W.O. Blackstone President Jeff Griffin is among a select group of South Carolina construction industry executives featured in the 2024 Construction Power List published by SC Biz News. In a one-on-one interview, Griffin shared insight on industry trends and top challenges.
HVAC systems are obviously essential to maintaining a comfortable indoor environment and they are also the largest energy users in commercial buildings. The key drivers to making our industry more energy efficient are the new building codes, policies and regulations. This includes a particular focus on the energy efficiency of the machines themselves, the refrigerant used in the system and the technology of the system itself. We have seen an increased amount of VRF/VRV (variable refrigerant flow or volume) in projects. This technology circulates a minimum amount of refrigerant needed during a single heating or cooling period which allows end users to control several zones more precisely at the same time.
Keeping up with the next generation of refrigerants is also something to keep an eye on. We still love to install chilled water systems as this system remains a great method for removing heat from a building. With a good maintenance plan and keeping your equipment running effectively, building owners can enjoy energy savings at their property.
One of the disruptors we’ve seen is simply the increased technological advancement of HVAC Systems and Controls.
This is most apparent in our Service Department where our technicians need training on the latest systems and how to interface with the HVAC unit when troubleshooting a repair or performing a maintenance visit. This can be a challenge due to the pace of change and the variability of each manufacturer. We work on all different kinds of HVAC equipment and keeping up with the specific nuances of how each manufacturer utilizes technology is a constant focus.
Cost volatility has slightly calmed down in 2024 but is still an ongoing concern with the main factors being longer lead times and a labor market that remains tight for skilled workers.
The first step is buying out our projects at the best available value based on the design developed by the engineering team. I say “value” because low cost is not always beneficial. Our goal is to deliver a project that meets the requirements of the owner and is built to our quality standards. Helping owners navigate long lead items is one way to deal with volatility. This adds pressure, however, on the design engineers who sometimes need to make equipment selections early in the design process before all the factors are fleshed out. It’s our job to help the owners and general contractors navigate this volatility.
Like many established contractors - we have been in business since 1937 - we have many of our skilled team members approaching retirement age. This is not unique to Blackstone. Our best luck with new hires is the tried-and-true word of mouth referrals. We have also utilized recruiting agencies to help fill positions. One of my main jobs as President is to act as the chief recruiting officer.
We are blessed to have a culture of treating people the right way and my goal is to make Blackstone a place where people can improve their skills, provide for their families and to retire with dignity. We have several employees with long tenures here. While not everyone stays for their whole career, many of our folks have been here for 10, 15, or 20+ years.
This culture helps recruit new people to our company. I’m supporting our local technical college, Midlands Technical College, by serving on the MTC Foundation Board. This community support and awareness keeps our name in front of both the instructors and students who are learning about the HVAC trade. Our Sheet Metal Apprenticeship Program is also a feather in our cap when recruiting new people to the trade.
I had to stop and think about this one for a minute. I think one thing that might be worth mentioning is that my wife and I love to go see live music whenever we have the opportunity. We lived in Denver when we first got married and had the chance to see many live shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre - which is amazing. But we also enjoy seeing acts at the smaller music halls. Our love for live music is something we will plan trips around. It’s nice to have something to look forward to, right?
Reprinted with permission. View digital article on scbiznews.com.
