Heating & Cooling
District heating systems provide economies of scale in large cities like Copenhagen.
HVAC—heating, cooling, and ventilation—is responsible for more than a third of energy use in commercial buildings in the U.S. Smart designs can easily save upwards of 40% of that energy, often with strategies that offer instant or short payback. And good design that focuses on thermal comfort supports healthier, more productive occupants.
Heating & Cooling
Quick Takes
Jump straight to the essentials with these short explanations of green building concepts.
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Radiant Floor Heating: Wrong Choice for Green Homes?
Explainer
While very popular, radiant-floor heating is not well-suited to highly insulated, green homes.
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Comparing Fuel Costs
Explainer
One would think comparing the costs of different heating fuels would be simple, but figuring out the amount heat available in a given quantity of fuel-and the associated cost-can be tricky.
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Evaporative Coolers
Explainer
As water evaporates, it absorbs heat. Direct and indirect evaporative coolers use this property to cool homes efficiently.
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How the Sun's Path Can Inform Design
Explainer
Designing a building with the sun in mind can help reduce both heating and cooling loads.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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Heat Pump Transitions to Lower-GWP Refrigerants
Product Review
Daikin is speeding the transition to lower global warming potential with its Atmosphera ductless heat pumps, which use R32 refrigerants.
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Innovative Heat Pump Replaces Window Air Conditioners
Product Review
Gradient is introducing an integrated heat pump that fits into a window opening, but unlike a standard AC unit, it can also supply heat during winter months.
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Commercial Heat Pump Water Heaters Using CO2 Refrigerant
Product Review
Mitsubishi’s Heat2O commercial heat-pump water heater uses CO2 as a refrigerant and is now available in the U.S.
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A Plug-and-Play Hydronic System that Captures VRF Waste Heat
Product Review
The LG Hydro Kit, now sized for residential and multi-family use, captures waste heat from its Multi V heat pumps to provide a fossil-fuel-free source of hot and cold water for space heating or domestic hot water.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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ASHRAE Releases COVID-19 Recommendations
News Brief
ASHRAE offers guidance on how to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through HVAC systems.
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Old Insulation and HVAC Systems Are Still Depleting Ozone
News Brief
Older buildings are “CFC banks” because of phased-out refrigerants and blowing agents, according to MIT scientists.
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EPA Rolls Back Obama-era Refrigerant Rule
News Brief
Under a new EPA ruling, large commercial HVAC and refrigeration systems will no longer have to address high-GWP refrigerant leaks.
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Engineers Post Electrification Equipment Wish List
News Brief
Twenty-four MEP firms are entreating manufacturers to make products needed for all-electric buildings, like large capacity heat pumps.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
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Just For Fun
Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...
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