Members of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) recently visited Washington, D.C., to share their thoughts and concerns with legislators through AHRI’s annual Public Policy Symposium.

Two pieces of legislation were introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in March with the words “energy savings” in their titles. If Congress chooses to pass these bills, they will ultimately have an impact on how HVAC contractors conduct their businesses.

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.

Local municipalities may not require residents to install HVAC equipment that exceeds federally preempted standards. That is the message Judge Martha Vazquez, of the Federal District Court for the District of New Mexico, shared in her Jan. 25 ruling in AHRI v. City of Albuquerque.

With the new regional efficiency standards for residential furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps set to become effective beginning in May 2013, many in the industry are wondering: How does the Department of Energy (DOE) intend to enforce these standards?

The future of bypass ducts in zoned California heating and cooling systems appears very bleak. The California Energy Commission (CEC) recently proposed a code change that would prohibit the use of bypass ducts in zoned heating and cooling systems, and eliminate existing Title 24 zonal performance compliance credits.

We, as contractors, have to walk a very fine line when it comes to deciding what issues/opportunities we go after. The reason for this is that we have a responsibility to our customers to make them aware of upcoming issues in order that they, the customers, may make informed decisions regarding the issues confronting them.

The National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB) recently published the “Commissioning of Commercial Refrigeration Systems Guideline,” which was developed in collaboration with the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES).

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.

The HVACR industry continues to introduce new technologies — and build upon existing technologies — that provide opportunities to improve energy efficiency. While new federal legislation hasn’t helped spur deployment of such technologies, state and local initiatives are moving ahead.