Circulating ground-temperature water in a Thermal Energy Network (TEN) provides efficient heating and cooling, reducing costs and mitigating climate change through decarbonization. The water must be kept within a specific temperature range, known as the performance zone.

In 2024, the RPA held educational sessions at the ASHRAE/AHR Expo in Chicago, welcoming new members and setting goals to advance the radiant and hydronics industry.

Within the halls of our recent meetings, the RPA community witnessed a defining moment. Committees were not just formed; they were crafted as engines of change.

There has never been a better time to be part of the RPA. If you are not a member, you should join.

The partnership will coordinate RPA, IGSHPA and its respective members with technical activities coordination, research, education, advocacy, publications and leadership for more sustainable building operations and the green economy.

Ever since the RPA was formed, members have taken advantage of the great benefits the alliance has to offer, such as codes and standards advocacy, a job center network, obtaining and creating valuable education, the annual Radiant Flooring Guide, newsletter subscription, discounts for IAPMO products and services, access to webinars and more. RPA members are professionals from all facets of the radiant profession, including manufacturers, installers, engineers, architects, students, apprentices and inspectors.

During the late, great Les Nelson’s last AHR conference in Chicago back in 2018, he asked me what our hydronics industry needed the most. He was on a mission to increase the visibility of the Radiant Professionals Alliance and give the industry something that it could really use. 

It doesn’t matter if you’re constructing your single-family dream house or designing and building a large commercial piece of real estate — there are so many decisions that need to be made. The decisions will have important implications as to the cost, sustainability, life and comfort of the people living or working in the facility. It is vital that you choose wisely. 

The revised software, available online at no charge, adds the ability to compare projected costs and energy usage for all HVAC systems and hot water consumption in any building based on what is known before money is spent on selection of the HVAC and water heating systems, and almost all inputs may be adjusted once the design process begins.