Blue Gavel Press has announced the release of its U.S. Employer’s Guide, 18th Edition.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and Department of Labor (DOL) recently proposed to change the rules for union elections. The proposed rules, which have stirred up political controversy across the country, are being debated by the HVAC community.

HRAI president Warren Heeley and AHRI senior vice president Dave Calabrese attended the Canada-U.S. Manufacturing Summit to discuss the industry’s concerns about the growing problem of local and regional energy efficiency regulations for HVACR products differing from national or international standards.

On Dec. 1, 2011, the British Columbia Ministry of Environment held a public workshop on its recycling regulations. Effective July 1, 2012, the province will require manufacturers of air conditioning, heating, water heating, and refrigeration products to take Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for the life cycle management of their products.

As Europe goes, so goes North America. That was a proven adage when it came to the phaseout of CFCs and HCFCs. Even these days, the North American HVACR market closely monitors developments in Europe for signs of what eventually may cross the Atlantic Ocean.

At the 2012 Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) annual conference, attendees had the opportunity to hear top executives from five major industry manufacturers discuss some of the hottest topics in HVAC. Some of the topics included regional standards, dry-charged unit sales, the R-22 price spike, and more.

In the last decade, our legislators and our regulatory agencies have had a huge influence on the industry and how contractors conduct their business. This government influence will continue to drive our business.