RSES November 2013 Article

I want to brag a bit. The November 2013 issue of the RSES Journal has an article taken from one of my blogs. It discusses reading the external static pressure on a blower to determine the airflow. I get a kick out of seeing my stuff published in the RSES Journal because of the great respect I have for that organization. It is said that you can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep. I am happy to be in pretty good company this month. If you have a chance, you might want to check out the November 2013 issue - or better yet - subscribe. Looking for an easy way to pick up continuing education units?  Answer the questions at the end of the magazine.

RSES Annual Conference

I just returned from the Annual RSES Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. What a great experience! Of course there were many great speakers on a wide range of current HVACR topics, from Building Envelope Testing to Transcritical CO2 Refrigeration Systems. All the sessions were great. However, the thing that impressed me the most was the level of training and experience demonstrated by the people attending the convention. I often found myself sitting in a whole room full of experts. Because the people attending are practicing industry professionals, the level of questions and discussion in the sessions was quite high. And truth be told, the folks gathered here were not just any industry professionals, but the people that go the extra mile. They invest their time and money in educating themselves about a field in which they are already very well versed. The discussions in the halls while people were just waiting for the next event were both interesting and informative. One of the main reasons for attending an educational conference is to be energized. Talking with other professionals and sharing their enthusiasm for the trade inspires you. You don’t have to wait for the annual meeting to experience this, you can also meet with other highly motivated professionals at a local RSES meeting, because meetings of local RSES chapters occur throughout the year. If you want to be immersed in a professional culture that inspires and elevates its members through education, you belong in RSES.

75th Annual RSES Conference

The 75th Annual RSES Conference is coming November 14-17 at Isle of Palms South Carolina. RSES has been in the business of training and educating HVACR Technicians longer than most other industry organizations have been in existence. Note that this is the 75th Conference. RSES is really the only national organization whose sole mission is providing training and education for HVACR technicians. The conference has an impressive lineup of speakers and training sessions. If you live on the east coast, this is a chance to attend a major educational conference specifically for HVACR without traveling to Las Vegas or Colorado Springs. There is still time to register. You don't have to be a member of RSES to attend the Conference. However, while you are there, you can join if you like what you see. Click on these links for more information

RSES 75th Annual Conference

Conference Schedule

Educational Sessions

Exhibitors

HVACR Certifications

I am sure most professional technicians and HVACR educators consider themselves fully certified. Indeed, most of us hold multiple paper credentials awarded by different industry organizations. However, I bet I can find a few that you didn’t even know existed. That is, until someone specifically requests a particular certification for a job. So I decided to put together a list of organizations that offer credentials that you can obtain that relating to the HVACR industry. Each includes a link so you can do your own research into the credentials that organization offers. My list will not cover state and local licensure – that is another very lengthy topic. All of these certifications typically involve time and money. Some require years of documented field practice before testing. Others require membership in a particular organization. Many simply require passing a test. All strive to distinguish dedicated, trained professionals from a guy with a pickup truck and a pair of channel locks. I have tried to group them into areas of interest.

For HVACR Students there are
Air Conditioning, Heating. and Refrigeration Institute Industry Competency Exam AHRI ICE

HVAC Excellence Employment Ready

For HVACR Instructors there are
Air Conditioning Contractors of America Educators Program in Instructor Certification ACCA EPIC

HVAC Excellence Certified Master HVACR Educator CMHE

For Technicians installing and servicing HVACR equipment there are
North American Technical Excellence NATE
HVAC Excellence Technician Certification
Refrigeration Service Engineers Society Certificate Member RSES  CM and CMS
National Air Filtration Association Certified Air filter Specialist NAFA CAFS

For technicians doing testing and balancing there are
National Environmental Balancing Bureau NEBB Certified Professional
Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau TABB
Associated Air Balance Council AABC

For people involved in building performance and commissioning there are
Building Performance Institute BPI
US Green Building Council LEED
Building Commissioning Association BCA

For people involved in building design and performance there is
American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air conditioning Engineers ASHRAE.

For building inspectors and code officials there are
International Code Council ICC
International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials IAPMO

Free RSES Jounal for Students

I truly believe that one of the best career decisions anyone can make is to choose something they love. After all, most of us are going to spend the majority of our conscious lifetimes at work. So if you hate your work, your life will be miserable. By contrast, if you enjoy your work, your life will be more fulfilling and enjoyable. However, young people often have not experienced enough of the world to really know what they will like. Unless they grow up in a family that works in the HVAC/R field, most teenagers really know very little about it. We should be cultivating a love of the HVAC/R field. One way is to expose your students to the wide array of careers in the HVAC/R field through professional journals. I bring in my RSES Journals to school and strategically place them around the class and lab for the students to pick up and read. OK, so maybe I leave them laying around – the effect is that students do read them. They will ask me about articles they read and are interested in. Many students use them as resources in other classes. Students have used RSES Journals for research articles and even for speech class. One student discovered that he could stand up and give an extemporaneous speech on air conditioning anytime based on RSES articles he read. After a few speeches on the refrigeration cycle, scroll compressors, and heat pumps the teacher told him the next speech could not be on air conditioning. She later told me that she never met anyone before who loved his field of study so much. That should be our goal – to instill respect for the craft and pride in learning and practicing it. RSES would like to help us out. They are offering FREE one year subscriptions to HVAC/R students. To get their free subscription they need to go to the RSES website http://www.rses.org/studentjournal.aspx The good folks at RSES did stress that this offer is for students only.

I think getting the RSES Journal for free is a great start at getting a whole new generation of HVAC/R technicians interested in a great organization and a rewarding career. Right after getting all your students signed up for a free RSES Journal subscription, consider thanking RSES by joining JOIN RSES. If you are already a member, thanks!