National advantage, local expertise
Comfort Systems USA (Ohio) was founded in 1978 as a professional HVAC
service organization for the state's commercial and industrial customers.
It is now part of the nation's largest consolidation of 43 operating HVAC
companies, commonly owned and found in strategic locations across the country.
Headquartered in Cleveland, CSUSA Ohio also has offices in Columbus and
Cincinnati. CSUSA Ohio is a design/build HVAC construction contractor, an
Andover Controls automation and security partner and third largest HVAC
service contractor in this area.
CSUSA wants to be recognized as the premier provider of business solutions
for workplace comfort, environment, processes and energy services.
Advantages of a national company
Comfort Systems USA's national structure allows it to provide seamless
national service, with national accounts including such clients as AT&T,
Blockbuster Video and Advanced Auto Parts. Here's what CSUSA national service
offers:
- A central Internet-based service center to benefit corporate customers.
- Greater purchasing power, and thus lower costs, by buying as a national
coalition, and the ability to attract and train skilled employees.
- A Best Practices program to let employees network via a company-wide
Intranet, sharing ideas and technologies.
- Comfort Systems' financing arm, Comfort Capital USA, for short- or
long-term financing options, providing complete capitalized cost solutions.
- A powerful structure allowing strong alliances with energy providers,
so CSUSA can provide comprehensive and cost-effective energy solutions.
Up close and personal
On the local scene, CSUSA Ohio serves as a neighbor who understands the
conditions faced by its regional clientele. Dan Lemons, CSUSA Ohio president,
notes that "most of our work is owner-direct with commercial, industrial
and developer clients. We are solutions-based and customer-driven."
There are a host of 10- to 20-year-old buildings in the area that don't
work properly, he says, even some of the newer buildings. These owners have
issues: equipment that breaks, malfunctions, and does not live out its allotted
life, buildings that are noisy or uncomfortable or that have sweat on the
windows, structures with unwarranted energy costs. For these, he says, "we
can do a system analysis, looking at filtration, air distribution, duct
size, and other itemsnot just sending out a tech with a gauge. We find
the flaws and correct them."
The service component of CSUSA has grown by 25% yearly in the last four
years, all in a competitive economy that makes it harder to prosper where
some contractors have seen their worst years.
CSUSA is community-oriented and supports the local community by contributing
to the Cleveland Foodbank as a Silver Donor, to Goodwill Industries and
the Playhouse Square Foundation.
Out of the ordinary
"What we do is sometimes out of the ordinary for an HVAC contractor,"
explains Eric Filakosky, CSUSA sales manager, who has been with the company
17 years. He lists a comprehensive selection: industrial and manufacturing
process heating and cooling, as well as a full-range of commercial design/build
service. Specialty areas include clean rooms and custom curing ovens, adds
Filakosky.
The equipment component is equally superior. For instance, CSUSA is
an authorized representative for Andover Controls as well as Square D variable
frequency drives and Siemens variable frequency drives and peripherals.
It is a certified service and startup agency for APC precision air conditioning
for computer rooms, Cambridge industrial heating and ventilation equipment
and Seasons Four custom air handling units as well, a sign of the expertise
inherent in the staff.
The human touch
The firm's team-oriented approach makes customer needs paramount at all
times. Training is key here, and staff knowledge of the industry includes
LEED certification. In addition, CSUSA has an OSHA rating of zero incidents
in three of the last four years, 500,000 man-hours without a loss time accident,
and an Experience Modifier Rate below 0.5. The firm has a safety rating
well below 35% of the industry standard. BXM
A wealth of service
Comfort Systems USA offers comprehensive services for HVAC, building
automation and security systems, including application and design engineering,
equipment selection and procurement, installation, service and preventive
maintenance programs for commercial, industrial, retail, institutional and
multi-family markets.
Application engineering: CSUSA's sales consultants are trained
in commercial and industrial applications and have a thorough knowledge
of equipment, operating costs, and common application and installation problems.
They know how to ask the right questions, explore alternatives and evaluate
situations so that proposals represent reliable, long-term solutions.
System design: A trained in-house engineering staff uses the latest
computerized equipment to do the precise calculations, select the right
equipment and controls and provide the detailed data and drawings needed,
with documentation a priority.
Equipment selection and procurement: This can include everything
from air handlers and make up air systems to boilers, chillers and cooling
towers, as well as desiccant systems, dust collectors, fans and dehumidifiers
and humidifiers. Also look for HVAC rooftop units, infra-red heating systems,
computer room systems and make up air systems, in addition to unit heaters
and ventilation hoods.
Installation and system modernization: CSUSA offers a design/build
approach that improves system quality, reduces project costs and time, and
provides single-source responsibility. Experienced installers have done
thousands of turn-key HVAC systems of all sizes, including sheet metal fabrication,
equipment rigging and installation, ductwork, flue and piping installation,
electrical wiring installation and control systems installation and programming.
CSUSA is also fully insured and bonded up to $100 million.
Service and preventive maintenance: Properly performed maintenance
reduces repairs and allows problems to be corrected early on, saving greatly
on repair costs and equipment downtime, while improved performance increases
equipment reliability and longer lifespan. CSUSA offers thousands of companies
licensed and bonded service from a wide range of service programs, from
periodic inspections to comprehensive replacement programs. Certified technicians
stay up-to-date through in-house seminars and factory training, while trucks
are equipped with all the necessary tools.
CSUSA offers 24-hour emergency service, computerized scheduling and dispatch,
service trend reports, customized equipment tasking programs, tri-level
pricing, quality surveys and same day billing.
What differentiates CSUSA's service team is the depth of experience of
its technicians and the inside service team. This consists of service management,
dedicated dispatchers, purchasing, customer service, delivery and technical
supportover 100 years of experience. Dan Lemons, CSUSA president, states
that "when a customer calls our service department, we want to make
that customer feel like their need is the most important thing for us to
do that day." bxm
It all starts with problem solving
CSUSA works with owners and developers to solve complex and unique situations.
Here are some representative samples:
- The Earle M. Jorgensen Company, cutters of custom steel, wanted to
do a complete cleanup to make a better working environment for employees.
It worked with CSUSA (Ohio) to eliminate smoke exhaust and add 140,000
cfm of make-up air.
- The Heritage Corporate Center office building for the Dalad Group won
a First Place award in the category of "Office Development" from
NAIOP. CSUSA installed the building shell HVAC systems and equipment for
the Krill Co. and design/build HVAC systems customized for the individual
building tenants. Keith Masters, Dalad vice president, said "We contracted
with CSUSA because of its ability to provide a very cost-effective construction
installation and equally cost-effective tenant D/B HVAC. And we like the
fact that CSUSA can provide top-notch service after construction and that
its service mindset is very apparent during construction."
- ISG transformed its old manufacturing facility into a 150,000-sf warehouse
for heavy parts storage, turning to CSUSA for a creative solution for the
mechanical, heating and ventilation systems and saving significantly on
construction costs and operating costs for years to come.
- Giant Eagle's Printing Facility in Bedford Hts. was experiencing loss
of product, namely paper, due to environmental conditions. Installing HVAC,
dehumidifiers and reheating equipment reduced damage to the paper supply
and greatly improved the print quality.
- Mt. Carmel Health Systems in Columbus has had a long working relationship
with Andover Controls and contracts with CSUSA Controls Division to handle
HVAC, smoke control and room pressure controls for its East and West facilities
and St. Ann's Women's Hospital.
- Cleveland Foodbank, with CSUSA serving as D/B mechanical contractor
for M.E. Osborne, is a LEED-certification pending building, so extra care
in engineering the building's mechanical systems. An Andover energy management
system controlling HVAC and lighting made this a "smart building."
It uses an environmentally responsible refrigerant for HVAC and has energy-efficient
Lennox HVAC equipment on the roof.
- Sodexho Laundry Services is a 60,000-sf, full-service facility capable
of processing more than 25 million pounds of linen a year for the Cleveland
Clinic, presenting a challenge for Comfort Systems with its unique ventilation,
HVAC, and makeup air needs.
- Roxanne Laboratories had a fast-track need for a clean room facility
at a location for a new process. CSUSA provided the entire clean room,
including building structure, HVAC and electrical. BXM
