T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E P R O F E S S I O N A L’ S C H O I C E ■ ISSUE NO.

31

Spotlight on
the TABB Team:
Contractors,
Supervisors,
Technicians.
 Operating at a Higher Level

Commissioning Supervisor Certification Program

Building commissioning is the process of achieving, verifying and documenting the performance
of a building and its various systems to ensure it operates at design intent.

ICB/TABB certification is an ANSI accredited program. The professional abilities and skills of
an ICB certified commissioning supervisor are documented. General contractors, engineers,
design professionals and business owners can be certain of the competency and qualifications
of ICB certified supervisors. To earn ICB certification, supervisors must demonstrate that
they possess complete knowledge of HVAC systems—an essential component of building
commissioning work.

For more information on ICB/TABB certifications please call (800) 458-6525,

or visit www.icbcertified.org or www.tabbcertified.org

Setting the certification standards for the HVAC Industry

 In this Issue TABB Staff

TABB Evolves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Anthony Picarazzi
Contractors Play Key Role in Changing TABB Administrator
Energy World. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 John Hamilton
Chief Operating Officer
The Villanova Experiment: Doing Well
by Doing Good . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Kevin Casey
Director of Certification
Spotlight on the TABB Team. . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Testing, Adjusting & Balancing Bureau
HVAC Fire Life Safety Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 601 North Fairfax Street, Suite 250
Alexandria, VA 22314-4139
Highlights From San Jose Conference . . . 12 Phone: 800-458-6525 ■ Fax: 703-683-7615
www.tabbcertified.org
Hall of Fame Welcomes Mary Coffey. . . . 13

Why TABB
The ICB/TABB certification dem- TABB in your specifications. We want
onstrates that ICB/TABB Certified to highlight you as a leader in the
Technicians, Supervisors, and HVAC industry.
Contractors are competent, reli-
able and qualified profession- Adding TABB specifications
als. Specifying TABB in all benefits you by:
your future HVAC projects • Expanding your bid-
ensures you and your ders’ pool
clients that your HVAC
system will be installed by •L
 etting the HVAC indus-
highly competent profes- try know you demand
sionals and will operate highly skilled and
as designed. trained professionals to
perform TAB work on
Please let us know when you include your HVAC systems.

For more information on TABB, call 800.458.6525

or visit online at www.tabbcertified.org

w w w. t a b b c e r t i f i e d . o r g TESTING ADJUSTING AND BALANCING BUREAU 1

 TABB Changes
JATCs
I
n 2010, TABB began the transition to ICB/TABB to
more accurately reflect the purpose and structure of
the organization. The International Certification Board
(ICB) was created in 2000 to oversee the operations of
the Testing Adjusting and Balancing Bureau (TABB).
Initially established to govern the certification of
technicians, contractors and supervisors in the Testing,
Adjusting and Balancing Industry, ICB/TABB has since
expanded to ... monitor and coordinate the indepen-
dent network of organizations that operate to set stan-
dards (the Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau—
TABB);...train technicians, (the Joint Apprenticeship
Training Centers [JATCs] of the International Training
2 TESTING ADJUSTING AND BALANCING BUREAU T h e P r o f e s s i o n a l ’s C h o i c e
Institute of the Sheet Metal Workers International
Association—ITI);...monitor industry trends, identify
emerging markets and train supervisors and contrac-
tors (the National Energy Management Institute—NE-
MI);...create training programs (ITI);...conduct testing
(ITI), and confer certifications (the International
Certification Board—ICB).
To carry out its functions, a valid technical certi-
fication program must provide firewalls to insulate
relationships between officials who set standards and
those who evaluate performance, review credentials
of applicants and administer certifications. ICB/TABB
meets that requirement.
TABB Contractors
Play Key Role
In the Changing
Energy World
W
ith millions of barrels of
oil clotting the waters
of the Gulf Coast in an
accident that took the
lives of 11 workers; scores of coal
miners killed in tragic accidents,
mounting evidence of the negative
health effects of growing pollu-
tion and global warming—the
world is in search of cleaner, more
efficient and economical ways to
sustain modern life.
We all have a role to play in
reshaping our wasteful use of
energy—not just oil—to avoid
global warming, to reduce carbon
w w w. t a b b c e r t i f i e d . o r g TESTING ADJUSTING AND BALANCING BUREAU
emissions, to conserve natural
resources and to end our depen-
dence on foreign oil. According
to the U.S. Department of Energy,
oil accounts for 37 percent of
U.S. energy use, coal—21 percent;
natural gas—25 percent; nucle-
ar—8.8 percent; and renewables
(solar, wind, hydroelectric and
other)—8.2 percent.
Solution: Smart Energy
Management
The U.S. gobbles up energy
at twice the rate of Japan and
Germany and 39 percent of that
usage is for heating, cooling and
lighting homes and commercial
space, running our gadgets and
providing entertainment.
Although significant reduc-
tions in energy usage can come
from changing the patterns of
energy use the most significant
savings will be realized through
smart energy management—the
use of engineering and economic
principles to control the cost of
energy to provide needed services
in buildings and industry.
There are many parallel paths to
energy efficiency, from “no-cost”—
continued on page 4 ❯❯
3
❯❯
by, for example, choosing smarter
strategies to power our world; to
“high-cost”—investing in engineer-
ing and technology changes such as
installing new equipment or switch-
ing to alternative energy sources
which may involve upfront costs but
produce long-term savings.
Energy professionals estimate that
no-cost actions and simple mainte-
nance will yield savings of 5 to 15
percent. Low-cost and short-term
payback decisions can save from
15 to 30 percent and higher cost
and longer payback actions could
effect savings of up to 50 percent in
energy costs.
Corporate Conservation
Creates Profits
Take, for example, the experience
of 3-M’s model energy manage-
ment program. The company has
40 major product divisions, makes
50,000 products at over 100 loca-
tions. In 1973, with the first energy
crisis as a wakeup call, 3-M adopted
a corporate objective to use energy
efficiently. Between 1973 and 2006,
the company improved its energy
productivity by 60 percent and real-
ized energy savings over that period
of $1.5 billion.
The U.S. Energy Innovation
Council, formed to study energy
issues and recommend alternatives,
has established a goal of an 80 per-
cent reduction in greenhouse gases
by the middle of this century. The
council warned, however, that goal
cannot be reached unless the nation
devotes some $16 billion a year in
research and development of clean
energy technologies.
Moving The Ball Ahead
Although catastrophes like the
Gulf oil spill add new urgency to
the mission, every day in America,
technicians, contractors, architects,
engineers and scientists are going
about their business to move the
4 TESTING ADJUSTING AND BALANCING BUREAU T h e P r o f e s s i o n a l ’s C h o i c e
ball ahead a few yards at a time.
Working with federal, state and
local officials, energy experts are
crafting environmental regulations
and designing quality improvements
for equipment.
New Employment
Opportunities
The good news is that the drive
for energy efficiency is creating
new opportunities and occupations.
Pew Research reports that “green
collar” jobs—that is, employment
in energy efficiency and expanding
renewable energy capacity will grow
at around 9.1 percent annually,
compared to all other employment
growth in the economy at around
3.7 percent. Last year, a consultant
report published by NEMI esti-
mated that federal expenditures
to increase energy efficiency and
retrofit insulation and HVAC sys-
tems in government buildings will
expand demand for sheet metal
workers for new installations, test-
ing, adjusting and balancing by
some 3,900 jobs. Concern over
expenses related to excessive car-
bon production by major corpora-
tions has also led to the creation
of new positions known as carbon
reduction managers. While the
sheet metal job growth figures
do not loom large in the overall
economy, the expectation is that
the overall emphasis on “green col-
lar” employment will have an addi-
tional positive effect on sheet metal
industry jobs.
Retrofits on Existing
Buildings
Leaders from within ICB/TABB,
working alongside members of the
Sheet Metal Workers International
Association (SMWIA) are doing
their part in solving at least one seg-
ment of the energy usage problem
by working to retrofit existing build-
ings and homes to use less energy
for heating, cooling and lighting.
The task involves lots of manpow-
er and diverse skills, from energy
audits to testing, adjusting and bal-
ancing, consistent maintenance of
equipment and in many cases, the
installation of new HVAC equip-
ment and bringing new technology
on line.
Ancillary Benefits
Beyond efficiency and expense,
improving HVAC performance
can have the ancillary benefit of
bringing systems into line with
ASHRAE standards, reducing or
eliminating VOCs, bio aerosols,
and microbial contamination, and
identifying and controlling gen-
eral air quality problems.
Citing research performed by
the U.S. Green Building Council,
the report of the Middle Class Task
Force issued last November by Vice
President Joseph Biden, points out
that America’s buildings consume
72 percent of electricity (39 percent
of energy) and produce 38 percent
greenhouse gases.
“There is tremendous potential
for saving energy and improving the
environment by retrofitting these
buildings,” the report states.
It’s a massive challenge and TABB
contractors and the union sheet
metal workers they employ are at
the forefront
For TABB contractors, the
ardor to reduce energy usage
and improve efficiency is a win-
win. It doesn’t take much per-
suasion to show a customer that
your services are not just about
comfort and efficiency, but real,
tangible, bottom line savings.
In today’s market, with the cost
of excess carbon hanging over
the customer’s head, a TABB-
certified contractor can show
buyers return on investment fig-
ures that are compelling.
Doing Well
by Doing Good
Villanova Experiments With Fume Hood Retrofits
Robert Morris, (right) designer of the fume hood retrofit kits, was on hand to see
the kits installed at Villanova by (from left) Ken Wagher of Menold, Vince Del Vac-
chio of Keystone TAB Consulting, and Bob Barna of Menold.
B
uilding Star and Industry
Star are two terms you’ll be
hearing a lot in the near fu-
ture. They are concepts con-
tained in pending legislation that
will offer significant tax and other
incentives to commercial property
owners to adopt innovative energy
saving techniques. The idea behind
the proposals is to spur innovation
and energy savings in commercial
buildings while creating new em-
ployment opportunities for skilled
crafts. The sheet metal industry is at
the heart of such innovations.
One early success story illus-
trating the potential for boost-
ing employment and innovation
involves fume hoods in research
labs at schools, hospitals, pharma-
ceutical and biotech companies.
The hoods function to protect
technicians and researchers from
w w w. t a b b c e r t i f i e d . o r g TESTING ADJUSTING AND BALANCING BUREAU
Before
toxic or noxious fumes by sucking
bad air out of a work area, just
like the exhaust fan on a hom-
eowners stove.
In industry, fume hoods are
invaluable, but they are also expen-
sive to operate—often adding
$10,000 to $20,000 to institutional
energy bills. Considering that there
are as many as 1.2 million of these
hoods operating nationwide, it’s
clear that they add considerably to
America’s energy usage.
Robert Morris, an engineer in
New Jersey, has designed a retrofit
kit that cuts the volume of air that
a fume hood needs to move in half.
The new design, once installed,
would mean that HVAC systems will
only have to work half as hard and
the savings should show up on the
bottom line.
Three of the Morris-designed
After
retrofit kits have been installed in
labs at Villanova University at a cost
of $8,000 each, plus labor. If the
kits work as expected, the univer-
sity says it will install them in their
remaining 144 fume hoods over
an extended period of time—and
would expect to realize annual savings
of $5,000 a year for each installed kit.
The retrofitted kits save approximate-
ly 60 percent over the price of new
hoods. Working with the Facilities
Department at Villanova University,
Philadelphia Local 19 contractors
Ernest D. Menold, Inc., and Keystone
TAB Consulting, LLC arranged and
performed the conversion of the
three hoods.
At SMWIA Local 19, Local
President Joe Sellers says innova-
tions like the retrofit kits can help
reduce unemployment among the
local’s 4,500 members.
5
 NEMI Maintains Strong Connection With ASHRAE, NFPA
NEMI maintains a close re-
lationship with pro-
fessional associations and trade
groups, enabling the unionized
sheet metal industry, its contrac-
tors, trainers and members to
understand emerging trends in
technology and best practices,
and help keep NEMI ahead of
the curve, explains NEMI’s John
Hamilton who serves on three
Technical Committees and a de-
velopment committee with the
American Society for Heating,
Refrigeration and Air Condi-
tioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
NEMI Chief Technology
Officer Davor Novosel has also
been active with ASHRAE for
many years. He recently con-
cluded a three-year term on the
ASHRAE Environmental Health
Committee.
ASHRAE technical commit-
tees, task groups and technical
resource groups serve a variety
of purposes for the organiza-
tion, including writing chap-
ters for the group’s handbook,
originating, supervising and
coordinating ASHRAE research
projects, making presentations
to ASHRAE programs, reviewing
technical papers, evaluating the
need for standards, and advising
the Society on all aspects of the
technology it embraces.
Hamilton serves on ASHRAE’s
Technical 5.2 Duct Design
Committee, 7.9 Commissioning,
and 7.7 Test and Balance, along
with the ASHRAE Development
Committee for Energy Auditing.
Novosel, who joined the Society
in 1983, underscored the value
of ASHRAE’s role in keeping the
industry on a balanced course.
“When everyone is focused
on energy efficiency, ASHRAE’s
work in indoor air quality is
particularly important. In the
1970s the government pressed
for total energy efficiency but
forgot about air quality. Then,
we had condensation, mold and
serious health problems. You can
have 100 percent efficiency, but
unhealthy air. We need to main-
tain a proper balance,” Novosel
commented.
NEMI’s Research and
Education Director Chuck Holt,
an active member of the National
Fire Protection Association
(NFPA), serves on NFPA’s
Technical Committee dealing
with standards and materials relat-
ed to air conditioning systems
(NFPA 90-A&B).

What is the Testing, Adjusting, and

Balancing Bureau (TABB)?
The ICB/TABB provides certified professionals for the HVAC industry — professionals,
who ensure that HVAC systems are installed, operated and maintained at design intent
every time and all the time.

Who is TABB?
TABB is an organization made up of heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC)
industry professionals, including:
•E
 ngineers with membership in the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and
Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE);
•C
 ontractors from the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National
Association (SMACNA); and
•L
 abor representatives from the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association
(SMWIA).

6 TESTING ADJUSTING AND BALANCING BUREAU T h e P r o f e s s i o n a l ’s C h o i c e

ICB/TABB Certification Update
ICB/TABB, implementing technical
certifications…
ICB/TABB is the first HVAC certification program to
gain ANSI Accreditation for certification in the Testing
Adjusting and Balancing industry. ICB provides certifi-
cations in the following HVAC areas:
• HVAC Fire Life Safety Level 1
• HVAC Fire Life Safety Level 2
• Commissioning
• Sound & Vibration, and
• TAB (testing, adjusting, and balancing) Supervisor
and Contractor certification.
Every customer of a TABB Certified Contractor
shall be entitled to expect: (1) that testing, adjust-
ing and balancing work by the contractor and its
TABB Professionals will meet TABB standards; (2)
that testing, adjusting and balancing reports pro-
vided to the customer will have been prepared by a
TABB Certified Technician, and reviewed by a TABB
Certified Supervisor; and (3) that the report(s) will
include measurements taken accurately with the date
and mode of operation of the systems.
ICB/TABB’s membership…
includes heating, ventilating, and air conditioning
(HVAC) industry professionals, such as:
• Engineers with membership in ASHRAE
• Contractors from SMACNA
• Labor Representatives and Training Facilities of
the SMWIA.
ICB/TABB Certification ensures…
that ICB/TABB Certified Technicians, Supervisors,
and Contractors are competent, reliable, and quali-
fied professionals.
TABB technicians are trained through their Local
JATC training programs with support from the Interna-
tional Training Institute of the sheet metal industry.
w w w. t a b b c e r t i f i e d . o r g TESTING ADJUSTING AND BALANCING BUREAU
Code of Ethics: Highest quality of
workmanship…
One requirement of maintaining TABB certifica-
tion is continued compliance with the ICB Code of
Conduct. The Code of Conduct includes the general
standard which certification represents:
“TABB Certified Professionals practice their profes-
sion consistent with the leading TABB procedures and
the highest quality of workmanship.”
History of the ICB
The International Certification Board (ICB) was
developed to oversee the Testing, Adjusting, and Bal-
ancing Bureau (TABB) in 2000. The following year, as
it unveiled a new TAB program designed to certify both
contractors and supervisors, ICB expanded to recog-
nize the training and certification of other entities,
such as the International Training Institute (ITI), which
subscribes to a strict set of standards approved by ICB.
In subsequent years, the program broadened to include
certification testing in five specialty areas.
As the ICB/TABB has evolved, it has grown to en-
compass other separate but related certifications:
• HVAC Fire Life Safety Level 1
• HVAC Fire Life Safety Level 2
• Commissioning
• Fume Hood Performance Testing and
•S
 ound & Vibration
7
Spotlight on the TABB Team:
Contractors, Supervisors, Technicians.
By ICB Board Member John Raught, Northstar Environmental, Beaver, PA
A
well balanced, efficiently operating HVAC system
is invisible for the folks who depend upon it.
In commercial office spaces, schools, hospitals,
hotels—anywhere that a mechanical system is
used to create a livable indoor environment—the HVAC
system operates much the same way that a heart, lung
and circulatory system works for the human body.
The TABB Team
An ICB/TABB certified technician understands the
operations of that HVAC system as no one else does.
By training and experience, these men and women are
methodical diagnosticians and problem solvers, taking
the vital signs—pressure, airflow, loads, checking dif-
fusers—recording operational details and adjusting the
system to meet its design intent. The TAB Technician
takes his or her direction from the TAB Supervisor, a
person who either developed initial experience as a
TABB-certified technician—or as an engineer—and
built on that experience with advanced and continuing
education and training.
TABB supervisors may have different approaches
to a particular project because the customer may be a
building owner, architect, engineer, general contrac-
tor, mechanical contractor, or tenant. Regardless of
8 TESTING ADJUSTING AND BALANCING BUREAU T h e P r o f e s s i o n a l ’s C h o i c e
They All
Play A Role.
who hires the service, the product that they expect is
an HVAC system that operates at peak efficiency and
within the confines of the design.
Project drawings and specifications are the founda-
tion for TAB work; however manufacturer’s submittal
data is equally important for a complete TAB of the
HVAC systems. Submittal data or “cut sheets” show
the capability of the equipment and whether or not it
meets the design specifications.
Typically HVAC systems are initially found to be
operating outside of the specified requirements. This
necessitates TAB work in the first place. The customer
expects the equipment to operate both effectively and
efficiently. In the event that the systems cannot meet
the design criteria, the TAB team will generally come
up with solutions for the inefficiencies. Sometimes,
however, this will require cooperation with the install-
ers as well as the design professional. This is where the
TAB Supervisor must work as a team player with the
design professional and installer to meet the needs of
the customer.
Three Steps of Supervision
Three priorities of a supervisor are: First, make sure
the right guy is assigned to the project. You don’t want
❯❯ TABB Technician
to send a technician out on an assignment if he has lit-
tle or no experience on the particular system. Second,
make sure that the technicians have the proper equip-
ment, calibrated and in good working order. Third,
review all reports from the field and make sure they are
clear and concise, that they indicate design criteria has
been met, explain any problem areas that are found,
and describe what attempts have been made to correct
any problems that are found.
Supervisors must also thoroughly review the contract
documents to ensure that the proper balancing devices
are in place to perform the balancing, i. e. dampers
and hydronic balancing devices. The documents must
also specify tolerances for the various systems, and in
turn the technicians must be made aware of such.
Testing, adjusting and balancing work comes in a
variety of situations and circumstances—from commis-
sioning a new building to troubleshooting a balky sys-
tem to periodic checkups—the fundamental approach
is always the same: review specifications, measure opera-
tional performance of a system and its components,
adjust the systems per the design and report findings.
Troubleshooting work will always be in demand. When
construction picks up in a healthier economy, demand
will grow for qualified technicians and supervisors.
Classroom and Real World Connection
During a technician’s early career, he or she served
an intense four- or five year apprenticeship, benefit-
ing from a mentoring process that pairs capable
journeypersons with eager-to-learn novices. For the
future ICB/TABB technicians there is no disconnect
between the classroom and the real world. During
on-the-job time, the apprentice sees and feels and
ultimately understands how classroom time relates to
the job. There is also extensive lab time that enables
the apprentice to develop hands-on skills and experi-
ence with the tools of the trade under the watchful
eyes of an instructor on equipment identical to what
they will encounter on a job site.
Throughout the classroom training apprentices will
be guided by knowledgeable professionals who them-
selves have spent many years mastering the trade.
Instructors Forge the Link
Long before ICB/TABB instructors enter the
classroom, they are subjected to intensive training
in the art of teaching, learning to convey their own
experience into practical knowledge. To maintain
their status as certified instructors, the staffs in
each of the 165 ICB/TABB Joint Apprenticeship
w w w. t a b b c e r t i f i e d . o r g TESTING ADJUSTING AND BALANCING BUREAU
Training Centers (JATCs) must participate annually
in Continuing Professional Education (CPE). The
process ensures that trainers are up-to-date on new
technology and industry trends.
The Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Curriculum
that every ICB/TABB technician takes emphasizes
math, critical analytic skills and problem solving.
This work is not for individuals who need to be told
what to do and how to do it. Independent thinking,
careful calculation and follow-through are essential
requirements of a successful technician.
In addition to their apprenticeship training, future
ICB/TABB Technicians undergo 40 hours of specific
testing, adjusting and balancing training, preliminary
to certification testing along with three weeks on TAB
assignments.
Once technicians complete their class room and
hands-on training time, they will sit for a five-hour
proctored examination to test the knowledge they
have accumulated. Finally, aspiring TAB technicians
must take an eight-hour performance examination
where they are required to demonstrate the practical
knowledge they have mastered in problem-solving
and real-time challenges.
Progression through the ranks is another avenue of
opportunity for TAB technicians.
Earning TABB Certification
ICB/TABB has established rigorous requirements
for individuals who want to become a TABB supervi-
sor. Prerequisites include either a college or universi-
ty degree in engineering with a minimum of one-year
HVAC installation or design experience; or a two-year
associate degree in HVAC with a minimum of three
years HVAC installation or design experience.
Alternatively, an ITI-certified TAB technician with
a minimum of five years experience in HVAC instal-
lation and design may take the supervisory certifica-
tion exam. (The five years may include apprentice-
ship—at least one year of experience must be in
TAB work).
An ICB/TABB Certified contractor may also submit
a written recommendation on behalf of an individual
with five years experience in TAB work to allow that
individual to take the supervisory certification exam.
As with technicians, passing the written exam is not
the final step in supervisor certification. The indi-
vidual must also demonstrate a history of TAB work
that conforms to ICB/TABB standards and meets all
other ICB/TABB requirements as reflected on the
application form.
9
HVAC Fire Life Safety Tips

Sell to the Folks

Who Need What You’ve Got

SCI’s
Don Viningre has a local jurisdictions. As part of that Life Safety program began to take
simple philosophy effort, Holt recently addressed a off, Viningre was among the earli-
on sales: find the meeting of the National Association est to recognize that in a market so
“true owners” and of State Fire Marshals, representing huge and diverse, it is essential to
develop a relationship with them. fire specialists in 35 states. plan effectively and develop a sales
True owners, Viningre explains, are Testing, Adjusting and Balancing, strategy that targets the most fertile
the people who, number one, know HVAC Fire Life Safety, and spe- segments first.
what they need; number two: need cialty sheet metal needs—ICB/ “It didn’t take me long to real-
what you’re selling; and number TABB’s bread and butter—are fun- ize that health care facilities need
three: make the purchase decisions. damental needs in many industries, just about everything TABB has to
NEMI’s Chuck Holt, one of but for health care they may be the offer,” Viningre says. “In addition
the architects of the HVAC Fire biggest. In the health care industry, to life safety controls and service,
Life Safety program, suggests that the true owners who make the deci- health care facilities have lots of
contractors stay in touch with the sions and write the checks for these special requirements that ICB/
people who write and enforce build- services are more often than not, TABB addresses better than any
ing codes at the state and local level facilities managers. other source. In a hospital, airflow
as well as fire officials, fire marshals When ICB/TABB’s HVAC Fire is not just an issue of human com-
and fire departments.
“These are the people who under-
stand the value of Fire Life Safety
systems. Many already do, but con-
tractors should not assume that.
The codes are constantly evolving
and our people need to be easily
identified as the most reliable sup-
pliers available,” Holt says.
NEMI’s Trustees and the HVAC
Fire Life Safety Implementation
Committee are working to build
a model marketing plan targeting

10 TESTING ADJUSTING AND BALANCING BUREAU T h e P r o f e s s i o n a l ’s C h o i c e

 ICB/TABB will offer a HVAC
Fire Life Safety (HVAC FLS) Level
1 Technician course in Sacramento.
Airco Mechanical will have 11 techni-
cians hoping to earn certification in
that course. The company already
has three HVAC FLS-certified super-
visors. According to Ruch, “We want-
ed to train the leaders first and then
develop the technician workforce to
support them.”
In addition to the technicians
who will be seeking certification
in the upcoming course, Ruch has
reserved seats for a group of fire
prevention officers to give them a
first-hand look at the benefits of
HLS training and processes.
Ruch points out that in
California, and in most other
jurisdictions, public funds for fire
prevention have been squeezed.
“Public officials jump at the oppor-
tunity to attend free educational
programs such as these that help
them carry out their mission.”
As of August, ICB had certified
over 1,600 HVAC Fire Life Safety
Level 1 Technicians. The ultimate
goal, according to Holt, is to have
every SMWIA HVAC tech certified
in HVAC FLS, and “that needs to
be done sooner rather than later,”
Holt says.

fort, it’s a health issue. Health care

facilities need fume hoods built
and maintained. They’re among
the biggest users of bio safety cabi-
Making a Difference, Reducing the Risk
nets. The list goes on.”
Rather than dealing with facilities
one at a time, Viningre decided to
reach out to the American Society for
Healthcare Engineering (ASHE), the
organization that acts as a clearing-
house and resource for hospital and
health care facilities nationwide. He’s
working with NEMI and other interest-
ed ICB/TABB contractors to provide a
presence at the organization’s national
convention in Tampa this summer.
The enactment of landmark
health care legislation, Viningre
predicts, will create a trickle down HVAC Fire Life Safety Level One Certification Program
effect for stimulus money to Certification in the HVAC Life Safety Level One Program not only creates new career opportunities, it
upgrade facilities and build new provides a much-needed service to building owners and occupants.

ones. “ICB/TABB is not the cheap-
est option for these facilities, but it
will prove to be the best value—the
highest quality at a reasonable cost.”
Like Viningre, Chris Ruch of
Airco Mechanical in Sacramento, CA
sees education and understanding
as the biggest challenges to HVAC
Fire Life Safety systems. “Elected
officials, facility personnel who main-
tain life safety equipment and the
public safety personnel who inspect
buildings need to understand what
dampers do, where they should be
installed and how,” Ruch says.
This program meets the recommendation of codes and standards by training technicians, supervisors
and contractors to inspect, test and maintain fire and smoke dampers. The successful operations of
these dampers may mean the difference between a nuisance fire and an uncontrollable catastrophe.
Their extensive training in the HVAC industry prepares SMWIA workers and SMACNA contractors
to perform these inspections efficiently and have the experience to safely make needed corrections
and repairs.
Whether you are a technician, supervisor or contractor, there is a HVAC Fire Life Safety Certification
Program for you.
To learn more about the advantages of becoming a certified professional
in the emerging HVAC Fire Life Safety market, contact ICB/TABB at:
703-739-7100 www.ICBCertified.org www.TABBCertified.org
Setting the certification standards for the HVAC Industry

w w w. t a b b c e r t i f i e d . o r g TESTING ADJUSTING AND BALANCING BUREAU 11

 San Jose Conference
H i g h l i g h t s

Technicians, supervisors and contractors are drawn to the Annual ICB/TABB Conference to take advantage of the certification training programs offered, including (UPPER RIGHT)
HVAC Life Safety Levels 1 and 2 for supervisors and technicians. The 2010 program also featured a seminar on Energy Audits and Fume Hoods.

C
losing out the weeklong ICB/TABB Conference
in the first week of May, participants were treated
to a look at the future for Testing, Adjusting and
Balancing. Howard McKew, director of the Build-
ing Solutions Group in Boston, covered the waterfront—
from opportunities available as a start-up for commission-
ing, retro-commissioning and energy auditing to utilizing
individual experience in problem solving.
McKew’s three-hour seminar also discussed critical
skills and common sense tips for selling services as a
third-party TAB contractor.
McKew detailed a step-by-step process for establishing
Testing, Adjusting and Balancing as a third party opera-
tion outside of the mechanical contractor’s day-to-day
work. Providing independence and a clear field for set-
ting up long-term relationships with building owners and
end-users enables the TAB professional to evaluate and
measure system performance and sustain peak efficiency.
More than 100 participants attended the San Jose
conference—ICB/TABB’s 9th annual session—with sup-
port from the Northern California SMACNA chapter and
SMWIA Local 104. The program emphasized intensive
training and certification programs for attendees, includ-
ing three-day training and certification testing for ICB/
TABB Supervisors; a seminar on Energy Audits; classes
on Fume Hoods/ASHRAE 110 and separate tiers of
training and certification for HVAC Life Safety, Levels 1
and 2 for both supervisors and technicians.
SMWIA Local 104, which services the regions around
San Francisco, San Jose and Northern California, pre-
sented a reception and mini trade show along with a
tour of the Local’s state-of-the-art training facility.
The final session provided participants with an open
forum for questions and answers by a panel of ICB repre-
sentatives on Saturday morning followed by an awards lun-
cheon and induction of Mary Coffey into the ICB/TABB
Hall of Fame.

Don Viningre of SCI in Dallas led classes in HVAC James Schumacher (left) of TSI and Dennis Kapowitiz of YPS Facilities Service in Austin, TX, chat with conference attendees.
Life Safety.

12 TESTING ADJUSTING AND BALANCING BUREAU T h e P r o f e s s i o n a l ’s C h o i c e

Casey Wilson-Williams (right), winner of the 2010 Testing, Adjusting and Balancing
competition, accepts his award from ITI’s John Lyons (left) and Bob Bove of Testo.
ICB/TABB Hall of Fame Welcomes Mary Coffey
New Jersey Instructor is First Woman Inducted
M
ary Coffey, the 2010 induct-
ee into the ICB/TABB Hall
of Fame, was born into a
sheet metal working family.
Out of her father’s six children, Mary
and three of her brothers went into
the family business, but for Mary the
career was delayed by 30 years.
“I think it was the fact that my
father enjoyed it. Both of my parents
really took pride in what he did,”
Coffey said of her father’s influence.
“If I was struggling in geometry, he’d
give me an example of layout. It’s
something that’s always been there.”
Coffey went to college and
majored in health and physical edu-
cation after high school, married
and started her family.
By the 1970s, Coffey was two years
too old to enter as an apprentice by
union standards. At that point, she
thought her dream of following her
father and brothers was officially
over. Then, at the age of 31, Coffey
went to work for a contractor who
decided to unionize and tested
employees for apprenticeships. She
surpassed the requirements and
became a journeyman.
“I grew up with it, and I was in
my 30s before I got completely
involved,” Coffey said. “I wasn’t
a wide-eyed 18-year-old. I wasn’t
intimidated by too many things. I
was fortunate to have a lot of sup-
w w w. t a b b c e r t i f i e d . o r g TESTING ADJUSTING AND BALANCING BUREAU
Making the Hall of Fame presentation to Mary Coffey are ICB member Matt Sano of Fisher
Balancing (left), ICB Co-Chair Howard Stine (third from left), Executive VP of the Charles E.
Jarrell Contracting Company, St. Louis, and TABB COO John Hamilton.
port – at home with my family and
on the job site.”
Once she was in the industry,
Coffey, pushed by her father, took
a Testing, Adjusting and Balancing
course and finally found the career
happiness she had been longing for
since she could remember.
“I’m so glad I did,” she said of
finally succumbing to her father’s
advice and taking the course. “I
loved it the first night of class. It fit
with me.”
Although Coffey is the first woman
to be inducted into the ICB/TABB
Hall of Fame, and honored by the
award, she sees a different side, the 2010 Hall of Fame inductee Mary Coffey, speaking of her
side that saw the 1960s and 1970s sheet metal industry career: “I was fortunate to have a lot
play out in front of her eyes. of support—at home with my family and on the job site.”
“I would prefer that being the
first woman at anything wasn’t a (ITI) and the National Energy
big deal,” she said. “Being a woman Management Institute (NEMI).
should be secondary. Being a Coffey is the mother of three and
female doing something shouldn’t the grandmother of six, including
be special.” two step-grandchildren.
In 2003, she graduated with her The TABB/ICB Hall of Fame
bachelor’s degree in labor studies began in 2003 with the induction of
from the National Labor College, John M. Christie of Chicago. Other
another opportunity provided members are: Jack R. Webster of
by the union. Just five years later Westerville, Ohio in 2004; Thomas
Coffey retired and and moved on Wilton of Bayonne, NJ in 2005;
to teaching Testing, Adjusting and Timothy Perry of Los Gatos, Calif. in
Balancing classes at the SMWIA 2006; Erik S. Emblem of Sacramento
Joint Apprenticeship Training in 2007; Richard Wing of Branford,
Center in New Jersey with the Conn. in 2008; and Vincent A. Del
International Training Institute Vacchio of Media, Pa. in 2009.
13
 Can You Spot the Energy Leaks?

HVAC Energy Audit Certification Program

Energy use has become a major concern – for individuals, businesses, and governments. Much of the
waste and inefficiency associated with energy use is directly linked to the building’s HVAC system.
HVAC energy audits help facility owners determine where their systems are wasting energy.

As a certified HVAC Energy Audit Technician, you will identify problems through proper measurement
and analysis of energy use by the HVAC system. Your recommendations will play an important role in
helping commercial enterprises conserve energy, improve performance and reduce costs. And that’s
a win for everyone.

Complete knowledge of HVAC systems is a prerequisite for energy audit work.

For more information on qualifying to become a certified professional in the emerging
HVAC Energy Audit market, contact ICB/TABB at:

703-739-7100 www.ICBCertified.org www.TABBCertified.org

Setting the certification standards for the HVAC Industry