Is it warm in here, or is it just me?

Engineers at the University of Maryland College Park (my alma mater . . . Go Terps!) are working on software that will both help reduce the costs associated with manufacturing heating and cooling equipment, and make the equipment more efficient. End result? Heating and A/C that costs less to manufacture and uses less energy to operate, possibly translating to huge energy savings.

Right now, there are three software modules.

1. CoilDesigner - allows equipment manufacturers to better model Air cooled heat exchangers which could aid in designing automobile radiators, air conditioners, heat pumps, refrigerators, etc.
2. VapCyc - A vapor compression cycle simulation tool (the process that makes heat pumps work)
3. TransRef - aids in designing controls for these systems