For many owners, the next phase is less about surviving transition and more about tightening systems, strengthening teams, and building durable competitive advantages
After a year dominated by refrigerant chaos and shifting codes, contractors say 2026 finally feels familiar. But beneath the surface, price pressure, labor shortages, and AI are reshaping how they sell, staff, and serve their markets.
Starting in January 2026, members who have signed up will be invited to join small, focused peer groups (capped at fifteen participants) that meet monthly via Zoom for 1–1½ hours.
Despite tariffs, shifting regulations, and a cooling residential market, leading OEMs say 2026 will bring modest growth driven by commercial demand, electrification, and higher-efficiency technologies.