Biography

Mr. Hourahan has 40 years of experience in the heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) industry and is a licensed professional engineer.  He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Connecticut, a Master of Environmental Science from Johns Hopkins University, and a Master of Business Administration from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  He is actively involved with various industry associations, including the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the U.S. National Team of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Heat Pump Program.

Mr. Hourahan, as the principal of Hourahan Consulting LLC, provides technical services to advance client interests.  Such activities include engineering support; technical material creation / updating / review; committee representation / participation; and business management support.  He works with equipment manufacturers, component suppliers, equipment distributors, contracting firms, industry associations, Federal and State agencies, utility companies, research organizations, and others.

Previously, as the Senior Vice President of Technical, Accreditation, & Educational Policy Development, Mr. Hourahan directed the Air Conditioning Contractors of America’s (ACCA’s) technical activities in the creation and maintenance of design manuals, standards, contractor accreditation programs, and educational policy for an evolving workforce.  Related duties were in program development, identification/generation of new approaches and opportunities, workforce development, creation of supporting technical documents, standards/code body interactions, and technical representation of the contracting community with allied organizations and associations.  The overarching aim of these activities was to provide tools and information that support HVAC practitioners in delivering energy-efficient, high quality indoor environments (comfort, health, and productivity).  During his tenure at ACCA, he guided the updating of, and/or creation of, a number of industry standards aimed at quality design, installation, and maintenance of HVACR systems in residential and commercial applications:

  • ANSI/ACCA 1 Manual D (Residential Duct Systems); 2003, 2009, 2012 and 2016.
  • ANSI/ACCA 2 Manual J (Residential Load Calculations); 2004, 2011 and 2016.
  • ANSI/ACCA 3 Manual S (Residential Equipment Selection); 2004 and 2014.
  • ANSI/ACCA 4 QM (Maintenance of Residential HVAC Systems); 2004, 2008, 2013 and 2019.
  • ANSI/ACCA 5 QI (HVAC Quality Installation Specification); 2007, 2010 and 2015.
  • ANSI/ACCA 6 QR (Restoring the Cleanliness of HVAC Systems); 2007 and 2015.
  • ANSI/ACCA 9 QIvp (Quality Installation Verification Protocols); 2009, 2011 and 2016.
  • ANSI/ACCA 10 Manual SPS (HVAC for Swimming Pools and Spas); 2010 and 2017 (RA).
  • ANSI/ACCA 11 Manual Zr (Residential Zoning); 2012 and 2018.
  • ANSI/ACCA 12 QH (Home Evaluation and Performance Improvement); 2012, 2014 and 2018.
  • ANSI/ACCA 14 QMref (Quality Maintenance of Commercial Refrigeration Systems); 2015.
  • ACCA Manual LLH (HVAC System Design for Low Load Homes); 2019.
  • ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 180 (Standard Practice for Inspection and Maintenance of Commercial Building Systems); 2008, 2012 and 2018.
  • ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 183 (Peak Cooling and Heating Load Calculations in Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings); 2007, 2011 (RA), 2014 (RA) and 2017 (RA).
  • ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 211 (Standard for Commercial Building Energy Audits); 2018.

Prior to working at ACCA, Mr. Hourahan was the Vice President of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology Institute (ARTI; now known as the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology Institution, AHRTI), and concurrently  he was the Director of Technology at the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI; now known as the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institution, AHRI).  In this dual role, he was instrumental in the establishment and management of several multi-year, multi-million dollar, private-public sector research initiatives for the HVACR industry.  He initiated and directed industry-government collaborations with multi-year missions to decrease energy consumption in buildings and homes while simultaneously improving indoor environmental quality.  He led the ‘HVAC&R Research for the Twenty-First Century’ (21-CR), which created a technology roadmap resulting in new initiatives designed to improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality. Previously, he spearheaded the first industry-government activity (ARTI ‘Materials Compatibility and Lubricant Research (MCLR) Program’ by U.S. HVACR industry with substantial support from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and other stakeholders.  The program positioned U.S. industry to transition away from chloroflurocarbon (CFC) and hydroflurocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants that have been linked to ozone destruction in the earth’s stratosphere.

Earlier, he worked for Automatic Equipment Sales (an independent HVACR equipment distributor) and for Dunham-Bush, Inc. (a manufacturer of screw compressors and chiller packages).

Chronological Employment History

Hourahan Consulting, LLC, Broad Run, VA
A private consultancy in the HVAC&R, energy efficiency, and building science sectors.
President (2019 – present)

AIR CONDITIONING CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA (ACCA), Arlington, VA
A not-for-profit 501(c)(6) trade association representing HVACR contractor business owners who design, install, service, and repair air conditioning, heating, refrigeration, humidification, dehumidification, air purification, and ventilation systems for residential and commercial customers.
Senior Vice President – Technical, Accreditation, & Educational Policy (2010 – 2019)
Vice President – Research & Technology (2002 – 2010)

AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE (ARTI), Arlington, VA
A not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization established to undertake scientific research in the public interest; an entity associated with ARI.  [ARTI is now known as AHRTI since January 2008]
Vice President (1998 – 2002)

AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION INSTITUTE (ARI), Arlington, VA
A not-for-profit 501(c)(6) national trade association representing manufacturers of air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment. [ARI is now known as AHRI since January 2008]
Director of Technology (1994 – 2002)
Research Manager (1990-1994)

Earlier Professional Experience

AUTOMATIC EQUIPMENT SALES (AES) OF WASHINGTON, Alexandria, VA
$25 million/yr distributor of heating and air conditioning equipment.
Territory Manager

DUNHAM-BUSH, INC., West Hartford, CT
$35 million/yr manufacturer of screw compressors and refrigeration equipment for commercial and industrial refrigeration/AC.
Materials Manager
Product Manager
Production Planner
Project Engineer

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