I have been in Europe since last summer.
I landed a few weeks ago, and the similarities and differences shocked me.
I went to Europe as part of an exchange program with my company. I am an HVAC serviceman with a global company. Once in a while, the company shuffles employees across the globe to expand their thinking. I love my job because I always learn, and heating technology constantly evolves. It means that it stays intriguing. I was to write a report about the differences and similarities in the heating industry on the two continents. While in Europe, I did the same jobs as at home. My HVAC tech team and I delivered home services to residents all over town. My first job was to redo duct sealing on ductwork at a school. The school had an impressive heat pump. The prevalence of these heating devices was one difference I noticed. Back home, these devices were owned by businesses or homeowners with money, as they were super expensive. I understand because it is much colder in Europe, heating dealers make a killing selling the devices in their inventory. As per the law, homeowners should fit houses and learning institutions with a properly functioning furnace. Since the weather is cold primarily in Europe, heating maintenance is encouraged at least twice a month. I also understood that, like in America, Europeans have regulators, including the standard digital thermostats, and professionals encourage fast handling of heating repair. No one wants to be caught with a malfunctioned device mid-winter.