Friday, June 17, 2016

Brisbane Winter is Upon US! And So Is Commercial Air Conditioning

“Winter is the perfect time to look after commercial air conditioning.”

New air conditioning compressor near the wallIt might seem strange to talk about commercial air conditioning in Brisbane during the winter, especially when we’ve not long since suffered the coldest winter temperatures for more than 100 years, but if you have employees who feel unable to take their coat off in the office – the very ones who were continually sweating last summer – you are in need of some serious commercial air conditioning care now. Here are a few reasons why the winter is Brisbane is exactly the right time to tend to your commercial air conditioning:

#1. AIR CONDITIONING IS FOR WINTER, TOO

There’s a popular misconception that air conditioning is a necessity only for summer. Our workplaces are like thermos flasks in reverse: without heat regulation they’ll keep us cold in winter and hot in summer. Opening doors and windows only adds a security risk when it’s hot: if there’s no air, then it’s a futile exercise.
In the winter, air conditioning is used to heat internal ambient temperatures. That means your employees will be working in the ideal environment all year round.

#2. WARMING A COLD OFFICE

Commercial air conditioning works in a number of ways. In the winter, a reverse cycle air conditioner simply reverses the process it uses during the summer. Instead of taking hot air from the inside, cooling it and circulating, the refrigerant can take heat form the air (even from outside, and even in winter) and use it to warm the office.

#3. REDUCED MAINTENANCE COSTS

Some employers believe that the winter is a time to reduce energy bills, and that air conditioning is a prime target. This could be a false economy. Leave commercial air conditioning turned off for a period of time and it could mean a larger bill when you turn it back on in the summer and find it’s not working effectively. By running during the winter, you’ll keep on top of maintenance more easily – and if there is any maintenance required, it’s unlikely to be an expensive and major overhaul.

#4. DRIVE A HOT BARGAIN IN THE COLD WEATHER

Most air conditioning companies are quieter in the winter, so this is an ideal time to make a purchase. May might be the best time to buy commercial air conditioning, but June and July are not far behind.

#5. HURRY TO BENEFIT FROM A BONUS EFTPOS CASH CARD

If you are considering investing in new commercial air conditioning, until the end of June Brisbane Air have once again partnered with Mitsubishi Electric to offer our clients a bonus Eftpos Cash Card worth up to $500. On top of this, our top-rated local and technical knowledge means we’re happy to offer a comprehensive 5-year warranty on all new commercial air conditioning installations.

By caring for your commercial air conditioning in the winter, you’ll not only benefit your employees, you’ll benefit your bottom line, too.

To find out how your business can benefit from commercial air conditioning designed to provide benefits every working day of the year, contact Brisbane Air today.

The post Brisbane Winter is Upon US! And So Is Commercial Air Conditioning appeared first on Brisbane Air.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Air Conditioning History

Air Conditioner HistoryThroughout history, mankind has made continuous attempts to adapt to the physical discomfort of living in hot climates. From taking a nap in the shade to avoid the noon day sun, to creating architecture specifically designed to utilize our planet’s natural ventilation streams, the history of the human race is liberally sprinkled with examples of our desire to keep cool. Yet it is only in the last 100 years have we succeeded in developing mechanical systems that enable us to reach beyond simply taking advantage of our geographical situation to control our surrounding temperatures.

Dr. John Gorrie

While Willis Haviland Carrier is generally recognized as the ‘father’ of air conditioning, inventors have been fiddling around with the idea of cooling systems as far back as Benjamin Franklin.

It’s Franklin, and Cambridge professor John Hadley, who in 1758 make the discovery that liquids which evaporate faster than water, like alcohol or other volatile liquids, have the pleasing effect of lowering the temperature of an object far enough to freeze water.

Some sixty years later, English inventor Michael Faraday achieves the same result when he compresses and liquidizes ammonia.

The first ice-machine is developed by Dr. John Gorrie in Florida in the 1830’s. He uses compression to produce ice and then creates a system to blow air over the ice to cool the hospital where he works. Recognizing the potential of the device, Gorrie patents his invention in 1851 with ambitious plans to cool buildings all around the world. Unfortunately, his plans fail due to lack of financial backing.

It is the assassination attempt on President James Garfield in 1881 that leads to the creation of the first crude cooling unit. In an effort to keep their wounded President cool and comfortable, Naval Engineers create a box-shaped device filled with wet cloth and blow hot air over the top. This produces a flow of cold air closer to the ground. The device is capable of cooling a room by 20 F but incredibly, consumes half a million pounds of ice within two months.

It is widely recognized that the first ‘modern’ cooling apparatus appeared in the 1830’s and was designed and built by an American physician from Apalachicola in Florida; Dr. John Gorrie. Gorrie’s simple machine consisted of a basic fan which blew across a large block of ice and cooled the wards at the hospital he was working in at the time.

Then in 1881 as US President James Garfield lay on his deathbed, a team of naval engineers designed a method to ease Garfield’s discomfort. They constructed an apparatus that blew air through cloths soaked in water from melted ice. The device succeeded in lowering the room temperature by around 20 degrees but the consumption proved enormous–within eight weeks the process had devoured half a million pounds of ice.

Early 20th century air conditioning or “manufactured air” as it was then called, was seen as a novel industrial solution for steering humidity levels in textile mills with the goal of increasing productivity. But within a short time, further commercial applications were discovered. Food preservation, document protection and the cooling of beer and other beverages became commonplace and more and more cooling stations were built to provide controlled air to neighboring buildings.

Willis Carrier It was around this time that Willis Carrier appeared on the scene. Carrier, a mechanical engineer from Buffalo, New York, had a deep understanding of the relationship between dew points, humidity and temperature–an understanding we are told he gained from his experience waiting for a train on a foggy night. In 1902 he introduced a spray-based humidity and temperature control system which heralded the tenuous expansion of air conditioning into hospitals, offices, apartment buildings and hotels.

Known as the father of air conditioning, Carrier’s company became synonymous with air conditioning excellence. Carrier devised a method of utilizing chilled coils to cool air and reduce humidity down to an unheard of 55%. Known as his “Apparatus for Treating Air,” the device was able to adjust humidity levels to a fixed setting. This would be the forerunner of what we now know as the modern air conditioner, but it’s good to remember that not only were the early conditioner units extremely large and expensive–use of the toxic coolant ammonia also made them very dangerous!

Willis Carrier first appears on the air conditioning scene in 1902. He invents an apparatus for treating air for a publishing company in Brooklyn, New York. Carrier’s machine blows air across cold coils thus controlling both temperature and humidity of the air inside the building. His device soon attracts the attention of factory owners and industrialists across the country and the Carrier Air Conditioning Company of America is born.

The term ‘air conditioning’ is first coined in North Carolina in 1906. A textile mill engineer by the name of Stuart Cramer invents a ventilation system which produces a mixture of air and water vapor. The resulting increased humidity makes the yarn more pliant, easier to spin and less likely to break.

In 1902, Alfred Wolff, an engineer from Hoboken in New Jersey was assigned the task of fitting out the New York Stock Exchange with a central cooling and heating system. Wolff is remembered for the design improvements he introduced, adapting the existing systems prevalent in the textile mills for use in other buildings. His innovations led to  a revolution in the application of cooling technology. Many industries benefited; tobacco and pharmaceutical, as well as the meat and film industries, to name but a few.

In 1911 Willis Carrier presented his ‘Rational Psychometric Formula’ to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. To this day, the air conditioning industry still uses that same formula.

Air conditioning first received wide public attention at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair where it was presented to almost 20 million baffled yet fascinated visitors. The modern wonder known as manufactured air had arrived.

In 1914, the first domestic air conditioning unit is fitted into the Minneapolis mansion of rubber and leather tycoon Charles Gates. The unit is a monster: 20 feet long and over 7 feet high. But Gates never lives in the house and the monolith is never used.

Soon after their prestigious introduction to the public, the installation of air conditioners began to rapidly infiltrate everyday society. The first private residence to be fitted with the costly luxury was in Minneapolis in 1914 and was owned by Charles Gates, son of John Gates, a notorious but hugely successful gambler of the time.

The first real cool air experience for the average citizen came after 1917 when movie theaters became the next focus of the air conditioning industry. The New Empire Theater in Montgomery, Alabama is the first theater on record to receive a cooling system and in the same year the Central Park Theater in Chicago was specifically designed and built to utilize the new technology. Almost overnight, both venues became hugely popular and attendance numbers soared to unforeseen heights.

In 1922, two crucial breakthroughs in the development of air conditioners were achieved. Again it was Willis Carrier who led the way. First he substituted the toxic ammonia with the far safer dielene (dichloroethylene, or C2H2Cl2). Simultaneously, Carrier greatly reduced the size of the  units and at last the cooling systems began to become mainstream with systems being widely installed in office buildings, department stores, private apartments and even in railroad cars.

centrifugal coolersIn 1924, The Carrier Company installed a trio of centrifugal coolers in the J. L. Hudson Department Store in Detroit, Michigan. The pleasing effect on shoppers was duly noted and air conditioning quickly became an integral part of any serious retailer’s marketing strategy. From there it did not take long for serving politicians to get in on the act. Between 1928 and 1930 the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives were all equipped with cooling systems, as were many other government buildings across the country.

The invention of the ‘window-ledge air conditioner’ by J.Q. Sherman and H.H. Schultz in 1931 marks the true beginning of the phenomenal rise of residential cooling systems. The design proved extremely popular, but at prices starting at $10.000 (about $120.000 in today’s money), the units were at first exclusive to the very rich.

Packard is the first auto manufacturer to take the air conditioner on the road. Cooled automobiles appear in 1939 but the control mechanisms are still crude with the only access to the unit still under the hood. Dashboard controls come along a few years later.

Yet some setbacks were also to be had. The spread of commercial air conditioning was greatly hampered during The Great Depression, and when at the World Fair in 1939 Carrier showed off his futuristic igloo, its further development was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II.

By 1942 the spread of air conditioners has gone viral and America builds its first power plant specifically to deal with the demand of summer peak usage.

During the war, many manufacturers converted their production to aid the military effort. Chillers were removed from department stores and re-installed in military plants and returned after the war. Thousands of walk-in air conditioners were manufactured for the US Navy to keep food and other perishables fresh on their ocean journeys. Bespoke portable air coolers were used for airplane maintenance in tropical climates. And yet again we see the name of Willis Carrier leading the way in the further development and functionality of air conditioning systems. Carrier was called upon by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics to design a system that could reproduce the freezing conditions found at high altitude and thereby carry out crucial testing of airplanes. Many thought the task to be impossible. But once again carrier shone with his ingenuity and was rewarded with the highest honors the US Military could bestow on a commercial company–the Army and Navy E Award

With the end of World War II production returned to mainstream, commercial use and with the US economy about to boom, the future success of air conditioning was guaranteed. Americans in their thousands began to purchase home air conditioning units so that they could enjoy the benefits they had only experienced in larger buildings. Air conditioning became so popular so quickly that soon the demand exceeded the supply and by 1948, yearly production of the home cooling units had reached a staggering 74.000, almost three times that of just two years earlier. It would be another two years before US sales broke the one million barrier for the first time.

In the post war economic boom in the 1950’s, sales of residential air conditioners break the 1 million barrier for the first time.

For a long time, nothing really happens in the world of cooling units. And then in the 1970’s the introduction of home ventilation systems changes almost overnight the face of air conditioning forever. Specially designed units draw air from outside, waft it over cooling coils and blow it through the home.

By now the coolant of choice has become the R 12, aka Freon 12. But in 1994 Freon is recognized as a major factor in the depletion of ozone levels and is banned in many countries. Auto manufacturers are also hit by the new ecological attitudes and are ordered to phase out ozone-depleting coolants by 1996. Forced to comply with world wide public opinion, companies like Carrier and Honeywell then begin the development of more environmentally friendly coolants.

Today, Carrier’s legacy lives on. His spark of genius over a century ago has brought comfort to millions of people all over the world and increased global industrial productivity. Modern air conditioning is cost efficient and easy on the environment.

So when outside it’s sweltering hot and we’re sat inside in our wonderful humid and temperate buildings watching the sidewalk melt, let’s spare a thought for Willis Haviland Carrier’s really ‘cool’ idea.

The post Air Conditioning History appeared first on Brisbane Air.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Five Reasons Why May Is The Best Time to Buy Commercial Air Conditioning

“The cooler weather offers the best buying opportunity.”

If you’re looking for commercial air conditioning, the month of May is the absolute best time of year to search. Here are a couple reasons why May is the best time to buy.

#1. Less Stress For Commercial Air Conditioning In May

Most people – especially businesses– forget about their failing air conditioning unit as soon as the cooler weather arrives. That’s a mistake. Not only will prices be higher when the summer comes around again, but every man and his horse will be battling for to have a unit installed.
We find that engineers will be pushed to capacity working around the clock, and usually, the best contractors are already on jobs. This means either using less experienced engineers or having to have your staff swelter in the hot months.

#2. A Chance To Measure Your Options

As the weather cools, now is the time to plan for a more productive summer next year. Measure up your space, and review your current air conditioning system. Why isn’t it man enough for the job? It could be that it’s old, tired, and unable to cool like it used to.
Or maybe your cooling needs have changed. You might have more equipment giving out more heat, or you may employ more people in the same room. Also, your offices might have been redesigned, and the air con hasn’t kept pace.

#3. New 2016 Features

Technology is advancing, so is air conditioning. Consider WiFi controllers or perhaps you want a uniform atmosphere in the entire office. New systems are also more energy efficient and cost a lot less to run. Once you know what you want and why, then it will be time to call for expert help.

#4. Easier Access To Professionals

With less demand for their time and services, it will be easier to get an air con specialist to discuss your needs. Let the expert create the best system for you. With fewer buyers in the market, and you’ll be able to take advantage of the best providers.

Here’s a tip to make the most of your time with an air con expert: although you know what you want, prepare to ask the right questions and be flexible – there may be a great solution to your needs that you haven’t yet thought of and that might even be cheaper than your budget.

#5. Time To Do A Deal

If you’ve had a sweltering summer, for the best commercial air conditioning and great promotional offers, May is definitely the month to make a deal. For more information or to get a quick free quote, contact Brisbane Air today.

The post Five Reasons Why May Is The Best Time to Buy Commercial Air Conditioning appeared first on Brisbane Air.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Looking for a summer and winter air conditioner

September 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment
air conditioningMost people think of air conditioning as a system that cools in the height of summer. Yet a unit also set up as a winter air conditioner has a number of benefits. These include reducing the spread of germs and producing an atmosphere ideal for those that suffer with air-based allergies. Clean air and an ambient temperature will make those indoor days more comfortable, and help the festivities flow during a fabulous family Christmas. Here we look at how you will benefit with a winter air conditioner, also commonly known as reverse cycle air conditioners.
What is a winter air conditioner?
You might think of a summer air conditioner as one which pumps ice cold air into your home or office, though one of its main benefits is the way it removes moisture to dehumidify – dry air means less sweat. A winter air conditioner helps to maintain a comfortable temperature while humidifying the space it serves; in other words, it does the opposite to a summer air conditioner and helps you feel warm rather than cold.
Contrary to popular belief, a winter air conditioner is one of the most efficient ways of keeping your home warm (Ausgrid, 2011). And when combined with a summer air conditioner in the same unit, no longer will there be a need for two separate systems to keep your home or office at the most comfortable ambient temperature. That’s going to save on maintenance costs, too.
The benefits of a winter air conditioner
Though it may be a little more expensive to install than conventional winter heating systems, the running costs of a winter air conditioner will surprise most home owners. A winter air conditioner keeps you warm at half the cost of a gas heater and a third that of electric convection heaters. Apart from the money saved, here are some other benefits of installing a winter air conditioner:
  • The air filtration system keeps internal atmosphere free from dust and other pollutants, making staying indoors comfortable for those with allergies and helping to prevent germs spreading.
  • The ideal room temperature is reached rapidly, with control at the touch of a button.
  • A winter air conditioner is a quiet way of keeping your home at the perfect temperature, and when installed in a conservatory will increase the space in your home (a great addition for Christmas).
Stay warm in winter and save money
The benefits of a winter air conditioner will be obvious from its first operation, and the cost quickly repaid by reducing energy bills. With a number of winter air conditioning solutions available, there will be a system to suit your home and budget. Our experts will be happy to help you choose the best unit for your home, so that you can begin to take advantage of all the benefits a winter air conditioner offers.

Monday, April 18, 2016

Air Conditioning Energy Saving Tips



Keeping your home or office cool during the hot months of the year can go a long way toward having happier and healthier occupants. 

But it can also be a huge expense, both to your pocketbook and to the environment, due to the eco-footprint of the energy required for air conditioning, as well as the actual cost of that energy. Both of those costs can be effectively reduced through making some changes in your air conditioning habits to conserve energy while still staying cool.
Here are a few tips that can reduce air conditioning energy consumption and cost:
Set a reasonable temperature on your thermostat, not an optimistic one. By setting your thermostat to the warmest temperature that is still comfortable to you, less cooling is required, which reduces overall energy consumption. Turning a thermostat to a colder setting when powering on the unit won’t cool a room any faster, and could result in higher energy costs and unnecessary wear on the equipment.
Use the air conditioner to cool, but use fans to move the air. While an air conditioner works wonders at cooling the air immediately around it, it doesn’t do a very good job at circulating that air to the rest of the room, and by using a small fan or two instead of just the air conditioning fan, your cooling will be more efficient. Adding a whole house fan, or even just a few ceiling fans, can make a big difference in cooling efficiency.

Don’t overheat your thermostat.
 If your thermostat is mounted where it can receive direct sunlight, or is exposed to local heat from a light or an appliance, your air conditioning might be running too often and using excess energy because of it. Likewise, don’t overcool your thermostat. If it’s right near the outflow from the air conditioner, it may sense a lower temperature earlier, and cut off before the room is cool.
Keep the sun out. In the hot part of the day, shade the windows that are directly exposed to the sun to help keep rooms cooler in the first place, which reduces the amount of energy needed to cool it to a comfortable level. This can be as simple as blinds and a curtain, or as complex as an outside shutter or a plant trellis.
Keep the cool in. Drafty doors and windows can cause air conditioning units to use more energy than they need to, simply because the cool air they produce dissipates to the outside through leaky gaps in walls, windows, and doors. Weatherproofing can be an effective method of reducing energy use for both cooling and heating, and is an easy and low-tech solution.
Reduce the humidity in the room. One of the ways that air conditioners help to make us feel cooler in humid climates is by removing some of the moisture in the air, so by using a separate dehumidifier, the efforts of the air conditioning unit are amplified.

Increase the humidity in the room.
 In hot dry climates, adding moisture to the air can help to cool a house, so running a humidifier, or having a ‘swamp cooler’ installed, can be a low-energy air conditioning improvement in some regions.
Add natural ventilation if possible. If outside air can be used to ventilate inside spaces and move air, even if only for certain periods of the day, less air conditioning may be necessary. Opening windows to obtain a cross breeze, or using an open window on the top floor and one in the bottom floor, can take advantage of the natural flow of heat and air, without using any additional energy.
Keep your air conditioner maintained. Every piece of equipment needs regular maintenance, even if it’s just a quick examination, but with an air conditioner or other cooling device, making sure the filters get changed, and the coils cleaned off regularly, can make a difference in how well the units work.
Add a programmable thermostat. Having a ‘smart’ thermostat, instead of one with a simple temperature adjustment, can make it much easier to manage the cooling needs of a home, because it can allow for scheduling of optimal times for operating it, as well as automatically shutting it down when not needed.
Upgrade to a new high-efficiency air conditioner. Investing in a new and more efficient unit can result in energy savings of anywhere from 20-50%, according toEnergy.gov, not only reducing energy costs, but also increasing the quality of life due to more comfortable conditions.

This post was originally published here: Air Conditioning Energy Saving Tips