Von Kopfman, co-owner of Blue Dot Services in Topeka, Kan., is a survivor. What have he and his family had to endure and how have they used that pain to help others?

The latest regulatory merry-go-round with the Department of Energy (DOE) could be considered a prime example of what is wrong with Washington. It’s not the conservatives, the progressives, the gridlock in Congress, or the lack of bi-partisanship. It is the endless expansion of regulatory agencies.

A minor change in wording by our bureaucratic friends at the DOE means manufacturers, distributors, and dealers in specific regions must start making supply and inventory decisions now. 

HVAC contractors are working with a select group of homeowners looking to use their mobile devices to remotely control their indoor environment. It’s a niche market now but that should change significantly as more consumers with smart phones and tablets become aware of the remote control capability of HVAC thermostats and systems.

Bay Area Services, a successful HVAC contractor in Green Bay, Wis., is using Internet-connected door locks, security cameras, and thermostats as a means to an end: to build his customer list and increase sales on service calls.

The rapid increase in the use of iPhones, iPads, and countless mobile devices has had a major affect on HVAC products and technologies that enable homeowners to control temperature, humidity, and energy consumption in their homes from anywhere at any time of day.

Distributors and supplier members attending the Heating, Air-conditioning, and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) Southwest Regional Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, in June were briefed on positive economic trends affecting the HVACR industry and learned about the challenges of age diversity in the workforce.

My editorial in the July 23 print issue of The NEWS concerning the NBC “Today” Show sting showing dishonest HVAC technicians seems to have hit a nerve, a raw nerve. Is there a solution?

Colleges and universities across the United States are benefitting from new technologies that provide superior indoor comfort to students while delivering significant energy savings to the institutions. What types of equipment are they investing in? 

The K-12 school market in 2012 has received a failing grade from a group of mechanical contractors who specialize in this market segment, and their observations are backed up by a comprehensive report that indicates this segment of the commercial building market has declined 50 percent from pre-recession levels.