Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine January 2020

grouped us all together in the last article. Perhaps I should not have said, “Maumelle fire house #2 is only three years old and suffers from the effects of poor design and installation of the HVAC system.” Perhaps it was designed perfectly and then redesigned to meet budget considerations. Perhaps I should not have included the city inspector. Perhaps I should not have referenced the Health Department. Perhaps I should not have implied that the HVACR industry needs continuing education which implies that we don’t know everything. Oh, let me be very sarcastic. Perhaps this whole thing is the fault of the Maumelle Fire Chief because he cared enough about his men and women to investigate the presence of mold and their reported health concerns. Maybe he overreacted and it is all his fault. Let’s forget that building owners and homeowners know very little about construction and ventilation and HVAC. Let’s blame the consumer when they want us to redesign to bring things into their budget. After all, you get what you pay for. (I have heard legislators openly proclaim, “Let the consumer beware.”) Yes, let’s point the finger of blame squarely where it belongs—the City of Maumelle. Please, don’t take this out of context or from the sarcastic spirit with which it was regurgitated. So what am I saying? I am saying that while we can find companies and

people to blame and perhaps absolve ourselves from responsibility, let’s look to a future where we do the following: 1. The Arkansas construction industry needs to have a consortium consisting of all the trades working together to vet code, practices, and complications we see in the field. We need an opportunity to see problems and opportunities from the other persons viewpoint. This does not need to be mandated but rather an informal group or non-profit dedicated to providing the best quality construction to our fellow Arkansans. We need to be proactive. 2. The HVACR industry needs a better training program for persons wanting to enter the trade; i.e., apprenticeship. 3. Arkansas needs a better method of licensing persons entering the HVACR industry; i.e., requiring an apprenticeship. 4. Arkansas needs to require continuing education for HVACR licensees. 5. Every trade needs to become a, “consultant rather than an equipment seller and installer.” We need to have the courage to say to the builder, building owner, and homeowner, “We will not redesign to a point that the system will not work with efficacy, efficiency, or safety.” Let me close by saying to all involved in the Maumelle Fire Station. It was not my intent to malign anyone. It was my intent to say, “Let’s work together. Let’s make sure this doesn’t happen again”