Blog

USA: Home Depot, the USA’s largest home improvement retailer, has been issued with a $1.6m fine for selling R134a refrigerant. 

DENMARK: The replacement of oil-based heating and cooling systems with heat pumps at a hospital in southern Denmark are expected to provide energy savings of 12,500MWh.

UK: The new Vertiv Liebert PDX-PAM direct expansion perimeter cooling unit is using lower GWP refrigerant R513A.

UK: Applications to the UK’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) rose to 2,987 applications last month, a 26% increase on April.

UK: E.ON and Australian real estate developer Lendlease have signed an agreement to build a pioneering low-carbon energy network for 6,400 new homes and business properties at Silvertown in east London.

UK: The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has called for all engineers working on R290 (propane) systems to receive appropriate specialised training for handling flammable refrigerants.

UK: The Cooling Post joins with the HVACR industry in celebrating World Refrigeration Day and pays homage to thermodynamics pioneer Lord Kelvin on the bicentenary of his birth.

USA: Trane Technologies has announced that its high efficiency prototype heat pump has successfully completed the US Department of Energy’s Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge.

EUROPE: The Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) has emphasised the importance of collaboration between the European parliament and businesses operating cold chains in Europe. 

UK: A lack of customer demand is holding back heat pump sales in the UK, according to a new report by sustainable innovation charity Nesta. 

ITALY: The Lu-Ve board and company shareholders have approved the merger by incorporation into Lu-Ve of its wholly-owned subsidiaries Sest SpA and Air Hex Alonte Srl.

USA: M Dennis Knight, the founder of Whole Building Systems of South Carolina, has been named as ASHRAE president for 2024/25. 

USA: Licensed HVAC contractor Amy O'Grady has been appointed as the first full time executive director of the US non-profit organisation Women in HVACR (WHVACR).

SPAIN: Semi-trailer manufacturer Schmitz Cargobull AG has acquired a majority stake in Atlantis Global System (AGS), the Spanish telematics solutions provider for monitoring and maintaining the cold chain.

POLAND: Production is set to start at heat pump manufacturer Aira’s 55,000m2 production facility in Wroclaw, Poland. 

BANGLADESH: Customs officials in the port of Chittagong are said to have intercepted Chinese shipments of “substandard” refrigerant valued at up to €40m.

UK: Heat pump manufacturer Kensa has joined forces with utility company GTC to deliver low-cost renewable heating and cooling to thousands of new-build homes a year.

UK: A band formed by employees of Leeds-based critical cooling company Airedale led the company’s 50th anniversary celebrations last weekend.

UK: LG has formed a partnership with leading Norwegian and Italian universities to develop high-performance heat pumps for cold climates.

UK: Smith Brothers has opened a new branch in Nottingham, the fourth new SBS branch to open in the last 12 months.

GERMANY: Compressor manufacturer Bitzer is expanding its facilities at its Rottenburg-Ergenzingen factory with the addition of a new 2,500m2 paint plant.

EUROPE: Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions has announced the latest addition to its commercial hydronics portfolio, the ECOi-W AQUA-Z DC. 

GERMANY: The latest R290 air-water heat pump from Viessmann Climate Solutions is designed for larger residential and commercial buildings and businesses.

SWEDEN: Nordic Climate Group has strengthened its position in Greater Stockholm through the acquisition of commercial refrigeration contractor Frigotech.

SWEDEN/HUNGARY: Beijer Ref has signed an agreement to acquire 80% of the shares in Cool4U, a leading HVAC distributor and Hungarian representative of Chinese manufacturer Gree.

JAPAN: Hitachi is looking to sell its 40% stake in the Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning joint venture, with Bosch, Lennox and Samsung among the suitors.

USA: Johnson Controls is to sell its Air Distribution Technologies business to Truelink Capital, a US middle-market private equity firm.