ARLINGTON, VA — Shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps reached a record 6,685,481 units in 2000 compared to 6,647,071 units a year earlier, a 1% increase, according to Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) statistics. Heat pump shipments of 1,339,435 units set a new single-year record with a 4% increase over 1999.
For the month of December, combined shipments of 326,537 central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps were down 21% compared to 99. Heat pump shipments for December totaled 88,430, down 4% compared to the previous year.