United States. The Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) recently honored Jim VerShaw, chief engineer of Trane Residential HVAC & Supply at Ingersoll Rand, with its highest award.
The AHRI Richard C. Schulze Award recognizes individuals who are leaders in the HVAC industry and who have made significant contributions throughout their careers. AHRI leaders presented VerShaw with the award at their annual meeting held in Miami in early November.
"Jim is an example of the industry leadership and commitment we recognize with this award," said Stephen Yurek, president and CEO of AHRI. "His outstanding contributions include the development of industry standards, certification guidelines and federal regulations. He recently worked with the U.S. Department of Energy on new efficiency levels that will emerge in 2023. It has also driven a number of innovative solutions for the industry; he is appointed as co-inventor in eight separate patents."
VerShaw has witnessed significant changes in the industry during his 43-year career. Technologies in heat exchangers, motors, compressors and electronic controls that are now light years from where they used to be. Efficiency levels have also grown substantially. Furnaces in the 1970s operated at 65 percent efficiency; now, Trane is developing furnaces with an efficiency of 97 and 98 percent. Air conditioners were in the seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) range of 6 to 8, and are now in the range of 13 to 20 SEER.
"Jim inspires us all with his passion for creating the best possible solutions for our customers and raising sustainability standards across the industry," said Matt Pereira, vice president of engineering and technology for residential HVAC and supply at Ingersoll Rand. "He helps drive sustainability standards by representing our business and what's best for customers as rules and regulations develop, and then brings that knowledge to Trane's design teams to ensure the solutions they develop meet or exceed those regulations."
