In the fall of 2013, a local heating and air-conditioning company contacted Humber College’s instructor of the Electronics Engineering Technician program to discuss the development of a new idea to remind customers about furnace maintenance.
Mike Martino of Martino Contractors envisioned the MB Furnace Minder as an automated device that will remind homeowners when it is time for regular maintenance of their furnaces. An Electronics Engineering Technician student and a Bachelor of Industrial Design student were hired as research assistants. Under the direction of instructor Georges Livanos, students worked with Martino staff to design and test their proposed automated system. The patent for the MB Furnace Minder was filed in March 2014, and the product is now undergoing final testing. Martino plans to make the MB Furnace Minder available to their clients for commercial use this year.
Martino Contractors is a family-owned company that provides heating, air conditioning and air quality products and services to their clients. Established in 1987, Martino has installed 70,000 furnaces and air conditioners in the greater Toronto and Ottawa regions.
“It’s awesome to work with the diverse professionals, with students as well as experienced coordinators and staff … to see how they undertake real projects was really helpful. It gives insight into the real world of design and production,” said Michael Voitov, a student in the Bachelor of Industrial Design program at Humber.
