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Contractors, governmental global warming rules. Not getting rid of employees in the tough times.

Up until recently, everyone thought the R-22 to R-410A transition generally meant that newly manufactured units would cease using HCFCs at the end of this year and that a gradual phaseout would continue through the year 2030. Unfortunately, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may have other ideas.

If we are going to attract the best and brightest into our industry, we have to improve the image of our workers. I believe that we have greatly improved the image of the HVAC contractor. But while we have improved the image of the contractor, I’m not sure that we have sufficiently improved the image of those actually performing the work.

Try to get the public into AHR Expo. The 13 SEER mandate is causing an increase in energy use.

According to the Chinese calendar, the Year of the Earth Ox begins Jan. 26. Ironically, that is the first day of the 2009 AHR Expo. I know of more than a few contractors who said they were debating on going to the expo because they had to cut back somewhere. It may be that kind of year for one and all. This year may be as slow as an ox.

Contractors can help others be stewards of equipment. Sealing the system permanently.

Occasionally, I have been known to be wrong. That has never stopped me from throwing around a few opinions, four-letter words, warnings, and prognostications. Before I launch the 2009 forecast, it is only fair to check in on a few of my past projections to find out how credible of a source I really might be.

The wildly popular “art” of social networking began with such industry staples as MySpace and FaceBook and have now spun off into many other forms of cyber interaction. “Share” is now becoming a real buzzword for people, groups, or businesses to send their own messages into cyberspace.

Some answers to current HVACR questions. It’s not an extension of the tax credits.

At the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) 2008 Annual Meeting, Keith Coursin, who assumed the AHRI chairman post for 2009, stated that the new Obama administration might very well accelerate standards and regulations that affect the HVACR industry. In my humble opinion, this is a very realistic expectation.