This section displays the last 50 news articles that were published.

The Watertown Urban Mission's food pantry already serves hundreds of families, but may soon be able to help out more. That's because major renovations will kick off at the non-profit's building next week. Our Elizabeth Jeneault caught up with the mission to discuss their excitement for the organization's future.

WATERTOWN, N.Y. -- Although the Urban Mission has served locals for decades, their ability to help out others greatly improved in 2004. That was when they moved into their first building. But even then, they knew everything wasn't perfect.

"It was apparent on day one that this building had several issues. We have safety concerns, we have inefficiencies, both weather wise and also with work flow," explained Urban Mission's Executive Director Erika Flint.

As those issues became more apparent over the years, and the community's needs grew, the mission decided to launch its first capital campaign.

That, was two years ago.

"We were at a place with a new strategic plan, some new leadership and the timing was not only necessary, but it was the right time," said Flint.

And now, with the project's $2 million worth of funding in place, the non-profit is making preparations to break ground.

Those preparations include moving part of the thrift shop. It'll be relocated to the food pantry's current waiting area.

Both the food pantry and thrift shop will remain open in the building during construction, while some other services will move.

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Watertown Urban Mission gearing up for groundbreaking

WATERFORD The Waterford Home and Commerce Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Waterford High School, 100 Field Drive.

Several businesses will give spotlight presentations where attendees can enter to win prizes. The schedule:

* 10 a.m. Enter to win in-home design and window coverings for an entire home from Budget Blinds (up to $2,000).

* 11 a.m. Enter to win design and installation of a raised fire pit and landscaping from Skyline Landscape Design and Henning Landscape ($3,000 value).

* 1 p.m. Enter to win a bathroom facelift from Southport Heating and Cooling ($1,000 value). Learn to install a kitchen faucet, garbage disposal and drain.

Admission is $3. There is no charge for youth ages 15 and younger. Those who bring a nonperishable food donation for Love, Inc. will receive $1 off admission.

For more information, contact the Waterford Chamber of Commerce office at 262-534-5911 or via email at chamber@waterford-wi.org, or go to http://www.waterford-wi.org/home_commerce.html.

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Home & Commerce Show is Saturday

VRV heating and cooling systems are used throughout the world in commercial, industrial and residential applications. Daikin was the first company to design and install a VRV system in Japan in1982. From that date it has continued to set some of the highest performance standards in the HVAC industry. Until now, North American installations of VRV systems relied on imported systems.

Daikin, one of the world's largest manufacturers of indoor heating, cooling and refrigerant products made the announcement at the company's newly expanded residential cooling products and commercial VRV manufacturing facility. The announcement has a positive economic impact in the Houston community with the addition of over 250 jobs.

VRV products are modular, commercially applied heating and cooling systems that provide energy efficiency, individual user control and reliability in one integrated system.

Daikin's VRV IV heat pumps have set the standard again by offering up three main attributes to further optimize the total LCC of the system: variable refrigerant temperature control, larger capacity single modules and systems and a configurator designed for simplified commissioning and servicing of the unit.

The variable refrigerant temperature auto climate adjustment technology allows the VRV IV to deliver up to a 28% increase in seasonal energy efficiency operation compared to traditional VRV heat pump systems. This feature allows continuous adjustment of the VRV IV refrigerant temperature as determined by the total required heating or cooling capacity of the unit coupled with outdoor weather conditions.

The larger capacity single modules and systems allow for a more flexible design and provide the opportunity to reduce electrical requirements, piping connections and outdoor unit mounting fixtures, all of which positively impact the overall installed cost of a VRV system.

The VRV IV configurator is a software package that allows for the remote configuration of operational settings that can then be used at several installation sites. The result is less time and labor spent preparing and programing the unit settings to achieve optimal performance. Further, this software helps to reduce the time required for ongoing maintenance of the system. The configurator allows access to operational data and error codes, if any, using a graphical interface during routine servicing of the VRV IV units.

Daikin's VRV IV heat pump systems, assembled in Houston, will be sold through a growing network of sales associates across North America.

With the addition of VRV IV heat pump systems, the Daikin brand will be one of the most extensive lines of heating and cooling systems in North America. The product line will extend from ductless systems for residential use, ducted systems for residential and commercial use, packaged products for residential and commercial installations, and VRV systems for commercial, industrial and residential installations.

About Daikin North America, LLC Daikin North America LLC (DNA) is a subsidiary of Daikin Industries, Ltd. (DIL). DNA and its affiliates manufacture heating and cooling systems for residential, commercial and industrial use and are sold via a select group of independent HVAC contractors. DIL manufacturing operations include facilities at Houston, TX, Fayetteville, TN, and Dayton, TN. For additional information, visit http://www.daikincomfort.com.

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Heat Pump System is optimized for total life cycle expense.

Murfey Home Construction built this La Jolla Shores custom home using extensive green products and technology. Courtesy Photo

By Marti Gacioch

Building green is thinking green, said Russell Murfey, who co-owns and operates Murfey Construction with his brother Scott. Murfey Home Construction, known for its high-end custom homes, remodels and commercial projects throughout San Diego, is building with green products and technology to provide big savings for both homeowners and the environment.

The company recently completed a custom-built, energy-efficient beach home facing La Jolla Shores Beach. The state-of-the-art home typifies the high-level quality and long-term savings that Murfeys design and construction team provide by using green elements.

The 4,200-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-bath solar-powered home with elevator features well-insulated windows and doors and a high-efficiency heating and cooling system.

It exceeds Californias Title 24 energy requirements with its installed water-efficient plumbing fixtures, including tankless water heaters, Energy Star appliances and LED lighting. Recycled and sustainable materials (such as insulation made from denim blue jeans, engineered wood flooring, sustainable tile and countertop materials, recycled wood and concrete products) were beautifully blended into the building process.

For the Murfey team, building efficiently is a hallmark of the design process. Russell said any well-planned project will provide good exposure to natural lighting and good ventilation.

As with all Murfey-built projects, the team is also using state-of-the-art building products that emphasize green technology to construct Famosa, a mixed-use residential-commercial project on the corner of Voltaire Street and Catalina Boulevard in Point Loma.

The property will include nine contemporary-styled three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath townhomes with two-car garages. A few of the 1400-1500 square foot townhomes will include a rooftop deck. The project will also feature 2,128 square feet of retail space for a business suitable to the pedestrian neighborhood, such as a coffeehouse, cafe and shops. Famosa is scheduled for completion this spring.

With our projects, we install highly efficient, cost-effective products whenever possible, including gas appliances, which are less expensive to operate than electric appliances, Murfey said. We build with Quartz countertops and recycled wood flooring, including bamboo and try to keep products out of the landfill by recycling more than 50 percent of the materials we use.

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Murfey Construction builds green for homeowner savings in La Jolla and San Diego County

WATERFORD The Waterford Home and Commerce Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 8, at Waterford High School, 100 Field Drive.

Several businesses will give spotlight presentations where attendees can enter to win prizes. The schedule:

* 10 a.m. Enter to win in-home design and window coverings for an entire home from Budget Blinds (up to $2,000).

* 11 a.m. Enter to win design and installation of a raised fire pit and landscaping from Skyline Landscape Design and Henning Landscape ($3,000 value).

* 1 p.m. Enter to win a bathroom facelift from Southport Heating and Cooling ($1,000 value). Learn to install a kitchen faucet, garbage disposal and drain.

Admission is $3. There is no charge for youth ages 15 and younger. Those who bring a nonperishable food donation for Love Inc. will receive $1 off admission.

For more information, contact the Waterford Chamber of Commerce office at 262-534-5911 or via email at chamber@waterford-wi.org, or go to http://www.waterford-wi.org/home_commerce.html.

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Waterford Home and Commerce Show set March 8

New York, NY (PRWEB) March 04, 2014

Tom Lozano, executive director of Air Scrubber Plus, spends most of his time each week bringing home the message of indoor air quality to heating/cooling contractors and air supply executives across the country. But it's his behind-the-scenes business actions and marketing savvy are what propelled Lozano to the top of his field.

Without passion for your business, success can be hard to come by. Lozano found his passion for Air Scrubber Plus after installing it in his own home. The results were amazing; his allergy symptoms practically disappeared, which made him a firm believer in the power of the product and the importance of indoor air quality.

"I'm not just selling a product. The technology found in Air Scrubber Plus is incredibly important to me because it positively impacts the health of those who install it in their home," Lozano said. "I am passionate about indoor air quality and the importance of this technology, and I want to convey the importance of it to homeowners and HVAC businesses everywhere. Air Scrubber Plus isn't just another product, it's revolutionizing the HVAC business."

Having fun is one of the most integral pieces to being a great leader, according to Lozano. "When others see me having fun in my work, they are more likely to respond positively," he said. "Also, once a certain path in business stops being fun for me, I know I need to take a hard look at that and figure out a way to reignite the spark."

Lozano believes that creating a proper plan is the most important step to marketing a product. His goal of making his vision a reality began by following these eight steps:

1. Reverse Engineering: Start at the end and work backwards. "Whether my goal is to be completed in a year, a quarter or in the next five years, I get it down on paper and break it into pieces so I have a plan to get there," Lozano said.

2. Goal, Strategy, Action: Write down each and determine what needs to be accomplished to achieve each step.

3. Determine the project's track: What track do I need to be on each day and each week? "I determine what I need to accomplish to stay on track, and make a game plan of how to get there," Lozano said.

4. Q&A: Start by writing your question down. "My goal is to sit at my computer until I come up with 20 answers to that question," Lozano said. "Sometimes it's really slow, but once the ideas start flowing, the results are amazing. I usually find that around answer 13 or 14, I come up with a million dollar idea."

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How to Build a Successful Brand - A Conversation with Tom Lozano, Executive Director of Air Scrubber Plus

ADVANCED DOOR SYSTEMS

Advanced Door Systems specializes in the installation and service of residential, commercial and industrial overhead doors. The company is an authorized distributor for Raynor, C.H.I. Linear and Liftmaster.

To better serve North West Iowa, Advances Door Systems has offices in Forest City, Fort Dodge and Spencer. Whether you need a new door or service for your current door, the company has a professional staff eager to assist you. It also carries Val6 Heater and Dakota Grills.

Advanced Door Systems offers The right door the right way.

Visit the Forest City location at 605 East J Street, Suite 100, call 641-585-1900 or toll-free 866-590-1592. For more information visit http://www.ads-doors.com.

BERGLAND & CRAM

Bergland & Crams commitment to custom home design stems from the companys long-standing dedication to generate creative yet practical solutions that best suit the needs of you and your family. The team is made up of devoted professionals including licensed architects, interior designers and LEED APs.

B&C has built its practice on the importance of client relationships and takes pride in the way in which it celebrates every step of the design process.

Working both locally and regionally, B&C has custom homes under construction across Iowa and in several surrounding states.

Stop by and visit the company at the Home Show to see the most recent projects. Craftsman, contemporary, Cape Cod and Prairie Style homes are currently underway or recently completed.

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North Iowa Home and Landscaping Show featured exhibitors

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Geothermal Heat Pumps (GHP) are a niche market. They shouldnt be.

A Better Mousetrap?

Ralph Waldo Emerson never said Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door. The mousetrap that likely inspired themisquotewas invented seven years after his death. Unfortunately, many people take it literally. GHPs have all the hallmarks of a better mousetrap: They do the job of heating and cooling a building more efficiently than any other option. Despite the larger up-front cost, they are a mature technology and usually the most economic option in for buildings that can accommodate them.

Not only can GHPs cut energy costs for heating and cooling by up to 80%, they can also provide other benefits such as essentially free hot water in cooling mode, lower reliance on fossil fuels, and the elimination of above ground outdoor equipment. These advantages have earned GHPs a small but dedicated cult of true believers, but not broad market acceptance.

The world has not yet beaten a path to the GHP door. Instead, GHPs have a slim and only modestly growing market share. The North American geothermal market was only $102 million in 2012. Frost and Sullivanprojectsitto reach $148 million by 2017. The entire market for climate control products was $13 billion in 2012, and they projectit to reach $15 billion in 2017. That gives GHPs a 0.8% market share in 2012, growing to a 1% market share in 2017. While the GHP market is projected to grow at a 7.8% annualized rate, much of that is due to overall market growth. GHPs market share is only expected to grow at a 4.7% annual rate.

Although that estimate of market share is biased downward because not all buildings can accommodate GHPs, this does not bias the calculations of annual growth rate in market share. Less than 5% annual market share growth is clearly not the type of markettransformationmany would expect from a better mousetrap.

Siege Mentality

I struck a few raw nerves when I asked if air source heat pumps are a threat to geothermal heat pump supplierslast month, despite the fact that I answered my own question with a No.

Except in moderate climates, super-insulated homes, or situations where the installation of a geothermal heat pump (GHP) would be particularly difficult, GHPs have the better economics. This is despite recent advances in air source heat pump (ASHP) technology, which led me to ask the question in the first place. ASHPs dont provide hot water, while man GHP systems can. Also, as the recent heavy snows in the Northeast demonstrated, there are some advantages to having a heat exchanger which is not exposed to the elements (see pic).

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How Geothermal Heat Pumps Can Soar Like Solar

Getting a handle on your household energy consumption can save money and the environment. Your heating and cooling usage is an obvious target, but did you know it's also important to monitor your gadgets and electronics gear?

Getting a handle on your household energy consumption cansave moneyand theenvironment. Your heating and cooling usage is an obvious target, but did you know its also important to monitor your gadgets and electronics gear?

The average US household spends $100 per year powering products that are turned off or in standby mode, according the theEPA. And, nationwide we spend $10 billion a year in energy costs.

Below youll find devices that help determine where youre losing your money and ensure you keep spending under control.

Black & Decker

Youll see big savings on your monthly energy bill when you stop heat and air conditioning from leaking out of your house. A thermal leak detector, like the Black& Decker TLD100 can show you where your homes leaks are. Once the device has readthe ambient temperature, youcan start checking around windows, door frames and other places air could be escaping. The light will change to red for warmer spots and blue for cooler spots. You can set the temperature tolerances to one, five or 10 degrees.

Price:$35.10 onAmazon.com

Nest

The Nest Thermostat (2nd Generation) is smart enough to know when youre away. So if you forget, it can lower the temperature about two hours after youve left. Its continually monitoring your habits, so it can automatically adjust the temperature based on your needs. And, Nest lets you know when youre saving energy, rewarding you with a green leaf icon. Even small changes to your thermostat settings can impact your monthly energy bill. For instance, each degree above 68 Fcan addthree percentto the amount of energy needed for heating, according to the Edison Electric Institute.

Price:$249 onAmazon.com

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6 Gadgets That Help You Save Energy (and Money)

PARMA, OH (WOIO) -

On a night when the temperature in Parma is dipping into the teens, Gary Pouszakowski came home to a dead furnace.

"When I got here it was cold and I was surprised," Pouszakowski said. "So I checked the furnace and it just wasn't running."

So he called Hogg Heating and Cooling and Jack Dinnin arrived quickly and got to work. Fortunately, it was a pretty fast fix.

"The igniter went out on the smart valve. Replaced the three wire ignitor and she's up and running," Dinnin said.

It was up and running about 30 minutes later, good news, because this is a night you're going to need your furnace.

"I didn't need a new furnace so I was happy," said Pouszakowski.

The guys at Hogg's have all been working eight to 12 hour days.

"We've been very busy. Daily. 20 calls a day and an install a day. A new furnace in a home," said Dinnin.

But winter's not over yet and Dinnin has a little advice.

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Heating businesses are working overtime