CORPORATE PROFILE | GREEN BUILDING
he Cuthbert family runs Lakes Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. in an environment much like how their family functions — on trust, loyalty and dedication. As family and company patriarch Brian Cuthbert, Sr. developed his knowledge and skill set in the HVAC industry throughout the 1960s and 1970s, he eventually struck out on his own in 1974 to found Lakes Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. in Akron and Canton, Ohio. And when Cuthbert’s children got involved in the business in the mid-90s, they identified the need to offer green installations to their customers, if they were going to make good on their claims of offering “the best” in Akron, Ohio. They branched out to geothermal installations and recently introduced solar panels into the mix. “As our company has grown and modern technology has grown with us, we quickly realized that the existing run-of-the-mill HVAC company just wouldn’t cut it anymore,” Brian Cuthbert, Jr. said, who now manages the business for his father. “In order to compete in the market, especially in an economy like this, we knew that just good customer service and lower prices simply wouldn’t do. We needed to keep up with the pace.” What sets Lakes Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. apart today is their vast scope and flexibility of services. Yesterday’s HVAC company must become the comprehensive energy solutions company of today in order to stand out among the pack with their “whole home approach.” Brian Jr. got his Building Performance Institute certification, allowing him to analyze homes and recommend changes to make them more energy efficient, safe and comfortable. “This doesn’t just include HVAC – it is a whole home approach that includes insulation, air sealing, HVAC and safety,” Brian, Jr. said. Lakes Heating & Air Conditioning “whole home approach” has gar 36 Spring 2011
nered them roughly 30 geothermal installations a year in local homes. The growing interest in alternative energy supplies has helped the company to decide to add solar to their vast portfolio – they recently completed their first installation. The company’s expertise in energyefficient installations also helped land them a high-profile charitable project, when the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity decided to build their first Green project. Lakes Heating & Air Conditioning is serving as the HVAC contractor and geothermal installers. “Today, we’re largely focused on the opportunities that renewable