Industry News

Interplay Learning, the leading provider of online skilled trades training, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Southern Home Services Corporation, a leading residential home services provider specializing in HVAC, plumbing, electrical,  and generator service, replacement, and maintenance. This important collaboration names Interplay Learning the exclusive content engine for technical training and the designated LMS Read more

Interplay Learning, the leading provider of online skilled trades training, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Southern Home Services Corporation, a leading residential home services provider specializing in HVAC, plumbing, electrical,  and generator service, replacement, and maintenance. This important collaboration names Interplay Learning the exclusive content engine for technical training and the designated LMS provider across Southern Home Services’ growing network of 25+ locations.

Recognizing the crucial need for a standardized technical training and development system across its expanding portfolio of companies, Southern Home Services Corporation aligned with Interplay Learning to deliver a unified and scalable training solution to their 750+ technicians. By leveraging Interplay’s cutting-edge digital learning platform, technicians at every business location will have seamless access to industry-leading training tools and resources, including immersive 3D simulations and virtual reality experiences.

Interplay’s diverse content catalog will ensure that technicians across various skill levels and trades can enhance their knowledge, acquire new skills, and earn essential career-building industry certifications like EPA 608. Further, the platform’s built-in skills assessment tool will play a vital role in identifying and addressing technicians’ skills gaps, providing targeted learning paths to bridge those gaps. The state-of-the-art training program will also assist Southern Home Services in improving recruitment, addressing labor shortages, reducing callbacks, and driving revenue growth throughout its extensive network.

Matt Ellenberg, Training Manager at Southern Home Services, emphasized the importance of Interplay’s training and development on company growth, stating, “Training equals next month’s, next quarter’s, and next year’s revenue dollars. This partnership with Interplay is an investment in our technicians’ career development and a driver of future revenue.”

Chief Operating Officer Drew Poskon adds, “This training partnership is a testament to our commitment to providing best-in-class training that directly translates to best-in-class home service experiences for our customers.”

The relationship between Southern Home Services Corporation and Interplay Learning marks a significant milestone in advancing technical education delivery throughout the trades. By leveraging leading technology and comprehensive training resources, both organizations are poised to shape the industry, ensuring continued growth and success for Southern Home Services and its dedicated workforce.

“Interplay is thrilled to work with Southern Home Services in setting a new benchmark for technical education across the trades,” said Doug Donovan, CEO of Interplay Learning. “We are honored to work alongside them to drive acquisition success and provide their expanding workforce with a centralized system of career-building tools necessary for sustainable growth.”

Analysis finds the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code can reduce deaths from extreme heat by as much as 80 percent  As heat alerts affected nearly 110 million people, a third of the U.S. population across 15 states, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a new report on July 13 called “Enhancing Resilience in Buildings Through Read more

Analysis finds the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code can reduce deaths from extreme heat by as much as 80 percent 

As heat alerts affected nearly 110 million people, a third of the U.S. population across 15 states, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a new report on July 13 called “Enhancing Resilience in Buildings Through Energy Efficiency.” The report – which followed a study by a team of energy experts from DOE’s Building Energy Codes Program, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory – outlines the value for states and communities that adopt the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC) to enhance resilience in response to more frequent and intense extreme weather events attributed to a changing climate. 

The report underscores the impact of the 2021 IECC in protecting occupants from extreme temperatures due to power outages associated with hazard events.  

The report’s findings serve as a clarion call for policymakers to adopt the IECC. The IECC’s requirements: 

  • Improve envelope efficiency in buildings to permit occupants to shelter in place safely for more than four days during a disaster-induced power outage coupled with extreme heat or cold.  
  • Extend habitability by as much as 120% during extreme cold and 140% during extreme heat and reduce deaths by up to 80% during extreme heat and 30% in extreme cold.
  • Provide, for new single-family buildings, benefit-cost ratios from 2 times to over 6 times, making a strong financial argument for adoption. 

For additional information on the report and the Code Councils’ continued advocacy for building resiliency, visit www.iccsafe.org/energy and www.energycodes.gov/energy-resilience.

Watts has announced a new webinar: New Tech in Backflow Prevention: The Future is Now. It’s ASPE-accredited and worth 0.1 CEUs. On Wednesday, August 16, 2023, 12:00 p.m. ET.‎, participants will learn about: What backflow is and why it is required‎ The principals of continuous monitoring‎ Understanding connectivity considerations and options The nuances of indoor Read more

Watts has announced a new webinar: New Tech in Backflow Prevention: The Future is Now. It’s ASPE-accredited and worth 0.1 CEUs.

On Wednesday, August 16, 2023, 12:00 p.m. ET.‎, participants will learn about:

  • What backflow is and why it is required‎
  • The principals of continuous monitoring‎
  • Understanding connectivity considerations and options
  • The nuances of indoor vs. outdoor installs‎
  • Sustainability in backflow prevention

Visit watts.com/BackflowDayCEU to register.

Oatey Co. recently sponsored a plumbing day at Northeast Ohio Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls, a program for middle-school-aged and high-school-aged girls to attend a free week-long camp to explore the construction trades, architecture, engineering, and construction manufacturing through hands-on experiences and field trips. As a Premier Sponsor of the program, Oatey’s Women’s Resource Read more

Oatey Co. recently sponsored a plumbing day at Northeast Ohio Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls, a program for middle-school-aged and high-school-aged girls to attend a free week-long camp to explore the construction trades, architecture, engineering, and construction manufacturing through hands-on experiences and field trips.

As a Premier Sponsor of the program, Oatey’s Women’s Resource Network (WRN), an associate resource group dedicated to women’s professional, personal, and leadership development, volunteered at the camp on Tuesday, June 27. Thirteen WRN members attended the plumbing day, teaching campers the art of installing Oatey’s Quadtro Washing Machine Outlet Box and other plumbing products that Oatey donated to the program. The group also hosted and led a Lunch-and-Learn about careers at Oatey, informing campers about the endless possibilities that exist for women in the construction industry.

Oatey, plumbing, Oatey’s Women’s Resource Network (WRN), Northeast Ohio Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls, trades, construction

Each camper received a copy of the book “The House That She Built,” empowering them to help spread the word about careers in construction. The book educates young readers about the people and skills that go into building a home and tells the true story of a home built by all female tradespeople.

“The Women’s Resource Network is proud to support a program that aims to inspire and equip young girls with knowledge of a traditionally male-dominated industry,” says Amanda Keiber, co-chair of the WRN and Director, Corporate Communications, Oatey Co.

“The hands-on experiences offered at the camp allowed these girls to learn on their feet, build camaraderie with one another, and realize their potential. It is not just about teaching plumbing skills, but also about imparting life skills, exposing them to possible career paths, and helping them break barriers to explore new possibilities.”

Oatey learned about Let’s Build on its “” podcast featuring guest Plumber Paige, a 20-year-old Skilled Trades Advocate and Social Media Influencer, who attended another recent Let’s Build camp that took place in Lehigh Valley, PA. After learning about Let’s Build, Oatey was eager to support the NE Ohio camp, as the program aligns well with Oatey’s mission to support the trades and help grow the pipeline of talent into the industry.

“We are grateful for the Oatey Women’s Resource Network’s involvement in Northeast Ohio Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls,” says Shelly Higgins, Camp Director of NE Ohio Let’s Build Construction Camp for Girls. “The plumbing day that the WRN members hosted was a great opportunity for the campers to learn about installing Oatey’s innovative products and gain hands-on experience.

“Oatey’s dedication to supporting the trades has created a lasting impact on the campers,” she continues. “We hope other industry leaders follow Oatey’s example and help us continue providing campers with these invaluable experiences.”

Bradford White Water Heaters introduces streamlined product label designed to elevate brand awareness and reinforce message of support for pro contractors and distributors Bradford White Water Heaters, an industry-leading manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and storage tanks, introduces a new primary branding label for the company’s range of storage tanks and tank-style water heaters. “The new label clearly and Read more

Bradford White Water Heaters introduces streamlined product label designed to elevate brand awareness and reinforce message of support for pro contractors and distributors

Bradford White Water Heaters, an industry-leading manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and storage tanks, introduces a new primary branding label for the company’s range of storage tanks and tank-style water heaters.

“The new label clearly and consistently communicates the Bradford White Water Heaters brand with customers and elevates brand awareness with end users,” said Neal Heyman, director of marketing for Bradford White Water Heaters. “Our previous labels had been developed at different times and for a variety of applications, and as a result did not offer a consistent presentation of our brand. Now, we’re confident that our label effectively highlights the Bradford White brand and reinforces the message of our commitment to professional installation.”

The new label will be featured across Bradford White Water Heater products as well as all Bradford White technical documents and marketing collateral, including the Bradford White Water Heaters website. 

For more information about Bradford White Water Heaters, visit  https://www.bradfordwhite.com.