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Sirius Mechanical Inc. is in the business of making money and its investment in variable refrigerant flow (VRF) technology is paying off. In June 2005 the company installed its first VRF system. From then on, VRF equipment has been a consistent part of its product offering.

Since the tax credit program became available, all types of geothermal options have been on the minds of the building community. The earth loop, often referred to as the refrigerant loop, may be installed in three different configurations: diagonal, vertical, and horizontal.

While MERV does provide a simple basis for choosing a filter, in order to better understand its in-use performance, we also need to understand some basics about the type of media used in each filter.

In the move to new refrigerants, while the seals, compression ratios, efficiency ratings, and other considerations were painstakingly engineered, other system components were taken for granted. So the refrigerants changed, but what about the standards governing products that transport and contain those refrigerants?

There are many ways that HVAC contractors can market high-end furnaces to consumers, either by emphasizing the quality and uniqueness behind the name brand or by pointing out the many high-tech features that homeowners hear so much about.

After much debate, new regional standards for HVAC equipment have become a reality. On Oct. 25, the Department of Energy (DOE) confirmed that it adopted new residential appliance standards for central air conditioners, furnaces, and heat pumps.

For 2011, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and The NEWS are honoring Scott Naill as the HVACR Best Instructor. He has been teaching for 17 years at the Upper Valley Career Center, and his commitment to go the extra mile for his students and his program set him apart from the crowd.

What once was an inviting $1,500 tax credit is now a return to the traditional selling methods of explaining features and benefits of high efficiency products to homeowners. While it may be necessary to shift gears to a new selling strategy, some things still remain the same.

Baseball, home runs, and winning games were the general theme of The Unified Group’s Sales Forum. You could extend the metaphor and call the forum a training camp, where attendees were able to work in small, noncompeting groups with experienced coaches.

According to former student Joe Bates, “Mr. [Boyd] King lives and breathes HVACR. He really knows how to connect with students, and he will do anything he can to help a student.” And that helps to explain why The NEWS is honoring King as runner-up in the 2011 Best Instructor Contest.