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Email Newsletter Archive  
Title Applicable Program(s) Date Keywords
Importing AHRI Equipment Data Rhvac March 11, 2024 HVAC Equipment Databases, AHRI Data Conversion
U-Factor Calculator Video Chvac, Rhvac, HVAC Tools November 28, 2023 Load Calculations
Refrigerant Line Sizing Video HVAC Tools October 3, 2023 Refrigerants
Ductsize Basics Video Ductsize August 29, 2023 Basics
HVAC Tools Basics HVAC Tools July 10, 2023 Basics
Manual S in Rhvac Rhvac June 5, 2023 Manual S, HVAC equipment
Editing Equipment Databases Rhvac May 5, 2023 HVAC equipment
Rhvac 10 Released Rhvac March 14, 2023 Major update
Manual D Videos Rhvac January 26, 2023 Manual D
Electrical Tools Videos E-Tools November 22, 2022 Electrical
Heating and Humidifying with PsyChart Video PsyChart October 27, 2022 Psychrometrics
PsyChart Basics Video PsyChart September 29, 2022 Psychrometrics
Using Multiple Default Materials Rhvac August 29, 2022 Materials
Using Multiple Duct Schedules Rhvac July 28, 2022 Duct sizing
Manual D Videos Rhvac June 10, 2022 Manual D
Download the New Update Manager for Elite Programs all April 11, 2022 General
Create Custom Materials in Rhvac Videos Rhvac March 31, 2022 Materials
Bill of Materials Videos Bill of Materials January 12, 2022  
Graphic and Tabular Manual D Videos Rhvac October 29, 2021 Manual D
Importing PDF Drawings and Converting Manual Entry Projects Rhvac September 29, 2021 CAD
Rhvac Online Upload and Download Rhvac August 31, 2021 Cloud-based
Fire Pump Video Fire July 21, 2021 Fire Sprinkler, Plumbing
Fire Standpipe Video Fire June 4, 2021 Fire Sprinkler, Plumbing
New Fire Basics Video Fire February 12, 2021 Fire Sprinkler, Plumbing
Enhancements to Chvac's gbXML Import and Export Feature Chvac December 17, 2020 gbXML
New Manual S Video for Use with Rhvac Online - More Expanded Ratings Data Sources Rhvac October 22, 2020 Manual S
New Rhvac Online Videos Rhvac August 20, 2020 Cloud-based
New Rhvac for Windows Videos Rhvac July 14, 2020  
New YouTube Channel - Chvac Videos and HVAC Load Calc Methods Comparison Chvac May 27, 2020  
More on Converting Manual Entry Rhvac Projects to Drawing Projects Rhvac, Drawing Board January 14, 2020 CAD
Drawing Board Update with Curved Fittings,Triangle Boxes, Quad Boxes and more Drawing Board, Rhvac October 14, 2019 CAD
Converting Manual Entry Rhvac Projects to Drawing Projects Drawing Board, Rhvac July 9, 2019 CAD
Discount on Rhvac Windows for Rhvac Online Users Rhvac April 25, 2019 Cloud-based
Discount on Rhvac Online  for Rhvac Windows Users Rhvac February 12, 2019 Cloud-based
Best Selling Programs from Elite Software all December 19, 2018 General
More about Rhvac Online Rhvac December 11, 2018 Cloud-based
HVAC Tools Software for Refrigerant Line Sizing and 12 other Common Tasks HVAC-Tools November 20, 2018 Refrigerant line sizing
GasVent Software for Sizing Vents and Connectors of Gas Fired Appliances GasVent October 30, 2018 Gas venting, chimneys
Rhvac Updated with New Energy Star Report Feature Rhvac September 14, 2018 Energy Star
Using Expanded Ratings Data for Manual S - Sources of Expanded Ratings Data Rhvac August 10, 2018 Manual S
Manual D Ductsize Calculator and Manual S Calculator, Both Web Based Rhvac December 12, 2017 Manual D, Manual S, Cloud-based
Rhvac Online - First Web Based ACCA Manual J, D, and S Software Rhvac November 20, 2017 Manual J, Manual D, Manual S, Cloud-based
EnergyPro for HVAC Operating Costs and Rhvac v9.0 Update with Manual D Calculations Rhvac June 14, 2011 Manual D, EnergyPro
HVAC Solution and H-Sym Chilled and Hot Water Analysis Updates HVAC Solutions, H-Sym Nov 3, 2009 Chillers, boilers
New HVACR Training Videos by Jim Johnson Training May 5, 2009 Training DVDs, education
Bill of Materials Software to Calculate Material and Labor Costs in Rhvac Bill of Materials, Rhvac December 12, 2008  
Proposal Maker Software for Creating Custom Graphic Sales Proposals Proposal Maker August 2, 2005 Estimating, custom reports
Rhvac Updated with Manual J 8th Addition Addenda Rhvac October 1, 2004 Manual J
Chvac Version 7.0 Release Adds the New ASHRAE RTS Calculation Procedure Chvac March 22, 2004 Radiant Time Series calculations
Rhvac Version 8.0 Release to Comply with the New 8th Edition of ACCA Manual J Rhvac January 7, 2003 Manual J
Energy Audit Version 7.0 for Calculating Monthly and Annual HVAC Operating Costs Energy Audit April 12, 2002 Energy analysis
S-Pipe Software for Hot/Cold Water Service Supply and Plumbing CAD Details S-Pipe, CAD Details February 11, 2002 Plumbing, CAD


 
What's New at Elite Software  
 
- Latest News-
- March 2024 -

New Video on Importing AHRI Equipment Data for Rhvac

We recently added the Elite CSV Converter feature to Rhvac, which lets you convert a data file that you download from AHRI into an Elite Software equipment database, which you can then use in Rhvac. And we created a new video that shows you how to use this powerful, new feature.

Watch Video

Rhvac Information

Newsletter About this Tutorial Video


- May 2023 -

Rhvac Video On Editing Equipment Databases

Elite Software has just released a tutorial video that serves as an easy-to-do guide on adding HVAC equipment for you to reference in Rhvac.  This comprehensive and narrated guide video is perfect for you to easily add the hvac equipment you carry to your own custom database.

Watch Video

Rhvac Information

Newsletter About this Tutorial Video


- March 2023 -

Rhvac Version 10 Released

Rhvac version 10 has been released. This version has several new features, including the ability to create a filled in ACCA Form 310 report, and support for SEER2, EER2, and HSPF2.

New Features in Version 10

Upgrade Pricing

Download Rhvac Version 10

Rhvac Information


- February 2023 -

2023 AHR Expo

February in Atlanta was the perfect weather for the ASHRAE show: no snow, rain or bad weather. After Chicago 2021 was canceled due to Chinese Covid, and Las Vegas 2022 was weak since many held back, Atlanta was a mild improvement. Not quite like previous Atlanta shows, but one can't forget massive inflation, airline chaos, and a weakening demand to travel and visit expos as contributing factors. For those who did attend, we enjoyed discussing current projects, and we let them peek behind the curtain on some new major revisions (soon to be announced!).

 

 

Elite Software President and Founder Bill Smith (right in both photos) at the 2023 AHR Expo in Atlanta

- January 2023 -

Fire Version 7 Released

Fire version 7 has been released. If you have Fire version 6, then you will need to upgrade to version 7 if you would like to be eligible for technical support.

Download Fire Version 7


- April 2022 -

Download New Update Manager

The Elite Software Update Manager program recently quit working, due to security settings being changed on our server. In order for your Elite Software program to keep being able to check for updates, download and install the following file.

Download Elite Software Update Manager


- March 2022 -

New Videos for How to Create Custom Materials in Rhvac and Rhvac Online

Many Rhvac and Rhvac Online customers are intimidated about using the feature that lets you create your own custom materials, but it is really quite easy. These new videos show you how easy it is to create your own custom floors, roofs, walls, windows, and doors that you can use in any project.

Creating Custom Materials in Rhvac (YouTube)

Creating Custom Materials in Rhvac Online (YouTube)


- February 2022 -

2022 AHR Expo

Having expected the Vegas show to be smaller in attendance and sales, and still very mask-restricted, we were pleasantly surprised by the volume of sales.  Not quite the Chicago show, Las Vegas was definitely worth our while.

Next year we look forward to visiting Atlanta, one of the nicest cities in the rotation.  Come on down and see us!


- September 2021 -

New Video for Converting an Rhvac Room Data Window Project to Drawing Board

Our latest new voice-over video shows how Drawing Board can convert an Rhvac project done in Room Data window mode into Drawing Board mode, and can actually draw your manually entered rooms for you on the drawing.

Rhvac Convert Manual Entry Project to Drawing Board (YouTube)

Elite Software YouTube Channel


- August 2021 -

Rhvac Online Uploading and Downloading Projects

If you have either Rhvac or Rhvac Online, you need to see our new video about how to upload and download Rhvac projects using Rhvac Online. This feature lets you open and edit your Rhvac projects using a phone, tablet, or any other device that has a web browser. You can also backup your Rhvac or Rhvac Online projects using these features.

Rhvac Online Uploading and Downloading Video

Elite Software YouTube Channel


- June 2021 -

Fire Pump Video

Check out our new video about how to add a fire pump in the Fire program. This video shows where the fire pump must be added to a system, how to define the pressure and flow of the pump, and how to understand the hydraulic graph in the reports.

Fire Pump Video

Elite Software YouTube Channel


John Walsh

It is with great sadness that Elite Software announces that John Walsh, longtime trainer and reseller of Elite Software, passed away on May 2, 2021 at the age of 79. John was a long time and loyal friend of Elite Software and all of its customers. John would gladly take calls from software users on an essentially 24/7 basis. Customers loved John's wit and humor along with his willingness to help at all hours. Elite Software will never have another partner willing to do what John did for over 15 years. To see more details about John's career, click here. RIP, John.


- May 2021 -

Fire Standpipe Video

Check out our new Fire video about how to create a standpipe system. People usually think of the Fire program as sprinkler system design software, but it can help you model a standpipe system as well.

Fire Standpipe Video

Elite Software YouTube Channel


- January 2021 -

Fire Basics Video

Check out our new Fire Basics video, which shows you how to create and finish a new project in the fire sprinkler program, Fire.

Fire Basics Video

Elite Software YouTube Channel


2021 AHR Expo Cancelled

We had invited you to come see us at the 2021 AHR Expo, originally scheduled for January 2021 in Chicago, but due to the Chinese Coronavirus/Covid situation, AHR Show Management has been forced to cancel this event. There was a possibility it would be postponed to March 2021, but due to safety precautions and large/mass event restrictions, it was not going to happen.

The next scheduled trade show will be AHR Expo 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada.  By then, we hope all will be normalized and we can safely and happily meet with you - nothing beats in-person discussions.  So give yourself a mini-vacation in 2022, see the sights of Las Vegas, and drop by our booth.  For more details, please visit:  AHR Expo 2022 (https://www.ahrexpo.com/updates).

 


- May 2020 -

Chvac Basics Video Series

We now have a new series of videos called, "Chvac Basics." These videos show how to enter things on the main windows in the program, and go into depth about several of the inputs. Customers who use Rhvac and are considering getting Chvac in order to do commercial work will find these videos particularly helpful. The "continuous play" versions of these videos are now also on Elite Software's new YouTube channel.

Chvac Basics Videos

Elite Software YouTube Channel

 


- February 2020 -

2020 AHR Expo

Reporting news from warm Orlando:

Elite Software exhibited at the 2020 AHR Expo in Orlando early February. Attendance was outstanding - better than in the last few years. We heard one other exhibitor say, "We started working at 10 and didn't look up until they flashed the lights for closing at 6." That was our experience as well, interacting with a continuous stream of new prospects, adding quite a few new customers, and enjoying visiting with the many old friends who came by to visit and discuss future projects and designs.

Next year should be a positive year too, with the economy going so strong, and Chicago a strong showing in a centrally located city. Come see us in the Windy City, and as always, bring your suggestions along!

Elite Software President and Founder Bill Smith (left) at the 2020 AHR Expo in Orlando


- January 2020 -

Drawing Board for Rhvac Version 2 is Released

We've officially released our new product, Drawing Board for Rhvac Version 2. This new version of Drawing Board for Rhvac will let you show realistic elbow fittings, add Ductwork Box objects to your drawing (Air Handler Box, Triangle Box, etc.), and will let you rotate or mirror rooms on the drawing. This new version is a big improvement over the previous one. Click the link below to download it and try it out for yourself.

Download the latest Rhvac that includes this new feature

If you already have a license for Drawing Board for Rhvac, then you will want to order the upgrade by clicking the first link below. If you don't yet have a license for Drawing Board for Rhvac, you will want to click the second link below.

Order the Upgrade (if you already have Drawing Board for Rhvac)

Order Drawing Board for Rhvac (if you don't yet have a license for Drawing Board)


- June 2019 -

Automatic Room Creation Video

We've added a video that shows how Rhvac can create your rooms on the drawing when you switch a project from Room Data window mode to Drawing Board mode. Click below to watch the video.

Automatic Room Creation Video


- May 2019 -

Rhvac Now Imports from REM/Rate or Ekotrope Programs

Rhvac can now import an XML file that was exported from the REM/Rate program or the Ekotrope program. So now in addition to being able to export an XRR file from Rhvac to import into REM/Rate, you can now import an XML file from either REM/Rate (remrate.com) or Ekotrope (ekotrope.com). So you may now start your project with either of those other two programs, and then transfer your project information into Rhvac with this new feature. Click "File | Import | Import XML File from REM/Rate or Ekotrope" to use this new feature.


- January 2019 -

2019 AHR Expo

We just returned for the AHR Expo in Atlanta, where the Superbowl buzz was in the air during the 3 day exhibit. Luckily, we missed both the expected nightmare traffic and the polar vortex cold snap. Since they started to use RFID badges, we can now know the actual show attendance, which parallels our booth experience - significantly busier this year compared to last year. Nice.

Next year, AHR Expo is in Orlando, so the weather will guaranteed be nice, and some of us plan to bring our families to piggyback a vacation at Disneyworld+Universal Studios. See you there!


- December 2018 -

Rhvac and Rhvac Online New Discounts!

If you have a license for either Rhvac desktop or Rhvac Online you can now purchase the program you don't have yet for a newly discounted price. So if you have Rhvac but not Rhvac Online, you can now get Rhvac Online for just $149 ($90 off the full price of $239). Or if you have Rhvac Online but not Rhvac, you can now get Rhvac for just $399 ($100 off the full price of $499).

Click the link below for the full list of buying options.

Rhvac Order Options


- June 2018 -

Elite Software is pleased to announce that it is now a Preferred Partner with the Service Roundtable contractor organization. Service Roundtable is a great organization for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractors that want to improve their marketing to increase sales and become high performance contractors. Contractors who are members of SRT will receive rebates from SRT of 2.5% and up to 7% on purchases of Elite Software products. Click here for more information on the Service Roundtable.

 


- February 2018 -

Mother Nature gave us a break with mild conditions in Chicago. January could have been a deep freeze or worse, a blizzard travel disaster, but no, it was quite reasonable, and that allowed new customers and old friends to visit with us.

Also nice was our new booth design (photo below), as well as demoing our smart-looking, easy-working mobile Manual J/D/S program, Rhvac Online. We received lots of compliments for providing a portable version of our residential flagship with the same full room-by-room calc capabilities as the Windows Desktop version. No half measures here.

Rhvac Online is now in the hands of iPad, iPhone, Android users, as well as Windows users, and existing Rhvac version 9 users can exchange projects back and forth for the ultimate in usefulness. Go check it out at www.elitesoftapps.com.

Benito Flores-Meath, William Smith, Phil Granier, John Walsh in the Elite Software booth


- December 2017 -

Manual J Calculator Online Now Available

For those who don't need the complete Rhvac Desktop or Rhvac Online J, D, and S capabilities, but still want a low cost online Manual J load calculation tool, Manual J Calculator Online is the product for you. Manual J Calculator Online is simply Rhvac Online with only the Manual J load calculation features activated.

Click the following link to register for access (IT'S FREE TO REGISTER AND FREE TO USE AT THE DEMO LEVEL). Please create an account at the following page before purchasing:

www.elitesoftapps.com

After creating an account you can order it here:

1 Year Subscription for Manual J Calculator Online


- September 2017-

Manual D Ductsize Online Now Available

For those who don't need the complete Rhvac Desktop or Rhvac Online J, D, and S capabilities, but still want a low cost online Manual D duct design tool, Manual D Ductsize Online is the product for you. Manual D Ductsize Online is simply Rhvac Online with only the Manual D duct design features activated.

Click the following link to register for access (IT'S FREE TO REGISTER AND FREE TO USE AT THE DEMO LEVEL). Please create an account at the following page before purchasing:

www.elitesoftapps.com

After creating an account you can order it here:

1 Year Subscription for Manual D Ductsize Online


Manual S Calculator Online Now Available

For those who don't need the complete Rhvac Desktop or Rhvac Online J, D, and S capabilities, but still want a low cost online Manual S report tool, Manual S Calculator Online is the product for you. Manual S Calculator Online is simply Rhvac Online with only the Manual S features activated.

Click the following link to register for access (IT'S FREE TO REGISTER AND FREE TO USE AT THE DEMO LEVEL). Please create an account at the following page before purchasing:

www.elitesoftapps.com

After creating an account you can order it here:

1 Year Subscription for Manual S Calculator Online


- July 2017-

Rhvac Online Now Available! FREE to Register!

Rhvac Online, the web app version of Rhvac, has now been officially released. It is now available in our online store.

Click the following link to register for access (IT'S FREE TO REGISTER AND FREE TO USE AT THE DEMO LEVEL). Please create an account at the following page before purchasing:

www.elitesoftapps.com

After creating an account you can order it at one of these two pages:

1 Year Subscription for Rhvac Online (I have Rhvac 9)

1 Year Subscription for Rhvac Online (I don't have Rhvac 9)


- June 2017-

Rhvac Online Public Beta Now Available! FREE to Register!

Rhvac Online, the web app version of Rhvac, is now in public beta, so you can test it for FREE and see what you think. This software is especially useful for existing Rhvac 9 users, since it will let you upload and download your RH9 project files.

Click the following link to register for access (IT'S FREE TO REGISTER AND FREE TO USE AT THE DEMO LEVEL):

www.elitesoftapps.com

Bonus for existing Rhvac 9 customers:

If you have already purchased a license for desktop Rhvac 9 (we will check to confirm) your Rhvac Online account will be set to the Active level for one week. If you do not have an Rhvac 9 license you will start out at the demo level, which has the following restrictions:

Demo restrictions:

Load calculation: 3 rooms, 15' wall lengths, 8' wall heights.

Duct design: 6 trunks and 6 runouts.


- February 2017-

2017 AHR Expo

Last week's ASHRAE trade show went well, and it was nice to travel West and see more than the usual number of old friends and customers - the West is friendly! All-in-all, a good show for us, and we definitely look forward to next year's Chicago show. See you there!


- October 2016 -

Chvac Now Includes a New People Density Help Window

The latest update of Chvac version 8 now lets you select the number of people in your rooms using a new People Density Help window. On this new dialog you can choose from a list that shows people per 1,000 square feet values given in ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2016.

Download the latest update for Chvac 8.

Upgrade your Chvac 8 room capacity.


- February 2016 -

2016 AHR Expo

This year's AHR Expo was in beautiful Orlando Florida, home of Walt Disney World. We saw great attendance, probably because the weather was so inviting and many visitors could bring along their families for a nice break from winter's chill.

Many a dad was there to show his kids what the future looks like, and how much technology and modern tools have made it easier to do his job.

We look forward to visiting Las Vegas next year, especially since Vegas has gotten so fun friendly too!


- October 2015 -

Price of Light Program Reduced by $100

We've just lowered the price of the Light program from $395 to $295! With the proliferation of manufacturer provided lighting software, the Light program has been operating "under the radar" lately because its advantages over the manufacturer programs aren't very well known.

One such advantage with Light is that you don't just have to do a one-off calculation for a single room with one type of luminaire, but you can do a whole project with hudreds of rooms, with each room having multiple luminaire alternatives. Light makes it easy to import and process the latest IES data files from any manufacturer, and it doesn't take long to get up to speed learning the program and starting to do production work with it. Download the functional demo here and see for yourself.


- July 2015 -

Manual S Cooling Performance Data in Rhvac 9

Proving compliance with Manual S is now easier than ever in Rhvac, with the Manual S Cooling Performance Data window and the new Manual S Performance Data report. The new report can optionally include the full array of performance data you entered. Click here to download the update.

The F1 help now includes a full explanation of how to use this window, as well as five examples showing how to enter performance data from various manufacturers who provide the data in different formats.


- January 2015 -

2015 AHR Expo

This year's ASHRAE show was set in Chicago, and the schedulers must have planned it perfectly, as the heavy snows happened a week before and a week after. Lucky us! So we were able to see many of our friends and customers at the show, rather than hear that many could not make it due to bad weather. Next year, ASHRAE is in Orlando, so weather won't be an issue. See you there!


- January 2014 -

2014 AHR Expo

What with all the extreme cold weather this winter, Elite staff were worried that getting to the NY ASHRAE show would be an issue. We lucked out, flying the day before the 10+ inch snowstorm and missing the mass flight cancellations. So who would have suspected that our return flight to Houston would be canceled on account of icy weather - in Houston?

What matters though, is the time we spent in NY between the flights. ASHRAE NY was busy for us in spite of the weather, so the days just flew on by from customer to customer, along with visiting with many old friends.

We look forward to next year at Chicago, though can we skip the cold, please?

 

HVAC Tools 4 Officially Released

HVAC Tools Version 4 is now officially released. Version 4 includes the following improvements over version 3:

  • Refrigeration line sizing tool has the following new refrigerants: R-404a, R-407c, R-410a, R-507.

  • Refrigeration line sizing tool includes data down to 3/8" line sizes where possible.

  • Create multiple cases for each tool, where each case can optionally be opened in a separate window.

  • Copy and paste cases.

  • Save as default case; paste default case.

  • Each tool also has options on the units to use for each kind of data, and all of your choices are saved.

  • Copy and paste duct sizing schedules.

  • Results are calculated and updated with each keystroke (no Calculate buttons).

  • Any input errors are shown immediately and updated as you type.

  • Each case within each tool can toggle between English and metric units.

  • Globally toggle project units between English and metric, with your setting saved per project.

  • Project Explorer shows all cases that you've made for each project.

  • Customize report fonts and colors.

  • More options for reports.

  • Page Setup lets you change report margins to match your printer.

  • Includes new Num Pad toolbar for use with tablet computers.

  • Open project from any recent folder.

  • Save reports as PDF file.

  • Print selected pages from reports.

  • Includes program taskbar.

  • Each tool's window is resizable.


- November 2013 -

H-Tools 4 Public Beta

We are happy to announce that the much-anticipated H-Tools Version 4 public beta is now available. Download the program and let us know what you think. Call us at 979-690-9420 or email us at htoolssupport@elitesoft.com.

 

Problems with Avast Antirus Software

We have had several reports of the Avast brand antivirus software causing problems with some of our programs, such as Rhvac, because it flags certain DLL files as being suspicious, and removes them from your system. These are files that we created and that have been around for over 10 years, and Avast has just in the past few weeks started erroneously flagging them. We have been letting them know about this problem since October 3, 2013, and they are still unable to correct their software.

If you use Avast antivirus and notice any problems with Elite Software programs, try turning Avast off and then reinstall the latest version of your Elite program from the Program Updates page. If the problem goes away, then that means the problem is with Avast. Trying to restore the "suspicious" DLL files from Avast's Virus Chest and adding the files to Avast's Exclusion List will not work (we've tried it), and Avast will just keep removing them from your system. So if you're having this problem the only solution we know of, until Avast corrects their software, is to uninstall Avast and consider using some other antivirus software.


- March 2013 -

Num Pad in Rhvac 9

Rhvac version 9 now includes a floating number pad called "Num Pad" that lets you more easily enter values into numeric inputs on touchscreen tablet computers, such as the Surface Pro. Click here to download the update.


2013 ACCA Conference

ACCA had its annual meeting this year in beautiful Orlando, home of Walt Disney World. Elite was pleasantly surprised to see a reenergized economy driving a strong attendee presence and interest at our booth. We also feel that combining RESNET with ACCA made for much stronger interest and base for our demo personnel. We hope to see more of this next year, and, of course, hope to see your smiling faces too. See you next year!


- January 2013 -

2013 AHR Expo in Dallas, Texas

This year's ASHRAE show was based in our native Texas, in downtown Dallas. We are happy to note that for once, we were just a short drive away from home, rather than the usual airport hassles, and quite lucky to enjoy early Spring weather as well. Visitors remarked, unsurprisingly, that everyone in Texas is so friendly. Our only down note was the number of orders placed on the floor were so great that our usual quick turnaround hasn't been. Yes, what am I complaining about?

Next year's show will be in New York City, where our last experience downtown, especially near Ground Zero, was most warm and friendly. We saw the memorial under construction, and we look forward to visiting it, as well as the new tower next year. See you there!


Chvac Now Uses the Word "Room" Instead of "Zone"

The latest update of Chvac version 8 now uses the word "room" instead of "zone" when refering to the smallest space for which loads and airflows are calculated. This change was done in order to avoid confusion, since "zone" in the HVAC industry almost always means a group of spaces and not just a single space, and "room" is universally understood to mean a single space.

We've also replaced the word "group" with "zone," for the same reason. So the load calculation levels in Chvac are now: Building, Air Handler, Zone and Room.

Download the latest update for Chvac 8.

Upgrade your Chvac 8 room capacity.


- December 2012 -

New Video for Chvac's Export to EnergyPro

We've just added a new video that shows how to export an EnergyPro project from Chvac. EnergyPro is an excellent energy analysis program that Chvac version 8 closely links to. You can create your project in Chvac for peak load calculations, and then export the entire project into EnergyPro for state-of-the-art energy analysis.

Click one of the links below to watch it:

Medium Screen Version

Large Screen Version


- April 2012 -

Rhvac's EnergyGauge USA Link Completed

Rhvac version 9 now links with EnergyGauge USA FlaRes 2010, version 3.0.00. You can export an ENB file for the current version, and there's even an option to export an ENB file in the format of the previous (2008) version of EnergyGauge. Click here to download the update.


- March 2012 -

The 2010 Florida Building Code Becomes Effective

On March 15, 2012 the 2010 Florida Building Code became effective. For Florida HVAC contractors, this is very significant because now heating and cooling load calculations in accordance with the latest ACCA Manual J procedures have to be performed to obtain a permit to install new HVAC equipment or even perform an equipment change-out. Each application for an AC change-out will need to include Manual J sizing calculations.

In section 403.6 of the Energy Conservation portion of the 2010 Florida Building Code you can read the exact wording as below.

403.6 Heating and cooling equipment (Mandatory).
403.6.1 Equipment sizing. Heating and cooling equipment shall be sized in accordance with ACCA Manual S based on the equipment loads calculated in accordance with Manual J or other approved heating and cooling calculation methodologies, based on building loads for the directional orientation of the building. The manufacturer and model number of the outdoor and indoor units (if split system) shall be submitted along with the sensible and total cooling capacities at the design conditions described in Section 302.1. This Code does not allow designer safety factors, provisions for future expansion or other factors which affect equipment sizing.

In discussions with Florida code officials, Elite Software's understanding is that only a hand calculation or software results that follow the latest ACCA Manual J 8th (MJ8) edition procedures are allowed for submittal. Software cannot simply claim to follow MJ8, it must be one of the four ACCA reviewed and certified computer programs as seen here.

Note that Elite's Rhvac program is one of the ACCA certified MJ8 programs and is suitable for submitting and obtaining HVAC permits in Florida.


Rhvac's EnergyGauge USA Link Will Soon be Updated

We will soon be releasing an update to Rhvac version 9 that links with the new version of EnergyGauge USA, version 3.0.00. We've been getting a lot of calls asking about it, so we figured we should let everyone know that the new link is coming soon!


Courses for Manuals J, S and D in Florida using Elite Software's Rhvac Program

Over the next few weeks Bob Volin, long-time HVAC instructor with Florida Air Conditioning Distributors, will be giving several continuing education-credit courses on Manuals J, S and D for HVAC professionals in Florida.

Elite Software / Manual J Training
A comprehensive training class on how to perform load calculations properly, and discussion about the Florida Energy code and its effect on load calculation results. In this class, students will be instructed how to use Elite’s Rhvac Residential Heat Load Software to perform Manual-J 8th edition load calculations. The following areas will be covered: How to set-up templates, Which construction codes to use, The quickest and most accurate way to perform load calculations, Load preferences (short cuts), What the building departments are looking for, Outdoor air requirements, and Understanding load calculations results.

Elite Software / Manual S & D Training
In this class, students will be instructed how to select equipment & size duct systems. The following areas will be covered: Residential air distribution, Basic principles – residential equipment selection and duct sizing calculations, Air side device examples and samples of job duct sizing. We will also discuss load calculation results, selecting the proper equipment for your project, Understanding static pressure loss, Equivalent length fittings, Recommended velocities and Common sense duct design.

Prerequisites: Those responsible for designing A/C systems for homes, laptop computer with mouse
Length: 4 hours morning class, 4 hours afternoon class
Cost of Class: $225.00 (paid in advance)

Class times are outlined below. The classes will fill on a first come, first served basis, so RSVP ASAP.

4 Hour General CE’s available for license holders. (Course # 0010173)
4 Hour General CE’s available for license holders. (Course # 0010174)
8 Hours of NATE Continuing Education Credits. (Nate # 1171-0002)

Branch Location Address Date Time
Orlando
407-850-0147
7500 Southland Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32809
4/24/2012 8:00AM-5:00PM
Tampa
813-663-9332
1440 Massaro Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33619
4/25/2012 8:00AM-5:00PM

To sign up, please go to http://www.fldist.com/register/e_location.asp

Please pay in advance by check or credit card. Cost of the class is $225.00.

If you have questions, call Bob Volin at 954-917-7006

OR

John Walsh at 859-468-6000 (Training for the Trades).

All RSVPs and cancellations must be made 1 day in advance.


2012 ACCA Conference and Indoor Air Expo

We had a successful exhibit at the Indoor Air Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 5th - 8th. We're looking forward to next year's conference.


- February 2012 -

Chvac Version 8 Officially Released

Version 8 of our flagship commercial loads calculation program, Chvac, is now officially released. Click here to download Chvac 8. You can order the program today and then begin using it right away, but your user's manual and CD will ship several days later.

If you have version 7, check out the Upgrade Pricing schedule. Upgrade soon for a better price.

This version includes several powerful new features:

  • Export to EnergyPro.

  • Multiple items of equipment cooling loads for each zone.

  • Multiple items of lighting loads for each zone.

  • Load Preview window.

  • Plenum-Zone temperature difference automatic adjustment.

  • Pool latent loads.

  • Sloped Ceiling Area Calculator dialog.

  • Miscellaneous latent loads at the system level.

Here's a full list of the new features.

Chvac version 8 can be installed on the same computer as version 7, and will not interfere with version 7 at all. There is no problem in having both version 7 and version 8 on your computer at the same time.



Berry Smith, owner of ResCom ConsultingResCom Consulting HVAC Courses Announced

Berry Smith is the owner of of Houston, Texas based ResCom Consulting, which offers continuing education classes, both online and in a classroom setting, for air conditioning contractors and technicians and others that have an interest in the proper installation of an HVAC system. ResCom has been providing classroom courses for over six years in the Houston area, and they pride themselves in offering "Quality Education for the HVAC Professional."

More information about ResCom training

Here's a list of upcoming classes:

  • Feb 18, 2012, Computerized Heat Load Calculations I
  • Feb 25, 2012, Texas Air Conditioning Law and Rules
  • Feb 25, 2012, TX Air Conditioning Law/Rules - Energy/Mechanical Codes
  • Mar 3, 2012, TX Law/Rules - Energy/Mechanical Codes
  • Mar 3, 2012, Texas Air Conditioning Law and Rules
  • Mar 10, 2012, TX Law and Rules & Energy/Mechanical Codes
  • Mar 10, 2012, Texas Air Conditioning Law and Rules
  • Mar 17, 2012, Computerized Heat Load Calculations I
  • Mar 24, 2012, TX Law & Rules - Structure as a System
  • Mar 24, 2012, Texas Air Conditioning Law and Rules
  • Mar 31, 2012, Texas A/C Law and Structure as a System
  • Mar 31, 2012, Texas Air Conditioning Law and Rules
  • Apr 14, 2012, Texas A/C Law and Structure as a System
  • Apr 14, 2012, Texas Air Conditioning Law and Rules
  • Apr 21, 2012, Computerized Heat Load Calculations I

- January 2012

2012 AHR Expo in Chicago, Illinois

Although the Software Center was located toward the back of one of the exhibit halls, and we were concerned about the location being weak on traffic, we were pleasantly surprised with the usual amount of traffic for a Chicago show, i.e., your first chance for a breather is a busy three hours into the day.

We really lucked out on the weather, with the show occurring during a lull in the typically frigid Chicago weather. Not only was the climate warmer than usual, but so were the many visitors to our booth. Yes, midwest hospitality is just a handshake away.

Next year the show moves to Dallas. We look forward to inviting everyone to experience Texas hospitality while we show our wares. Howdy!


- October 2011 -

Setting the Record Straight: Rhvac Was the First Manual J Load Calc Program

Did you know that Elite Software's Rhvac program was the first Manual J based software ever released? Since there is some incorrect information about this subject posted in various places on the Internet, we figured we ought to set the record straight.

In 1984 Elite Software released the very first ACCA Manual J load calculation software. It was called "RHVAC," and was based on Manual J 6th Edition. It was written in CBASIC, and worked on many small 64K memory computers under the CP/M operating system. Some of these computers included Imsai, Osbourne, KayPro, Cromemco, Vector Graphics MZ, Heath/Zenith, and Northstar. Many computers in those times did not come standard with CP/M, but were able to be upgraded with CP/M, including the Apple 2, TRS-80 Model 2, Model 3, Model 4, Model 12 and Model 16.

In March of 1986 ACCA published Manual J 7th Edition, and by June of 1986 RHVAC was updated to conform to the 7th Edition changes.


- September 2011 -

2011 HVAC Comfortech in Indianapolis, Indiana

We attended the 2011 HVAC Comfortech show in Indianapolis, Indiana, home of the Indy 500.


- April 2011 -

Essential New Article on HVAC Load Calculations

Elite Software president Bill Smith has just written a great new article that deals with all the residential and commercial HVAC load calculation methods available today, and explains why results are often so different between methods. If your business deals with HVAC load calculations you should consider it essential reading.



- March 2011 -

Sloped Ceiling Area Calculator added to Rhvac Version 9

Here's reason number 5,423,782 to to upgrade to Rhvac version 9: The new Sloped Ceiling Area Calculator, which calculates the area of a room's sloped ceiling (okay, it's really only reason number 10 at this point, but it is a pretty cool feature). This new dialog saves you from having to do the math to calculate the area of a sloped ceiling in a room. All you have to do is enter a few dimensions and the area is calculated for you and copied to the Room Data window. All the dimensions you enter are saved for each roof/ceiling in the project. Here's a screenshot of this new dialog.

 

Courses for Manuals J, S and D in Florida using Elite Software's Rhvac Program

Over the next few weeks Bob Volin, long-time HVAC instructor with Florida Air Conditioning Distributors, will be giving several continuing education-credit courses on Manuals J, S and D for HVAC professionals in Florida.

Manual J Training
A comprehensive training class on how to perform load calculations properly, and discussion about the Florida Energy Code and its effect on load calculation results. In this class students will be instructed how to use Elite Software's Rhvac residential load calculation software to perform Manual J 8th Edition load calculations. The following areas will be covered: How to Set-up Templates, Which Construction Codes to Use, The Quickest and Most Accurate way to Perform Load Calculations, Load Preferences (Short Cuts), What the Building Departments are Looking For, Outdoor Air Requirements, and Understanding Load Calculations Results.

Manual S & D Training
In this class students will be instructed how to select equipment & size duct systems. The following areas will be covered: Residential Air Distribution, Basic Principles - Residential Equipment Selection and Duct Sizing Calculations, Air Side Device Examples and Samples of Job Duct Sizing. We will also discuss load calculation results, selecting the proper equipment for your project, understanding static pressure loss, equivalent length fittings, recommended velocities and common sense duct design.

Prerequisites: Those responsible for designing A/C systems for homes, laptop computer with mouse
Length: 4 hours morning class, 4 hours afternoon class
Cost of Class: $200.00 (paid in advance)

Class times are outlined below. The classes will fill on a first come, first served basis, so RSVP ASAP.

4 Hour General CE’s available for license holders. (Course # 0010173)
4 Hour General CE’s available for license holders. (Course # 0010174)

Branch Location Address Date Time

Ft. Lauderdale
954-513-2000

3044 SW 42nd Street
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312
3/31/2011 8:00AM-5:00PM
Orlando
407-850-0147
7500 Southland Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32809
4/1/2011 8:00AM-5:00PM
Tampa
813-663-9332
1440 Massaro Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33619
4/15/2011 8:00AM-5:00PM

To sign up, please go to http://www.fldist.com/register/e_location.asp

Please pay in advance by check or credit card. Cost of the class is $200.00.

For questions call Bob Volin at 305-592-1888, ext 307
OR
John Walsh at 859-468-6000 (Training for the Trades).

Lunch will be provided.

All RSVPs and cancellations must be made 1 day in advance.



- February 2011 -

Equipment Cooling Loads Window added to Rhvac Version 9

Here's one more in a long list of reasons to upgrade to Rhvac version 9: We've added an Equipment Cooling Loads window, which lets you enter multiple items of sensible and latent gains due to equipment for each room. You can enter as many items of equipment as you like, and apply Manual J diversity factors to each item. The dropdown help for the Item Name includes a user-editable list of equipment loads from Manual J's Table 6B, such as coffee makers, refrigerators, etc.. The Detailed Room Loads report now includes a new section showing the sensible and latent gains from each piece of equipment you entered for the room. Check out a screenshot of this new window here.


Rhvac Version 9 Released

Rhvac version 9 is now officially released, and is available for download and for purchase in our online store. The new version includes several powerful new features, such as the Tabular Manual D Ductsize window, which is our easiest-to-use duct design interface yet. This new version also exports to the advanced energy analysis program EnergyPro. Several other advanced features have been added, which are listed here.

You can download the functional demo of version 9 by clicking here. Version 9 will not interfere with version 8 at all, so if you already have version 8 you can install version 9 without any changes being made to your version 8 program or project files. Click here to see the upgrade pricing schedule and purchase the upgrade.


EnergyPro Software Now Available

We have added the advanced energy analysis program EnergyPro to the line of software titles we offer. EnergyPro is a comprehensive energy analysis program that may be used to document compliance with CA Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24, Part 6), ASHRAE 90.1 Standards, HERS energy rating systems as well as residential and nonresidential Green Building rating systems, such as GreenPoint Rated and LEED. To purchase EnergyPro, call our order line at 800-648-9523, or you may order through our online store here. To read more about EnergyPro, click here.


2011 AHR Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada

You'd think with the economy slow, especially in construction, that the show would have been slower than usual, right? Wrong! We stayed so busy, especially the first two days, that the day just flew on by, and we had to retire to a nice, quiet evening at the hotel to recharge for the next day. As always, it was pleasant to see many old friends and meet a great many new ones, even if the weather surprised us with a cold chill. We'll be ready for the cold weather and warm handshakes next year at Chicago.


2011 ACCA Conference and Indoor Air Expo

We had another successful show at the 2011 ACCA Conference and Indoor Air Expo, February 15-17 in San Antonio, Texas.


2011 RESNET Building Performance Conference

Elite Software attended the RESNET Building Performance Conference in Orlando, Florida, on February 28th-March 2nd

 


- January 2011 -


Gary Lewis is Elite Software's new VP of Energy Support Training

Elite Software Development of College Station, TX has announced Gary Lewis as its new vice president of Energy Support Training. As national sales and training manager, John Walsh continues to provide general software training, while Lewis will specialize in providing training for those companies wanting to expand into the growing market of home energy surveys, ratings and audits.

There are a myriad of new certifications available, such as Home Energy Survey Professional, Home Energy Rater, Energy Star, Home Star, and BPI certified professional. These certifications involve such organizations as Building Performance Institute, RESNET, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Obtaining such certification allows an HVAC professional to provide more services in conjunction with the ones he already provides. For example, an HVAC contractor that already does the work needed to perform a load calculation can use that samework and information to create a home energy survey and get paid for doing that. With just a little bit more work, that same contractor can earn even more by providing a certified home energy-rating certificate. All of the available certifications increase the earning potential of an HVAC professional. And this is not to mention the edge they give when homeowners decide whom to use for HVAC services.

Navigating these various certifications and deciding which is best for you can be a daunting task. Moreover, obtaining certifications involves training and passing certification tests. Fortunately, Gary Lewis is an expert in this field, and is certified with all the various organizations. Lewis can advise an HVAC professional on the most appropriate certification for his goals, and the fastest and most efficient path towards achieving that certification.

Elite Software users have a special advantage towards profiting from advanced certifications. Elite Software programs such as Rhvac and Drawing Board organize the data that is needed for the various rating reports, and also link to other specialized rating software such as REM/Rate, EnergyGauge, and EnergyPro. It is much easier for an Elite Software user to create energy reports than it is for certified professionals who must start from scratch.

In conjunction with American Institute for Building Performance Standards and AHERO, Gary offers a number of training options for obtaining energy certifications and for using Elite Software programs to best advantage in performing the tasks needed to generate ratings certificates. Boosting your business with advanced certifications is easier than you think. See a training schedule here: https://www.elitesoft.com/web/training/welcome.html#greenenergysolutions and call Gary Lewis at 832-795-1003, or visit http://www.bestges.com for more information on obtaining certifications and training.

Bio:

Gary Lewis has been involved with the HVAC industry for over 30 years as a sales manager and training specialist. He has worked with nearly all the major HVAC corporations such as Carrier, Trane, Lennox, and others. And this is not to mention the thousands of regular small contracting businesses that Gary has serviced and trained over the years. As mentioned previously, Gary holds numerous certifications, as shown below.

RESNET HERS - Home Energy Rater and RESNET Green Rater

Building Performance Institute - Building Analyst Professional Certificate

Elite Software - Approved Training Provider for Elite Software HVACR Design Programs

NCI - Air balance coursework and Certified Air Balance Technician Past Certification

State of Florida - Past Florida Energy Auditor

Achieve Global – Previous Instructor for Professional Coaching and Selling Skills

ACCA - EPIC Training program 1986 for Manual J and other ACCA courses

RSES - Approved for teaching RSES Course

 

 




- September 2010 -

2010 HVAC Comfortech in Baltimore, Maryland

It was a short but sweet trip to Baltimore, Maryland for the 2010 Comfortech trade show. Apart from visiting with many old friends and meeting new customers on the trade floor, we enjoyed the fresh sea air, the relaxed seaside ambiance and Baltimore's historical harbor. And yes, we made sure we tried every kind of crab cake we could find. If you didn't make it to this show, please join us at the next Comfortech in Indianapolis, Sept 21-23, 2011.


- June 2010 -

New Spray Foam Floors and Roofs in Rhvac

In version 8.01.468 we've added several floor materials that have spray foam insulation. The list includes several thicknesses of foam, in both open and closed cell. And for each combination there are radiant and passive options.

This latest update also includes several new spray foam insulated roofs. The new roofs include several foam thickness options, several rafter size options, open and closed cell choices, and whether the rafters are encapsulated with foam or not. Click here to download this update.


- May 2010 -

New Export to eQUEST From Chvac

Chvac now has an entirely new "Export eQUEST Project File" feature. The eQUEST program is a popular, free energy simulation tool that is sophisticated, yet easy to use. This new feature creates a ready-to-open eQUEST project that includes as much data as possible from Chvac, including dimensions for zones, walls, roofs, windows, skylights and doors, as well as U-factors and some other data for materials, outdoor design conditions, operating profiles, and even some of your air handler and zone data.

Our new export to eQUEST feature is a huge improvement over our previous "Export eQUEST/PowerDOE File" feature. The new feature produces a project that eQUEST can usually open without any errors, and opens as easily as projects that are created by the eQUEST program itself. Spaces are arranged as intelligently as possible, with proper orientation for spaces and correct directions for walls. Click here to download this latest update for Chvac, and click here to download the free eQUEST program.


- April 2010 -

New Online Video for Importing Floor Plans

We've just added a new video that shows how to import various kinds of floor plan files into Drawing Board. It includes information about PDF files, DXF and DWG files, and digital photo files (for when you only have a blueprint). Importing a floor plan as a background in Drawing Board saves you time. Once you have the background in place, all you have to do is draw your Rhvac or Chvac rooms on top of the rooms on the background image.


- March 2010 -

2010 ACCA Conference and Indoor Air Expo

Elite Software got to visit Tampa, Florida for the 2010 ACCA trade show, our first professional visit to the Tampa area. The weather was fantastic, the air was clean, the handshakes warm, and the smiles were big; oceanfront tradeshows just seem to bring out the best in all.

Next year ACCA meets in San Antonio, just around the corner from Elite's headquarters, and one of the up-and-coming metro areas. We look forward to you visiting the great state of Texas.


- January 2010 -

AHR Expo 2010 in Orlando, Florida

Wow. Off-year ASHRAE, well away from the traditional Chicago hub, slow economy and construction woes, and yet, wow. Let's just say that we have to apologize to our customers as the large jump in sales generated by the show will add a delay of a few days just to catch up with orders. We didn't get to go to Disneyworld, but we sure felt like we won the Superbowl!


- October 2009 -

2009 International Ground Source Heat Pump Association in Dallas, Texas

We just returned from the IGSHPA show in Grapevine, Texas (a quiet suburb of Dallas). The exhibition hall was at the Gaylord resort, a lovely place with all the amenities, and as expected, well run.

We saw more HVAC manufacturers exhibiting than last year. As to be expected with the economy, the floor traffic appeared thinner, but we were pleasantly surprised to see the caliber of attendee was better and more favorable to us, as they were agressively persuing the benefits of sizing and selling ground source systems. Due to their strong interest in our software, we look forward to them completing their research and adding them to our growing list of ground source related contractors. So this was definitely a case of "less is more."

- September 2009 -

2009 HVAC Comfortech in Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville, Tennessee was the setting for this year's Comfortech HVAC trade show. While Nashville is a decent sized city, our experience both inside the convention center and outside in public was more like with a friendly small town full of helpful hosts.

The attendance was a little quieter, reflecting on the slower economy, and yet the traffic at our booth was stronger than we expected. We did have some time to visit with our current corporate partners and spark up a few new business deals.

We look forward to next year's Comfortech in Baltimore, hungry for some delicious crab.


- July 2009 -

Online Store with Cart System

We've added an online store with a cart system to our site. Now it's easier to purchase multiple items, and there are none of the limitations of our old online ordering system, which means that anyone can buy our products online now. Each program's information page now has an Add to Cart and a Checkout button, and the menu at the top now includes a "Store" item that lets you go to various pages in the online store section of our site. Click here to check it out.


- February 2009 -

2009 RESNET Building Performance Conference

On February 16th-18th, we attended the RESNET Building Performance Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.


2009 ACCA Conference & Indoor Air Expo

On February 24th to 26th we were at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Fort Worth, Texas for the ACCA Conference and Indoor Air Expo. This conference is the #1 learning experience for HVACR contractors, because it's designed by contractors, for contractors.

Rhvac Helps with Manual S Compliance

Rhvac now includes an option that helps you both achieve and demonstrate compliance with ACCA's HVAC equipment selection publication, Manual S. The System Data window now lets you check a box that says that you in fact did select your equipment according to Manual S, which will add a section to your reports that states that to be the case. That statement on the reports is followed by a concise list of all the design parameters that are needed for selecting equipment using Manual S. You can read more about this feature on Rhvac's information page.

- January 2009 -

2009 AHR Expo in Chicago

We're back from the ASHRAE AHR Expo in Chicago, Illinois. We lucked out two ways: 1) the weather was cold (high near 14 degrees) but not as bad as it had been before our arrival, and 2) our expectations for less floor traffic were way too conservative - we generated enough floor sales to rival any typical "good year!" Of course, we Texans still enjoy the occasional snow as it is rare in our hometown, and our Chicagoland hosts were as friendly as ever.

Next year ASHRAE meets in Orlando, Florida. Bring the family for Disneyland when you visit with us about our HVAC software!

(L to R) John Walsh (Training for the Trades President, Elite Software National Sales Manager/National Trainer), Robert Ford (TFTT Sales & Training, Texas region), Bill Smith (Elite Software President), Don Lewis (TFTT Sales & Training, NC/SC region), Mark Moore (TFTT IT specialist), Benito Flores-Meath (Programmer/Engineer Elite Software)

More photos from our booth at the ASHRAE AHR Expo


Now Offering HVACR Training Materials

We're happy to announce that Elite is now offering the excellent line of training DVDs, e-books and other materials by Jim Johnson with Technical Training Associates. The videos are presented as though you’re sitting in a workshop and learning what you need to know, not only from a theory perspective when necessary, but also from a nuts and bolts point-of-view. Click here to learn more.

- December 2008 -

Chvac Allows Different Indoor Design Conditions for each Zone

Chvac now lets you enter different indoor design conditions for each zone in the system. Instead of all zones in an air handler having to be at the same indoor temperature, you can now enter a different design temperature for any zones whose indoor conditions vary from those of the air handler, for both summer and winter. When you enter a different indoor temperature for a particular zone, the program calculates the zone loads and airflow requirements based on the temperature specified for the zone. It also determines a new, adjusted indoor temperature to use for the air handler's psychrometric calculations. That new temperature is based on a precise weighted average of all the zone temperatures in the system. Click here to download the update and to start taking advantage of this highly requested feature.

- October 2008 -

Bill of Materials Officially Released

Bill of Materials has now been officially released. Download the latest version of Rhvac to get the completed version of this program that lets you easily create a customizable bill of materials for any project. Each of the Rhvac sample project files now include a project bill of materials. And it's now very easy to add the HVAC equipment that you selected for your Rhvac project directly into your project bill of materials. Click here to download this update.

 

IGSHPA Technical Conference and Expo 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee

ur National Sales Manager and Trainer John Walsh attended the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association Technical Conference and Expo 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 1-2.

IGSHPA is a non-profit, member-driven organization established in 1987 to advance ground source heat pump (GSHP) technology on local, state, national and international levels.


- September 2008 -

2008 HVAC Comfortech in Atlanta, Georgia

Considering the down mood of the economy, we were pleasantly surprised that the first day of the show was busier than last year's! It's always a good sign when you get your first break and there's only twenty minutes left in the exhibition session, because you have been busy all that time.

For Day 2, you'll have to ask John, as I caught an early flight so I could make it home before the airports closed due to Hurricane Ike.

Luckily for Elite Software, Hurricane Ike missed our corporate headquarters by fifty miles. Our neighborhoods had some wind damage and received four inches of rain, but the worst effect was added delays in order shipments due to Houston's shipping hub having to recover from hurricane damage.

As usual, Atlanta was a model of southern hospitality, one that we will look forward to visiting the next time a trade show returns to Georgia's peach.


- April 2008 -

Bill of Materials First Public Beta Released

We've just released the first public beta for the Bill of Materials component within Rhvac. When you draw your ductwork using Manual D Ductsize within Rhvac, this new program does an automatic takeoff of the ductwork and gives you a customizable list of parts that you can print out. You can even create different lists of parts to give to different suppliers, for example. To check out this new beta release, simply download and install the latest version of Rhvac, open the "Sample DB MJ8.rhv" project, and click the menu, "Project | Bill of Materials."

- March 2008 -

New Foam and SIP Roofs and Walls Added to Rhvac

We've just added several new spray foam and SIP (structurally insulated panel) roofs and walls to Rhvac. These new selections make it easier than ever to do load calculations for the increasing number of houses that are being built with these technologies.

- February 2008 -

Elite Software hires TFTT founder John Walsh as National Sales Manager and National Trainer

Elite Software Development of College Station, TX has announced hiring John Walsh as their National Sales Manager and as their National Trainer.

John Walsh, principal of Training for the Trades (Ft. Wright, KY), will handle sales and marketing activities for Elite nationally.  In this capacity, John will be responsible for introducing the software through trade shows, meetings, sales calls to major corporations and other methods.

“Contractors are not always comfortable with computer software,” says Walsh. “But when they get a chance to actually try the programs in a classroom or web class setting, they understand how simple and powerful the programs really are.  More importantly, they find out how using HVAC software enhances their productivity and profit line.”

Walsh has also been a master distributor and trainer for Elite Software and assisted the company as a beta field tester for new programs.

As National Trainer, Walsh continues a tradition of providing training to the construction trades.  Among other training strengths that he brings to Elite are additional and diverse avenues of training.  For example, Walsh is co-author of "Hit the Load J," a simple, easy to understand book on Elite’s Rhvac Residential Heat Load program, as well as co-author to other publications on HVAC training.

Welcome to the family, John!

Bio:

John Walsh is a 40 year veteran of the HVAC/R industry. He has been involved in HVAC and refrigeration sales and service, as both a business owner and a manufacturer’s rep. He was the owner/operator of Walsh Refrigeration on Cape Cod, MA, where he and his crew installed refrigeration units, including specially designed lobster tanks and environmental chambers, and HVAC systems.

The courses that he has provided include continuing education to HVAC, plumbing and electrical technicians. One of the most popular courses offered through Training for the Trades is on computerized heat loads. The class is offered on-site as well as through the web. Some of the classes are approved for continuing education in many states. The web class, which was designed to help technicians receive training when it is most convenient for them, has also been approved for Continuing Education in many states.

He has also taught in several vo-tech schools in New England, and has taught continuing education courses for the past 14 years.


2008 ACCA Annual Conference and Indoor Air Expo in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Ahh! The crisp mountain air, the sound of fresh snow crunching beneath your feet, and the luxury of one of the country's most beautiful resorts set the scene for ACCA's 40th Annual Meeting.

Located in Colorado Springs, near the Air Force Academy and NORAD's Cheyenne Mountain, our rooms in The Broadmoor provided us with a spectacular view of mountains covered in lush pine trees. Add to that a dusting of snow the first night, and attendees were treated to a delightful winter scene.

Of course, the real action was in the exhibits inside the convention hall and at the many technical seminars.

Elite Software announced Manual N support for our flagship Commercial Loads program, Chvac, and the entire booth staff couldn't miss attending the Manual N seminar hosted by Jack Bartell and Ken Watson, now that the new fifth edition Manual N has been released. We were just too busy to visit some of the technical sessions, but that one was a must, especially since the author, Hank Rutkowski, was present in the audience.

Our next major ACCA tradeshow will be the 41st Annual ACCA Conference at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Ft. Worth, Texas. The show will be from February 24th to 26th, 2009. Just a short drive from our headquarters, we look forward to the Texas-size commute and welcoming our guests to some real Texas hospitality, y'all hear? Click here for more details.


- January 2008 -

2008 AHR Expo in New York City

New York is sometimes thought to be a cold, unfriendly city, but our experiences last week during the 2008 ASHRAE show were nothing but positive. People on the street were polite and helpful (we got lost searching for Ground Zero and everyone we asked gave us directions), workers at the Jacob Javits convention center were helpful, and old customers visiting our booth were generous with their praise and even brought their friends over to start a new generation of customers.

Recession? Not here! Not only did we have strong on-floor sales and follow-up phone orders local to New York City and its boroughs and throughout the continental US, but we had all-time record international sales from far away countries like Philippines, Colombia, Egypt, Puerto Rico, Barbados (we volunteered to go install on-site!), Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Slovenija, Ecuador, Russia, and India.

We would like to add that the entire booth staff walked in the frigid cold from our hotel to Ground Zero. A moment of silence please. Deep and humbling, and rebuilding was busy late into the night. 'Nuf said.

New Package Pricing for Rhvac, Drawing Board and Manual D Ductsize


You can now purchase Rhvac, Drawing Board and Manual D Ductsize together for the discounted package price of $1139 ($1239 when purchased separately). This package is loaded with features. Here are just a few:

  • Manual J load calculations
  • Manual D duct sizing
  • Graphical entry of your floor plan and ductwork
  • Single-line duct drawing
  • Two-line duct drawing
  • Conventional duct designing
  • High-velocity duct designing
  • Links to EnergyGauge Fla/Res, EnergyGauge USA, Rem/Rate and REScheck

- November 2007 -

Chvac Gets gbXML Feature

We've just added deluxe gbXML import and export ability to Chvac. The feature is really robust, in that we give you a lot of control over what happens during the import, including setting default material values, choosing which air handler and group to put imported zones into, and which spaces, surfaces and windows to include. And when you export a gbXML file from Chvac and then import it into AutoCAD MEP 2008, the Properties window will show Chvac's calculated results for both zones and spaces. Check out the new video on the Chvac page to learn more.

- October 2007 -

Comfortech 2007 in St. Louis, Missouri

We just got back from exhibiting at Comfortech 2007 in St Louis. The exhibit hall was not far from the Gateway Arch, an engineering marvel, and one of the evenings there was a social gathering for guests over at City Museum. As always, we had our share of new friends and old acquaintances visit with us at our booth. Next up: ASHRAE in New York City.


- August 2007 -

Big Improvements to Proposal Maker

The latest updates for Rhvac and Energy Audit include a lot of big improvements to Proposal Maker, including making it super easy to work with pictures, adding a spell checker and thesaurus, and making important improvements to most of the included templates and example projects. Both native pictures and picture fields are now much easier to resize and move (they have "grab handles" now), and you can now change the position style for any picture from "move with text" to "fixed position on page" and vice-versa. The behavior of picture fields is now much more consistent and predictable. The new spell checker includes a 250,000 word dictionary, and lets you add words to the custom dictionary.

In addition to the actual program enhancements, we've also posted several new instructional videos to help you get started.


- June 2007 -

Rhvac Built-in Duct Sizing Enhanced

We've just greatly enhanced the built-in duct sizing included with every purchase of Rhvac, which makes it so you can do a full Manual D duct design within Rhvac itself, without having to purchase additional licenses and draw your ducts with our Drawing Board and Manual D Ductsize programs. The Duct Static Pressure Loss Calculator window can now be fully linked to the airflow of rooms, zones and systems in the Rhvac project. And we've added a new Building Rotation Duct Size Preview window, which shows you the airflow requirements of each room or duct in the project in each of the eight possible rotation angles of the building, as well as the maximum duct size of all rotations.

- March 2007 -

2007 ACCA Annual Conference and Indoor Air Expo in Orlando, Florida

The weather was great, the location ideal, and contractors swamped us out at ACCA's annual trade show in Orlando. We couldn't have asked for anything better!


- January 2007 -

2007 AHR Expo in Dallas, Texas

This year's ASHRAE show was but a short drive from our headquarters in College Station. The weather in Dallas was mild for winter with just a hint of sleet, and spared us any slidin' ice.

Both US and international customers came in waves to view our wares and ask the good questions, keeping all our staff busy well past the closing hour. The end result: we made record sales and many new friends. If this was the off year, we can hardly wait for ASHRAE New York 2008!


- October 2006 -

Bill of Materials Announced

The Bill of Materials program has now been announced. It gives you easy in-place editing of every part in your bill of materials list for the current project, including automatic takeoff of ducts, fittings and registers from ductwork drawn using Manual D Ductsize.

Manual D Ductsize Released

The Manual D Ductsize program has now been officially released. Be sure to check out the four new instructional video demos we've posted here to get you up to speed quickly on using this powerful new software.

- September 2006 -

2006 Comfortech in Baltimore, Maryland

Attendance at the the Comfortech 06 tradeshow in Baltimore, Maryland was good and we enjoyed getting to meet lots of new customers. And as always, we enjoyed talking with many of our old friends too. And we didn't mind being able to enjoy a little bit of rain and cooler temperatures, which was a nice change for us. See you at next year's show.


- March 2006 -

2006 ACCA Conference and Indoor Air Expo

San Jose, California, a small, eco-friendly city, hosted this year's ACCA Annual meeting. As always, we not only met with old and new customers and demoed our wares, but also got to visit with many industry leaders. Next year's ACCA show will be hosted in Orlando Florida, home of Disney World and Epcot.


- January 2006 -

AHR Expo 2006 in Chicago, Illinois

We're back from ASHRAE in Chicago, and although it snowed the day before we got there, no, we didn't freeze. Chicago was warmer than usual for late January, and the crowds at the show were also warmer than last year. We had a fun time, albeit busy, with many more visitors at our booth, including many old friends. No doubt about it, Chicago is a great place to meet.

Elite Software is looking forward to next year's ASHRAE show in Dallas. C'mon down for a little bit of Texas hospitality!


Manual D Ductsize Public Beta Released

Elite Software has released the first public beta of the Manual D Ductsize program. You can read all about this new program, download the functional demo, and watch online video demos of it in action here.

- September 2005 -

HVAC Comfortech 2005 in Nashville, Tennessee

We enjoyed exhibiting at the HVAC Comfortech meeting in Nashville TN, on September 14-17, 2005 at the Nashville Convention Center.


- May 2005 -

Proposal Maker Program is Released

Elite Software is proud to announce the release of Proposal Maker, a fast and easy program for creating professional sales proposals and other sales related documents. Proposal Maker has lots of great word processor features like those found in Microsoft Word, but its main advantage is that it creates proposals automatically from equipment selection and cost comparison results obtained from Elite’s Energy Audit and Rhvac programs.

Electrical CAD Details Package is Added to our Lineup

Elite Software is proud to announce Electrical CAD Details, a collection of 230 common electrical details in DWG format. Electrical CAD Details are the most complete set of CAD electrical details available on the market today. Unlike other CAD packages which have only details, Electrical CAD Details includes standardized schedules, notes and symbols.

- March 2005 -

ACCA Conference 2005 in Austin, Texas

Elite Software enjoyed the short trip down to Austin for the 2005 ACCA meeting in March 9-12, 2005. We appreciate all feedback from Elite users, as many great comments and ideas were exchanged there.

If you weren't able to make it by our booth, and would like information on our products, click here, or if you would like to send us your comments and program suggestions, click here. Sure did enjoy sharing some of that good ol' Texas hospitality!

Mark your calendar! The 2006 ACCA Conference & Indoor Air Expo will be held March 28-30, 2006 at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, California.


- February 2005 -

Duct Static Pressure Loss Calculator Window Added to Rhvac

Rhvac now includes a Duct Static Pressure Loss Calculator window that calculates duct sizes and the static pressure losses of your duct system. You can either enter your entire duct system, or just enough to calculate the fan static pressure requirement (one single route, or "path"). This unique tool includes a powerful Fitting Selector dialog, which makes it easy to select from hundreds of fittings from ACCA's Manual D.

If you're still using Rhvac version 6 you can update to version 8 for an upgrade fee. Check out the new features of version 8.

AHR 2005 in Orlando, Florida

Elite Software returned back home from the 2005 ASHRAE meeting in Orlando, after a very successful show. With Orlando being the home of Disneyworld, the attendance was outstanding. We met with many old friends and made quite a few new ones.

Mark your calendar - the 2006 AHR Expo will be held January 23-25 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.


- April 2004 -

Electrical Tools Program is Released

Elite Software is proud to announce Electrical Tools, a collection of 14 common electrical calculation and data look-up tasks. These tasks include wire sizing, conduit sizing, motor equipment sizing, panel sizing, lighting requirements (in metric or English units), current to power conversion, Ohm's Law calculator, capacitor sizing, voltage drop, short circuit, and the quick look-up of many electrical formulas and conversion factors.


- February 2004 -

Chvac Version 7 is Released

Chvac version 7 has now been released with support for the Radiant Time Series (RTS) cooling calculation method, as well as many other new features.

 

 

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