Top 6 Trends in HVAC for 2022

2020 and 2021 have been years for the history books. We have seen dramatic cultural, economic, workplace, health and wellness, and work/life balance shifts over the past 18 months. One of the biggest sectors affected is the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) industry. Our MEP team is having conversations with our clients that would be very rare before March 2020. How has the COVID pandemic and global shifts affected the HVAC industry? Keep on the lookout for these top six trends in HVAC for 2022.

Trend 1: Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

In years’ past, with rare exceptions for specialty spaces, it would be uncommon for clients to initiate a conversation about indoor air quality (IAQ). Now many more people are familiar with the term “IAQ”. It feels like we are all now experts in “droplet size”, “viral load”, “transmissibility”, “aerosolized particles”. Building owners are much better prepared for discussions about indoor air quality and are seeking modifications to their building’s HVAC design to keep their spaces safe and open. We are thrilled that more people are interested in healthier buildings. We have seen the market trending to include bipolar ionization, UV lights, and higher quality filters (i.e. MERV 13 instead of MERV 8). We anticipate this HVAC trend continuing through 2022.

Trend 2: ARPA Funding

And thanks to funding from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), municipalities, counties, and states have financial support to fund projects impacted by COVID. A great way to use ARPA funding is to address those indoor air quality issues just mentioned. Or to replace lost revenue to fund a new building project. If your city or county has been thinking of expanding their campus, now is the time. ADG’s Program Management Department is well versed in ARPA funding and is ready to help.

Trend 3: Supply Chain Issues

For decades, HVAC equipment manufacturers, among other industries, have trended towards just-in-time manufacturing. This process is part of the lean management approach and focuses on decreasing time and materials waste. Manufacturers keep all of the components to their standard offering on hand, but only make the equipment as needed. This means that there are no longer warehouses filled with equipment ready to ship. HVAC equipment had been made to order. Now, with the backlog of materials, assembly lines are grinding to a halt when the needed computer chips or parts are not in stock. We may see a trend of manufacturers scaling back their offerings or options to keep up with demand. We may also see more local manufactures stepping up to fill the gap in supply made when overseas equipment is delayed.

Trend 4: Air Conditioning in Northern Climates

As climate change starts to affect the weather in northern climates, we predict that places that traditionally do not have air conditioning (think Seattle, Maine, the Netherlands), will start to need it. Imagine trying to sweat out a 90°F week with no air conditioning. Thankfully, our engineers here at ADG are well versed in designing HVAC systems to keep occupants cool and comfortable.

Trend 5: Fuel and Heating Concerns

The industry has been focused on increasing energy efficiency in cooling systems. We have seen the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) increase from a SEER 8 to SEER 16 to SEER 23, etc. The industry has made great strides in cooling efficiency. As fuel and heating oil costs rise, we think that there will be progress made on the heating side of the issue. February 2021 saw companies and individuals hit with natural gas bills that they simply could not afford. One local Oklahoma City company saw over $70,000 of natural gas used to heat their building in just 3 days. That’s more than they would normally spend over an entire year. We think it’s time to start addressing heating efficiency.

Trend 6: Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation

The State of Oklahoma may be getting closer to adopting a more recent energy code. We anticipate cities following in the same direction. It is vital for our climate (and our bottom line) to use less energy. Increasing energy efficiency combined with better building envelopes (the exterior skin of the building) will led to economic growth and lower energy costs for the building owner. As the City grows faster than many other metropolitan areas, decreasing energy usage will keep us from straining our energy grid or needing new (expensive) power plans. A well balanced energy portfolio is vital for continued growth in Oklahoma City.

Contact ADG

Our Design Engineers are more than just engineers. We are well versed in creating beautiful, inspiring places that are also functional, comfortable, and healthy. Additionally, we stay ahead of the trends. Just ask ASHRAE. The ASHRAE Journal reached to our Director of MEP Engineering for her thoughts on the trends in the industry. She is quoted in the December 20201 ASHRAE Journal. Go check it out! ADG is pleased offer assistance to municipalities, counties, and private industry clients to access and utilize ARPA funding to address their building concerns. If you need help with your next projects or adopting one of the hot new trends of 2022, our engineers are excited to take your call.