MCDLG Interview - David Saulten on A'18 and Wind Driven Rain Louvers

Hello ladies and gentlemen. My name is Brian Crosby and I’m the Marketing Manager for the Mestek Commercial Damper and Louver Group. We are here with David Saulten, Vice President of Airline Louvers, a division of MCDLG. We are here to discuss some exciting news about our premiere architectural brand. Hello Dave, how are you doing?

Dave: I’m doing fine Brian. Thanks for asking.

As you know Dave, Airline Louvers will be heading to New York City for the AIA 2018 Conference on Architecture, hosted by the American Institute of Architects. Our listeners should get ready for three immersive days of what’s new and now in architecture and design, hosted in one of the most iconic cities in the world. Join Dave and Airline Louvers on the expo floor, booth 145, at the Javits Center. The Expo floor will be open June 21^st and the 22^nd, with conferences and shows continuing through June 23^rd.

Airline Louvers is our HVAC brand catering to architects and general contractors across the United States. We know that louvers can be a complicated business, and Airline Louvers is here to make it easy. We provide the tools and the knowledge to assist you in choosing the right louvers for the task.

Watch the video below for the full interview:

Dave, let’s start with you.

How long have you been in the HVAC Industry and what benefits do you see from the AIA Conference?

Dave: Well, Brian, I’ve been working within the Air Distribution Products Industry for over 30 years now.  I bring quite a bit of design experience to the table.  I am looking forward to meeting with Architects who may need help with designing their buildings. I feel that Airline Louvers can be of real assistance to them.

The AIA 2018 Conference is all about architecture. How do louvers fit into an architect’s plans?

Dave: Well Brian, Green building initiatives have led to fresh air requirements in buildings to restrict mold, mildew, and help prevent Sick Building Syndrome. Louvers allow access to airflow in and out of the building with intake and exhaust systems. Without them airflow would be unprotected against penetrations such as water, debris, and other particulates. Louvers also allow architects to reflect the profile of a building with vertical or horizontal options to maintain the lines and symmetry of the building.

With all the changes to our industry over the last few years I’m sure there will be questions on when and where to select Wind Driven Rain Louvers.

That’s interesting, Dave. Let’s talk about Wind Driven Rain louvers for a moment. What makes them different from other louvers?

Dave: These louvers are designed to give a higher level of water infiltration protection to the building. Wind Driven Rain louvers meet a substantially more stringent test (two tests: 3” of rainfall per hour and 29 mph winds and 8” of rainfall at 50 mph) and must be tested in accordance with AMCA Standards to carry the Wind Driven Rain rating seal.  Louvers that test as 99% effective and above carry a Class A rating, with Class B, C and D ratings are given for less effective levels. As with all louvers, there is a trade off between static pressure vs airflow, which can make for tricky selections.

That does seem complicated. How can Airline Louvers make it easy for architects to choose the right louver?

Dave: We’ve put a lot of thought into how we can make the selection process easier for Architects and Design Engineers. One of the tools we have developed is our Product Pro selection program.  You can find it on our website at www.AirlineLouvers.com . This program allows architects to dial into exactly what they need, filtering through our large selection of products and choices down to the right louver for their project. Additionally, our staff is there to answer questions and help with selection when the need arises. Airline has experience with enhanced project management, as well as years of industry experience and expertise. You could say our goal is to make this process easier.

There will be a lot of people on the expo floor. Why should architects stop by the Airline booth?

Dave: We will gladly show them our Product Pro program. They can also see firsthand our excellent product samples. And of course, they can always speak with me to begin what we hope will become a long-term relationship.

Thank you for joining us today, Dave. And thanks to our listeners for joining us for this MCDLG Interview. Remember, Airline Louvers will be at the Javits Center in New York City, for the A’18 Conference on Architecture, June 21^st and June 22^nd. Find Airline on the expo floor at booth 145, on the third level of the convention center. Use the free Expo Floor Map located in this article to find us! Open the map and search for Airline Louvers.

Seats are currently full for our Life Learning Session titled “How to Select the Perfect Louver”, presented by our friends at Arrow United Industries. But you can still learn the basics of selecting the right louver with our self-paced online course, offered through AEC Daily.

“Louvers for Style and Aesthetics” is our revised louver course on the various parts and stats of a louver, and how certain factors can affect the louver’s performance. The course now covers ways to enhance a building's style using louvers. This course is offered free of charge and counts towards AIA’s Learning Units for continuing education. Sign up for free by following the link at the bottom of this article.

Thanks again for listening. This has been Brian Crosby with MCDLG, the Mestek Commercial Damper and Louver Group.