As a manufacturing innovator and leading educator in the commercial heating field, AERCO is committed to remaining informed and involved in current events and trends both within and beyond the HVAC/plumbing industry. Our employees are active members of many professional associations, contributing and communicating with the following groups on a regular basis:

Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) formerly GAMA )— www.ahrinet.org
AHRI is the trade association representing manufacturers of air conditioning, heating and commercial refrigeration equipment. A catalyst for industry problem-solving, this dynamic trade association represents industry interests before legislative, regulatory and standards-writing organizations and supports the development of improved products and installation procedures, sponsors efficiency certification programs to verify manufacturer claims through independent testing, coordinates consumer education programs and more.

Along with general informational and industry input benefits that AHRI membership confers, our AERCO representative has a central role in several exciting committees. The Hydronics Institute Technical Committee was involved in developing the new Boiler Testing Standard (BTS2000) which is expected to be referenced by the U.S. Department of Energy when setting minimum efficiency guidelines for commercial boilers. This group also worked with the Technical Advisory Group for ANSI Standard Z.21.13, a basic standard for safe operation, substantial and durable construction, and performance of gas-fired low pressure steam and hot water boilers. We also participate in a special Laboratory Liaison Committee to ensure that independent, third party, certification organizations are consistent in their code interpretation and testing procedures.

Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) — www.ame.org
The AME is a nonprofit, cross-industry organization committed to cultivating understanding, analysis and exchange of management and operational methods, and to successfully applying these techniques in the pursuit of productivity excellence.

AERCO International has been involved with AME since 1999, and became a member of the AME Champion's Club in 2000. Additionally, former AERCO Chairman Basem Hishmeh served as AME president. The association's quarterly publication, Target Magazine, spotlighted both a personal profile of Hishmesh and a business assessment of our company.

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) — www.ashrae.org
ASHRAE is an association dedicated to advancing the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning refrigeration, and related human and industry factors to serve the evolving needs of the public.

AERCO personnel have worked with several ASHRAE technical committees to support industry advancement. Our representatives contributed to the development and review of the ASHRAE Handbook chapters about Service Water Heating and Boilers. As part of an initial charter group, AERCO staffers were also responsible for defining the title, purpose and scope of future ASHRAE standard SPC 155P, and helped create the final draft by which energy efficiency will be measured in the gas-fired boiler category. Changes implemented by these recent efforts are expected to dramatically alter the testing process, which determines thermal efficiency ratings.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) — www.asme.org
ASME International is a nonprofit educational and technical organization responsible for developing and maintaining the best and most widely applicable industrial and manufacturing codes, standards and conformity assessment programs associated with the mechanical engineering field.

All AERCO products are ASME-code approved. Furthermore, through our pursuit of innovative designs, AERCO has encouraged ASME to expand standards and codes for the materials allowable for design and manufacturing, benefiting mechanical engineers and the building industry.

American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) — www.aspe.org
ASPE is the international organization for professionals skilled in design, specification and inspection of plumbing systems. The society is dedicated to advancing the science of plumbing engineering, as well as the professional growth of its members and the health, welfare and safety of the public.

AERCO staffers aided the ASPE in efforts to expand the knowledge base of the plumbing engineering industry by authoring and reviewing ASPE's Domestic Water Heating Design Manual. We offered our technical expertise related to double-wall heat exchangers, gas-fired water heaters and steam-to-water water heaters.

American Society for Quality (ASQ) —
www.asq.org
As the world’s leading authority on quality since 1946, the American Society for Quality (ASQ) is a valuable resource for those businesses and individuals who view quality as a global priority, an organizational imperative and personal ethic. Members join this 104,000-member professional association to seek technology, concepts and tools to improve themselves and their world. In recognition of the strategic value of quality in striving for product improvements, AERCO is a sustaining member of the ASQ, engaging in knowledge exchange with industry peers and leveraging employee education opportunities to improve business results.

New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. (NJMEP) — www.njmep.org
NJMEP is a nonprofit organization providing small and medium-sized manufacturers with access to technology and business management tools through a county-assigned network of field agents. The program assists New Jersey manufacturers with industrial modernization and strategic management initiatives through direct-training opportunities and an extensive network of academic and private resources.

AERCO looks to NJMEP as a professional resource for subject matter expertise about how to enhance certain aspects of our organization, and become a more efficient, well-managed company. We are currently pursuing a number of business management initiatives with the support of NJMEP. We have adopted 5S Housekeeping Practices and are seeking ISO 900 certification of our Quality Management Processes.

U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) — www.usgbc.org
The U.S. Green Building Council is a non-profit organization committed to expanding sustainable building practices. The USGBC is composed of more than 13,500 organizations across the building industry that are working to advance structures that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. The group's mission is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated -- enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life. In addition to AERCO and other building product manufacturers, USGBC members include building owners and end-users, real estate developers, facility managers, architects, designers, engineers, general contractors, subcontractors, government agencies and nonprofits.