Opening the lid on cap and trade

There is a lot of interest brewing right now in Washington on the issue of climate-change and energy-efficiency legislation. While health-care reform seems to have the nation's eye and ear on every nightly news program, the HVACR industry is staring at the possibility of some dramatic shifts in how it will have to do business - and if an HFC phasedown becomes a reality, find a whole new way to provide comfort for businesses and homeowners.

Various committees are working on pieces of legislation that people, at least from the Democratic side of the aisle, hope will come together next year in a version that will pass both houses of Congress and receive Presidential approval.

When it comes to "cap and trade," much uncertainty remains, though the committee presently working on that portion of the bill has language that will set a base of production/consumption allowances based on HCFC and HFC useage statistics from 04-06. Those allowances would then be "auctioned" off at a growing rate over the next 20 or more years.

The problem with this may be twofold though. One, if Congress realizes that money can be made from these auctions, the Treasury Department and related finance committees could become even more involved in the process - potentially slowing any legislative moves down.

Secondly, the cap and trade program proposal allows a so-called "secondary pool" of allowances. This would allow different groups - including, potentially, those who would have no use for HFC products (speculators, if you will) - to purchase those allowances. Presently, no language exists to force those purchasers to use the allowances for their intent. This certainly could change, but it bears watching.

Just another day in Washington, D.C. for the HVACR trade. Those halcyon days when legislative oversight was hard to find...those, my friends, are long gone.

The Drive to Move NATE

For many out there in the realm of the HVACR industry, the acronym of NATE (North American Technician Excellence) is synonymous with the trade. And what's even more exciting is that while NATE certainly has made a push to promote itself to consumers via a customer-focused Web site (featuring more information on why NATE-certified technicians are who you want to call to service your equipment, where you can find a NATE-certified firm, etc.), the organization is looking at more ways to engage the industry as a whole to promote the role of training and certification - something that is long overdue.

RSES has long held to the belief that while some in the industry put an emphasis on their training and development because they know it's the right thing to do - and will help them grow their businesses and provide better service to customers - many others do not. Putting more focus on training, development and...gulp...the requirement of certification in the industry is something that will in the long-run benefit the HVACR industry as a whole.

NATE is introducing a group of Industry Councils, comprising groups that include manufacturers, distributors, teachers and contractors, with the hope that these groups will be able to help push the organization to further the development and growth of technician training and education. RSES is helping to lead this charge, and will be looking for technicians to weigh in with their ideas to the Technician's Council. Different Member groups will be meeting during various industry events and conferences, and the Technician Council will meet via conference call and informal meetings several times before RSES hosts its annual conference in Tuscon, AZ, next year - where the Technician Council will host a meeting.

The notion that we don't need certification in this industry is lost on me. I'm not saying that we need to have every element of the industry regulated or watched by five different committee's. However, it also is apparent that a PROPERLY REGULATED and CERTIFIED HVACR industry will benefit all parties...consumers, contractors and, most importantly, technicians.