Construction Resources: Air Conditioning

In this groundbreaking study, Gail Cooper shows that, from the outset, air conditioning has been the focus of conflict and controversy--well predating today's concerns about fluorocarbons and global warming. While a technical elite of designers, inventors, and corporate pioneers made a comprehensive plans for the new technology, their ideas were challenged by workers, consumers, government regulators, business competitors, and rival professionals.

The year 2002 marked the 100th anniversary of the first installation of air-conditioning. During the past century, it has become a staple of American life; 83% of US homes are now air-conditioned. In this engaging social history, Marsha Ackermann explores how the idea of “cooling” became firmly embedded in the social perceptions and expectations of Americans, transforming our definition of comfort and the way we live, work, and play. From the Trade Paperback edition.

"Under the right conditions and applications, evaporative air-conditioning (EAC) technologies can provide excellent cooling and ventilation with minimal energy consumption."Evaporative air-conditioning technologies are being used increasingly in residential and commercial applications worldwide. EAC technologies, which rely on water as a coolant rather than on chemical refrigerants, are economical to produce and use and have important environmental benefits. This paper introduces the technical aspects of EAC, reviews EAC's scope of application, and surveys the specific climatic conditions under which EAC can be used most effectively in industrialized and developing countries.

The book provides strategies for an energetically sensible and suitable approach to building conditioning as well as its design and constructional integration. How much the building itself can achieve in the context of the given climatic, topographical, and town-planning framework conditions and to what extent additional installations are required for conditioning all of these topics are discussed on the basis of case studies.

The "best" in heating, cooling, and refrigeration just got better! This time-honored best seller has been updated and revised to provide superior hands-on information needed to successfully maintain and troubleshoot today's complex heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems. It fosters a solid foundation and understanding of environmental problems and their solutions, and displays a depth and detail of theory, diagnostics, and repair procedures that make this a fitting book for basic HVAC-R educ