With its new Rental Services, Trane, a leading global provider of indoor comfort systems and solutions and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, helps facilities with a wide range of temporary cooling needs to achieve continuous optimal operating performance.

Trane Rental Services provide supplemental and back-up solutions that help meet non-permanent cooling requirements smoothly and effectively. Examples include:

•  Emergencies: In case of a natural disaster or unexpected equipment failure, the rental units generate the right cooling capacity, allowing building managers the opportunity to assess the best long-term solution
• Increased capacity: Trane Rental Services provide supplemental cooling in case a facility’s cooling load temporarily exceeds the capacity of existing systems
• Planned outages: During chiller plant upgrades, renovations, retrofits or replacements, Trane rental solutions provide continuous cooling. This avoids the typical rush to get the primary system back on line
• Special events and on-site services: Trane provides temporary chillers and on-site services for events such as exhibitions, ice skating rinks and outdoor festivals.

 “Not meeting their building’s cooling needs, even partially, can generate substantial costs and stress for building managers,” said Jose Laloggia, service and parts leader for the Trane commercial business in Europe, Middle East, India and Africa. “Trane Rental Services offer an immediate solution, short or long term, that is tailored to the customer’s specific requirements.”

 Trane rental solutions have been re-engineered for rental applications and are completely inspected after every job. The units are specifically selected for fast installation and easy operation.

 Trane Rental Services can be applied in a wide variety of facilities, including healthcare, industrial, lodging, retail and educational buildings. The new services are now available throughout Europe, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India.

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St. Paul, Minn., Jan. 9, 2012 — The new Axiom™ variable speed water source heat pump (WSHP) from Trane introduces a variable speed solution which exceeds the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers’ (ASHRAE) efficiency standard 90.1-2010 by up to 58 percent during operation at full load.

The Axiom from Trane, a leading global provider of indoor comfort systems and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, is also the first variable speed WSHP to be rated by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). This solution is designed for schools, commercial office buildings and government facilities.

“The Axiom variable speed WSHP delivers an energy-efficient solution compared to traditional single- or two-stage systems,” said Al Fullerton, global product manager for large commercial unitary at Trane. “This innovative design provides optimal control of space temperature enhancing comfort without sacrificing efficiency.”

Trane strategically offers a variety of variable speed technology solutions. In many applications, variable speed technology delivers a more energy-efficient option than other approaches currently on the market.

The Axiom system employs a variable speed compressor and fan to efficiently adjust output to match the comfort requirements in the zone. Optional enhanced dehumidification control alleviates humidity in problem areas without the need for hot gas reheat.

The system is optimized for efficient performance. Part-load operation reduces on/off cycles for improved reliability and comfort and noise levels.

The Axiom is available for use in either ground source or water loop applications. Integrated controls allow for stand-alone applications or integration with Tracer SC via BACnet MS/TP protocol. Sizes range from 24,000 to 50,000 British thermal units (Btu) in a vertical configuration.

The Axiom also offers a full array of filter options to optimize indoor air quality, including minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) 8 and MERV 13 to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements.

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St. Paul, Minn., Dec 21, 2011 — Off-peak electrical energy is always on sale, compared to peak electrical energy costs. The ice-enhanced, air-cooled chiller plant, the latest EarthWise system from Trane, allows building owners, mechanical system designers and operators to take advantage of less expensive off-peak energy by making ice during those periods which will be stored and used for cooling during expensive peak periods.

The ice-enhanced, air cooled system offers lower operating, water and life cycle costs than conventional cooling systems. Trane, a leading global provider of indoor comfort systems and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, developed this thermal storage solution in collaboration with CALMAC, a leader in energy storage systems.

While the system itself is not new, this solution provides a pre-designed package that streamlines the process of creating and deploying a cooling system that’s ideally suited for reducing operating costs and supporting the smart grid. Standard system configurations include details like customizable control logic, dashboards, wiring diagrams and supporting drawings that are ready to use.

“Customers are faced with high energy costs and Trane and CALMAC have collaborated together to provide a simple, proven, cost-effective way to deal with them,” said Mark Weldy, vice president of integrated systems at Trane. “This innovative solution gives everyone an advanced starting point that saves time and money.”

“A prepackaged design using our combined expertise minimizes first costs while assuring proper operational integrity to maximize savings,” said Mark MacCracken, chief executive officer of CALMAC. “Customers installing this system will get the knowledge and experience our companies have gained by working together for more than 20 years.”

A packaged skid with pumps, valves, sensors, and ancillary items is also available, which allows for controls and functional testing to be completed at the factory. With no moving parts, ice tanks are virtually maintenance-free. The system comes with a 10-year warranty. More information is available at: www.trane.com/EarthWise.

Trane and CALMAC also support ice storage applications in many other system configurations with air-cooled and water-cooled chillers.

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The education site, www.trane.com/k12schools, demonstrates the importance and benefits of high performance school buildings and offers strategies that leaders can use to improve the classroom environment in their facilities. Education leaders can incorporate information from the site to create a business case for supporting high performance school buildings.

“The site educates K-12 administrators, facility managers, architects, engineers and construction professionals about how the physical environment of school buildings affects students, teachers and the bottom line,” said Bill Harris, vice president of education markets for Trane. “Education leaders can access the site to gain strategies to improve building performance and explore the latest solutions and services from Trane.”

The new website provides information that includes:

• Strategies to improve indoor air quality and the benefits that can be gained as a result
• Details about the importance of the right acoustics in the classroom and their impact on student performance and teacher satisfaction
• Financing options to support a high performance building approach
• Strategies to engage students in using energy more efficiently in homes and schools with programs like the Trane BTU Crew™ energy efficiency curriculum for K-12 students
• Ways that districts can share school efforts with local communities using options like the Trane education green dashboard to display achieved energy savings
• Case studies of schools that have successfully implemented high performance solutions and services
• Details about a collaborative effort to support the high performance schools industry. Trane is a national sponsor of the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), a non-profit organization focused on making schools better places to learn by facilitating the design, construction and operation of high performance schools

High performance buildings take a whole-building approach to performance while creating spaces that are reliable, safe, healthy and efficient. They meet specific standards for energy and water consumption, system reliability and uptime, environmental compliance, occupant comfort and other factors. All standards are set to deliver established outcomes that help schools and their occupants achieve their academic missions.

School districts that install new or upgrade to energy-efficient infrastructure systems link the physical environment of their schools to their educational objectives. This link represents a key step in a district’s journey to create high performance school buildings.

Trane has provided fiscally and environmentally responsible solutions for classrooms and for sustainable schools that have significantly improved the quality and cost-effective delivery of education for more than 50 years. The company uses a consultative approach to help school districts implement customized solutions to fit their needs and to create the conditions that are essential to learning.

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The panel discussion entitled “Execution Models that Work — Enduring Growth and Innovation Strategy” will explore how culture and values can leverage hidden potential and differentiate a company’s competitive edge in a low-growth environment. During the discussion, Wash will highlight proven service methods that drive and sustain growth in a stagnant market.

Immediately prior to the panel, Wash will contribute to a roundtable discussion entitled “A Strategy Map for Competing through Culture.”

About the Conference

Produced by Chief Executive Group, the publishers of Chief Executive magazine, the CEO2CEO 12th Annual Leadership Summit brings peer CEOs and top business innovators together to discuss the new nature of global competition and what leaders must do to form organizations that can create long-term success.

When: December 13, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. (roundtable), 2:20 p.m. (panel)

Where: The Boardroom, New York Stock Exchange, New York

Conference Website: http://chiefexecutive.net/media/ceo2ceo/index.php

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Tracer XT was developed in response to data center customer requests for more ways to reduce energy consumption, improve building operations and optimize system management. Energy reduction is more important than ever. The world’s data centers are expected to consume 19 percent more energy in the next 12 months than they have in the past year, according to results of a global industry census conducted by DatacenterDynamics.

Tracer XT combines Trane industry-leading Tracer building controls and heating, ventilation air conditioning (HVAC) domain expertise with GE Intelligent Platforms’ Proficy® Software platform for visualization, advanced analysis and modeling, remote monitoring and diagnostics. This solution also uses Proficy Process Systems for integrated software and high-availability control systems applications for industrial and redundant-control requirements.

Tracer XT is the first solution that Ingersoll Rand and GE are introducing as part of a cooperative agreement to develop intelligent offerings that combine the world-class industrial solutions of GE and the industry-leading HVAC expertise of Trane. Tracer XT is based on the Proficy Software platform, which is GE ecomagination® qualified for improving overall process efficiency, reducing waste and defects, and reducing energy usage.

Trane and GE Intelligent Platforms will unveil the new Tracer XT application at the DatacenterDynamics trade show, one of the industry’s major shows focused on data centers:

 When:  Dec. 12, 2011

Where: Booth 4, Eaton Centre Marriott, 525 Bay Street. Toronto. Ont.

Conference website:   www.datacenterdynamics.com/conferences/2011/toronto

Tracer XT Technical Benefits

The Tracer XT software application allows users to improve energy use and uptime, reduce operational costs, optimize lifecycle costs across building systems and increase profitability.

“Leaders of data centers and other critical indoor environments need fast, integrated information to most effectively manage their facilities,” said Joel Lehman, global portfolio manager, system controls for Trane. “By collecting real-time data and providing actionable information at incredible speeds, Tracer XT integrates with existing Tracer controls to allow for faster decision making about management of data center functions, including critical systems.”

Tracer XT enables data-driven decision making at all levels of an organization to improve building efficiency and to reduce energy consumption. It provides data and analytics that allow users to manage energy wisely and to optimize indoor environmental conditions for enhanced business results.

Tracer XT uses proven standards-based supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) technology and industrial language to integrate real-time data from applications including security, fire, safety, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), and power distribution and monitoring. The platform can use more than 100 common communications protocols to achieve this.

The application includes a high-speed, time-stamped database to allow for rapid data collection, recording more than 200,000 events per second. The capabilities of Tracer XT also enable a high level of availability by combining redundant equipment, controls and workstation strategies.

Tracer XT also provides a powerful approach that integrates data from stand-alone systems into a single high speed database to deliver the key information users need, in the way they want to see it. It supports precision and process-oriented cooling by delivering system analytics that allow users to manage energy use and cooling requirements to optimize facility performance.

Tracer XT provides usable information – both global and granular views – with easy-to-read, graphical, customizable dashboards tailored to specific functions such as information technology (IT), facilities management and production management. Web-based, open and scalable, the platform can be accessed remotely over the Internet, enabling low-cost integration and simple expansion as a business grows.

GE and Trane have worked together on a solution for GE’s Ohio-based data center which features 29,000 square feet of raised floor – equivalent to six professional basketball courts – and includes more than 3,800 IT systems. The data center consumes 24 million kilowatt hours of power each year. To help with the reduction of water and energy, GE updated the data center with nearly 30 products from nine different GE businesses including power quality, chilled water, electrical, security and IT services equipment, coupled with Trane integrated systems with equipment and controls. This solution resulted in reducing annual energy consumption in the data center by more than 11 percent and water usage by 20 percent.

“With the spotlight on data center power consumption, GE’s goal is to optimize operational efficiency and reduce power consumption across our entire data center portfolio,” said Steve Doublett, principal technologist, Data Center Technologies, GE Corporate Global Infrastructure Services. “Supervisory control and data acquisition systems can monitor, control and optimize the variety of critical systems present in an enterprise-class data center. These are keys to meeting our data center goals of efficiency, reliability and availability, which is demanded by our business.”

For more information: www.ge-ip.com/datacenters and www.trane.com/datacenters.

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Trane, a leading global provider of indoor comfort systems and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, developed the seven-inch color touch screen in response to customer requests for a more visually intuitive solution. Use of the Tracer UC600, a programmable BACnet unit controller, can be easily expanded as a business grows. It has the capabilities to meet the controls needs for air handlers, central plants and other high-point count applications.

“The Tracer TD7 full-color touch screen makes it quicker and easier than ever for customers to gain the reliable control offered by the Tracer UC600,” said Mark Haiden, product manager for Trane.

“Users can now check unit status at a glance and quickly optimize their HVAC systems with a few simple touches.” The unit is designed to work with the Tracer SC and third-party BACnet MS/TP systems. Tracer SC is a web- based system controller for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, offering access through a web interface.

Tracer SC supports two standard field-level protocols, BACnet MS/TP and LonTalk to allow for wider integration options with Trane or other legacy equipment such as boilers, cooling towers, variable speed drives, chilled water systems and power generators. The UC600 offers built in trending information and can provide custom reports. It features 19 input/output (I/O) points with the option to expand to 120 I/O points. Factory mounted controls reduce field labor, installation time and cost. The unit also offers point overrides with a time limit option, icon-labeled alarm categories with detailed logs and configurable reports.

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The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) has released the fifth edition of its State Energy Efficiency Scorecard. Massachusetts was a newcomer to the top spot, while California dropped to the number two slot (it had been number one for the past four years).

The remaining top 10 states are: New York; Oregon; Vermont; Washington; Rhode Island; Minnesota, Connecticut; and Maryland (making its first appearance in the top 10 and also one of the six most improved states in the 2011 ACEEE Scorecard).

The 10 states most in need of improvement are: North Dakota; Wyoming; Mississippi; Kansas; Oklahoma; South Carolina; West Virginia; Missouri; Alabama (also one of the top six most improved states); and South Dakota.

Meanwhile, the six most improved states are Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, Alabama, Maryland, and Tennessee.

“Energy efficiency is America’s abundant, untapped energy resource and the states continue to press forward to reap its economic and environmental benefits,” said ACEEE Executive Director Steven Nadel. “The message here is that energy efficiency is a pragmatic, bipartisan solution that political leaders from both sides of the aisle can support. As they have over the past decades, states continue to provide the leadership needed to forge an energy efficient economy, which reduces energy costs, spurs job growth, and benefits the environment.”

“Thanks to our investments in innovation and infrastructure, Massachusetts is now leading the nation in energy efficiency,” said Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. “Through our Green Communities Act, we set aggressive goals and laid the foundation for greater investment in energy efficiency — and now we are proud to be a model for the nation and world.”

How ACEEE Evaluates The States

The fifth edition of the ACEEE State Energy Efficiency Scorecard presents a comprehensive ranking of the states based on an array of metrics that capture best practices and recognize leadership in energy efficiency policy and program implementation. The Scorecard benchmarks progress and provides a roadmap for states to advance energy efficiency in the residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation sectors.

The Scorecard examines six state energy efficiency policy areas and presents these results in six chapters: (1) utility and public benefits programs and policies; (2) transportation policies; (3) building energy codes; (4) combined heat and power; (5) state government initiatives; and (6) appliance efficiency standards. States can earn up to 50 possible points in these six policy areas combined, with the maximum possible points in each area weighted by the magnitude of its potential energy savings impact.

The ACEEE Scorecard documents the following trends:

• Total budgets for electricity efficiency programs increased to $4.5 billion in 2010, up from $3.4 billion in 2009. Combined with natural gas program budgets of about $1 billion, total energy efficiency budgets in 2010 equal about $5.5 billion. Given the increasing regulatory commitments to energy efficiency, this growth will likely continue over the next decade.
• Twenty nine (29) states have either adopted or have made significant progress toward the adoption of the latest energy saving building codes for homes and commercial properties— up from 20 in 2010 and 10 in 2009.
• Twenty four (24) states have adopted an Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS), which sets long term energy savings targets and drives utility sector investments in energy efficiency programs. States that adopted EERS policies in 2007 and 2008 are now realizing significant energy savings and moving ahead in the Scorecard rankings.
• States continue to improve policies to reduce financial, technical, and regulatory barriers to adoption and deployment of combined heat and power (CHP) systems, which generate electricity and thermal energy in an integrated system. Tremendous potential remains for CHP, particularly in states with heavy industrial and manufacturing bases.
• A group of leading states remains ahead of the curve in adopting policies to reduce vehicle miles traveled and promote the purchase and manufacture of efficient vehicles. A major gap exists, however, as over half the states have minimal or no policies to encourage efficiency in the transportation sector.

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BY: Lindsey O’Brien

PAE Consulting Engineers was recognized this week for actively seeking new ways of approaching sustainability in its offices.

Sustainability at Work, a program born out of the city of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, awarded the mechanical and engineering firm a gold certification through a new sustainable business evaluation system.

Sustainability at Work provides free advising to local businesses that want to reduce their environmental impacts. The program for three years certified outstanding “Climate Champions,” but in August switched to a tiered, point-based system. PAE is the first business to receive a gold certification – the program’s highest of three levels.

PAE earned the recognition due to significant achievements across the board, according to Megan Stein, Sustainability at Work program manager. The firm’s offices are carbon- and water-neutral, for example, and they are pursuing a “zero waste” environment through a comprehensive composting and recycling program.

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St. Paul, Minn., Oct. 4, 2011 – Trane now offers the industry-leading capabilities of the Performance Climate Changer air handler in a weatherized outdoor version for customers who prefer or require exterior installation. The outdoor Performance Climate Changer air handler from Trane, a leading global provider of indoor comfort systems and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, is the only catalogued air handler in the industry offering stackability. This allows users to invest in a minimized structural support footprint for rooftop installations.

The outdoor air handler offers the same benefits as the indoor unit, including superior performance, industry-leading energy efficiency and lowest installed cost.

“Customers who prefer or require outdoor installation of their air handling units can now benefit from the superior capabilities of the Performance Climate Changer air handler”, said Gina Cottrell, airside business leader for Trane in North America. “The unique stackability of this solution can produce significant savings for customers who need to invest in structural support for rooftop installation.”

The Performance Climate Changer air handler includes design input from more than 1,000 customers and a significant investment in manufacturing technologies. Trane Performance Climate Changer air handlers combine the best features of a standardized, packaged air handling system with much of the flexibility and many of the features of custom installations. This highly flexible unit is designed to provide a clean, comfortable environment in commercial, industrial and institutional buildings.

Performance Climate Changer air handlers meet the strictest of industry standards and are the most energy-efficient units in their class, minimizing energy and operating costs. With innovative casing design, factory-installed controls and a menu of advanced, energy-saving options, these air handlers clean, filter, dehumidify, and heat and cool air, playing a key role in optimized heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

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