Latest news with #AC
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
DU executive council clears syllabus changes, expansion plans
The executive council (EC) of Delhi University (DU) on Saturday approved several syllabus changes across departments, including the exclusion of papers related to Pakistan, Islam, and China from the postgraduate political science curriculum. These changes, earlier recommended by the standing committee for academic affairs and approved by the academic council (AC) on June 5 amid dissent, will now be implemented. The EC also approved fee hikes and new recruitment guidelines for non-teaching staff, both of which faced dissent. (HT Archive) Mithuraaj Dhusiya, an elected EC member, criticised the process: 'Courses are being altered beyond recognition before they can even reach the AC, effectively bypassing democratic processes and undermining the integrity of the curriculum.' To be sure, the standing committee does not have the final say in syllabus changes, and the decision or recommendations taken by the committee have to be further approved by the AC first and then the EC. Meanwhile, DU vice chancellor Yogesh Singh stated during the meeting that 'DU is fully ready for the fourth year of UG,' referring to the implementation of the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) 2022 from the 2025–26 session. 'All kinds of modern facilities are being provided in the university for the convenience of the students,' Singh added. VC Singh cited ₹65.71 crore spent on Wi-Fi expansion and 24x7 access to over two lakh online books and journals. 'About 60% of students are likely to upgrade to the fourth year,' a DU official said. To address faculty shortages, Singh said regular teachers may take additional classes while guest faculty would handle junior-year students. Proper payments for all staff were assured. Singh also announced infrastructure upgrades, including 17 ongoing projects worth ₹1,912.15 crore, with ₹329 crore released so far. These include a Cultural Activity Centre, a girls' and working women's hostel at Dhaka campus, and new academic buildings in North and South campuses. The EC also approved fee hikes and new recruitment guidelines for non-teaching staff, both of which faced dissent.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Giving back: homeowner gets new A/C unit for free
(SECURITY-WIDEFIELD, Colo) — A homeowner in the Security-Widefield area was the beneficiary of a generous gift, which ended an unexpected heat wave he and his family have felt for over a week. 'Ten days ago, my A/C just stopped working,' said Edward Williams, the homeowner with the bad A/C unit. But a bad A/C is just another bump in a rough road Williams has traveled in recent years. 'Almost five years ago now, I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure brought on by sleep apnea, and it turned my world upside down,' Williams said. These days, Williams says he struggles breathing while doing simple everyday tasks like walking into the grocery store. Since he can't work because of his condition, the bills have piled up because the paychecks haven't been keeping up. 'I had some credit card bills I've had to face up to and deal with,' Williams said. When the A/C stopped working, technicians from Around The Clock stopped by to take a look at the problem. The diagnosis was that Williams's 23-year-old A/C unit needed to be replaced. So, on Friday, July 11th, a crew stopped by to put in a brand-new unit, which can cost anywhere from $6,500 to $9,000. For Williams, it did not cost him a thing. 'An unreal feeling, I couldn't believe it,' Williams said. Shane Noblet, a Service Manager at Around The Clock, was the one who visited the home to find the problem and began the process of making sure Williams did not have to pay for his A/C unit out of his pocket. 'After talking with him and kind of hearing his whole story, I felt like it was kind of my, you know, duty to try to do what I could for him,' Noblet said. But Williams did not just get an A/C unit by itself. 'We were able to do a furnace and air conditioning system and an indoor air quality package because he is on oxygen,' Noblet said. 'So, we wanted to kind of take care of his air as well. We were able to do an electrostatic filter and a UV light for him.' To put all of those features in, it would cost any other customer a pretty penny, as Noblet says the whole cost to get what Williams received ranges from $15,000 to $18,000. Williams, who is thankful for the generosity, says he is just glad he has working A/C and will be able to sleep in a cool home once again. 'I'll lay my head on my pillow tonight and it will be nice and cool,' Williams said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CNET
2 days ago
- General
- CNET
If Your Ceiling Fan Is Spinning the Wrong Way, It's Costing You. Here's How to Change It
If your AC's been working overtime this summer, brace yourself -- your next energy bill might sting. But before you reach for the thermostat, consider a much simpler, lower-cost fix: your ceiling fan. A ceiling fan can make a room feel up to 4 degrees cooler, so you can dial back your air conditioning without sacrificing comfort. All it takes is flipping a switch to ensure it's spinning in the right direction (counterclockwise for summer), and you're on your way to better airflow and lower energy costs. It's one of the easiest ways to beat the heat without raising your utility bill -- no fancy tech or major upgrades are required. Bonus: It's a small move that can shrink your environmental footprint. Before the dog days of summer take hold, take a moment to flip this hidden setting on your ceiling fan. You'll stay comfortable all season long and keep your energy bills in check. For more on saving money on energy, learn how unplugging some appliances can save you $100 a year and the most efficient temperature for your thermostat this summer. How to change the direction of your ceiling fan Changing the direction of your ceiling fan's rotation is simple. It's usually controlled by a sliding switch on the motor housing. This switch lets you adjust the fan from spinning clockwise to counterclockwise. Before you make any changes, turn off your ceiling fan -- you don't want to hurt yourself or anyone else in your home. Look for the small sliding switch on the side of the fan's motor housing. It should be labeled with markings like "Forward/Reverse" or have arrows pointing in opposite directions. To switch rotation to counterclockwise, slide the switch to Forward or Counterclockwise. For clockwise rotation, slide the same directional switch to Reverse or Counterclockwise. The fan blades will start to push air upward to recirculate warmer air. If there's no switch on your ceiling fan, you may have a remote control that can change the direction with the push of a button. And if you've got a smart fan, you can probably change direction with your voice or by using an app. You may need to check your instruction manual for further help. Set your ceiling fan to counterclockwise in the summer During the summer, you'll want your ceiling fan to rotate counterclockwise, blowing cooler air straight down into the room. Just make sure the fins on your fan blades are tilted downward to help push the air toward the floor. You should feel the air in the room start to get cooler. Switch your ceiling fan back to clockwise in the winter In winter, you'll want your ceiling fan to rotate clockwise. The airflow will then be directed upward, circulating hot air from the ceiling back down into the room to help spread warmth. Other tips for making the most of your ceiling fans If you want to reap even more benefits from your ceiling fans, choose the right fan. According to the Department of Energy, you should look for fans with the Energy Star label, as they're around 60% more efficient than conventional fans. You'll also want to ensure the fan you're using is the correct size for your room. Larger rooms may need bigger fans with blade spans of at least 52 inches or more, while smaller rooms can get by using fans of 36 inches. If changing your fan blades' direction becomes a pain, you might consider installing a ceiling fan with a remote control or implementing a smart switch. This makes it easier to change the fan direction and speed without reaching up, using a ladder, or fumbling around for the switch to push. The easier it is to change the fan blades' rotation, the easier it is for you to be cooler or warmer in uncomfortable temperatures.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
LHB coaches to be deployed soon for three express trains
The Southern Railway has announced that three express trains are to be operated with Linke-Hofmann Busch coaches by replacing the existing conventional rakes. The conversion from conventional rake to LHB coaches is to enhance safety and ensure a comfortable journey for passengers. The Puducherry-Mangaluru Central-Puducherry Express (16855/16856) will run with LHB coaches from Puducherry with effect from July 17 and from Mangaluru Central with effect from July 18. The Puducherry-Mangaluru Central-Puducherry Express (16857/16858) will run with LHB coaches from Puducherry with effect from July 19 and from Mangaluru Central with effect from July 20. The Puducherry-Kanniyakumari-Puducherry Express (16861/16862) will run with LHB coaches from Puducherry from July 20 and from Kanniyakumari from July 21. Consequent to the conversion to LHB coaches, the composition of the three trains will be revised. The trains will be operated with one AC two-tier coach, two AC three-tier coaches, nine sleeper class coaches, four general second class coaches, one second class coach (Divyangjan friendly) and one luggage-cum-brake van, a press release from the Tiruchi Railway Division said.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
ACs at below market price or at big discount: Government planning scheme to replace your old ACs
The Indian government is working on a plan to encourage households to replace air conditioners that are over 10 years old with new, energy-efficient five-star models, reports Economic Times. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The initiative aims to reduce electricity consumption by phasing out older, less efficient appliances. As per the report, power minister Manohar Lal met leaders of large AC manufacturers including Blue Star managing director B Thiagarajan, Daikin India MD KJ Jawa, and Voltas MD-designate Mukundan Menon, to discuss the matter last week. The ministry has formed an internal committee to deliberate and finalise the norms, the report added. Consumers may get incentives to scrap old ACs Citing unnamed sources, the report says that the ministry of power is evaluating a proposal that will allow customers to scrap old ACs with authorised e-waste partners appointed by manufacturers or the government. In return, they will get a discount on new units purchased through their electricity distributor (discom). These lower prices, the report adds, will be achieved through bulk procurement and competitive bidding, using a model similar to the Ujala scheme, under which nearly 369 million LED bulbs were distributed through discoms over the past decade. Another plan being explored is for manufacturers to offer high scrappage value for old ACs. The government plans to compensate them by either incentives or energy credit from discoms that would be adjusted against electricity bills. In this case, consumers could continue buying ACs from retail outlets at regular prices, but with added financial benefits from scrapping old units. Confirming the meeting, Thiagarajan told the publication, 'There are about 50 million 10-years-or-older AC units in the country. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Consumers typically shift their old ACs to another room or sell to a shop in exchange, which are then reused. Hence, the best way is to scrap them and consumers [should] buy the latest and most energy efficient 5-star ACs.' BEE to revise energy rating norms more frequently According to the report, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is also planning to revise the energy rating norms for air conditioners every two years, down from the current 3–4-year cycle. The next changes are expected in 2026 and 2028, following the last revision in July 2022. However, not all companies support frequent rating updates. An industry executive, who did not wish to be named, told ET, 'The industry has to invest around ₹400 crore for each rating change, which becomes difficult to recover if there are frequent changes.' He added that energy rating revisions should only happen if there's a significant technology breakthrough.
