The RPA has finally responded...

Mark Eatherton

AFter many months of drifting aimlessly in the sea, the RPA has finaly sent out a note to members telling them what is going on.



March 23, 2012



Kathleen Mihelich, Director

Radiant Professionals Alliance

18927 Hickory Creek Drive, Suite 140

Mokena, IL 60448



Dear RPA Members:



The RPA has experienced major change in the last year. The organization, seeking a partner that could provide the RPA with sustained growth, strong financial performance, and increased market reach domestically and internationally, joined the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) in January of this year. The new RPA, as part of IAPMO, will be a much stronger organization, with the reach, connections, and ability to take installation standards, code acceptance, and education to the level members of the RPA have always aspired.



As the new Director of the RPA, I want to assure you that we have been working diligently to expand and enhance the RPA. Soon, you will see RPA's new Website. Upcoming social media initiatives including flickr, Linkedin, facebook, YouTube and twitter are in the works. There will be a bulletin board in the Members Only section of the Website where dialog between members and discussions about radiant and hydronic issues can once again take place. Also, the proper Internet resources are being set in place that will allow us to extensively use electronic newsletters and other member communications, e-courses, and webinars for overall industry growth. We have had strategy and planning meetings with the former board of directors of the RPA. We are delivering customer service to RPA members every day, and in order to provide more comprehensive service to members, a Manager, RPA Technical Services is being sought. The position description can be accessed at IAPMO's Website Job Bank.



We are hopeful that the things you liked about the RPA will be the same or will be improved upon and things you didn't like about the RPA will be changed. As an example, the membership categories have grown from six to eight. The new categories are Design Professional and IAPMO Associate. The member benefits for all categories have been expanded to include IAPMO's member benefits for no additional membership fee. Specific details will be posted on the Website, including the RPA Membership Fees, which remain consistent with past fees for the most part.



The best news is that all RPA members are considered current and in good standing until Aug. 1, 2012, no matter when membership expired. Renewal letters will be issued in June stating that renewal membership fees are expected on or before July 30 to receive the reset date of Aug. 1, 2012. Members who are not expired as of Aug. 1 will be reset with no renewal fee required.



Also, RPA's relationship with two highly respected publishers remains in place. The Radiant Flooring Guide (BNP Media) and Radiant Living (Penton) will continue to be RPA's premier publications.



The RPA will resume with a Board of Directors. There will be a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, and Immediate Past Chairman. There will be seven Directors at-Large who will also serve as Chairmen of the seven standing committees: Education, Membership, Hydronics Industry Alliance, Technical, Codes and Standards, Government Relations, and Nominating Committee.



The annual SHOWCASE Awards Program will resume, as well. The newly formed Membership Committee will conduct the competition. For this year, due to the time constraint, a "Best of the Best" theme will be presented. This will be an abridged version of the competition, and instead of judges, attendees at RPA's annual meeting will select the winner. The announcement and application for the 2012 Showcase will be made in the spring edition of Radiant Living.



And finally, there will be an annual membership meeting of the RPA. For this year, it will be held concurrently with Penton's Mechanical Systems Week Conference, Sept. 19-21, in Chicago. More details about the annual membership meeting will be forthcoming.



Let's be reminded that RPA was initially established as a network of professional and dedicated manufacturers, designers, suppliers, distributors and contractors who desired to advance the understanding and acceptance of all types of radiant heating and cooling for the purpose of "providing superior leadership and fostering the awareness of innovative technology through comprehensive educational activities, products, codes and standards, and public awareness initiatives. And, to serve as a clearinghouse of experience, ideas, and information to further the objectives and sustain interest on behalf of the RPA membership." This purpose is ongoing and can be sustained as long as members like you remain committed to supporting RPA and remain reliable in sharing your professional knowledge.



For more information about the RPA and all activities associated with the RPA, you are welcome to contact me by email: <a href="mailto:Kathleen.Mihelich@RadiantProfessionalsAlliance.org">Kathleen.Mihelich@RadiantProfessionalsAlliance.org</a> or by phone: 708-995-3003 or RPA's headquarters located at IAPMO's Chicago regional office: 18927 Hickory Creek Drive., Suite 140, Mokena, IL 60448.



Sincerely,



Kathleen Mihelich, Director, RPA



As for me and myself and I, we are still confused about whats going on. Seems as though there was a major split near the end of the old RPA, with all of the brain power headed to ACCA, a fine organization, with what appears to be all of the manufacturers headed to their new home with IAPMO. This is strictly conjecture on my part, and I wish there were someone who could shed more light on this, but to date, no one has stepped forward.



I want to continue to help educate the up and comers in the industry, but I can only afford to belong to one group.



Comments welcome, especially someone from the inside with specific knowledge about what's going on, and why and how.



Confused in Denver.....

HDE

ACCA

I second the confusion but there is a lot of confusion on the Hydronics Council of ACCA.

Must join ACCA, then can join Hydronics Council but it remains to be seen if there is any benefit in joining ACCA if you dont do forced air or AC and nothing I can see offered or added as a benefit from Hydronics Council yet???????

SWEI

confused in NM

I actually called and spoke with Kathleena few months back after hearing rumblings about the 'merger.'  She assured me that IAPMO is actually a good fit for the RPA, but I remain somewhat skeptical.  As far as I'm concerned, it ought to become clear once they start providing training whether they are providing the service to the industry that they used to.

Tim McElwain

This is just more of

what I believe will contribute to a continuing down turn of market share for hydronic equipment. There needs to be a distinct group who work together to support and advance the hydronic market along with increasing the radiant side of the business along with solar and geo. There needs to be a coming together of both manufacturers and contractors for education, development and if possible for survival a simplifying of the industry and its equipment, If not at least on the residential side it will be all heating and AC with warm air as the main heating system for the system of choice in the future.



I am already seeing some of this in the New England area especially on new construction with the 90 plus furnaces with Modulation and Condensing for less money and less complicated to service..

Dan Foley

ACCA-RHC

Allow me to shed some light on RHC (Radiant & Hydronics Council).  We were formed five months ago and we are part of ACCA.  There are no additional dues to join RHC.  If you are a member of ACCA, you can also become a member of RHC.  To date, we have over 500 contractor members. 

ACCA bring all the elements of comfort under one umbrella.  We cover hydronics, radiant, steam, air, IAQ, and building performace.  We also address business issues that affect us as small business owners. 

Here is a link to additional information on RHC:



http://www.acca.org/hydronics



Or call or e-mail if you wnat to discuss with me directly. 

We will be announcing details on our fall hydronics roundtable very shortly.  Stay tuned...



- Dan Foley

Mark Eatherton

Colorado Chapter???

Dan, I did a quick Google search for the ACCA Colorado Chapter, to no avail. Is there a chapter in Colorado? Do you or can you get me some contact information?



Can you tell me (us) why there seemed to be a split in the factions?



I'm still trying to get all of this straight in my mind. And as always, I want to do the right thing, but am still unsure what THAT is.



Thanks



ME

SWEI

Staying tuned

and hope you can find a way to make it work.



While I fully support the intelligent integration of radiant with forced air (and believe the combination, if properly designed and implemented, can offer the ultimate in comfort), it's not something I'm accustomed to hearing from an air conditioning contractor.



The letters ACCA do stand for...

Mark Eatherton

Thanks Dan

I checked, and there is talk of forming a local chapter here in Denver. More details when I can get them from my friend who is more into AC than I am.



Thanks for responding.



ME

Tim McElwain

Dan any idea

who should be contacted here in Rhode Island or Mass?

Ingrid

More RPA Insights...

As one of the RPA board members, I’d like to contribute to the conversation.

The RPA that was founded in the early 90's and had contributed greatly to the growth of the radiant industry had basically run its course.  No matter how hard many of us tried to keep the momentum going, the days of people going to the RPA for education and for trade shows had passed. Many factors contributed to this – the economy, manufacturer training centers and the decline in trade show traffic overall. It was really hard to accept, but it was in fact inevitable, and sadly during the transition, there was a prolonged suspension of member services.

During the last six months, the RPA board members have been working tirelessly toward the resurgence of the RPA. With the best interests of the membership in mind, it was the board’s decision  to take the sufficient time required to seek an organization that could provide the financial stability the RPA needed, that could help enhance the benefits offered to all of RPA’s member categories, and to then devote the time to put the enhancements in place. All of this takes valuable time.

As of today, the RPA has been part of IAPMO for merely 88 days.  In this period, we hosted a booth at the January AHR Show in Chicago, met with the new RPA staff to produce By-Laws, generated procedures for the formation of a board of directors, created a standing committee structure, planned the first member services meeting, prepared the guidelines for the 2012 Showcase competition, and produced the Spring 2012 Radiant Living and the 2012 Radiant Flooring Guide, among other things. Communicating all these activities to our members while we were working on all of this admittedly should have occurred. However, I can report now that there is so much to look forward to under the new RPA/IAPMO partnership.  In the very near future, you will be able to benefit from:

1.  New webinars focusing on the integration of technologies and advanced topics of radiant heating and cooling, geothermal, hydronic and solar

2.  Codes and Standards activity that will guide the industry in the design, construction, installation, operation and maintenance of systems

3.  A broad-based consumer awareness marketing campaign initiated by the Canadian Hydronics Council and adopted by RPA

4.  Government Relations support and advocacy that will benefit the industry

And that is just for starters. IAPMO is a professional and dedicated organization that is very committed to growing the radiant industry and creating opportunity for all its members. I am personally looking forward to continuing to be involved and playing a role in sharing news and information.

I am also happy to express that the current leadership of the RPA is looking forward to collaboration opportunities with ACCA’s Radiant & Hydronics Council. It is our feeling that the two organizations together will have the creativity and commitment it takes to advocate on behalf of all stakeholders in our industry.

Stay tuned. Stay positive. And stay members. Exciting days ahead!

Best to all,

Ingrid

 

 

Mark Eatherton

Thank you Ingrid...

Just knowing that you are involved (still) gives me a lot of reasons for optimism. Your energy and exhuberence will help to move the organization forward thru thick and thin. I for one appreciate your time and talent.



As I told Kathleen in Chicago, I want to see the industry continue to move forward to deliver the message about efficiency and comfort, and that I stand ready as an instructor to help out wherever, and whenever my talent is needed.



And thank you for the update. We now know why it is that nothing was coming out. Everyone was up to their necks in work. I look forward to the new RPA/IAPMO organization.



Sincerely,



ME

KMihelich

Educators are needed by the RPA

Mark,

As Ingrid stated, we are creating new webinars which will focus on the integration of technologies and advanced topics in various areas.  Thank you for offering to help educate those who are new to the industry.  We need technical experts to help us develop topics, create courses and teach.  We will be in touch and welcome others who are experts to reach out to us as well.

Sincerely,

Kathleen 

Ingrid

...And thank you Mark!

Appreciate your nice response and all your do for our industry.  You know I'm one of your biggest fans.

Best,

Ingrid