Those looking to escape to sunnier destinations this winter might be wise to check out the 2011 Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigerating (AHR) Expo in Las Vegas. A primary focus will be solar energy, with numerous new solar products on display, more than a dozen seminars focused on solar topics, as well as demonstrations of solar technology.
Highlighting the importance of finding balance in design, this year’s American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers’ (ASHRAE) Winter Conference will focus on zero-energy design and greening the industry. The program will include paper-related sessions, application-oriented, non-paper seminars, and open discussion forums.
The HVAC industry got a Christmas gift from the federal government in late 2010, when those energy efficiency tax credits were approved for one more year - although at the lower level of $500. Contractors have been using the credits to help give replacements and upgrades a quicker payback.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is predicting continued recovery for 2011. So is Ben Bernanke, chairman of the board of governors of the Federal Reserve System, and so are many of the contractors with whom The NEWS discussed 2011 predictions late last year. These contractors offer economic and industry predictions, as well as business tips for first quarter 2011.
One of the most interesting and talked about topics in the HVAC trade is technician selling. The question is: Should an HVAC technician be trained to sell HVAC equipment and supplies? That question has sparked debate among the trade for many years. The result is that there is no definitive right or wrong answer to the question.
IBE Consulting Engineers (IBE), a leading mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering firm, announced the addition of Beckham Price, LEED AP, as sustainable services manager. An early adopter of sustainable building practices, Price has worked in construction management from both the client and contractor sides.
Aaron Rittenhouse is the senior solutions account executive with Brady Energy Services, a company that provides energy systems and building solutions for commercial and industrial facilities across North Carolina. The commercial-industrial-institutional contractor is preparing to become more deeply entrenched in the geothermal market.
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