2024 Annual Conference Tool Belt Track

Sunday, March 24 - Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Westin Galleria Houston
5060 W Alabama St, Houston, TX 77056

Check Out Our Technical Tool Belt Track For Mechanics and Technicians

The Technical Tool Belt Track is a one-day conference experience with specific breakout sessions intended for hospital mechanics and technicians, but offered twice – Monday, March 25 or Tuesday, March 26. Toolbelt attendees will have access to all events posted on the agenda for the one day you are registered to attend, including the exhibit hall and social events. Purchase either a ticket for Monday or Tuesday.

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The track will feature the following sessions:

Craig Ayers has held numerous leadership positions in healthcare facilities management for over 40 years. Currently, he is the Director, System Engineering Services for Memorial Hermann Southeast, and Pearland campuses. Craig’s facilities attained the Energy Star label and is part of the Healthcare Partner of the Year for Energy Star. He has received the ASHE E2C award for 25% energy reduction at Memorial Herman Northeast. Craig has held similar positions at HCA as Director of Engineering and Security at the Bayshore and East Houston campuses in the Houston area as well as Director of Plant Operations at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview, Texas. His leadership positions have included facility engineering, clinical engineering, security, and construction management of more than $420 million in capital projects.

Craig attended Ohio University, where he received his Master of Health Administration degree in 2011. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from LeTourneau University and is a Senior American Society for Health Care Engineering (SASHE) Certified Healthcare Facilities Manager (CHFM), Certified Healthcare Constructor (CHC), Certified Healthcare Safety Professional (CHSP), Certified Safety Management Practitioner, and Certified Pool and Spa Operator (CPO).

Craig has served three years on the Board of Directors for Keep Longview Beautiful and one year as president. He is currently serving as on the Board of Directors for TAHFM.

Alan Fritsche has 40+ years of experience in HVAC system design and installation. His tenure includes 10 years of hands on experience as a mechanical contractor and 30+ years as a design professional. Alan is the Senior Vice-President of Garner Fritsche Engineering. His company has been in business for 18 years exclusively serving the healthcare industry.

Abstract - Download Presentation

Key concepts will be presented to learn what Wet-Bulb Temperature is, how it is measured and the role it plays in determining Psychrometric conditions in Hospital Buildings. FREE (student grade) SLING PSYCHROMETER for all attendees!!

Learning Objectives

• Measuring Dry-Bulb and Wet-Bulb Temperature.
• Plotting current room conditions on a Psychrometric Chart.
• Understanding Relative Humidity.
• Understanding Dew Point and Saturation Temperature.

I'm a California native currently residing in the Dallas, TX area. I first got involved in the HVAC industry in 1993 when I went to work for NME at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio, CA as a plant mechanic. After five years I left healthcare and went to work for a mechanical contractor doing commercial HVAC work. In 2000 I obtained my Class A master's license and started my own Mechanical Contracting business. In 2011 during the Great Recession, I sold the business I had built from the ground up and returned to the facilities management world. I worked for the Claremont Colleges in Los Angeles as a Senior HVAC mechanic. In 2016 I relocated to Texas and took a job working for the hospital I'm at now. It was originally a Baylor facility but was sold to a doctor in 2020. I became the Facility Director in 2020 during the Covid Pandemic. I'm planning to take the CHFM exam in the near future. I am very passionate about HVAC and building controls. I became certified in Niagara while working here and have learned a lot about building controls over the years. Besides managing a healthcare facility, I also enjoy riding bicycles, writing, and dancing. I'm currently the VP of my local Square Dance Club. I'm currently writing a screen play for a TV series in my spare time. I enjoy riding my bicycle when it's not summer and walking my dog, Hopper.

Abstract - Download Presentation

To present the audience with a basic understanding of various types of HVAC systems found in healthcare settings and various ways to control them. I'll go over the basics like the different types of terminal boxes, constant flow vs variable flow, VFD's, air inlet vanes, valve types, actuator types and reheat vs. preheat. I'll also touch on humidity control and positive/negative room controls and ways to monitor them.

Learning Objectives

• To understand the difference between constant flow and variable flow systems and how each system is controlled.
• To understand basic air balancing and how it affects pressure relationships in a healthcare setting.
• To understand the basics of temperature and humidity relationships and why they're so critical to control in a healthcare setting.

David brings a broad spectrum of expertise to any team or project. For over 30 years, he has positively impacted some of the most influential organizations and projects in the country. As a restoration contractor, he evaluated projects and ran crews performing restorations across the country. As a consultant (Conley Group & BES), he assessed and designed solutions for multiple iconic properties. As an expert witness, he has testified in half a dozen cases. As a director of technical services and building science (Carlisle, Coatings, and Waterproofing, Henry, & Polyguard), he led the development of over a dozen new products and systems. As an inventor, he has three patents. As an author, he has written numerous articles, multiple white papers, and a research paper. As a speaker, he has presented thousands of hours of education and many national lectures. But after three decades, he has realized our industry of constructing and managing buildings is flawed and we can do better.

Abstract - Download Presentation

A building is just like the human body, it is a combination of different systems functioning together as a single entity. Unfortunately, we have lost the vision that for a building to be healthy, it must be cared for as whole. Constructing, owning, and managing buildings has followed the societal trend of system experts, and much like healthcare, the general practitioners have been replaced with specialists. The harsh reality is that 90% of the issues that occur with a body, or a building are where the systems connect. If you want your facilities to go beyond the estimated useful life and function at the highest level of performance, the human body and the building that shelters them must be managed holistically. We are going to dive into why this critical disconnect exists, where it exists, and how to correct permanently.

Learning Objectives

• Develop an understanding of why the human body and a building are so similar.
• Explore why having an accurate and documented history is critical for a plan moving forward.
• Reveal how monitoring the vitals and having regular physicals exams is the key to a long and healthy life.

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