A new, accredited continuing-education course offered by Napoleon aims to give industry professionals a deeper understanding of gas hearth appliances, which have been outselling traditional wood-burning fireplaces in the marketplace, in recent years. The online course, Gas Hearth Appliances: Enhancing Living Environments, can now be found at AEC Daily’s online learning center (www.aecdaily.com/sponsor/napoleon).

Participants in the course will get an overview of a variety of gas hearth appliances (such as logs, stoves, inserts, fireplaces, and outdoor fireplaces), as well as the principal types of venting systems that are currently available. The course will also cover the installation of gas…

The 2011 International Pool/Spa/Patio Expo, the annual trade show and conference for the pool, spa, and backyard industry, exceeded the expectations of both attendees and exhibitors. Total attendance was 9,717, a 5% increase over the 2010 show. Attendees represented all segments of the industry, including pool/spa builders, retailers, service companies, designers, and landscape architects.

“Despite continued economic challenges, we are very pleased that the show generated an increase in attendance for the second consecutive year,” Lindsay Roberts, director of the show, reports. “There was a real energy on the show floor that was shared by both attendees and exhibitors,…