Heating & Cooling

District heating systems provide economies of scale in large cities like Copenhagen.


Photo: Bill Ebbesen. License: CC BY 3.0

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

Deep Dives

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Product Guidance

Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.


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  • Cooling Giants Introduce Smaller Thermal Storage Units

    Product Review

    Trane and Carrier team up with Ice Energy to bring thermal energy storage to the mainstream. Distributing chilling loads will be a crucial part of upgrading the grid to more easily incorporate renewable energy.

  • High-Efficiency, Variable-Speed Pumps from Wilo and Grundfos

    Product Review

    Advanced, variable-speed, "smart" pumps from the German company Wilo and the Danish company Grundfos offer significant energy savings for hydronic heating systems and other circulation systems.

  • Active Chilled Beams: Saving Energy and Space

    Product Review

    Active chilled beams use a combination of chilled water, finned heat-exchanger coils, and ventilation air to induce air flows that supply cooling and heating in commercial buildings.

  • The First Practical Heliostat

    Product Review

    Practical Solar has introduced a simple heliostat system to reflect sunlight into buildings for lighting and space heating; future applications will include water heating and electricity generation.

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