Each year, I utilize one of my summer articles to encourage readers to seek out professional development. So, per tradition, this month I am taking the time to make my plug. Typically, my spiel is a pitch for digital media and social media training. This year, I will cut it short by suggesting to simply take one hour per week to get lost at https://plus.google.com/hangouts/onair. Once there, type in key words pertaining to what you want to learn more about (e.g. social media), then click the search icon and let Google work its magic. As a pro tip, once on the search results page, click on the “More” tab and when the drop down menu pops up click on “Hangouts.” There you will be able to view all types of webinars, chats, and conversations happening in real time on the subject you searched.

As for me, this summer I am turning my attention to TED Talks. There are a few that I have queued up on subjects ranging from toilets to driverless cars. I’m also looking forward tapping into my inner sources of innovation when I attend the Unleash WD summit for the second time, in September. While online professional development is convenient, I do encourage you to look into some face-to-face opportunities for yourself before year’s end.

Industry training, education and development are a theme you will hear about in our 2015 Heating Season Preview, which can be found on page 52. Without giving too much away, I will say that I hope you find the insight to be as exciting and motivating as I did. There is some real opportunity for our industry to step up to the plate in this time where consumers' knowledge of an interest in their personal environment and their shared space is growing.

Also in this month’s issue, you will hear from a Chicago engineering firm, McGuire Engineers, as they talk through a high-rise boiler failure. There is also a feature that looks at how water lubricated circulators have changed since the 1950s.

Best of luck to you on balancing work with play in this last official month of summer!