Heatwave Warning Issued Australia: Authorities have warned that southeast Australia is facing its most severe heatwave in six years, with maximum temperatures widely forecast to exceed 40°C. Severe heatwave warnings have been issued for parts of South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania, as well as the entire Australian Capital Territory, driven by a hot air mass moving east across the country. Forecasts indicate that temperatures are expected to reach 41°C in M

High-Efficiency and Low-NOx Heating Systems USA: Starting in 2026, all manufactured water heaters and furnace units installed in Colorado must meet high efficiency standards or ultra-low nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission ratings, aimed at reducing air pollution, improving air quality, and potentially lowering utility bills. Low NOx equipment significantly cuts harmful emissions by drawing combustion air from outside, making it safer for indoor use. While the law does not require

Joins Procure Plus Carbon Tech Framework UK: Procure Plus has appointed Viessmann Climate Solutions to its four-year Framework for the Supply of Low & Zero Carbon Technologies, supporting social housing and public sector projects across retrofit, repairs, maintenance, and new-build activity. The framework, valued at approximately USD 2.0 billion (£1.6bn), provides a compliant route for social housing landlords and public sector organisations to procure materials needed for de

Home Electrification US: Federal tax credits for residential solar panels, batteries and heat pumps expired at the end of 2025, removing incentives that previously saved homeowners significant amounts and making home electrification more expensive from 2026. The lapse of the 30% tax credit does not raise equipment prices directly but ends the ability for homeowners with tax liabilities to offset their taxes, with a typical solar and battery system previously generating credit

European Gas Prices Europe: European natural gas markets saw a notable decline in prices toward the end of December 2025, with futures for natural gas dropping to around 50 Euro/MWh after the highs of late 2024, indicating easing cost trends on the continent. Despite this downward movement, demand pressures linked to colder weather forecasts kept market attention high, as climatic conditions remain a key factor influencing consumption and stock levels across Europe. In Italy,

Star label India: The government has made energy efficiency star labelling mandatory for a wider range of appliances from January 1, 2026, according to a gazette notification issued by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency. The revised regulation will cover refrigerators, televisions, LPG gas stoves, cooling towers and chillers and will also apply to deep freezers, distribution transformers and grid connected solar inverters. Earlier, star labelling for several of these products, i

BEE Star Rating India: Revised star rating norms issued by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency are expected to push up the prices of cooling appliances such as room air conditioners and refrigerators from January 1, 2026. Under the updated system, the new 5-star air conditioner is designed to be about 10% more energy efficient but may cost around 10% more, while refrigerator prices could rise by around 5%. The price increases are likely to nearly offset the benefit consumers rece

Bharti Enterprises and Warburg Pincus to Acquire 49% Stake in Haier India INDIA: Bharti Enterprises together with private equity firm Warburg Pincus, has announced a strategic investment in Haier India, a subsidiary of Haier Group. Upon completion of the transaction, Bharti Enterprises and Warburg Pincus will jointly hold a 49% stake in Haier India, while Haier Group will retain an equal 49% share. The remaining 2% equity will be owned by Haier India’s management team. In a s

Hisense INDIA: Hisense is positioning air conditioners as the cornerstone of its next growth phase in India, viewing the category as the fastest-growing appliance opportunity over the next decade. Citing single-digit AC penetration, CEO Pankaj Rana stated, "AC penetration in India is still in single digits, and over the next 10 years, air conditioners will be the biggest category in terms of CAGR growth." Hisense expects ACs to surpass TVs and refrigerators in value within fi

Samsung Electronics PERU: Samsung Electronics is strengthening its presence in the Latin American HVAC market by expanding beyond product sales into installation and aftersales capabilities. The company has opened a new Samsung HVAC Professional Training Center in Chiclayo, Peru, aimed at training engineers and installers in advanced installation and maintenance. The initiative is part of a broader B2B strategy to improve service quality and competitiveness in a region where

Heat Pump UNITED STATES: US homeowners face higher heat pump installation costs as the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit ends on December 31. Under the program, households could claim up to $3,200 annually, including up to $2,000 for qualifying heat pumps, covering 30% of eligible costs. From January 2026, new installations will no longer qualify, removing a key mechanism that helped offset upfront costs and reduce long-term heating expenses. The credit applied only to

United States UNITED STATES: National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) forecasts that United States household heating costs will rise 9.2% this winter, roughly three times inflation, driven by higher electricity and natural gas prices and colder weather. Average heating spending is expected to reach $995, up $84 year-on-year. Electricity-heated homes face the steepest increase (+12.2%), followed by natural gas users (+8.4%), while heating oil and propane costs

Amber Enterprises to Invest USD 55.8 Million in Punjab, India to Expand HVAC R&D Facility INDIA: Amber Enterprises India Ltd has announced plans to expand its advanced HVAC research and development centre in Punjab, supported by state incentives aimed at boosting technology innovation. The facility will focus on the development of commercial air-conditioning solutions and VRV systems. The company will invest ₹500 crore (USD 55.8 Million) over the duration of Punjab’s incentiv

EU-Backed Project Introduces Subscription-Based Model to Accelerate Heat Pump Adoption EUROPE: A new EU-funded initiative, HP SUBSCRIBE, aims to overcome the high upfront costs that limit the uptake of heat pumps in Europe’s commercial and public rented buildings. The project introduces a subscription-based model that allows tenants to access efficient heat pump heating without initial investment, while a specialised third party installs, finances and maintains the system. By

District Heating Prices Surge, Driving Sharp Rise in Iceland’s Home Heating Costs ICELAND: Latest inflation data from Statistics Iceland show a sharp increase in home heating costs, driven mainly by a 9.2% rise in district heating prices. According to Landsbankinn, this marks the largest increase in 15 years, last seen in 2010. The rise follows the introduction of new tariffs in December, meaning much of the expected January impact has already been reflected in inflation figu

Air Conditioning Qatar’s climate is among the harshest in the world, with summer temperatures regularly rising above 45°C. In such conditions, air conditioning is not a luxury but a necessity. AC systems designed to operate efficiently and reliably at extreme ambient temperatures, often above 50°C, are therefore essential. Gulf nations use special performance ratings such as T3 at 46°C and T4 at 48°C for AC testing, and manufacturers build units to function continuously well

Appoints New Management Team Germany: Kermi GmbH, has announced a change in management following the departure of its former managing directors, with Kerstin Sticht and Jan Kujaw appointed to lead the company. Sticht, who joined Kermi in 2001, has held several senior roles including Head of Strategic Planning and Chief Marketing Officer, where she strengthened the group’s brand strategy across European HVAC markets. Currently serving as Chief People Officer (CPO) of the MBT C

Airvance Group Acquires Majority Stake Austria: Airvance Group Acquires Majority Stake in Austrian Heat Pump Distributor IPK as Austrian distributor IPK, which specializes in air/air and air/water heat pump systems and distributes brands including LG and Hisense, signed an agreement to sell a majority stake in its share capital to the Airvance Group, a specialist in ventilation and indoor air quality solutions for residential and tertiary buildings. Under the transaction, the

Change Trade Name to “GENERAL Inc.” Global: Fujitsu General Air Conditioning will change its name to General Inc HVAC Solutions Ltd as part of a broader global rebranding exercise after the acquisition of the parent company by Paloma Rheem Holdings. The Japanese parent company completed the sale of its air conditioning business in August, and in October Paloma announced that the group would be renamed General Inc. The name change will be rolled out across all domestic and ov

Heat Pump INDIA: The Andhra Pradesh government has partnered with Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) to implement a pilot air source heat pump (ASHP) project in Araku, with work expected to begin in January 2026. As the state’s first such initiative, the project will cover the design, installation, testing, and commissioning of ASHP systems to meet water and space heating needs at tourist facilities in the region. Situated near Visakhapatnam, Araku has developed into a