Heat pump USA: Quilt recently announced in a LinkedIn post that it has partnered with Southern Home Services to distribute its smart heat pump systems across nine markets in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Texas. This marks one of Quilt’s largest geographic expansions to date and reflects rising interest among established home service providers in ductless heat pump technologies. According to the post, Southern Home Services selected Quilt to support its expansion into

US Supreme Court Restricts Presidential Authority to Impose Tariffs USA: The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled by a 6‑3 majority that former President Donald Trump exceeded his legal authority when imposing broad import tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The Court held that IEEPA does not grant the executive branch the power to levy sweeping tariffs because the Constitution reserves the power to impose taxes and duties to Congres

Watsco, Inc. Lifts Dividend and Margins Despite Tough HVAC Market USA: Watsco reported resilient 2025 results amid regulatory transitions and softer housing demand, delivering a record full-year gross margin of 28% and record fourth-quarter operating cash flow of US$400 million. Revenue slipped 5% to US$7.24 billion and EPS eased to US$12.25, reflecting lower HVAC unit volumes and higher operating costs tied to the A2L refrigerant shift. Even so, pricing optimisation and OEM

HARDI Releases 2026 State of the Channel Report on HVACR Distribution Trends USA: Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) has released its 2026 State of the Channel Report, offering key insights into the factors influencing the wholesale HVACR distribution and manufacturing landscape. Now in its sixth edition, the report presents a clear and comprehensive overview of market performance, competitive dynamics, and future demand trends, based

Canadian Tire Reports Higher Q4 Sales but Lower Annual Profit CANADA: Canadian Tire Corporation reported stronger sales in the fourth quarter and across 2025, although annual profit declined. Fourth-quarter sales increased 8.3% to about $4.6 billion, while comparable retail sales rose 2.7%, supported mainly by demand for seasonal products. For the full year, retail sales reached $19.0 billion, representing a 4.5% increase compared with the previous year. However, net income f

Housing Starts Show Uptick Towards the End of 2025 USA: According to recent construction data, U.S. housing starts showed an uptick late in 2025, signalling a modest rebound in residential building activity after earlier softness during the year. The increase was driven in part by a rise in single‑family housing starts, which reached their highest level since February, suggesting builders responded to improving seasonal and market conditions. While starts earlier in 2025 had

Multifamily Housing Market Forecast to Cool in 2026 as Vacancies Climb USA: The multifamily housing market in the United States is expected to slow in 2026 as vacancy rates continue to rise, according to economists speaking at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show in Orlando. After a post‑pandemic slump, multifamily property sales rebounded in 2025 with a 15 % increase across most metropolitan areas, but the influx of new supply is now

Home Resales Decline in January CANADA: Sales of existing homes in Canada declined in January 2026, with resale activity down 5.8 percent compared with December, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association. On a non‑seasonally adjusted basis, sales were also 16.2 percent lower than in January 2025. At the same time, the number of newly listed properties rose by 7.3 percent, indicating growing supply even as buyer activity weakened. The combined effect suggests a cooling

Survey Highlights Growing Doubts About Homeownership Affordability CANADA: A new public opinion report by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association reveals increasing concern among Canadians about the feasibility of owning a home. While 88% of Canadians under 45 aspire to homeownership, only 29% of non-homeowners believe they will ever be able to purchase a property. The survey also found that 66% of respondents consider the federal government responsible for addressing the hou

Ace Hardware Delivers Strong Revenue Growth in 2025 Results USA: Ace Hardware Corporation reported robust financial performance for the fourth quarter and full year of fiscal 2025, with record revenues of $2.5 billion in Q4 and $10 billion for the year, marking notable year‑on‑year increases. Fourth‑quarter net income was $44.2 million, down slightly from the prior year, while full‑year net income was $293.4 million. The results reflect expanded sales across wholesale and ret

Residential Remodelling Market Expected to Expand Through 2026 and Beyond USA: The residential remodelling sector is projected to continue growing through 2026, supported by changing homeowner needs and long-term housing trends. One of the key drivers is the increasing number of older homeowners choosing to remain in their existing properties rather than relocating. This ageing-in-place trend is encouraging renovations that improve accessibility, comfort and functionality wit

Construction Spending Rises in December in Canada CANADA: Investment in building construction in Canada increased in December, with total spending up $442.9 million (1.9 %) to $23.7 billion, according to Statistics Canada data reported by Hardlines. Growth was driven by residential construction, which rose 2.4 % to $16.8 billion, including a 2.3 % increase in single‑family home investment to $7.5 billion. Gains were seen notably in Ontario and British Columbia, reflecting con

Orlando Focuses on Affordability Challenges at IBS 2026 USA: At the International Builders’ Show (IBS) 2026 held in Orlando, affordability emerged as a central concern for the housing and construction industry, with major discussions on how escalating costs are affecting buyer demand and market confidence. Participants, including builders and industry experts, highlighted that high home prices, mortgage rates and supply‑side pressures are constraining housing affordability, p

Homepros US: Combined shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps fell significantly in 2025, totaling just over 7.7 million units compared with roughly 9.6 million units in 2024, representing a 20% year-over-year decline. In December alone, shipments reached about 408,000 units, down 21.4% year over year and marking the seventh consecutive month of declines exceeding 20%. The data covers both residential and commercial equipment. Comparisons with 2024 rem

Rheem and ecobee Launch ecobee Smart Thermostat Lite | Works with EcoNet Technology Across U.S. and Canada U.S./Canada: Rheem Manufacturing Company and ecobee have partnered to introduce the ecobee Smart Thermostat Lite | Works with EcoNet Technology, designed to deliver energy savings, seamless compatibility and enhanced convenience for homeowners and contractors across the U.S. and Canada. The ENERGY STAR-certified thermostat can help homeowners save up to 23% annually on h

U.S. Heat Pump Shipments dipped in 2025, Still Outperformed Gas Furnaces UNITED STATES: US heat pump shipments declined in 2025 but still exceeded gas furnace shipments for the fourth consecutive year, reinforcing their position as the country’s most-shipped heating appliance. Data from the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute shows air-source heat pump shipments were 12% higher than fossil gas–fired furnaces, despite year-on-year softness. Heat pump shipmen

Ontario and Quebec Join Forces to Expand Housing and Infrastructure CANADA: The provincial governments of Ontario and Quebec have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on expanding housing and supporting infrastructure development. The agreement will facilitate the deployment of the Build Canada Homes programme in Quebec, which focuses on increasing affordable housing supply through modern construction methods such as prefabrication and modular building. As part

UNEP and ASHRAE Adopt New Lifecycle Refrigerant Management Plan UNITED STATES: UNEP and ASHRAE have adopted a new two-year work plan on Life Cycle Refrigerant Management (LRM), strengthening their long-standing collaboration supporting the global transition to sustainable refrigerants. The plan was adopted at the ASHRAE Winter Conference in Nevada, USA, and will guide joint projects covering refrigerants from production to end-of-life. Key initiatives include new training too

State Policies Push HVAC Industry Toward Electrification and Decarbonization USA: Driven by sustainability targets and increasing energy costs, state and local policymakers are gradually steering the HVAC industry toward electrification and decarbonization. For instance, a statewide restriction on residential gas furnaces and water heaters in Colorado came into effect this year. The rule limits available options to units with ultra-low nitrogen oxide emissions or those that m

Bipartisan Bill Reintroduced to Promote IAQ and Ventilation Upgrades in U.S. Buildings USA: A bipartisan bill in the U.S. House of Representatives aims to offer incentives for indoor air quality (IAQ) assessments, as well as upgrades to ventilation and air-filtration systems in non-residential buildings. The Airborne Act, which had been introduced in earlier House sessions but did not pass into law, was reintroduced in February by Don Beyer and Brian Fitzpatrick. The legislat