TAB Industry Gathers in St. Louis for Annual Conference

Members of the testing, adjusting and balancing industry came together at the International Certification Board/Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau Conference, held April 29 through May 2 at the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation workers Local 36 in St. Louis, Missouri. The conference hosted education and business tracks, allowing members, contractors and other industry professionals to level up their business and renew or add industry certifications, including supervisor classes in TABB, indoor air quality, fire smoke damper, sound and vibration, commissioning and smoke control systems.

The first full day of speakers, classes and experiences began April 30, and to kick things off, Sean McGovern, from The Joint Commission, spoke about TAB requirements in hospitals and how contractors can meet them. Also included in day one were Alice Yates, director of government affairs for the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers; Peter Kelly, field manager for the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials; Robert Sullivan, Southwest regional director for the National Fire Protection Association and Randy Young, SMART codes and standards representative, who introduced attendees to ASHRAE, the NFPA and the Uniform Mechanical Code.

Dr. Mark Modera presented updates in HVAC research and technology, and Kathleen Owen, air cleaning consultant for Owen Air Filtration Consulting, dove deep into the world of air filtration standards and practices, changes and advancements.

Gina Medel and Alex Miranda, CFO and vice president of sales, respectively, for Penn Air Group, introduced the attendees to another somewhat hidden aspect of the HVAC world — duct cleaning. Contractors may be overlooking business opportunities within their skill wheelhouse, Medel and Miranda said. These include everything from market analysis and business strategies to efficient cleaning techniques and best practices to grow a duct-cleaning venture.

Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association CEO Aaron Hilger discussed the more than 200 megaprojects in the United States and more than 100 in Canada in different stages of development, which will need to be balanced.

“Thinking outside of the box will be of worth as we see some of those challenges ahead of us as we grow,” said Lisa Davis, National Energy Management Institute administrator. “I’m really stoked about the next five, 10 years. I think we will continue to raise the bar and set the standard.”