HVAC/R

Itasca, Ill. — Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, a dine-in cinema with movies, beer, food and events, has partnered with Fellowes and its air purifiers with patented technology. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alamo asked Fellowes to assess its facilities in an effort to keep guests and staff in a clean and healthy environment they can trust and feel safe in. “Before we put AeraMax Pros in there, I was getting calls left and right about odor issues — but since then I haven’t had any of those same complaints,” says …

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— By Steve Peldiak — Communal air solutions in retail and restaurant locations.   Sanitation conversations around indoor air quality (IAQ) at restaurants and retail locations will be critical to their longevity and bottom lines. 2021 has seen the arrival of a vaccine, however many customers may remain hesitant to dine or shop inside even with continued mask mandates. Indoor air quality improvements completed and communicated to both employees and patrons will put many at ease as the path to public-wide vaccination is paved and businesses begin to fully reopen. …

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Morris Plains, N.J. — Natural and organic foods retailer Whole Foods Market has adopted Honeywell’s Solstice® N40 (R-448A) lower global-warming-potential (GWP) refrigerant in its stores across the United States as it seeks to reduce refrigerant emissions under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s GreenChill program. Whole Foods Market will retrofit its commercial refrigeration systems at more than 100 stores with Honeywell’s reduced-GWP alternative, replacing high-global-warming-potential refrigerants R-404A and R-22. Based on hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) technology, Solstice N40 offers a GWP that is approximately 68% lower than legacy hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants like R-404A. …

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Boston — The founder of EarthSafe Chemical Alternatives® and its EvaClean® system, RJ Valentine, is now launching a new company: Boston Air Solutions (BAS). Valentine recognized the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ) improvement, particularly as a strategic weapon against COVID-19, to restore building wellness and re-instill confidence as the world returns to work, school and life in the new normal. As CEO, Valentine tapped a team of highly experienced business leaders with Steven Wilson as chief operating officer and Alex Biljic as executive vice president of strategic partnerships. Together, …

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— By Mark Timmons — The 101 on UV-C lighting.   Fall and winter present a new challenge in restaurant and facility management with the continuing COVID-19 pandemic impacting businesses around the world and now it’s flu season. Taking a look back, several months ago, in-person dining felt like an overwhelming hurdle. Reopening a retail business seemed daunting. Yet we did it. As we turn to stabilizing business, in some parts of the United States al fresco dining is done. It’s simply too cold outside for outdoor dining. With the …

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— By Richard Boothman — Increasing winter heating efficiency.   Restaurants, retail outlets and shopping centers face plenty of efficiency challenges with heating during the winter. There are, however, easy tweaks, procedures at startup and specialized equipment that can save energy, reduce costs and improve the lifespan of the HVAC system. While oversizing and under-sizing are also common problems, there are ways to minimize their negative effects. A key step to take early on is to make sure the building is pressurized so that it’s not pulling out more conditioned …

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— By Julie Fields — With cooler temperatures on the horizon, restaurants will be forced to find indoor dining solutions.   Restaurants have been through the wringer since the Coronavirus pandemic reached the United States earlier this year. We have seen new trends that we never would have imagined, such as an increase in takeout from traditional dine-in restaurants. Many restaurants have also seen a huge surge in outdoor dining, as many customers feel safer sitting in the open air. However, as winter approaches and temperatures begin to drop, outdoor …

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— By Phil Thomas — Air curtains with COVID-19 disinfection: How to present stores and restaurants that customers are confident to enter during a pandemic.   Confidence is one game-changing factor restaurants and retailers must restore to regain patrons and employees amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Facility operators should take sanitization actions and promote them as part of their COVID-19 response. Outdoor dining, curbside service and pickup, masks, shields and social distancing have instilled some confidence and brought back a few patrons that have shopped online or eaten at home since …

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— By Doug Engel — Protecting guests from COVID-19 in restaurants and retail stores without breaking the bank.   Restaurants and retail stores have been hit hard by plummeting business and consumers shifting to buy goods online. Ensuring safe physical spaces for dining and shopping is not just important, it’s essential to the recovery of these important sectors of the economy. What’s the best way to protect the health of customers and staff while being sensitive to the current financial challenges in these industries? Like the changing guidance associated with …

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— By Danny Miller, Transformative Wave —   The airborne transmission of COVID-19 has impacted many retail and restaurant facilities in their ability to safely operate indoors. As facility operators look to comply with COVID-19 safety guidance, there are three battlefronts that have arisen: disinfection, filtration and ventilation. Numerous products are being marketed and confusion can arise about what should be the priority. Disinfection Disinfection attempts to kill the virus include using products like UV-C lights or bipolar ionization. UV-C has been shown to be effective but largely on stationary …

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