MISSISSAUGA, Ontario - The Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) annual statistics forecast for 2005 projects that Canadian commercial air conditioning shipments will increase by 1 percent over the projected 2004 figure, while residential air conditioning will decrease by 3 percent and residential furnace shipments will decrease by 4 percent.

The projected 2004 and forecasted 2005 figures are as follows:

Commercial air conditioning: Actual shipments in 2003 were 40,828. The projected year-end figure for 2004 shows a 1-percent drop to 40,500, while the forecast for 2005 projects an increase of 1 percent to 41,000.

Residential air conditioning: Compared to the actual 2003 shipments of 282,858, the projected 2004 figure decreases by 16 percent to 238,000. The 2005 forecast decreases over 2004 by 3 percent to 232,000.

Residential furnaces: Actual 2003 shipments were 292,127; at year-end 2004 shipments are projected to decrease 8 percent to 270,000. The forecast for 2005 decreases over 2004 by 4 percent to 260,000.

Participation in the HRAI program is estimated to represent 98 percent of total Canadian shipments in all sectors. Therefore an expansion factor has been included to compensate for the non-participating portion of the market.

Publication date: 11/01/2004