by Jeff Ihnen | Mar 3, 2026 | Energy Rant
I spent last week in HOT San Diego at the AESP Annual Conference. It was 20 degrees above average, hanging out in the 85-90°F range of blazing afternoon temperatures. It felt like late June in the upper Midwest. Multiple locals noted that “this is not normal.” For...
by Jeff Ihnen | Feb 8, 2022 | Energy Rant
In case you missed last week’s post, you’ll need to go back and review the setup for this week’s demonstration of code challenges and mistakes. To summarize, I have an installed ENERGY STAR-qualifying 95% AFUE[1] (efficient) boiler with a brazed plate heat exchanger,...
by Jeff Ihnen | Apr 13, 2015 | Energy Rant
Last week I discussed the need to simplify energy codes to disallow the variable air volume systems that (1) 95% of design and construction professionals don’t understand from an energy perspective, or (2) require constant babysitting by the other 5%. This week the...
by Jeff Ihnen | Nov 17, 2014 | Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant
Last week, I was reviewing a scope of work for retro-commissioning, also cleverly known as RCx – and it moved me to pulling hair out by the fistful. “That’s it”, I thought. “I’m going to relieve my rage on next week’s Energy Rant.” First, there is the infamous...
by Jeff Ihnen | Feb 13, 2012 | Energy Efficiency, Energy Rant
True or false: It’s easier to teach Pablo Picasso how to paint a house than it is to make a house painter into a Picasso-grade painter/artist. For the answer, keep reading. I was sitting in a session at last week’s AESP conference sipping my weak overpriced Starbucks...
