AHR Expo recently released its 2022 AHR Expo Trend Report, an industry snapshot.
The following are the report’s Summary Takeaways & Common Industry Themes.
The Future Is Clean
- Decarbonization.
- Electrification.
- Low-GWP refrigerants.
- Regulation updates.
We Need to Grow Our Professional Workforce
- Attract talent from diverse backgrounds.
- Provide attractive opportunity for career growth.
- Rethink the value of the employee.
- Think long-term and invest in your workforce.
The Pandemic Has Changed the World and the Industry
- Customers are more aware of their indoor environments.
- The desire for IAQ is here to stay.
- Upgraded HVAC systems keep buildings healthy.
The Supply Chain
- The industry is stretched for supply.
- The supply chain interconnectedness is clear — the shipping and freight industry has resulted in unpredictable delays.
- Manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, contractors, techs — the industry as a whole has been forced to get creative in solving problems.
- Costs are unpredictable.
The Industry Is Stronger When We Work Together
- Open lines of experience and communication across the supply chain.
- Strengthen understanding of goals and methods to maximize efficiency and equipment performance.
- Learn from all areas of expertise.
Industry experts were asked to contribute potential opportunities, threats and challenges as well as happenings in their specific areas. Here is a sampling.
ASHRAE
Mick Schwedler, President, P.E. Fellow ASHRAE, LEED AP
“ASHRAE’s most recent global impact is our Epidemic Task Force. Through volunteer efforts of more than 130 experts, ASHRAE is a beacon, providing needed information to mitigate the spread of disease, reopen buildings, and deliver education for building owners and operators. All to improve Indoor Environmental Quality and keep people safe. The impact has been global and touched each of us locally.”
What’s Changed
A greater importance has been placed on indoor air quality and the ongoing need to create more healthy indoor environments that extend beyond the current COVID-19 pandemic. This means that our members have an even greater role to play in terms of guiding all industry sectors in creating and maintaining healthy indoor environmental quality.
HVACR’s Pressing Issues
Jurisdictions globally are confronting climate change and recognizing that building decarbonization is an important component in their efforts.
- The worldwide building sector accounts for about 40% of energy-related carbon emissions and buildings remain a major sector that lack sufficient mitigation policies.
As the standards authority for energy usage in buildings, ASHRAE recently formed a task force to address climate change through responsible decarbonization strategies for the built environment. The ASHRAE Task Force for Building Decarbonization (TFBD) mission is to develop technical resources and provide leadership and guidance in mitigating the negative carbon impact of buildings on the environment and the inhabitants of our planet.
The data-driven buildings industry, through innovation and ingenuity, will drive our buildings to increasingly higher performance. ASHRAE’s Vision 2030 is committed to leading, serving, and providing all professionals in the buildings industry with the resources and knowledge to continually support intelligent design, construction, and operation for a more adaptable and resilient built environment.
Highlight the Positive
The most important role we can play is to patiently educate consumer-focused media to bring about a greater understanding of the role HVAC plays in almost every aspect of our lives.
“One of the most important conversations we can have is how we continue to support personal growth, global impact and feed the roots of our members and our industry. As president of ASHRAE, I am committed to using our knowledge and connections to cultivate our deep, widespread, and strong roots to collectively provide global benefits today as well as for future generations.”
National Comfort Institute (NCI)
Rob Falke, President
“The COVID-19 has focused the world on the V (ventilation) letter in HVAC. COVID brings an increased opportunity to companies able to deliver effective and verifiable ventilation solutions. We can restore a degree of peace of mind to those we serve.”
The Pandemic’s Next Best Solution
COVID has forced change on the world. Fortunately change brings opportunity for those that seek it. Our industry is able to control ventilation. We don’t make vaccines, but ventilation is the pandemic’s next best solution through healthy buildings. We have the ability to test, diagnose, improve and verify ventilation system performance that makes buildings safe.
Challenges Ahead
Electrification: We see a huge gap between what regulators are decreeing and what a large majority of home and building owners think of the idea. Looks like the two sides of electrification are headed for a collision.
Environmentalism: While environmentalism creates opportunity for the HVAC industry, not all consumers are willing to spend large sums of money to bring it home.
Emerging Technology: Our members are on the front line being surrounded by HVAC emerging technology. While this is good, higher technology equipment, accessories and software do not install and operate themselves. To them, vendors see their products as plug and play. With low and unexperienced support staff, much new technology is being abandoned.
Highlight the Positive
The solutions that will spotlight our industry’s contributions to society is to deliver pristine and delightful consumer experiences and comfort systems that do what we promise. Our product is highly complex and technical, and we understand what we do and how we do it. In reality, they pay for an enjoyable honest, pleasant experience before and after the job is complete.
Mainstream media is always searching for a good story to tell, so give them one. Most in our industry have a unique project, job or customer experience that is of interest to the public. Become proactive toward the media and send them an achievement of yours of interest to the general public. Allow a third party to publish your positive story. It’s the best marketing you can receive.
In a recent discussion among several industry leaders, we paraphrased consumer sentiment about lost trust in our industry. Speaking for the consumer we coined, “If I’m going to get rotten results from an HVAC contractor, I might as well get rotten results at the lowest price.” The best way to highlight our positive contributions is to stop contributing negatively.
Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)
Stephen Yurek, President and CEO
“The state of our industry is strong, despite the challenges brought on by the pandemics. On the one hand, supply chain and workforce issues continue, while on the other hand, demand for our products and equipment has arguably never been higher.”
Beyond the Pandemic
Our industry, like many industries, is increasing its emphasis on improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions.
Pressing Issues
Successfully completing the transition to lower-GWP refrigerants is high on the list, as is the industry’s response to decarbonization efforts across the U.S. and around the world.
In addition, the coming transition to new performance metrics for heating and air conditioning equipment (the M1transition) is a major communications effort for the entire industry, manufacturers, distributors, and contractors alike.
Finally, increasing awareness and use of AHRI standards and our globally recognized, industry respected certification program around the world will continue to be a major emphasis.
Opportunities
I think working with schools to ensure proper equipment to increase health, safety, and productivity is an excellent opportunity given the amount of federal funding available.
Highlight the Positive
There is not a person in the United States today that does not use one or more of the products and equipment our members manufacture, whether it is heating, cooling, refrigeration or water heating. The positive contributions of our industry are too numerous to mention and we highlight those contributions at every opportunity. We sometimes see negative media stories regarding the effects of our products on energy use and the environment, but we respond by noting the absolute necessity of those products in protecting American life, health, and safety as well as the strides we’ve made in decreasing their effect on the overall environment.
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