MORTON GROVE, IL – Xylem Bell & Gossett celebrates the official reopening of its Little Red Schoolhouse, the premier training center for professionals in the hydronic heating and cooling and plumbing industries.
Over the last year-and-a-half, an extensive remodeling project has transformed the Little Red Schoolhouse in Morton Grove, Illinois, into an interactive learning environment where professionals receive hands-on training to better understand how the entire HVAC system works.
Since its inception in 1954, more than 62,000 engineers, contractors and other hydronic HVAC and plumbing professionals have been educated at the Little Red Schoolhouse. Known as the industry’s educator, Bell & Gossett offers seminars free of charge and is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). The Little Red Schoolhouse sets itself apart from other educational facilities in the industry by emphasizing a systems-based concept of teaching, rather than focusing on product features and benefits.
“With a mix of people attending the Little Red Schoolhouse, we want to make sure we are effectively teaching all our students,” said Mike Licastro, Bell & Gossett’s Training and Education Manager, Commercial Building Services and HVAC. “Whether it’s customers, manufacturer’s representatives, engineers, technicians or contractors, our goal is that the training provides a knowledge base that makes them better equipped to perform their daily job duties related to hydronic and steam product application and system design.”
New and Improved
New technology figures prominently into the redesigned training center, including a redesigned mechanical room with various pieces of equipment to simulate system design and installation. Such innovations provide attendees new and exciting ways to gain valuable knowledge about hydronic and steam systems.
Key features of the renovation included:
- B&G Model Technoforce eMT Duplex Multi-Stage, Variable Speed Domestic Water Pressure Booster System supplying water to sink with four different style fixtures
- Goulds Model e-SV Multi-Stage Pump with Hydrovar motor mounted Variable Frequency Drive
- Lochinvar gas-fired water heater, buffer tank and indirect water heater (courtesy of Bornquist Inc.)
- Laars Condensing Boiler and Niles Hot water Tank (courtesy of Frank P. Langley Co. Inc.)
- Acorn thermostatic mixing valves (courtesy of Frank P. Langley Co. Inc.)
- B&G Model PTA ASME Potable Water Thermal Expansion Tank
“The Xylem Bell & Gossett Little Red Schoolhouse has a long history of providing industry professionals with the in-depth hydronic system design knowledge they need to confidently and expertly help their customers,” said Rocio Echeverria, Vice President, Marketing, Americas Commercial Team, Xylem. “The updated learning center ensures our mission of education continues to add value to and advance the industry.”
Along with cutting-edge technology, Bell & Gossett has reinforced its emphasis on hands-on training with dedicated space for three new demonstration areas that feature functional displays of equipment for a variety of commercial and industrial applications, including variable speed controller technology, plumbing products and service and maintenance.
Panel Discussion
The grand re-opening included a panel discussion by a team of industry experts that included Lisa Riles, Director, Global Residential & Americas CBS/HVAC, Xylem Inc.; Mark Handzel, Vice President, Product Regulatory and Government Affairs, Xylem Inc.; David Everhart, President, Bornquist Inc.; Jim Burns, President, Mulcahy Co.; and Chris Johnson, Sr. Director of Product Engineering, AWA America, Xylem Inc. Licastro served as moderator for the discussion.
Topics included:
- New DOE standards on pump efficiency
- The lastest trends from the Net Zero movement
- VRF vs. Hydroinics
- IoT and system design
- Residential pump technology
- The latest issues in fire protection
- How to attract, train and retain the next generation of mechanical contractors?
The grand re-opening then concluded with a factory tour of the Xylem/Bell & Gossett facility just adjacent to the Little Red Schoolhouse.
To learn more about the Little Red Schoolhouse, review the schedule or sign up for a course, visit http://bellgossett.com/training-education.