MISSISSAUGA, Ontario - The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada’s (HRAI’s) annual statistics forecast for 2007 projects that shipments of commercial air conditioning will increase by 4 percent, residential air conditioning will increase by 1 percent, and residential furnace shipments will decrease by 1 percent over the projected 2006 figures.

The projected 2006 and forecasted 2007 figures are as follows:

• Commercial air conditioning: Actual shipments in 2005 were 44,568. The projected year-end figure for 2006 shows a drop of 1 percent to 44,000, while the forecast for 2007 projects a 4 percent increase to 46,000.

• Residential air conditioning: Compared to the actual 2005 shipments of 285,399 the projected 2006 figure decreases by 10 percent to 257,000. The 2007 forecast increases over 2006 by 1 percent to 259,000.

• Residential furnaces: Actual 2005 shipments were 308,615. The projected year-end figure for 2006 shows an increase of 4 percent to 320,000. The forecast for 2007 decreases over 2006 by 1 percent to 316,000.

Other numbers released show that during the fourth quarter of 2006, chiller bookings showed the largest gain increasing by 22 percent followed by unit heater shipments increasing by 9 percent over the fourth quarter of 2005. Other sectors showed decreases including ductless mini-split shipments by 57 percent, residential air conditioning shipments by 48 percent, commercial air conditioning shipments by 5 percent, and residential furnace shipments by 4 percent over the fourth quarter of 2005.

Key figures and trends are as follows:

• Commercial air conditioning shipments: Decreased by 5 percent, from 12,853 in the fourth quarter of 2005 to 12,159 in the fourth quarter of 2006. Year-to-date shipments increased by 2 percent, from 44,568 for the fourth quarter 2005 to 45,499 for the fourth quarter 2006.

• Residential air conditioning shipments: Decreased 48 percent from 33,568 in the fourth quarter of 2005 to 17,342 in the fourth quarter of 2006. Year-to-date shipments decreased by 12 percent, from 285,398 for the fourth quarter 2005 to 250,255 for the fourth quarter 2006.

• Residential furnace shipments: Decreased 4 percent from 109,737 in the fourth quarter of 2005 to 105,566 in the fourth quarter of 2006. Year-to-date shipments increased by 5 percent, from 308,616 for the fourth quarter 2005 to 323,214 for the fourth quarter 2006.

• Unit heater shipments: Increased by 9 percent from 16,380 in the fourth quarter of 2005 to 17,774 in the fourth quarter of 2006. Year-to-date shipments increased by 8 percent, from 42,714 for the fourth quarter 2005 to 46,334 for the fourth quarter 2006.

• Ductless split system shipments: Decreased by 57 percent from 4,810 in the fourth quarter of 2005 to 2,060 in the fourth quarter of 2006. Year-to-date shipments increased by 42 percent, from 32,426 for the fourth quarter 2005 to 45,997 for the fourth quarter 2006.

• Chiller bookings: Increased 22 percent from 182 in the fourth quarter of 2005 to 222 in the fourth quarter of 2006. Year-to-date shipments increased by 5 percent, from 792 for the fourth quarter 2005 to 833 for the fourth quarter 2006.

For more information, contact Caroline Czajko at 800-267-2231.

Publication date: 02/12/2007