HPAC On The Air

COP28 Recap, with USGBC's Liz Beardsley

Frustrations ran high at the annual global climate summit in Dubai in December, but our guest says there were still more than a few positive takeaways for our industry. U.S. Green Building Council senior policy counsel Elizabeth Beardsley returns to give us her report... 

2024 Forecast, with Dodge’s Richard Branch

With last year now in the books, we chat with Dodge Construction Network's chief economist about his upbeat outlook for 2024. How did we manage to avoid that long-predicted recession? What potential roadblocks are still out there? Listen in for all the details!

Episode XXX: New Refrigerants Deadlines, with ICC’s Jim Cika

The long-awaited, federally mandated switch to A2L refrigerants is now upon us, set to take effect on January 1. Jim Cika of the International Code Council (ICC) returns to HPAC On The Air to update us on the flurry of activities now under way to help our industry prepare for these major related code changes.

EPISODE XXIX: Climate Challenge Accepted, with ASHRAE’s Ginger Scoggins

HPAC 'On The Air' welcomes back Ginger Scoggins, since June the new 2023-24 President of ASHRAE. A mechanical engineer, Ms. Scoggins is a principal at Engineered Designs Inc., in Cary, NC, and past chair of ASHRAE's Building Headquarters Ad Hoc Committee. She also led ASHRAE's delegation to the United Nations' COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in late 2021. She first appeared on this podcast early last year to help us recap that event.

Here, Ms. Scoggins talks about ASHRAE's newly vital role on the world stage and the vital role next-generation engineers are already playing.

EPISODE XXVIII: CyberSecurity Wake-Up Call, with Nick Espinosa

Our returning guest this month is Nick Espinosa, a nationally renowned cybersecurity expert, author, podcaster, TEDx speaker and a member of the Forbes Technology Council. In 2015 outside Chicago, Nick started his own consulting firm, Security Fanatics, from which he has been monitoring the broader internet, as well as the Dark Web, and consulting to a number of industries, including our own for engineering and construction. We last spoke to Nick on this podcast in early 2021 and he hosted a webinar for HPAC readers on cybersecurity later that year. He rejoins us now for an always urgent update...

EPISODE XXVII: Celebrating 10 Years of Clark’s Remarks

In this episode, HPAC 'On the Air' welcomes back environmental engineer Larry Clark, author of our popular Clark's Remarks sustainability column, which this summer is celebrating its 10^th anniversary with HPAC Engineering. Based in South Florida, Larry is a small business owner, a longtime member of ASHRAE, and a member of our Editorial Advisory Board. He was also our first guest on this podcast more than two years ago. Here, Larry reflects on both his column and the growth of the sustainability movement over the last tumultuous decade.

EPISODE XXVI: Legionella Update, with Dr. Janet Stout

In this episode, HPAC 'On the Air' welcomes Dr. Janet Stout, founder of the Special Pathogens Laboratory and an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. An infectious disease microbiologist, Dr. Stout is recognized worldwide for her pioneering research in Legionella and now, after three decades, remains on a mission to End Legionnaires’ disease. She updates us here on where that mission is today.

EPISODE XXV: Finding The Right Balance, with AMCA’s Mark Bublitz

In this episode, HPAC 'On the Air' welcomes Mark Bublitz, new board president of the Air Movement and Control Association, International (AMCA). He discusses the whirlwind of regulatory changes now on the horizon for both commercial and industrial fans and takes us behind the scenes of a truly global association in an era of renewed focus on air movement technology. 

EPISODE XXIV: Boilers Take Center Stage, with ABMA

HPAC 'On the Air' this month welcomes back Scott Lynch, President and CEO of the American Boiler Manufacturers Association, based in Vienna, VA. Scott has served in that role since June of 2014. He is joined by ABMA Director of Communications Shaunica Jayson. Much is going on with the organization this spring and summer, so we asked the two of them to fill us in. 

Episode XXIII: Decarbonization in Action, with ASHRAE’s Kent Peterson

This month's guest is Kent Peterson, the new chair of ASHRAE's Task Force on Building Decarbonization, which is now in its second year. In the wake of ASHRAE's Winter Meeting in Atlanta and the recent COP27 Climate Conference in Egypt, we discussed how the task force is now gaining momentum and leveraging the efforts of more than 100 volunteers to share the information it has gathered with every corner of the global society.