Standard 221

The culmination of his work and what would become his final legacy, began in 2016 when Rob convinced ASRHAE (the American Society of Refrigeration, Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers) to let him form and chair a committee to develop a National Standard for measuring the performance of installed HVAC systems.

After four years of painstaking work, in large part due to Rob’s leadership, perseverance, and great people skills, in 2020 ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 221: a “Test Method To Field-Measure And Score The Cooling And Heating Performance Of An Installed Unitary HVAC System,” was published. This standard truly embodies Rob’s vision of how the industry should test and rate HVAC system performance.

A prolific writer, Rob published hundreds of articles, technical procedures, reports and webinars during his career serving the air conditioning and heating industry. He also has shared his knowledge and insights at dozens of conferences and association meetings including ACCA, AHR, HVAC Comfortech, IHACI, and NCI’s High-Performance Summit.

The Real Deal

But Rob was much more than a leader and a visionary in our industry. What made him truly unique is how much he cared about and loved people. Rob had the ability to bring out the best in almost anyone. He could disarm even the most Doubting Thomas with his kindness and caring.

Virtually everyone in our industry who has met Rob has had nothing but praise about how he positively affected their lives.
Just over the past month I personally received hundreds of emails, texts, and phone calls from well-wishers sharing how Rob impacted their lives so profoundly.

Many shared how NCI helped them turn their businesses around, and how Rob was such a major influence in their personal lives as well.

Then there was Rob my best friend and partner in NCI. I feel so blessed by our partnership of nearly 30 years. It’s rare that two people can complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and get along for such a long time. And we liked each other too!

As partners we had a saying we repeated often over the years: “If two people agree on everything, then one of them is not necessary.” Whenever we were faced with a tough decision or evaluating an opportunity, we purposely took opposite sides so we could be truly objective.

Staying on the Path

I think this approach kept us on the right path, and helped us avoid many missteps and mistakes. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner.

Rob also left the industry and NCI with a true blessing of hand-picked instructors and many disciples who have made the pursuit of truth and doing the right thing their own missions. His influence will continue on through the thousands he has touched during his brief time on this earth.

I will miss you, Rob. I know this grief will lessen with time and be replaced with so many gifts that you have left me and those close to you, especially the fond memories of our time together.

Rob Falke leaves a legacy within our industry that will endure for many generations to come. He has blessed countless people, including me, and will never be forgotten. Godspeed my mentor, my brother, my friend.