As Energy Prices Drop, HVAC Consumption Should Rise

Have you filled the tank of your car lately? You probably were pleasantly surprised. As gas prices fall to $2…and less…folks in the HVAC & Refrigeration industry may also be smiling.

HVAC on the Up

Why? Well, as the economy continues to recover and energy prices fall, the experts predict there likely will be upward pressure on energy use – including home heating and air conditioning. So says speaker and energy coach Mike Rogers, who put increased home energy use at #2 on his “7 Home Performance Trends to Watch in 2015.” According to Rogers, dropping gas prices are sending a powerful current (he intended the bad pun!) that’s pushing consumers away from previous concerns about energy costs. Since oil and gas prices are not expected to suddenly skyrocket in the coming months, Rogers predicts, for 2015 at least, the trend will continue to focus on comfort, durability, comfort, indoor air quality, and…you guessed it – comfort! And with comfort comes HVAC consumption.

What does all that mean for the HVAC industry?

Rogers says the savvy HVACR contractors will expand into home performance areas – a comprehensive whole house approach to identifying and correcting a home’s comfort and energy-efficiency issues. In other words, don’t just fix an A/C problem, for example, make sure the house itself is made more efficient and sustainable. That’s a new approach for the HVAC & Refrigeration industry – one that should be learned from the ground up. HVAC students today aren’t just A/C or heater repair people; they learn to apply theory and principal taught in classes and lab settings so they have the ability to develop, select, operate and test a wide range of heating, ventilating and air conditioning elements to create that desired “comfortable” environment. These are all skills that can be learned in a Fortis HVAC program. Programs are offered at HVAC training schools at Fortis campuses across the country. To learn more about the HVAC & Refrigeration program nearest you, visit www.fortis.edu.