ASHRAE Journal - June 2023 - 8

INDUSTRY NEWS
Industry Roundup
Carrier Buys German Heat Pump
Business in $13.2B Acquisition
BERLIN-A German company, the Viessmann Group,
is selling its heat pump business to Florida-based
Carrier Global Corp. as part of a 12 billion-euro
($13.2 billion) deal. The sale of Viessmann's " climate
solutions " business, announced by both
companies in late April, comes as Germany is putting
into place plans to phase out gas and oil heating
systems in favor of climate-friendly alternatives.
Heat pumps, which use electricity and
ambient air or groundwater, are considered far
more efficient than traditional combustion
furnaces.
Source: Manufacturing Business Technology
New York State Bans Gas Stoves,
Furnaces in New Building
NEW YORK-The New York Legislature passed a measure
on May 2 that would ban natural gas appliances in new
buildings. The law, negotiated by Gov. Kathy Hochul
and Democratic legislators as part of the state's budget
process, begins phasing in next year. The measure
prohibits the installation of fossil-fuel equipment in
buildings of seven stories or less in 2026, with the ban
for larger buildings starting in 2029. Exempt buildings
include hospitals, restaurants and buildings not
fully supported by the electrical grid. New York is
the first to pass a state law banning gas appliances,
though Washington state recently approved building
codes requiring heat pumps, as opposed to furnaces,
in most buildings.
Source: USA Today
Join Robert Bean, Fellow ASHRAE,
and Peter Simmonds, Ph.D., Fellow
Life Member of ASHRAE, as they
discuss thermal comfort in buildings
and the application of ASHRAE
Standard 55 in real-world settings.
8
ASHRAE JOURNAL ashrae.o rg
J U N E 2023
Court Throws Out Berkeley, California's
Ban on Natural Gas
BERKELEY, CALIF.-On April 17 a federal appeals court overturned
Berkeley, California's first-in-the-nation ban
on natural gas in new construction, agreeing with restaurant
owners who argued the city bypassed federal
energy regulations when it approved the ordinance.
A lawsuit by the California Restaurant Association
claimed the regulation violated federal law that gives
the U.S. government authority to set energy-efficiency
standards for appliances such as stoves, furnaces and
water heaters. The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
in San Francisco rejected a lower court judge's decision
two years ago that had upheld the Berkeley ordinance.
Source: AP News
DoE Announces New Investments to
Accelerate Community Solar
WASHINGTON, D.C.-The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
announced several new solar energy investments to
cut home electricity bills and reduce local pollution.
DOE's National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP)
selected 25 teams to participate in the $10 million
Community Power Accelerator Prize competition,
which aims to establish a strong, nation-wide network
of community solar project developers. Successful
teams have the potential to deploy as much as 150
megawatts of community solar across the country-enough
to power nearly 30 thousand American
homes. Billions in private-sector financing commitments
are expected to be leveraged to support the
project developers.
Source: Department of Energy
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thermal-comfort-AJP
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ASHRAE Journal - June 2023

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