HVAC Commercial Market

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Even as the economy has improved, some building owners and operators remain hesitant to make large capital expenditures to replace older chiller systems. In these cases, there are less expensive options available that can enable decision makers to achieve substantial efficiency upgrades by retrofitting their chillers.

As the millennial generation continues to join the workforce, the trend toward more flexible time-off policies and benefits is expected to continue.

When it comes to large commercial systems, cooling towers seem to receive less attention than other system components. Yet, cooling tower maintenance is vital to ensuring overall system efficiency and preventing downtime. 

Some in the industry have described ASHRAE Standard 90.1 as a complex standard, yet chiller experts say the shift in the standard to a more holistic view of chiller efficiency is the right direction for the industry.

For the second year in a row, CEOs took questions directly from the contractor audience of ACCA’s annual conference. 

Within the HVAC universe, pure-play manufacturers have led the market since January 2012 with a cumulative return of 173 percent. Diversified HVAC manufacturers and HVAC service and distribution stocks have also performed well, gaining 67 percent and 62 percent, respectively.

This year, 2,465 manufacturers participated in the event as 198,000 visitors flocked to see the latest trends and technical innovations.

The NEWS' annual issue has traditionally introduced the latest air conditioning units available for the upcoming summer season. The intent is to help contractors prepare for this busy period by doing the research that will help them to distinguish between brands.

A growing number of building owners are looking to design buildings that produce as much energy as they consume each year. These so-called zero-net-energy (ZNE) buildings may sound like a pipe dream, but they’ve already become a reality in many parts of the U.S. and around the world.

The demand for HVAC equipment in the U.S. is forecast to increase 6.8 percent annually through 2019 to $20.4 billion, recording gains at about twice the rate of the 2009-2014 period, according to a new study released in March by The Freedonia Group.