In observance of National Energy Awareness Month this October, Watts has announced the launch of a six-week sustainability-inspired eLearning campaign titled Energize Your Knowledge. Running from October 1 through November 10, the campaign is designed to educate customers on environmentally conscious products and solutions that are specifically engineered to minimize environmental impact, enhance cost-efficiency, and Read more
Industry News
In observance of National Energy Awareness Month this October, Watts has announced the launch of a six-week sustainability-inspired eLearning campaign titled Energize Your Knowledge. Running from October 1 through November 10, the campaign is designed to educate customers on environmentally conscious products and solutions that are specifically engineered to minimize environmental impact, enhance cost-efficiency, and help customers achieve their sustainability objectives.
The Energize Your Knowledge campaign features over 80 eLearning modules from the Watts family of brands, with eight courses eligible for Continuing Education credit.
Highlighted products in the campaign include anti-scale systems, which enhance water and electricity savings by eliminating unnecessary regeneration cycles, and balancing valves, which can reduce energy consumption by up to 35%. Customers will also learn about smart home management devices that adapt to user lifestyles and optimize energy usage without compromising comfort.
Other featured products include Bradley motion-detecting faucets, which conserve water and energy by only activating when necessary, the Dormont FloPro-MD, which maximizes energy efficiency during the startup and commissioning of gas appliances, and the IntelliStation 2, a precise water management solution that maintains outlet temperatures within ±2°F, offering significantly tighter control than traditional thermostatic mixing valves.
As part of this campaign, customers who complete 24 or more modules will receive a complimentary solar power bank.
To learn more, www.watts.com/EnergizeYourKnowledge.
A.O. Smith will celebrate the company’s 150th anniversary in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, on Thursday, Sept. 19. The festivities will focus on A. O. Smith’s rich history, the employees, its innovative transformations and the promising future ahead. The event will also celebrate the opening of the site’s third plant and an additional building expansion, which will Read more
A.O. Smith will celebrate the company’s 150th anniversary in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, on Thursday, Sept. 19. The festivities will focus on A. O. Smith’s rich history, the employees, its innovative transformations and the promising future ahead.
The event will also celebrate the opening of the site’s third plant and an additional building expansion, which will add hundreds of new jobs and produce more than 140,000 water heating units in the first year.
The Sept. 19 celebration will include food, festivities and a ribbon cutting ceremony with employees, elected officials and other key stakeholders. The event will include Claudia Escudero from the Mexican Consulate; Cristina Touché, president of Economic Development of Ciudad Juárez; Cruz Pérez Cuellar, mayor of Ciudad Juárez, and his private secretary, Ignacio Carmona Campirano; along with Isela Molina Alcay, president, and Mónica Leticia Luévano García, director, with Canacintra, the National Chamber of the Transformation Industry.
The program will feature Chairman and CEO Kevin Wheeler; Stephen O’Brien, president and general manager of North America Water Heating; Samuel Carver, senior vice president of global operations; Keith Auville, vice president of North America manufacturing; and Eduardo Gonzalez, Ciudad Juárez operations director. More than 1,000 employees are also expected to attend.
The company has had a presence in Mexico since 1984, beginning with electric motor assembly operations in Ciudad Juárez and Ciudad Acuna. In 1986, the company began manufacturing water heaters, and in 1995, the company withdrew from the automotive industry to focus on water heaters.
Malco providing hammer for use during Wednesday’s event Malco Tools, one of the nation’s top manufacturers of high-quality tools for the HVAC and building construction industries, is proud to announce its involvement in the Inaugural First Nail Ceremony for the upcoming 2025 presidential inauguration this January. The Inaugural First Nail Ceremony takes place every year to Read more
Malco providing hammer for use during Wednesday’s event
Malco Tools, one of the nation’s top manufacturers of high-quality tools for the HVAC and building construction industries, is proud to announce its involvement in the Inaugural First Nail Ceremony for the upcoming 2025 presidential inauguration this January.
The Inaugural First Nail Ceremony takes place every year to commemorate the start of construction of the inaugural platform on which the next president and vice president will be sworn into office. During the ceremony, members of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies hammer nails into a symbolic piece of wood, in which Malco’s Claw Hammer will be used, representing manufacturing in the state of Minnesota. Malco was chosen for this event by Minnesota State Senator Amy Klobuchar who serves as chair of this year’s joint committee.
“We are honored to be part of this historical event,” said Malco President and CEO, Rich Benninghoff. “The use of the Malco Claw Hammer as a way to represent the strength of manufacturing in Minnesota is a source of great pride for our company and our team members.”
This year’s First Nail Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 10:30 a.m. CST and will also be broadcast on Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies website.
The company, founded in 1950 and based in Annandale, Minn., represents the state’s thriving manufacturing industry, employing more than 160 people. For more information about Malco Tools, visit www.malcotools.com.
To celebrate National Tune Up Day on September 25, Service Experts will give $5 from every tune-up, drain cleaning and water heater flush to Make-A-Wish® America throughout the months of September and October. The contribution of up to $40,000 from Service Experts continues a relationship started in 2018 with Make-A-Wish America that has led to Read more
To celebrate National Tune Up Day on September 25, Service Experts will give $5 from every tune-up, drain cleaning and water heater flush to Make-A-Wish® America throughout the months of September and October. The contribution of up to $40,000 from Service Experts continues a relationship started in 2018 with Make-A-Wish America that has led to more than $1.5 million in total giving to help grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
“Getting to see the power of a wish for a child and their family has been the highlight of our partnership with Make-A-Wish America – we’ve had the honor of getting to personally grant 27 wishes in that time,” said Dave Moody, Chief Marketing Officer of Service Experts. “National Tune Up Day and the weeks around it have our technicians in even more people’s homes, giving them the perfect opportunity to highlight the work Make-A-Wish is doing with help from our network of more than 100 service centers.”
Most recently, Service Experts participated in a wish reveal with Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana to a 12-year-old with a respiratory disorder to Hawaii with her family. Earlier this year, the company also had the honor of Linda Pauling, co-founder of Make-A-Wish, joining them for a wish reveal at their annual meeting in Orlando. A wish experience can be a game-changer, impacting not only the wish kids, but also their families, volunteers, donors, sponsors, medical professionals and communities. A wish renews hope, uplifts spirits and encourages the belief in the impossible, giving kids the strength to fight against—and even overcome—a critical illness.
“Make-A-Wish relies on the generosity of individuals and organizations, like Service Experts, to close the gap in the number of children waiting for their wishes to be granted,” said Leslie Motter, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. “For the past seven years, Service Experts has ensured that when children are dealing with unplanned hospital stays and uncomfortable treatments, they can count on a wish to help them replace anxiety with hope and reclaim a piece of their childhood.”
Since its founding in 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 375,000 wishes nationwide to children battling critical illnesses. A wish experience can be a game-changer, and tens of thousands of volunteers, donors, and supporters like Service Experts advance the Make-A-Wish vision to grant the wish of every eligible child.
The Refrigerant Detection System Calculator is built into the Ducted Systems Solutions app, allowing contractors to easily and quickly determine if residential or commercial HVAC projects require a Refrigerant Detection System The Ducted Systems Solutions app is a centralized resource to find equipment information, including step-by-step installation guides and videos for commercial rooftop units and Read more
- The Refrigerant Detection System Calculator is built into the Ducted Systems Solutions app, allowing contractors to easily and quickly determine if residential or commercial HVAC projects require a Refrigerant Detection System
- The Ducted Systems Solutions app is a centralized resource to find equipment information, including step-by-step installation guides and videos for commercial rooftop units and residential HVAC equipment
Johnson Controls Residential & Light Commercial has announced the launch of its Refrigerant Detection System (RDS) Calculator within the Ducted Systems Solutions (DS Solutions) mobile app. A first for the residential and light commercial HVAC industry, this innovative calculator is designed to help users determine the need for refrigerant detection systems based on specific conditions such as space dimensions and the amount of refrigerant being used.
This calculator is part of Johnson Controls’ broader initiative to transition to more environmentally sustainable refrigerants, like R-454B, which has a lower global warming potential (GWP) compared to traditional refrigerants. The calculator is also designed to assist contractors and distributors with simple step-by-step installation instructions if they determine a RDS is needed.
“The transition to low-GWP refrigerants has been complex, as building codes that reference safety standards vary from state-to-state,” said Chris Forth, vice president of regulatory, codes and environmental affairs, Johnson Controls. “Our goal is to make the transition as seamless and confusion-free as possible for contractors and distributors so they can focus less on calculations and conversions, and more on providing efficient, safe and compliant installations. Our user-friendly calculator gives straightforward recommendations in just a few, simple steps.”
Available within the company’s DS Solutions App and product selection tools, the patent-pending RDS Calculator prompts users to answer a few questions about the job, such as refrigerant volume, supply air discharge height, total area being conditioned and potential zone impact. Once submitted, the calculator provides an immediate report summary and indicates if an RDS is recommended to ensure the application is compliant with current standards (UL/CSA-60335-2-40, 1). The report will also flag additional mitigation details, including whether additional exhaust air is required in the conditioned space, and provides a rationale report so contractors can easily act on the results.
A year of research went into the development of the RDS Calculator, including close collaboration with safety agencies to confirm compliance with current standards. The calculator is being launched alongside the shipment of the company’s newly updated A2L portfolio of residential and light commercial ducted HVAC products.
To comply with safety standards and ensure customer safety, new R-454B equipment can be equipped with a factory-installed refrigerant detection system engineered to detect refrigerant concentrations as determined by the safety standards and building code requirements. If a leak is detected, the RDS activates an alarm sequence and automatically shuts down equipment compressors, de-energizes attached ignition sources and activates airflow circulation to prevent the refrigerant from reaching its lower flammability limit.
Launched in 2022, the no-cost DS Solutions App provides contractors with instant access to commercial and residential equipment information such as installation guides, parts list, start-up sheets, warranty information and training videos to help streamline installation, troubleshooting and maintenance processes. This digital resource was designed to help enhance contractor efficiency by reducing the need for physical manuals and paper assets that can be time-consuming to navigate and sort through while on the job site.
The DS Solutions App is available for Android and iOS and can be downloaded from Google Play and the Apple App Store. For more information, visit www.johnsoncontrols.com/ds-solutions-app.