Indoor air quality (IAQ) is one of the hottest topics of conversation these days. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused consumer interest in IAQ to skyrocket, which is something many HVAC manufacturers are trying to make the most of. RGF Environmental Group Inc. is ahead of the curve in that regard, because they have been designing, engineering, manufacturing, and distributing indoor air quality solutions since 1985.
An AHR Expo veteran, RGF has displayed its products at the show as an exhibitor for about 15 years, said Lisa Schutz, national sales manager for RGF’s air division. She expressed how grateful the company was to be able to attend the Expo again, after a year away. They were able to reconnect with partners and people that they haven’t had the opportunity to see since the start of the pandemic.
DISPLAY: AHR attendees take a look at the new products displayed at RGF’s booth. (Staff photo)
“We kind of get wrapped up in the normalcy of the Expo all the time, but then when it's taken away, it’s difficult,” said Schutz.
Although RGF manufactures air, food, and water purification systems, Schutz said the company’s primary focus for this year’s Expo is air, especially given the recent increase in IAQ awareness. The focus on air also coincides with RGF’s current campaign, “Clean Air is Life,” which aims to place an emphasis on the importance of IAQ and help motivate contractors to start offering the service to homeowners. The campaign has gone global through RGF’s international division.
“We're doing this globally because the entire world can relate to this, with everything we're going through with the pandemic,” Schutz explained.
IAQ Products
RGF was able to continue marketing virtually through the pandemic, but the Expo granted them the ability to meet with customers one-on-one to talk about their new innovations. While there was a lot of interest in the company’s new commercial division and commercial UV lamps, Schutz said their core products were their REME HALO and HALO LED whole-home, in-duct air purifiers.
PRODUCTS: At this year’s Expo, RGF’s core products were their REME HALO and HALO LED whole home, in-duct air purifiers. (Staff photos)
The REME HALO, which is California Air Resources Board (CARB) certified, produces low levels of hydrogen peroxide in the air, which circulates through an air conditioning system and indoor spaces. The HALO LED provides the same benefits but possesses the ability to turn off and on as the air flows through the unit, saving energy. The HALO LED lasts 2.5 times longer than the REME HALO and is verified zero ozone. Both products reduce viruses, bacteria, odors, and mold spores in the air and on surfaces.
According to Schutz, RGF’s approach to marketing is to train contractors on the advantages of RGF’s products and technologies, and how to effectively pass that information along to homeowners. She said many technicians are not aware about how to start that conversation with their clients, which is why RGF focuses on getting that information out there in the most convenient way. Schutz also explained the necessity of outside competition.
“Competition is good. It's good for the industry as a whole for people to see that there's all these different manufacturers in the industry — the awareness just grows that way,” said Schutz.
