Based on the success of last year's first time AHR Expo testing session in Dallas, North American Technician Excellence, Inc. (NATE), the leading independent certification program for technicians in the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, (hvac) industry, will again offer certification testing for residential and light commercial hvac technicians on-site at AHR Expo 2001.

Starting at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 30, in the Georgia World Congress Center, the NATE Sponsored exams provide technicians with certification testing for five industry specialties: air conditioning, air distribution, gas heating, heat pumps and oil heating. The test session is four hours long (9a.m.-1p.m.), which is ample time to complete the core exam and a specialty exam, which are both required for certification.

In its continuing efforts to promote excellence among industry technicians, NATE is providing this test session as a certification opportunity for the thousands of technicians who will be attending AHR Expo, the largest hvacr exposition in North America. Advance registration for the NATE test session at AHR Expo is available by calling NATE toll-free at (877) 420-NATE (6283) or by completing the online form at www.natex.org and returning it by January 12, 2001. On-site registration is January 30, 2001 at 8:45 a.m, and technicians can also register through the Atlanta area chapters of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling-Contractors-National Association (PHCC), and Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES). These associations are also promoting this testing opportunity to their members.

"Last year's testing at AHR Expo proved to be a tremendous success, both for the technicians who completed the exam and NATE," said Rex Boynton, NATE president. "We administered more than twenty tests at last year's AHR Expo and distributed thousands of pieces of literature detailing our year-round tests. We look forward to testing even more technicians at this year's event."

According to Boynton, NATE's certification exams reflect a consensus opinion on what technicians need to know to effectively service and install today's sophisticated HVAC systems. As an independent, non-profit national organization supported by a broad-based coalition of industry leaders, NATE represents a shared commitment to improving the hvacr industry through voluntary testing and certification.

NATE supporters include contractors, distributors, education and training providers, manufacturers, technicians, utilities, and their respective trade associations. and NATE also has several Coalition Partners who contribute to its efforts, including:

  • Air Conditioning Contractors of America
  • Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Institute
  • Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Wholesalers International
  • American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
  • Edison Electric Institute
  • Electric Power Research Institute
  • Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association
  • North American Heating, Refrigeration, & Air conditioning Wholesalers Association
  • Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors--National Association
  • Refrigeration Service Engineers Society
  • U.S. Department of Energy
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

NATE-approved testing organizations schedule and administer exam sessions around the nation, throughout the year. For a state-by-state listing of testing contacts by fax call 1-877-420-6283 (NATE) and follow directions for “fax-on-demand,” or view testing organizations on www.natex.org.

For information on attending the AHR Expo, held January 29-31, 2001 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, call 203/221-9232, fax 203/221-9260, or visit the AHR Expo website at www.ahrexpo.com.