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A battle to override federal efficiency standards for HVAC appliances is being waged on Capitol Hill - and, you guessed it, California is once again leading the charge. In addition, almost 14 states have indicated a desire to supersede federal requirements.

Tattoos and piercings are the norm on young techs. Clothes don’t make the student.

Eliminate moisture source to eliminate mold growth. What’s behind global warming?

There are ways you, as employers, can take a bite out of higher health care costs. Start promoting healthy lifestyles among your employees. Give them incentives to quit smoking and lose weight. Sit down with all of your employees and explain the rising health care costs associated with poor health.

The NEWS thought it would be a good idea to explore just what each segment of the industry (manufacturers, contractors, and associations) is doing to help resolve the HVACR labor shortage problem. I am happy to report that, for the most part, each segment is pitching in.

Who has the tougher time finding qualified technicians - those who hire in the HVAC sector or their counterparts in refrigeration? As far as the refrigeration folks are concerned, there is no contest. Those in the refrigeration sector say they have more trouble.

Maybe the concept of tying energy efficiency to taking cars off of the roads isn’t working very well. We are just too attached to our horseless carriages. Here is a horse of a different color. The color is green.

It’s interesting in our industry that no matter how much change there is, some things seem to stay the same. At contractor meetings five and even 10 years ago, the major topic on everyone’s mind was “where are the technicians of tomorrow going to come from?”

Scientists have told us that there is supposedly more carbon in the atmosphere than at any other point in time so, of course, that makes carbon the culprit in global warming. But what if there’s more to it than that?

The NEWS is bringing back an old feature, starting in this issue. “Ask the Lawyer” has returned and we hope that you can get some of your questions answered in this semi-regular feature. This won’t be free legal advice - only an opinion by an experienced attorney who knows a lot about construction law.