Monday, June 30, 2008

HVAC Training and the Environment

Career Center - by Carie Bishop

Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) technicians are employed throughout the country to install, maintain, and repair climate control systems at commercial, industrial, and residential buildings.

Online HVAC technician schools introduce students to the principles of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics that govern heating and cooling systems. You’ll learn about boilers, heat pumps, furnaces, controls, refrigeration units, humidity-control systems, ventilation (mechanical and forced systems), and refrigerants.

Today, HVAC technicians face ever-increasing responsibilities to meet environmental regulations that affect their work. Your online HVAC training courses cover topics including critical components, installation and maintenance proceedures, and tools of the trade. And they will prepare you for the gamut of federal and state regulations for recycling or disposing of hazardous materials. Ongoing standards are prepared by The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

Here are some major issues affecting the HVAC industry that bear on your training:

Ozone Depletion
Man-made chemicals categorized as ozone depleting substances (ODS) that are released into the environment contribute to ozone depletion and global warming. These include chlorofluorcarbons, hydrochlorofluorcarbons, halons, and carbon tetrachlorides. HVAC designers and technicians may be required to use alternative substances including non-ODS refrigerants.

Global Warming
Refrigerants can impact global warming when they’re released into the environment. Your training should cover proper handling techniques.  If the HVAC system is energy efficient, it will also cut down on the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere by fossil fuel-burning systems.

Toxic Refrigerants
Most commercial refrigerants are covered by environmental guidelines. Some are more toxic than others. Selecting the right chemical can make the difference. Some refrigerants are considered ODS substances, while others, particularly hydrochlorofluorocarbons, are considered more cost effective and less harmful to the environment.

If you’re enrolling in a comprehensive HVAC training program, be sure to ask your instructors if the course materials cover sensitive environmental issues and how you can contribute to the solution.

Sources
ASHRAE