We are starting a new year, and I believe the HVAC consulting engineers responsible for design engineering need to make a change in 2019 as to how HVAC systems are engineered to be safe.

Years ago, I was responsible for quality control (QC) of our facility manager’s performance of outsourced building management services, and I did part of my QC responsibilities by completing walking tours of the equipment rooms.

This month I am continuing with another walking tour, this time a chiller plant. This tour can also be an annual or semi-annual training tour, too.

Trane is now offering its Air-Fi™ wireless technology for building controls. The company reports that Air-Fi wireless replaces the need for wired building controls, allowing installations to be completed quickly with less disruption to occupants in existing buildings, while also providing greater reliability, simplified installation, and more flexibility as building spaces change.

Extech’s new RD300 detects all existing refrigerants used in various air-conditioning, cooling, and refrigeration systems. Designed to increase reliability in the field, the replaceable sensor tip has a built-in LED light with on/off switch to provide illumination in dimly lit areas.