Paul T. Stalknecht President and CEO
Air Conditioning Contractors of America
(ACCA)
10 Inconvenient Truths About Our Engineering Careers Quick Tips For Engineers Who Want To Advance Their Careers Ways to Keep Your Best Engineering Employees Engaged How Engineers Can Manage the Feeling of Being Overwhelmed The Five Stages of Layoff in Engineering
What Engineers Say Versus What Engineers Mean (Part 1)
10 Quotes for the Unmotivated Engineers 4 Reasons Why Engineers Should Take Their Vacation Leaves How to Survive the First Week of Your New Engineering Job What To Do the Night Before Starting Your New Engineering Job
AUGUST 2018 ISSUE NO. 016
Contents Bostik Renews Partnership With Tour de France for 2018
8
HARDI Distributors Report 6.4 Percent Revenue Increase in April
38
ACCA Statement on Honeywell R466A Refrigerant Announcement
10
First-ever Liveability Challenge offers up to S$1m for game-changing urban innovations
40
The Untold Story of Air Conditioning Contractors of America
12
Ways to Keep Your Best Engineering Employees Engaged
42
What To Do the Night Before Starting Your New Engineering Job
26
How Engineers Can Manage the Feeling of Being Overwhelmed
44
The Five Stages of Layoff in Engineering
28
46
LG Electronics USA Appoints Carl Barnard To Lead Air Conditioning Controls Sales
30
How to Survive the First Week of Your New Engineering Job
48
Kigali Amendment Economic Impact Study Released
32
4 Reasons Why Engineers Should Take Their Vacation Leaves 10 Quotes for the Unmotivated Engineers
50
Quick Tips For Engineers Who Want To Advance Their Careers
34
What Engineers Say Versus What Engineers Mean (Part 1)
52
10 Inconvenient Truths About Our Engineering Careers
36
ACCA: Not-Your-Usual “Cool” Story America is a cool country, but do you know who keeps its cold under the hot weather? Poorly installed AC systems, which Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says decrease indoor air quality, contribute to refrigerant leaks, reduces equipment lifespan, and leads to customer dissatisfaction. Moreover, federal studies say that poor installation consumes 30-40 percent more energy. Above all these dilemma, you may ask who keeps quality check for these installations?
EDITOR’S NOTE
Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) has been leading the nation’s best heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contracting industry, and creating thousands of households, offices and other public places safe breathable space for Americans. Not just that, but ACCA also contributes to energy efficiency and a cleaner and safer environment by creating standards and manuals. For nearly a century now, ACCA has been representing the HVAC industry and is one of EPA’s ENERGY STAR Verified Installation Program sponsors, offering consumers a guarantee that their system is installed correctly and capable of operating at the promised efficiency level In this feature, the president and CEO of ACCA, Paul T. Stalknecht talks about the organization’s humble beginnings up to being the HVACR leaders. Armed with its present-day innovations, the organization and its core promises to continue to create quality installations in its power for the future. I bet you that ACCA is a cool story to be told. And as a bonus for this month’s release, we are to give you a peek featuring different facets of the life of an engineer—starring hard facts in the professional work environment, life hacks and useful leadership guide. In contrary to what most people think, engineers around the globe also face massive layoffs from the workforce of various industries. Finding a new job may not be as easy as it seems, but here, we present you solutions that will definitely increase your chances to survive your first week in a new engineering job. Truth be told, no matter how promising a new job can be, you will always encounter inconvenient truths especially in engineering careers. The profession is not perfect per se but definitely it is worthy of your investment. Here you will also read that with the right people around you coupled with perseverance and strong determination, all will fall into its proper place. But again, there is no formula to success. Still, cheers to you, engineer!
Robert Bagatsing Editor
Regional Office: LG Electronics Gulf FZE, P.O Box 61445, Dubai. Tel: +971 4 279 9222, UAE, Mr. Dharmesh Sawant, Tel: +971 50 559 9361, email: dharmesh.sawant@lge.com; Fortune International Trading LLC, Mr. Wail Halbouni, Tel: +971 50 481 3570, email: fortintl@emirates.net.ae; Ghantoot Trading, Mr. Nour Haboush, Tel: +971 50 109 4109, email: nour.h@ghantootgroup.ae; District Cooling Company, Mr. Ahmed Henedi, Tel: +971 50 658 4832, email: ahmed@districtcoolingcompany.com; Al Yousuf Electronics, Mr. Moitra, Tel: +971 50 457 6170, email: pmoitra@alyousuf.com; Bahrain, AJM Kooheji and Sons, Mr. Jayachandran, Tel: +973 36888801, email: v.jayachandran@ajmkooheji.com: Kuwait, Al Babtain Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Co., Mr. Naji Kataya, Tel: +965 5 051 5771, email: nkataya@albabtaingroup.com kw; British Link Kuwait, Mr. Imad Rhayel, Tel: +965 5 157 1229, email: irhayel@blk.com.kw; Oman, Oman Gulf Enterprise, Mr. Narender Kumar, Tel: +968 9 747 4505, email: narenderk@otegroup.com; Aspire Projects and Service, Mr. Vivek Wagh, Tel: +968 99357694, email: vivekwagh@aspireoman.com; Qatar, Video Home Electronics Centre, Mr. Adharsh N Kumar, Tel: +974 5 019 0206, email: adharsh@jumboqatar.com; Mohammad Hayil Group, Mr. Yousif Rustom, Tel: +974 7 001 7067, email: yousif.rustom@alsarh-holding.com; Azerbaijan, NBC LLC., Mr. Elkhan Sadikhov, Tel: +994 50 216 3363, email: elkhan.sadikhov@nbc.com; Al-Con Maxiwell Group, Mr. Vagif Alexperov, Tel: + 994 50 216 2092, email: maxiwellbaku@inbox.ru; Armenia/Georgia, ARAY Gulf, Mr. Vilson Melikjanyan, Tel: +374 9 307 7755, email: vilson@aray.am; Yemen, Modern House Exhibition, Mr. Khaled Jabr, Tel: +967 71 172 0202, email: mail@mhe-yemen.com; Pakistan, Iceberg Industries (Lucky Goldstar), Mr. Imran Jamil Khan, Tel: +923 21 277 6100, email: ceo@icebergindustries.net
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Bostik Renews Partnership With Tour de France for 2018
Bostik, the specialty adhesives business line of Arkema, will be the official partner for smart adhesives at the iconic cycling event. Now in its fourth year of sponsorship, Bostik will use the competition to boost brand visibility around the world Bostik, a leading global adhesive specialist for consumer, construction and industrial markets, today announced that it will be the official partner for smart adhesives at this year’s Tour de France. 2018 will be its fourth year of association with the event and the sponsorship will be used as a platform to promote the Bostik brand to a global audience. The 2018 race will be the 105th time the race has been held and will take place on 7-29 July. Starting in Noirmoutier-en-l’Îlle in France, the route will cover 21 stages over a total distance of 3,329 kilometers. 176 riders from 22 teams will encounter some of the most challenging terrain in world cycling before crossing the finish line on the Champs-Élysées in Paris on 29 July. Speaking in advance of the event, Bostik Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Vincent Legros, said, “We are very pleased to progress our association with the Tour de France which remains one of the world’s most iconic and closely followed sporting spectacles. Globalizing the Bostik brand remains a strategic priority and the event provides a unique opportunity to reach both new and existing audiences around the world.” An estimated 22,000 hours of TV coverage are 8
HVACR Leaders • August 2018
expected to be dedicated to the event with approximately 100 channels broadcasting in 190 different countries. In addition, it is anticipated that the Tour de France official website will attract 16 million unique visitors during the month of July while 6.5 million fans will follow the race’s social media accounts. Between 10 and 12 million spectators are expected to line the route where they will see specially-commissioned Bostik promotional vehicles participating in the famous ‘Publicity Caravan’ which precedes the peloton on each stage. As part of its sponsorship, Bostik will leverage a range of promotional opportunities including high visibility branding along the route, placement in the Tour’s online and offline publications, corporate hospitality events and in-store special offers, point of sale displays and competitions in international markets.
ACCA Statement on Honeywell R466A Refrigerant Announcement know how it will perform in the field and study possible negative side effects on the application. Therefore, ACCA remains committed to working with our industry partners to ensure training is in place for products that are considered mildly flammable and have been recognized by much of the industry as viable alternatives to R410A.” For more information, please contact ACCA’s Director of Industry and External Relations, Todd Washam, at todd.washam@acca.org or 703824-8864. The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) released the following statement regarding Honeywell’s public announcement of R466A, a new refrigerant that is potentially a non-flammable alternative to R410A. Paul T. Stalknecht, ACCA president and CEO, said, “The development of a non-flammable alternative refrigerant is welcome news for contractors who have been concerned about the push to adopt flammable refrigerants without a strong focus on safety and contractor and technician training. However, it is far too early to determine if R466A is a viable alternative for the residential marketplace. ACCA looks forward to receiving additional information and sharing input from the contracting industry about these developments.” “ACCA is committed to working with refrigerant producers and equipment manufacturers to foster the adoption of refrigerants that are nonozone depleting and have low global warming potential,” said Glenn Hourahan, ACCA senior vice president of technical and engineering. “It will be a while before the industry considers adopting this potential alternative refrigerant because manufacturers and contractors need to 10
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About ACCA ACCA is a non-profit association serving more than 60,000 professionals and 4,000 businesses in the indoor environment and energy services community. Our member firms are the nation’s most professional contracting businesses, serving residential and commercial customers in every state. With roots stretching back a century, ACCA was incorporated in its present form nearly 50 years ago. Today, ACCA sets the standards for quality comfort systems, provides leading-edge education for contractors and their employees, and fights for the interests of professional contractors throughout the nation.
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The Untold Story of Air Conditioning Contractors of America
In this exclusive interview with the president and CEO of ACCA, Paul T. Stalknecht soutlined their projects, past achievements, present technologies and the future goals of the organization. 12
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Describe the company’s past achievements and how does it overcome challenges? The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) has been representing the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contracting industry for nearly 100 years, but was incorporated in its present form in the late 1960s.
This problem is exacerbated by federal and state policies and incentives pushing consumers to purchase more energy efficient equipment, based on laboratory conditions, but disregarding the need for proper - “quality”installations to achieve desired energy efficiency goals. Each time equipment efficiency standards increase, so too does the price of the equipment.
One of the challenges professional contractors face is the race to the bottom, driven by consumers looking for the lowest price.
As prices go up, customers look for the lowest price. Plenty of unqualified people can be found, willing to cut corners and install a HVACR Leaders • August 2018
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installation practices cause the equipment to consume, on average, 30-40 percent more energy. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates nearly half of all HVAC installations have not been installed properly. Government agencies responsible for energy efficiency standards must do more to educate consumers about the benefits of hiring a professional who will install a system correctly. This includes, among other items, proper equipment sizing, addressing duct leakage, and correcting airflow issues.
system cheaply – usually incorrect – so they can be the lowest priced contractor around. According to federal studies, improper 14
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Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency is the only government agency promoting, albeit modestly, the value of a quality HVAC installation. ACCA is one of EPA’s ENERGY STAR Verified Installation
working with Members of Congress, the Trump Administration, and state energy officials to maintain support for this important program.
Program sponsors, offering consumers a guarantee that their system is installed correctly and capable of operating at the promised efficiency level. We are currently
To ensure contractors and technicians have the tools and training to properly install, service, and maintain HVACR systems, ACCA invests heavily to create unrivaled technical offerings. ACCA has created dozens of ANSI recognized manuals and standards that teach the proper installation, service, and maintenance protocols for residential and commercial HVACR applications. No other contracting organization has the technical acumen that ACCA has, and we are proud to lead the industry’s efforts to promote Quality Installation practices and contractor excellence.
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How does your organization contribute to a cleaner, efficient and safer environment? Poorly installed, designed, and commissioned systems, which EPA says impacts half of all systems, will use more energy, decrease indoor air quality, contribute to refrigerant leaks, reduces equipment lifespan, and leads to customer dissatisfaction. ACCA contributes to energy efficiency and a cleaner and safer environment by creating standards and manuals that help contractors properly size equipment, ensure ducts are designed to deliver precise air flow, and decrease opportunities for refrigerant leaks. There’s no trade secret or advanced technology needed to deliver a Quality Installation. It is simply installing a system according to the manufacturers installation requirements, which ACCA has incorporated in to the ACCA/ANSI Quality Installation standard. Where is ACCA headed? ACCA is investing in products, training, and events that focus the upcoming generation of contracting managers and owners. ACCA is evolving to ensure these emerging leaders have an association to call home. This is an issue many trade organizations face today, but ACCA is ahead of the curve. We have several events planned this year, and next, to help young contractors become leaders in the industry, and to help business owners transition from parent to child. There are few good leadership training programs that help contractors through these transitions. ACCA is working with the George Washington Leadership Institute to create a high-level seminar focused on this challenge – which is quite prevalent in the contracting industry. What are the notable projects? Besides being known for technical products, ACCA also has robust business training and government relations programs. We bring all of this together at ACCA’s annual meeting, which is scheduled in San Antonio, March 4-6, 2019, and our Fall Forums, scheduled for November 6-9, 2018 in Fort Worth. 16
HVACR Leaders • August 2018
Our Fall Forums focus on emerging leaders, service managers, and other non-owner decision makers in contracting businesses.
and prosper. I’ve never met someone who participates in the MIX Group program who hasn’t recommended it to other contractors.
We conduct training on maintenance agreement pricing, leadership, recruiting techniques, and other programs to help contractors grow their businesses. The Annual Meeting is geared more toward the business owner or top management of HVACR contractors. We couple it with a large Expo, featuring the latest products, service vendors, and ACCA Corporate Partners who showcase their goods and services.
What innovative solutions have you introduce?
The Annual Meeting always has excellent networking events too, like the ACCA MIXer where we help contractors form MIX Groups. The Management Information Exchange (MIX) program is one of ACCA’s premier membership benefits. Small groups of non-competitive businesses band together a couple times each year to share everything about their business operations. They share financial information, marketing strategies, staffing procedures, and more, all to help each company grow 18
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We get a lot of our ideas through ACCA’s Contractor Forum, which is where contractors ask each other questions, share new ideas, and offer to help each other out. ACCA keeps an eye on the forum to get an idea of what contractors need from us. We go about working with contractors who have overcome certain challenges or addressed a need in their company to create new membership programs. We pride ourselves on being a contractor-driven and focused association. We also have several task forces operating that provide guidance to ACCA staff for our annual meeting and membership needs, as well as a robust committee structure. We have about a dozen committees that are responsible for developing ideas and products that staff manages.
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About Paul T. Stalknecht I started with ACCA in 2001, after a career with the American Trucking Associations. Originally from New Jersey, I moved to the D.C. area in 1985 with my family. My beloved wife passed away in 1999, so I raised my two girls and son for many years as a single father. As the President and CEO of ACCA, I really enjoy spending time with our members, learning about their challenges, and meeting with their families and staff. ACCA members are some of the best businessmen and businesswomen in the country, and I learn something new from them every day. They are leaders in the industry and their communities. They keep me motivated to do my part to better the contracting industry. Define your leadership style I like to give my staff the freedom and flexibility they need to help contractors. I provide guidance and vision for them, but ACCA’s professional staff are wellsuited to get into the weeds. They are the experts, and I expect them to produce quality products and offer superior customer service to our members and non-members. I try to get out of their way and let them do their professional jobs. One of the things I instill in them to not let the fear of failure paralyze their thinking and action. We mess up occasionally and we learn from those mistakes together. I don’t fault my staff for trying something. But, what bothers me most as a boss is people who refuse to try something at all and take no initiative. The best people are those willing to try something new, with a vision of doing something great for the association and not afraid of the bumps along the way. As long as they put their mind to the task!
Top 9 iconic projects of ACCA Seeing the HEAT Act passed into law. ACCA has been promoting versions of the HEAT Act, which allows for immediate expensing of commercial HVACR equipment, since March 2004. That’s when ACCA Member Phil Forner from Michigan asked his Member of Congress to address commercial equipment depreciation schedules. Congressman Hoekstra introduced the first version of the HEAT Act that year. ACCA Hosted HVAC 101 for Congress to help policy makers better understand the industry. We focused on how efficiency standards have not achieved the goals that policy makers wanted because of the failure to educate consumers about HVACR systems. U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Acosta spoke at ACCA’s Annual Conference in February. This is the first time a cabinet secretary has spoken to the HVACR industry, and he hit a homerun with attendees! ACCA was instrumental in the creation of the HVACR Industry Alliance. The Alliance is comprised of the 11 major national trade associations representing the specific groups within the industry. ACCA created the Industry Partners Forum. The IPF is the one time each year where the executive leadership of contractors, distributors, and OEMs meet for frank but friendly discussions on issues that each part of the industry is trying to address. ACCA’s Quality Installation initiatives have resulted in the adoption of many ANSI-recognized standards and technical manuals. Many of these have been adopted into the building codes, and focus on proper installation, services, and maintenance of equipment. ACCA is the leading provider of EPA’s Verified Installation Program (VIP). We accredit contractors, allowing them to offer customers a guarantee that their installation falls with the Energy Star VIP guidelines and will operate as promised. ACCA created the Joint Futures Committee, comprised of about 20 individuals from the contracting and manufacturing industry. This committee looks 5 years and beyond and picks a handful of issues that the industry will need to address. Several ACCA products are the result of the JFC. ACCA created the Qtech online learning series, which teach the Quality Installation standards to contractors and technicians. Qtech is a great certification and education platform.
What To Do the Night Before Starting Your New Engineering Job It’s always important to prepare for a special day, even if it’s your first day in your engineering job.
The morning of your first day could be overwhelming as you try to become a sponge and soak everything you learn throughout the whole day. So help yourself by preparing what you can ahead of time. Here are some tips you should do the night before starting your new engineering job.
Pick out your favorite outfit.
Be prepared for your office pitch You’ll be meeting with a lot of people for the first day, so be prepared with more than just “it’s so nice to meet you.” Think of a couple of conversations starters to avoid awkward first meetings.
While others may prefer to buy a new outfit, I think it’s better to go in with your favorite appropriate outfit instead. Why? Imagine this. You’ll be dealing with a lot of new things for that day–which could be stressful and overwhelming. So, while you want to look sharp in your new shoes and clothes, it’s better to wear something your body is comfortably familiar with. The last thing you want is to be limping because of blisters from your new shoes as you walk behind your supervisor when he/she tours you around the company grounds.
Plan to get to work EARLY
Don’t pack a lunch
Before going to bed the night before your first day, take a few minutes to remember why you accepted this job. Whatever your motivation it may be, take note why you took this job in the first place. So when things get too stressful and overwhelming, you can return to this reason and remind yourself why you’re doing this.
The first day is all about getting to know your officemates. Go grab a bite outside with your new officemates so you could get to know them. Chances are, your boss could also treat you out for your first day. You could pack some small snacks though, like an apple, a sandwich, 26
or a granola bar and a few candies to keep you alert throughout the day.
HVACR Leaders • August 2018
You read that right. Don’t get to your office on time, get there extra early! Half an hour early will be best. This is a smart move for a few reasons. First, this could give you a buffer if the train could be running in late. Second, this will give you the chance to collect yourself and be totally calm and cool on your first day.
Remember why you took the job
Good luck on your first day!
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The Five Stages of Layoff in Engineering Layoffs suck, everyone knows it. Whether you’ve been through it before, or you’ve been fortunate enough to steer your own career destiny. Right now, the oil and gas industry is going through an unprecedented period of layoffs. Between November 2014 and June 2016, an estimated 350,000 oilfield jobs have been lost worldwide.
vice presidents, and higher ups first announce that a layoff is coming, you feel vindicated. You tell yourself: ‘I knew it. The company has been overstaffed. There’s not enough work for everyone. I’ve been saying it for months now. These bosses have had their heads up their asses. I called it before everyone else.’ You were right! And it feels good to be right!
Whenever layoffs take place, the workforce on the chopping block goes through a wide range of emotions. Depending on individual circumstances, some of these emotions may resonate more than others. The Kübler-Ross model describes The Five Stages of Grief that one experiences after tragedy. As an engineer having gone through three rounds of layoffs in the last year and a half, I’ve created the Oil & Gas Firing Model, or The Five Stages of Layoff.
2. Anger
1. Vindication The first emotion. When you’re sitting in a corporate town hall meeting and your bosses, 28
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After the high of vindication wears off, the last positive thoughts disappear. Now you’re pissed. The downward spiral of anger takes over your thoughts: If you knew things were this bad, why didn’t the company foresee any of this? How could the higher ups not have prepared for this downside? It is the oil and gas industry for God’s sake! Why are they so shortsided and ignorant? If they fire me, I’ll throw a bigger temper tantrum than my 2-year-old as they escort me kicking and screaming out of here.
You’re not ready for change. You’ve spent so much time here, and sadly, it feels like it’s all for naught…
5. Acceptance
3. Fear Once your anger subsides, you begin to think more rationally. Your feelings of anger are quickly replaced by pangs of fear. You become afraid. Afraid for your livelihood, your career prospects, your paycheck, your family, your kids and loved ones. You realize all the little things you take for granted in your daily life. You imagine all the things you won’t be able to afford if you’re laid off. You run different scenarios and options through your mind, and none of them seem as good as your current situation. What will you do if the office grim reaper knocks on your door? Your life as you know it is OVER! You picture yourself begging on the street corner or living in your van, never able to find work again.
to lose their potency. Maybe things won’t be that bad if you lose your job. You’ll be ok. This isn’t the end of the world. Life will go on, right? Wait, what are you feeling now? Sadness? There is a gray cloud following you around your cubicle. This sucks. You can’t believe that this is actually happening. What about all your work friends? Will they still be your friends if one or all of you are laid off? What about your awesome 401k and health plan you’ve had for so long? You’re going to miss all the perks that you’ve taken for granted. So much is going to change.
All stages of emotion end in acceptance, and layoffs are no different. You will be ok. Life will go on. There’s a chance life might even get better! Whatever thoughts manifest in your mind will become your reality. If you keep your head up, think positive thoughts, and make the most of your contacts and circumstances, new opportunities will present themselves. Although your company really screwed the pooch, take this moment as a learning experience. Put yourself in a new situation that’s even better than before. Start your own business like you’ve always wanted, travel the world, or make contact with an old friend who needs someone with just your skill set. Again, life WILL go on and you WILL be ok. You are more powerful than you know. Trust that above all else.
4. Sadness Your fears turn to tears. The fear recedes as your mind comprehends the possible changes in your future. All of the scenarios you’ve created out of fear and anger start HVACR Leaders • August 2018
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LG Electronics USA Appoints Carl Barnard To Lead Air Conditioning Controls Sales Air conditioning technologies leader LG Electronics has named industry veteran Carl Barnard director of controls sales at LG Air Conditioning Technologies in the United States. In this new position, Barnard will be taking on the critical role of expanding LG’s industry-recognized and award-winning controls platforms. Barnard joins LG with more than 30 years of experience in a multitude of roles ranging from controls engineering and applications to project management, regional sales management and sales leadership. Most recently, he was vice president of sales and marketing at Energy Metrics, a division of Aligned Energy, where he was responsible for business development and strategy with a focus on IoT. Previous experience includes key positions with Distech Controls, Automated Logic and American Auto-Matrix. “LG is driving the future of HVAC controls with our pioneering building management solutions and controls, along with residential IoT products,” said Kevin McNamara, senior vice president and general manager of Air Conditioning Technologies, LG Electronics USA. “Carl’s broad experience in the controls 30
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market will take our leadership in this arena to the next level.” Barnard said, “LG has made tremendous inroads in the HVAC controls category over the past few years and has a great vision for bringing groundbreaking products to market. My focus is to build on the momentum and help the business achieve its full potential and further increase the recognition of the powerful LG brand in the HVAC industry.” About LG Air Conditioning Technologies The LG Electronics USA Air Conditioning Technologies business is based in Alpharetta, Ga. LG is a leading player in the global air conditioning market, manufacturing both commercial and residential air conditioners, providing total sustainability and building
management solutions. From consumer and individual units to industrial and lghvac.com specialized air conditioning systems, LG provides a wide range of products for heating, ventilating and air conditioning. The company’s industry-leading variable refrigerant flow (VRF) technology minimizes efficiency losses, provides sustainable energy savings and offers some of the lowest life cycle cost of any system on the market today. LG Electronics USA, based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics Inc., a $55 billion global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, mobile communications, home appliances and air solutions. For more information, please visit lghvac.com.
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Kigali Amendment Economic Impact Study Released indicates that U.S. implementation of the Kigali Amendment is good for American jobs. It will both strengthen America’s exports and weaken the market for imported products, while enabling U.S. technology to continue its world leadership role. According to the study:
The Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy (The Alliance) and The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), released their comprehensive study: Economic Impact of Kigali Ratification & Implementation, supporting the ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol which calls for a phase down in the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) worldwide. The Kigali Amendment gives American companies an advantage in technology, manufacturing, and investment which will lead to job creation. The economic analysis 32
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• The Kigali amendment is projected to increase U.S. manufacturing jobs by 33,000 by 2027, increase exports by $5 billion, reduce imports by nearly $7 billion, and improve the HVACR balance of trade. • With Kigali, U.S. exports will outperform, increasing U.S. share of global market from 7.2% to 9.0%. • Fluorocarbon-based manufacturing industries in the U.S. directly employ 589,000 Americans, with an industry-wide payroll of more than $39 billion per year. The fluorocarbon industry in the U.S. indirectly supports 494,000 American jobs with a $36 billion annual payroll. • According to the analysis, the U.S. fluorocarbon using and producing industries contribute more than $205 billion annually in
of global export markets will decline.
direct goods and services and provide employment to more than 2.5 million individuals and overall economic activity of $620 billion to the U.S. economy. “U.S. ratification of the Kigali Amendment is good for American jobs, good for the economy, and crucial for maintaining U.S. leadership across the globe, said John Hurst, Chairman of The Alliance, and Vice President of Lennox International. He added, “Over thirty countries have ratified the amendment. America cannot afford to be on the sideline. America must
continue to lead.” The HVACR industry historically has been the global leader, building on a strong domestic base and expanding the use of new technology around the world. The changes driven by the Montreal Protocol have strengthened and expanded that U.S. leadership. Ratification of Kigali is crucial to continuing that pattern and maintaining U.S. leadership. Without Kigali ratification, growth opportunities will be lost, along with the jobs to support that growth; the trade deficit will grow, and the U.S. share
“This study illustrates in a very concrete way the fact that U.S. ratification of the Kigali Amendment is good for American jobs, good for the economy, and crucial for maintaining U.S. leadership across the globe,” said AHRI President & CEO Stephen Yurek. “It will help American companies capture a large portion of the projected $1 trillion global market for the next generation of innovative, energy efficient products and equipment.” Both Republicans and Democrats recognize the benefits of global refrigerant policies outlined in Kigali Amendment, and have for more than 30 years. Five U.S. presidents from both parties have supported the policies outlined in the Montreal Protocol, first negotiated during the Reagan Administration in 1987, which has helped keep the U.S. a global leader in HVACR technologies.
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Quick Tips For Engineers Who Want To Advance Their Careers Preparation is the key factor to any decision for your future.
There are some people who never even consider taking the next step, or even switching out of a career path that they hate. Here are some quick tips every engineer could use to get where they really want to be.
Plan your daily activities
Most of the time, your current job isn’t where you’d exactly want to be. But taking the next step in your career is not the easiest thing to do. That’s why a lot of engineers struggle with what they have now, scared to move forward since it might mean the end of what they have today. It’s like living inside your comfort zone. Once you get used to living comfortably, you tend to not take any risks, even if it means climbing the career ladder. 34
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You can ask yourself some quick questions to see where you’d want to be career-wise. This is a simple exercise for you to envision what kind of role you’d want to be playing, and if it would mean you having to sacrifice what you have right now. Try to think how your day would be, what your activities for the day would entail, what kind of work would you be doing, where would you be working, and what kind of people would be working with you. Image training related to your future goals can help you visualize what next steps you need to take.
Use a ‘Happiness Rating’ When you’re burned out, it might not just be due to you working long hours. If you’re truly doing what you like, then it wouldn’t be a burden. Take a look at what you’re doing now and place happiness ratings on them. This could be a simple scale of 1 to 10 or a ranking of 1 to 5 stars, it’s your rating chart. Rate the activities that you’re doing, people you encounter, and even your work. This might sound crazily childish, but it might be help you get in tune with what you really want.
Don’t tolerate what you don’t like
a 5 to 10 year timeline, whichever is to your liking. Having a more realistic timeline would enable you to create specific and attainable goals rather than goals that are blown out of proportions.
Create a long term plan The best advice you can get when switching careers or advancing through your career path is by making a plan. See your goal, write steps on how you’d get there. Create milestones that you need to take and a timeline to go along with it. Preparation is the key factor to any decision for your future.
If you’re unhappy with something, something needs to be done. If your job entails talking to different clients yet you yourself don’t like talking, then your next career choice would be impacted. It’s like your taste in food; if you simply don’t like broccoli, don’t force yourself to wolf it down. Take note of the things in your current situation that may not be up your alley. You’ll find it easier to focus on your next career path.
Think ahead, just not too far It’s great to plan for the future, but don’t think that your next step would mean that you’d have to do it ‘forever’. Try to structure your plans in
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10 Inconvenient Truths About Our Engineering Careers The truth hurts especially about our engineering careers. Sometimes it is just too inconvenient.
The truth hurts. Sometimes it is just inconvenient. This transcends to our engineering careers as well which are filled with misconceptions. Whether or not we accept them, they are there to speak of the realities of life – they are the truth, after all. Most budding engineers think that the profession is as easy as how older engineers make it appear. But those who are already at the top of their engineering professions will agree with me on the following inconvenient truths: 1. Almost every engineer started from the bottom. It doesn’t matter if you think you deserve to be at the top, we all start at the lowest rank. 2. It’s not enough that you have passed the licensure or professional exam. There’s more to engineering than knowing them all in theory. 3. Engineering is and will always be incorporated in your life that day you started working as one. There is no escape. 4. Professional growth as an engineer might be uncomfortable at times. You need to overcome such discomfort. 5. You don’t always get everything you want in just one job. There will always be a tradeoff. 6. If you really want to become successful as an engineer, you need to have sustained effort and deliberate action. Dreams don’t come to you, you chase after them. 7. It usually takes 3 to 6 months before you can get the job as an engineer. Job search doesn’t happen overnight. 8. Once you find yourself jumping into a lot of jobs already, you might have the problem, not the job. 9. Invest in yourself and in your career. If you can’t do that, why would any company do? 10. Engineering success is a formula that involves a lot of people in it. You can’t achieve the success you want all by yourself.
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HARDI Distributors Report 6.4 Percent Revenue Increase in April Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) released its monthly TRENDS report, showing average sales for HARDI distributor members increased by 6.4 percent in April 2018. The average annualized growth for the 12 months through April 2018 is 6.6 percent. “This April was a strange month. The regional sales performance ranged from a slight decline to a gain of more than 20%,” said HARDI Market Research & Benchmarking Analyst Brian Loftus. “Several of our regions were comparing unusually cool weather this year against unusually warm weather in the prior year. The region with the extraordinary gain experienced record warmth this year against a cool prior year.” “It looks like a good economic environment 38
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for HARDI members,” said HARDI Senior Economist Connor Lokar. “US Industrial Production during the 12 months through April is up 2.6% compared to one year ago. Growth during the most recent three months topped 4.0% compared to the same three months through April a year ago. This is the first time quarterly growth has topped 4.0% in seven years!” “The Days Sales Outstanding (DSO), a measure of how quickly customers pay their bills, is near 49 days,” said Loftus. “This is slightly faster than April 2015 or April 2016. This improving trend is consistent with the recent monthly DSO performance.” HARDI members do not receive financial compensation in exchange for their monthly sales data and can discontinue their
participation without prior notice or penalty. Participation is voluntary, and the depth of market coverage varies from region to region. An independent entity collects and compiles the data that can include products not directly associated with the HVACR industry. ABOUT HARDI HARDI (Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International) is the single voice of wholesale distribution within the HVACR industry. HARDI members market, distribute, and support heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration equipment, parts and supplies. HARDI Distributor members serve installation and service/replacement contractors in residential and commercial markets, as well as commercial/industrial and institutional maintenance staffs. HARDI proudly represents more than 480 distributor members representing more than 5,000 branch locations, and close to 500 suppliers, manufacturer representatives and service vendors. HVACR Leaders • August 2018
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First-ever Liveability Challenge offers up to S$1m for game-changing urban innovations A new global call for innovative solutions to urban waste management and cooling challenges was launched today, with each submission standing the chance to secure up to S$1 million to support their game-changing work. Presented by Temasek Foundation Ecosperity and organised by Eco-Business, The Liveability Challenge seeks to uncover viable solutions from all over the world to some of the greatest problems facing cities in the 21st century. The Challenge is accepting submissions between 5 April and 25 May 2018 through The Liveability Challenge website. Shortlisted teams will get to pitch their projects to a panel of established funders and investors at an exciting
event held during the high-profile World Cities Summit in Singapore on 10 July 2018. To kick off the global search for liveability solutions, a cozy launch event was held at Bar Rouge, SwissĂ´tel The Stamford today where Singapore-based innovators shared their experiences in developing and bringing their solutions for better urban environments to market. Mr Jason Pomeroy, the Founding Principal of Pomeroy Studio outlined how innovation plays a role in building sustainable cities; Mr Darren Ho, Head of Farmers from Citizen Farm shared his views on feeding the city while Dr Tan Swee Ching, Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the National University of Singapore presented his invention of a novel desiccant that improves thermal comfort. The Challenge was unveiled to a crowd of sustainability experts, business professionals, academics and civil society leaders. Mr Lim Hock Chuan, Chief Executive of Temasek Foundation Ecosperity said: “The Liveability Challenge is an opportunity for us to bring together the entire ecosystem of innovators, funders, investors, platform providers and professionals and get them excited about finding impactful solutions to make Singapore and the region a more liveable place. We hope to give the talents and innovators a helping hand in advancing their solutions towards
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“We are living in an age of global markets, social mobility and technological advancement; but also in an era of accelerating climate change, disappearing cultures and public space depletion. Never has there been such an important time to holistically address these issues in the design of our built environment. I believe that the future lies in an evidencebased design approach that has sustainability and inter-disciplinary practice at its core. Platforms like The Liveability Challenge provide a means of turning theory into practice for the greater good of the natural and man-made environment,“ observed Mr Pomeroy. eventual successful commercialisation.” Temasek Foundation Ecosperity champions liveability and sustainability, and supports innovations that can deliver a significant impact to improving the way we live, work and play. The Foundation funds translational research to help researchers produce operational prototypes which can then be developed further into commercial products. As Asia’s dynamic cities continue to lead global economic growth, its cities are experiencing rapid urbanisation and face growing pressures from explosive population growth and worsening climate change. According to the United Nations, 60 per cent of the world’s population will live in cities by 2030 while temperatures could soar up to 6 degrees Celsius higher than before without the global community taking climate action. A hotter climate could increase already-strong demand for cooling technologies, which could, by 2040, take up as much as 40 per cent of Southeast Asia’s electricity demand. The region’s heating, ventilation and air-conditioning market is forecasted to reach US$13.63 billion by 2023. Meanwhile, economic growth and rising income levels are turning Asian nations into some of the world’s biggest producers and polluters of e-waste and plastics. Singapore alone generated 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste in 2017, while global recycling powerhouse China imported US$3.7 billion or approximately half the world’s plastic waste in 2016, reflecting huge business opportunities in plastic waste management alone.
Ms Jessica Cheam, Managing Editor, EcoBusiness, added: “The need for new solutions to urban challenges has never been more urgent, as countries and cities in Asia continue to grow. We need concrete, scaleable products and solutions that will enable cities to overcome pollution, overcrowding and the poor living conditions that often come with rapid economic development. Through The Liveability Challenge, we want to harness human ingenuity and innovation to chart a new, sustainable and fairer course for development in Singapore and the region.” The Liveability Challenge is supported by a host of partners including SGInnovate, Danfoss, FundedHere, the National University of Singapore, and Surbana Jurong.
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Ways to Keep Your Best Engineering Employees Engaged
Here are some helpful tips you could use to keep your best employees geared up for better work. your game when it comes to giving them a new task or project. Ignore this issue any longer and you might be faced with the risk of your best engineers migrating to better and more challenging opportunities. There’s no cookiecutter approach when it comes to motivating through challenge, but here are some helpful tips you could use to keep them geared up for better work.
Time constraints There are a lot of challenges when it comes to handling your top-performing employees. In the engineering industry, it’s very easy for your ‘veterans’ to be the best at what they do, to the point that none of their work is a challenge anymore. If this is the case for your best workers, you may want to consider upping up 42
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An easy way to get more ideas to come in is to ask your employees how they could handle a project in different time constraints. If there are no projects that are hard enough for your A-team to handle, try creating constraints to keep them challenged. Ask them what they would do to finish a 12-month project in 9 months or less and what they would do
differently to achieve it. You can also ask them how things would still run smoothly even if they’re going to be away for a specific time period. Simple time-based issues like these could bring about new ideas for your workers to think of
Budget If your team is really at the top of their game, they would know how money revolves around your business. Keep them engaged by asking them how they would achieve the simplest and cheapest solution to any problems they may encounter. Ask your managers how they would get the best team if they only have 75% of their current budget. Again, the point is to keep them engaged and thinking.
Expertise This is simple, if they can change how a project would flow with their expertise, you wouldn’t
know unless you ask. Ask your key players what they would do if they were the CEO, how would they run things with their expertise. For your managers, ask them how they would manage a team of entirely new people and how they would still be able to finish a quality project.
Sell their ideas Even if you know how good your people are, test them by having them ‘sell’ their ideas to you or your board. It’s easy to say “yes” when you already know what the employee is capable of. But let them convince you by asking different questions like: how would you convince a 10-year old about your idea, or how would you explain it to someone who doesn’t speak english? Keeping their brains moving keeps them challenged and for hard workers, motivated to continue working at your company.
How Engineers Can Manage the Feeling of Being Overwhelmed
The demands of our life in this modern work increases; our time doesn’t. anywhere no matter how fast or how hard you try.
This scenario can overwhelm you. So here are some ways that can help you be on top of your game. These may help you be more in control of your life rather that your tasks taking control of you.
Plan your commitments
Have you ever felt like your tasks are piling up day by day at work? That no matter how much effort and time you spend–even after work hours–they don’t seem to end? You feel like you’re trapped in a hamster wheel, not getting
Organize your commitments for the day by mapping out a plan. This will give you an overview on how you’re going to handle your tasks throughout the day/week more efficiently. This will also give you an idea on how you’re going to decide whether you’re going to accept a new task that is given to you so you know if you’re actually biting in more than you can chew.
who can, then you always know how much time you need to finish a task, If not, you can still be efficient by scheduling your time throughout the day. Create milestones you set along the way.
Find out what uses up your time Let’s face it, we can’t be productive 100% of the time. We face daily distractions that can eat away your time. These include, email, meetings, office chatter, and the ultimate distraction nowadays–social media. While these distractions can be useful to give you time to unwind and refocus, too much of it can cause you more problems than the relaxation it’s supposed to do.
Prioritize by urgency Not all tasks are urgent. You need to differentiate which tasks are important from which ones are urgent. Urgent matters are those that need immediate attention, so in the schedule you’ve created, always set a buffer. If the task is neither urgent nor important, you need to question yourself why you are doing this.
It’s time to pay more attention to your time Not everyone can operate on an efficient internal clock. If you’re one of the employees
Learn self-control and keep these distractions to a minimum.
Know when to say no. There’s nothing wrong with offering some help to someone. But if it’s adding more “food” to a full plate, then maybe it’s time to say no. Above everything i’ve mentioned, taking care of yourself should be your number one priority when it comes to your career. How can you give your best at work if you, yourself, are not at your best. Hopefully, these tips can help minimize the stress you experience at work.
How to Survive the First Week of Your New Engineering Job
New jobs can be a pain especially if you’re still easing in. Here are some tips on how you can survive your first week at your new workplace. Whether it’s your first, second, or sixth job, easing in can be quite painful and overwhelming. While the job can still be the same, your workplace, coworkers, and even your boss would definitely be different. Before you know it, a whole stack of new projects would also come your way, and you’re tasked to complete it with as little training as possible. Switching careers, from planning to designing, or from designing to product management, all has its own overwhelming factors. They suddenly expect you to create a blueprint or a draft of a new project without so much as a how-to or even a training manual to get you by. If you get buried in all of your tasks, you won’t last very long. Having the right mindset to overcome all these obstacles would allow you to survive, and even last long in your chosen field.
Discomfort can be a good thing You may have already been used to your previous job. You knew how to fix everything. But sometimes, this sense of easiness that your tasks provides is your own bane. Doing easy things over and over will get you bored in the long run. Now let’s move on to your new job. You don’t know what you’re doing, and you’re probably all over the place. But this kind of challenge is exactly what you need to move forward in your career. No one grows doing easy things. Everyone needs a little hardship every now and then.
Learn to accept help In your previous job, you may not have needed help in finishing your tasks. But now that you’re someplace new, it’s okay to ask for a bit of help. Avoid doing things without asking. If your coworkers or your manager seem irritated by your questions, ask them to point you to a resource you could study yourself. It’s not going to be hard all the time You have to accept that your first steps would be hard. It’s like getting your first scratches while learning how to ride a bike. After a while, you’ll gradually master what you’re doing, and soon enough, you’ll be breezing through everything.
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4 Reasons Why Engineers Should Take Their Vacation Leaves Most of the time, you think that you can’t leave your work and end up not using your vacation leaves. Here’s a few reasons to convince you otherwise. Human beings need rest, that’s why engineers should take their vacation leaves when they have a chance. We’ve heard an insane amount of excuses regarding employees not taking a vacation from work. Most of the time however, the excuses are not really logical. We’re here to help convince you that taking a leave is not the worst thing to do, it might even be what you need the most right now.
You deserve it The typical excuse: “guilt”. You may have heard about people not taking their vacations due to the fact that they’re too guilty to get paid on leave. If you’re one of the people who think like this, there’s a simple answer for this. Each company gives you a specific amount of
vacation leaves, it’s yours to take, and if you don’t take it, the money they allocate for your leaves just goes back to them. In the end, it’s like you’re actually paying them not to send you on vacation.
Use it or lose it In most cases, vacation leaves are usually not paid back, at least not entirely. Avoid thinking that you should be saving your paid timeoffs for scenarios that have a fat chance of happening. You’re not a squirrel saving food for a rainy day. It’s either you use the leaves now and enjoy yourself, or end up not using them later and losing them forever. It’s healthy to save some for expected events, but if you’re not expecting anything them, why save them?
Taking time off of work Work is good, it gives you money, but don’t think you can’t take vacation leaves because there’s a huge amount of it to be done. Think back on yourself. Do you have bad management skills or is there just too much of work to tackle? If your answer is the former, take the time off, you’ll have more time to think about how you can boost productivity during off time. However, if you answered the latter, you need to talk to your manager. Everyone deserves a time off. If for some reason a leave can’t be done due to the amount of work present, there’s something definitely wrong with your work environment.
Stop thinking that vacations are expensive Most people think that vacations are not worth it. Yeah you get paid to be off from work, but the money you’d have to spend to go on vacation might be even more than what you get. This is not always true. There are a lot of ways to get your vacation expenses cheaper like finding a place where you can stay with friends, or planning a smaller scale trip. If all else fails, staycations are also a good way to spend your quality time.
Satya Nadella
Peter Drucker
Bill Gates
10 Quotes for the Unmotivated Engineers Here are some awesome quotes that will inspire and motivate young engineers.
Engineers: The world of engineering is so vast that we can safely say that almost everything in our technological world today is a product of engineering, from the environment,
Bill Gates “To be a good professional engineer, always start to study late for exams. Because it teaches you how to manage time and tackle emergencies.” Theodore von Karman “Scientists study the world as it is; engineers create the world that has never been.” Steve Jobs “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” Steve Jobs
Elbert Hubbard “One machine can do the work of 50 ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man.” Peter Drucker “If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old.” Henry Stott “Engineering is the art of organizing and directing men and controlling the forces and materials of nature for the benefit of the human race.” Satya Nadella “Our industry does not respect tradition – it only respects innovation.”
Elon Musk telecommunications, transportation, to manufacturing, security and even the medical field. Engineering has been so much a part of everyday life that many wellknown people involved in the world of engineering have a lot to say about this field. Here are some awesome quotes that will inspire and motivate all the young engineers out there.
Nikola Tesla “Invention is the most important product of man’s creative brain. The ultimate purpose is the complete mastery of mind over the material world, the harnessing of human nature to human needs.” Elon Musk “The path to the CEO’s office should not be through the CFO’s office and it should not be through the marketing department. It needs to be through engineering and design.” Thomas J. Watson “The way to succeed is to double your failure rate.”
What Engineers Say Versus What Engineers Mean (Part 1)
There is a fine line between what engineers say and what engineers mean. Engineers are also liars. There’s no denying that. Although not necessarily compulsive liars, engineers at times have to do the necessary evil of lying and make their way out of it without ever proven wrong. It’s an inherent skill to survive from engineering school to the profession, and doesn’t really affect the credibility of the engineer when the lies are concealed just right. There is a fine line between what engineers say and what engineers mean. This line separates the truth and the cover-up. Most of the time, it just works. Here are some of those laughable lines that engineers say but don’t actually mean it: What Engineers Say: Developed after years of intensive research. What Engineers Mean: It was discovered by accident. It is understandable that in a field like 52
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engineering, where there is so much theory to study, we resort to trial and error method. Often, it just works in our favor that manually having to execute the step by step method. What Engineer Say: The design will be finalized in the next reporting period. What Engineers Mean: We haven’t started this job yet, but we’ve got to say something. It says it all: the lack of time to finish the project or even the design is hard labor. It isn’t done overnight. What Engineers Say: A number of different approaches are being tried. What Engineers Mean: We don’t know where we’re going, but we’re moving. As said, there are infinite number of ways to solve an engineering project problem only to try each one of them – which also yields infinite tries of who knows where.
What Engineers Say: Project slightly behind schedule due to unforeseen difficulties. What Engineers Mean: We are working on something else. Engineers have a multitude to do and it’s really a matter of priority. Each project will be given attention until further notice. What Engineers Say: Close project coordination. What Engineers Mean: We should have asked someone else or let’s spread the responsibility for this.
Yeah, the point-it-to-others approach always works. Pin others to do the job even when they have no clue about the project. What Engineers Say: Major technical breakthrough. What Engineers Mean: Back to the drawing board. This excuse perhaps has an underlying pain that engineers have to start on a new concept again for the project to work. A ‘major technical breakthrough’ means engineers have to convene and crack heads to produce another output.
What Engineers Say: Customer satisfaction is believed to be assured. What Engineers Mean: We were so far behind schedule that the customer was happy to get anything at all from us. Giving the customer some assurance gives a feeling of security that the project is leading somewhere, when it is really not. What Engineers Say: Preliminary operation tests were inconclusive.
When engineers in a team fail, this is the perfect alibi. When there’s no work done yet despite of no excuses, something must be wrong with the its members. What Engineers Say: Extensive report is being prepared on a fresh approach to the problem. What Engineers Mean: We just hired three guys, we’ll let them kick it around for a while. HVACR Leaders • August 2018
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What Engineers Mean: The darn thing blew up when we threw the switch.
What Engineers Mean: We threw the whole thing out and are starting from scratch.
The initial tests are always a disappointment. Something will explode and the whole system will be trashed. Engineers have to start again.
There will be projects that are still pursued that are no longer significant. When it’s finally realized, time and resources have already been wasted that engineers can no longer take back. Ouch.
What Engineers Say: Tests were extremely gratifying. What Engineers Mean: It works and boy are we surprised. It comes to a point that the trial and error method works that engineers are surprised themselves. It wasn’t the expected method of output but it just worked. What Engineers Say: The entire concept will have to be abandoned. What Engineers Mean: The only guy who understood the thing quit. When the guy who is solely responsible of the project quits, engineers start from scratch. It pays to contribute to the project, or at least know something about it so the project won’t fall out just because only one knows the darn thing and quits. What Engineers Say: Modifications are underway to correct certain minor difficulties. 54
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