As the Best Practices Magazines celebrate their twentieth anniversary, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the remarkable system efficiency gains achieved since our first issue. We also wanted to give subscribers a peek at what the next decades might bring. To do this, we asked a hand-selected list of original equipment manufacturers, independent compressed air system sales and service companies, manufacturing plants and independent system auditors to share their thoughts, highlighting the changes they’ve seen over the past 20 years, then predicting what the next 20 years will bring.

For 20 years, Chiller & Cooling Best Practices Magazine has published articles focused on helping manufacturers reduce power demand, lower water consumption, and improve the performance of compressed air, cooling, blower and industrial vacuum systems. In this article, we highlight a sampling of those stories across the following industries:

• Plastics and Packaging
• Food and Beverage
• Automotive and Transportation
• Cement, Building Materials, and Mining
• Metals, Pulp, and Paper
• Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, and Research
• Wastewater Treatment

Heavy industrial processes demand robust cooling systems capable of handling extreme temperatures and continuous loads. This article explores how modern centrifugal chillers, variable speed drives (VSDs), heat pumps and smart controls are transforming process cooling performance. By moving beyond traditional oversized designs and focusing on real-world operating conditions, facilities can improve efficiency, reduce operating costs and enhance reliability. The integration of waste heat recovery and digital monitoring further enables plants to optimize energy use, extend equipment life and achieve measurable gains in operational performance.

Free cooling offers a highly efficient alternative to chiller-based cooling, but its success depends on effective operation and control—especially during system transitions. This article outlines practical techniques for improving the shift between chiller and free cooling modes, minimizing temperature spikes and maintaining process stability in industrial environments. It also covers strategies for enhancing chiller performance under low-temperature conditions, optimizing heat exchanger startup, setting reliable control triggers and addressing maintenance and freeze protection. With proper tuning and operation, facilities can significantly increase free cooling hours, reduce energy use and extend chiller life without risking production disruptions.

This article details how Schneider Electric transformed waste heat into a reliable energy source at its Lincoln, Nebraska facility. By repurposing low-temperature process cooling water and optimizing building pressurization and controls, the plant significantly reduced natural gas use, water consumption and CO2 emissions while improving indoor comfort and air quality. The project demonstrates how an efficiency-first approach—leveraging existing infrastructure, advanced controls and digital analytics—can deliver measurable sustainability gains and create a scalable pathway toward full electrification and net-zero operations.