When it comes to recruiting young people to the trade, it was refreshing to witness the 2007 Student Chapter Summit. The event gave me some hope that at least one industry group, namely the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA), is putting its money where its mouth is.
The green movement is officially going full throttle. I say that because a story concerning a “green” home graced page 1 of a recent edition of the Belleville (Ill.) News-Democrat, the local conservative community newspaper.
If an HVACR contractor is to truly provide solid comfort and energy savings for a homeowner or building owner, the contractor has to do more than just install or repair the air conditioning system and/or furnace system.
For contractors who have not accepted smart HVAC for whatever reason, David Richardson asks that each look in the mirror. “Humbling yourself is the first step that must be taken before you can really get started down the diagnostic road.”
Smart HVAC is happening now. Call it an industry trend, if you want to, but know that contractors who have adopted and embraced ever-more sophisticated tools, equipment, and processes are currently ahead of the curve.
Mark
Sapaugh admits he can certainly talk. Spend
a little over an hour with the 47-year-old and you will know, unequivocally,
that the jovial Sapaugh has a solid “gift of gab.” But, you will also find out
that behind that motor mouth is one heckuva counter person.
This industry is far, far too fragmented. But contractor, manufacturer, and wholesale/distributor associations and organizations show a heckuva lot more unity today than, say, 10 years ago.
The NEWS has been following the educational path of 24-year-old HVACR student Brad Bartz since he stepped into Ranken Technical College in St. Louis last fall. This is another in a series of reports on Bartz’s career path progress.
Industry-wide statistics indicate that through June of this year, about five out of every six air conditioners and condensing units sold to homeowners were 13 SEER. According to the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), the average SEER rating for unitary air conditioners sold through June is 13.66. That’s a substantial jump from the 13.07 SEER average for all unitary units sold in 2006.
Prior to Aug. 4 of this year, I did not know that a Vito Joseph DeLeo existed. That’s all changed now. And it’s all because I, along with a few other slow-moving tourists, missed the ferry back from Staten Island to New York City that recent hot afternoon.