Nearly 55,000 people ambled through the Las Vegas Convention Center during three days of non-stop activity at the industry’s largest trade show. A typical Wednesday at the expo is usually considered a light day for foot traffic. But even on the last day of the show, attendees were drawn to the 1,800-plus exhibitors’ booths displaying the latest HVACR products.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tried a bit of muscle flexing as 2011 started and promptly ran into some roadblocks, while at the same time causing the HVACR industry to keep an even more watchful eye on what the EPA may do next.

The Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH) announced that the CIPHEX Roadshow will take new products and technologies across Canada.

It has been my pleasure to write an occasional column for The NEWS for the last seven years. With upcoming changes to our staff responsibilities, those musings will be less frequent. Oh, you will still see a few errant missives from my keyboard, but I’ll mostly be tending to the type of duties admirably handled by Publisher John Conrad during the last 10 years.

The Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH) is reporting total plumbing, PVF/industrial, waterworks, hydronics, and HVACR estimated sales increased 3.6 percent for the month of November 2011 when compared to 2010.

Having just returned from the International Builder’s Show in Orlando, I have to remark that the show has downsized itself quite noticeably. Though what might be called the world’s largest home and garden show is less than its gargantuan self of years past, it is still an awesome event.

HVACR instructors can set their sights on a new destination. Next month, the 2012 HVACR & Mechanical Conference for Education Professionals is being held in Colorado Springs, Colo., March 12-14 at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort.

Tennessee Technology Center’s HVACR program earns accreditation.

Can the HVACR community capitalize on the comments Rick Santorum made about trade schools?

Purdue University will host three concurrent conferences with HVACR emphasis July 16-19. The concurrent conferences are the 21st International Compressor Engineering Conference, the 14th International Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Conference, and the 2nd International High Performance Buildings Conference.