Retrofitting

Lighting in specialized areas such as conference rooms, lobbies, auditoriums, and waiting rooms should be kept simple and functional. Special treatment for architectural purposes should use efficient fluorescent or HID lamps and should, where possible, […]

The thermostat is the remote-control device for all the space-conditioning equipment. It’s a convenient means to monitor the space temperature and to control the equipment to use less energy while maintaining a comfortable environment. It’s […]

The operating principles of through-the-wall units, heat pumps, and other small self-contained air-conditioning systems are alike enough that some common remedial measures will help to keep them in peak working order: 1. Keep the evaporator […]

Energy-conscious designers cringe at a facility with all-electric heating. Electric strip-heating is the most inefficient and costly way to warm a space. Use of natural gas or oil to fire a boiler on the premises […]

A favorite — but wasteful — means to control the direct-expansion loop is with a hot-gas bypass valve. A thermal-expansion valve maintains a constant temperature of the fluid in the discharge line. As a result, […]