Get Ready for Next Tax Season NOW! Appliance Upgrades to Consider from US Department of Energy

May 18, 2013 by 2 Comments

EnergyStarIf you missed the energy efficiency and renewable energy tax credits for 2012, fortunately, you can still take advantage of them in 2013. According to the recent energy.gov blog on the Extended Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency, the majority of the appliance upgrade tax credits were continued through the end of 2013 or 2016.

The list below specifies the energy efficient home improvement and appliance additions you can make to your home in 2013 to save money on your next tax return. Application instructions for all of the Federal Tax Credits listed can be found on the ENERGY STAR® website.

Water Heaters

Hot water is an expensive commodity, and your old water heater may be racking up your electric or gas bill on a daily basis. Heating water accounts for 14-25% of your home’s energy consumption, so a highly-efficient electric or gas water heater can save a lot of money. A new ENERGY STAR®-qualified water heater (look for the label) is eligible for a tax credit of $300, a hefty savings. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy Saving Ideas Tagged With: ,

Southern California Edison — Auto-DR Express Program Leads the Way

April 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment

SouthernCaliforniaEdisonDemand Response (DR) and Automated Demand Response (ADR) are becoming staple terms in our industry — as will the provisions of the OpenADR Alliance and OpenADR 2.0 Specification. Southern California Edison, a leader in Automated Demand Response, provides a succinct demonstration of how their Auto-DR program helps keep the power on during periods of peak energy demand and what happens when a demand response event occurs.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy Saving Ideas Tagged With: , , ,

Get Your Energy Products into the Market with Connexx Energy Software and Control Systems

April 17, 2013 by Leave a Comment

For all the ControlTrends Community members attending the Haystack Connect 2013, in Chattanooga, TN at the end of this month, make sure you visit the Lynxspring booth and learn more about Connexx. Connecting enterprise energy software and energy control systems has many challenges. Whether it’s hardware, software, networks, drivers and development expertise, Connexx can help! Connexx Energy technology and services will help you get your energy products into the market quicker and more cost effectively.


Lynxspring

Filed Under: Building Automation and Integration, Commercial HVAC, Control Talk, Energy Monitoring, Energy Saving Ideas Tagged With: , ,

ControlTalk Now for Week Ending April 14, 2013

April 15, 2013 by 1 Comment

CTA Awards Steering Committee is the sponsor for this week’s ControlTalk NOW. The extraordinary BB King Blues Club will be the site of the 2013 ControlTrends Awards. Located in NYC’s Time Square, this famous venue promises to enhance the excitement and entertainment of the CTA’s.

Johnson Controls

Johnson Controls

Johnson Controls: See What’s Possible in Building Efficiency — The Boom Heard ‘Round the World.Technology [Read more...]

Filed Under: Building Automation and Integration, Commercial HVAC, Continuing Education, Control Talk, Energy Monitoring, Energy Saving Ideas, Johnson Controls, New Posts, News and Information, Product Reviews, Thermostats, Wireless Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Lynxspring Live! with Anno Scholten, President of Connexx Energy, Inc.

April 13, 2013 by 1 Comment

LynxspringDemand Response and Open ADR presentation with Anno Scholten, President of Connex Energy, Inc. and Bruce Stimpson, VP/CIO at Lynxspring. Two industry experts discuss the energy business. Not to be confused with energy efficiency, Demand Response is a simple concept where a utility or Independent System Operator (ISO) pays an end-customer not to use energy at a peak time. 95% of Automatic Demand Response is still done manually!

Filed Under: Building Automation and Integration, Commercial HVAC, Control Talk, Energy Monitoring, Energy Saving Ideas, Press Tagged With: , ,

ControlTalk Now for the Week Ending April 7, 2013

April 8, 2013 by 2 Comments

This episode of ControlTalk NOW is sponsored by DGLogik, the global leader in Visual Analytics. Visualize the Internet of Things with Drag and Drop Programming using DGLogik’s Affordable DGBox. Now YOU can Build Visually Stunning Applications and Dashboards without Code.

ControlTalk Rewind: Interview with Belimo’s Gary Weber, a proven distribution channel wizard. Also, review the Belimo ZIP Economizer and the 2012 CTA Commercial Product of the Year, the Belimo Energy Valve, as well as the MIT study on the energy savings.

Haystack Connect 2013: Connecting Community and Technology. This meeting is almost sold out. The automation control genies are out of the bottle and meeting in Tennessee. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Building Automation and Integration, Business Ideas, Commercial HVAC, Continuing Education, Control Talk, Energy Saving Ideas, Flow Measurement, HVAC Actuators and Valves, HVAC Sensors, Industrial Products, News and Information, Product Reviews, Wireless Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WattStopper Introduces the LC8 Modular Contractor Panel = Lights Out to Energy Waste!

March 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Watt Stopper

Watt Stopper

This versatile panel provides simple control to indoor and outdoor lighting. Contractors are going to love the new WattStopper LC8 modular panel, which provides cost-effective lighting control solutions and is ideal for small stand-alone retail projects, libraries or bank buildings, controlling lobbies, corridors, public spaces, even exteriors of larger buildings. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Building Automation and Integration, Commercial HVAC, Electrical Components, Energy Saving Ideas, Lighting Control Tagged With: ,

ACI Acquires TRS Systems

March 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Automation Components, Inc. (ACI) has purchased Trs Systems Wireless Sensors and Controls Company. Trs previously developed a quality line of Spread Spectrum, Mesh Network devices. These devices have proven to be reliable, non-intrusive and cost effective solutions for commercial and industrial applications including energy management, control sensing, and process monitoring.

This acquisition will allow us to broaden our product offering into a new niche of the HVAC Market and to present it to a broader customer base for a higher growth potential. ACI has carried this line for over a year and we are extremely capable with its application and support. Plus, wireless sensors are a natural fit with our existing product lines.

ACI plans on having this product line fully supported and in stock by mid May. Until then, we will try to accommodate as many part requests that our limited inventory will allow. When this line is fully operational, our customers can expect ACI’s typical top flight quality and customer service. We will be sending out marketing materials further explaining the features and benefits of our wireless devices in the near future.

We hope you think of ACI the next time you are faced with an application suitable for wireless sensors!

Filed Under: Building Automation and Integration, Commercial HVAC, Energy Monitoring, Energy Saving Ideas Tagged With:

Episode 4: ControlTalk NOW

March 10, 2013 by 2 Comments

This episode of ControlTalk NOW is brought to you by J2Innovations

J2 FIN Builder 2.7, now compatible with Niagara 3.7, was released this week featuring enhanced Floor Plan Builder and FQL Block Queries. FIN Builder combines efficient workflow with the latest UI technology. FIN Builder is a Magnificent Toolset specifically designed [Read more...]

Filed Under: Building Automation and Integration, Commercial HVAC, Control Talk, Energy Monitoring, Energy Saving Ideas, In the Community, New Posts, Thermostats Tagged With:

Ecobee at AHR Expo

February 14, 2013 by 3 Comments

If you saw my post from the AHR Expo in Dallas, you know that I was blown away by the enormity of it. If you have not had the privilege of attending one, I highly recommend that you try to do so in the future.  And plan on spending a few days there.  Believe me, it will take that long to see everything.  When my colleagues and I went, we had a limited amount of time, so we had to squeeze in as much as possible very quickly.  Luckily Sean was able to shoot some video footage with a few of our vendors.

Ecobee manufactures a great line of thermostats for residential and commercial use.  There’s a reason why they call it a  Smart Thermostat. For one thing, it’s internet enabled through WiFi so that you can easily monitor and manage your comfort. It’s also a smart way to save money and reduce your environmental impact. Check out Sean’s video and see what Ecobee had to show at the Expo.

Filed Under: Commercial HVAC, Energy Monitoring, Energy Saving Ideas, Thermostats Tagged With:
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