CHANTILLY, Va. - The New Horizons Foundation (NHF) - An HVAC and Sheet Metal Industry Initiative has issued a study titled “The HVAC and Sheet Metal Industry Futures Study: Industry Trends and Drivers Shaping Alternative Futures.” A comprehensive look at the future of the industry, the report identifies over 35 significant changes or developments that will influence future market opportunities and the nature of HVAC and sheet metal contractor operations five and 10 years from now.

More than 75 individuals, enlisted from the HVAC and sheet metal industry and from related industry partners and other sectors of the construction industry, worked for more than a year to develop the report. The group identified and then examined the impact of the cornerstone factors driving change in the industry - sustainability, globalization, workforce, and technology. In releasing the study, George “Butch” Welsch, NHF chairman, noted that the HVAC and sheet metal industry “can use the report and associated research as a guide to making decisions that will involve accommodation to change and change at an accelerated pace.”

Looking 10 years ahead, some of the more significant expectations for the HVAC industry identified in the report include:

• Residential and nonresidential building will become heavily focused on energy conservation, sustainability issues, and green construction. All these factors create opportunity for leading HVAC contractors.

• The demand for retrofit and service work will grow at an unprecedented pace to meet future building performance expectations and to serve an ever-growing supply of building inventory.

• Building information modeling (BIM), building information systems, lean management, and other productivity tools will be required to successfully compete in the HVAC market.

For more information, visit the foundation’s Website at www.newhorizonsfoundation.org.

Publication date: 09/08/2008