airtrackinc

[airtrackinc]

Mississauga tenants living in grimy apartment complex fight rent hike

Tenants of a dingy, rundown apartment complex in Cooksville are fighting what they say is an unjust rent increase.

Mould, extensive water damage, holes in the walls and rotting floorboards are just a few of the issues plaguing the 13-storey complex, located on Dundas Street East and Hurontario.

“The units are not being maintained," said tenant spokesperson Marcia Powell. "We’ve had tenants who have been dealing with the same problems for three or four years now. It’s ridiculous.”

Powell said her unit was overrun with mice for nearly two years. When she asked for assistance from the building landlord, who she knows only by his first name, Bon, she claims he told her to clean up after herself.

"He did nothing about it. He just blamed me, said my unit was dirty."

And last month, Powell said the building’s power went out twice in two weeks, once for 11 hours. Tenants with chronic lung diseases, reliant on oxygen tanks for survival, were left without a steady flow of power and those on the top-floor were without elevator access.

“We were left outside all day and the landlord blamed us for using our appliances,” said Powell. “I swear, they’re trying to frustrate us so we will leave.”

The building is owned by Northview Apartment, one of Canada’s largest real estate investment trusts. Northview boasts over 24,000 multi-family suites in 60 markets across the country, with over 1.2 million square feet of commercial real estate.

The News attempted to reach out to the landlord, as well as Northview’s head office, but several emails and calls were left unanswered.

In July, the company was awarded an above guideline rent increase of 4.4 per cent for the 100 Dundas St. E. property, a number tenants say is entirely unwarranted.

Every year it’s getting worse,” said Les Samborski, who pays $1,500 per month for his penthouse suite. “Nothing’s getting fixed, but our rent just keeps going up.”

The province set the guideline for rent increases at 1.5 per cent for 2017, based on the consumer price index.

However, if the landlord can justify capital expenditures within the building, they are allowed to appear before the landlord-tenant board to ask for an additional rent increase, no higher than nine per cent distributed over three years.

“It’s a government program that essentially bribes landlords with tenants’ money to do the repair obligations that they are required to do,” said Kenn Hale, director of legal services for Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO).

In the case of the Dundas Street complex, Northview claimed they spent $258,000 on a new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.

The capital expenditure is put on the tenants in the form of a rent increase to ensure the landlords make their money back.

“In theory, the amount of money they are spending, they’re just going to get right back so they aren’t supposed to be making any money out if it,” noted Hale.

“But we don’t think it works that way.”

Hale explained that tenants often find another place to live when their apartment complex is in a state of disrepair, or is constantly undergoing noisy, disruptive maintenance work.

When that unit is rented out to a new tenant, the landlord has the right to set the rent at whatever they want, which is often higher than the rate paid by existing tenants.

“The rent really can jump between tenants and there’s no regulation to protect against that,” said Hale.

Ontario’s Liberal government widened its rent control rules in April with the introduction of the Fair Housing Plan. The legislation expanded rent control to all private units built after 1991 in hopes of strengthening protection for tenants against dramatic rent increases.

“The Liberals have made the first step,” said Hale. “But they don’t want to take the next step to regulate rent increases between tenants.”

Peel ACORN, an independent advocacy group for low and moderate-income families, is pushing for greater protection for the Dundas Street building tenants.

The group has already made some headway in making the building more livable, including upgrades to the laundry facilities.

“There’s still a long way to go,” said Powell. “And I’m not leaving here unless they put me in a body bag.”

[airtrackinc]

Peel Catholic board taking measures to help handle heat in schools

The Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) is taking measures to help its students and faculty deal with temperatures topping 30 C as a heat warning remains in effect throughout Southern Ontario.

Like the Peel District School Board, the DPCDSB has a comprehensive hot weather program and follows guidelines from Peel Public Health.

“Schools are required to initiate a plan to address heat at their school,” DPCDSB spokesperson Bruce Campbell said in an email to The News.

“This plan is based on guidelines in the hot weather procedures and resources, and it is based on humidex levels.”

Humidex levels approached 40 on Monday, Sept. 25, and was expected to continue on Tuesday.

Campbell said elements of the hot weather procedures include communication to reinforce drinking water, making allowances for more water/washroom breaks, reducing activities and/or curtailing them during the hottest part of the day and rotating classes for rooms without AC and/or bringing classes in from the portables.

The DPCDSB posts information related to heat alerts on its website whenever they occur. Alerts are broadcast across all school websites, and information is also shared on Twitter.

Campbell also explained that schools have a “set point for air conditioning based on heat and air conditioning guidelines, which would fall into a comfort range.”

On Monday, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) announced they’re renewing calls for the government to “address extreme heat and humidity conditions in elementary schools.”

“Our changing climate is sending a strong message that the Ministry of Education needs to take action,” stated ETFO president Sam Hammond, who said heat conditions were similar around this time last year.

“Too much student learning will be lost the longer the ministry delays.”

ETFO passed a number of motions at its annual meeting last month intended to call on the government to take action in elementary schools, which the ETFO says are least likely to be air-conditioned.

Included among those actions was setting maximum indoor temperature limits which mandate school boards and schools to take action.

Environment Canada says a cold front is expected to move across Southern Ontario through the day Wednesday, bringing cooler temperatures for Thursday.

[airtrackinc]

B&G Heating, Air Conditioning & Ventilation

Keep your home comfortable all year round with the services of B & G Heating Air Conditioning & Ventilation in Hannon.

Canadian weather shows its inhabitants both extremes of the thermometer, sometimes even in the same week!  It's not uncommon to see warm, t-shirt weather one day, and snow a couple of days later.  No matter what Mother Nature has in store, with the proper heating and cooling equipment, you can keep your family comfortable no matter what it's doing outside.

B & G Heating Air Conditioning & Ventilation is a family owned and operated business that has been providing HVAC services to Hannon and the surrounding areas since 1989.

You can count on their licensed technicians to properly install and service your furnace, air conditioner and ventilation systems.

Furnaces have a long lifespan, often functioning for 20 to 25 years.  But if you have an older furnace, you may just be throwing money out the window during the winter months.  Newer furnaces are much more efficient than furnaces produced a couple of decades ago.  Not only will a new furnace be reliable, but it will also likely save you money on your monthly bills.

The summer months can get downright steamy, and when the air is thick with humidity, no amount of open windows and fans will provide relief.  An air conditioner will not only drop the temperature, but it will also remove the humidity from your home, providing you with cool relief on those muggy summer days.

As a licensed Bryant dealer, B & G Heating Air Conditioning & Ventilation offers customers high-quality furnaces and air conditioners that are well known for their reliability and energy efficiency.

Service is essential to keep your heating and cooling equipment functioning properly.  You can count on their team for annual service and repairs to your furnace, air conditioner and ventilation systems

[airtrackinc]

Free furnace rental promo fizzles, reappears for Mississauga man

TORONTO — A Mississauga man who wanted a new furnace and air conditioning system thought he had found a good deal when new equipment was installed at his home this spring. Then he got his monthly bill.

“I was really disappointed,” said Ranbir Mokha, who hired Reliance Home Comfort, a large Ontario company with a generally good reputation with consumers.

“They were one of the top ten companies that do furnaces and air conditioning,” said Mokha, who contacted Global News after getting the surprise bill.

Mokha signed up for a five year “rent-to-own” option with Reliance, at a cost of about $120 a month. But Mokha says the sweetener to sign the deal was the sales representative’s promise to give the first year free, a value of almost $1500.

But Mokha says Reliance didn’t acknowledge the free first year deal, however. He says he was regularly disconnected from phone calls when he called to complain. Then he called Global News looking for help.

Mokha had not been given a copy of the contract he signed with Reliance. Nor had his neighbour who signed a similar deal with the company, offering eight free months of rental as an incentive.

When contacted by Global News, Reliance said it is not currently offering free rental incentives although it has in the past.

But after an investigation, Reliance revisited the case.

“We’re going to honour our commitment of 12 months free rent,” said reliance spokesperson Brent Artemchuk. He also promised Mokha something else.

Artemchuk says the fact that Mokha wasn’t given a copy of his contract is inconsistent with the company’s policies.

Ontario’s Consumer Protection Act requires customers get copies of service contracts that must disclose:

• length of the lease term • amount, timing and number of payments to be made • “implicit finance charge,” sometimes called the total cost of borrowing • annual percentage rate (APR)

Reliance has committed to looking into Mokha’s neighbour’s contract as well and to make sure consumers are receiving copies of contracts.

[airtrackinc]

Thermostat wars: Heating expert can’t save your marriage but he can save you money

It’s a household war that can be a cause of marital strife. It pits partners against one another, encourages sneaking around and manipulation. For Christie Paterson, it’s a daily source of aggravation.

“I’m grumpy. I’m angry. I’m tense,” the Winnipeg mother-of-two said with a laugh.

Christie and her husband Shawn are in a standoff over two digits on their thermostat. She likes the temperature at 22 C. He prefers it at 20 C.

Experts in the field of furnace installation aren’t immune to the battle.

Keven Lackey, the owner of Edmonton-based Acclaimed! Heating, Cooling & Furnace Cleaning, says even he and his wife disagree about the number on the thermostat.

While he can’t solve the disputes, he can save couples money with tips for energy efficiency.

He suggests installing a high-efficiency furnace, cleaning your filter regularly and making sure your filter is the right size.

“Most people have an undersized filter in their house so even when that filter is clean you’re still restricting air flow through,” Lackey said.

“The easier you can make that furnace work, the less time your furnace is on, the less mechanical wear and tear it has on your furnace and it’s the number one money saver in my opinion.”

[airtrackinc]

Illinois CRT processor pushes forward tile technology

Com2 Recycling Solutions is opening a facility in Georgia as it expands its capacity to produce a glaze product from CRT glass. The glaze is currently used on tile products made by Brazilian manufacturers.

Illinois-based Com2 says the move will increase its total CRT processing capacity to 200 tons of intact devices per day and could also give e-scrap companies in the southern U.S. a new CRT downstream option.

Com2 started working on the glass-to-glaze strategy at the end of 2013. Its first customer came on in early 2014, and by the end of that year and into 2015, the company was researching and testing its product, which is a mix of CRT glass, chemicals and other minerals. Com2 calls the end product “frit.” This is a different material than the leaded solder of the same name, which is used to fuse panel glass and funnel glass in CRT manufacturing.

It started producing samples in 2015 and gained more tile manufacturing customers.

Now, the company is shipping out about 20 containers per month, each holding around 48,000 pounds of frit, according to Com2 CEO Nazim Muhammad. The company currently operates three processing facilities, two in Carol Stream, Ill. and one in Mississauga, Ontario. CRT devices are accepted at all three facilities, but all of those collected in Canada are shipped to the U.S. sites.

One of the Illinois plants, on Fullerton Avenue in Carol Stream, is primarily utilized for dismantling and processing non-CRT e-scrap materials, although some CRT breaking and pre-processing takes place at that location. The glass is shipped to the other Carol Stream location on Kehoe Boulevard, a facility that’s dedicated entirely to frit processing.

The company currently sends its frit product to Brazil for tile manufacturing.

Opening Southeast location

Com2’s current processing capacity is 150 tons of intact CRT devices per day, although it’s running 100 tons per day right now, according to Muhammad.

However, the company is consolidating its Illinois facilities, and is establishing a new location in Savannah, Ga.

The Illinois operations will be housed together at the 200,000-square-foot Kehoe Boulevard facility, which Com2 is purchasing after leasing it for the past few years. The secondary location on Fullerton Avenue, a smaller facility that Com2 has used to process e-scrap since 2010, will close.

Muhammad said the company expects to consolidate into the larger space by the end of 2017, and finalize the purchase by March 2018.

The Georgia site, totaling 36,000 square feet, will add an additional capacity of 50 tons of intact CRTs per day. It’s slated to come on-line within 60 days.

Com2 is looking to expand its base of customers for the frit. Currently, its buyers in Brazil are taking all they can use, Muhammed said. He added the facility in Savannah will allow for lower prices to buyers in Brazil, as shipping from the coastal city will be significantly cheaper than it is from Illinois.

The new location also opens up a CRT destination for recycling companies in the Southeast.

“We currently provide responsible CRT recovery for OEMs and other customers in the Northeast and Midwest,” Muhammad said. “The new Savannah operation will broaden that market to the South and Southeast.”

The company holds R2 certification at one of its Illinois facilities and the Canadian plant. The Illinois location temporarily lost certification, but it was reinstated in April. Muhammad said the suspension was due to problems with the paperwork the company was using to audit its downstream processor. The paperwork was missing some points, he said, and because that problem had been noted multiple times, SERI suspended its certification.

The problem had nothing to do with the frit or CRT processing, Muhammad said.

From glass to powder

Through the Com2 process, which was developed in-house, CRT glass is processed into a fine powder that can be glazed onto a tile.

In the processing stage, the CRT glass is cleaned so it’s free of phosphor and any contamination. The clean glass is transferred to the frit line, Muhammad said, where it gets pulverized to a certain size, mixed with a variety of chemicals and minerals, and packed for sale to tile manufacturers.

The process doesn’t involve a furnace, and the company does not manufacture the actual tile. The final product is a powder material that can be baked onto the tile by the manufacturer. The powder contains between 1 and 3 percent lead, Muhammad said.

Manufacturers of traditional frit not stemming from CRT glass typically add lead to the product to enhance the color and shine of the glaze, according to Com2.

Com2 is not the only tile-oriented downstream option for e-scrap companies that take in CRTs. For several years, Spain-based Camacho has been receiving CRT glass from U.S. processors and using the material in ceramic tile production.

[airtrackinc]

Here We Grow Again! Giant Tiger Announces Opening of a New Store in Mississauga

Giant Tiger Stores Limited is pleased to announce the opening of a second location in Mississauga. This new store will be located at 1131 Dundas Street West and will occupy approximately 27,300 square feet of retail space. It is scheduled to open on November 4, 2017.

"We are very excited to be expanding in Mississauga," says Thomas Haig, President and COO of Giant Tiger Stores Limited. "The City of Mississauga has shown Giant Tiger much support throughout the years and having a second location will be a great complement to the Giant Tiger family of stores."

Giant Tiger is proud to make a difference in the communities we call home by building lasting relationships with local organizations to benefit causes that directly affect customers and communities. Giant Tiger Stores Limited donates more than $2 million annually to more than 700 community associations and charities across Canada. Giving back is deeply rooted in the corporate culture and makes Giant Tiger a community-proud retailer.

As the Canadian discount retailer of choice, Giant Tiger is committed to saving Canadians time and money through everyday low prices, an incredible flyer program, ad match guarantee and a focus on exceptional customer service. For you. For less.

A grand opening and community event will be planned to celebrate this new location.  To keep up to date on the new store development, follow us on Facebook at: facebook.com/GTMississauga

For a complete listing of communities where Giant Tiger is soon to open, visit NEW STORES

About Giant Tiger Giant Tiger is the leading Canadian-owned family discount store, committed to providing on-trend family fashions, groceries and everyday household needs. Known as Canada's best-kept secret, the privately held company has over 225 locations across Canada and employs over 8,000 team members. You can also shop online at gianttiger.com.  All Giant Tiger locations are locally owned or operated by a team member who knows the community. The friendly stores with the iconic yellow logo are not only where Canadians shop more and spend less, but also are proud to be known as retailer of choice

[airtrackinc]

Ontario's first cap-and-trade auction sells out

TORONTO Ontario's first cap-and-trade auction sold out all current allowances, giving the new market a strong start, but the province's environment minister warned the real test of the system will be in the emission reductions it brings about.

The March 22 auction brought in $472 million, the government said Monday.

But over the next 15 auctions, to the end of the compliance period in 2020, the market can probably expect "a reasonable amount of volatility and unpredictability," said Environment Minister Glen Murray.

"The participation rate, whether it's 100 per cent or 20 per cent or 50 per cent or 60 per cent or 13 per cent, is not the success of the market," he said. "The success of the market is really based on our ability to reduce (greenhouse gases). We will not expect to get 100 per cent all the time."

The system aimed at lowering greenhouse gas emissions puts caps on the amount of pollution companies in certain industries can emit. If they exceed those limits, they must buy an equal number of allowances at auction or from other companies that come in under their limits.

Most large emitters in Ontario are receiving allowances for free until 2020, which the government says is meant to prevent them from moving to jurisdictions without carbon pricing. But for now certain electricity importers, natural gas distributors and fuel suppliers are among those required to participate.

Bidders in the first auction included Union Gas, Enbridge Gas, Imperial Oil, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, the city of Kingston, Ont., the University of Guelph, Ontario Power Generation, Apotex, Labatt, BP Canada Energy Group, Shell Energy North America and Suncor Energy Products Partnership.

The provincial Liberal government hopes the quarterly auctions will bring in $1.9 billion a year, to be invested in programs that reduce emissions and help businesses and consumers adapt to a low-carbon economy.

The auction floor price was $18.07 and the actual settlement price was $18.08. Murray said he was pleased about that because he wanted the actual price to be as low as possible.

"One of the objectives of cap and trade is to manage the transition to a low carbon economy at the lowest-possible prices to Ontarians and Ontario businesses," he said. "So we didn't want to see early upward movement on that."

The successful first auction is a great start for the new market, but it's good to avoid reading too much into it, said Erica Morehouse, senior attorney with the Environmental Defense Fund.

"It is just one auction and I think the overall success of a program should be judged on the strength of its design and whether it's able to work to keep carbon pollution in check," she said.

About one quarter of the future vintages on offer were also sold and while the number may seem low, Murray said it was more than they were expecting. The result shows confidence in the longevity of the market, he said.

Ontario plans to link its cap-and-trade system with a joint Quebec-California market next year, and Murray said he will be in California soon for negotiations.

But when linked, an estimated $466 million will leave the Ontario economy over three years, because it will be cheaper to buy allowances in those jurisdictions, the auditor general has said. Both the environmental commissioner and the auditor have said that means greenhouse gas emissions won't actually be cut in Ontario.

Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown — whose party is ahead in the polls and could form government in 2018 — has said he would dismantle the cap-and-trade system in favour of a carbon tax, with the cost to consumers and business offset through other tax cuts.

Brown was undeterred by the first auction's success.

"The Wynne Liberals want us to believe they are protecting the environment, but it's a smokescreen," he said in a statement. "Their plan sends millions of dollars to one of the richest jurisdictions on earth for emission reductions there, which means failing to cut emissions here at home. This does not make sense."

NDP critic Peter Tabuns said he is still concerned that revenue could be used to finance projects that are already underway, which wouldn't help fight climate change.

"We still have our concerns about effectiveness, transparency, fairness, but we do believe the cap-and-trade system is something Ontario needs," he said.

Since Jan. 1, cap and trade has added 4.3 cents per litre to the price of gasoline and about $80 a year to natural gas home heating costs, in addition to indirect costs that will be passed onto consumers.

[airtrackinc]

Changes to Ontario Building Code Improve Energy Efficiency

Will you need a building permit this spring? The City of Mississauga is notifying homeowners, designers and contractors of changes to the Ontario Building Code (OBC) in advance of starting a renovation project. The changes relate to energy efficiency requirements that came into effect on January 1, 2017.

"We want to ensure everyone is aware and understands the changes to the Ontario Building Code before applying for a building permit," said Ezio Savini, Director, Building Division. "These changes help make buildings more energy efficient and will reduce operating costs."

The changes affect how a homeowner or contractor sets out to meet energy efficiency requirements of the OBC. This includes choosing the right type of compliance package when applying for a building permit, including prescriptive compliance packages. A prescriptive compliance package is a set of predetermined building construction requirements. When these requirements are met, so are the OBC energy efficiency requirements.

Highlights of the changes to the Ontario Building Code:

New prescriptive compliance packages are 15 per cent more energy efficient than previous packages. This will impact the installation of exterior insulation, windows and doors, skylights, space heating, heat recovery ventilation (HRV) and domestic water heaters.

Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) or HRV is now required for all prescriptive compliance packages.

Drain water heat recovery (the process of recovering energy from warm water to preheat incoming cold water) units are now required for all prescriptive compliance packages.

[airtrackinc]

Kilmer Environmental wins Seresco Rep­ of the Year Canada

Seresco Technologies, a manufacturer of indoor pool dehumidification equipment, has named Kilmer Environmental of Mississauga, ON, as its “2016 Rep of Year-Canada.” The announcement was made at the International Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo 2017) on January 30 in Las Vegas, NV.

The 30-year-old rep firm, plus four other North American manufacturer representatives, surpassed the $1-million sales mark with Seresco equipment in 2016 by amassing a high volume of indoor pool dehumidification projects. Qualite Air Totale (QAT) of Laval, QC, also surpassed $1 million in Seresco equipment sales in 2016.

Kilmer Environmental covers the central and western Ontario territories with its humidity control specialization. The rep has sales in nearly every dehumidification category including YMCAs, hotels, condominiums and residences, but two large projects were notable last year. The $12.5 million renovation to the Victoria Road Recreation Centre in Guelph, ON features a Seresco NP-50 Protocol dehumidifier.  A retrofit of the Chinguacousy Wellness Centre in Brampton, ON included the addition of a Seresco NP-30 Protocol dehumidifier and the integration of a dedicated heat recovery exhaust that evacuates chloramines from the pool surface.

Seresco USA Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of privately-owned Seresco Technologies Inc. in Ottawa, ON. The company specializes in commercial and residential indoor swimming pool dehumidifiers and other indoor air quality HVAC equipment.

[airtrackinc]

Melt away winter driveway maintenance with concrete heating systems

Patterned Concrete Mississauga knows that one your least favourite things to do is shovelling snow from your driveway and walkways. Getting up for work early in the morning can be a challenge in itself, without having to break your back clearing a path for your car.

RELATED STORIES

This is where the qualified contractors at Patterned Concrete come in — they can install a complete radiant heating system that will get rid of snow before it has a chance to accumulate. This will also reduce the amount of ice buildup, which will make slips and falls less likely without having to put down large amounts of sand or salt. The systems can be installed right up to your front door, so your guests (and even delivery people) will be safer as well.

Having a heating system installed can save you hours of work, as well as reduce the chances of strain or injury. The systems are also surprisingly economical to run throughout the winter.

Having another way to remove snow from your driveway other than de-icing products is recommended, especially during the first year following the installation. Special de-icing products meant for concrete can be used starting the second winter.

You may also opt to have the heating installed under your new concrete patio. Imagine being able to step outside during the warmer days in the winter without being knee-deep in snow! Managing the amount of snow accumulation in the backyard may also help with any problems due to excess runoff.

To find out more about what Patterned Concrete Mississauga offers in concrete installation, as well as learn more about partner company Yorkstone Pools & Landscapes

[airtrackinc]

Choosing industrial refrigeration equipment for enterprises, primarily necessary to define what tasks you are going to put in front of him and try to take into account all the factors that will continue to affect the performance of the system cooling. Such options may be few, but you need to choose the most optimal.

[airtrackinc]

In the development of modern HVAC equipment of particular importance is given to the problem of energy conservation. The amount of energy consumed by the equipment during the annual life cycle is one of the main criteria for decision-making when considering proposals submitted to tender. To date, a significant potential for energy efficiency is the development and establishment of climatic equipment, able to cover as precisely as possible the load schedule in constantly changing conditions

[airtrackinc]

Lucintel Anticipates Global HVAC Equipment Industry to Reach $105.7 Billion by 2019

IRVING, Texas, May 1, 2014 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- The global HVAC equipment industry is expected to reach an estimated $105.7 billion by 2019. The major drivers of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment industry are growing urbanization, rising disposable income, replacement needs, strict energy regulations, and technological innovations. Rising disposable income, low ownership rate in Asia Pacific region, continuous growth in residential and commercial construction activities in China and India, and rising consumer spending on luxury goods and services will drive the demand for HVAC system.

Lucintel, a leading global management consulting and market research firm, has analyzed the global HVAC equipment industry by segments and region and has come up with a comprehensive research report "Global HVAC equipment Industry 2014-2019: Trend, Forecast, and Opportunity Analysis." This report provides an analysis of the global HVAC equipment industry including analysis of the market trend, competitive landscape, company profiles, mergers and acquisitions, emerging trends, and key drivers of industry growth. The study also includes global forecast for HVAC equipment through 2019, segmented by region and end user segments such as residential HVAC equipment and commercial HVAC equipment. On the basis of its comprehensive research, Lucintel forecasts that majority of the segments for HVAC equipment industry will grow moderately in 2014-2019. Residential HVAC equipment market will remain strong due to increasing demand from China and India. The commercial HVAC segment is growing at a healthy rate with expansion of healthcare sector, retail stores, and educational building construction activities around the world. Developed countries such as Japan, USA as well as the European countries are also likely to witness a substantial growth in global HVAC equipment industry. HVAC equipment manufacturers are continuously adopting new technologies to gain market share in this industry. Innovation in equipment technology would further enhance the demand for this industry. Gree Electric Appliances Inc., GD Midea, United Technologies Corporation, Daikin Industries Ltd., Lennox International Inc., Samsung etc. are major players of the global HVAC equipment industry. Regular innovation of products is very important for companies to sustain their successful position in the market.

[airtrackinc]

Distech Controls New Headquarters Recognized for Excellence in Design

Winners of the EID Award were selected based on a number of criteria, ranging from innovative interior and exterior green design, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, water conservation, sustainable or recycled materials and resources, site selection and other green design factors, such as budget, company mission, certifications or design intent.

In designing the new Distech Controls headquarters, and in knowing that the company was doubling in space with the new building, it was particularly important to minimize its impact. The services of a local contractor, architectural firm, and interior designer were therefore called upon to design a building that could truly be a green champion in the community. In addition to Distech Controls’ own building management system, building materials with low or no VOCs were selected, as was a white roof, low-e windows, and environmentally friendly finishing and furnishings.

Furthermore, very special care was taken in developing the headquarters so as to focus on local sourcing. From windows to aluminum, and from paint to cement, Distech Controls was able to coordinate for more than 48% of material costs to be locally sourced, considerably higher than the LEED standard compliance path of 30%. In addition, greater than 88 % of the waste was diverted (recycled or salvaged) during the construction of Distech Controls’ headquarters.

What makes Distech Controls’ building unique is that it is outfitted with the company’s very own building automation and energy management solutions for HVAC, Lighting, Shades and Access control, with a real-time energy management dashboard, and wireless battery-less sensors to facilitate space reconfiguration as the company continues to grow. The global headquarters therefore provides a technological showcase for Distech Controls’ energy efficient solutions.

[airtrackinc]

Stafford County school partially evacuated after herbicide sprayed near air vents

Stafford County Fire and Rescue units responded to North Stafford High School in the Garrisonville District just after 10 a.m. Tuesday after the school reported several students said they felt ill due to a strange odor in the school.

Fire Rescue personnel investigated and determined that a contractor had sprayed herbicide near the fresh-air intakes for the school's HVAC system in one wing of the school.

That wing of the school was immediately evacuated.

Fire and Rescue personnel examined 17 ill-feeling students. Four of the students were transported to the hospital for further evaluation.

After consulting with the State Hazardous Material Officer, Fire and Rescue personnel ventilated the affected area and the school returned to normal operation at 1 p.m., officials said.

[airtrackinc]

Target CEO Clocks Out In Wake Of Data Breach

After 35 years at the company — the last six of them as CEO — Target’s top exec Gregg Steinhafel has stepped down less than half a year after the retailer was the site of a massive data breach that compromised credit card and personal information for more than 100 million customers at the height of the holiday shopping season.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to lead this great brand and work alongside what I believe is the best brand in retail,” wrote Steinhafel, who was also the company’s President and Chairman, in his statement explaining his decision to step down effective immediately.

Last fall, hackers were able to access Target’s in-store card payment processing system via the network of a third-party HVAC contractor. Beginning around the busy Black Friday shopping weekend, and continuing through mid-December, cards swiped at Target stores around the country were unwittingly collecting and transmitting customers’ information to the cybercriminals.

Relative to the size of the breach, the damages to customers was minimal, as many affected consumers canceled cards that may have been compromised. However, these millions of new cards and accounts came at a huge price to the banks and credit unions, some of which have filed suit against Target to recoup expenses.

“The last several months have tested Target in unprecedented ways,” continues Steinhafel. “From the beginning, I have been committed to ensuring Target emerges from the data breach a better company, more focused than ever on delivering for our guests. We have already begun taking a number of steps to further enhance data security, putting the right people, processes and systems in place. With several key milestones behind us, now is the right time for new leadership at Target.”

In addition to the data breach disaster, Steinhafel was CEO during the early months of Target.com’s relaunch in 2011. With frequent crashes, poor customer service, mysterious inventories, and missed delivery dates, Target’s first truly independent foray into e-commerce was a major mess, resulting in the early exit of Target.com President Steve Eastman only a few months after the site’s relaunch.

Target’s Chief Financial Officer John Mulligan is taking over the reins from Steinhafel at President and CEO, at least temporarily, while the board searches for a new top executive. Boardmember Roxanne S. Austin has been named as interim nonexecutive chair of the board.

“The board is deeply grateful to Gregg for his significant contributions and outstanding service throughout his notable 35-year career with the company,” reads a statement from the retailer’s board.