The NEWS interviewed three contractors from around the country who are involved in high-performance building projects to find out more about their experiences.
Grooved mechanical piping has been changing the way contractors do business for more than 85 years, but this method of pipe joining is still unknown or misunderstood in some areas of the commercial building industry.
Mixed signals make it difficult to determine what to expect over the next year, although most manufacturers echo Gary Clark, senior vice president of marketing, Goodman Global Group Inc., who stated, “Overall, we see 2012 being very similar to 2011.”
The economy has been tough for many HVAC contractors over the last few years, and the signals are mixed as to whether things will get better in 2012. On the positive side, construction employment rose in 28 states and the District of Columbia between December 2010 and December 2011. On the other hand, only 302,000 new homes were sold in 2011, which is 6.2 percent below the 2010 figure.
With the new regional efficiency standards for residential furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps set to become effective beginning in May 2013, many in the industry are wondering: How does the Department of Energy (DOE) intend to enforce these standards?
Last year ended on a disappointing note for many, including distributors. On the bright side, distributors in all U.S. regions ended 2011 in positive territory and also reported higher inventory levels than the same time in 2010. What’s ahead for 2012?
Interest in wood-fired hydronic heating systems continues to rise along with the price of conventional fuel. What kind of solutions are available and how do you handle them?
Source: Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). Industry figures are estimates that are derived from the best available figures supplied by a sample of AHRI member companies.
Carrier Corp. will address emerging HVAC building design trends, environmental stewardship, sustainability, innovation, and more at its 11th Global Engineering Conference, March 18-20 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
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