HVAC Collective Ambient Releases 2024 Sustainability Report

By: Ambient Enterprises

Ambient Enterprises, the parent of HVAC sales representatives such as Gil-Bar, APA HVAC Technologies, Mechanical Technologies, H.C. Nye, DMG HVAC , and Johnson Barrow shared it’s 2024 sustainability report Thursday through its site.

The report focuses on the company’s environmental responsibility initiatives and highlights its efforts to incorporate sustainable practices nation-wide, while providing comfort and safety to clients. Overall, the HVAC collective aims to create a greener future by advancing sustainability within the wider HVAC industry.

The report also highlights the company’s peer education initiatives on both the East and West Coasts, offering comprehensive learning opportunities for industry professionals.

With the release of the 2024 report, Jenna Prasad, Sustainability Engineer at Ambient, answered a few questions regarding the HVAC group’s sustainability program.

Q&A With Jenna Prasad, Head of Sustainability at Ambient

What is Ambient’s position on sustainability?

Spanning 15 states and two coasts, Ambient and our brand partners are united by the same core value: our people. Our mission is to create a better world for our employees, manufacturers, customers, and communities. In the face of issues like climate change, pollution, and public health challenges, sustainability can’t just be a consideration or an afterthought. Instead, we integrate our commitment to environmental and social responsibility into our operations, business model, and decision-making processes.

How has Ambient’s sustainability program grown over the last year?

The development of our sustainability initiative mirrors the expansion of Ambient itself. Since 2021, our presence, market, and reach have more than doubled, and we’ve transitioned from tracking the carbon footprint of 11 offices and one fleet to that of over 40 offices and seven fleets nationwide. This growth brings challenges, but it also introduces fresh perspectives and new opportunities; our brand partners are equally invested in sustainable design and operations, and they continue to foster the initiative’s growth across all locations.

How does Ambient support customers through sustainable HVAC solutions?

HVAC systems play a significant role in building energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions– and they’re also vital to health, safety, and comfortability in our homes, schools, hospitals, and workplaces. It’s our job, and that of the entire construction industry, to protect our natural environment while prioritizing the wellbeing of our clients and communities within these spaces. Our customers know this, too, which is why so many of them have committed to the incorporation of emissions reduction and energy management strategies in their projects. We help our clients achieve their sustainability commitments by actively promoting the most cutting-edge, energy-efficient technologies available to the market. But innovative tech isn’t enough. Our true strength lies in our ability to provide expertise through all stages of a project; from initial design to installation, operations, and service, we’re able to support the integration of sustainable principles from start to finish.

How does Ambient support sustainability through peer education?

Part of developing a better future for our communities lies in support and active engagement. One way we do so is by offering comprehensive educational resources to our community members. Through our peer education programs, which operate on both the East and West Coasts, we provide in-person and online learning opportunities for industry professionals across all backgrounds and regions. These programs cover a wide range of industry-relevant topics and are often hosted in partnership with top manufacturers.

Stay Cool, Go Green

By Jenna Prasad, Head of Sustainability, Ambient

Refrigerant Transition

By Jenna Prasad, Head of Sustainability, Ambient

Revolutionizing Real Estate: The Compelling Case for Investing in EV Charging Infrastructure

By: Jenna Prasad, Sustainability Engineer, Ambient

 

The shift towards electric vehicles (EVs) is rapidly transforming the transportation landscape, and as a key stakeholder in the build environment, it’s crucial for property owners, consulting engineers, and contractors to recognize and capitalize on the benefits of investing in EV charging infrastructure. Here, we’ll delve into the urgency behind this transition and outline some reasons for property owners and developers to embrace the EV revolution.

 

Transportation Emissions and the Need for Change

 

Transportation, notably cars and trucks, has long been a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions, transportation accounted for 29% of total GHG emissions in the U.S. in 2021. Notably, light-duty vehicles were responsible for 58% of this, with medium- and heavy-duty trucks contributing 23% to total transportation emissions. To combat climate change effectively, there’s a critical need for widespread vehicle electrification.

 

 

Why Invest in EV Charging For Your Building?

 

 

Environmental and Health Benefits

• Contributing to community CO2 reduction efforts.
• EVs decrease air pollution, fostering cleaner air quality
• Enhancing overall energy efficiency.

 

Public Commitment to Sustainability

• Attracting environmentally conscious employees, clients, and tenants.

 

Property Value Enhancement

• The addition of EV chargers can increase property value.

 

Potential Additional Revenue Stream

• Charging fees can offset the initial investment in charger technology.

 

Encouraging EV Adoption

• Employees/tenants are more likely to switch to electric vehicles.
• Reducing Scope 3 CO2 emissions related to employee commuting.

 

Investment in Sustainable Development

• Seizing opportunities in the exponentially growing EV market.

 

Leveraging Incentives

• Utilizing utility rebates, tax credits, and additional funding programs.

 

How Companies are Supporting the Transition

 

Ambient, a national HVAC solutions provider with companies such as Gil-Bar and Mechanical Technologies, recognizes the pivotal role that EV charging plays in nationwide efforts to embrace sustainability. In partnership with ABB E-mobility, Ambient and its companies offer comprehensive EV charging solutions for multifamily residential and commercial projects.

 

So Where Does This Leave Us?

 

Investing in EV charging infrastructure is not just a responsible environmental choice but a strategic business decision for building owners, consulting engineers, and contractors. Beyond aligning with sustainability goals, it enhances property values, attracts eco-conscious stakeholders, and positions businesses at the forefront of a growing market. With the support of companies like Ambient and ABB, supporting EV charging for tenants, employees, and guests becomes a tangible reality for the build environment in New York and beyond.

 

Learn More About…
Ambient Enterprises

Construction and Climate Policy, Local to National

By: Jenna Prasad, Sustainability Engineer, Ambient Enterprises

 

As we enter 2024, all eyes turn to policymakers as they intensify commitments to climate action. Municipal, state, and national governments across the U.S. continue to push for decarbonization and energy efficiency in the built industry through increasingly strict regulations. Building owners, contractors, and engineers face a profoundly shifting landscape dictated by the implementation and enforcement of these rulings and therefore must remain proactive as compliance deadlines approach. As businesses prepare to meet these policies head-on, an understanding of current and upcoming climate regulations is crucial to navigating this new era.

In New York City, Local Law 97 stands out as one of the most prominent—and stringent—emissions reduction laws in the country. A subset of the 2019 Climate Mobilization Act, Local Law 97 requires buildings larger than 25,000 square feet to meet new greenhouse gas emissions, aiming to reduce NYC building emissions 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. These emissions limits and energy efficiency standards begin in 2024, with even stricter carbon caps slated for implementation starting in 2030. Building owners are responding by implementing energy conservation measures, transitioning to lower-carbon fuels, and undergoing HVAC systems electrification and retrofits.

Alongside NYC’s efforts to reduce building emissions is a push to phase out fossil fuels. Local Law 154, passed in late 2021, sets carbon limits for new constructions and gut renovations, essentially prohibiting the use of fossil fuels. These requirements are enforced starting in 2024 with low-rise buildings and in 2027 for buildings with seven stories or more.

NYC is not the only city making significant strides toward greener buildings. Boston’s Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) 2.0, adopted in 2021, established comparable emissions limits, which are enforced beginning in 2025 for buildings larger than 35,000 square feet and in 2030 for buildings exceeding 20,000 square feet. Similarly, Washington D.C. also established a climate goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% in 2032, which is upheld by the Building Energy Performance Standard (BEPS) Program introduced in the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act.

In addition to state laws, environmental efforts are underway on a national scale. One target of national policy is refrigerant, which can contribute heavily to a building’s greenhouse gas emissions through leakages. Introduced in 2020, the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act intends to address the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are greenhouse gases with high global warming potentials (GWPs; used to measure the environmental impact of a greenhouse gas in comparison to carbon dioxide) that are commonly used as refrigerants. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), authorized by the AIM Act, issued a final rule on the phasedown of these gases, restricting the sale, distribution, import, and export of high-GWP HFCs, including R-410A, one of the most popular refrigerants internationally. Starting in 2025, refrigerant GWP for residential and commercial air conditioners, heat pumps, and chillers must be less than 700. Similar restrictions are in place for variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems and data centers, with enforcement beginning in 2026 and 2027 respectively. Many manufacturers are already transitioning to more eco-friendly refrigerants, such as R-744 and R-454B, for use in their products.

The most anticipated upcoming regulation facing corporate America is from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Initially proposed in March 2022, the SEC is in the process of developing a national climate disclosure rule, which will require publicly traded companies to report on annual greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related financial risks. Such a rule is intended both to encourage companies to take emissions-reduction action and to prevent “greenwashing,” or making false claims about sustainability and positive environmental impact. Although it was initially anticipated for October 2023, the final ruling has been delayed; a release in early 2024 is now projected, in which case the requirements will likely go into effect in 2026.

One state, however, is not waiting around for an impending SEC ruling; in September 2023, California legislation passed two climate disclosure bills enforcing emissions and risk reporting for both public and private companies. The first is the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, which requires companies doing business in California with revenues of one billion dollars or more to disclose their annual greenhouse gas emissions beginning in 2026. The second law is the Climate-Related Risk Disclosure Act, which requires companies doing business in California with revenues exceeding $500 million dollars to report biennially on climate-related financial risks starting in 2026. Both bills were signed into law in October 2023 by California Governor Gavin Newsom, and although they are still subject to legal challenges, these disclosure regulations indicate a nationwide shift toward actionable climate change mitigation.

Innovation and modernization in the built environment are actively being propelled by legislative developments at all levels of government. These regulations, both current and future, emphasize a shared responsibility to integrate environmental stewardship into the engineering and construction landscapes. If climate action is taken through solutions like electrification, refrigerant management, and carbon footprint reduction, the industry will align itself with a path of resiliency and sustainability in pursuit of a greener future.

 

 

Learn More About…

Ambient Enterprises

Harnessing Earth’s Power: The Rise of Geothermal in Commerical Buildings

By Joe Kalina, Sales Engineer, Gil-Bar Industries

As the world grapples with the consequences of climate change, innovative solutions are emerging to mitigate the environmental impact of traditional HVAC systems. One solution gaining momentum is geothermal heating and cooling. This revolutionary approach taps into the Earth’s natural heat reservoirs, offering a sustainable and efficient alternative to conventional HVAC.

A recent CNN article highlights the increasing adoption of geothermal systems in the heart of New York City, where extreme heat events are becoming more frequent. The city, known for its towering skyscrapers and bustling commercial spaces, is turning to geothermal technology to tackle rising temperatures, reduce its carbon footprint, ease strain on the electrical grid, and meet carbon reduction goals set forth by the Climate Act.

Geothermal systems operate by harnessing the Earth’s internal temperature. Unlike traditional HVAC systems that mainly rely on fossil fuels for heating, geothermal designs have a greener, lower-carbon-emitting approach. Geothermal systems operate by utilizing the Earth’s consistent internal temperature to transfer or extract heat from the ground. This translates to a substantial reduction in energy needed to move heat from one source to another, ultimately leading to more a sustainable infrastructure. By stabilizing the source where the heat is pulled from, we can optimize the mechanical systems doing the work. Although the initial installation may seem like a more involved process compared to traditional HVAC, the long-term savings are substantial. These systems also boast lower operational and maintenance costs, making them a wise investment for organizations looking to cut utility expenses over the life span of the building. With geothermal systems providing lower environmental strain and lower costs for building owners, it’s really no surprise that we’ve seen the increase in adoption that we have over recent years.

The cost savings and sustainability aspects of geothermal have also led to advancements in the technology itself and are contributing to its widespread adoption. Enhanced drilling techniques, improved heat exchangers, and smarter control systems are making these systems more accessible and efficient. In turn, commercial buildings are increasingly turning to this solution to meet their needs.

While geothermal may present a promising future, there are challenges that still exist. The availability of suitable underground conditions and upfront installation costs can be barriers for some businesses. That won’t be for long though. Government incentives and a growing awareness of the long-term benefits are creating opportunities for expansion of these types of systems in the commercial setting.

Geothermal represents a beacon of hope in the quest for sustainable, environmentally friendly, and profitable solutions in a world of growing regulation. New York City’s adoption of geothermal technology at 1 Java Street only underscores its potential to address the dual challenges of extreme weather and carbon emissions. As technology continues to advance and awareness grows, we’re likely to see it become a cornerstone of the green building revolution, ushering in a new era of energy-efficient and eco-friendly commercial spaces.