In this age of information, homeowners are more educated than ever before. How could they not be when the answers to their questions are a simple Google search away?

Not all millennials fit the cookie-cutter mold that they’ve been lumped into. Instead, find new ways to challenge the younger generation that helps them succeed, and, in doing so, your company will succeed as well.

Rick Haller, CEO of Lititz, Pennsylvania-based Haller Enterprises Inc., jokes that he got his start in the HVAC industry at the ripe age of 16 because the labor laws were different than they are nowadays. In 1981, at age 23, he had left that company and started his own business, operating out of his garage.

State and local regulations are driving new building construction as well as existing buildings to implement energy-efficient technologies in order to meet future carbon emissions reduction goals. These facilities, known as high-performance buildings, strive to deliver optimal efficiency, reliability, value, and comfort to tenants.

On Dec. 31, 2016, the 30 percent residential and 10 percent commercial federal tax credits for geothermal heat pumps expired while credits for solar and wind were extended.

Energy Star certification is an important distinction for HVAC manufacturers’ products to achieve. The designation recognizes highly efficient performance, and 2017’s list of the most efficient boilers delivers a bevy of products from a wide range of manufacturers.

Joe Carone, an instructor for the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART) Local 265, in Carol Stream, Illinois, was chosen as The NEWS’ 2017 Best Instructor.

If you’re a technician working in the Northwestern U.S., you’ve likely heard of David Norman. Chances are you may even have his phone number. The 58-year-old instructor has built quite a reputation as the go-to guy for HVACR technical problems in the region.

The NEWS is accepting nominations for its annual Best Contractor to Work For contest. Each year, The NEWS’ editors honor great companies who have done a phenomenal job when it comes to taking care of their employees and truly making their businesses the best places to work.

TransUnion reported credit card balances increased 7.4 percent to $693 billion, and personal lending balances increased 9.7 percent to $102 billion from the previous year in its first quarter “2017 Industry Insights Report.”