PHCC Announces Dates for Third Annual HVAC Apprentice Contest

Contest features 15 top HVAC apprentices in a hands-on competition
FALLS CHURCH, Va. — The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors — National Association (PHCC) Educational Foundation announced its third annual HVAC Apprentice Contest will be held Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2015 during PHCC’s CONNECT 2015 conference in Hollywood, Florida.

The HVAC Apprentice Contest features 15 top HVAC apprentices in a hands-on competition that comprises six events: brazing, where contestants assemble a refrigeration circuit with components following a drawing; refrigerant recovery and identification; a written knowledge test; an opportunity to take readings on a working package unit and make relevant calculations to determine system operation parameters; electrical troubleshooting; and basic electrical skills and wiring.

When 2014 winner Leroy Friend, a technician with Shapiro & Duncan in Rockville, Maryland, returned to work after winning the contest, he brought back a big boost of confidence, a $4,000+ prize package of state-of-the-art tools, and bragging rights for his company. Said Friend, “I was apprehensive at first, but I went ahead and did it… and I’m glad I did. I came back with tons of confidence, and that’s helped me a lot with my job.”

Among the tools that Friend received were refrigeration gauges, hand tools, a drill, an infrared thermometer, a gas detection kit, a multimeter, and a camera with a telescopic head that he uses to look into heat exchangers.

Friend’s supervisor and the service manager at his company, Don Jenkins, sees great value in the tool package and encourages suppliers to continue supporting the contest by donating tools. “Knowledge is great, but it’s only as good as the tools that you use,” he said, adding that manufacturers are constantly coming out with “newer stuff that’s faster and easier to use” and that education and hands-on exposure among the workforce is critical. “With his new tools and what he already had on his truck, there’s really nothing he can’t do.”

Portable HVAC Products Provide Specialized Solutions

Since they don’t have to stay in one place, portable cooling units have been known to show up in some pretty unique places. Temp-Air Inc.’s units have been used everywhere from sporting events as big as the FIFA World Cup held last year in Brazil to outdoor ice-skating rink warming houses in St. Paul, Minnesota, said Amanda Rahn, marketing manager. And, on a smaller stage, the company’s units are regularly used at baseball fields, air hangars, and in disaster relief efforts.

Here’s a closer look at how portable units are serving in some outside-the-box applications.

NONTRADITIONAL FARMING
At Urban Till, a Chicago-based hydroponics company, plants are grown in flowing water without the use of soil. Urban Till contacted Temp-Air two years ago because its facility was getting too warm.

The entire building, which grows herbs and microgreens year-round for local restaurants, was being cooled with only four 5-ton air conditioning units.

“Due to the high level of moisture in the air mixed with the heat generated from growing lights, I recommended the company use 100 tons of cooling to control the interior temperature,” said Rick Kowalski, technical field representative with Temp-Air. “Urban Till needed precise temperature control to keep the interior air temperature of the facility below 70°F. The flowing water could not get too warm, otherwise it would destroy the root system of the plants. Plants had previously been dying when the facility got too warm due to the heat emitted from the growing lights.”

As a result of Kowalski’s recommendation, Urban Till leased two model PAC-50T4H 50-ton temporary industrial air conditioners from Temp-Air. But, it wasn’t an easy job to set up.

“At first, units were placed on the ground outside the facility with duct fed in through the windows,” Kowalski said. “We then built steel frames on the roof to set the units in. This resulted in long duct that draped over the building, which led into the interior space. Adding to the difficulty of the setup process was that there was only one access point. Since cool air was only entering through one area, we had to add eight fans inside the building to push the air through to the back of the building.”

Down the road, he said, Temp-Air may end up drilling into the roof in order to put the duct directly in from the top of the roof rather than draping over the side of the building. But, so far, the good news is the Temp-Air units have proven to be the right solution to protect Urban Till’s plants. And, since the air conditioners also serve as dehumidifiers, they’ve provided an additional benefit for the hydroponics company.

“The a/c equipment would take the moisture in the air and would pump the water out of the building,” Kowalski explained. “The customer then saw the opportunity to reuse the water resulting from the equipment condensation process rather than using public water. This developed a self-sustainable environment. The reused water is better than city water since it has positive ions, which the plant roots absorb as nutrients.”

KEEPING BUGS AT BAY
According to Portacool LLC, a manufacturer of portable evaporative coolers that work with ambient air and water to provide natural cooling power, its coolers are used in all kinds of situations. For instance, more than 20 NFL teams, and many college football teams, use Portacool coolers to keep players cool on the sidelines during game days. And the list of interesting applications goes on — including outdoor concerts, golf tournaments, and even biker rallies.

Yet, a recent application for a utility company was also notable because, in this case, the Portacool solution did more than just provide cooling — it helped alleviate a pesky mosquito problem.

Duke Energy, an electric utility company, provides power to customers in six states: Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, and North Carolina. According to Portacool, Duke Energy was experiencing heat issues in its vehicle maintenance bays. Worker productivity was being lost due to heat and bug problems. Duke Energy’s capital tools team ruled out permanent, installed air conditioning as too costly.

While researching alternative options, the team determined the solution must offer a more comfortable work environment, operate with a low noise level, and require minimal maintenance. Ultimately, the team purchased more than 60 Portacool Classic 48-inch units, which were positioned in garages in all six states the utility services.

According to the Duke team, “The movement of the cool air cooled the shop and also helped with mosquito annoyance.” While they acknowledged that portable cooling didn’t completely solve their bug problem, the team stated the new coolers certainly “helped to cope with it.”

MSI HVAC Acquires HVAC assets of Desert Pipe & Supply

FONTANA, Calif. - MSI HVAC (MSI), a wholesale supplier in Southern California and Nevada, announced they have acquired the HVAC assets of Desert Pipe & Supply in Palm Desert.

Founded in 1986, MSI is a family-owned wholesale distributor that has been providing excellent customer service supplying HVAC equipment, parts, and supplies, in the Southern California and Nevada markets for the past 25 years.

MSI currently serves the add-on replacement, residential new construction, commercial, and multifamily sectors of the industry. 

"MSI has been serving customers in the Coachella Valley for over 20 years, and we are extremely pleased to have a location in Palm Desert enabling MSI to better serve our customers here in the valley," said Dion Quinn, CEO of MSI.

The Palm Desert branch located at 75220 Merle Drive has a staff with over 44 years of combined HVAC experience running the new location. MSI is proud to welcome back J.C. Phillips as the branch manager and pleased to introduce Donald Mason as the inside sales manager and Michael Boothe as the territory manager.

HVAC Solution: HVAC SOFTWARE

HVAC Solution, a Windows-based software package, has been designed to increase employee performance and productivity, says the manufacturer. Developed by engineers, the software is suitable for engineers, designers, and contractors, with the capability to perform many of the engineering calculations and design tasks that hvac professionals normally perform using hand calculations or spreadsheets, says the company. The program performs all engineering calculations associated with air and water schematics, saves time, reduces errors, 

Contractors Differentiate, Thanks to Smart HVAC

With a TSI Velocicalc Plus meter in hand, contractor David Richardson measures wet bulb and dry bulb temperatures from a supply register. The owner of Richardson Heating and Air Conditioning, Frankfort, Ky., believes in airside diagnostic testing, including basic static pressure and temperature measurements to full-blown airside diagnostics.
Smart HVAC is happening now. Call it an industry trend, if you want to, but know that contractors who have adopted and embraced ever-more sophisticated tools, equipment, and processes are currently ahead of the curve. These contractors, who believe in smart HVAC, are performing every type of diagnostic test on homes and commercial buildings. In the end, they are having eye-opening results, thanks, in part, to having and using every kind of diagnostic tool and equipment imaginable.

The best part? Homeowners and commercial building owners are not only pleased with their work, but are raving over the results they bring to the respective home or building. Another strong byproduct of smart HVAC is the fact these contractors are differentiating themselves from the competition.

Just ask Benjamin DiMarco, president of DiMarco & Associates, Cleveland. His firm is certified by the National Comfort Institute for air and combustion testing, and is also a founding member of the National Balancing Council. Better yet, DiMarco’s team is taking smart HVAC to the maximum.

“We incorporate everything necessary from a diagnostics and assessment standpoint to identify deficiencies not only in the HVAC system, but any other ventilation or air movement system in the home or building, and the building envelope,” explained DiMarco. “Once the corrective actions are put into motion, we provide commissioning services for measurement and verification purposes to ensure these measures are as effective as projected. We then implement an ongoing recommissioning plan to continuously verify performance.”

The primary reason for this approach, he explained, is because any system in any building that is installed or maintained incorrectly usually underperforms the system’s design intent.

“Consequently, consumers are receiving less than originally contracted for, which is why we see so many unhappy consumers - until we get involved,” said DiMarco. “Once we correct or optimize their systems and show them the measured improvements, we end up with very appreciative, happy clients.”

He added, “The primary benefit of optimized systems and buildings as a whole is predictability, which in today’s economic climate is hard to find.”

TEST AND YOU SHALL PASS
At Mechanical Service Co., the Virginia Beach, Va.-based smart HVAC contractor employs plenty of diagnostic tools, including psychrometers, digital clamps on temperature probes, infrared thermometers, magnehelic gauges, combustion analyzers, airflow hoods, and gas pressure test kits.

“We use these tools for proper diagnostics, service, and installation on all calls,” said service manager Steve Keeter. “Without these tools, it makes it much tougher to find and fix specific problems. Taking static pressures on every maintenance and service call allows us to monitor the duct system for any major changes, such as disconnected duct, crushed areas, dirty filters, or dirty coils.”

In Keeter’s estimation, proper charging of systems has become a major issue in this industry since the introduction of R-410A and high-efficiency equipment. “Without these tools, getting the proper superheat and subcooling is much more difficult and time-consuming,” he explained. “Installation of touch-screen programmable thermostats, electronic air cleaners, variable-speed equipment, dual-fuel applications, and zoning - all will improve overall operation and comfort for the homeowner.”

At Richardson Heating and Air Conditioning, located in Frankfort, Ky., owner David Richardson refers to his firm’s winning smart HVAC process as “HVAC System Performance Testing.”

“It has become our focal point in regards to the diagnostic processes that we use,” said the contractor. “The heart of HVAC System Performance Testing includes airside and temperature testing of the HVAC equipment and duct system, as well as combustion analysis for fuel-fired equipment.”

At Richardson Heating and Air Conditioning, the airside diagnostic testing ranges from basic static pressure and temperature measurements to full-blown airside diagnostics, where the actual field-measured efficiencies of the equipment and system are figured.

“The amount of information gathered from this testing is mind-blowing, as it takes you beyond the typical ‘look at the box’ mentality and makes you consider the other variables the HVAC equipment is subjected to in the field,” explained Richardson.

“By using flow hoods, thermal anemometers, digital manometers, and dry bulb/wet bulb thermometers, we are able to quantify the most important element of the HVAC business that is completely invisible to the customer: Btus.”

In addition to the airside portion, carbon monoxide and combustion testing come into play with any fuel-fired equipment.

“The ‘set the gas pressure, set the fan speed’ style of thinking for setting up fuel-fired equipment takes too many assumptions into account - safety and efficiency being two of those assumptions,” said Richardson. “By performing the combustion test, we know for certain the equipment is working as safely and efficiently as possible.”

As any practicing smart HVAC contractor will tell you, the whole purpose behind performing these series of tests is to ensure that “we are providing the customer that which we said we would,” said Richardson.

“The customer gets the added benefit that the system they purchased is actually operating as close to design conditions as possible,” he said. “It is a common mistake to think that when you perform a load calculation and duct-sizing calculation that all will automatically work as designed. Any design without verification is a guess at best. We, in turn, get customers who are raving fans that sing our praises to their friends.”

He quickly added, “One nice little side benefit is that our warranty claims have nearly disappeared since we implemented the steps to thoroughly commission the systems we install.”


Install manager Butch Wheeler (standing at left) gives a few installation tips to technicians at a training class held at Mechanical Service Co. Looking on (standing, right) is service manager Steve Keeter. In Keeter’s estimation, proper charging of systems has become a major issue in this industry since the introduction of R-410A and high-efficiency equipment.
HELPS THE SALES PROCESS
As a comfort consultant for Mechanical Service Co., Travis Klein appreciates smart HVAC, especially since most customers are amazed at air capture hoods, hot-wire anemometers, magnehelic tools, digital temperature probes, digital hygrometers, and other devices he introduces when performing a sales consultation.

“These tools are utilized to better identify why customers have certain complaints regarding their current home comfort system,” said Klein. “High indoor humidity and dust, excessive energy bills, hot and cold areas, strong airflow noises, and the like, can be attributed to poor airflow and an inadequate duct system. We can identify static pressure effects on airflow, duct leakages, temperature gains/losses through the ducting, and a variety of other factors that impact comfort. We use these tools to help a customer understand why equipment will not solve problems by themselves.”

In his estimation, this industry continues to tell people to buy the most advanced products available “and their headaches will be over.”

“Too many dealers rely on manufacturer marketing, ‘rules-of-thumb,’ and other antiquated methods to sell new systems. Unfortunately, the customer often ends up with a new system that works no better than the old one.

“No one tells the customer that SEER rating is determined in a laboratory under perfect conditions. They are sold a 19 SEER, two-stage system and they expect to save a fortune in energy costs. Their first few bills come in and they are not saving what they were assured they would. Of course, they were not made aware of the fact that they have a 30 percent return duct leak in a 130° attic. Mix hot with cold and we get tepid. Comfort did not change, energy savings is lost, and homeowners are unhappy.”

By incorporating diagnostic tools into its procedures, “we stand apart from the crowd,” noted Klein.

“Homeowners recognize that no one else seemed to pay as much attention to their needs, listened to their complaints, and really went the extra mile to determine what will truly make them happy,” he added. “Competing dealers are left trying to talk their way into a sale, or out of a corner, with no true credibility to rely on. They end up playing a low-price game with each other, while we command higher investments because we provide more up front, as well as in the future, for support.

“It gives us the ability to truly highlight why our investment is higher than all of the others, and how it is going to make the improvements the customer is asking for.”


On each and every call, the management team at Mechanical Service Co. believes in using the right tools for proper diagnostics, service, and installation. The management team includes (from left) new construction manager Phil Jones, president Jack Whitaker, and retail manager Jeff Marl.
HAPPY ENDINGS BRINGS PLENTY OF REFERRALS
Thanks, in part, to its diagnostic practices, Mechanical Service Co. is able to promote variable-speed air drives, programmable thermostats, zoning systems, and systems whose operation is influenced by humidity, as well as temperature, noted general manager Jeff Marl.

“Our goal is to consistently provide high-quality solutions that properly address homeowner issues and complaints. By doing this, we increase customer satisfaction and, for that reason, increase referrals and consumer loyalty,” he said. “By creating the best ‘system’ approach as a ‘package,’ we build a total solution that addresses all customer needs or wants. One example would be that if a duct system won’t meet our standard, we accept that sale only by replacing the duct, too.”

Marl added that since the company started measuring the supply and return static on every service call, “It made a huge difference for us.”

“Not only did it immediately generate more repair work and increase replacement leads, because it is the first thing we do at a home, we found problems that many technicians might have missed or spent extra time tracking because they were looking for a mechanical problem,” he said. “This also reduced the number of callbacks because it more accurately measures system performance.”

With customer satisfaction, customer referrals follow. It’s just another added bonus, according to Richardson and Klein. “Our customers have been our greatest source of advertisement and marketing,” said Richardson, with a smile on his face. “Many have been told for years that they had to live with the problems that they were experiencing, as these were ‘normal.’ Once they found out there really was a solution to their comfort problems, they were ecstatic. These customers are priceless for your company to have.”

He added, “We learned a long time ago that if we stayed in the sea of ‘box’ selling that we were accustomed to, we would drown. The way we keep our heads above water now is to focus on how we use the ‘box’ as a component in the systems we design and build, rather than focus on the ‘box’ being the system.”

Klein could not have agreed more.

“The overall sales system fosters referrals simply because every detail is accounted for and customers appreciate that,” he said. “When they see and feel that what they asked for is being delivered, they can’t wait to tell someone about how good a decision they made. Usually, a friend will ask them who they used to make a change because all of the estimates the friends have had so far are less than positive. The referral is given, an appointment is made, the consultation and diagnostics take place, and then the relationship continues. Customers are really able to make decisions they are most comfortable with because they have the proper information.”

DiMarco concluded that all of his business comes from referrals or word-of-mouth. “Very few companies do what we do, so we really have little competition at all,” he summarized. “We typically overdeliver what we projected for improved results for clients. When they had been used to receiving far less than what they were sold, it’s a ‘no brainer’ as to whom they’ll continue to do business with.”

Sidebar: A Favorite
One of the favorite smart HVAC test tools sold by Richardson Heating and Air Conditioning, Frankfort, Ky., is the low-level carbon monoxide monitor. “We feel that everybody deserves to own the best in carbon monoxide protection that is available, instead of having to settle for an over-the-counter, UL 2034-rated carbon monoxide alarm,” said owner David Richardson.

“The differences between the two devices are not even close. By the time a low-level monitor sees 70 ppm of CO, it is in a full-crisis mode immediately and cannot be silenced. The UL 2034-rated alarm is allowed to be exposed to these levels for up to four hours before alarming - and it can then be silenced again for another four hours.

“We believe in these monitors so much that we carry them for our own personal protection in the field - and if you are wondering if one has ever gone off during a call, yes, they have. The low-level carbon monoxide monitors allow us to offer our customers a level of protection in their homes they cannot find anyplace else.” 

HVAC Products Becoming a Whole Lot Smarter

There is a definite trend in the HVAC industry toward smarter, more sophisticated products. It’s true that equipment using electronic controls has been around for many years, and many residential and commercial buildings have much more integrated systems as a result. However, manufacturers are taking those controls even further, introducing a spate of new products that includes everything from systems that diagnose themselves to variable-speed air handlers with electronic controls to equipment that adjusts itself based on space conditions.

While there are far too many new products to include here, the goal is to showcase a few of the smart pieces of equipment that are now available in the HVAC industry.


Amana (www.amana-ptac.com) introduced its DigiSmart system, which is a wireless energy management system for packaged terminal air conditioners (PTACs). DigiSmart is a suite peripherals and PTAC that wirelessly connect, creating a feedback system where the PTAC turns itself down and/or off based on room occupancy and software settings, reducing energy usage. DigiSmart connects the PTACs with a wireless radio frequency network, which automatically links the units and peripherals and is self-repairing. When a connection is lost, the unit automatically searches for a new connection and re-establishes the network. Because the unit is wireless, the need for an electrician to run wires and connect the network is reduced, saving installation time, said Michael Little, PTAC marketing manager.


Click on the image for an enlatged view.
Broan’s (www.broan.com) new SmartSense ventilation system improves IAQ throughout the home automatically and efficiently. This intelligent ventilation system consists of Broan Ultra Silent fans with a SmartSense control connected to each fan in the home. One control is designated as the master, and based on the home size and number of bedrooms, the ventilation rate is entered into the control. The master control monitors the normal/manual usage of the fans in the home and calculates the volume of air ventilated, deducting it from the total ventilation required. If necessary, it will intermittently operate fans throughout the home to achieve optimal ventilation.

The Ultra Silent humidity-sensing fans from Broan utilize Sensaire technology to detect a rapid increase in humidity at the ceiling. The fans then automatically turn on, exhausting excess moisture, and turn off once the job is done. The fans feature 110 cfm, 0.7 sones, 6-inch ducting, and a 3-year warranty.


Bryant’s (www.bryant.com) Evolution system control gives homeowners complete control of their home comfort system by managing six comfort functions - temperature, humidity, airflow, ventilation, IAQ, and zoning. The Remote Access feature allows users to change comfort settings through the Internet or telephone, and also notifies the dealer via e-mail, telephone, or pager messages with the homeowner’s maintenance reminders and urgent alerts. The intelligent design allows for easy plug-and-play installation, said Liza Mathew, marketing manager - controls and IAQ, and the four-wire, color-coded thermostat walks technicians through the entire process using intuitive screen prompts. The screen displays operating status and fault history to help technicians diagnose issues with the system.


Carrier (www.carrier.com) recently introduced its Infinity Control Remote Access, which allows homeowners to change their comfort settings via the Internet or the telephone. Not only can homeowners maintain control of their heating and cooling systems while they’re at work or on vacation, they can be assured of better IAQ because the Infinity Control monitors the system and automatically reminds the homeowner and the selected dealer via an e-mail notification or phone call when maintenance or routine service is required, the company says. Dealers can spend less time at the jobsite due to the automatic startup feature that identifies equipment and stores the model and serial numbers at the control.


Daikin AC (www.daikinac.com) offers its new split system-inverter heat pump wall-mounted unit. Each wall-mounted indoor unit has a built-in motion sensor that detects whether the room is occupied. If no motion is sensed in a 20-minute period, the temperature automatically sets up/back 3.5°F. Once motion is sensed, the unit automatically reverts back into normal operation. This function can provide energy savings of up to 30 percent of regular operation, noted Chris Bellshaw, product development specialist. Each system also has a standard self-diagnosis function. In the event of a fault, the contractor can easily interrogate the system, confirm the fault code, and start repairing it with relative ease and minimum time wasted.


Danfoss (www.danfoss.com/North_America) has started offering the Universal TR6 automatic expansion valve. Using temperature and pressure sensors to open or close the diaphragm as needed, this thermostatic expansion valve precisely meters refrigerant flow (either R-22 or R-410A) to maintain proper gas saturation in the coil, said Mark White, aftermarket business development manager. An internal check valve, adjustable superheat, and adaptable inlet and outlet ports make it easy for contractors to install the valve after selecting the refrigerant, tonnage, and connection type. The TR6 allows homeowners to increase the efficiency of their air conditioning unit or heat pump and reduce energy costs - without investing in newer, more expensive equipment.


ebm-papst Inc. (www.ebmpapst.us) states that intelligent airflow control is possible using its K3G centrifugal fan series. The series uses a programmable EC external rotor motor with an internal P-I process controller. Constant airflow over changing system pressure can be obtained by using a differential pressure sensor to measure the pressure change across the fan inlet nozzle, and feed this data to the process controller. Once the desired operating point and differential pressure sensor characteristics are entered into the fan EEPROM, the fan speed will react to changes in nozzle pressure to maintain a constant airflow. According to Tom Carlson, product marketing engineer, the K3G is 100 percent speed-controllable without needing to install added components like variable-frequency drives and associated filters.


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Emerson Climate Technologies (www.emersonclimatecontractor.com) introduced its UltraTech™ communicating system, which delivers better comfort and efficiency via a two-stage Copeland Scroll UltraTech compressor and variable-speed blower motor. When these technologies are integrated with the outdoor control board, indoor control board, and easy-to-use programmable thermostat, the HVAC system can share information systemwide for better performance. By sharing information systemwide, UltraTech autoconfigures and checks system settings, with no additional wires needed. Onboard Comfort Alert™ diagnostics and active protection from severe fault conditions help reduce callbacks and improve service and reliability. A “call for service” indicator on the thermostat is displayed when system faults are detected.


Fujitsu General (www.fujitsugeneral.com) has developed the System 15RLQ, which is a new 20 SEER ductless split system in the Halcyon line of R-410A inverter wall-mounted air conditioners and heat pumps. The 15RLQ, with its DC-driven, inverter-controlled compressor, automatically varies compressor revolution to consistently provide the proper capacity to meet a room’s changing load. When maximum capacity is not required, the compressor idles at 1,000 to 1,500 rpm, which means input power decreases, resulting in energy savings. When maximum capacity is required, the system arrives at set temperature in half the time of a conventional system because the compressor can ramp up to 6,000 rpm during startup, said Roy Kuczera, senior vice president.


GE ECM by Regal-Beloit (www.thedealertoolbox.com) recently unveiled its ThinkTank 3.0 blower motor. The new motor features BlaKBox technology for diagnosing system functions and customizing unit performance, thus giving manufacturers the ability to refine furnace, heat pump, and air conditioning products with expanded diagnostic functions. The ThinkTank utilizes AirKom, which is a proprietary operating system that allows manufacturers to program, send data, and receive feedback from the motor. The AirKom operating system gives the ThinkTank 3.0 an ability to talk and listen, while BlaKBox stores motor performance data. The self-aware motor means that contractors will be better able to collect field data and subsequently simplify service.


Goodman’s (www.goodmanmfg.com) new GMH95 95 percent AFUE and GMH8 80 percent AFUE gas furnaces feature the new DualSaver™ two-stage (convertible) technology. Unlike conventional, single-stage furnace technology, the DualSaver technology eliminates the temperature swings resulting from abrupt, high-stage stops and starts of the furnace by operating at a low heating stage the majority of the time, for gentle, quiet heat. Then, if the desired temperature is not reached within a reasonable amount of time using the low stage, the furnace automatically steps into the high stage to ensure optimal comfort. According to Jim Miller, marketing manager – furnaces, the convertible gas furnaces can be set to a self-learning mode that will regulate between low- and high-stage heating to optimize both performance and heating comfort.


Heatcraft’s (www.interlinkparts.com/sdk) Smart Defrost Kit™ (SDK) is an innovative defrost solution that lets contractors provide their customers with significant operational savings – while boosting their own profit-making potential, said Jim Kitchen, product manager. The SDK is easy to install and uses a microprocessor and proprietary intelligence to learn the refrigeration system, evaluate how much frost has accumulated on the evaporator coil, and then bypass unnecessary defrost cycles, reducing the number of defrosts by as much as 40 percent. Virtually maintenance-free, the SDK is designed with features like status LEDs, which make installation and troubleshooting easier, and dual safety backup relays that eliminate the chance of a system malfunction.


Heil (www.heil-hvac.com) introduced its True Dual Fuel programmable thermostat, which can save homeowners money and protect the heating and cooling system by selecting the most economical fuel source under the current conditions, states the company. Trip Todd, product manager, said the thermostat is an important part of the dual-fuel system because it monitors outdoor temperatures and signals the system to switch automatically to the most economical energy source. The proprietary system design helps protect equipment by keeping the heat pump and furnace from running at the same time. The thermostat features seven-day programming, three-stage heating/two-stage cooling, blue backlit display, and humidity control.


Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) offers its VisionPRO IAQ total home comfort system, which eliminates the need for multiple controls in a living space by managing a home’s temperature, humidification, dehumidification, ventilation, and air filtration from a single touchscreen control. VisionPRO utilizes house characteristics and outdoor temperature to automatically control inside humidity, as it simply and seamlessly controls temperature, humidity, and fresh air. The system only requires three wires at the thermostat to retrofit multistage equipment or IAQ products. The thermostat’s flexible programming capabilities give homeowners the option to create a customized program for each day or combination of days.


Invensys Controls (www.invensyscontrols.com) recently introduced its new Robertshaw® i-Series programmable thermostats, which can be set up in half the time of competitive models using an installation wizard feature, says the company. Four new models are available including universal staging and humidity control versions. The new Setup Wizard saves contractors installation time and makes programming easier for homeowners by navigating users through a series of menu-driven screens with simple instructions, available in English, Spanish, and French. The wizard allows users to set the time and date on their thermostat, set the thermostat for the connected equipment, schedule service reminders, and select comfort settings, personal preferences, system settings, fan modes, and security options.


Lennox Industries (www.lennox.com) offers its L Connection Network, a light commercial building automation system that makes it easy to manage HVAC, constant volume and variable volume zoning, and building operations such as lights and fans, minimizing energy and maintenance costs. The Comfort Sensor combines optional relative humidity (rh) and carbon dioxide (CO2) sensor options with a temperature sensor in each zone. According to Mark Hess, product manager - commercial controls, the simple and intuitive Comfort Sensor interface allows for easy day-to-day communication with the system. Zone controller capabilities are also available when the Comfort Sensor is used in commercial zoning applications, which means less wiring and fewer sensors to install separately, and more flexible comfort control.


Maytag (www.maytaghvac.com) is showcasing its 23 SEER split system air conditioner with iQ Drive™. The iQ Drive provides homeowners with superior home comfort and efficiency due to the technology’s ability to determine and match the exact air conditioning load to a home, said Marc DeLaurent, product manager – split systems. The units use only the exact cooling capacity necessary at a given time, which lowers the amount of energy used by the system. In addition, the iQ Drive technology continually monitors the system and communicates with the key components to ensure reliable operation. The diagnostic features that come standard with the controller-thermostat provide homeowners and technicians with alerts and direction to improve their ability to maintain the unit.


Peco (www.pecomanufacturing.com) is expanding its line of heat pump thermostats to include the TH170, which is offered with and without humidity control. Instead of dated designs that attempt to control humidity with a simple temperature adjustment, the TH170 uses 10 different user-selectable options to humidity, dehumidify, and control outside air. With five inputs and six outputs, the thermostat can be configured for variable fan speeds, heating and cooling stages, and outdoor air requirements. By monitoring both outside air temperature and humidity, the thermostat has the intelligence to cool using outside air, while maintaining the desired humidity control. It’s truly the most flexible thermostat on the market today, said Taraneh Foster, marketing communications specialist.


Rheem (www.rheemac.com) is featuring the Comfort Control System on its Rheem Prestige Series and Ruud Ultra Series condensing units. The Comfort Control System is an onboard diagnostic and monitoring system featuring an easy-to-read, seven-segment LED information display located inside a convenient service panel. When abnormal conditions occur, the system sends a “Call for Service” notice to the homeowner’s thermostat. Upon arrival, the servicing technician is able to quickly and accurately review system status and fault history. An active protection feature takes the unit offline if the Comfort Control System senses critical conditions that may cause compressor damage or failure.


Totaline (www.totaline.com) has two new smart products, including the EZ thermostat programmer and Comfort Call. The EZ Programmer allows the user to copy stored information from a thermostat, then the information may be loaded into other thermostats, without the need to manually enter each item. The EZ Programmer automatically recognizes the thermostat model that it is connected to and uploads the correct data for that model.

Comfort Call, a thermostat accessory that works with Totaline Slimline thermostat models, is a remote access system that allows homeowners to call their thermostats from any phone, any time, anywhere, to monitor and adjust the temperature of their homes. Comfort Call consists of two parts: a base station that connects to the phone line and a wireless module that plugs into any Slimline thermostat. It works in a way similar to checking voicemail messages. Jason Schneider, Totaline thermostat product manager, noted that Comfort Call allows flexibility ... and that’s smart.


White-Rodgers (www.white-rodgers.com) is offering its 16E09-101 electronic temperature controller, which is a combination refrigeration-heating electronic temperature control. Unique to the control is an alarm output that warns customers any time their controlled unit is outside the programmed temperature range by more than 5°F or C. Jay Wirts, director of distribution marketing, noted that the controller uses innovative technology to maintain a very consistent temperature, thus maximizing energy efficiency and preventing large, costly swings of more than 5°. It also allows users to preprogram its sensitivity to temperature change, avoiding unnecessary alarms. The end user can set a delay time of anywhere from one to 99 minutes.


York UPG, Johnson Controls (www.yorkupg.com) is featuring its Affinity modulating gas furnace, which fully modulates the gas valve, circulating blower, and inducer to closely match the amount of heat needed at any time. Mickey Smith, York brand manager, stated that for the contractor, the modulating gas furnace is easy to install, maintain, and operate. The sensors and controls are internally mounted and automatically compensate for air supply and exhaust variations, wind gusts, and long vent runs.

York is also highlighting its Millennium single-package rooftop unit, which has smart features built into its Simplicity Elite control. The control contains Intelli-Start logic, which learns the warm-up and cool-down characteristics of an occupied space, so the space is at the right temperature at the right time. According to Tony Landers, commercial marketing manager, the single package rooftop unit is easy to install and service. 

Smart HVAC: Smart HVAC Enriches Relationships With Customers

Most HVAC contractors would like to guarantee their work because they believe in their employees’ ability to get it done the right way. It would reduce callbacks and maximize profits. HVAC distributors would like it to be true. It would help reduce their warranty processing load and control overhead.

HVAC system manufacturers would love for that to be true. It would play a gigantic role in reducing warranty costs and increasing customer brand satisfaction.

Today’s smart unitary products are helping to make that a reality. By putting smart diagnostics in high-end unitary products, contractors can make sure systems are installed or diagnosed correctly, reducing callbacks that eat into their profits. They can also make guarantees with a low, or at least reasonable, level of risk.

INSTALLATION GUARANTEES
Michael Perri of A.J. Perri, Tinton Falls, N.J., co-owns the company with father Al Perri Sr. and brothers Al Jr., Kevin, and Michael. The company has been in business 35 years and primarily installs Carrier products. According to Michael Perri, most system replacement customers have been the company’s customers for service and maintenance work.


Meet the A.J. Perri management team (from left): Kevin Perri, Al Perri Sr., Michael Perri, and Al Perri Jr. The company has been in business 35 years. According to Michael, most system replacement customers started out as service and maintenance work customers. (Photo courtesy of A.J. Perri.)
“They’re service customers and we have a relationship with them,” he said. When it’s time to replace their old furnace or air conditioner, Perri said, customers have had time to consider their options and the contractor’s offerings.

“Our Performance Guarantee ensures that the equipment we install or service is maintained and operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s operating manual,” the company explains on its Website. “We promise a temperature variance of no more than ±3° from your thermostat selection whether heating or cooling your home. If these temperatures are not achieved, we will make any modifications at no charge to you for a period of five years.”

The company’s No Lemon Guarantee “ensures that the equipment we install is free of manufacturer’s defects, and will be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s operating and maintenance manuals. If your apparatus fails in the first five years, we will replace it with a brand-new model free of charge.”

Without smart technologies, such guarantees would carry more risk for the contractor. “The Carrier thermostat and Infinity controller makes the installation process a little easier,” Perri said. “It’s a communicating thermostat. Once you install and connect it, it reads all the equipment on the loop, records the models and sets up on its own.

“It will reach out and set up anything connected to the system,” he continued. “It will make the correct connections with a variable-speed motor. Typically that would have to be set up by the installer using a series of dipswitches.”

SYSTEM SERVICE
“Many of today’s circuit boards have built-in diagnostics,” Perri said, in which a series of fault codes are displayed on the board in case of an event. “It actually reduces the overall time spent on a service call.”

When these technologies are used in conjunction with Carrier’s Infinity thermostats, he said, the fault codes are time- and date-stamped. “Not only did the tech know that something happened, he knows when it happened. He can track a series of events.”

Technicians still have some more basic tech work to do, like measuring the refrigerant charge and calculating superheat and subcooling on the air conditioning side of the system. “But the diagnostics will get him going in the right direction right off the bat. It cuts down on judgment calls.”

“Heating and air conditioner problems can be a hassle,” the company acknowledges. “We’re here to make sure that your heating and air conditioning system is fixed the way you want it, when you want it, and we do it right the first time.” As an added assurance for customers, the company’s technicians undergo drug testing and background checks before they are hired.


When a contractor makes installation guarantees, it becomes more critical than ever that system installers take the time to ensure that the charge and airflow are correct. Smart systems help them pinpoint errors long before they can lead to system problems. (Photo courtesy of Carrier.)
REPLACEMENT PHILOSOPHY
The company’s philosophy includes developing long-term customer relationships; in general its replacement sales are done in a low-key method, with the employees taking the role of advisors rather than salespersons.

“Our specialists try to help make this as easy a process as possible,” Perri said. “We believe in using our expertise to recommend several repair and replacement options, and letting the customer decide what is best.”

A lot of new system installations come from long-term service customers, he said. Some have been told for a few years that something on the system needs to be fixed, or that they need to start thinking about replacing the furnace or air conditioner. When it comes time for the customer to move ahead, Perri said, a planned replacement tends to be the entire system and include system peripherals, like IAQ products. Because of this, he said, customer satisfaction is higher.

“You read these surveys, and people who get the higher-end products installed are ultimately happier with the installation than those who opt for the builder’s basic model,” he said. “Variable-speed motors, in particular, add to the indoor comfort levels. They can operate in shoulder seasons, spring and fall, and provide constant filtration during allergy seasons, when it’s needed most.”

In addition to smart technology within motors and air handlers, Perri added, the next generation of thermostats allows consumers to control humidity as well as temperature. “That wasn’t available until recently in a single-point controller. Prior to this technology, you would need the system to run in heating or cooling to humidify or dehumidify the home.”

In summer, for example, humidity levels may be rising but the temperature is relatively low. (This can be especially true during the night.) “The controller puts the unit on but keeps the fan speed fairly low. It’s moving air across the coils slowly, allowing for more latent heat removal.”

Carrier now is working on a communicating thermostat with an outbound call feature via a wireless network. “If something fails in the furnace, the furnace calls up the thermostat, and the thermostat calls the contractor and lets him know what happened,” Perri said. “I can’t wait to call somebody and tell them that their furnace called us.”

These new thermostats also help homeowners manage the preventive maintenance. “It tells homeowners when it’s time to replace their filter based on static pressure across the filter, not just in three-month intervals.” You might say that it determines filter replacement according to the occupants’ lifestyles.

In addition, the contractor’s Blue Guardian Program offers 24-hour emergency care, discounts on diagnostic fees and repairs, and a lifetime warranty on all replaced parts. “We even include up to 2 pounds of refrigerant at no cost,” Perri said.

The preventive maintenance program keeps customers apprised of their systems’ status, and keeps the contractor in the role of the trusted professional instead of a fix-it guy. “In an emergency situation, the person doesn’t have time to evaluate all their options,” Perri said. “If the equipment is still running and we can point customers toward the Internet, we can agree that these products, full systems with high-end products, would benefit them. They’re just going to be more comfortable.” 

Smart HVAC: Residential Smart HVAC Requires Lifestyle Selling

Smart HVAC is a concept that, simply put, deals with technical products and how they improve consumer comfort. Lifestyle selling, simply put, is a process proven to maximize smart HVAC sales in the residential sector. What’s lifestyle selling? Let me explain.

STEPS TO SELLING SMART HVAC
There are three steps to this marketing process, all aimed to help residential contractors take advantage of the smart HVAC trend.

Step 1: Turn technical features into lifestyle benefits.

Remember, people don’t buy smart HVAC products. Rather, they buy benefits that improve their lives.

To sell smart HVAC, the first step residential contractors must do is translate technical features into the physical, emotional, and financial benefits consumers want to own today. For an example of how this works, let’s use one of the original smart HVAC products - the programmable thermostat.

• Physical benefits: When the nighttime temperature is automatically lowered, the exterior temperature of the human brain is also lowered. Research shows the temperature that produces brain activity most conducive to a good night’s sleep is about 64° to 68°. A huge, yet often overlooked, physical benefit of a programmable thermostat is a better night’s sleep.

Convenience is another physical benefit that can have a huge affect on the homeowner’s lifestyle. A growing number of people won’t have to put their glasses on to read the temperature or physically change the setting before going to bed. Many other buyers will no longer get mad at themselves for wasting energy by forgetting to reset the temperature before leaving home, which brings us to the strongest human motivator, emotions.

• Emotional benefits: Residential buyers feel first and rationalize later. Feelings, not facts, sell more residential smart products and accessories than all other benefits put together. Every physical fact has an emotional benefit concealed in it somewhere. The emotional benefit hiding under a better night’s sleep could easily be the homeowner’s proud feeling of knowing their children are sleeping soundly and waking up refreshed and ready to meet the challenges of every new day.

Peace of mind is the strongest emotional benefit for the vast majority of buyers. If the smart HVAC products you sell have anything to do with family health, safety, or security, the emotional benefits you offer outweigh the selling price for about 80 percent of all buyers.

Reliability is another potentially off-the-scale emotional benefit. A small feature like a light on the programmable thermostat telling the homeowners it’s time to maintain the air purifier could be the tipping point of the entire sale, especially if a clogged filter caused serious problems in the past.

Don’t underestimate the emotional power of prestige, either. About 10 percent of buyers are “early adoptors.” In other words, if it’s new and their friends don’t have it, they want it. An even larger group will buy smart HVAC products if they are noticeably different than the ones the neighbors own.

Envy also drives a growing number of smart HVAC sales every year. A consumer could walk past a friend’s programmable thermostat without consciously noticing it. Suddenly their subconscious mind captures this bit of information and starts sending the message, “I need one too.”

• Financial benefits: Financial benefits provide logical reasons humans need to justify their emotional decision to buy. Virtually nothing consumers can buy provides more financial benefits than smart HVAC equipment, components, and accessories.

When you consider how much an unassuming product like a programmable thermostat saves in energy bills over its life, it’s a wonder not every home has one installed. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Americans spend about 46 cents of every dollar they pay in utility bills for “space conditioning.” The exciting news is homeowners can save around 10 percent a year on their heating and cooling bills by simply turning their thermostat back 10° to 15° for eight hours a day. Homeowners who pay $1,000 per year in utility bills would save about $920 over 20 years. When buyers discover the financial benefits your smart HVAC products provide, watch your sales soar.

To sell smart HVAC, residential contractors must translate technical features of smart HVAC into the physical, emotional, and financial benefits consumers want to own today. The three are needed to complete the triangle - and the sale. (Click on the image for an enlarged view.)
TWO MORE STEPS TO SUCCESS
Now that you have tugged at the emotional angle with your residential customer, it’s on to the other needed steps to help sell smart HVAC products.

Step 2: Turn lifestyle benefits into smart questions.

Did you know the most powerful method of persuasion is asking intelligent questions? The most important hurdle to cross when selling smart HVAC is overcoming consumers’ natural resistance to buy technical products they didn’t know existed and don’t know if they want. Fly past this hurdle by asking smart questions.

The right questions are what allow buyers to discover new ways to improve their lives with your smart HVAC solutions. If you don’t learn their problems, thoughts, ideas, and feelings, you won’t know which smart benefits to present. The smart questions you ask determine which smart HVAC products you’ll sell.

Step 3: Give them an opportunity to buy.

Homeowners can get every physical and emotional benefit they want and not buy. They may even be able to fund the entire project with energy savings and still not buy. Amazing, you say? Not really. It happens thousands of time every day because the contractor didn’t give the potential customers an opportunity to buy.

Henry Ford bought one of the largest life insurance policies in history. It was so large it became the subject of a front page story in a Detroit newspaper. A friend of Ford’s who sold life insurance read the story and made a hurried call.

“Henry, why didn’t you buy that policy from me?” Without hesitation, Ford said, “You never asked.”

Put it all together and this is lifestyle selling. It’s the best way to sell and market smart HVAC to the residential sector. 

HVAC Turns 13!: Tight Spaces Require Creative HVAC Solutions

With the higher-efficiency unitary systems mandated this year, many contractors have had to find ways to install larger indoor coils in tight spaces for system replacements. It was especially a problem in regions without basements, where those indoor coils are installed in attics or in main-floor closets.
Another concern was making sure that the system delivered the efficiency its customers were paying for.

In order for today's new systems to operate correctly, time must be taken to ensure proper refrigerant charge. (Courtesy of Unitary Products Group of Johnson Controls)

MOVING TO THE ATTIC

"We have moved many closet units to the attic, sometimes with a very tight space," said Wayne Mulholland of Tri County Mechanical, Azle and Fort Worth, Texas. "Inspectors hate us for this. We also have a remodeling contractor to assist us."

In one case, the company did an a/c retrofit for a house in Lake Worth, a suburb of Fort Worth. "This house is 103 years old," Mulholland said, "built out of stone that came from the riverbed. It has been added onto three or four times." The original part of the house, built in 1903, consisted of one room, he said. A 1910 remodel added one more room. A 1930 addition created what is now the rest of the house. The old furnace was installed in a closet.

As has been the case for a lot of contractors, Tri County Mechanical has been installing a lot of new furnaces in order to make room for the indoor a/c coils.

In this case, the contractor found that there was enough room to put the gas furnace in the attic. "Young lady," he asked the owner, "how would you like another clothes closet?" The thrilled homeowner approved the installation of a 23 1/2-inch-wide, variable-speed furnace in the attic. This required the installation of a drop-down staircase in a back room, which was carried out by "Sheet Rock Duncan." (Duncan, who has been subcontracted for most of Tri County's remodeling work, also finished the closet the furnace was removed from.) 

"The home was built with solid stone and 2-by-4 timbers that measure 3-1/4 by 5-1/4, and don't even try to drill a hole in them," Mulholland said. "We had to predrill them. We had to use a Sawzall."

In downtown Fort Worth, the contractor installed a new furnace in the attic of a 1940s house. "Putting a new unit in the closet would never fit," he said. "The closet was only 13 inches wide." In still other cases, "People were complaining about the noise of the old unit, or they wanted to add AccuClean [an air filtration system], or wanted to add a nice filter base. And, we wanted to be able to work on it when it's installed. In a closet, there's no way we're going to be able to open the door and work on the electricals."

Once the contractor has decided to move the air handler into the attic, "everything's got to go," Mulholland said. There is no room for quibbling with the customer. "We're there because there is a problem. If we can put it in the attic, it's much more beneficial for them and for us, though if it's a low-pitched roof, we usually are on our knees to work on the unit. "That's why the inspectors hate us; they're on their knees to inspect the ductwork!" 

Don't install a new condensing unit with an old indoor coil and expect the system to deliver the efficiency you've promised. (Courtesy of Unitary Products Group of Johnson Controls)

FIXING THE DUCTWORK

In Virginia, the problem of making the system fit isn't quite as complicated. "We try to locate equipment to minimize the modifications to the supply-side ductwork," said James Kester, Colonial Plumbing and Heating Co., Colonial Heights. "Usually there is room for the coil to be placed in its original location.

"Airflow is critical for the new high-efficiency systems," he said. "We are spending more time evaluating the duct system before quoting equipment replacement."

The company has been spending more time "actually educating the customer that the equipment now is more efficient but there are caveats in loss of air through the duct system," he said. "If you're really interested in efficiency, you need to evaluate the duct system."

According to Kester, more than one-half of the systems he works on have sheet metal ductwork. "In the homes we're seeing, fiber duct is not predominant. A good portion of the homes that are 10 to 20 years old use metal."

It's said that 100 percent of sheet metal ducts leak. "I don't think we ever find less than 20 percent leakage," Kester said. "It's a good amount of air leaking around the system. Until five or six years ago, we never saw a system that had duct sealant on it." 

"If you're really interested in efficiency, you need to evaluate the duct system," said contractor James Kester of Colonial Plumbing and Heating Co., Colonial Heights, Va.

In his area, the air handlers are already installed in the attic. "Normally in an attic, we have room to work," he said. "When they don't have enough room, well then it's time to make duct modifications and still make sure we have good airflow; move the equipment and move the duct line out." However, they generally don't require duct renovations unless they also require improvements to the duct system.

Leaky ductwork robs a new system of its efficiency, Kester said. "It's wasting all of the cooling going up in that attic.

"If the duct is not repaired, it's more than just performance reductions," he added. "There are lifespan reductions and immediate service problems. When we first put in the higher-efficiency systems, if we didn't tell the homeowner that they needed better duct, we'd be going back for the next two years on unnecessary service calls."

Colonial does its own pressure testing. "We use that big blue box for an airflow hood," Kester said. "We do the static pressure test with the wand. We check cfm at every diffuser, and check the loss that way.

"We started doing airflow testing during the fourth quarter of last year," he said. "We used a third party for the first three or four months, just to see if we should get our own equipment." The company bought its own equipment about nine months ago. "I think it's paid off already, and built some real good customer relations," Kester said. "We're differentiating ourselves from the other two or three people who walk through the customer's door."

Call Encore Heating & Air Conditioning for all your commercial HVAC needs

Encore Heating & Air Conditioning in Mississauga, Ontario, is the GTA’s first choice for commercial HVAC installation and service.

Regardless of the type of business you own and operate, your heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems need to be running smoothly and efficiently. When you need to replace, repair or maintain your HVAC systems, you need a company that has a reputation for reliability and offers high-quality workmanship and honest pricing.

With over 35 years of experience, the team at Encore Heating & Air Conditioning has a proven track record of providing these services, and is highly respected in the industry. The company is an HRAI member, and is also a member of the Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada. This means that when you choose Encore for your home comfort needs, you will receive professional, quality work provided by experienced industry professionals who are trained and knowledgeable in their field of expertise.

They are expert heating and cooling contactors, and are your one-stop solution for all your commercial and residential HVAC needs. They always conduct business in an ethical and professional manner, and fully guarantee all the work they do.

Each member of their team is trained in their field and continually upgrade their skills in training programs to ensure they can provide up-to-date, top-quality services for every installation, maintenance or repair job they do.

This includes the installation, maintenance and repair of heating systems such as furnaces, boilers and heat pumps.

They also offer installation, repair and maintenance services for air conditioning systems, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, thermostats, barbecues and accessories.

Because emergencies occur, Encore offers 24-hour emergency services. With Encore on your team, you never have to worry about HVAC emergencies affecting your business production.

The Drake Group merges with AD

The Wayne, Pennsylvania-based AD member-owned buying and marketing group announced a merger between The Drake Group and AD’s Building Materials Division to form the AD Gypsum Supply Division.

This union brings together two of the largest independent gypsum supply buying groups in the United States, AD noted. AD Gypsum Supply is now comprised of 153 members with 387 branch locations.

Trent Chandler, executive committee chairman of the Drake Group and owner of Edgemont Stone & Supply Co., remarked: “AD’s recent transition to a member-owned organization helped pave the way for these two giants in gypsum supply to come together. By joining forces, we will get the best of both worlds; programs and services we value from Drake, expanded supplier and member relationships, and the multi-industry scale and professional infrastructure of AD. It’s a 1+1=3 scenario for all independent gypsum distributors.”

Lenin Juarez, AD Building Materials Division board chairman and managing partner of Action Gypsum, commented: “The critical mass of our newly combined membership will provide additional scale. We are now the largest buyer of wallboard and steel framing in the USA. In addition, the increase in membership will significantly enhance our members’ ability to network and share best practices among the best independent gypsum distributors in the country.”

Dan Maroni, president of AD Building Materials and the new AD Gypsum Supply Division, shared: “I am very grateful to the AD Building Materials board and the executive committee members of the Drake Group for its effective collaboration and leadership during the merger conversations. Over 10 years ago, the AMAROK Drywall cooperative joined AD to become AD Building Materials. I can speak without hesitation and from personal experience that when groups merge with AD, they are respected as equal partners. I look forward to ensuring that every new member of AD Gypsum Supply will receive the highest level of support from our team.”

The new AD Gypsum Supply Division will be part of the AD Building Materials business unit and will continue to be led by Dan Maroni. Robb Rugg, longtime Drake Group executive director, will be joining the new division in a consulting role through 2021, focused on the non-purchasing side of value-add.

"The significant synergies and strategic benefits of combining these two premier organizations is expected to result in mutual growth for leading gypsum manufacturers and distributors in the years to come," Rugg said.

AD announces
completion of IDI merger

AD also announced the completion of the merger with IDI Independent Distributors, effective April 1.

IDI is now AD Canada Industrial & Safety.

Key merger highlights:

IDI brings 103 independent industrial Canadian distributors with more than 364 locations into the AD family.
AD welcomes 21 new employees and a distribution center located in Mississauga, Ontario as part of the transaction.
AD Canadian members represent 20% of AD consolidated sales.
IDI President Rob Dewar is now the president of AD Canada Industrial & Safety.

Driving Dreams 2019: Commercializing Your Internet of Things Solutions

 On March 21, the RIC Centre held the second conference of its Driving Dreams 2019 Expert Series at the Arrow Electronics office in Mississauga, Ontario. Where the first session was focused on the research and development of Internet of Things (IoT) products that could be leveraged to bring solutions to manufacturers, consumers and governments, this second session honed in on the commercialization aspect of IoT devices and products.

Solutions from Sensor to Sunset
The morning began with a talk by Joe Trinidad—director of IoT, cloud and security at Arrow ECS—who walked attendees through the process of commercialization. According to Trinidad, there are three stages to the commercialization of IoT products, each guided by an emphasis on exit strategies.

The first is the phase of ideation, where an idea begins to nucleate as a possible solution to an existing or future problem pestering a sector in industry. Be it hardware manufacturing, flourishing connectivity technologies, encryption, security, software development or analytics, each idea starts at a drawing board. Once a possible solution has be formulated, discussions about initial financing can begin.



Arrow Electronics held the second session at its office in Mississauga, Ontario. Joe Trinidad began the day with a talk about commercializing IoT products and how Arrow ECS can help bring attendees’ products to market. (Image courtesy of Arrow Electronics.)
Arrow Electronics held the second session at its office in Mississauga, Ontario. Joe Trinidad began the day with a talk about commercializing IoT products and how Arrow ECS can help bring attendees’ products to market. (Image courtesy of Arrow Electronics.)
Cost analysis and feasibility are very important at this stage, as these are the two most convincing factors to venture capitalists and potential investors before a product or service even begins its journey to deployment into the market. This is also the stage with the largest likelihood of spent opportunity costs, according to Trinidad, since it is likely that the engineers and creative types will have to dedicate time to selling their ideas.

Once a solution has received initial financing to produce the first wave of products and services, it is time for the second stage: taking it to market. According to Trinidad, digital marketing can help, but the utility of ads on Facebook is decreasing. That is, getting 20 million impressions is fantastic, but only useful if prospective customers or clients actually click on the ad. Therefore, he said, “commercialization requires better strategies for market penetration.”

Instead, use this time to gather data from user acceptance testing. The stage of taking a product or service to market is a stage to figure out how user experience can be optimized. This means user acceptance testing. According to Trinidad, users are the fastest at finding edge cases where the product can be improved. This information is crucial to the success in further stages of a product’s lifecycle as well as expanding possible use-cases and finding new niches. Once user acceptance testing has been successful, it’s time to think about how to scale. This is where the third stage kicks in.

The third stage of commercialization is that of “round two funding,” or, simply, expanding your financing options by presenting your successes. Investors want to see adaptability; they don’t care for how well a solution can be shoe-horned into the market. Initial investments often only cover initial deployment, rarely enough to guarantee successful growth or scaling. “The evolution of post-initial financing does not account for the needs of new development of products or services,” Trinidad said.

He emphasized the need to keep an eye out for venture capitalists that have expertise in the sectors to which your products or services provided solutions. That is, investors who have their fingers on the pulse of the market that you’re seeking to penetrate, or investors that own assets and intellectual property specifically related to your solution’s sector that then allow you to establish relationships between your product and their other assets. That isn’t to say that one should avoid generic venture capitalists while seeking round two funding; however, he pointed out the long leash that generic venture capitalists come with, often requiring substantial debt liabilities. “You’re looking for growth, don’t jump onto the first venture capitalist that comes out of the woodwork, knocking on your door,” he explained.

Once second round funding has been secured, it’s time to settle on your exit strategy. This doesn’t mean jumping ship as soon the solution starts to become successful. Exit strategies can vary anywhere from staying at the helm, to building the foundations of a legacy after you retire or selling to the highest bidder five years out and escaping to a secluded beach in the Caribbean. The point, Trinidad said, is to have an exit strategy and use it as a map throughout commercialization. The exit strategy can change and evolve along with each stage as new implementations are discovered or roadblocks encountered, but the key point is to develop one in the first place.

Hitchhiker’s Guide to Monetizing your IoT Solution
Allusions to the foresight of the late science-fiction author, Douglas Adams, were abound later in the day during the keynote presentation by Greg Dashwood, product lead of IoT and advanced analytics at Microsoft. These allusions included the fictional babel fish (a language decoding fish that characters in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy insert into their ears), the breathe-o-smart (a smart building-like climate control technology) and the nutri-matic (a machine that takes in as much data about a user’s likes, wants, needs and state of being, but almost always produces something that resembles tea).

With partnerships as a hot-topic for the day, Microsoft’s Greg Dashwood discussed opportunities for attendees to leverage Microsoft Azure for their IoT solutions. (Image courtesy of Microsoft.)
With partnerships as a hot-topic for the day, Microsoft’s Greg Dashwood discussed opportunities for attendees to leverage Microsoft Azure for their IoT solutions. (Image courtesy of Microsoft.)
On the path to monetizing IoT solutions, there are three questions that Dashwood believes need to be answered:

      i.        What is the ratio between implementation cost versus the value that is added to the lives of the customers? Dashwood asks us to think about the babel fish: is the value of having access to all languages worth a fish in your ear?

    ii.        Is this IoT solution resilient and adaptable? That is, how quickly can your solution evolve so that the value it is providing is consistent and accurate to the scenarios it encounters? Or is its poor implementation going to start riots like Douglas’ breathe-o-smart?

   iii.        Are the needs of users truly being addressed? That is, regardless of how much data you harvest, is your product or service like a nutri-matic in the sense that it only outputs similar solutions regardless of varying input?

To exemplify where these three questions are well answered, according the Dashwood, is in the development of workspaces as spaces that work. Be it office furniture, HVAC control, security, accessibility infrastructure or employee engagement, there are many solutions that can optimize workspaces and actually have those spaces generating revenue through the leveraging of IoT technologies. And more often than not, these are the exact solutions that possible partners want to invest in.

It is in environments such as workspaces where the crux of the power of IoT is really revealed. IoT is a lodestone of connectivity: the collaboration of various devices, software and sensors in an ecosystem to provide better, faster and smarter solutions, products and services. Mimicking that connectivity by making the right partnerships (such as with Microsoft’s Azure) and finding the right niche inside these collaborative ecosystems, monetization can be simplified.

To expand on this, Dashwood walked through four monetization frameworks:

1.    The one-and-done method. This is where a single transaction is made, and money is exchanged for a specific, discrete product or service. While this simplifies the forecasting of margins and revenue and avoids the paperwork that renewing agreements bring about, it is not a recurring revenue stream and thus limits the ability to predict future revenue.

2.    The pay-as-you-go method. This is where products-as-a-service technologies often thrive. It allows solution providers to add incremental offerings, such as premium capabilities, throughout the product or service’s lifecycle to improve margins over time instead of having them decay like the previous one-and-done method. However, recurring revenue streams also require a deeper relationship with customers, such as providing support.
3.    The good-better-best method. This framework is best in contingent situations with products and services that easily evolve. According to Dashwood, this framework allows for the extension and amplification of existing core competencies and effectively increases in value to customers. However, the ability to customize solutions comes with the burden of spending time on different billing strategies.

4.    The revenue sharing method, also known as “we’re in this together.” The benefits to this framework include the fact that it is a great value proposition for customers and often results in straightforward sales processes. It also drives the building of stronger, more intimate relationships between customers and solutions providers. That is to say, your success is their success. The difficulties lie in developing solutions that consistently deliver real value to the customer and yourself. This method also adds in elements of unpredictability, according to Dashwood, especially if price floors haven’t been established or other contractual obligations are in place to ensure consistent revenue streams.

Connectivity Beyond Devices and “What’s Next?”
The key takeaways from this second session of the RIC Centre’s Driving Dreams 2019 Expert Series can be viewed two-fold. The first is that developers and engineers need to be able to adapt as the demand for IoT solutions varies. Rigid ideas sink and are replaced quickly by smarter, faster and better solutions every day. Trying to force solutions onto customers doesn’t work and it is much more profitable to focus on customers and their understanding of what solutions they know they need or the solutions they will eventually need. The second is that, in a time of giants like Amazon and Google, building relationships and partnerships with other providers of IoT solutions can be the lifesaver that keeps your ideas alive.

There’s lots to come over the next year from the RIC Centre’s Driving Dreams 2019 Expert Series. The next event lined up is scheduled for May 23 and will focus on the innovation of IoT solutions by answering questions such as: Which supply chain strategy and manufacturing strategy is best for your business? Should you source products from China? If you do business abroad, how do you protect your intellectual property? The event will once again be held at Arrow Electronics in Mississauga, Ontario. The itinerary includes a hands-on session with Digi International discussing “Modular Solutions Speeding Time to Market” and a keynote topic of “Protecting Your Intellectual Property” by Bereskin Parr. 

Canada’s Top SME Employers share a passion for growth

With groundbreaking concepts such as no-limit vacations, this sector also leads the way in human-resource innovation

Job creation is at the heart of Canada’s Top Small and Medium Employers (SMEs) 2019. That’s good news for job seekers and the Canadian economy – the SME sector is responsible for more than 95 per cent of new jobs in Canada over the past decade.

It’s encouraging to see how many of these top SMEs added new jobs last year, often growing at an incredible pace. Some outstanding examples include Toronto-based Fleet Complete, a provider of fleet and mobile resource tracking, which increased its full-time work force by more than 40 per cent, and R.F. Binnie & Associates, an employee-owned and managed engineering firm in Burnaby, B.C., whose work force increased by more than 38 per cent, resulting in more than 50 new full-time positions.

Besides creating new jobs, SMEs are known to be incubators of human-resource innovation, leading the way for larger employers to follow. Groundbreaking concepts such as no-limit vacations, which allow employees to decide how much time off they need in any given year, are currently offered by software developers Vidyard in Kitchener, Ont., and Verafin Inc. in St. John’s. While bold, this kind of forward thinking could bring more balance into our technology-driven workplaces where people are always connected.

Canada’s Top SMEs can also compete with those bigger organizations when it comes to traditional benefits, such as support for long-term savings, career development, flexible health plans and maternity and parental leave top-up payments. Our winners often add their own improvements, including the choice to extend parental leave into an unpaid leave of absence or flexible hours to help new parents manage when they return. Increasingly, alternative work options are the norm rather than the exception.

Concern for the well-being of staff continues to be a trend with popular perks, from Zumba class at lunch to comfortable employee lounges with lending libraries, table tennis and a Friday afternoon wine bar. Employees at Rangle.io, a software developer in Toronto, enjoy weekly yoga, onsite massage services, quiet rooms on each floor and swinging hammocks as well as a variety of healthy snacks every day.

Whether you’re an individual looking for work or an enterprise looking for inspiration, these top SME employers hit the mark.

METHODOLOGY
Canada’s Top Small and Medium Employers is an editorial competition that recognizes exceptional small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across Canada. The competition is limited to private-sector commercial organizations with fewer than 500 employees worldwide. Non-profit organizations are not eligible.

The Top 100 editors at Toronto-based Mediacorp Canada Inc. evaluate employers according to the same eight key areas used for judging in the national competition of Canada’s Top 100 Employers: physical workplace; work and social atmosphere; health, financial and family benefits; vacation and time off; employee communications; performance management; training and skills development; community involvement.

Employers are compared with other organizations in their field to determine which ones offer the best workplaces and forward-thinking human resource policies. Whether an employer has positive employment growth is also a factor in determining the winners. As well, the unique initiatives of each employer are taken into account.

Canada’s Top SME Employers 2019
Abilis Solutions, Montreal. Computer software; 160 employees. Celebrates exceptional performance and achievement through a variety of initiatives and rewards including tickets to events such as Cirque du Soleil.

Absorb Software Inc., Calgary. Learning management systems; 150 employees. Continues to expand, adding nearly 50 new full-time positions in the past year.

ACL Services Ltd., Vancouver. Custom computer programming; 255 employees. Offers a flexible health and wellness spending account which can be used to top up coverage or cover the costs of related expenses.

Blue Spurs, Fredericton. Computer systems design; 82 employees. Offers referral bonuses for employees who recruit candidates from their personal networks.

Book4Time Inc., Markham, Ont. Software development; 42 employees. Lets everyone share in the company’s success with profit sharing.

Broadview Networks Inc., Winnipeg. Computer systems design; 22 employees. Organizes a variety of social events throughout the year including Taco Tuesdays, games nights, beer-tasting events and spa days.

CBCL Ltd., Halifax. Engineering; 286 employees. Provides maternity leave top-up payments for new mothers and the option to extend their leave into an unpaid leave of absence.

ClearTech Industries Inc., Saskatoon. Chemicals and equipment distribution; 121 employees. Gathers employee feedback regarding which charities to support and matches employee donations.

Clio, Burnaby, B.C. Computer software; 243 employees. Provides two employee lounges at head office featuring video games, foosball, table tennis, board games and a lending library.

Community Trust Co., Mississauga. Financial products and services; 107 employees. Encourages employees to give back to the community with a paid day off to volunteer, donating 800 volunteer hours on company time last year.

CompuVision Systems Inc., Edmonton. Information technology services; 101 employees. Offers six paid personal days, which can be scheduled as needed, along with three weeks of starting vacation allowance.

Connected, Toronto. Software developer; 123 employees. Encourages employees to adopt an ownership mentality through a share-purchase plan, available to all employees.

Cority Software Inc., Toronto. Software developer; 169 employees. Continues to grow, adding nearly 30 new full-time positions in the past year.

Cowell Motors Ltd., Richmond, B.C. New car dealerships; 320 employees. Offers a variety of alternative work arrangements including flexible hours, shortened and compressed work weeks and telecommuting.

Croesus Finansoft Inc., Laval, Que. Financial management software and services; 180 employees. Lets everyone share in the fruits of their labour with profit sharing and year-end bonuses.

CrowdRiff Inc., Toronto. Software developer; 90 employees. Supports employees who are new mothers and fathers, including adoptive parents, with generous maternity and parental leave top-up payments.

D&D Automation Inc., Stratford, Ont. Industrial controls; 72 employees. Offers generous referral bonuses for employees who recruit candidates from their personal networks.

Dejero Labs Inc., Waterloo, Ont. Internet connectivity technology; 101 employees. Offers a health-spending account and a separate wellness-spending account to help cover the costs of wellness-related expenses.

Delnor Construction Ltd., Edmonton. Construction; 195 employees. Provides matching RRSP contributions and helps employees prepare for the long term with retirement planning assistance.

Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc., Toronto. Architecture; 206 employees. Offers paid summer shutdown for all employees (half days every Friday), along with three weeks of starting vacation allowance.

District M, Montreal. Software developer; 67 employees. Offers subsidized memberships to an onsite shared-use fitness facility that features instructor-led classes.

Diva International Inc., Kitchener, Ont. Personal hygiene products; 33 employees. Offers an annual health-spending account, allowing employees to top up coverage as needed.

Elastic Path Software Inc., Vancouver. Software publishers; 185 employees. Is growing at a rapid pace, adding more than 20 new full-time jobs in the past year.

ERA Environmental Consulting Inc., Saint-Laurent, Que. Environmental, health and safety software; 68 employees. Features a variety of amenities at head office including a cafeteria with subsidized meals and healthy and special-diet menus.

eSentire Inc., Cambridge, Ont. Cybersecurity; 256 employees. Helps keep employees engaged with social events throughout the year including a beer and wine tour and Star Wars movie day.

Fiasco Gelato Cafes Ltd., Calgary. Gelato and sorbetto production and café; 31 employees. Encourages employees to adopt an ownership culture through a share-purchase plan, available to all employees.

Fiix, Toronto. Software developer; 70 employees. Makes the commute to work a little easier with a transit subsidy of $70 per month.

FinancialCAD Corporation / FINCAD, Surrey, B.C. Computer software; 86 employees. Encourages employees to give back to the community with two paid days off to volunteer and matching employee donations.

Fleet Complete, Toronto. Fleet and mobile resource tracking; 265 employees. Organizes a variety of social events and celebrations throughout the year including a Mariposa boat cruise on Lake Ontario.

Fresche Solutions Inc., Montreal. Information technology consulting; 184 employees. Recognizes exceptional performance through multiple initiatives, including peer-to-peer recognition, long-service awards, the President’s Award and the People’s Choice Award.

FreshBooks, Toronto. Software publishers; 263 employees. Maintains a compassion fund to help employees through extenuating circumstances, such as covering the cost of a stolen bike or an emergency vet bill.

Frozen Mountain Software Ltd., Surrey, B.C. Computer software; 35 employees. Offers phased-in work options for those nearing retirement.

Fuller Landau LLP, Toronto. Accounting; 120 employees. Offers a health-spending account allowing employees to customize coverage to suit their personal needs.

Great Little Box Company Ltd., Richmond, B.C. Box manufacturing; 279 employees. Rewards employee suggestions and cost-savings ideas with a share of the company’s financial savings.

Harbour Air Group, Richmond, B.C. Airline; 290 employees. Donated more than 700 one-way flights in the past year to local and national non-profit organizations.

Harvard Developments Inc., Regina. Commercial real estate management and development; 188 employees. Helps employees save for the future with contributions to a defined-contribution pension plan.

HockeyTech Inc., Waterloo, Ont. Sports analytics information; 46 employees. Starts new employees with three weeks of paid vacation and offers up to five paid personal days off.

Hostway Corp., Vancouver. Website hosting and management; 40 employees. Rewards outstanding employee performance with monetary bonuses and offers team-based monetary awards to spend on activities of their choice.

Humania Assurance Inc., Saint-Hyacinthe, Que. Insurance; 150 employees. Keeps employees connected and up to date through a company newsletter and themed town hall meetings each quarter.

Integrated Sustainability Consultants Ltd., Calgary. Environmental consulting; 80 employees. Is growing at a rapid pace, adding nearly 20 new full-time positions in the past year.

Intelex Technologies, Toronto. Software developer; 404 employees. Offers a casual work environment with a number of social events throughout the year, including monthly summer patio parties.

iQmetrix, Vancouver. Retail management software; 372 employees. Supports local and national charitable initiatives each year, as well as offering employees four paid days off to volunteer and matching their donations.

Javelin Technologies Inc., Oakville, Ont. Specialized 3D software publisher; 95 employees. Provides referral bonuses as an incentive for employees to recruit candidates from their personal networks.

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Keystone Environmental Ltd., Burnaby, B.C. Environmental consulting; 95 employees. Offers a variety of financial benefits including profit sharing for all employees.

LANDRY et associés, Montreal. Business consulting: 20 employees. Keeps employees engaged with social events throughout the year including sugar shack trips, a boat cruise and dinner on the St. Lawrence River and an internal board game competition.

Larochelle Groupe Conseil, Montreal. Information technology consulting; 92 employees. Offers an annual health-spending account allowing employees to customize coverage to suit their personal needs.

Lawton Partners Financial Planning Services Ltd., Winnipeg. Financial planning; 61 employees. Offers tuition subsidies for job-related courses, subsidies for professional accreditation and financial bonuses for some course completion.

Left, Maple Ridge, B.C. Software development; 36 employees. Offers innovative rewards for small wins (such as a bottle of wine), big wins (a whisky tasting on top of a glacier), or gigantic wins (a photo safari and river cruise to a World Heritage site in Bangladesh).

LPI Mechanical Inc., Brampton, Ont. Commercial and industrial HVAC services; 45 employees. Lets everyone share in the fruits of their labour with profit sharing and a year-end bonus program.

Maximizer Software Inc., Vancouver. Software developer; 73 employees. Invests in ongoing employee education with tuition subsidies for job-related courses.

McLeod Law LLP, Calgary. Law; 118 employees. Encourages employees to keep fit with a subsidy to help cover the cost of gym membership.

MessagePoint Inc., Toronto. Communications management software; 68 employees. Offers flexible hours and a telecommuting option to help employees balance their personal and professional commitment.

Naylor Building Partnerships Inc., Oakville, Ont. Specialized building contractor; 174 employees. Provides matching RRSP contributions and encourages employees to prepare for the long term with retirement planning assistance.

Nicola Wealth Management Ltd., Vancouver. Investment management; 154 employees. Offers alternative work arrangements including flexible hours, shortened work weeks, a formal earned-days-off program and up to 10 paid personal days off.

Northern Mat and Bridge LP, Clairmont, Alta. Industrial equipment and rentals; 323 employees. Offers a variety of in-house and online training programs, including apprenticeship opportunities.

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Noseworthy Chapman Chartered Professional Accountants, St. John’s. Accounting; 57 employees. Considers previous experience when setting individual vacation entitlements.

Nulogy Corp., Toronto. Computer software; 140 employees. Offers new parents a $750 baby bonus, in addition to parental leave top-up payments, and flexible return-to-work options when returning from parental leave.

Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall LLP / s.r.l., Ottawa. Law; 114 employees. Offers a variety of alternative work arrangements including flexible hours, telecommuting, shortened work weeks and paid personal days off.

Points, Toronto. Customer loyalty program software; 192 employees. Supports ongoing employee education with generous tuition subsidies for courses directly and indirectly related to their current role.

Priestly Demolition Inc., King, Ont. Remediation and demolition services; 276 employees. Helps employees save for the future with a defined contribution pension plan.

Prophix Software Inc., Mississauga. Software developer; 185 employees. Maintains a number of company-sponsored sports teams including hockey, volleyball, dodgeball and squash.

PSB Boisjoli LLP, Mont-Royal, Que. Accounting; 163 employees. Offers a generous health and wellness spending account allowing employees to top up coverage as needed.

Pythian Group Inc., The, Ottawa. Computer systems design; 196 employees. Increased its maternity and parental leave top-up policy for new mothers. New parents can extend their leave into an unpaid leave of absence.

Questrade Financial Group Inc., North York, Ont. Financial services: 370 employees. Encourages employees to keep their skills sharp through in-house training initiatives and generous tuition subsidies for courses at outside institutions.

R.F. Binnie & Associates Ltd., Burnaby, B.C. Engineering; 192 employees. Helps employees save for the future with generous contributions to their RRSP accounts.

Rangle.io, Toronto. Software development; 196 employees. Offers new employees three weeks of paid starting vacation, increasing to four weeks after only two years on the job.

Reid’s Heritage Group of Companies, Cambridge, Ont. Housing construction; 253 employees. Offers bonus vacation time and travel vouchers to celebrate an employee’s fifth year on the job and every five-year increment thereafter.

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Richter LLP, Montreal. Accounting; 451 employees. Offers generous referral bonuses for employees who successfully recruit a new candidate to the firm.

Rocky Mountaineer, Vancouver. Rail tour operators; 299 employees. Offers 10 fully paid new child days for any employee who becomes a new parent, in addition to its maternity and parental leave top-ups.

Rodeo FX Inc., Montreal. Visual effects studio; 395 employees. Invests in ongoing employee education with generous tuition subsidies for job-related courses.

Rohit Group of Companies, Edmonton. Real estate development and management; 170 employees. Encourages employees to make healthy choices with a steady supply of healthy snacks as part of its health and wellness program.

Scalar Decisions Inc., Toronto. Information technology services; 330 employees. Starts new employees with three or four weeks of paid vacation, varying by position.

Silvacom Ltd., Edmonton. Custom computer software and consulting; 65 employees. Helps employees prepare for the future with retirement planning assistance and phased-in retirement work options.

Sionna Investment Managers Inc., Toronto. Investment management; 25 employees. Helps employees balance their day to day with flexible hours, shortened work weeks and telecommuting work options.

Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh, Ottawa. Law; 390 employees. Provides numerous transportation options, including transit subsidies, a car pool sign-up system, secure bicycle parking, EV parking spots and work stations for telecommuters.

Solink Corp., Kanata, Ont. Video surveillance software; 41 employees. Encourages employees to keep fit with subsidized memberships to an onsite shared-use fitness facility featuring exercise equipment and instructor-led classes.

Sourced Group Inc., Toronto. Consulting; 31 employees. Starts new employees with four weeks of paid vacation.

Startec, Calgary. Commercial refrigeration systems; 129 employees. Makes the transition from full-time work to retirement a little easier with phased-in retirement work options.

Strategic Natural Resource Consultants Inc., Campbell River, B.C. Natural resource consulting; 181 employees. Encourages employees to save for life after work with generous matching RRSP contributions, up to six per cent of salary.

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SysGen Solutions Group Ltd., Calgary. Information technology consulting; 61 employees. Features an employee lounge at head office with a foosball table and a ready supply of toys for visiting four-legged family members at the pet-friendly workplace.

TBT Engineering Ltd., Thunder Bay, Ont. Engineering; 147 employees. Invests in the long-term development of its employees with tuition subsidies for courses at outside institutions.

Teed Saunders Doyle & Co., Fredericton. Accounting; 39 employees. Counters the accounting stereotype with a busy social calendar including an end of tax season party, box seats at hockey games, curling, and a summer party with whale watching and zip lining.

ToursByLocals, Vancouver. Tour operator; 42 employees. Offers employees a casual dress code daily and the option to bring their four-legged friends to work when needed.

Traction on Demand Inc., Burnaby, B.C. Marketing consulting; 325 employees. Encourages employees to work smart and balance their work and personal lives through a variety of alternative working options.

Trico Homes Inc., Calgary. Housing construction; 139 employees. Encourages employees to become recruiters for the company with new employee referral bonuses.

Trisura Guarantee Insurance Co., Toronto. Insurance; 121 employees. Lets all employees share in the company’s success with profit sharing and share-purchase plans.

TSM / Talk Shop Media Inc., Vancouver. Public relations; 25 employees. Hosts weekly creative sessions, quarterly off-site team-building events and an annual overnight retreat to Whistler.

Uberflip, Toronto. Cloud-based marketing software; 106 employees. Provides a variety of free healthy snack options every day such as fresh fruit, yogurt, cereal, protein bars, hummus and rice crackers.

Uken Studios Inc., Toronto. Game developer; 90 employees. Cultivates an ownership culture through a share-purchase program that is available to all employees.

Ventana Construction Corp., Burnaby, B.C. Commercial construction; 181 employees. Features an employee lounge at head office complete with foosball and table tennis as well as free access to an onsite fitness facility.

Verafin Inc., St. John’s. Specialized financial software; 303 employees. Offers employees the opportunity to add some steps to their workout routine at a treadmill desk.

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Vidyard, Kitchener, Ont. Software developer; 199 employees. Allows employees to apply for an unpaid leave of absence.

Visier Solutions Inc., Vancouver. Software developer; 300 employees. Offers a generous IVF subsidy if needed as well as maternity leave top-up and parental leave top-up for new dads and adoptive parents.

Voices.com Inc., London, Ont. Online marketplace for voice actors; 99 employees. Reaches out to the next generation through paid internships, co-ops and summer employment opportunities.

Voonyx Inc., Lac-Beauport, Que. Computer software; 31 employees. Encourages employees to save for the longer term with matching RRSP contributions.

WalterFedy, Kitchener, Ont. Architectural and engineering services; 172 employees. Starts new employees with three weeks of paid vacation and offers three paid personal days off.

Wealthsimple Technologies Inc., Toronto. Investment management; 130 employees. Offers its new moms and dads, including adoptive parents, generous maternity and parental leave top-up payments, to 100 per cent of salary for 24 weeks.

WeirFoulds LLP, Toronto. Law; 218 employees. Offers new moms maternity leave top-up payments as well as the possibility of alternative work options to help balance their work and personal lives.

Wesgroup Equipment LP, Surrey, B.C. Industrial machinery and equipment distribution; 183 employees. Encourages employees to recruit their friends with generous new employee referral bonuses.

Wild Rose Brewery, Calgary. Breweries; 59 employees. Lets employees share in the company’s successes through a year-end bonus program and also offers discounts on company products.