The Heating, Refrigeration, Air-Conditioning Institute's (HRAI's) Skill Tech Academy, in partnership with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), has established a new Residential Hydronics Design Technician (RHDT) designation. Individuals will be required to complete an established sequence of Skill Tech Academy training programs in order to qualify for the RHDT designation. Seventy-five percent is considered a passing grade for each of the courses and signing of the corresponding HRAI Arbitration/Decertification Agreements is mandatory. Those who hold current certification in the following Skill Tech Academy training programs will be awarded the new RHDT designation: residential mechanical ventilation installation; residential heat loss and heat gain calculations; residential radiant hydronics design; residential integrated combo systems; and residential commissioning.

A total of 22 individuals across Canada have achieved certification for all five of the courses noted above and, as a result, will qualify immediately for the designation. Skill Tech Academy will be forwarding letters of congratulations to these individuals in the near future. Designation holders will receive a framed wall certificate, signed by the president and the chair of the board of HRAI, and a Skill Tech Academy wallet card. The designation wallet card will be issued in addition to the existing Skill Tech Certification Wallet Card and it will bear the same expiration date. In order to maintain the RHDT designation, the holder must continue to carry valid certification for all five training programs.

For further information about the RHDT designation, contact Lynn Bartoshuk at lbartoshuk@hrai.ca.

CANADIAN UPDATE

Refrigerant Management Canada (RMC) made available its new brochures and posters. For additional information or brochures, contact April Gucciardo at 866- 622-0209, ext. 239.

Delhi Industries Inc. (Delhi, Ontario) promoted David Thurgood to manager of sales and marketing. He is replacing Dennis Banning, who is retiring.

The Institute of Research in Construction (IRC) is offering seminars on the technical changes in the 2005 National Construction Codes. For more information, visit www.nationalcodes.ca/seminars.

McMillan Refrigeration Limited's (Peterborough, Ontario) owner, Arnold McMillan, passed away.

Statistics Canada (Ottawa, Ontario) released The Market Research Handbook 2005. For more information, visit www.statcan.ca.

Publication date: 03/27/2006