How Economic Pressure Is Affecting Building Products Prices in Egypt Over the past three years, Egypt’s building-products industry has been affected by a weakening currency, followed by a gradual stabilisation. This has resulted in a continuous recalculation of costs for both manufacturers and consumers in the bathroom, kitchen, and HVAC categories, from imported compressors and copper to industrial gas used in ceramic firing. The products that rely most largely on imported p

Shift To Lead-Free Materials Reshapes Plumbing Component Design Global: The transition to lead-free materials in plumbing components is progressing across the industry, supported by regulatory changes and increased focus on water quality. Manufacturers are adopting engineered polymers in applications such as faucet mixing valves, where components are required to operate under conditions including high temperatures, pressure variation and continuous exposure to water. These ma

LG Secures First European Heat Pump And Buffer Tank Project Netherlands: LG Electronics has secured its first European order for a combined system of THERMA V air-to-water heat pumps and stainless steel buffer tanks supplied by OSO, for a 102-unit social housing redevelopment project in Ridderkerk, the Netherlands. The project involves reconstruction of an existing site, with retained structural elements and the use of timber in the new build. Installation of the heat pump sy

CAREL Completes Acquisition Of Cotes Dehumidification Business Denmark: CAREL Industries has completed the acquisition of 100 per cent of the share capital of Cotes A/S and Tørbåd ApS, collectively known as Cotes, on 3 September 2026. The transaction adds adsorption dehumidification technology to CAREL’s portfolio, which focuses on components and solutions for the control of heating, ventilation and air conditioning and refrigeration systems. Cotes operates in the field of de

Heat Pumps Highlighted In Industrial Decarbonisation Efforts Indonesia: Indonesia is advancing efforts to reduce emissions from its industrial sector, with the Ministry of Industry setting a target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, ahead of the national target of 2060. The manufacturing sector accounts for around 19.07 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product and remains a major consumer of energy, particularly for process heat. Heating requirements account for

Funding awarded for geothermal heat pump workforce programmes United States: The United States Department of Energy’s Geothermal Technologies Office has selected eight projects to receive funding of USD 150,000 (EUR 138,000) each to support workforce development in the geothermal heat pump (GHP) sector. The funding forms part of the Partnerships to Accelerate Training and Hiring for Geothermal Heat Pumps (GHP PATHs) programme, which aims to support workforce expansion require

Haier Launches R290 Heat Pump Range Through Solar Partnership Denmark: Haier HVAC Solutions has introduced its R290 air-to-water heat pump portfolio in Denmark through a partnership with Solar Denmark, which will distribute the range to professional installers for residential and small commercial applications. The portfolio includes Monobloc, Hydro Split and All in One units, covering capacities from 6 to 16 kW, along with additional models at both lower and higher capacity l

Clean Energy Employment Grows Amid Skills Shortage European Union: Clean energy technologies are contributing to employment growth across the European Union, with the sector expanding faster than the overall economy. In 2024, energy sector employment increased by 2.2 per cent compared with 1.3 per cent growth in total employment. The European Union accounts for around 1.8 million jobs linked to renewable energy, ranking second globally after China. Within the EU, wind energy

China Announces USD 54 Billion Capital Injection to Strengthen Financial Sector China: China's finance ministry is leading a CNY 360 billion (USD 54 billion) capital injection into state-owned insurers and banks to strengthen the country's financial system and support long-term economic growth. China Life Insurance will receive CNY 35 billion (USD 5.2 billion), China Taiping Insurance CNY 7 billion (USD 1.0 billion), People's Insurance Company of China plans to raise up to CN

Lenox and Town & Country Living Launch Coordinated Bath Collection United States: Town & Country Living has entered into a licensing partnership with Lenox to introduce a coordinated bath collection. The range is scheduled to debut at the New York Home Textiles Market from 14 September 2026, with retail availability planned for the first quarter of 2027. The collection will include bath towels, shower curtains, countertop accessories, bath rugs and mats, along with liners and

Daikin Lists 65 Air-To-Air Heat Pump Combinations on UK MCS Directory United Kingdom: Daikin has become the first successful applicant to have multi-split air-to-air heat pump products listed on the MCS Product Directory through the Eurovent Certification route. A total of 65 residential Multi-split and Multi+ combinations have been listed. The systems pair a single outdoor unit with two to five wall-mounted indoor units, with the certified products including Daikin’s Perfera

Samsung Opens Heat Pump Training Centre in South Korea South Korea: Samsung Electronics has established a dedicated EHS heat pump training centre at its CS Academy in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. The facility will provide training for B2B partners and installation engineers covering water piping, product installation, commissioning and service inspection. The initiative comes as South Korea targets the deployment of 3.5 million heat pumps by 2035. The training centre includes eq