"The days of burying your head in the sand and saying, ‘None of my customers use the Web,' are gone," said David Squires, a 25-year veteran HVAC contractor and Online Access president. Squires suggested that consumers are not merely Internet browsers, but the new stealth customers.

Because of state and local requirements in the building materials area, building contractors are going to be looking for ways to reduce their buildings' energy footprint. What does all this mean to the local HVAC contractor? Opportunity. Builders are beginning to hear the same message that HVAC contractors have been hearing.

Dale Crook, 23-year HVAC veteran turned inventor, installs the FlexFlow Elbow®, which creates a rigid 90 degree angle in flexible duct. Using Flex Ties™, Crook also hangs and supports the

HVAC has changed significantly in just a matter of months. Many are concerned with strategies for the new 13 SEER order.

This year's International Builders' Show placed marketing to the builder on an entirely new level for the HVAC industry. Over 70 HVAC manufacturers displayed products and worked to educate builders on the nuances of 13 SEER, IAQ, and other technologies designed for residential application.

The new construction builder is becoming an increasingly more significant player in the HVAC industry. With specific marketing to the builder strategies, contractors could find themselves on top of a profit wave with few others around.

Conservative estimates were shattered when the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) reported 8.6 million total unitary shipments for 2005: 8,607,501 units to be exact. The year 2005 was the fourth consecutive year of increased sales and growth in the HVAC industry. Last year's totals were 16 percent ahead of the record breaking 7.4 million units shipped in 2004.

New humidification and dehumidification products on display at the 2006 AHR Expo showed off the industry's innovative technology to help keep indoor comfort at a maximum.

What do Indiana Supply, The Granite Group, and Dr. Adam Fein all have in common? They know that wireless warehouses work, and they can prove it.

Congratulations HVAC. A record breaking 8 million units have shipped in 2005, and the counting continues. According to the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), as of November, shipments of central A/C units and air-source heat pumps totaled 8,016,756 units, placing the industry on track for roughly 8.1 million units total shipped in 2005.