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Shaping Tomorrow's Global Built Environment Today
August 20, 2026
A long-running exception to the National Electrical Code that exempts outdoor HVAC equipment from GFCI protection is set to expire on Sept. 1. But AHRI has pushed to extend that deadline, and the National Fire Protection Association, which publishes the code, this week advanced AHRI’s request—a step toward a possible extension. Read more
Photovoltaic panels generate electricity, solar thermal collectors provide heat, while cooling is usually supplied by air conditioning systems that themselves consume electricity. As a result, buildings require different technologies competing for the limited space available on roofs and facades. A solution developed by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), by contrast, provides cooling, electricity and heating by combining photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies with passive daytime radiative cooling. Read more
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Amazon has acquired a massive off-grid power plant being built in Texas for one of its data centers that could be one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the US. But size isn’t the only reason its climate toll will be so high. The plant will rely on a much less efficient set of gas turbines than regular power plants use; these kinds of turbines are also being put to use at other data center projects around the US. That could have big implications for the environmental impact of artificial intelligence—and the future of the US grid. Read more
The Department of Energy has canceled three major transmission line projects initiated during the Biden administration, siding with critics who argued the proposed routes threatened private property rights and local control. The move marks another setback for long-distance power lines that could help carry more renewable electricity across the country. Read more
Join Rebecca Norris and Raven Jones as they discuss water use in data centers, accountability and why a framework for data center water stewardship is essential.
 
Hot Air Podcast
ASHRAE Journal
By Dennis Wessel, P.E., Fellow/Life Member ASHRAE
Wessel continues his series on the evolution of HVAC systems with three types that are used today to reduce energy consumption and/or carbon emissions: radiant heating and cooling, chilled beams, and geothermal systems. Download here
 
ASHRAE News
ASHRAE is highlighting its technical resources to support building professionals in addressing global environmental and public health challenges, including wildfire smoke, extreme heat and Legionella risk. As communities across North America, Europe and other regions face these evolving conditions, the Society continues to provide science-based guidance that supports healthier, more resilient buildings. Read more
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In Case You Missed It
Across the country, hundreds of projects to improve grid reliability and make electricity more affordable face an uncertain future—the result of the Trump administration's actions that have slowed the outflow of billions of dollars of DOE funds to a trickle. According to an April report from the DOE Alumni Network, a group of former agency employees, the DOE has announced the termination of 356 awards totaling $12.5 billion since January 2025, and has threatened to terminate 303 additional awards worth $12.2 billion. Read more
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Ideas for future ASHRAE HVAC&R Industry News content are welcome. Email us.





 

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