ARLINGTON, Va. — The Air Conditioning Contractors of America’s (ACCA’s) Building Performance Council (BPC) has announced that registration is now open for its first Building Performance Forum. The event is scheduled for Oct. 9-10, 2012, at the Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol in Austin, Texas. The forum is being presented by ACCA andThe NEWS. ACCA said this new event was created to meet the needs of the growing building performance market segment.

“Building performance is a great opportunity for HVAC contractors, because we are already in the business of comfort and have practical knowledge about indoor environments,” said Ellis Guiles, vice president of TAG Mechanical, Syracuse, N.Y., and chairman of the BPC Advisory Committee. “It’s time for contractors to stop ignoring this opportunity, and this event will do just that, help contractors see that the potential for business and profit growth are there and it is time for them to take advantage of it before someone else does.”

The event kicks off with a keynote address, ‘People, Planet, and Performance…A Conversation with Rick Fedrizzi of the U.S. Green Building Council.’ Fedrizzi will discuss how building performance has gained prominence worldwide and he’ll explain how, when done properly, it affects and improves each building, neighborhood, nation, and the world.

There will also be 12 breakout sessions running concurrently throughout the two days. Sessions include:

• ‘Transitioning From HVAC to Home Performance’ with Michelle Knaszak of GreenHomes America

• ‘Take What You Now Know and Turn It Into a Business Opportunity’ with Matt Todd and Chris McKinney of Entek Corp.

• ‘Creating the Business of Your Dreams’ with Ellis Guiles of TAG Mechanical

• ‘Retrofitting Existing Homes to Net Zero Use’ with Hal Smith of Halco Plumbing & Heating

• ‘Taking It to the Streets’ with John Waldorf of Estes Heating & Air Conditioning Inc., Andrew Oser of CroppMetcalfe Services, and Richard Dean of Environmental Systems Associates Inc.

The two-day event will wrap up with a special closing keynote, ‘The Future Really Is Now’ with Doug Garrett of Building Performance & Comfort. Garret will share his forecast for the building performance market.

“ACCA is excited to be able to provide this quality educational program that was created by contractors for contractors, who are already working in the field or are interested in getting into it,” said Guiles. “Since some of the top contractors and industry experts have agreed to share their experiences, best practices, and expertise, these two days are sure to get attendees pumped up and prepared to move their businesses to the next level.”

Registration is open at www.buildingperformanceforum.com or by calling 703-824-8856. Early bird registration, with a $100 discount, is available through Aug. 15, 2012.

Publication date: 7/9/2012