The rapid growth in recent years of duct-free air conditioning systems in the U.S. has been impressive. In a contracting unitary market, it’s worth taking a closer look at ductless, with its double-digit annual growth rates for the past two years and 12 percent annual growth rate for the past five years.

While ductless mini-split style systems are very common in major markets within Asia and Europe, they have not made significant penetration into the United States. In spite of the recent growth in the U.S. market, they still only represent around 5 percent of the U.S. unitary air conditioning market. This low penetration is probably due to the huge installed base of larger U.S.-style homes and businesses that already have ductwork in place.