It seems as though every day, there is some new "eco-friendly," "good-for-the-environment," "green" product or service on the market. In fact, I'd argue that in the HVACR industry, we're seeing about one every hour! But at the end of the day, these green "innovations" are only valuable if :
a.) your customers want this type of unit/service/technology; and
b.) you have personnel capable of properly installing and servicing this equipment.
The need for qualified, well-trained industry pros helping provide energy-efficient indoor comfort is nothing new. I attended FRACCA's 2010 Educational Conference down in Orlando, FL, last weekend, and over and over, the topic of quality installation was addressed. HARDI vice president Talbot Gee (who has a pretty good blog that you may want to check out here) was the event's keynote speaker, and in his talk he shared with contractors just how important quality installation is going to be to any future tax incentives and breaks our industry might see.
That point is one I couldn't agree more with. The much-discussed HOMESTAR program - "Cash for Caulkers" if you will - is a topic that the industry is watching closely. Yet many feel that the only way that any incentives or breaks will be extended to the home-improvement/construction sectors (at least in the HVACR department) is going to be results-based. That means that contractors and technicians are going to have to perform initial performance tests, install and improve upon the building and its air-movement systems, and then test the building again. The amount of improvement will then determine how much of a rebate the contractor will be entitled to (and the savings that they can in turn pass along to the homeowner).
Again, much of this is still in discussion stages, and NOTHING has been set in stone, but this is a model that is being looked at more and more. Stay tuned to see what is coming down the pike next. The odds are, it won't take long for it to get here.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Connectivity Connundrums
In today's fast-paced world, it seems that we have new indviduals coming in and out of our lives more often than a Holiday Inn. That may well be due to the fact that in this day and age, we are perhaps more interconnected than ever before.
Think about that for a minute. Or perhaps, think back to your last vacation (I know...for some of us out there, it might be tough to recall). We're you REALLY taking a break from the day-to-day 8-6 work schedule? Or did you still finding yourself answering phone calls on your cell phone? Responding to work e-mails in the hotel? Replying to text messages or service requests on your Blackberry? No matter where we are or what we're doing, work always seems to be nearby. Getting "off the grid" has never been more difficult.
In my Heating Up column in the March 2010 issue of the RSES Journal, I discussed how in this fragmented world of digital media, YouTube, blogs, Webinars and, of course, print (no, it is NOT dead!), it's more difficult than ever as a publisher to figure out exactly how people want to receive information. That's because not only is it hard to discover how people are willing to accept content, but it is even HARDER to figure out how they share it with others.
The social-media landscape has forever transformed how information is reported and shared. Ten years ago, before the world of YouTube and Facebook, and when there was no mobile video or instantly accesible Web content on a handheld device, we called someone when we heard news we wanted to share. We perhaps logged on with a dial-up connection to send an e-mail via America Online to one of our friends about some article we read.
Now, information is posted instantaneously. We can find out the latest news, product information, etc., with the scroll of a track ball on our PDA. This is both a blessing...and a curse.
It's terrific because there are so many applications in the world of mobile media and information that the HVACR industry can take advantage of. Instaneous updates from job sites. The opportunity to take photos of a system and upload them immediately to engineers or designers thousands of miles away. Downloadable system specifications or equipment information that can help technicians troubleshoot a unit in the field (how cool is that!).
But we also run the risk of being too connected. We have to know when it's time for us to "unplug" and take time for ourselves. Our families. Our friends. Our mental self-preservation. It's exactly why when I go for a long run, the Blackberry is no where near my person (though I do have an iPod to help pass the miles!).
And some of my best editorial ideas and concepts have come when I'm on the road, away from the calls, e-mails and text messages. Maybe I need to go off the grid more often?!
Think about that for a minute. Or perhaps, think back to your last vacation (I know...for some of us out there, it might be tough to recall). We're you REALLY taking a break from the day-to-day 8-6 work schedule? Or did you still finding yourself answering phone calls on your cell phone? Responding to work e-mails in the hotel? Replying to text messages or service requests on your Blackberry? No matter where we are or what we're doing, work always seems to be nearby. Getting "off the grid" has never been more difficult.
In my Heating Up column in the March 2010 issue of the RSES Journal, I discussed how in this fragmented world of digital media, YouTube, blogs, Webinars and, of course, print (no, it is NOT dead!), it's more difficult than ever as a publisher to figure out exactly how people want to receive information. That's because not only is it hard to discover how people are willing to accept content, but it is even HARDER to figure out how they share it with others.
The social-media landscape has forever transformed how information is reported and shared. Ten years ago, before the world of YouTube and Facebook, and when there was no mobile video or instantly accesible Web content on a handheld device, we called someone when we heard news we wanted to share. We perhaps logged on with a dial-up connection to send an e-mail via America Online to one of our friends about some article we read.
Now, information is posted instantaneously. We can find out the latest news, product information, etc., with the scroll of a track ball on our PDA. This is both a blessing...and a curse.
It's terrific because there are so many applications in the world of mobile media and information that the HVACR industry can take advantage of. Instaneous updates from job sites. The opportunity to take photos of a system and upload them immediately to engineers or designers thousands of miles away. Downloadable system specifications or equipment information that can help technicians troubleshoot a unit in the field (how cool is that!).
But we also run the risk of being too connected. We have to know when it's time for us to "unplug" and take time for ourselves. Our families. Our friends. Our mental self-preservation. It's exactly why when I go for a long run, the Blackberry is no where near my person (though I do have an iPod to help pass the miles!).
And some of my best editorial ideas and concepts have come when I'm on the road, away from the calls, e-mails and text messages. Maybe I need to go off the grid more often?!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Not Just Hot Air
The green movement has been a pillar of the HVACR industry for decades. Within our organization (RSES-the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society), the running joke here is that we were "green" before it became the "in" thing to do.
And that's more important than ever, because the reality is that a building's heating and cooling needs account for the largest expenditure (in most cases) of energy. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that 43% of home energy use goes toward space heating and cooling. Energy audits and other proactive energy saving tips are all things that service professionals should share with customers. A great place to start is the DOE's Energy Savers page, where technicians and contractors can get statistics; offer advice to homeowners about how to conduct an energy audit (or get them thinking about having a professional conduct one for them!); and get helpful links and other energy-efficient tips.
But that energy that we're trying to save has to come from somewhere. And the sad reality is, the U.S. is not in a mad dash to build more coal-fired powerplants to generate our seeming insatiable need for electricity. Existing oil-fired plants are being converted to coal - or have been decommissioned and taken offline completely. Nuclear energy is always a dicey topic, whether it involves finding a potential location for a facility or the fallout (no pun intended) from the public about the storage or transportation of spent nuclear fuel.
That is perhaps why other "alternative" energy programs, such as geothermal and wind-power, are moving more toward the forefront. For example, South Dakota continues to invest in wind energy, and as this article notes, the state is now the third largest supplier of wind-generated energy in the U.S. Programs like this not only provide the U.S. with excellent alternatives to reliance on foreign oil, but also provide a platform to develop new green technologies right here at home.
What does this mean for the average HVACR professional? In simple terms, it helps them sell and install more energy-efficient products and services. Because if the cost of energy can be curtailed AND you can sell a homeowner on high-SEER, high-efficiency equipment, everyone wins. Especially that antiquated power grid of ours...but I'll save that for another blog...
And that's more important than ever, because the reality is that a building's heating and cooling needs account for the largest expenditure (in most cases) of energy. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that 43% of home energy use goes toward space heating and cooling. Energy audits and other proactive energy saving tips are all things that service professionals should share with customers. A great place to start is the DOE's Energy Savers page, where technicians and contractors can get statistics; offer advice to homeowners about how to conduct an energy audit (or get them thinking about having a professional conduct one for them!); and get helpful links and other energy-efficient tips.
But that energy that we're trying to save has to come from somewhere. And the sad reality is, the U.S. is not in a mad dash to build more coal-fired powerplants to generate our seeming insatiable need for electricity. Existing oil-fired plants are being converted to coal - or have been decommissioned and taken offline completely. Nuclear energy is always a dicey topic, whether it involves finding a potential location for a facility or the fallout (no pun intended) from the public about the storage or transportation of spent nuclear fuel.
That is perhaps why other "alternative" energy programs, such as geothermal and wind-power, are moving more toward the forefront. For example, South Dakota continues to invest in wind energy, and as this article notes, the state is now the third largest supplier of wind-generated energy in the U.S. Programs like this not only provide the U.S. with excellent alternatives to reliance on foreign oil, but also provide a platform to develop new green technologies right here at home.
What does this mean for the average HVACR professional? In simple terms, it helps them sell and install more energy-efficient products and services. Because if the cost of energy can be curtailed AND you can sell a homeowner on high-SEER, high-efficiency equipment, everyone wins. Especially that antiquated power grid of ours...but I'll save that for another blog...
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