It is the ease and assistance a few services and software offer to contractors that are honored in the Contractor Services & Software category of The NEWS’ ninth annual Dealer Design Awards.

Greenheck’s Fan Fundamentals accepted the gold, Emerson Climate Technologies’ HVACR Mobile Toolbox received the silver, and Total Performance Diagnostic TPD 1.0 by Total Performance Diagnostics was given the bronze.

Gold Winner

Greenheck’s Fan Fundamentals is a series of online training courses available at no cost on www.greenheck.com for engineers, contractors, and others in the HVAC industry. The courses are professionally presented and recorded, close-captioned, and available 24/7. Registration is not necessary; however, if participants register, they can receive a certificate upon completion of each module.

The online modules provide many visual examples of true ventilation concepts and products. This gives contractors a great spatial understanding of systems they may be working on. Additionally, the courses illustrate comparisons and best practices that may guide a contractor’s decision thought process. According to the company, by presenting the material in a module format, it offers individuals the opportunity to learn and absorb the information in a timeframe that best suits their personal schedules.

Silver Winner

The Emerson™ HVACR Mobile Toolbox from Emerson Climate Technologies is a set of seven mobile applications for HVACR contractors. The Mobile Toolbox is designed to give HVACR contractors on-the-go access to tools and resources that will help them do their jobs quickly and more profitably.

The HVACR Fault Finder helps with compressor troubleshooting; Emerson PTPro™ performs pressure and temperature conversion; Emerson X-Check is a cross-reference database for valves, controls, and system protectors; White-Rodgers™ mobile provides product replacement information for thermostats, gas valves, and HVAC controls; Emerson e-Saver™ calculates the annual cost savings of high-efficiency systems; Copeland X-Ref™ provides access to Emerson’s compressor cross reference; and Browning Toolbox Technician is a reference guide and efficiency calculator for bearings and belt drives.

Emerson’s collection of mobile applications is designed to help contractors find solutions to common issues in the field quickly and easily. The Emerson X-Check, Copeland X-Ref, Browning Toolbox Technician, and White-Rodgers mobile apps focus on finding replacement parts, while HVACR Fault Finder and Emerson PTPro are technical resources. The Emerson e-Saver app helps contractors sell high-efficiency systems and includes a custom report for homeowners. The goal of each app is to help contractors use their smartphones in the field to accomplish tasks more efficiently.

Bronze Winner

The Total Performance Diagnostic TPD 1.0 software by Total Performance Diagnostics is field-accessible via smartphone, tablet, or laptop to enable quick evaluation of HVAC system performance. The software program uses a simple readings-in, results-out platform that takes less than a minute to complete. TPD utilizes a proprietary set of compensating algorithms and user settings in order to produce accurate results, compensating for variations in compressor amperage, altitude, outdoor ambient conditions, and other microclimate variables. This compensating procedure allows results to be reported at system design conditions. TPD takes a holistic look at complete system performance first and then utilizes that information to diagnose potential performance problems.

TPD was designed to be easy enough and quick enough for technicians to use on every service call. According to the company, the software is the ideal tool to use with any contractor’s scheduled maintenance program due to its reporting functions, report storage functions, printing capabilities, and email functions. Once identified and quantified, correcting performance problems becomes another source of energy savings for consumers as well as providing another source of income for the contractor. TPD reports the most important information as an easily understood percentage. All out-of-range readings also appear in red to highlight potential problem areas to clients and technicians.

Sidebar: 2012 Honorees — Contractor Services + Software

Gold Winner

Manufacturer: Greenheck
Product: Fan Fundamentals 1 Online Training
www.greenheck.com

Silver Winner

Manufacturer: Emerson Climate Technologies
Product: Emerson HVACR Mobile Toolbox
www.emersonclimate.com/mobileapps

Bronze Winner

Manufacturer: Total Performance Diagnostics
Product: Total Performance Diagnostics TPD 1.0
www.myhvacperformance.com

Honorable Mention

Manufacturer: Jackson Systems LLC
Product: FilterFetch
www.jacksonsystems.com

Publication date: 7/9/2012