Things are definitely rosy on the commercial side of the market. Reed Construction Data expects nonresidential building spending to rise 12.7 percent in 2007. New project starts totaled a record high $19.5 billion in January, so the pipeline is full enough to keep month-to-month spending gains averaging about 1 percent into 2008.
While the rest of the country shivered under a record cold spell, dealers and distributors at ICP’s Victory Tour 2007 basked in the warmth of 80° weather. The warm weather was a side benefit, as the real reason they gathered was to learn about ICP’s new product lineup.
Commercial cooling encompasses a wide variety of products. Air curtains, cooling towers, and evaporative coolers are just a few of the items that help keep occupants in commercial buildings comfortable. These types of equipment and more were located throughout the 2007 AHR Expo.
Less noise and higher energy efficiency were definitely the buzz terms used by ventilation product manufacturers at the 2007 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo).
There’s not much that draws more attention at the AHR Expo than a display of trucks. This year’s expo was no different, as several automakers brought their latest and greatest commercial trucks to the show floor.
Mechanical contracting firms that rely on the new housing market for a significant portion of their sales are bracing for a tough year in 2007. While still concerned about what lies ahead, most contractors are looking to boost sales in other areas in order to make it through this latest downturn.
Have you ever heard of a home with an electricity meter that sometimes runs backwards? That’s just one of the intriguing features of a near-zero energy home. Other interesting features usually include high-performance building envelopes, photovoltaics to harness the power of the sun, and highly efficient heating and cooling systems.
Interest in LEED certification has exploded recently, and it’s estimated that during the course of 2006, more than 1,000 LEED projects were registered around the country representing over 100 million square feet of green projects. Mechanical contractors would be wise to learn more about their role in green construction, as the trend is gaining momentum.
