Matt Hanson, Author at United CoolAir

October 8, 2020 by Matt Hanson

Now Is the Perfect Time to Upgrade an HVAC System

Section 179 of the 2020 Cares Act

Just what is section 179 of the tax code and what does it mean for HVAC in 2020? Section 179 which was enacted in 2008 is more beneficial to small businesses than ever. Known as the SUV Tax Loophole, it adapted in subsequent years to adjust tax deductions factoring depreciation. Fast forward to March of 2020 and we now have the that that grants cash to business owners through accelerated deductions through the Cares Act. Combined with relief aid for the Corona pandemic business owners can realize even more savings.

What the Cares act does is provide full deductions in a single year instead of having to spread the deductions over several years. It Accomplishes this by corrected a retail glitch in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). For example, in the past when your business bought qualifying equipment, it typically wrote it off a little at a time through depreciation. So, if your company spent $50,000 on equipment, it gets to write off approx. $10,000 a year for five years. This made the Qualified Improvement Property (QIP) subject to a 39-year depreciation. With the Cares act, QIP changed from 39 down to 15 years and became eligible for bonus depreciation to be taken as well. Furthermore, the Cares Act invalidates the $2 million a year limit that applied to IRC Section 179 property. As an added benefit these changes are retroactive going back to 2018.

So what type of facilities qualify as a QIP

Office buildings
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities
Logistical facilities
Factories and manufacturing plants
Other non-residential facilities

What Section 179 means for your business

With the Cares Act, Section 179 provides huge saving can be made when a business invests in new or used equipment. A taxpayer may elect to treat the cost of any section 179 property as an expense which is not chargeable to the capital account. This includes Property applicable include heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning. Under IRS Tax Code Section 179, installing a new HVAC system provides a tax deduction for the project costs. Section 179 of the IRS tax code allows businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment and/or software purchased or financed during the tax year.

Summary

Businesses can now take advantage of both Section 179 and Section 168(k) Bonus Depreciation allowances at the same time. However, the deadline for putting the new equipment into place to qualify for the tax benefit is December 31, 2020. Finally, as each business is unique, consult with your tax attorney or tax preparation team before claiming the tax benefits.

June 2, 2020 by Matt Hanson

The Natural Disinfectant of UV-C Light

Due in part to recent pandemics, ultraviolet light is making a revival in the area of disinfecting air and surfaces in HVAC applications. Using UV-C light as a disinfectant is hardly a new concept. As early as 1878 Arthur Downes and Thomas P. Blunt, published a paper describing the sterilization of bacteria exposed to short-wavelength light. Later, the Westinghouse corporation followed with a commercialized germicidal lamp as early as the 1930’s. Since then, worldwide use of UV light to kill microorganisms has been implemented in: drinking and wastewater, indoor air quality, food safety, horticulture, healthcare and consumer products.

How UV-C light works

The sun emits different spectrums of UV light, but none is visible with the human eye. The wave lengths ranging from 10 to 400 nm, and include UV-A, UV-B, UV-C and UV-V. The earth’s ozone layer diminishes and prevents the shorter wavelengths of (UV-V, UV-C, and most of UV-B) from the sun to reach the earth’s surface. When pathogens like viruses, molds and bacteria absorb UV-C light it prevents the microorganisms from replicating their DNA and they quickly deteriorate. Once deactivated, these microorganisms are no longer able to reproduce and grow on surfaces. With this in mind, UV-C light emitters can now be added inside HVAC units or installed inside the duct. This enables HVAC units to be on the front lines of combating dangerous microbes that beget global illnesses.

For mold and bacteria, doses of UV-C energy may not cause immediate cell death but the microbe could be deactivated; while some biological activity may still exist, cell replication is impossible. The microbe is no longer able to spread. In order to maximize the effect of UV lights, it is best to pair them with an electrostatically charged filter. This allows them to capture and hold the microorganism for a long enough period of time for the UV light to deactivate its ability to reproduce. Finally, a DOAS (dedicated outdoor air system) can also be used to bring fresh air into the space. In this way, we create a system that greatly reduces harmful microbes.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that UV-C light will kill 100% of all microorganisms. Instead, recommendations are to take a multi-pronged approach to cleaning including filtration, air purifiers and disinfection of evaporator coils. With the proper filter, UV-C can kill and/or degrade what the filter has caught. Thus, for a given microbe, the filters effect can be an integral part of the resulting concentration in a space.

April 13, 2020 by Matt Hanson

BACnet Building Automation and Control Network

BACnet (Building Automation and Control Network), is the communications protocol that defines communication services used between building control systems and building automation end-devices. The protocol displays how data is represented and moved between BACnet nodes on the network and the services used to move it. For example, by sharing sensors and data, BACnet gives our applications similar abilities to sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch to help us make better decisions.

In June of 1987, a group of HVAC and Building Automation professionals met in Nashville to develop this standard, open protocol specifically for the building automation industry. Furthermore, in June of 1995, ASHRAE (The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) also adopted this same standard. Therefore, BACnet became an alternative to the proprietary and closed protocols offered by large vendors that were in existence at that time.

How BACnet works

The BACnet protocol uses an Object-oriented approach (Object-oriented programming allows for simplified programming. Its benefits include reusability, refactoring, extensibility, maintenance and efficiency). As a result, this approach standardizes the representation of processes and data. Secondly, BACnet provides the ability to control and monitor any building automation process, to meet the needs of users, integrators, and equipment vendors. As a result, the BACnet protocol uses mobile and cloud-hosted devices, head-end computers, general-purpose direct digital controllers, and application-specific or unitary controllers with equal effect.

In a typical HVAC application BACnet would handle lighting, heating/cooling with a programmable thermostat, smoke detection and some form of security/safety applications. In these applications, motion detectors can be used to more efficiently measure human presence and activity and with a timer to make sure lights are off after hours. To further simplify things, with BACnet, devices from various manufacturers work in conjunction with each other with little or no additional integration. This leads to cost savings over proprietary systems, but also tremendous savings in resources, installation costs, maintenance costs, and energy savings.

Today, the majority of users prefer to use Ethernet. For example, the Control and Information Protocol (CIP) used in industrial application, BACnet uses objects to represent data on a network. These objects are defined by the BACnet specification and have both required and optional data. BACnet is an unconnected, peer network where any device can send service requests to any other device. Unlike connected protocols where devices have ongoing data transfers, communication in BACnet is unscheduled without any time critical operations. With ease of use in mind, BACnet is a certifiable standard, though certification is not required.

What are the 2 Protocols?

There are two distinct BACnet protocols being BACnet IP and BACnet MSTP.

BACnet IP:

The BACnet/IP allows users to transfer data to and from devices over Ethernet using BACnet/IP Protocol. BACnet/IP communication is implemented by defining a new protocol layer called the “BACnet Virtual Link Layer” or BVLL. There are many advantages to this approach. First it is extensible to other, future transport mechanisms such as IPv6, ATM, Sonet among others. Secondly, the concept of defining an extensible mechanism for peer-to-peer management of BACnet messages means that other manipulations. This includes such things as encryption/decryption and compression/decompression that can be performed outside of the process of generating BACnet APDU/NPDUs, i.e., without altering the existing standard. Routing between BACnet/IP and non-BACnet/IP networks is specified, including the case where IP and non-IP BACnet devices reside on the same LAN.

BACNet MSTP:

The MS stands for Master – Slave although in practice there are not many slaves out there and the TP stands for Token Passing. This method of BACnet the most common use to connect field devices to controllers and routers, to control applications. Up to 128 devices can be installed on a single network in the physical layer using RS485 with a max physical length of 4000 feet, and speeds up to 115k baud. Nevertheless, if more length is needed, it can be increased by the use of repeaters. You can compare to Ethernet, where the spec allows a max of 100 meters (330ft) on a single, unrepeated segment. Common baud rates are 19200, 38400 and 76800 and all devices must operate at the same baud rate. More and more devices can auto sense the baud rate and configure themselves correctly.

However, a disadvantage of the token system is that any one device gets a limited use of the bandwidth. Thus, a device may need to keep an internal queue of application layer messages it wants to send waiting to use the token. There are some vendor systems which fill their queue and then drop subsequent messages without notifying the user of the problem. Finally, limited access, combined with the overhead, makes it easy to use up all the bandwidth on the network. This happens if there are many devices with many objects and many properties of interest.

Key Points

Developed by: ASHRAE
Use: Communication across devices
Markets: Industrial, Transportation, Energy Management, Building Automation, Regulatory and health and safety
Examples: Boiler Control, Tank Level Measurements
Proprietary: no
Transmission Modes: Ethernet, IP, MS/TP, Zigbee
Standards: ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 185 ;ISO-16484-5; ISO-16484-6
Costs: Low; No charge for usage or licensing fees
Network Interfaces: Existing LANs and LANs infrastructure
Testing: BACnet Testing Labs
Advantages:
- Scalability between cost, performance and system size
- Endorsement and adoption by nearly every major vendor in North America and many other countries
- Robust internet working including multiple LAN types and dial-up
- Unrestricted growth and the ability to add new innovations and new features anytime •
Disadvantages:
- Limited the number of field devices that can connect to a master station except Ethernet TCP/IP
- MT/TP-Wire Length
- Ethernet-Infrastructure
- New standard has security standard but not implemented in all devices

October 25, 2019 by Matt Hanson

Industrial Grow Room Units

As cannabis becomes legalized or decriminalized throughout the United States, Grow Room units are in high demand. Medical applications of the plant alone have led to further community acceptance and therefore more facilities have emerged for growth and distribution. In order for this up-and-coming industry to thrive, HVAC companies have developed specialized equipment that promotes indoor plant growth.

Growing cannabis indoors on a massive scale is an elaborate process. To start with, optimal growth conditions require stable temperatures both day and night. When the plants are in the early stages of development they need oxygen-rich air for vigorous growth. Grow room unit development leads to the control of both temperature and humidity in the various stages of plant growth. In particular, the heat stress on developing plants can quickly ruin a crop.

The two-stage humidity problem

When the humidity levels rise too high, conditions become such that mold can develop. Likewise, when levels of humidity fall too low this can add additional stress to the plants. The cannabis plants thrive best when relative humidity is kept within a manageable range.

Grow Room Units by United CoolAir

When it comes to Dedicated Indoor Agricultural System (DIAS) AKA, Grow Room units, United CoolAir is on the cutting edge. Starting in the Spring of 2018 we began producing equipment for Cultiva Systems. This is a complete system unlike the conventional approach that utilizes a standard air conditioner to control temperature and a separate dehumidifier to control humidity. The DIAS has the required capacity for late flower loads and enough turn down to maintain conditions during the earliest stages of the plant. Powerful moisture removal capability and full condensing modulating hot gas reheat keep the room conditions on target. Integral controls and advanced components maximize energy efficiency while achieving the desired conditions; therefore, lowering the operating cost to the grower. Furthermore, these units range from 10 – 45 tons and come in both horizontal and vertical configurations.

October 18, 2019 by Matt Hanson

Retrofitting Commercial HVAC Units

Retrofitting Major Commercial HVAC Brands

Millions of HVAC systems are reaching replacement age. The life cycle for most will pass several times over the life of commercial, industrial and institutional structures. Estimates show that there are over 5 million buildings available for retrofit HVAC upgrades. While 70% of commercial buildings built prior to 1980 have not had any HVAC improvements. With changes in building codes, government regulations, technology, IAQ and environmental standards many building owners face a plethora of challenges.
One of the issues that building owners have little control over is the cost of energy. Current rates range from 6.5 cents to over 12 cents dependent on region. All forecasts show great increases over the next few decades. Considering that 40% of building power cost use is HVAC related, gaining efficiency and cost savings are vital for owners.

Why The Difficulty in Replacing Outdated Units

When initially installing HVAC systems, size, weight, ease of installation and refrigerant there were of no concern. During construction, large chillers were lowered into basements, and rooftop units were installed using machinery already onsite. Now twenty to thirty years later things are more difficult. No longer is there open access or a crane onsite to simplify improvising an HVAC system. Brands of HVAC units reaching the end of life include Trane^® SWUD units, Bohn HVAC Systems, Blazer units, McQuay^® HVAC, Mammoth^® v cube and Carrier^® AC units.

Going Green is the Future

In order to make energy cleaner, greener and more efficient, governments are constantly developing new refrigerant liquids. Many of today’s HVAC units are using the less efficient R22 refrigerant and are therefore in need of replacement. Newer units are using R410a refrigerant but even this will soon be outdated as well. With an emphasis on green buildings, what is the best solution? Buy a replacement rooftop unit and spend thousands of dollars on installation. Installation could cost half of the cost of the replacement unit. How do you remove and retrofit large tonnage chillers from a basement in a dense urban area?

There is a Solution

Keeping this in mind, there are products to solve these retrofit problems. Selecting an off the shelf or stock unit will not be a perfect fit like the initial installations. United CoolAir modifies units to make retrofit projects simple and easy to install. Choosing a splittable system that can move through a standard 32-inch doorway into a standard elevator, resolves to get the units inside an existing structure. This will also lessen the total cost of installation by using less manpower; overcome other technical issues that would be necessary for the installation of standard commercial units. What can make these EZ Fit units even more appealing is they can fit above the ceiling or in a mechanical room? By bringing your units indoors you can gain valuable roof space for green projects such as solar panels or a living roof.

In Conclusion

Additionally, repairs can be made anytime indoors, support longer unit life; eliminate damages from storms, vandalism or even theft of valuable copper destroying your units. Owners can expect a shorter return on investment, lower energy costs, and an overall lower lifecycle cost. Complaints from building owners vary from too costly, tenant interruption, no funding, and others. In today’s climate, governments along with others are providing programs to lessen the financial burden.

PACE bonds, leasing, and energy programs like Potomac Edison provide fantastic incentives to become more energy efficient. Potomac ED’s program provides up to 50% rebate of the purchase price, excluding taxes for each VFD installed capped at a total of $250,000. These programs give building owners every reason to retrofit their obsolete HVAC systems. Besides repair or retrofit is going to become more widespread than new construction in the upcoming years. Lastly, retrofitting your old high energy-consuming system with a unique feature split unit can make a retrofit project as simple as screwing in a light bulb.