GROHE Plans Wider Retail Presence Across Indian Cities India: LIXIL’s GROHE is expanding its focus on premium bathroom consumption in India, with greater emphasis on organised retail, experiential shopping and opportunities beyond major metropolitan markets. The company sees changing consumer preferences, including increased interest in design, technology, comfort and long-term value, as factors influencing the bathroom and water-solutions market. Replacement and renovation a

Indian Appliance Prices Rise Ahead of Festive Season India: Prices of air conditioners and other consumer appliances in India have increased by around 5–8% ahead of the 2026 festive season, marking the third round of price revisions during the year. Manufacturers have cited higher costs for copper, aluminium, steel and crude derivatives, along with increased freight expenses and currency movements. Despite the price increases, manufacturers expect demand to be supported by re

Ripples Bathrooms Opens New Showroom in Dublin Ireland: Ripples Bathrooms has opened a new showroom at Nutgrove Retail Park in Rathfarnham, Dublin, following an investment of more than EUR 1.5 million (USD 1.75 million). The 6,000 sq ft showroom includes 40 bathroom displays designed around different room sizes and layouts found in homes across South Dublin, Dublin and Wicklow. The displays cover compact bathrooms, family bathrooms and larger spaces, allowing customers to exa

Bank of Spain Warns Housing Shortfall Could Reach One Million Homes Spain: The Bank of Spain has warned that Spain’s housing deficit could exceed one million homes by 2028 if current supply and demand trends continue. Deputy Governor Soledad Núñez said the deficit could increase by around 300,000 homes between 2026 and 2028, on top of the approximately 750,000-home shortfall previously estimated by the institution. The shortage has been linked to continued household formation

ASEAN Issues Guidelines for Energy-Efficient Air Conditioners ASEAN: ASEAN has introduced Green Public Procurement Guidelines for Energy-Efficient Air Conditioners to support the adoption of higher-efficiency room air conditioners across member states. The 9th ASEAN Energy Outlook projects electricity demand from room air conditioners to increase by around 115%, from 134 TWh in 2025 to 288 TWh in 2040. The guidelines identify public procurement as a mechanism through which go

San Diego Foundation Launches $100M Affordable Housing Partnership USA: San Diego Foundation has announced a USD 100 million financing partnership with Bear Creek Fund Advisors to provide construction financing for affordable housing projects in San Diego. The announcement coincided with the groundbreaking of Louisiana Street, a 38-home development in North Park. The project is the first of four developments expected to deliver a combined 257 affordable homes across North Par

EnerCube and Panasonic Partner on Heat Pump Heating Units Germany and Austria: EnerCube has partnered with Panasonic to develop a new series of prefabricated heat pump heating units for commercial, industrial and municipal buildings. The units, known as Cubes, are factory-built systems that incorporate heat pumps, heating technology, controls and sound insulation before being installed outside a building and connected to its heating system. The new series integrates Panasonic

Panasonic Strengthens European Heating and Cooling Operations Europe: Panasonic Heating & Cooling has introduced a new organisational structure and visual identity for its European operations, following the formation of Panasonic HVAC & CC Co., Ltd. on 1 April 2026. The organisation brings together Panasonic’s global heating, ventilation, air conditioning and cold-chain activities under one structure. The change is accompanied by investment in European manufacturing, research

New Zealand Reviews Building Rules for Overheating Homes New Zealand: New Zealand authorities are facing calls to introduce changes to building regulations addressing overheating in newly constructed homes. Organisations including the Building Research Association of New Zealand and the Green Building Council have raised concerns about homes reaching high indoor temperatures during summer, citing factors such as large windows, limited ventilation, lack of external shading and

Romania Residential Building Permits Decline in First Eight Months Romania: Romania issued 21,791 residential building permits during the first eight months of 2026, representing a 12.2% decline compared with the same period of 2025, according to the National Institute of Statistics. In August alone, 2,943 residential building permits were issued, with 72.5% relating to projects in rural areas. August permits declined by 16.1% year on year but increased by 1.2% compared with

Panasonic Panasonic HVAC & CC Co., Ltd. has appointed Mitsuru Shibata as Managing Executive Officer and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), effective November 1, 2026. The appointment was approved by the company’s Board of Directors following discussions by the Nomination and Compensation Advisory Committee. Shibata currently serves as Deputy CSO, overseeing the company’s HVAC business, and will assume the additional responsibilities of CSO under his new role. Following the change,

Bathroom INDIA: Lorazzo, a design-led and technology-focused kitchen and bathroom fittings brand, has raised Rs 15 crore (approximately US$1.8 million) in its latest funding round. The round was led by Sauce, with follow-on investment from Sprout Venture Partners and participation from Panthera Peak and Alteria Capital. The company plans to use the funds to expand its product portfolio, strengthen product development and research, build its team, and enhance its online and of

LG USA: LG Electronics USA has entered into a major supply agreement with AIR Control Concepts (AIR), a global platform comprising leading HVAC, electrical, service and controls companies, to supply advanced chillers for data centers across the United States and Canada. The long-term agreement strengthens AIR’s position as a key provider to the AI data center (AIDC) industry while supporting LG’s expansion in the growing AIDC cooling market. The partnership is aimed at meetin

real estate Saudi Arabia-based Abdullah Al Othaim Investment Company has launched a dedicated real estate development arm, Al Othaim Developments, with plans to invest more than SAR 16 billion (US$4.27 billion) in around 10 projects over the next two years. According to the company, the planned developments will include approximately 8,000 residential units across several cities in Saudi Arabia. Al Othaim Developments will focus on creating integrated destinations that combin

WERIT Expands Dutch Sanitary Market Presence with Rezi Sanitair Business Takeover Netherlands: Werit Kunststoffwerke W. Schneider GmbH & Co. KG will take over the business activities of its long-standing Dutch partner Rezi Sanitair Nederland BV, based in Valkenswaard, effective 1 October 2026, following the retirement of its partner. Rezi Sanitair, which has operated under its current name since 1997 and has roots dating to Philips Sanitair, founded in 1940, supplies toilet c

LG Electronics India to Raise AC Prices by 5–7% from October 2026 India: LG Electronics India will increase air conditioner prices by 5–7% from 1 October 2026, citing higher commodity prices, logistics and energy costs, and foreign exchange movements ahead of the second leg of festive sales. Voltas, Havells (LLOYD), Godrej Appliances and Bosch Home (Hitachi) have also announced 5–8% increases for RAC units, citing geopolitical developments, commodity prices, US dollar appreci

Systemair to Discontinue Production at Waalwijk Facility in the Netherlands Netherlands: Systemair intends to discontinue production at its Waalwijk facility, affecting approximately 70 employees, with the phase-out expected to be completed in early 2027, subject to employee consultations. The company plans to supply the Dutch market from other European manufacturing units while retaining sales, service, logistics, technical support and product development activities in the N

KCC Manufacturing and Transaera Partner to Scale U.S. Production of MOF-Based Outdoor Air Systems U.S.: KCC Manufacturing and Transaera have announced a manufacturing and engineering partnership to scale U.S. production of Transaera’s dedicated outdoor air systems, which use metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to remove moisture before cooling. KCC will manufacture the cabinets, support Transaera’s proprietary controls, provide systems-design integration and supply domestic produ

Daikin and Almoayyed Contracting Group Inaugurate Experience Center in Bahrain Bahrain: Almoayyed Contracting Group, in collaboration with Daikin Middle East and Africa, inaugurated the Daikin Experience Center in Bahrain, strengthening their strategic collaboration established in 2024, when Almoayyed Contracting Group became a non-exclusive authorised distributor of Daikin products and solutions in the country. The centre showcases Daikin’s split and central air-conditioning

3D Printed Housing Project INDIA: India’s Centre has sanctioned 3 lakh houses worth USD373.82 million (₹3,600 million) for Andhra Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin 2.0. Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also launched the foundation of the country’s first pilot rural housing project using 3D concrete printing technology. The US$ 1.45 million (₹14 crore) project will construct 177 houses in Guntur district, with completion expected within six months. The te

LG Electronics Expands Chiller Production SOUTH KOREA/USA: LG Electronics is expanding its global chiller manufacturing capacity to support rising demand from AI data centres. The company is establishing a new air cooled chiller plant in Virginia, USA, with production expected to begin in the first half of 2027, and expanding production lines at its Pyeongtaek and Changwon facilities in South Korea. LG plans to invest US$ 111.6 million (KRW 150000 million) across the three fa

Texas Prisons Ordered to Install Air Conditioning USA: A federal court has ordered Texas to install air conditioning across all state prisons by 31 December 2029, citing extreme heat as an unconstitutional condition. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice must immediately develop an installation plan and provide progress reports every six months. The project is estimated to cost around US$1.5 billion and require upgrades across more than 70 facilities, with only just over o

Sedona Launches Heat Pump Scheme USA: The City of Sedona, Arizona, has launched the Northern Arizona Switch Together Heat Pump Co Op to encourage homeowners to replace traditional heating and cooling systems with heat pumps. The group buying programme offers participating homeowners a 17% discount based on the national average installation cost. Eligible households may also access additional savings through Sedona’s Home Energy Retrofit Program and Arizona’s Efficiency Arizon

HVAC Groups Appeal NFPA Decision on Outdoor GFCI Requirements USA: The Air Conditioning Contractors of America and Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute have appealed the National Fire Protection Association’s rejection of a proposed extension to outdoor HVAC ground fault circuit interrupter requirements under the National Electrical Code. The groups have raised concerns over nuisance tripping, equipment compatibility, product availability and inconsistent en