SVL News

Healthcare facilities are no longer designed for a single, fixed purpose. From pandemic response and patient surges to evolving infection control standards and care delivery models, today’s hospitals must be built for flexibility. In this SVL Coffee Break, Jeff Peterson welcomed Amy VanWagner, National Sales Director for AJ Manufacturing, to discuss how modular construction and prefabricated HVAC solutions are helping healthcare facilities design for long-term adaptability without sacrificing performance, compliance, or speed to occupancy.

The central theme of the discussion was clear: adaptability is no longer a luxury in healthcare design—it is a strategic necessity.
Marie’s goal wasn’t to prescribe “the right refrigerant.” Instead, she shared the PFAS education, regulatory trends, and refrigerant policy landscape engineers should understand when specifying equipment expected to operate for 15–25 years. The takeaway: we’re watching two major “policy trains” converge—PFAS regulation and HFC phase-downs—and that overlap may influence long-term decisions around low-GWP refrigerants, A2L adoption, leak detection, serviceability, and end-of-life disposal.

Refrigerants are something commercial HVAC professionals live with every day—until a new acronym shows up and changes the conversation. In this SVL Coffee Break, SVL’s Marie Romell (B.S. Chemical Engineering, M.S. Applied Data Science) unpacked one of the fastest-rising topics in environmental policy: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), and why it’s now intersecting with the refrigerant transition already underway across chillers, heat pumps, VRF, rooftop units, and split systems.

Marie’s goal wasn’t to prescribe “the right refrigerant.” Instead, she shared the PFAS education, regulatory trends, and refrigerant policy landscape engineers should understand when specifying equipment expected to operate for 15–25 years. The takeaway: we’re watching two major “policy trains” converge—PFAS regulation and HFC phase-downs—and that overlap may influence long-term decisions around low-GWP refrigerants, A2L adoption, leak detection, serviceability, and end-of-life disposal.

Boiler rooms rarely make the front page—until something goes wrong. In this SVL Coffee Break, RM Manifold’s Scott Blackmon walked attendees through the fundamentals of boiler venting and combustion air, showing how smart draft control protects people, equipment, and uptime in commercial and institutional buildings.

With more than 18 years in the HVAC industry and deep experience in engineered draft systems, Scott broke boiler venting down into practical concepts that engineers, contractors, and facility owners can put to work immediately.

Winter weather can bring HVAC systems to a halt—but it doesn’t have to. In this SVL Coffee Break Webinar, Veotec’s co-owners Peter Valsler and Mike showcased how their advanced heated louver solutions keep air inlets clear, airflow stable, and critical facilities online, even in the harshest cold-climate conditions.

For building owners, engineers, and facility managers operating commercial HVAC systems, this discussion offered valuable insights into preventing costly downtime and maintaining reliable ventilation through snow, ice, wind-driven rain, and extreme cold.

On October 29, 2025, SVL welcomed Sharon Haeg of Daikin Applied for a packed Coffee Break Webinar on how to navigate low-GWP refrigerant retrofits and replacements. In just under an hour, Sharon explained the why, what, and how behind the transition, then walked through real-world “speed bumps” engineers, owners, and contractors are hitting—and practical paths around them.

On August 27, 2025, SVL hosted another Coffee Break Webinar, diving into the often-overlooked subject of building acoustics. The session, Optimizing Building Acoustics – Add Value, Reduce Risk, and Elevate Your Projects, featured Paul Mottola, Regional Sales Manager for Vibro Acoustics, who shared his expertise in HVAC noise control and acoustic design assist programs.

Urban construction presents a paradox for geothermal systems: while dense developments benefit most from high-efficiency heating and cooling, they often have the least room for traditional geothermal fields. That’s exactly the problem SVL’s President, Jim Lubratt, tackled in the latest Coffee Break Webinar, titled “Geo-PAK: Rethinking Geothermal for Urban Challenges.” Drawing on over 30 years of geothermal experience, Jim guided attendees through how Geo-PAK is transforming what’s achievable in space-constrained geothermal HVAC design.

In this energizing Coffee Break Webinar, SVL welcomed geothermal expert Dr. James Tinjum to explore the engineering, efficiency, and long-term value of Geothermal Systems Utilizing Vertical Bores. Hosted by Sales Engineer Duane Rothstein, the session focused on how vertical closed-loop geothermal fields are revolutionizing heating and cooling across residential, commercial, and campus-scale applications.

In this month’s Coffee Break Webinar, SVL welcomed Russell Goldfarbmuren, CTO and Co-Founder of Rebound Technologies, for an exciting deep dive into the next generation of ice storage — and why it’s arriving just in time.

Russell introduced the C1 system, Rebound’s recently launched plug-and-play thermal energy storage unit designed to bring “agile cooling” to a market facing tightening demands on both sides of the HVAC equation.

Clean air isn’t a luxury in industrial settings—it’s a necessity. From safeguarding employee health to ensuring regulatory compliance and protecting sensitive equipment, effective air filtration has become central to operational excellence. AQC doesn’t just offer dust collectors—they design performance-driven solutions tailored to each unique application.

SVL’s latest Coffee Break Webinar was a high-energy session that gave attendees a glimpse into the future of air handler innovation, led by Shane Armstrong from NORTEK. The highlight of the presentation? The exciting acquisition of AcoustiFLO and how its integration with NORTEK’s powerful design tools promises to transform how we approach custom air handler solutions.

The latest SVL Coffee Break Webinar provided an insightful deep dive into Daikin’s air handler and rooftop technologies, featuring three esteemed experts from Daikin: Ben Schlinsog, Andy Neisen, and Jake Fields. This session explored Daikin’s full lineup of high-performance HVAC solutions, highlighting how cutting-edge technology and superior design drive efficiency, sustainability, and unmatched flexibility in modern HVAC systems.

The latest SVL Coffee Break Webinar brought together industry professionals to discuss the future of hydronic systems and their role in driving energy efficiency and sustainability. Led by Joel Southwell, VP of Sales at Fulton®, the webinar explored how hybrid hydronic system design is shaping the industry by integrating cutting-edge heating technologies like condensing boilers, electric boilers, and air-source heat pumps into one intelligent system.

In our latest SVL Coffee Break Webinar, we had the pleasure of hosting Audwin “Audie” Cash, CEO of GPS Air. With over two decades of experience in energy-efficient solutions and product innovation, Audie brought valuable insights into the evolving world of indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy savings. His expertise spans multiple leadership roles, including serving as President of Climate Systems and Senior Vice President at Acuity Brands Lighting. Currently, Audie is focused on driving GPS Air’s post-pandemic growth with innovative products and robust market engagement.

Kicking off 2025, SVL hosted its first Coffee Break Webinar of the year, featuring Sterling Minter, an expert with over 16 years of experience in the phenolic duct industry and an innovator behind several patented designs. During the session, Sterling provided a comprehensive overview of the Pro-R phenolic duct system, highlighting its engineering, efficiency, and benefits for HVAC professionals.