our local contractor members are active in code development as it pertains to this industry. We are going to have to find some means of providing competent, qualified information to these code authorities or face a dismal situation in the future. Actually, what we are asking for is something to be worked out to get to the grassroots, to the small businessman, and get him involved in this. Basically, that is our testimony, sir. [Testimony resumes at p.144. The prepared statement of Mr. Menditch follows:] Leslie L. Grant, Regions Vice President Hill York Sales & Service 5150 NW 37th Avenue Fred R. Sikyta, Regions Vice President Daniel M. Brown, Secretary-Treasurer Herbert S. Tanis, Immediate Past President DIRECTORS Bernard P. Bradley Bay State Service, Inc Brookline, Massachusetts 02146 Henry Buffalow 1245 Space Parkway Mountain View, California 94020 Ray W Darnold, Jr 515 Third Street, S.W. South Charleston, West Virginia 25303 Marvin E. Kanze Marvin E. Kanze, Inc. Havertown, Pennsylvania 19083 Chester Karas CJ Karas, Inc.. Bloomfield Avenue & John Street Pine Brook, New Jersey 07058 Charles O. King Air Conditioning Designers, Inc 1601 North Military Trail West Palm Beach, Florida 33406 Robert R. Peeler Jon M Pierce Pierce Trane Air Conditioning Co, Inc 4112 Airport Freeway Fort Worth, Texas 76111 Donald N Tolin Tolin Refrigeration Company Robert Wilgosz Taco Air Conditioning Company 38-20 32nd Street Long Island City, New York 11101 A Richard Wingard James H. Winters 108 Fatherland Street James P Norris ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA 22209 TESTIMONY BEFORE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS Barney Menditch Representing the National Environmental Systems May 13, 1975 Thank you Mr. Chairman and members of the Senate Select Committee on Small Business. I and the members of the National Environmental Systems Contractors Association deeply appreciate this opportunity to address the Committee on a matter of concern to us as small businessmen, and in deed, to all Americans. NESCA is an Association of independent contractors who own businesses which engage in all aspects of design, installation and service of heating and air conditioning systems. We rep resent the consolidation of two major organizations, the Na tional Warm Air Heating and Air Conditioning Contractors Association and the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Con tractors of America, which date back to the beginning of this century. During this long history, the Association has participated in and contributed to every breakthrough which has occurred in the technology of this industry. Furthermore, the Association has actively pursued the continuing education of contractors in the industry. As an example, NESCA has developed and published hundreds of technical manuals which express the sophisticated engineering techniques involved in the design and operation of effective and efficient systems in simple, direct terms which can be understood and applied by all contractors in the industry, regardless of their educational background. A small sampling of these manuals is included with these remarks for the information of the Committee. We have staged thousands of seminars, courses, and educational programs at major universities, community colleges, and vocational schools across the country. These programs provide practical and easily implemented techniques of residential and commercial system design. They are attended by graduate engineers, architects, and contractors right down to the Independent small businessman who performs his calculations with the stubby end of a percil. The result of this continuous education effort is that contractors using NESCA manuals and NESCA procedures have greatly influenced the improvement of residential heating and air conditioning design and operation. And this influence has brought to the American consumer the very finest heating and air conditioning systems available in the world at the lowest cost in the world. Why do I stress the contractor's role in this market? Because he is the bridge between the ultimate consumer and the engineers and manufacturers who design and produce the products used in climate conditioning. If America is to make any progress in the development and application of solar energy systems, it is the heating and air conditioning contractor who will make the most vital contribution. We have examined the National Plan for Solar Heating and Cooling developed by the Energy and Research Development Administration to find out how we, as the bridge to the consuming public, can contribute to our country's search for alternate energy utilization. We are impressed with the broad effort which is being made to determine the feasibility of broad-scale applications of solar energy. We compliment ERDA on the thoroughness of their study and their systematic approach towards gathering valuable data on the operation of systems using solar energy sources. We are distressed, however, that the small businessman who will ultimately be responsible for the installation and maintenance of these systems has been virtually ignored. We see that engineers, builders, developers, and architects are to be involved in site selection, construction, and data collection on these demonstration projects. We see on page 44, paragraph D 4 of the document that the data gathered from this project is to be provided in manual form to architects and engineers as a means of enabling the industry to benefit from the demonstration program. Gentlemen, let's face facts. Consulting engineers do not design residential heating and cooling systems - our contractors do. Architects do not specify and do not design such systems Today, right here in Washington, D. C. at least one homeowner will make a decision to look into adding a solar heating system in his home. Who will he call? An architect? An engineer? Not a chance. He is going to call the heating and air conditioning contractor with whom he has been doing business with in the past. And that contractor, out of a lack of knowledge of solar energy systems, out of fear of becoming involved in unfamiliar technology, may well say: "Solar heat? Nah! It's too expensive. It doesn't work. Don't waste your money. There really isn't any good system available!" If you leave this contractor out of the data dissemination schedule, that will continue to be his attitude. If you hope to see him actively pursuing solar applications, indeed if you wish to create a very friendly market for solar heating and cooling applications, then all you need do is educate him. ERDA's projection of making solar heating and cooling competitive by 1985 1990 will never be achieved without that education. Not on the residential level. On the other hand, we can beat that timetable by a substantial margin if we make the local contractor an expert -- a hero in his community. All it will take is a little education. And the basic data for this education will be at least partially provided through the ERDA demonstration program. The manufacturers of residential and commercial heating and air conditioning equipment realized that simple fact a long time ago. Years ago these manu |