HPAC On The Air

*PODCAST* Whether you like it or not, artificial intelligence is part of this industry now and its impact is being felt more and more each day. Where is your firm on this journey? Listen to HPAC Engineering's latest take on this game-changing technology.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced last spring that it was considering ending or privatizing its popular, 30-year-old program for promoting energy efficiency in buildings and products across the U.S. But industry pushed back with so much bipartisan support for maintaining ENERGY STAR as is that Congress decided to keep the program in its FY2026 budget.

This month, however, EPA restarted debate and speculation when it announced that it would be transferring primary administration of the program to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Engineering technology is now at a "watershed moment," says the Smart Cities guru. Artificial intelligence is already performing more than just administrative tasks at design firms, notes Doherty. The last remaining hurdle may be convincing clients that new designs generated in hours are just as reliable as the ones that used to take weeks to complete.

In the wake of our industry's massive turnout in Las Vegas for AHR Expo 2026, we talk to the event's director of marketing about what was new and surprising this year and what attendees and exhibitors can expect to see next fall in Mexico and next January in Chicago.

This month's editorial essay bids farewell to beloved commissioning engineer, Ron Wilkinson, creator of The Adventures of Johnny Tundra: Cold-Weather Engineer, and perhaps the only film critic who ever focused exclusively on the proper use of HVAC systems in popular movies? (Were the ducts that Bruce Willis was crawling through in Die Hard properly sized?)

But Ron's passing last month, and the glowing tributes to him that have poured in, also gives us opportunity to remember the truly meaningful impact that engineers in this industry can have on each other, as well as the public at large. At the end of the day, the reason most readers got into this industry was to contribute something larger to society.

For more, click to listen... 

As we enter 2026 and prepare for our industry's biggest annual tradeshow, AHR Expo, which coincides next month with ASHRAE's Winter Conference in Las Vegas, there is palpable anxiety in the air on multiple fronts.

The daily assault of dizzying headlines and unprecedented news has left many of us unsettled and uncertain about the road ahead. But for our industry at least, there is still considerable optimism for 2026. Here, HPAC Editor Rob McManamy reviews some of the latest industry developments to offer another quick take on where the economy seems to be headed this month...  

Expanding on her current HPAC cover story, the renowned IAQ expert, architect, and medical doctor tells us why this post-pandemic moment offers "a golden opportunity" for improving both the health of our buildings and their occupants.

As the year draws to a close, HPAC's editor takes stock of the progress, promise, and "golden" opportunity now fueling the potential for generational change in indoor environmental quality. 

Energy efficiency and decarbonization have dominated the HVACR stage in recent years, but ASHRAE's 2025-26 president is determined to turn the spotlight on IEQ before building owners forget the lessons of the pandemic.

With the government shutdown now in its second month, industry economists find themselves in an unusually precarious situation. This fall, forecasters are trying to make predictions for 2026 without the benefit of their usual monthly supply of essential government statistics. Imagine trying to read a crystal ball while wearing a blindfold. Here, Rob McManamy discusses the predicament.