Brad Bolino, division president of John J. Kirlin Inc. in Rockville, Md., was installed as the new chairman of the Mechanical Service Contractors of America's (MSCA) board of managers during the 20th annual MSCA conference.

Armstrong Hot Water Group, a division of Armstrong International, has announced the appointment of Mechanical Solutions, South Windsor, Conn., as a Hot Water Group Specialist representing its full range of water temperature controls in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Industrial Controls Distributors LLC, a distributor of HVAC and process instrumentation and valves, has hired Joe Colangelo as an account manager for its New York City office.

Summertime swimmers at Rahway Branch YMCA had been complaining that the indoor pool was too hot. It was determined that the water's temperature would rise because there was no air conditioning or modern mechanical dehumidification in the natatorium. In short, the pool water had turned into a heat sink for the surrounding air.

Staff and family members of Meier Supply Co. Inc. teamed up this summer to assist Broome County Habitat for Humanity with a home restoration project. Crews worked for two consecutive Saturdays, a team of 11 the first week and eight the second.

The Sheraton New York has begun using electricity and heat generated by a fuel cell installed under the distributed generation program of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The 250-kW, natural gas-powered unit at the flagship Starwood Hotel represents the first New York City hotel to adopt the technology.

The Plumbing and Mechanical Professionals of Virginia (PMPV) has announced its endorsement of the Service Roundtable, Dallas. Service Roundtable, in turn, has endorsed the contractor group. The two organizations said they intend to work together to advance contracting excellence in Virginia.

The Nassau/Suffolk (N.Y.) chapter of the National Association of Oil Heat Service Managers (NAOHSM), for a second time, offered a raffle to the ISH show in Frankfurt, Germany, for 2005.

Thanks to a new initiative called "Home Performance with Energy Star®," New Jersey contractors can help their customers' reduce energy bills and seal up drafty rooms, according to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.

In New Jersey, an architect, general contractor, and mechanical contractor worked in concert to make a natatorium's design and HVAC system work while keeping its aesthetics and a clear view of the mountains.