technology

The AHR Expo (International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition) 2022 Innovation Awards call for entries is now open. The annual competition, held in conjunction with the Show, honors the most innovative and original products, systems and technologies in HVACR. Exhibitors are encouraged to submit new or upgraded products to compete.  Entries will be accepted through August Read more

The AHR Expo (International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition) 2022 Innovation Awards call for entries is now open. The annual competition, held in conjunction with the Show, honors the most innovative and original products, systems and technologies in HVACR. Exhibitors are encouraged to submit new or upgraded products to compete.  Entries will be accepted through August 3, 2021. The 2022 AHR Expo will be hosted at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV January 31 through February 2, 2022. To request more information about the Innovation Awards, or to receive forms for entry, please email Kim Pires at kpires@iecshows.com.

“First and foremost, we are thrilled to gather again in Las Vegas for the 2022 AHR Expo. Despite not coming together in 2021, we celebrated ten outstanding category winners and the Product of the Year, Infinitum Electric’s IEq,” said Mark Stevens, Manager of AHR Expo. “This competition celebrates the HVACR industry’s most innovative solutions through leadership in design, construction and execution. Each year we look forward to seeing the advancements in HVACR through the snapshot that the Innovation Awards provides. It is an excellent indicator of the exciting Show ahead.”

In 2003 the AHR Expo debuted the Innovation Awards as a means to highlight those in the HVACR industry creating innovative solutions for new and existing challenges and new avenues for growth. They aim to honor the most inventive, useful and original products, systems and technologies pushing boundaries and disrupting the market today.

Entries are evaluated by a panel of third-party ASHRAE members with over 20 years of professional engineering experience. The review process includes points tallied based on application, innovation, value and market impact. Winners are selected from ten industry categories, including: building automation; cooling; heating; indoor air quality; plumbing; refrigeration; software; sustainable solutions (formerly green building); tools and instruments; and ventilation. Winners and finalists demonstrating superior innovative design, creativity, application and performance will be recognized at the 2022 Show, on the AHR Expo website and social media channels, as well as in industry media coverage leading up to the Show.

An overall Product of the Year will be selected from the pool of category winners and will be announced at the Show. This prestigious honor is awarded based on exceptional leadership in HVACR innovation.

Eligibility and general information about the 2022 Innovation Awards

  • The competition is open to exhibitors with a confirmed space contract, as well as a deposit payment on file for the 2022 AHR Expo.
  • Eligible products include those that will be exhibited at the 2022 AHR Expo in Las Vegas and must be available for sale by January 2022.
  • Exhibitors are permitted to submit one product per category.
  • Product entries are limited to one product category.
  • Products that have previously won an AHR Expo Innovation Award are not eligible, however, those products that have previously been named a category finalist may be re-entered.
  • Completed entry forms, along with a non-refundable $100 entry fee, must be submitted by Tuesday, August, 3, 2021.
  • One winner from each category will be selected. An overall Product of the Year award is selected from all category winners and announced at the 2022 Show.

Entry fees for the 2022 Innovation Awards (approximately $20,000) will be donated to a charitable organization serving the local Las Vegas area community. The donation is generally used to provide HVACR repairs or upgrades. Each year, the AHR Expo works to select a charitable organization within the area where the Show is held.

“This past year has been a catalyst for new ways of thinking and adapting,” continued Stevens. “Our industry has risen to the challenge and provided critical solutions to help us move forward. HVACR is an area of exciting innovation on the global stage and we can’t wait to see what awaits us on the Show floor in Las Vegas.”

Registration for the 2022 AHR Expo is expected to open in July of 2021. Visit the AHR Expo website for updates and to sign up for the Show newsletter.

ABOUT THE AHR EXPO

The AHR Expo is the world’s premier HVACR event, attracting the most comprehensive gathering of industry professionals from around the globe each year. The Show provides a unique forum where manufacturers of all sizes and specialties, whether a major industry brand or innovative start-up, can come together to share ideas and showcase the future of HVACR technology under one roof. Since 1930, the AHR Expo has remained the industry’s best place for OEMs, engineers, contractors, facility operators, architects, educators and other industry professionals to explore the latest trends and applications and to cultivate mutually beneficial business relationships. The next Show, co-sponsored by ASHRAE and AHRI, will be held Jan. 31 – Feb. 2, 2022 in Las Vegas, and is held concurrently with ASHRAE’s Winter Conference.

For more information, visit ahrexpo.com and follow @ahrexpo on Twitter and Instagram.

 

There’s a long-held assumption that the more technology you introduce to your business model, the less human interaction you get. Unfortunately, this rationale causes many businesses to put so much emphasis on their digital capabilities that customer service standards go to the wayside. When you’re in the business of plumbing, delivering your essential services will Read more

There’s a long-held assumption that the more technology you introduce to your business model, the less human interaction you get. Unfortunately, this rationale causes many businesses to put so much emphasis on their digital capabilities that customer service standards go to the wayside.

When you’re in the business of plumbing, delivering your essential services will always require interaction with your customers at some stage of the process. Therefore, providing poor customer service and hoping your advanced technology makes up for it might as well be a death sentence for your business.

In reality, technology should not be seen as a replacement for excellent customer service, but rather as a necessary tool for enhancing the overall customer experience.

For Mr. Rooter Plumbing, a Neighborly company, we’ve found in recent years that not only does implementing various advanced plumbing technologies such as the use of video inspection equipment or video conferencing and consultations improve the work we do in the homes of our customers but incorporating technology into the customer relations aspect of our business has led to happier, more loyal customers across our global network. Here’s why…

Customers want convenience, and so do providers

Today’s consumers make their purchase decisions based primarily on convenience and instant gratification. Which restaurant is available and can deliver quickest through my favorite food delivery app? Which clothing store has a user-friendly website and offers free two-day shipping? The same mindset comes into play when looking for a home service provider: Which plumber is easiest to contact and can get the job done most efficiently?

Always try to think from the customer’s perspective. If someone is in need of a plumber, chances are they are stressed enough as it is. The least you can do for them is simplify the request and scheduling process with online and mobile options. Ideally, this simplifies things for you as the contractor as well. There is no need to invest all of your time, talent and resources in creating an intricate website for online scheduling, when the best approach is to make it simple and attractive with consumer-friendly usability. The more user-friendly your system is, the more customers you’ll attract. And with more customers, there’s a greater need for an intuitive system to help you keep track of those leads.

Technology can play a particularly important part in helping to improve the efficiency of phone systems. If you are a larger plumbing company that receives frequent phone calls, you may want to consider using technology to organize calls so that fewer calls are missed. This could include using call center workforce management software to allocate calls along with virtual phone menus.

Customers expect professionalism

If a homeowner is paying a professional to complete a home service project for them, they want to feel confident that their money is going toward someone who knows what they’re doing. In the past, a plumber’s success was based on how well they could “paint a verbal picture” of the issue and its solution for a customer. Nowadays, a plumber who arrives with a mobile device or tablet ready to visually explain their recommended approach instantly increases his/her credibility as a trusted advisor as opposed to a salesman. Figuring out how to appropriately use technology to convey expertise is a skill that requires more advanced and ongoing training of your technicians, but it’s worthwhile to ensure your team can respond to service requests with the utmost professionalism.

Electronic communication also streamlines transactions between providers and customers. Invoices can be delivered directly via email so they don’t get lost in the mail. Messages can be sent and received in real time so there’s no frustration over playing phone tag. Customers can better prepare a technician for their visit by sending photos and videos of the issue at hand, which makes for a more prepared technician upon arrival. All of this conveys the image you want of an experienced and professional provider.

Customers want to feel safe

Being an essential service provider during a pandemic is both an opportunity and a challenge. While issues that require a plumber cannot be ignored, it is also a health risk both to the homeowner and to the technician alike for us to deliver those services directly to an individual’s home. Being invited into people’s homes in order to do our jobs is a privilege, especially in today’s environment, making it absolutely necessary to work safety measures such as wearing masks, washing hands, maintaining social distance, and more into our standard service call procedures.

With technology, we can take our precautionary measures a step further to create an experience as close to contactless as possible. Electronic capabilities for transactions such as providing estimates, sending invoices, and receiving payments are a must. For the service call itself, being digitally connected with our customers allows us to send arrival alerts, to pre-screen customers, and to possibly even provide expertise and direction entirely virtually for select home maintenance jobs that homeowners could accomplish themselves. By introducing these creative approaches to doing what is usually a very hands-on job, we show our customers that we realize giving them the best and most comfortable experience goes far beyond the job itself.

The time to evolve is now

Of course, the idea of implementing all of this advanced technology to your plumbing business may be a daunting concept for some contractors. You might even question if it’s worthwhile if the old-school business model you’ve always had is still working as far as you can tell. But with the growing prevalence of technology across all industries, chances are refusing to adapt will leave you behind your competitors who are rising to the occasion.

If you’re not comfortable making the changes yourself, consider hiring a consultant or perhaps even converting your business to a franchise model like Mr. Rooter to get the digital support you need. But one way or another, it’s time for your plumbing business to step into the future.

Glenn Gallas is the Vice President of Operations for Mr. Rooter Plumbing, a Neighborly company. Glenn’s career in franchising began as a franchise owner in 2000 of a Mr. Rooter Plumbing franchise. Glenn became a multi-franchise owner when he purchased a Mr. Electric franchise and then a Holiday Lighting franchise. Glenn is a veteran and has served in the US Army in both the active and reserve capacity and sees franchising as the best fit opportunity for veterans transitioning from the military to civilian life.

Emphasizing the importance of continued support for career and technical education to help grow the middle class, U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL 8th District) last week visited the innovative learning labs at the College of DuPage Technical Education Center. The center, located on the College’s Glen Ellyn campus, includes 31 classrooms, 16 state-of-the-art laboratories to accommodate Read more

Emphasizing the importance of continued support for career and technical education to help grow the middle class, U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL 8th District) last week visited the innovative learning labs at the College of DuPage Technical Education Center.

The center, located on the College’s Glen Ellyn campus, includes 31 classrooms, 16 state-of-the-art laboratories to accommodate 1,400 students, as well as space for raw material and vehicular storage. In addition, an adjacent greenhouse provides a hands-on laboratory for Horticulture students.

Home to the College’s Architecture, Interior Design, Horticulture, Automotive Technology, Computer-Aided Design, Construction Management, Electro-Mechanical Technology, Electronics-Integrated Engineering Technology, Manufacturing Technology, Welding Technology, and Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration programs, the LEED-certified center features two windmills and four solar panels on its roof to provide students with hands-on study of emerging wind/solar energy technologies.

“Everywhere I look, I see a glimpse of something even more interesting, even more innovative, even more thought provoking,” said Krishnamoorthi. “I am proud of what you are doing (at College of DuPage) and what we’re accomplishing in Washington to create more job training and job opportunities to help grow the middle class.”

The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Law is the primary federal funding vehicle for skills-based education in the country. Krishnamoorthi and Glenn “G.T.” Thompson of Pennsylvania championed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, a bipartisan bill and the first reauthorization of the Perkins CTE Act since 2006. Both the House of Representatives and Senate passed the new act, nicknamed Perkins V, and at the end of July, it was signed into law and will go into effect July 1, 2019. Funding will increase during these years, up to $1.3 billion by 2024, while major reforms strengthen what is in place, including special emphasis on career paths.

In FY19, College of DuPage received $1.403 million through a formula that considers the number of students eligible for Pell grants who declare interest in a CTE program. Perkins funding plays a key role in programs throughout campus, including the HVACR program where funding has enabled students to build their own systems trainers.

“Everything you see in this lab is built by our students, not contractors,” said HVACR Program Coordinator Bob Clark. “Everything from the pumps, to the concrete poured for the bases, to all the piping systems that you see running in the lab and students have to manage that so that it’s comfortable.

College of DuPage President Dr. Ann Rondeau applauded Krishnamoorthi and his colleagues for their diligence in crafting a supporting bipartisan legislation that directly benefits job seekers.

“Your dedication to workforce development is to be commended,” she said. “You have been so helpful and a great leader in securing more Perkins funding, which College of DuPage and other institutions may use, in turn, to provide skilled workers to a number of industries.”

Learn more about Career and Technical Education at College of DuPage.

College of DuPage is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Serving approximately 25,000 students each term, College of DuPage is the largest public community college in the state of Illinois. The College grants seven associate degrees and offers more than 170 career and technical certificates in over 50 areas of study.

When you’re on the job, you want your Oakley sunglasses to be handy — and you want them to be safe. Checking blueprints or scrutinizing permit paperwork? Better have those reading glasses somewhere you can find them! Construction sites are hard on anything delicate or fragile — especially prescription lenses. We’ve all lost a pair Read more

When you’re on the job, you want your Oakley sunglasses to be handy — and you want them to be safe. Checking blueprints or scrutinizing permit paperwork? Better have those reading glasses somewhere you can find them!

Construction sites are hard on anything delicate or fragile — especially prescription lenses. We’ve all lost a pair of glasses from a shirt pocket when we leaned over just a bit too far… Or ground our teeth in frustration when a pair of really nice frames gets snagged and pulled apart. And lost? We believe every new building in the country sits on a foundation of misplaced tools, missing paperwork, and lost glasses.

According to the Vision Council of America, about 64% of adults wear prescription eyeglasses. According to informal polls, 100% of them have lost at least one pair. When you’re on the job, lost lenses can be more than just an inconvenience. Many construction professionals we’ve spoken to routinely carry at least two pairs of prescription eyeglasses — because they fully expect to lose one.

Inventor F. Thomas Godart realized the scope of this problem personally while working on new construction sites in South Florida. After the eighth or ninth pair of glasses fell out of his pocket, or off his shirt, or slipped off his head and vanished for all time, he’d had enough. He wanted to offer the world an answer, not just for lost eyeglasses, but also to protect against scratches and breaks.

After years of studying commercially-available glasses cases and testing them to destruction, Tom engineered the perfect solution to keep his glasses where they belonged. He added integrated BlueTooth technology and a GPS locator beacon for an additional level of security. He hasn’t managed to lose a single pair of glasses since.

After several years of real-world stress testing, Godart’s invention is ready to solve the lost-and-damaged-eyeglasses problem so many of us face.

He calls it EyeCarry.

EyeCarry is much more than an eyeglasses case — it’s a portable bodyguard for your prescription lenses that calls for help if you try to lose them. The integrated Gator Clip stays attached to your belt even after a fall off a roof (fortunately, the roofer only had minor bruises). EyeCarry pings your smartphone via BlueTooth if you get more than 100 feet away, like when you get an important call and start to drive off the work site.

Features

  • Bluetooth-enabled case pings your phone if you’re more than 100 feet (30 m) away
  • Gator Clip clasps your belt or purse strap and keeps EyeCarry secure
  • GPS-powered find-my-glasses feature saves time and headaches
  • Rugged yet refined, stylish enough for the boardroom
  • Nearly universal fit (suitable for most styles worn today)

Just think how much more work you’ll get done knowing you’ll never misplace or lose your glasses. You’ll never have to squint at a contract or a work order without being able to see clearly. You won’t waste half an hour you really don’t have digging through tool belts or searching the floorboards of your vehicle for a pair of wayward glasses. You won’t walk past another slapdash installation job without noticing — not when EyeCarry’s at your side.

EyeCarry is available in a rainbow of colors chosen to blend in with your gear:

  • Caviar
  • Saddle
  • Sapphire
  • Slate
  • Praline
eye-carry-safety-glass-case-for-contractors

Save your glasses (and your sanity) for a fraction of the price of a trip to the optometrist. Check out www.eyecarry.com today! Stop looking. Start seeing.

 

The Grundfos Remote Management (GRM) system provides facility managers and engineers remote access and control to data and alarms from pumps, controllers, and auxiliary equipment such as sensors and meters. The secure internet-based system saves time and cost by reducing the need for onsite inspection and is designed for pump installations in various water infrastructure Read more

The Grundfos Remote Management (GRM) system provides facility managers and engineers remote access and control to data and alarms from pumps, controllers, and auxiliary equipment such as sensors and meters. The secure internet-based system saves time and cost by reducing the need for onsite inspection and is designed for pump installations in various water infrastructure and commercial applications.

A user-friendly interface provides a complete overview of system operation, including energy consumption, and performance. Scheduling capabilities help streamline necessary maintenance work and plan who will respond to alarms.