The payoff for contractors will come sooner rather than later. Those who visited the Expo (held here Jan. 29-31) got to see products and services that ran the gamut from cooling towers to soldering tips. There was a much sharper focus on efficiency this year — no great surprise, considering the increased media focus on energy shortages.

The focus on energy efficiency was also echoed at the ASHRAE meeting, such as at the public session on global warming (see second article on this page). But perhaps more importantly, the society’s president, James Wolf, has pledged to work with all strata of the hvacr industry during his term.

This Trane Company executive said he has been traveling across the country to speak with contractors about energy consumption as it’s related to system service and maintenance. These contractors have already given him an earful on how system design can impede service and maintainability, among other things. This information will come back to the society, which has a vested interest in seeing Standard 90.1 on energy consumption succeed at all levels of the industry.

Getting contractors on board is critical. Wolf’s research continues, and it is probable that his work will shape future ASHRAE research to a degree.

Attendance at the Expo was up this year over last year, according to International Exposition Co. Close to 50,000 (49,700-plus) hvacr professionals, including more than 27,400 attendees and more than 22,300 exhibitor personnel, were registered for the Expo.

A new line-up of 14 free educational sessions were offered by AHR Expo and nine new endorsing associations. Total attendance: 979.

The AHR Expo 2002 will be held in Atlantic City, NJ, Jan. 14-16.

Publication date: 02/19/2001