Mandy Rennehan selected by Canadian Prime Minister to serve on skilled trades advisory committee

Connex member, Founder and CEO of Freshco, Mandy Rennehan has been selected by the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, to serve on a new Canadian advisory committee to promote apprenticeships and skilled trades across Canada.

The advisory committee currently includes the following members, with further announcements to come:

Mandy Rennehan, Founder and CEO of Freshco

DARTMOUTH, NS, Aug. 16, 2019 /CNW/ – Whether building homes, repairing vehicles, or powering our communities, people in the skilled trades provide services Canadians rely on every single day. That is why, in Budget 2019, we announced funding to help more people – including young people and underrepresented groups, like women – pursue a career in the skilled trades.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the creation of a new advisory committee to help promote apprenticeships and skilled trades across Canada.

The advisory committee currently includes the following members, with further announcements to come:

Mandy Rennehan, Founder and CEO of Freshco
Jamie McMillan, Ironworker and Founder of KickAss Careers
Matt Wayland, Executive Assistant to the International Vice-President and Canadian Director of Government Relations for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

The advisory committee will lay the groundwork for a national campaign to encourage apprenticeships and promote the skilled trades as a career of choice. They will lead consultations, explore partnerships, and provide advice to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.

Canada’s skilled trades workers keep our country running and help our communities thrive. The Government of Canada has made key investments to support skilled trades workers and make sure people in underrepresented groups have the opportunities they need to enter the trades. With today’s announcement, we are building on these measures, and helping more young people pursue good, well-paying careers in the trades.

Quotes

“Canadians count on tradespeople every day. They power our industries, keep our vehicles and public transit moving, and build the places we call home. By promoting in‑demand careers in the trades, we can help more young people find good, well-paying jobs and build a stronger economy for the benefit of all Canadians.”
—The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

“The skilled trades offer well-paying middle class jobs but many young people never consider this as a first choice career option. A national apprenticeship campaign will encourage Canadians to enter the skilled trades, build our communities and keep the Canadian economy growing.”
—The Hon. Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

Quick Facts

In Budget 2019, the Government of Canada announced $6 million over two years to create a national campaign to promote skilled trades to young people.
Canada will need 67,000 new journeypersons to sustain our workforce in the 10 largest Red Seal trades by 2023.
Young women continue to be less likely than young men to express interest in a career in the skilled trades. According to an OECD survey, only 2 percent of 15-year-old female students were planning to pursue a career in the skilled trades.

Related Product

Ministerial advisory committee member biographies

Associated Link

Government of Canada investments in the skilled trades

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca/

SOURCE Prime Minister’s Office

Renseignements: PMO Media Relations: media@pmo-cpm.gc.ca
Related Links

http://pm.gc.ca/

For the second year, Branded Group, Inc. ranks on the Inc. 5000

Orange County, CA, August 15th, 2019Inc. magazine announced that Branded Group is No. 785 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Microsoft, Dell, Domino’s Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.


“Branded Group is honored to, once again, be included in the 2019 Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies,” Michael Kurland, Branded Group CEO, said. “This recognition is due to the unceasing loyalty and commitment of our team and the support of our valued clients, vendors, and partners, who help us to #BeBetter every day.”


Not only have the companies on the 2019 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but the list as a whole shows staggering growth compared with prior lists. The 2019 Inc. 5000 achieved an astounding three-year average growth of 454 percent, and a median rate of 157 percent. The Inc. 5000’s aggregate revenue was $237.7 billion in 2018, accounting for 1,216,308 jobs over the past three years.


Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000.


“The companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 have followed so many different paths to success,” says Inc. editor in chief James Ledbetter. “There’s no single course you can follow or investment you can take that will guarantee this kind of spectacular growth. But what they have in common is persistence and seizing opportunities.”


The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring the companies on the list will be held October 10 to 12, 2019, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. Speakers include some of the greatest innovators and business leaders of our generation.

 

About Branded Group

Branded Group is an award-winning facility maintenance and construction management company servicing multi-site commercial properties. Through its “Be Better” experience, Branded Group provides clients with peace of mind and preserves their brand standards. Services include on-demand facility maintenance, construction management, and special project implementation for retail locations, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions, among other industry verticals. With its One-for-One Program, each completed service call is transformed into volunteer time with local non-profit organizations. The company is a certified Great Place to Work and has ranked on the Inc. 5000 for two consecutive years. www.branded-group.com 

 

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

The 2019 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2015 and 2018. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2015. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2018. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2015 is $100,000; the minimum for 2018 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

Gap Inc. Signs Renewable Energy Agreement With Enel Green Power to Achieve 2020 Emissions-Reduction Goal, Sets Course for 100% Clean Energy By 2030

Global apparel retailer Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) today announced that it has signed a 90 Megawatt (MW) virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) for the Aurora Wind Project with Enel Green Power North America, marking one of the largest offsite renewable energy contracts by an apparel retailer. The 12-year agreement is Gap Inc.’s latest renewable energy deal and will enable the company to reach its 2020 goal to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for its owned and operated facilities by 50 percent compared to 2015. The company also announced it has set a goal to reach 100 percent renewable energy across its global owned and operated facilities by 2030.

“We have a responsibility to reduce our climate impact. For Gap Inc., being a part of the climate solution means making strategic investments in clean energy generation. Today we have secured a path to achieving our 2020 goal, but we must do more. I’m proud to commit to renewable energy for 100 percent of our stores, headquarters and distribution centers globally by 2030,” said Art Peck, president and chief executive officer, Gap Inc.

Gap Inc. operates more than 3,300 stores worldwide, however the vast majority of its distributed store fleet are leased sites located in buildings and malls owned by landlords, limiting the company’s ability to implement onsite renewable energy assets. The agreement with Enel Green Power allows Gap Inc. to meet its renewable energy goal by aggregating its distributed electricity load in the U.S. and purchasing wind energy equivalent to the energy needs of over 1,500 retail stores in its global real estate portfolio. The agreement provides benefits both to the local grid by adding new clean generation, while also stabilizing operating costs for Gap Inc. in the face of fluctuating energy prices.

The wind electricity output purchased by Gap Inc. from the 90 MW portion of Enel Green Power’s 299 MW Aurora project is expected to total approximately 374 gigawatt hours (GWh) each year. It will reduce GHG emissions equivalent to the carbon reduction of removing 60,000 passenger cars from the road annually.

Gap Inc. was advised on this VPPA by Schneider Electric Energy & Sustainability Services, who assisted the company in its project selection and negotiations. “Gap Inc. has shown tremendous and ongoing sustainability leadership in the apparel industry,” said John Powers, VP of Strategic Renewables for Schneider Electric. “Pursuing an offsite VPPA was an ideal solution to address the company’s unique real estate footprint, which lacks owned rooftop space, and achieve its carbon reduction targets while creating both business and environmental value. We want to congratulate Gap Inc. on this important project that will contribute to a clean energy future for all.”

Enel Green Power North America—a leading owner and operator of renewable energy plants with a managed capacity of over 5 GW—will build, own, and operate the Aurora Wind Project located in Williams and Mountrail counties in North Dakota. Once completed, the total project will be able to generate approximately 1.3 terawatt-hour (TWh) annually, while avoiding the emissions of around 880,000 tons of CO2 per year. The project is expected to enter operation by the end of 2020.

“This partnership with Gap Inc. demonstrates how global brands are increasingly turning to us for our extensive expertise in creating flexible and customized solutions that address unique renewable energy needs,” said Antonio Cammisecra, Global Head of Enel Green Power. “With partnerships like this one, which create immediate returns while furthering emission reduction strategies, Enel Green Power once again reaffirms the strong bond between sustainability and value creation.”

In addition to meeting its 2020 Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions-reduction goal, Gap Inc. is also establishing a Scope 3 goal to reduce upstream and downstream emissions, including in its supply chain. The company has committed to setting a Science Based Target, including addressing Scope 3 emissions, which will be announced later this year. In 2018, Gap Inc. was one of 43 founding signatories of the UN’s Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action to step up the industry’s collaboration towards a cleaner, low-carbon future, including a commitment to reduce aggregate Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent by 2030 compared to a 2015 baseline.

Today’s announcement is the third renewable energy contract signed by Gap Inc. Earlier this year, the company joined with Bloomberg, Cox Enterprises, Salesforce and Workday to sign a joint 42.5-megawatt renewable energy deal, with Gap Inc.’s share of the project addressing the energy footprint of all Athleta stores and operations. Previously, Gap Inc. signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with SunPower for 3 megawatts of onsite solar at its distribution center in Fresno, California.

As part of Gap Inc.’s corporate sustainability strategy, the company collaborates throughout its value chain and across government, business and civil society to address systemic challenges. The company was among the first to implement the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Higg Index with its supply chain and, in 2017, committed to a science-based carbon reduction target to align its climate goals with the scientific consensus and core commitment of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. The company is also a member of the Ceres BICEP policy network (Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy) to address urgent climate and clean energy risks for global businesses, and also joined with other businesses to form the We Mean Business coalition to improve resiliency in its operations and supply chains.

For more information on Gap Inc.’s global sustainability initiatives, please visit www.gapincsustainability.com.

About Gap Inc.

Gap Inc. is a leading global retailer offering clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, and children under the Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, Athleta, Intermix, Janie and Jack, and Hill City brands. Fiscal year 2018 net sales were $16.6 billion. Gap Inc. products are available for purchase in more than 90 countries worldwide through company-operated stores, franchise stores, and e-commerce sites. For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com.

About Enel Green Power North America

Enel Green Power North America, part of the Enel Group’s global Enel Green Power business line, is a leading owner and operator of renewable energy plants in North America with projects operating and under development in 24 US states and two Canadian provinces. The company operates around 100 plants with a managed capacity of over 5 GW powered by renewable hydropower, wind, geothermal and solar energy. In North Dakota, it currently operates the 150 MW Lindahl wind farm in Williams County.

About Schneider Electric

At Schneider, we believe access to energy and digital is a basic human right. We empower all to do more with less, ensuring Life Is On everywhere, for everyone, at every moment. We provide energy and automation digital solutions for efficiency and sustainability. We combine world-leading energy technologies, real-time automation, software and services into integrated solutions for Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries. We are committed to unleash the infinite possibilities of an open, global, innovative community that is passionate with our Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.

Ferrandino & Son Announces Dr. Kugler as Executive Director of Their Advisory Board for Expanding Healthcare Division

(Farmingdale, NY – July 23rd, 2019) Ferrandino & Son, a leading national facility maintenance company, has announced that Joshua Neil Kugler, M.D. has joined their Advisory Board as Executive Director of Healthcare Facility Services.

“Dr. Kugler brings more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry to Ferrandino & Son,” said Peter Ferrandino, Ferrandino & Son CEO. “Our presence in the healthcare facility space has grown more than 500% in the last 3 years and we anticipate even more aggressive growth in the next 24 months. With Dr. Kugler’s extensive knowledge in the healthcare space and how facilities can impact the patient experience, we see his guidance as business critical as we position ourselves as the premier choice for those healthcare clients who demand a better experience.”

Dr. Kugler currently holds the title of Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine for Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital in Oceanside, NY and Regional Medical Director for Island Medical Management. In addition to serving a residency at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, Dr. Kugler also completed an Emergency Medicine Residency, as a Chief Resident at New York University School of Medicine/North Shore University Hospital. Dr. Kugler also has a Masters Degree in Healthcare Management from Harvard University.

“Dr. Kugler has brought an immediate impact to the business,” said Brandon Ramsey, President of Ferrandino & Son. “His first meeting with a client was a workshop to structure out KPI’s and his insight from the healthcare side of the business helped shape what will likely be the benchmark for KPI’s in the healthcare space for years to come.”

Dr. Kugler is expected to take an active role in program structure and design while hoping to push the healthcare industry as a whole to adopt more stringent guidelines in delivering a more-consistent experience for their patients across the country. He sees Ferrandino & Son as being a critical player in this initiative due to their reach across a variety of patient-facing facility services.

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About Ferrandino & Son
Ferrandino & Son is a leading provider of facility maintenance services and full-service programs for clients across the United States. With more than 25 years of experience and a focus on providing exceptional service, the company provides snow removal, landscaping, exterior maintenance, facility service and maintenance, and general contracting services to clients.
Learn more at www.ferrandinoandson.com.

DENTCO’s Annual Spirit Week Gives Back

DEWITT, Mich. (Aug. 8, 2019)- Maintaining an ongoing tradition, the DENTCO® team recently celebrated their annual summer spirit week at the company’s headquarters. Activities and events focused on building camaraderie as well as nurturing the company’s sense of community.

The theme of DENTCO’s spirit week this year was “Oscar Week.” Resembling the elegance of the Academy Awards, the office was decorated with stars, a Hollywood backdrop as well as photographs of celebrities and classic movie references. The hallways of the office space were even lined with red carpet.

“With a team full of incredibly creative individuals, it is difficult not to look forward to this event year after year. Our energy and enthusiasm continues to grow as our company expands and we develop new relationships,” said DENTCO President Scott Milnes.

From delicious barbeques to collaborative team building exercises and attending a Lansing Ignite soccer game, the week was filled with engaging and memorable festivities for all to enjoy. The week concluded with the presentation of the “Denty Awards,” where different members of the DENTCO team were recognized for their unique and valuable contributions to the company’s culture and overall operation.

“Each team member is unique and presents their own strengths, which truly makes DENTCO special. Our team building activities focus on building lasting workplace relationships and enhanced communication, which ultimately has made DENTCO an incredibly enjoyable place to work,” said Sales Administrator Christine Shipps.

This year, DENTCO partnered with The House of Promise to raise awareness and donations. The House of Promise is a nonprofit organization founded to rescue victims of human sex trafficking and empower them to heal. Through education and support, The House of Promise aims to restore the lives of those who have suffered incomprehensible abuse and guide them on a journey to a brighter tomorrow.

Shari Montgomery, founder of The House of Promise, visited the DENTCO office to speak about her experience working with victims of sexual exploitation and providing refuge to help them cope with the trauma they have endured. Montgomery educated the DENTCO team about human trafficking’s prevalence within the United States, warning signs as well as additional measures to combat the horrors of such crimes.

“Giving back to the community is a quintessential aspect of our mission at DENTCO.  We are committed to bringing positive change and safety to our world and will continue to show compassion and support to organizations in need,” said National Sales Director Teresa Phelps.

As a company, the team raised $4,252 in donations for The House of Promise. In September, the DENTCO team will be volunteering at the House of Promise to paint, replace carpet, and perform grounds work.

To learn more information about DENTCO®, please visit dentco.com or call 800-993-3689.


About DENTCO

Headquartered in Dewitt, Michigan, DENTCO was the first to brand a fragmented industry, creating an Exterior Services Management (ESM) philosophy. With 42 years of industry experience, they provide services throughout the U.S. through their network of Contractor Partners. DENTCO provides landscape management, snow & ice management, dark property management, parking lot maintenance/management and exterior asset inventory to their clients. Over the years, DENTCO has seen substantial growth while maintaining a 99% customer retention rate. Their business model promotes the importance of People, Process, and Technology. In addition to helping clients recognize the significance of quality-assured services, DENTCO is guaranteed to deliver a difference that allow clients to consolidate, centralize and reduce costs.

About The House of Promise

The House of Promise is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides survivors of sex abuse and sex trafficking unconditional love, acceptance and a place to heal. The organization’s goal is to disrupt the destructive patterns of slavery through education and care for survivors. Through training, counseling, and helping young girls/women relearn basic skills, the House of Promise works to help survivors rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.

We want your opinion! Tell us what you think about skills needed to operate and maintain high-performance buildings

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) is conducting research to better understand the workforce skills needed for the proper operation and maintenance of high-performance buildings. As more sophisticated technology and management practice are implemented in commercial buildings, workforce skills must keep pace. These developments impact people working in a variety of positions including on-site building engineers, operations staff, service contractors, equipment installers, code officials, and others. Concerns over workforce skills gaps are exacerbated by an emerging consensus across many industry channels that there is a shortage of workers in the buildings workforce that will only get worse as the current workforce ages and many people approach retirement.  

ACEEE would like to invite you to take a short survey to help with this research. The survey results will be used to recommend efforts to address any skills gaps and attract new workers to the workforce.  


The survey takes 8-10 minutes to complete
and you can start the survey by clicking here . As an incentive for participation, ACEEE is offering a chance to win one of five $50 gift cards.  

Restoration + Recovery Acquires Dgc Environmental Services, Inc.

DURHAM, N.C. – Restoration + Recovery (R+R), a portfolio company of DFW Capital Partners and the leading national provider of stormwater preventative maintenance and corrective action, today announced that it has acquired the assets of DGC Environmental Services, Inc. (DGC), the leader in stormwater services in Florida with operations throughout the Southeastern United States.

The acquisition of DGC supports R+R’s announced strategy to provide comprehensive stormwater management services with broad geographic coverage. R+R currently operates in 39 states and Puerto Rico. This transaction expands R+R’s existing presence across DGC’s Southeast footprint, providing additional service delivery depth and further strengthening its best-in-class service model.

Richard Matero, CEO of R+R, said, “With this acquisition, we are joining forces with the premier stormwater management provider in Florida. DGC has taken great strides in innovative techniques that we are enthusiastic about adding to our offering. R+R, in the last 24 months, has expanded significantly throughout the United States. However, it remains very focused on broadened service provision in the most critical watershed areas in the U.S. Together, our combined company further emphasizes the group’s strategy to be THE Stormwater Management Company.”

 “I am thrilled to be partnering with R+R,” said David Clarius, CEO of DGC. “The combined entities create the most dominant provider of stormwater management services in the Southeast. We are excited to be part of a larger organization that has their vast environmental expertise and experience throughout the country. This partnership is also great for our employees as it provides significant opportunity for growth and development for all.”

DeVer Warner of DFW Capital Partners added, “The team at R+R continues to build upon its national leadership position in stormwater management, and we are looking forward to partnering with DGC in serving our customers and environment with the most comprehensive offering in the industry. DFW is excited to support R+R’s growth initiatives as the company expands its geographic presence and deepens its capabilities.”

R+R was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Durham, N.C. Mr. Matero will lead the combined companies as CEO. Mr. Clarius will serve as an executive team member to the organization and will continue to lead the DGC operational team.

About Restoration + Recovery

R+R is a leading nationwide provider of commercial, retail, industrial and governmental post-construction stormwater management through stormwater consulting, inspection, maintenance and repair services. R+R caters to national retailers, logistics providers, engineering firms, hospitals, military and industrial facilities, real estate management companies, distribution centers, national and multi-state organizations, individual and commercial property owners, airports and universities.

About DGC Environmental Services

DGC is a full-service stormwater maintenance company with more than 25 years of experience. DGC services the residential, municipal and retail markets and operates in Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. DGC is headquartered in Fort Pierce, Fla.

KBS Announces the Acquisition of Pristine Environments

Oceanside, CA, August 1, 2019 – Kellermeyer Bergensons Services, LLC (KBS), a leading North American provider of technology-enabled, integrated facility management services to the industrial, commercial, logistics, retail, and grocery sectors, today announced its acquisition of PE Facility Solutions, LLC (“Pristine”), a provider of facility management, contract cleaning and related services. KBS is a portfolio company of San Francisco-based private investment firm GI Partners. Pristine is owned by Massachusetts-based Great Elm Capital Corp.

Mark Minasian, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of KBS stated, “Pristine is an outstanding asset and its integration into the KBS platform is an important step toward advancing our expansion into targeted end markets and services. We look forward to partnering with the Pristine leadership team, a group of top tier industry professionals who share our values and commitment to their people and customers. Combined with KBS, Pristine’s team and customers will benefit from our unmatched technology, world class service infrastructure and continental scale.”

Hoon Cho, Managing Director at GI Partners stated, “Pristine is the seventh acquisition the KBS team has made during our partnership together, once again demonstrating that KBS is the buyer of choice for middle market facility service firms seeking liquidity, scale or partnership opportunities. We congratulate and welcome the Pristine team to KBS and are excited about the benefits that come to both organizations through this acquisition.”

Fergus O’Connell, Pristine’s Chief Financial Officer stated “We had the opportunity to get to know Mark and the KBS team during the process and were impressed by the clarity of their direction, command of the industry drivers and their intense customer focus. We are very excited to be combining our resources with KBS.” Mr. O’Connell, formerly of ISS UK and North America, will lead the Pristine integration and serve as Executive Vice President for Business Development at KBS going forward.

Added John Ehlinger, a Managing Director at Great Elm Capital Management, the investment manager of Great Elm Capital Corp., “We are pleased to have partnered with Mr. O’Connell, Shaun Gordon, Jennifer Mintman and, the rest of the PEFS management team, to successfully monetize the largest position related to the legacy Full Circle portfolio. Utilizing our balance sheet and hands-on approach, the Great Elm team worked closely with PEFS to help grow the business and ultimately position it for sale to a well-respected operator like KBS.”

About KBS

Kellermeyer Bergensons Services, LLC (KBS) is a leading North American provider of technology-enabled, integrated facility management services to the industrial, commercial, logistics, retail, and grocery sectors. With more than 51,000 active customer locations in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, and Puerto Rico, KBS sets the industry standard for delivering consistently high quality, compliant and cost-effective facility service solutions. Based in Oceanside, Calif., the company is majority owned by GI Partners. For more information on Kellermeyer Bergensons Services, please visit www.kbs-services.com/.

About GI Partners

GI Partners is a private investment firm based in San Francisco. The firm has raised $17 billion in capital from leading institutional investors across the globe. GI Partners’ private equity team focuses on investments in the IT Infrastructure, Healthcare, Software, and Services sectors. For more information on GI Partners, please visit www.gipartners.com.

About PE Facility Services

PE Facility Services (Pristine Environments) manages, maintains and optimizes the performance of mission critical facilities for industrial, institutional corporate real estate owners in nearly 150 million square feet of specialized buildings throughout North America. From life sciences, aerospace, datacenters, oil + gas, telecom, health and wellness, and commercial real estate, our team of nearly 900 professionals keeps these industries buildings and facilities operating efficiently, sustainably and on budget. www.pristine-environments.com.

About Great Elm Capital Corp.

Great Elm Capital Corp. is an externally-managed business development company that invests in the debt instruments of middle market companies with enterprise values typically between $100 million and $2 billion and a focus on special situations and catalyst-driven opportunities. Its stock is traded on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol “GECC”. For more information on GECC, please visit www.greatelmcc.com.

Air Curtains Allowed as Vestibule Substitutes in Upcoming ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2019

Good news for building owners, engineers/architects and HVAC contractors; Will save energy, construction costs and space in commercial facilities.

Doorway air curtains were approved June 25 as alternatives to vestibules on most commercial building entries in the upcoming ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2019 “Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low Rise Residential Buildings.” The professional association’s approved addition requires that the air curtain performance be tested in accordance with ANSI/AMCA Standard 220 to ensure it provides a minimum 400 ft/min. airstream velocity at the floor.

The approval is good news for retail, restaurants, healthcare, hotels, office and other facility owners, because they can now opt to forego the expense of vestibules in new construction, or repurpose significant square footage for more productive uses by retrofitting existing vestibules. Consulting engineers and architects, who previously were hesitant to supplant vestibules with air curtains due to inconsistent code language, now have the support of ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2019 which will be published this Fall. Furthermore, HVAC contractors will see a spike in air curtain installations to accommodate facilities looking to prevent energy loss through their main entries and meet building codes. Air curtains also protect against the infiltration of outdoor air, fumes, flying insects, wind and dust through open doorways, and contribute to occupant air comfort.

The addition’s “Air Curtain Effectiveness” task force was sponsored by  AMCA (Air Movement and Control Association–International), an Arlington Heights, Ill.-based trade association dedicated to certifying manufacturers’ air performance statistics. “This is the most significant recognition of air curtains as an effective energy conservation device since the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) approved air curtains as vestibule substitutes in 2015,” said David Johnson, president of AMCA, and director of engineering for air curtain manufacturer, Berner International, New Castle, Pa. 

Inclusion in ASHRAE Standard 90.1 required more than eight years of air curtain research and presentations. The IECC code and the high performance overlay code, the International Green Construction Code (IgCC), helped initiate the path to Standard 90.1 acceptance by allowing AMCA-certified air curtains as substitutes for vestibules.  However, ASHRAE’s mechanical, building envelope and other subcommittees required additional research of real world air curtain situations such as wind loads and building pressure differentials on an annual national-weighted average basis.  Subsequently, the subcommittees accepted AMCA’s commissioned research represented by three third-party lab studies by Montreal-based Concordia University professor, Dr. Liangzhu Wang: 1) Investigation of the Impact of Building Entrance Air Curtain on Whole Building Energy Use in 2013; 2) Energy Saving Impact of Air Curtain Doors in Commercial Buildings in 2016; and 3) Wind Effects on Air Curtain Aerodynamic Performance in 2018 (also co-authored by Ted Stathopoulos). All three studies proved air curtains that maintained a minimum 400 ft/min. airstream at the floor (as per ANSI/AMCA Standard 220), were equally effective or better than vestibules in buildings 3,000-square-feet and larger.

Decades ago, two-door vestibules were code-mandated to save building energy. Theoretically they created an air lock as one door would open and close before the second door opened. However, the emergence of automatic door opening sensor requirements, smaller space-saving dimensions and other infringements on vestibule effectiveness, helped make air curtains an attractive energy saving alternative. On average, air curtain-protected doorways were proven to save total building energy usage by a factor of 0.3 to 2.2-percent more over that of vestibules, according to Wang’s studies. This illustrates they’re equal or more effective at separating outdoor and indoor environments regardless of door opening styles or cycles.

Transformative Wave Joins Connex, the Multi-Site Facilities Network Group

 

Transformative Wave, a leading innovator in HVAC energy efficiency and building automation solutions, has joined Connex, the Multi-Site Facilities Network group, formerly known as the Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association (PRSM).

The rebranded organization has been evolving rapidly to embrace the evolution of the facilities industry. With their new focus to help facility and maintenance managers navigate the complexities across the entire spectrum of facilities, beyond just single-site store maintenance, it is a fitting time for Transformative Wave to shed expertise on multi-site energy management and building automation solutions.

Connex empowers retail and multi-site industry facilities management professionals with best practices, benchmarking, education, discussion forums and trusted partnerships. Chartered in 1995, and with almost 1,000-member companies, the Connex community values are founded on a spirit of innovation, resourcefulness, the quest for knowledge and ethical business relationships.

“It is an exciting time in our industry as we see expanded responsibilities for facility managers and an ever-increasing emphasis on energy and sustainability,” said Bryan Walker, solutions executive at Transformative Wave and former President of the PRSM/Connex Board of Directors. “We look forward to bringing value to the members of Connex through our industry knowledge, resources, and multi-site client experience.”

About Transformative Wave
Transformative Wave is a leading energy efficiency innovator in HVAC retrofit and building automation solutions, developing and bringing to market a growing line of game-changing technologies that are transforming the commercial building energy landscape. For more information or to request a demo of any of our revolutionary products, including Cobalt, the CATALYST, and eIQ Platform, visit www.transformativewave.com.

About Connex
Connex, the authority on retail and multi-site facilities management, is the leading membership organization for multi-site facilities and supplier professionals. Connex empowers multi-site industry facilities management professionals with best practices, benchmarking, education, discussion forums and trusted partnerships. Chartered in 1995, and with almost 1,000-member companies, the Connex community values are founded on a spirit of innovation, resourcefulness, the quest for knowledge and ethical business relationships. Members depend upon Connex to help them achieve greater success and a competitive advantage through quality programs and resources. Visit connexfm.com for more information.