2021 Annual Meeting Wrap-Up

Dear AABC Member:

WOW, what an Annual Meeting AABC just had!

We gathered together and renewed acquaintances for the first time in 2 years, re-launched the AABC Open Golf Tournament, signed a historic joint Memorandum of Understanding between ASHRAE, AABC, ACG and EMA, inducted three of AABC’s founders into the newly created AABC Hall of Fame, announced the membership’s choice for the first modern nominee to the Hall, and heard a heartfelt acceptance of that honor from longtime TBE exam custodian George Ebert.

And that was all before the morning coffee break on the meeting’s first day! Paraphrasing that old Army commercial, AABC does more before 9:30 a.m. than most associations do all day.

The rest of the meeting featured 9 technical and business-oriented presentations, ranging from new features on VAV terminal units to performance verification in critical environments, to two member-led panels discussing the key topics of employee recruitment and succession planning strategies.

As always, though, it wasn’t all business: we had a laid-back beach party that stretched deep into the night, a great closing celebration and award ceremony, and topped it off with a spectacular fireworks display, and then virtually everyone present closing out the night on the dance floor to the tune of “We Are Family.” We understand that not everyone was able to make the meeting this year, but please make every effort to join us next time, I guarantee you will not regret it!

I’d like to take the rest of my space to highlight and remind you of new initiatives put in place the past few years, and note others that are in the works.

New Programs

Continuing Education has always been important to AABC, and the new, more structured program launched in 2020 has been a huge success. Members are engaging with more AABC content than ever before.
Webinars have become a regular feature of the association’s offerings to members. In addition to the many offered by AABC, through our reinvigorated partnership with ACG and EMA, members have free access to all of their webinar offerings as well.
TAB Journal marked its 30th anniversary this year as the industry’s go-to testing and balancing periodical. With the addition of the option to earn CEU credit, the publication is more relevant and valuable than ever – helping members meet their requirements and drawing more attention to AABC members’ expertise from outside the organization.
Advertising and Marketing has been a major focus over the past year, with the Board and the Marketing Committee working closely with our management team to significantly ramp up all of the visible (and invisible) things you need to do in 2021 to draw attention, eyeballs, clicks and interest in AABC.
Finally, Training opportunities for members took a leap forward with AABC’s endorsement of the Engineered Air Balance training center in Houston, TX. The EAB facility and programs are impressive and have gotten rave reviews from companies who have sent their personnel – which is made easier by a 20% discount offered to AABC members.
The Board recently decided to move forward with development of an AABC mobile app, initially focused on providing an interactive database of TAB formulas for use in the field and during system evaluations.

Upcoming Initiatives

Good news on the Technician exam revision, which is nearing completion and should be completed by January 1st 2022. Members will then be able to have their eligible technicians test at more than 400 local testing centers, and no longer require locating a proctor.
Volunteers are needed to assist with an evaluation of AABC’s cleanroom program, a potential AABC fumehood testing certification, a review of the Technician Training Manual, additional help for the marketing committee, and developing information related to recruitment of new test and balance technicians. If you are interested in assisting, please let AABC headquarters know.
Discussions will begin soon on initiatives based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between our groups and ASHRAE.

I can tell you with great enthusiasm that AABC is in its best position in years, and the future looks tremendous. Remember this is our association, and we only get out of it what we put into it, so please get involved in anything you hear about that interests you!

The renewed focus on proper ventilation in buildings in 2020-2021 should continue to mean prosperous times for independent firms. We will continue to reinforce AABC as the industry’s premier test & balance association, and its members as the industry’s premier TAB providers.

I’d like to close by saying thank you — I am humbled at the thought of how long the members have placed their trust in me as a member of the board of this great association.

Michael Kelly, TBE
AABC President

New Programs

Upcoming Initiatives

Suggested Drawing Specification

AIA-Format LONG-FORM SPECIFICATION

Section 230593 – TESTING, ADJUSTING AND BALANCING FOR HVAC

AIA-Format SHORT – FORM SPECIFICATION

Section 230593 – TESTING, ADJUSTING AND BALANCING FOR HVAC

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