Kyle Gargaro is Editor-in-Chief of ACHR News, and has been with THE NEWS for eight years, first as News and Legislation Editor, then as Managing Editor, and now as Editor-in-Chief.
I can tell it is a new year because I have begun my health kick that typically lasts about three weeks. But, if you are in the HVACR industry, you know the AHR Expo is the official start of the New Year.
This show is when new products are introduced, and everyone shares predictions about what 2015 will entail. Why should I be any different? Here are my predictions for 2015.
• Prediction No. 1: The HVACR industry will be affected greatly by government regulations. Of course, we can say this every year, but government intrusion into the industry will likely reach unprecedented levels in 2015. With Congress and the president in gridlock, it is easiest for the president to push his agenda through regulations. And, the HVACR industry will not be spared. There is always a way to work around the Constitution.
According to people in the industry, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) intends to introduce 18 rule–makings that directly affect the HVAC industry. Only five of these are scheduled for implementation after the current political administration leaves office, so that means 13 rule–makings will come about in the next two years. That seems like a lot.
I see the industry fighting some of these with litigation — and rightfully so. Buoyed by the regional standards victory, I believe the industry realizes it needs to use both the carrot and the stick to fight/work with government.
This is a fine line for the industry to walk. The industry needs to stand up for itself, but it also can’t be seen as slowing down progress. Here is a fact the industry should be repeating when talking about this subject: Today’s homes are 30 percent larger than they were 20 years ago, but energy consumption in them is flat. That is pretty impressive.
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Source: www.achrnews.com; Kyle Gargaro; January 26, 2015.
