ACCA members and staff continually produce articles and presentations on technical matters for the HVACR community.

Quality Installation Articles
Recognition of the QI Standard continues to grow.

Below are news items that have been published in various trade press outlets.

» Evaluation of Market Transformation Strategies for Verifying a Quality Installation Specification
HVAC industry stakeholders continue to work at the local, regional, and national levels to improve HVAC installation practices, which will result in improvements in occupant health, comfort, safety, and energy efficiency. The current focal point of the national effort is the development of a consensus quality installation (QI) specification, which is being spearheaded by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA). This stakeholder-supported specification is aimed at providing the market with a common definition for a quality installation. This paper outlines a range of verification options that identify when the specification requirements are met. A spectrum of options, ranging from self-verification by the installing technician to 100% in-field inspection by a credible independent party, has been evaluated. The authors – representing both HVAC contractors and efficiency program administrators – will summarize several verification scenarios and outline the relative costs, benefits, and uncertainties of each.

» Refrigerant Data Update
Published in the January 2007 issue of Heating/Piping/Air Conditioning Engineering (HPAC Engineering). This article summarizes key physical, safety, and environmental data for refrigerants, including those widely used historically, those in common use today, and selected candidates being considered for future use.

» Improving Residential HVAC Installation Practices by Transforming Market Conditions
Presented at the summer 2004 meeting of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, by Glenn Hourahan, ACCA; John Taylor, Consortium for Energy Efficiency; and William Parlapiano, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Posted with permission from ACEEE. Published in Proceedings of the 2004 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. Washington, D.C.: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. www.aceee.org.

» Sensible Heat Ratios: What Happened?
From the April 2004 issue of Contracting Business magazine; by Glenn Hourahan, ACCA and Karim Amrane, ARI.

» Diagnosing vs. Commissioning: What's Best for Building Occupants?
Copyright National Energy Management Institute, reprinted with permission. By James Woods, PhD, PE.

» Sizing & Selecting Equipment for Proper Humidity Control
By Glenn Hourahan, ACCA. Reprinted with permission from the ARI supplement to Contracting Business

» Moisture Control: Achievable Through Load Determination & Equipment Sizing
Presentation of Glenn Hourahan, ACCA, before ASHRAE, January 2003.

» Latent Performance of Unitary Equipment
By Glenn Hourahan, ACCA, Karim Amrane, ARI, and Gregg Potts, ARI. From the January 2003 issue of ASHRAE Journal.

» Refrigerant Data Summary
From the November 2001 issue of Engineered Systems. By Glenn Hourahan and James Calm.