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The UK grapples with its low-carbon heating future

Andrew Gaved Manufacturing

Whilst the subject of Brexit is weighing heavily on the minds of U.K. politicians, the heating industry has an equally seismic change of culture to deal with — no less than the prospect of wholesale technology change as it bids to build a low-carbon heating infrastructure. One of the last legislative decisions by former Prime Minister Theresa May was to commit the U.K. to "net zero" carbon emissions by 2050. It is accepted by the HVAC industry that such a stiff target cannot be reached without radically changing its technology approach. What the technology approach should be is currently the subject of fierce debate.

Choosing flooring for buildings exposed to extreme temperatures and the…

Kendall Youngworth Facilities & Grounds

Buildings and facilities are designed to perform a wide variety of jobs and fulfill myriad purposes. Sometimes, these facilities need to be able to stand up against extreme temperatures and elements. Extreme temperatures and exposure to outdoor elements require durable flooring solutions. Otherwise, undesirable flooring will pose both safety and long-term durability concerns.

Global goods giant commits to drastically reducing plastic packaging by…

Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & Environmental

Global consumer goods giant Unilever has announced an aggressive program to reduce the level of plastic waste it creates through the use of its products. According to a statement by the company, it is making efforts to create a "circular economy" for plastics. These efforts are mostly commitments between the brand and those it serves. Specifically, by 2025, it says it plans to reduce its use of virgin plastic — plastic that has never been used for any other purposes nor has been previously recycled — by half. It will also reduce its use of plastic packaging by more than 100,000 total tons.

California’s PG&E risks outages amidst bankruptcy

Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & Environmental

Recently, the legally embattled Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) agreed to pay billions to compensate for faulty equipment-induced wildfire damages throughout the state of California. Last week, the company instituted power outages as a proactive way to prevent wildfires. Conveniently, any front-end money saved in the outages can go towards back-end damage expenses, which keep accruing as the company collaborates with meteorologists and the National Weather Service to suspend services in the name of wildfire prevention.

All eyes on ‘very low GWP’ HFOs in the UK

Andrew Gaved Retail

Refrigeration experts in the U.K. have called for the industry to embrace the potential of "lower flammability" hydrofluoro-olefin (HFO) blends, as the F-Gas regulations continue to drive the European market towards lower-carbon solutions — and as the Kigali amendment begins to do the same for the global market. The call has been driven by supermarket giant Asda (part of the Walmart group), which has successfully conducted an in-store installation with the refrigerant R454A, an HFO with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 238.

Worldwide antibiotic resistance in farm animals is on the rise

Scott E. Rupp Food & Beverage

As worldwide demand grows for products delivered through animal husbandry, the industry has increasingly become more reliant upon antimicrobials to treat and prevent infections for animals raised in crowded conditions. These drugs rapidly increase weight gain for quicker delivery of products to market, thereby improving profitability. The use of antimicrobials has several downstream impacts, including prolific advancement of bacteria resistant to these compounds, which is a severe problem showing increased signs around the world.

Federal court ruling could produce fresh air in more ways than one

Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & Environmental

From fossil fuel extraction to wilderness and pollution protections, legal environmental battles continue to be a most memorable Trump-era hallmark. While it’s a mixed bag of tricks overall, a recent federal ruling upholding EPA standards provides a breath of fresh air in ongoing environmental struggles that require staying power in the epic battle against climate catastrophe. Recently, pollution reduction requirements for states producing smog that "travels" across state lines were upheld among a three-judge panel in a federal appeals court.

What’s driving diesel: 3 trends in engine development

Bianca Gibson Manufacturing

As the world turns, so does engine technology. The industry has experienced a great deal of change since Tier 4 Final standards for off-road equipment were introduced. Continuous efforts have been made to increase power, efficiency and reliability of diesel engines, all while keeping total cost of ownership down. How have manufacturers stacked up to meeting these tremendous challenges? A recent webinar, "What’s Next in Engine Development?" hosted representatives from Perkins, Genie Industries, John Deere and Kohler to discuss the demands fueling trends in diesel engine development.

How Hurricane Dorian affected tourism in the Bahamas, Florida and the Carolinas

Bambi Majumdar Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

Last month, Hurricane Dorian stalled for 36 hours over the Bahamas, injuring and killing many. The rampant destruction caused by the Category 5 hurricane had a huge, destructive impact on the tourism industry in the Bahamas. Organizations and members of the travel community are actively working together to revive businesses on the islands and bring tourists back. In a recent broadcast, travel leaders and government officials in the country announced that it was safe to travel to the Bahamas. They also mentioned how tourists could help the islands get back on their feet.

Study: Air pollution particulates can even harm unborn children

Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & Environmental

It turns out that air pollution is worse on us than we may have previously known, especially for those not yet born. According to the findings of a new study, pollution can be so pervasive that it can penetrate a pregnant woman's placenta and may threaten the health of a developing fetus. The study reviewed and analyzed high-resolution images taken of placenta tissue retrieved from 28 women who had given birth at East-Limburg Hospital in Genk, Belgium.