by Bob Parsons
First published 1990
Bob Parsons arrives at his office clutching the latest technical specifications for industrial ventilation systems. The year is 1990, and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers faces internal pressure to publish their annual handbook despite mounting technical disagreements. Parsons finds himself caught between competing factions of engineers who disagree about new refrigerant standards and energy efficiency protocols. Old-guard technicians resist emerging environmental regulations while younger engineers push for radical changes to traditional HVAC practices. As publication deadlines approach, Parsons must choose between loyalty to established industry practices and his growing conviction that the profession needs fundamental reform. The handbook becomes more than a technical manual; it represents the future direction of an entire industry at a crossroads.
Genres: science, reference, 20th-century, non-fiction, engineering, academic
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: industry-conflict
Setting: America, United States
Period: 1990
437 pages · Hardcover · Amer Society of Heating