The home heating oil industry has a long and proud history, and Fuel Oil News has been there supporting it since 1935. It is an industry that has faced many challenges during that time. In its 77th year, Fuel Oil News is doing more than just holding
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HVAC/HYDRONICS N E W S 36 NOVEMBER 2015 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www.fueloilnews.com group earlier this year also included Wink in its list of 118 up-and- coming tech innovators set to disrupt tech markets. The Sensi thermostat differentiates itself from other remote- access thermostats on the market in several ways. The Sensi thermostat is the first Wi-Fi thermostat to achieve Energy Aware certification and is one of the most precise thermostats with +/- one degree accuracy. No other Wi-Fi thermostat works in more homes and the Sensi user-friendly app quickly walks users through easy installation and Wi-Fi connectivity. The Sensi thermostat features two standard replaceable AA batteries and in most cases can operate with existing thermostat wiring without the need for continuous 24V power, which is not available in nearly 50 percent of homes. The Sensi thermostat is also one of the more affordable smart thermostats. GENERAL FILTERS, INC. APPOINTS NEW PRESIDENT / CEO BOB ABRAHAM General Filters, Inc., manufacturer of whole house indoor air quality products, announced the appointment of Bob Abraham to president, CEO, effective immediately. A b r a h a m b r i n g s t o G e n e r a l Filters extensive experience in finance, IT and business operations. Once owning his own accounting and tax firm, he most recently served as CFO for Virginia Tile Company in Livonia, MI. "For over 75 years, the position of president has been held by one of the owners of General Filters, Inc. While this has served the company well, it is time for the company to try new ideas and a new approach to business," said President Carl Redner. "Bob also has the advantage of being an experienced manager who can lead with a fresh professional per- spective. We are confident he will be able to lead General Filters in the next stage of its development." "The opportunity to assume the leadership role for General Filters, the Redner family and the entire GFI Team has been a long-time career goal and this is a perfect place to share my pro- fessional experiences and business strategies. I am confident that the combination of the excellent people at GFI and a laser focus on the development of high-quality products for the market that are the best in the world will provide the inspiration for growth and profitability," said Abraham. General Filters represents the brand names GeneralAire®, HealthyAire®, General, Unifilter® and Gar-Ber. NEW ASHRAE GUIDELINE FOCUSES ON OPTIMUM FACILITY AND SYSTEM OPERATION Helping commissioning providers ensure optimized operation of their facilities and systems is the focus of a newly published guide- line from ASHRAE. ASHRAE Guideline 0.2-2015, Commissioning Process for Existing Building Systems and Assemblies, outlines a systematic quality-oriented process that improves the performance and sus- tainability of existing facilities. This roadmap includes planning, assessing, investigating, implementing, verifying and document- ing performance to meet operational requirements. "Guideline 0.2 provides commissioning providers with the latest tools needed to address the growing market of commis- sioning existing buildings that require improvements to reduce energy consumption, improve occupant comfort and increase operational efficiency," Tom Cappellin, vice chair of the com- mittee that wrote the guideline, said. The step-by-step process guides owners and facility managers through the process of ensuring optimum effectiveness from their facility for the lowest investment and provides the tools to ensure those benefits last for the life of the building. Guideline 0.2 is intended for use by owners, facility deci- sion makers and commissioning providers who are seeking to achieve goals as identified in the owner's "current facility requirements." Guideline 0.2 includes 10 sections that explain recommended steps to apply the existing building commissioning process, as well as 23 informative annexes that explain how the process steps can be organized into a comprehensive set of activities and com- missioning documents. The annexes include flow charts, costs/benefits information, RFQ and team selection information, and guidance on prepar- ing various commissioning reports. Many of the annexes include links to example documents prepared for actual projects. Other commissioning guidance from ASHRAE includes Guideline 0-2005, The Commissioning Process; Guideline 1.1- 2007, HVAC&R Technical Requirements for the Commissioning Process; and Guideline 1.5-2012, The Commissioning Process for Smoke Control Systems; and Standard 202-2013, Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems. ASHRAE also is working on several other guidelines related to commissioning: Guideline 1.2P, The Commissioning Process for Existing HVAC&R Systems; Guideline 1.3P, Building Operation and Maintenance Training for the HVAC&R Commissioning Process; and Guideline 1.4P, Procedures for Preparing Facility Systems Manuals. The cost of ASHRAE Guideline 0.2-2015, Commissioning Processes for Existing System and Assemblies, is $72 ($61, ASHRAE members). FIELD CONTROLS NAMES NEW DIRECTOR OF WHOLESALE SALES AND MARKETING Tim Barton has been promoted to an executive staff position as director of wholesale sales and marketing for Field Controls. Barton will manage and support the regional sales team and direct all wholesale-related marketing programs, advertising, and product development initiatives. Barton's focus will center on market presence and brand positioning of the Field Controls Bob Abraham