A number of disruptors in the retail market and an active regulatory environment present obstacles for HVAC and refrigeration systems’ designers in foodservice operations, supermarkets, and cold storage facilities. The changes in the market make it difficult to determine a clear and consistent path forward and leads to individual end users driving diverse design decisions on a case-by-case basis.
Those were among the conclusions of a panel discussion convened at a recent Emerson 360 Forum in Chicago. The regulatory uncertainty and the new paradigms being forged in the retail market by e-commerce and other disruptors mean system designers are often left to help their customers meet their first cost, energy efficiency, sustainability, and maintenance goals based on a moving target: the future.