PROGRAM OFFERINGS

Mark Menzer, vice president of engineering and research for ARI, and Phil Jeffers, president and COO of Energy Design Systems in Exton, Pa., presented details of the ARI-Certified Performance program.

It is unique in that customers may now be presented with written documentation of matched indoor and outdoor system performance. The certified ratings are valid only for particular combinations of indoor and outdoor units listed in the ARI Directory of Certified Equipment.

In the age of 13 SEER, this written assurance comes at a time when residential and light commercial customers can be expected to have questions regarding proper condensing unit and evaporator unit matches.

Also discussed in the session was the replacement of the current ARI PrimeNet online directory with the new online Applied Directory of Unitary Equipment.

The new directory software provides the capability to create the Certificate of ARI-Certified Performance, and also a Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) listing of utility rebate programs. The information on this site is the source that the Energy Star program will use to verify ratings for its incentive programs.

Robert Snyder, The Fedeli Group, and Aaron McQueen, Esq. of Roetzel & Andress, presented a session on how to protect against mold exposure. The topic has been especially important in the last two years, when nearly all the major insurance carriers have dropped mold-related coverage.

Snyder noted, "While it is unfortunate that contractors responding to the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast may potentially face litigation for their efforts, contractors nevertheless must be aware of the long-term mold and other indoor air quality environmental risks."

The Fedeli Group is the ACCA Insurance Services administrator; Snyder is alerting all contractor members in the Gulf region, or those responding from anywhere in the country, to be aware of possible bodily injury and property damage claims that may ensue in the aftermath of the hurricanes.

The opening session of the event featured Israel G. Torres, director - Arizona registrar of contractors. As the governor's appointee, Torres has the responsibility of regulating the activities of more than 50,000 licensed commercial and residential contractors. The agency's mission is to promote quality construction by Arizona contractors through a licensing and regulatory system designed to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

Torres shared stories of how the state of Arizona is fighting the tough battle to maintain proper licensing in a state where economic growth is spawning new illegal contractors in record numbers.

For more information, visit www.acca.org.

Publication date: 01/16/2006