Atlanta—The 2018 ASHRAE Annual Conference technical program will provide practitioners with topical, in-depth educational tracks to optimize the design and performance of buildings. The conference is June 23-27 in Houston. The five-day event includes eight conference tracks, tours, social events and a keynote message from research scientist and author, Dr. Ainissa Ramirez on “Inspiring the Read more
Industry News
Atlanta—The 2018 ASHRAE Annual Conference technical program will provide practitioners with topical, in-depth educational tracks to optimize the design and performance of buildings. The conference is June 23-27 in Houston.
The five-day event includes eight conference tracks, tours, social events and a keynote message from research scientist and author, Dr. Ainissa Ramirez on “Inspiring the Next Generation.” Additionally, 2018-19 ASHRAE President Shelia Hayter, Fellow ASHRAE, will present the Society theme for the coming year during the President’s Luncheon on Monday, June 25.
Registration is now open for the conference which takes place at the Hilton Americas-Houston Hotel and the George R. Brown Convention Center. Early bird registration ends April 30.
“The dynamic and innovative industry of HVAC&R is a reflection of our ever-changing individual, societal and global constructs and demands,” Cindy Moreno, chair of the 2018 ASHRAE Annual Conference, said. “The 2018 Annual ASHRAE Conference aims to provide the setting for a meaningful exchange of knowledge and experience, and the technical program looks to enrich that exchange with a broad spectrum of topics and discussion. We welcome you to join us as we share ideas ranging from basic design fundamentals to specific applications and technologies.”
The need to achieve sustainable buildings in hot and humid climates calls for an understanding of the local climate, and integrating appropriate building technologies into the architectural and urban design. A new and anticipated track at this year’s conference, Residential – Modern Building in Hot and Humid Climates, will discuss how modern residential design and building practices can be integrated into hot and/or humid climates with specific challenges ranging from indoor comfort to ventilation and mold.
Another popular design track, District Energy and Cogeneration Plants, will address how the carbon footprint is being minimized by combining resources. This track takes a look at the advantages and limitations, do’s and don’ts and best practices of utilizing this type of shared system.
Conference Tracks include:
HVAC&R Systems and Equipment
Fundamentals and Applications
District Energy and Cogeneration Plants
HVAC & Resiliency: Safeguarding our World
Residential – Modern Building in Hot and Humid Climates
Professional Skills
Research Summit
HVAC&R Control Freaks
HVAC&R Analytics
ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI) will offer two full-day seminars and eight half-day courses. New courses include: Advance Design for Net Zero Buildings; Latest in High-Performance Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS); Save 30% Complying with Standard 90.1-2013; and Principles and Practices of Thermal Energy Storage Systems for Air Conditioning.
Apply by June 5 to sit for one of six ASHRAE certification exams: Energy Auditing, Energy Modeling, Commissioning, Healthcare Facility Design, High- Performance Building Design and Building Operations.
At this year’s sixth annual Research Summit, an announcement will be made about an exciting collaboration with ASHRAE’s archival research publication, Science and Technology for the Built Environment (STBE).
Learn more and register for the 2018 ASHRAE Annual Conference at www.ashrae.org/houston.
Illustrating the positive impact of tax reform on employees, several representatives from Universal Plumbing & Heating Co. of Las Vegas, Nevada, participated recently in a White House event, during which President Donald Trump spoke about how tax reform is benefiting American workers. “From small family businesses on up, American employers have been able to raise Read more
Illustrating the positive impact of tax reform on employees, several representatives from Universal Plumbing & Heating Co. of Las Vegas, Nevada, participated recently in a White House event, during which President Donald Trump spoke about how tax reform is benefiting American workers.
“From small family businesses on up, American employers have been able to raise wages and increase benefits for their workers as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” President Trump said.
“More than 5.5 million hardworking taxpayers have received bonuses, pay raises and increased benefits as a result of these really massive tax cuts. Millions more are getting higher take-home pay.”
The invitation to Universal came after the company, a member of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC), took to Twitter last month to announce that—with “the @realDonaldTrump tax plan and the success and hard work” of its employees—the company was able to give bonuses to every one of its staff.
As Universal President Rich Kerzetski explained at the Rose Garden event: “After purchasing much-needed trucks, tools and office equipment, which were long overdue, we were excited to share the tax cut benefits with our 35 employees. In addition to seeing increases in their weekly paychecks, we gave bonuses of $500 and $1,000 to all employees. We also increased our workforce by hiring several new employees.” Kertzetski is chair of the PHCC Educational Foundation’s Apprentice Journeyman and Training Committee and is a former member of the PHCC Educational Foundation Board of Directors.
For the representatives of Universal, the White House event was a chance to communicate how the tax reform bill has positively impacted their employees’ lives, including plumbing apprentices John Achzet and James Jamison. Achzet, a second-year apprentice at the company, shared how his bonus helped to pay down medical bills after his newborn had to stay in intensive care for a week. “The doctor bills were coming in from the hospital and we worried about paying them, and Universal Plumbing gave us a $1,000 bonus because of President Trump’s Tax Reform,” Achzet said. The extra money also came in handy for apprentice Jamison, whose car was totaled in a recent accident (and who, coincidentally, also had a newborn in intensive care).
“These are people who were really affected by President Trump’s tax cuts,” Universal Operations Manager Vic Poma said prior to the event. Poma added that, as one of the oldest trade associations in the country, PHCC is really gaining traction among multiple government agencies in Washington. “They give us a platform because of how powerful PHCC is. Likewise, I want PHCC members to know how strong our reputation is with the government.”
In fact, just this past year, PHCC has participated in very productive meetings at the White House and on Capitol Hill to discuss infrastructure needs, deregulation, and the crucial workforce shortage. Says PHCC—National President Laurie Crigler, L&D Associates, Aroda, Virginia: “We are so pleased that, as a result of our work in Washington, D.C.—specifically with the White House—the interests of PHCC members and the industry have been elevated in terms of our visibility with the Administration and national policy makers.”
PHCC members’ next opportunity to bring a unified message to Capitol Hill on issues impacting their businesses, employees, families and communities is the May 22-23 PHCC Legislative Conference.
Uponor North America (Uponor) has been named the 2018 Minnesota Manufacturer of the Year in the large-company category by the Manufacturers Alliance. This is the first time in the association’s history they have honored a company twice. Uponor is being recognized in 2018 for its commitment to sharing expertise with the manufacturing industry and shifting Read more
Uponor North America (Uponor) has been named the 2018 Minnesota Manufacturer of the Year in the large-company category by the Manufacturers Alliance. This is the first time in the association’s history they have honored a company twice. Uponor is being recognized in 2018 for its commitment to sharing expertise with the manufacturing industry and shifting the perception of the industry through:
• Training events and monthly peer meetings with the Manufacturers Alliance, Enterprise Minnesota and Association for Manufacturing Excellence
• Launching an apprenticeship program developed with the Minnesota Department of Industry and Labor
• Internship programs with Minnesota colleges including Dunwoody College of Technology and the Twin Cities Engineering program at the University of Minnesota – Mankato
• Support of STEM initiatives in local schools
• Commitment to Lean and Six Sigma processes, which led to Uponor launching Bronze training in office functions, implementing internal Gold Lean Certification Training in Operations, and incorporating ideas from employees (CIs). Uponor recently celebrated more than 2,000 CIs implemented and conducted 40 kaizen events throughout the entire company. Lean training continued to progress, totaling 415 bronze, 70 silver, and four gold certified employees.
“The positive impact Uponor is making is unprecedented. It is the only company to win the Manufacturers Alliance’s Manufacturer of the Year award twice in the 22 years that the award has been presented,” says Kirby Sneen, vice president of the Manufacturers Alliance. “We were compelled to recognize Uponor’s willingness to share best practices with peers and help strengthen the Minnesota manufacturing community.”
Bill Gray, president of Uponor North America, says, “We are honored to receive this award, especially since we’re receiving it for our commitment to the future of manufacturing and investment in the next generation. The timing is particularly meaningful as this year we also celebrate Uponor’s 100th anniversary, the completion of our 10th expansion on our Apple Valley campus, and the opening of a new plant in Hutchinson this summer.”
The Manufacturers Alliance’s annual Manufacturer of the Year Award recognizes manufacturers that share improvement experiences with their colleagues in a cooperative fashion. Each year, the award is presented in one of three categories – companies with fewer than 100 employees; companies with 100 to 400 employees; and companies with more than 400 employees.
Uponor was previously named the 2013 Manufacturer of the Year in the large-company category, recognizing several lean and operational efficiencies the company had experienced in 2012, including improving overall equipment efficiency by nearly 8 percent; decreasing scrap rates by 9 percent; decreasing variable production cost by more than 6 percent; improving lacquer lines changeover from 3½ hours to 10 minutes; and sharing lean processes with office personnel, resulting in a new product catalog lean process that reduced production costs by 21 percent and production time from 207 days to 30 days.
The award was presented to Uponor on April 12 during a ceremony at the Golden Valley Country Club. The event was followed by an invitation-only “Tour of Excellence” for Manufacturer Alliance members at Uponor North America, located in Apple Valley.
Mount Laurel, N.J. —The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), otherwise known as the HVAC Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Association, announces the elected officers of its Board: Richard Lantz, Mike White, Dan Stradford, Mark Zarzeczny, and April Yungen. “This group of elected officials are true leaders in the industry,” said Jodi Araujo, CEM, NADCA’s Chief Read more
Mount Laurel, N.J. —The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA), otherwise known as the HVAC Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Association, announces the elected officers of its Board: Richard Lantz, Mike White, Dan Stradford, Mark Zarzeczny, and April Yungen.
“This group of elected officials are true leaders in the industry,” said Jodi Araujo, CEM, NADCA’s Chief Staff Executive. “Their commitment to the association and advancing the industry is seen in their dedication to the organization and its members. They are leaders, mentors, and advocates of NADCA’s mission of supporting its members’ success through education, certification, and advocacy to promote the highest quality of service and ethical standards.”
About Richard Lantz, ASCS, CVI – President & Chairman of the Board
Lantz, General Manager/Partner of Virginia Air Duct Cleaners, Inc. in Chesapeake, VA, is a NADCA certified Air Systems Cleaning Specialist (ASCS) and Certified Ventilation Inspector (CVI) with more than 21 years of experience in indoor air quality, HVAC IAQ inspections, and air duct cleaning. He has served on the NADCA Board of Directors since 2012 and is a member of the Executive Committee. He is the Chairman of the Leadership Development Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee and the Editorial Committee. Lantz is also a member of the Fall Technical Conference, CVI Marketing Task Force and Regional Coordinator Committees.
About Mike White, ASCS, CVI – 1st Vice President
Mike White is Vice President of Clean Air Systems of Louisiana, Inc. located in Shreveport, LA and has been a NADCA member since 1990. White has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2011. He is currently Co-Chairman of the Education & Safety Committee. He is also a member of the CVI Marketing Task Force, Fall Tech Conference, and Finance Committees.
About Dan Stradford, ASCS – 2nd Vice President
Dan Stradford is the CEO of Action Duct Cleaning near Los Angeles, CA. He has served on the NADCA Board of Directors since 2012 and currently serves as Chairman of the By-Laws & Policies Procedures Committee, and the Ethics Committee. He has been the chairman and editor for NADCA White Papers since 2012 and has led the effort to develop NADCA’s newest white paper on restoring energy efficiency through HVAC air distribution system cleaning. Stradford is also a member of the Editorial Committee and the Finance Committee.
About Mark Zarzeczny, ASCS – Treasurer
Mark Zarzeczny, owner of Advanced Clean Air Specialists, LLC in Philadelphia, PA, has served on the NADCA Board of Directors since 2014 and currently serves as Chairman of the Annual Meeting Committee, the Industry & Public Relations Committee, and the Anti-Fraud Task Force. He is also a member of the CVI Marketing Task Force and Membership Committee.
About April Yungen, ASCS, CVI – Secretary
April Yungen founded Air Management Industries in 1997, providing commercial air duct cleaning services throughout Southern California, and adding air balancing to its list of services in 2000. Yungen serves as Chair of NADCA’s Certification Committee, Membership Committee, CVI Marketing Task Force Committee, and Regional Coordinators Committee. She is also a member of the of Anti-Fraud Task Force and Editorial Committee. She has served on the Board of Directors since 2015.
Ontario, Calif. —The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) has made the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC®) and Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC®) Technical Committee Meeting Monographs available for download. All individuals anticipating an active role in the ANSI-accredited consensus development of the Uniform Codes at the technical committee meetings in Ontario, Calif., May Read more
Ontario, Calif. —The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) has made the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC®) and Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC®) Technical Committee Meeting Monographs available for download.
All individuals anticipating an active role in the ANSI-accredited consensus development of the Uniform Codes at the technical committee meetings in Ontario, Calif., May 15-18, will want to download these documents in Adobe PDF format from the following URLs:
UPC: http://codes.iapmo.org/docs/2018%20UPC%20TC%20Meeting%20Monograph.pdf
UMC: http://codes.iapmo.org/docs/2018%20UMC%20TC%20Meeting%20Monograph.pdf
Hardcopy versions will not be available at the meetings.
The Technical Committee Meeting Monographs contain every code change proposal submitted for the 2021 editions of the UPC and UMC as part of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited consensus code development process employed by IAPMO.
Topic areas for proposed changes to the UPC include: new reference standards for plumbing fixtures; introduction of new novel products; temperature limitations of fixtures; floor drain requirements for commercial sinks; seismic provisions for gas appliances and equipment; material requirements for water supply and distribution systems; water softeners and water treatment devices; material requirements for drain, waste and vent piping and fittings; backflow prevention devices; sewer cleanouts; assemblies and methods; rehabilitation provisions for building sewer and sewer lateral piping; fuel gas piping material and fitting requirements and test pressure; storm drain material requirements; gray water diversion valves; new engineered roof drainage provisions; circuit venting provisions; healthcare facilities; and legionella risk management provisions.
Topic areas for proposed changes to the UMC include: Installation requirements for listed appliances; guard requirements for roof installations of equipment and appliances; clearance requirements for equipment and appliances; condensate control; transient and nontransient ventilation requirements; carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide detectors for enclosed parking garages; environmental and product conveying air ducts; Type I
and Type II hoods; various provisions for air ducts such as factory-made, thermoplastic and fiberglass reinforced plastics (frp); legionella risk management provisions; decorative appliances; air conditioning systems; refrigeration systems; various hydronic system provisions; fuel gas piping material and fitting requirements and test pressure; and new open- and closed-loop geothermal energy systems provisions.
For specific information about the UPC technical committee, please contact Enrique Gonzalez at (909) 230-5535 or e-mail your question to enrique.gonzalez@iapmo.org. For the UMC technical committee, contact Zalmie Hussein at (909) 218-8122 or e-mail your question to zalmie.hussein@iapmo.org.