I have struggled with writing this article based upon what is being reported and what our industry leaders are recommending. It’s a fine balancing act, and I feel we may have too many plates spinning at once. Even terminology definitions can be difficult to agree upon. Terms like, “Above Grade Wall,” “Gross Building Area,” “EUI,” and even “Standard Air” have differing definitions depending on their intended use, application, or the trade society or group using them. A friend of mine once said, “A difference isn’t a difference unless it makes a difference.” So, what differences are your HVAC designs making? Are they leading or bleeding?
The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 (H.R. 3877), recently passed by the House, seems to prove quite contrary to its name. The legislation proposes to add nearly $2 trillion to the federal debt over the next 10 years. The two-year agreement will raise spending caps to $320 billion above previous levels and suspends the debt ceiling for two years, passing the next round of negations until after the 2020 election. The legislation also averts mandatory spending cuts stemming from the Budget Control Act of 2011 that would have gone into effect Sept. 30. Does our engineering follow this model of ignoring facts and kicking the can down the road?