Author Archives: laschano

After several years of unpredictable lead times for commercial HVAC equipment, industry data suggests the supply picture is stabilizing. Compressors, control boards, and major system components that faced months-long backorders in prior years are generally more available now, and lead times for standard commercial rooftop units have shortened considerably from their peak. This is goodContinue reading “Supply Chain Normalization Is Bringing Equipment Lead Times Back Down”

What used to be considered a premium add-on for commercial HVAC systems, networked smart controls and remote monitoring, is increasingly the baseline expectation for new commercial installations. The shift is being driven by a combination of factors: falling hardware costs, utility incentive programs that favor demand-responsive systems, and building owners who have simply gotten usedContinue reading “Smart Building Controls Are Becoming the Standard, Not the Upgrade”

California’s Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards continue to tighten requirements around commercial HVAC performance, and the practical effect for building owners is that “like-for-like” equipment replacement is becoming less straightforward than it used to be. Depending on the scope of a project, a straightforward unit swap can now trigger additional requirements around controls, ventilation,Continue reading “Title 24 Energy Code Updates Are Reshaping Commercial HVAC Retrofits”

The EPA’s continued phasedown of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants under the AIM Act is entering a phase that commercial building owners can no longer treat as a future problem. Allowable production and import allowances for high-GWP refrigerants like R-410A continue to shrink, and the ripple effect is already visible: refrigerant costs remain elevated compared to justContinue reading “EPA’s Refrigerant Phasedown Reaches a New Milestone”

California’s Indoor Heat Illness Prevention standard continues to reshape how commercial and industrial facilities manage summer operations. Under the rule, employers must maintain indoor workspaces below 87°F when employees are present, or 82°F in areas where workers wear protective clothing or handle high-radiant-heat equipment. For warehouses, manufacturing floors, and distribution centers across the Los AngelesContinue reading “California’s Cal/OSHA Indoor Heat Rule: What Facility Managers Need to Know”