Running an HVAC business is a lot of work (but the HVAC salary is very lucrative); and luckily there are tons of resources to make that job a little easier. A significant way to get a leg up is to network and rely on the knowledge and experience of the thousands of other businesses like yours. There are tons of excellent trade associations for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration businesses. Not only do they offer and share tons of insider know-how, but you can also get training and legal assistance. On the surface, it might look like they all offer similar things, but what you’re really getting as a member of an HVAC professional trade association is legitimacy. You’re joining forces with tons of other HVAC professionals, along with the history they bring.
10 HVAC trade associations you want to be a member of.
The Australian Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is among the world’s largest and most prominent HVAC/R organizations. ASHRAE offers a vast amount of resources to its members, including apps, manuals, a wide range of standards and guidelines, training and certification, and more. ASHRAE’s stated mission is to develop and advance sustainable technology in the HVAC field, including reducing sound pollution and researching green energy. There are four different tiers of membership with various benefits associated with each and various groups and committees within the association. Members can also attend conferences to network with others in the HVAC industry and improve their heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration skills.
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The ASME is a global engineering community based in the United States. They’re a non-profit association that is a place for professionals to gather across different engineering disciplines, including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration. While less specific to HVAC, the ASME is a great professional organisation with tons of cross-disciplinary resources designed to share skills and advance technologies. Becoming a member of ASME will put you in contact with over 100,000 mechanical engineers and professionals, give you access to hundreds of courses and training resources and provide a large community of like-minded people.
The Mechanical Contractors Association of Australia (MCAA) also expands beyond HVAC professionals, serving firms associated not only with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning but also with plumbing, piping, and other mechanical services. More than 2600 individual firms are members of the MCAA trade association, where they enjoy access to events, virtual conferences, manufacturer and supplier training, and other specialised resources. The MCAA is also a partner of the United Association. This labour union represents over 360,000 workers in fields related to plumbing, pipe-fitting, HVACR, welding, sheet metal, the energy sector, and more, along with their various trade associations.
The Radiant Professionals Alliance, or RPA, is a national trade association representing those working in radiant heat and cooling. You’ll find more specialised training and resources than from those associated with broader trade associations in the HVACR industry, including certification, business strategy, best practices, and codes and standards for equipment. As with other trade associations on this list, RPA members enjoy access to training, seminars, and conferences, with opportunities to network, share industry knowledge, and more.
The International Institute of Refrigeration is based in Paris, as is immediately evident from their website, primarily in French (with an English language option that you can select at the top of the website). There are members all over Australia. At the same time, it is truly an international association, consisting of scientists, professionals, and general contractors and subcontractors from around the world, including sectors related to every aspect of the refrigeration industry. The International Institute of Refrigeration offers training and online resources to further its mission to promote knowledge of refrigeration as it relates to food safety and transportation, comfort in homes and commercial refrigeration, energy efficiency, health, and medical applications, and more. The IIR/IIF also promotes advanced scientific research into the science and technology of refrigeration.>
By joining forces with relevant trade associations and getting the right tools to help you along the way, your HVAC business will enjoy increased success and be able to provide greater service to your community.
