What if cars drove themselves? How would this impact your contracting business? Based on many accounts and reports, self-driving cars, also known as autonomous vehicles, are on the cusp of breaking into the mainstream.

I’ll admit, I’m an avid Google user. I use Google search for just about everything — when I need to figure out a song lyric; look up a movie; find local restaurants; get directions; and especially when I need a witty, wise-guy meme or GIF to respond to my boss’s email.

IAQ problems don’t exist just in homes. In fact, there is an increasing awareness about the importance of IAQ among not only commercial building owners and facility managers but also non-industry professionals as well.

The internet has changed everything from how people interact with each other to how they get from place to place to even how they shop.

On average, Americans spend over 90 percent of their time indoors where concentrations of some pollutants can be two to five times higher than typical outdoor concentrations, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a tricky thing. Numerous studies and papers on the topic have been published over the years, so benefits of good IAQ in buildings are well known — healthier, more productive workers. However, the symptoms related to poor IAQ can be mistaken for symptoms of other illnesses, such as allergies, stress, colds, and the flu.

Pennsylvania is a state rich in history. It was one of the original 13 colonies and is the home of the famous Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the 103-year-old HVAC contracting company, HB McClure.

As homeowners become increasingly aware of home performance and the benefits it offers, home-performance contractors must continue to find ways to promote and differentiate themselves from their competitors. Training and certification is a crucial differentiator, and it has the added bonus of making contractors more trustworthy to prospective customers.

I had the privilege of attending the 14th annual — and first stand-alone — Women in HVACR (WHVACR) conference last month. It was an amazing event. The energy was high, the presenters were on-point, and I left feeling inspired by the strength and the knowledge of the women I met.

The home energy market is heating up with the steadily increasing number of homes that have undergone energy ratings by certified professionals. The Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) recently announced that more than 2 million homes in the U.S. have now been rated with a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index Score, which is designed to measure a home’s energy efficiency. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has completed 71,352 Home Energy Score ratings as of Sept. 17 — 25 percent of which have been conducted since Jan. 1.