MISSISSAUGA, Ontario - The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) revised its industry forecast for commercial air conditioning, residential air conditioning, and furnace shipments for 2010. The revised forecast projects that shipments of commercial air conditioning will increase by 4 percent, residential air conditioning shipments will increase by 3 percent, and residential furnace shipments will decrease by 3 percent compared to the 2009 figures.

According to HRAI, commercial air conditioning includes rooftops (combination heat-cool), packaged cooling and packaged heat pumps; residential air conditioning denotes ducted split system air conditioning and heat pumps up to 5 tons; and furnace refers to residential forced air furnaces of all types (gas, oil, electric and combination).

The actual 2008 and 2009 shipments and the revised 2010 forecast figures are as follows:

• Commercial air conditioning: Actual shipments in 2008 were 42,853. The year-end figure for 2009 showed a decrease of 20 percent to 34,434; the revised forecast for 2010 projects a 4 percent increase over 2009 to 36,000.

• Residential air conditioning: Compared to the actual 2008 shipments of 228,110, the 2009 figure decreased by 15 percent to 193,483. The revised 2010 forecast shows an increase of 3 percent over 2009 to 196,000.

• Residential furnaces: Actual shipments in 2008 were 301,375. The year-end figure for 2009 showed an increase of 15 percent to 347,694. The revised forecast for 2010 shows a decrease relative to 2009 of 3 percent to 336,000.

For more information, visit www.hrai.ca.

Publication date: 04/19/2010