Imagine an electronic device that’s billed as the future of its industry, with state-of-the-art software, sleekly designed with an LCD screen, stainless steel case, minimalist packaging and a rechargeable lithium ion battery. No, this isn’t an iPad or a MacBook.  Continue reading

With rising fuel prices, field service companies are often looking to cut spending wherever they can, especially in the aftermath of a damaging recession. However, some argue that as the economy improves, this is as good a time as ever  Continue reading

FleetOwner, which generally focuses on commercial trucking fleets with five or more vehicles, recently posted a story on alternative fuel vehicles that holds relevance for field services companies of all sizes. It’s hardly breaking new ground to complain about gas  Continue reading

With fewer resources to go around and more extreme weather patterns than ever before, the need to find new solutions to heat, cool and ventilate our homes is more apparent than ever. A new report issued by Lux Research, a  Continue reading

HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) isn’t exactly a field that sees a lot of change on a regular basis. So when an innovative company like EcoFactor hits the scene, it’s kind of a big deal. EcoFactor, a residential energy  Continue reading

Every year, more than $600 billion is spent on new construction, renovation and energy in the commercial building sector. While many builders are working to “green” their business, some are taking it to the limit, aiming to achieve net-zero energyconsumption. These  Continue reading

The end of 2010 also brought the end of hefty consumer tax credits for high-efficiency residential HVAC systems — a perk many manufacturers and service techs hoped would boost business by encouraging homeowners to replace old or inefficient systems. But  Continue reading

Wireless-enabled HVAC sensors are breathing new life into the building automation systems market, and HVAC techs should take take note of the new tool at their disposal. The push comes as concerns over energy efficiency boost the interest in new technologies  Continue reading

A recently released report by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency shows that the number of homeowners tuned into energy efficient heating and cooling solutions continues to grow — exponentially. This rapidly expanding pool of energy-conscious customers provides field service and HVAC  Continue reading

New solar technology being developed jointly by the U.S. Army and Conserval Engineering plugs into existing rooftop HVAC systems to both heat and cool commercial buildings. The technology, coined NightSolar, could offer energy savings and reductions to heating and cooling  Continue reading

Technicians may soon find another product to offer customers worried about rolling energy meters (and the resulting economic and environmental effects): motion sensor controls — a familiar feature in lighting that’s gaining traction in HVAC, especially on the commercial side.  Continue reading

2011 is shaping up to be a big year for residential demand response. There’s a lot of opportunities in the commercial market, but more and more vendors continue to roll out technologies geared toward the homeowner — an interesting development  Continue reading

Service organizations that support mostly commercial clients may encounter an unexpected sidekick in the battle to lower customers’ office energy bills — software.
We’ve covered the emerging trend in energy management and demand-response products for homeowners on The SmartVan, but  Continue reading