SACRAMENTO, Calf. — Over 1,000 people attended the 2003 Annual Radiant Panel Association (RPA) Conference and REX (Radiant Expo) tradeshow in Sacramento. The event featured RPA Schools, a variety of seminars with over 20 presenters, workshops, discussions and a trade show with 93 exhibitors. The annual conference focused on all types of radiant panel heating from heated floors and ceilings to warm towel racks and snow-melting systems. It included hydronic as well as electric radiant products.

“The industry has grown up,” said Lawrence Drake, RPA executive director. “The products that were introduced at REX this year are well thought out, well engineered, and demonstrate that the industry has reached a new level of technology.”

Awards for the 2003 RPA System Showcase were announced at REX. First place winners included Felciano Plumbing and Heating, Moodus, Conn., for Hydronic Residential under 3,000 square feet, and Radiant Specialties Inc., Kali-spell, Mont., for Hydronic Residential over 3,000 square feet and Hydronic Residential retrofit. Told Plumbing, Pleasant Grove, Utah, won the Innovation and the Judges Choice Award. All the finalist projects were displayed in a digital presentation at the System Showcase kiosk in the trade show. This presentation can be viewed on the RPA Web site at www.radiantpanelassociation.org.

REX provided training programs, seminars, and opportunities to share information with peers in the industry. This year the entire program was recorded, some in video and some in audio, to be placed on a computer CD for those who were not able to attend or missed sessions they wanted to see. The CD will be available for purchase on the RPA’s Web site bookstore.

Publication date: 07/14/2003