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Uncertainty looms for cooling industry as F‑Gas Regulation takes…
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingI have written a few times before about the F-Gas Regulation and its effect on the cooling industry in Europe. I make no apologies for my obsession as it is the most radical change for European cooling since CFCs were banned and everyone was encouraged to use HFCs instead. Now, of course, they are being encouraged to ditch those HFCs over time and find something less prone to warming the planet.
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Highlighting barrier packaging application developments
Don Rosato EngineeringSafety, convenience and quality drive food packaging technology. Increasing demands for fresh packaged food, consumer convenience and manufacturers' concern for longer shelf life are driving the market for global advanced barrier-packaging technology for the food and beverage market.
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Taking care of your building’s big 3: Metal, stone and wood
Jeff Wilhoit Facilities & GroundsFirst impressions. We all know how important they are in business or when meeting someone new, but many times their importance is discounted when it comes to how tenants or customers view your building. One of the ways people build first impression is by the condition of your metal, stone and wood surfaces on the outside and inside of your building. Nowhere are these surfaces put in the spotlight more than your building entrance and lobby areas.
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EE Global Forum: Help consumers, businesses slay energy vampires
Ryan Clark Science & TechnologyWorking toward better energy efficiency isn't simply a daytime job. Sometimes energy can be expended even with the lights off. The evolving electronic grid, along with our changing electronic culture requires that advocates, consumers and business owners alike be aware of the surprising ways we are now able to waste. These energy vampire products leech your power supply, even at night when they're turned off.
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EE Global Forum: Hard traveling on the long road to energy efficiency
Ryan Clark Waste Management & EnvironmentalOur country's movement toward greater energy efficiency should be viewed as an energy resource by those in legislative power, noted Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the keynote speaker for the 2015 Energy Efficiency Global Forum's opening plenary session on May 12.
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Soft-touch packaging: A value for consumers
Sharon Derbyshire EngineeringPackaging is viewed as an extension of the product, and the consumer's first perception of value is based on look and feel of the package. Research shows that consumers spend on average three seconds eyeing a product on store shelves before deciding whether to purchase — sometimes referred to as the first moment of truth.
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Biopolymers: The key to the 21st‑century medical revolution
Adolfo Benedito EngineeringWe have so much hope for medical innovation in the near future. Words such as nanotechnology, immune therapy, stem cells and tissue creation are becoming more and more common in the medical world, generating a current of optimism that we may soon find cures and treatments for many complex diseases and conditions.
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US leads the world in hydrocarbon production — but for how long?
Stefanie Heerwig Natural ResourcesAccording to the latest estimates of the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) , the U.S. remained the world's largest producer of hydrocarbons in 2014, despite plunging oil and gas prices and a dropping rig count. The EIA estimates that U.S. hydrocarbon production continues to exceed that of both Russia and Saudi Arabia. U.S. petroleum production increased by 1.6 million barrels per day in 2014, while natural gas production increased by 13.9 billion cubic feet per day over the past five years.
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EU sets the bar higher on HFC phasedown
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingThe European Union likes to think of itself as something of a pacesetter when it comes to protecting the environment, and it clearly sees its F-Gas Regulation as demonstrating leadership to the rest of the world in the area of refrigerant controls.
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Compostable high-barrier packaging material highlights processing advances
Don Rosato EngineeringPlastic barrier packaging technology is driven by safety, convenience and quality. Growing demand for convenience foods and "ready meals" created by busier lifestyles and increased disposable income are reflected in high growth in food packaging. Food-purchasing decisions are based on taste and appearance, as well as convenience, making excellent barrier quality to maintain product freshness vital in food packaging. No. 1 with the public is food safety, and active or barrier packaging that can help prevent spoilage or contamination is in strong demand.
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