not al...

Environmental Efficiency, sustainability, being natural and green, have become very mainstream. But now it seems that it has gone overboard and "greenwashing" has occurred. Businesses and Individuals are bombarded by green and sustainability, but what it truly means is not always explained or claims are false. To help try to explain some of these terms, I will spend the next few weeks trying to elaborate on each term to help you make informed decisions about products and services. By Dictionary.com Greenwashing is described as: a superficial or insincere display of concern for the environment that is shown by an organization the practice of promoting environmentally friendly programs to deflect attention from an organization's environmentally unfriendly or less savory activities; also called greenwashing

We have talked about it before, but I find it really important to bring it up again. Preventative maintenance is important for your business in so many ways. Delaying maintenance can really carry a high cost. The results can range from basic component failure to complete equipment failure. What could it mean for you if your equipment fails? It’s important to not only look at cost savings of deferring your maintenance but to also know the cost in the scheme of things. Each system impacts different areas of your building and wear and tear must be taken into consideration, as well as the risk to contents and people in your building. Sometimes deferring maintenance isn’t the best solution. Deferred maintenance is often a financial decision—spend money now or spend money later. As the facilities manager, it is often your job to ensure funding to support regular maintenance and to cover the backlog of deferred maintenance items. Here are some tips to make an effective business case to secur...

Even with all that Connecticut has been doing to conserve energy there is still going to be major smog levels and poor air quality over the next few days across New England. They are predicting record high temperatures and so increased energy demand. Many businesses will be turning up the ac and increasing their energy usage. The EPA is requesting individuals and businesses to do anything that they can to reduce their energy demand, including turning up the A/C, turning off lights and computers when not using them, as well as car pooling. Unfortunately these are shortsighted solutions for the immediate problem, but they do not address the long term issue of too much energy usage. It is important to do what you can to keep your energy usage low over the next few days, but also to think of some ways that your business can help reduce their energy demand. One ways to analyze the energy your company uses is through a energy analysis. Energy analysis' see how much energy you use through...

Geothermal is one of the many energy efficient heating and cooling methods that is growing in popularity. Geothermal heating and cooling begins with a ground source heat pump (GSHP) which pumps out the heat deep within the earth to use as energy.GSHP are energy efficient and environmentally friendly and are very effective for commercial use. They offer a 25 - 50% reduction in energy usage, depending on the According to the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association: "Ground source heat pumps can be categorized as having closed or open loops, and those loops can be installed in three ways: horizontally, vertically, or in a pond/lake. The type chosen depends on the available land areas and the soil and rock type at the installation site. These factors will help determine the most economical choice for installation of the ground loop. For closed loop systems, water or antifreeze solution is circulated through plastic pipes buried beneath the earth's surface. During the win...