Hurricane Katrina inundated the Gulf of Mexico, drastically changing the landscape of New Orleans and many other cities. The hurricane changed the way business is done. Damaged fuel lines, refineries, and shipping lines created unprecedented shortages and price surges in energy and materials affecting everyone's bottom line.
In a repeat appearance (the No. 1 story of 2004), the biggest story of the year was the transition to 13 SEER, which occupied most of the HVAC industry's time in 2005. With Jan. 23, 2006, fast approaching, 10, 11, and 12 SEER products had to be phased out, trucks and warehouses had to be resized, and inventory strategies had to be determined.