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May 17, 2013

Education

Contracting Business

Geothermal Guide First in RSES 'Sustainability Series'

RSES’ Understanding Geothermal Systems is the first title in the RSES Sustainability Series. It was introduced at the RSES Conference and HVACR Technology Expo, in conjunction with the RSES Mid-Southeast Regional Association Conference, in late 2012. ...More

May 16, 2013

News

Don't Look if You're Afraid of Heights!

What will be the Westin Cleveland Downtown Hotel is undergoing a $64 million renovation. Due to open in April, 2014, the 484-room hotel will feature work by more than 1,000 Cleveland artists. Ohio-based Marous Brothers Construction, Designer/Builder on the project, began remodeling the property in December 2013. Brewer-Garrett of Cleveland is the mechanical contractor.

May 16, 2013

News

Contracting Business

John Kruk, MLB All-Star and ESPN Analyst to Keynote Comfortech 2013

In his presentation, “I’m Not a Keynote Speaker, I’m a Ballplayer,” Kruk will entertain the audience with stories from the “big leagues” and how his career arc relates to the mechanical systems contractor....More

May 15, 2013

News

Phil Gin Named CFO/COO at Polar Technology

Polar Technology officials announced the hiring of Phil Gin, recently of Baker Distributing, fulfilling the dual role of chief financial officer and chief operating officer....More

May 13, 2013

Article

Contracting Business

Service Clinic: Effective Refrigerant Recovery Techniques

It's one of the most common yet essential tasks service technicians perform each day. Here's how to make refrigerant recovery fast and efficient....More

May 10, 2013

News

Contracting Business

ASHRAE Annual Conference June 22-26; Features Building Efficiency, Research Summit

A new Research Summit, which comprises a major portion of the technical program with some 30 sessions scheduled, 22 of which are paper-based sessions—brings together distinguished researchers to present and discuss the latest research results, innovative research techniques and forecast future research directions....More

May 9, 2013

Article

Contracting Business

Trane Team Completes Major Analysis and Upgrade of Commercial Building's Chiller Plant

Trane replaced the four existing centrifugal chillers in the building’s west tower, as well as the chilled water condenser water pumps and the cooling towers located on the roof of the building....More

May 9, 2013

News

Contracting Business

Southland Industries Wins High Profile Projects

The SLS Hotel and Casino renovation consists of three hotel towers. The Holy Cross Hospital expansion includes a 232,000 square foot patient tower. The National Museum of African American History and Culture will total more than 400,000 sq. ft....More

May 8, 2013

News

Contracting Business

Mechanical Sales to Distribute Inpro/Seal Bearings and System Protection Products

Inpro/Seal’s CDR increases reliability on motors and coupled equipment by protecting the bearings from harmful VFD -induced shaft currents....More

May 8, 2013

News

Contracting Business

NEBB Donates $10,000 to ASHRAE Research

ASHRAE Golden Circle is made up of investors who contributed $10,000 or more to ASHRAE research. Golden Circle investors contributed more than 10% of the total amount of funds collected for research....More

May 1, 2013

Video

Contracting Business

Video Greeting from Steve Wright Sr., the Commercial Refrigeration Contractor of the Year

Steve Wright is president of Wright Brothers, Inc., based in Griffin, GA. Wright and his 30 employees perform refrigeration installation and service for customers within a 100-mile radius. Wright and his wife Beverly started the company in 1976....More

May 7, 2013

News

Contracting Business

Danfoss Supports New Energy-Efficiency Legislation from Senators Shaheen and Portman

Danfoss, Baltimore, MD, recently issued a press release in support of The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2013, S.761. The bill was recently reintroduced by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Rob Portman (R-OH). ...More

May 3, 2013

Article

Contracting Business

Survey Says: Design/Build!

Our survey of mechanical HVAC contractors finds that the Design/Build method of HVAC project fulfillment is generally alive and well....More

May 2, 2013

Commentary

Contracting Business

COMMENTARY: In Its 100th Anniversary Year, Trane Looks at the Future of Better Building Performance

While the efficiency of commercial buildings has improved significantly in recent decades, the building industry has only begun to tap the energy reserves trapped in underperforming facilities, according to Trane, a global provider of indoor comfort solutions and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand....More

May 2, 2013

Article

EMCOR Group, Inc. Presents Diamond Award to William Koch Jr. of Forest Electric NJ

Recipients of the Diamond Award are selected based on performance that is special, admirable, and enriches the lives of many. Twenty-four of these awards have been presented since the program was initiated in 1998....More

Apr. 24, 2013

Article

Contracting Business

2013 National Commercial Refrigeration Contractor of the Year: Wright Brothers, Inc. is On a Mission to Serve

Our 2013 Commercial Refrigeration Contractor of the Year is guided by faith first, followed by a commitment to customers and employee well-being....More

May 1, 2013

News

Contracting Business

Breaking News: Federal Court Grants Motion to Stay Furnace Rules

The Department of Energy (DOE) can no longer apply the furnace efficiency standards that were to go into effect today: May 1,2013, at least until the industry lawsuit is settled....More

May 1, 2013

Article

Contracting Business

Positive Online Reviews: An Essential Element of Success

In the age of social media, positive online reviews can make your company — and negative one can break it. What kinds of reviews are you getting?...More

May 1, 2013

Article

Contracting Business

Keep Your Commercial Clients Satisfied

Keeping commercial customers happy is a 24/7 job; are you doing all you can to ensure their satisfaction?...More

May 1, 2013

Article

Contracting Business

HVAC Pressure Controllers: A Big Switch Is Taking Place

Low pressure controllers using electronics are taking over the HVACR contracting world, especially in refrigeration applications. It's been going on for years, yet there is still some resistence to it....More

Apr. 30, 2013

News

PHOTO GALLERY: MCAA Pre-Fab 2013 Company Tour, Cleveland, OH

The Mechanical Contractors Association of America held its 2013 Pre-Fab Conference in Cleveland, OH, April 24-26. Three leading HVAC/plumbing firms — Neptune Plumbing, S.A. Communale, and Smith & Oby Company — provided tours of their prefabrication shops. It was a very educational day for about 200 contractors.

Apr. 29, 2013

News

Contracting Business

Mitsubishi Electric Adds Training Centers in Chicago, Orlando

Both the Orlando and Chicago facilities offer hands-on service and field courses for Mitsubishi Electric’s residential, light commercial and commercial product lines, as well as application workshops....More

Apr. 29, 2013

News

Contracting Business

RectorSeal Acquires Three Brands; to Be Marketed by New Rep Network

RectorSeal Corp., Houston, a leading manufacturer and U.S. distributor of quality HVACR products, has introduced a line of Engineered HVACR products to design professionals through a nationwide network of bid/spec manufacturer's representatives....More

Apr. 29, 2013

News

Contracting Business

RectorSeal Acquires Novent

RectorSeal sources say acquisition, plus the recent development of its own GasGuard locking cap brand, now positions RectorSeal as the market-share leading manufacturer for one of the HVACR industry’s fastest growing market....More

Apr. 29, 2013

News

Contracting Business

BACnet International Announces New Board Members

The board will be comprised of seven executives, including: Andy McMillan, Brad Hill, Paul Jordan, Roland Laird, Raymond Rae, Nancy Stein, and Michael R. Wilson....More

Apr. 24, 2013

Article

Contracting Business

Improved Testing for Compressors Affected by Vibration

When GEA Grasso, a Dutch component manufacturer for industrial refrigeration installations, considered improving its testing systems for compressor measurements, they turned to LMS for a more integrated and flexible data acquisition and analyzer system....More

Apr. 24, 2013

Article

Control Systems Group Meeting Includes Discussion of Protocols, Chiller Controls Retrofits

The meeting included highly technical roundtable discussions on BACNet and LON integration, Chiller systems integration and optimization, Chiller control retrofits, Niagra (Tridium) framework utilization, and best practices....More

Apr. 23, 2013

News

Contracting Business

Control Retrofits, Refrigerants on Docket During Chiller Systems Group Meeting

The meeting included highly technical roundtable discussions on Micro Control Systems (MCS) control retrofits, new refrigerant strategies, and Turbocor technology....More

Apr. 22, 2013

News

Contracting Business

MCAA's 'Unconventional' Convention

Nothing prepares you for the coming busy season like networking with 2,000 of your friends, soaking up a week of learning, and having some fun while doing it. That's the way they roll at MCAA, and this year's annual convention was no exception....More

Apr. 17, 2013

News

Contracting Business

Engineered Controls, Inc. Named Honeywell's 'Contractor of the Year' at Momentum Conference

Engineered Controls Inc., with offices in Lincoln and Omaha, NE and Clive, IA, has received Honeywell’s “2012 Contractor of the Year” Award....More

Apr. 16, 2013

News

Contracting Business

DMA Applied Controls is Honeywell's 'Canadian Contractor of the Year'

DMA Applied Controls has continued to provide integration leadership for their region and has grown their business in several segments, including healthcare and school districts....More

Apr. 15, 2013

Article

Contracting Business

Know The Benefits of A Driver Safety Policy

A driver safety policy may affect several areas of a business, from vehicle insurance rates, worker compensation claims and risk exposure to reducing downtime due to worker injuries and vehicle repairs....More

Apr. 2, 2013

Article

Contracting Business

ClimateCraft, Nashville Machine Bring New Air Handling System to Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Mechanical systems engineers at the university were primarily concerned with completing the project as quickly as possible, and ideally over the course of a single weekend, as the facility itself supported important ongoing research....More

Apr. 11, 2013

Article

Source Refrigeration & HVAC Acquires Fournier Air Conditioning of Florida

The acquisition builds on Source’s strong platform as the leading independent provider of commercial refrigeration and HVAC services in North America, serving the nation's top supermarket chains, many of the largest convenience store chains, and leading telecom and industrial companies....More

Apr. 10, 2013

Article

Contracting Business

Now There Are Two Ways to Enter HVAC Projects in ContractingBusiness.com Quality Home Comfort Awards

Submitting projects to the ContractingBusiness.com Quality Home Comfort Awards just became a lot easier. Beginning this week, residential HVAC contractors can now use an online form to enter recent residential HVAC projects in the ContractingBusiness.com "Quality Home Comfort Awards" contest....More

Apr. 9, 2013

News

Contracting Business

REGEN Energy to Provide Energy Management Accessory to Carrier Commercial Rooftop Units

Carrier and REGEN Energy Inc., developer of the patented wireless Swarm Energy Management electrical demand management and dynamic load control technology, have signed an agreement to provide a field-installed accessory to assist with energy management on Carrier’s commercial rooftop units....More

Apr. 8, 2013

News

Contracting Business

American Capital Acquires Service Experts

Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, Dallas, TX, has been acquired by American Capital, a publicly traded private equity firm and global asset manager....More

Apr. 4, 2013

Article

Contracting Business

2013 HVAC Service Vehicle Survey: Making Tracks

Your service/installation trucks may cost you more than ever to maintain and use. See what your peers are doing with regard to purchasing decisions, maintenance practices, brand preferences, and more....More

Apr. 3, 2013

Commentary

Contracting Business

Baby Boomers, Xers, & Gen Y’s Working Together: Oh My!

Contracting Business.com columnist Vicki LaPlant continues her series on multiple generations working together in the marketplace....More

Apr. 3, 2013

Article

Contracting Business

Service Clinic: Make the Most of Pre-season A/C Tune-ups

In this service clinic, learn the keys to providing an effective, efficient pre-season air-conditioning tune-up....More

Apr. 3, 2013

Article

Contracting Business

What Qualities Make a Great Service Manager?

Does your service manager have that rare combination of excellent technical and people skills?...More

Mar. 26, 2013

News

Contracting Business

Webinar: Building a Successful Performance Contracting Business: Strategies and Tactics 2

Question: What skill sets are necessary to be in the HVACR and plumbing performance contracting business? How do you sell new customers versus existing customers? What lessons can be learned from mistakes made?...More

Apr. 1, 2013

News

Contracting Business

Emerson Parent Company Recognizes Achievements of Emerson Climate Technologies Segment

The winner is judged by independent auditor evaluations of industry leadership, strategic planning, customer focus, measurement, analysis, knowledge management, and business results....More

Mar. 25, 2013

News

Contracting Business

ContractingBusiness.com Launches Online Entry Form for HVAC 'Quality Home Comfort Awards'

Nov. 18, 2010

Article

Contracting Business

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: 2014 Residential and Commercial HVAC Contractors of the Year

It could be you! ContractingBusiness.com wants to hear why you — or an industry colleague — should receive one of the HVAC industry's highest honors! Open to residential and commercial HVAC contracting firms that have been in business for at least 10 years....More

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Leaders in HVACR/Hydronics Innovations

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NATE Magazine

The NATE Magazine is the official publication of North American Technician Excellence, the nation’s largest non-profit certification organization for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration technicians