NAME, TITLE: Anthony Kocurek, owner

COMPANY NAME, CITY, STATE: Energy Balance & Integration, Albuquerque, N.M.

HOW LONG IN BUSINESS: Energy Balance & Integration is a new company combining technical and field experience spanning over the past 25 years. Our combined staff and resources have been providing testing and balancing services in New Mexico since 1976 and have expanded services to Colorado, eastern Arizona, and western Texas. We possess a full array of equipment and expertise to test and balance systems in all types of buildings. In addition, we are capable of testing control systems, performing sound tests, evaluating system operation, and systems commissioning.

BIGGEST CHANGE TO THE BUSINESS: Commissioning and LEED.

KEY MARKETS: Large commercial, industrial, technical.

ASSOCIATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS: Our firm is affiliated with NEBB, TABB, SMACNA, and ASHRAE. We are NEBB certified for water and air balancing, TABB certified for air and water balancing; we have at present three NEBB and TABB certified supervisors (for air and water), and one field tech with NEBB tech certification. We are members of NM SMACNA and NM ASHRAE.

HOW DO THESE AFFILIATIONS HELP YOU: The benefit of these associations and memberships are many, but primarily it is a way to stay up with all the HVAC changes in the industry and standards. In these days of energy and environmental awareness, many things seem to change overnight.

BIGGEST CURRENT HURDLE TO OVERCOME: The biggest hurdle to overcome at this time is to keep costs low but still provide for additional scope and work that keeps growing due to LEED and green building requirements. In many ways, LEED and green are at odds with one another, and the commissioning effort to make both happen has added a substantial amount of additional responsibility for the TAB contractor to set up, measure, and report the operations of the building’s HVAC systems to show compliance with LEED and green standards.

COMPANY STATISTICS (number of employees in field, service, installation, office; number of trucks): 22 field employees, five office personnel, 13 vans.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE INDUSTRY: The ever-changing new technology and subsequent new applications to the TAB industry.

SUMMING IT UP: For a TAB company, it is extremely important that the data gathered that is used to evaluate the status, progress, and success of a project is good, honest data that is repeatable. We are constantly evaluating our methods, procedures, and equipment to ensure that we stay current with the latest environmental and technological advancements in our industry. To do this and stay profitable, as well as competitive in the market, is difficult and challenging. Adding to that challenge are the many differences in the expectations of a TAB contractor when working on a large commercial building or the production facility for a computer chip manufacturer. These challenges are what make it exciting to be a TAB contractor in this day and time.

Publication date: 09/07/2009