The Hydronics Institute product section of the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute turns 100 this year. Founded in 1915 as the National Boiler and Radiation Manufacturers Association, then renamed the Institute of Boiler and Radiation Manufacturers in 1929, HI was formed in 1970 as a combination of the two.
The centennial anniversary will be celebrated Sept. 15-17 at the Seaview Hotel and Golf Club in Galloway, N.J. President and CEO of ECR International Ron Passafaro recently was re-elected as HI chairman through 2017.
HI was founded to ensure the safety, performance, and proper installation of boilers and radiation equipment. It has grown over the years to include an expanded list of hydronic heating product manufacturers. In addition, it maintains certification programs for residential and commercial boilers, indirect water heaters, residential baseboard radiation and commercial finned-tube radiation products.
Highlights of HI’s history include:
- 1915: National Boiler and Radiation Manufacturers Association is formed by producers of cast-iron boilers and radiators.
- 1929: The name is changed to the Institute of Boiler and Radiator Manufacturers (I=B=R).
- 1970: The Hydronics Institute is formed from the above predecessors.
- 1995: The Hydronics Institute becomes a division of the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association.
- 2008: GAMA and the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute merge to become AHRI. HI is one of AHRI’s 39 product sections.
The gala is open to current HI members, alumni and invited press. For more details, click here or contact Janine Brady at jbrady@ahrinet.org.
