Industry News

The California Heat Pump Partnership brings together leading state agencies, manufacturers, utilities, and other market actors to support the state’s heat pump and climate targets.

Yesterday, the California Heat Pump Partnership (CAHPP) officially launched with its first convening to bring together state agencies, manufacturers representing more than 90% of the U.S. consumer heat pump market, utilities, and other market actors to help achieve the state’s goal to install six million electric heat pumps by 2030. Launched with a shared vision to catalyze a sustainable, decarbonized future, the public-private partnership will drive forward a clean energy economy and advance California’s climate objectives by propelling widespread heat pump adoption through cross-sector collaboration and strategic partnerships.

Caption: Members of the California Heat Pump Partnership Credit: California Energy Commission.

“California knows how to scale clean energy. We’ve done this with electric vehicles, solar, wind, and battery storage—and now it’s time to take the benefits of heat pump technology mainstream,” said California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild. “Heat pumps provide Californians a way to both cool and heat their homes with no pollution. The California Heat Pump Partnership will help government and industry leaders do the barrier-busting necessary to ensure heat pumps are accessible to all Californians.”

“The Building Decarbonization Coalition is uniquely positioned to manage the partnership, and bring together state and industry leaders to rapidly grow the heat pump market in California,” said Terra Weeks, Director for the CAHPP. “Scaling this technology will usher California into a new era of clean electric heating and cooling, and propel the state toward a carbon neutral future.”

The CAHPP will develop a blueprint outlining how to address technical, market, and policy barriers for achieving the state’s heat pump targets. The partnership will also deploy a statewide consumer marketing campaign through The Switch Is On, an initiative launched by the Building Decarbonization Coalition, to educate, inspire, and make switching to electric appliances easier for communities, contractors, and all those who live and work in buildings.

“As California moves toward a carbon-neutral future, it’s crucial to foster close coordination between state and market leaders to achieve our building decarbonization goals,” said California Public Utilities Commission President Alice Reynolds. “The Heat Pump Partnership is a vital step in supporting California’s transition to clean electric heating and cooling. By aligning key stakeholders in the clean energy transition, we can minimize costs and maximize benefits for all Californians, driving us towards a more sustainable future.”

“California has advanced climate and air quality solutions through innovation and collaboration between government, communities and industry to ensure equitable outcomes,” said California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph. “The heat pump partnership is the latest example of how state agencies and other climate leaders are working together to face the growing threat of extreme heat and the need to decarbonize with action, urgency and a commitment to addressing the needs of vulnerable Californians.”

California currently has about 1.5 million heat pumps deployed and is on pace to install less than 200,000 heat pumps a year. To close the gap of 4.5 million heat pumps by 2030, heat pump adoption will need to nearly quadruple with about 750,000 units installed annually. Large-scale coordination efforts like the CAHPP are crucial to align major players in the clean energy transition and support California’s climate goals.

Scaling heat pump adoption in the world’s fifth largest economy will also act as a global market signal, with the potential of transforming the world’s green economy.

“As a global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions, Carrier is committed to supporting the installation of six million heat pumps in California’s buildings by 2030,” said Kyle Gilley, Vice President of Government Relations at Carrier. “Electrification continues to be a solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and we are proud to be contributing to a greener tomorrow with our high quality, energy efficient, sustainable heat pump systems.”

“The California Heat Pump Partnership represents the public-private collaboration that we need to accelerate the adoption of advanced heat pumps, such as those that utilize inverter technology,” said David Calabrese, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at Daikin. “As a global leader in providing heat pumps, we are committed to working with the California government, its utilities, the environmental community, and our industry to help meet the state’s six million heat pump target and ensure that this technology is accessible to all Californians.”

The partnership also builds on an agreement made last year by ten of the world’s largest manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers of heating and cooling equipment for buldings to rapidly scale the heat pump market. That agreement outlined commitments to help create manufacturing capacity, enhance efficiency, and incorporate load flexibility to decarbonize California’s buildings.

“As a leading manufacturer serving the California market with efficient electric space, water heating and pool heat pumps, Rheem is committed to supporting the state’s goals to install six million electric heat pumps by 2030,” said Chris Day, Vice President, Global Product Strategy, Marketing and Training at Rheem. “The objective of the Partnership and Market Advisory Board is to scale heat pump installations through collaboration with the entire supply chain and channel partners. I am excited about the ability of the Partnership to focus the state on the most important policy and market levers to drive heat pump adoption and Rheem’s role in enabling wide-scale building decarbonization.”

“Our company is pleased to participate and contribute its more than twenty years of heat pump water heating expertise to the California Heat Pump Partnership as the state of California embarks on its ambitious goal of installing six million new heat pumps and heat pump water heaters by 2030,” said Joshua C. Greene, Corporate Vice President for Government, Regulatory, and Industry Affairs at A. O. Smith. “Through the leadership of Governor Newsom and the California Energy Commission, these combined efforts will help emphasize the co-benefits that heat pump technology offers—decarbonizing the built environment to help mitigate the impacts of climate change and lowering utility costs that will save consumers money.”

“Decarbonizing the built environment is within reach and comes with improved air quality, lower energy use, and more personal comfort,” said Dana Fischer, Senior Director of Regulatory Strategy at Mitsubishi Electric. “Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC U.S. is ready to  U.S. is ready to do our part in achieving ambitious heat pump goals in California. Together we can make changes for the better.”

The California Heat Pump Partnership members include:

• Heat pump manufacturers, including A. O. Smith, Bradford White, Carrier, Daikin, Fujitsu General America, Inc., Johnson Controls, Lennox, LG, Mitsubishi Electric, Rheem, and Trane Technologies
• Distributor: Ferguson
• Electricity providers, including Pacific Gas and Electric, Edison International, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, and Ava Community Energy
• Policymakers representing the California Energy Commission, California Air Resources Board, California Public Utilities Commission, and the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
• Innovation leader: Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator

The California Heat Pump Partnership (CAHPP) is a groundbreaking alliance that brings together leaders in the public and private sectors to rapidly scale California’s heat pump market.

Pfister Faucets announced today its American Plumber Stories docuseries took home three Tellys in the record-breaking 45th Annual Telly Awards. The leading faucet manufacturer’s series won the Silver Telly in the Best in Public Interest and Awareness category, the Bronze Telly in the Non-Scripted Online category, and the Bronze Telly for the Editing Online category.

Silver Telly: Best in Public Interest and Awareness

American Plumber Stories received the Silver Telly Award in the Public Interest and Awareness category for our episode “Dead End Road.” This accolade honors our commitment to highlighting important societal issues through engaging storytelling and impactful content, as showcased in this episode which delves into the lives and challenges of plumbers in America.

Bronze Telly: Non-Scripted Online

The series also earned a Bronze Telly Award in the Non-Scripted category, recognizing the overall excellence and authenticity of American Plumber Stories. This award celebrates the dedication to presenting real, unscripted narratives that resonate deeply with audiences by portraying the genuine experiences of plumbers across the country.

Bronze Telly: Editing Online

Additionally, American Plumber Stories was awarded with another Bronze Telly Award in the Editing category for the episode “Royal Flush.” This recognition underscores the exceptional craftsmanship and technical skill involved in producing the docuseries, particularly in the intricate and compelling editing that brings each plumber’s story to life.

The Telly Awards honors excellence in video and television across all screens and is judged by leaders from video platforms, television, streaming networks, and production companies. This year’s winners include Adobe, Calvin Klein, ESPN, LinkedIn, Mother Jones, MTV Entertainment Studios, NASA, the LA Clippers (NBA), PlayStation Studios, Sawhorse Productions, TelevisaUnivison, and more.

Pfister Faucets, a trusted leader in the plumbing industry since 1910, produces the American Plumber Stories docuseries with the production company Sub 7, Inc. The series features the lives of plumbers throughout the US and is hosted by country music entertainer and Army veteran, Craig Morgan.

American Plumber Stories aims to promote the plumbing trade to the next generation of professionals. The show highlights the stories of plumbers around the nation including how they got started in the plumbing trade and the passion they have for their profession. These stories show how they built a career that allows them to lead financially rewarding and fulfilling lives.

With its fifth season launching in September 2024, episodes can be watched on AmericanPlumberStories.com or on the YouTube channel, where it garnered over 13 million video views since 2021.

“We hope that, with this series, we’re changing the public’s perspective on who plumbers are, how important the trade is, and that it is a viable career field.” – Spencer Brown, Pfister Faucets National Sales Director and American Plumber Stories Executive Producer

“From day one, ‘American Plumber Stories’ has been an exhilarating project. We’ve all grown alongside the series and witnessed its profound impact not just on the plumbing trade, but on people’s lives.” – Marc Womack, Owner, Sub 7, LLC

This was a record-breaking year with nearly 13,000 entries from across the globe and top video and television content producers. Winners were chosen by The Telly Awards Judging Council which includes Nathalie Van Sasse Van Ysselt, VP of Design and Creative Services, MSG Sphere Studios; Barry Christie, Global Creative Lead, Meta Creative Shop; Farihah Zaman, Director, member of Brown Girl Doc Mafia; Aiden Darné, VP, Global Studio Lead Shutterstock; Malinda Wink, Executive Director Minderoo Pictures.

The full list of the 45th Annual Telly Awards winners can be found at www.tellyawards.com/winners

About Pfister Faucets

Pfister Faucets, formerly called Price Pfister until 2010, is a brand of bathroom and lavatory faucets, shower systems, showerheads, accessories, kitchen faucets, and other plumbing fixtures. Emil Price and William Pfister founded the company in 1910. Today, the Pfister brand is owned by ASSA ABLOY Americas Residential, Inc. Visit PfisterFaucets.com for information or follow on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and TikTok.

About Craig Morgan

A multi-faceted entertainer, Craig Morgan has made a name for himself as a country music icon, TV personality, author, celebrated outdoorsman, and patriotic Army veteran. One of country music’s best-loved artists, Morgan has amassed nearly 2.5 billion career streams and charted over 25 songs on Billboard, thrilling massive crowds with signature hits including “Bonfire,” “Almost Home,” “Redneck Yacht Club,” “International Harvester,” “This Ole Boy,” “Soldier,” and the multi-week No. 1, “That’s What I Love About Sunday.” In late 2023, Craig released his newest project Enlisted, a six-song collection of reimagined hits and brand-new songs featuring collaborations with Trace Adkins, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Gary LeVox, Blake Shelton, and Lainey Wilson.

Craig received one of country music’s highest honors when he was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Prior to becoming a country music star and TV sensation, Morgan served seventeen years serving our country in the Army and Army Reserve and last year enlisted in the Army Reserve, continuing his military career as a Warrant Officer. Morgan remains an avid supporter of America’s military personnel and has made more than sixteen overseas trips to perform for our troops. He is a member of the U.S. Field Artillery Hall of Fame and recipient of the USO Merit Award. In 2018, he was awarded the Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, one of the highest awards the Department of the Army can bestow upon a civilian, in recognition of his significant dedication to our military men and women around the world. He remains committed to supporting active duty and veteran members of our military through work with Operation Finally Home, the USO, and more.

His emotional and inspiring memoir – God, Family, Country – is available now. In the book, Craig details all aspects of his inspiring life, revealing never-before-heard stories including the impetus behind his recent enlistment in the Army Reserve, how he worked alongside the CIA as a soldier in Panama, fought sex traffickers as an undercover agent in Thailand, forged his own path to country music stardom, and lives his life by the deepest values: God, family, country.

With the touring season in full swing, Craig has a busy global concert schedule for 2024, with over 50 including two dates in South Africa and 6 stops on his inaugural “Redneck Yacht Club Tour.” Find tickets to see Craig on tour at craigmorgan.com.

Recipients Awarded $2,500 Each Toward HVACR Careers; Fieldpiece to Award Additional $10K at 2024 SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference

Fieldpiece Instruments, a leader in test instruments and tools for HVACR professionals for over 30 years, is proud to announce the winners of the third annual #MasteroftheTrade program. This year, six deserving students have been selected to receive $2,500 each to fund their continued education in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) trade or the option of an in-kind tool donation to jumpstart their careers.

Administered through SkillsUSA, the #MasteroftheTrade program aims to bridge the talent gap in the U.S. labor market for HVACR technicians by providing financial support to individuals pursuing a future in the industry. The winners of this program demonstrate exceptional skill, passion and dedication to their craft, embodying Fieldpiece’s spirit of excellence.

“We are thrilled to give back to our industry by awarding tuition or tools to these up-and-coming HVACR professionals,” said Tony Gonzalez, director of training at Fieldpiece Instruments. “There is a common thread of curiosity, problem-solving skills, understanding of craftmanship and desire to embrace challenges among the selected recipients that ensures a bright future in HVACR. Congratulations to this year’s winners!”

The six accomplished SkillsUSA students selected to receive the 2024 #MasteroftheTrade award are:

• Cole Kelly from Billerica, MA
• Colton Rentschler from Sinking Spring, PA
• Cadin Blais from Watertown, SD
• Mohamed Deyab from Harlingen, TX
• Peyton Hoenig from Asheboro, NC
• John Chaney from Knoxville, TN

Fieldpiece Instruments will also award $10,000 to the top-ranking high school and college/postsecondary students in the HVACR category at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference in June.

Fieldpiece Instruments first introduced the #MasteroftheTrade program in 2022 to address the growing need for skilled HVACR technicians. The program has since become an integral part of the company’s commitment to supporting education and workforce development in the HVACR industry.

For more information, please visit the #MasteroftheTrade program webpage.

Over 50% of Contractors Cite Labor Shortage, Overhead Costs, and Supply Chain Constraints as Biggest Ongoing Challenges

ServiceTitan, a leading software platform built to power the trades, today released its second annual Commercial Service Report, highlighting current trends and market sentiment for the commercial industry in 2024. The report surveyed over 1,000 commercial contractors across various trades and found that in the face of economic challenges, contractors remain resilient and are doubling down on sales and marketing while adopting new technology to help drive customer and business growth.

“Commercial contractors are essential to building and maintaining our critical infrastructure across North America – they keep our businesses, schools, hospitals and more up and running at all times,” said Alex Kablanian, General Manager of Commercial & Construction at ServiceTitan. “These contractors have displayed incredible resiliency, navigating formidable economic challenges in recent years. Adopting new technology has played a significant role in empowering them to accelerate and achieve profitable growth in their industry. The commercial contractors who are harnessing the power of software and innovation now have the tools they need to reach new heights and greater potential than ever before.”

ServiceTitan’s findings provide a unique perspective on the industry’s performance while highlighting key developments shaping the path forward.

Contractors focus on new growth in 2024

Despite market uncertainties and macroeconomic challenges, 39% of commercial contractors expressed optimism for 2024 – a 17% increase compared to last year’s study, when only 22% of contractors had a positive outlook for 2023.

While commercial contractors remained resilient despite economic challenges in recent years, a significant majority of contractors’ revenue (71%) either decreased or stayed the same in 2023. In light of this, two-thirds (67%) of commercial contractors are focused on growing revenue in 2024, followed by improving cash flow (30%), optimizing processes (33%), and retaining customers (26%).

Supply chain disruptions expected to persist

For most contractors, ongoing supply chain challenges make sourcing parts (53%) and equipment (34%) difficult. The report also highlights how the effects of supply chain disruptions extend to project timelines—only 14% of commercial contractors delivered more than 90% of their projects on time. Material lead time also increased for 52% of commercial contractors; in comparison, equipment lead time increased for 62% of commercial contractors.

In assessing how contractors navigate these challenges, the results indicate that nearly two-thirds of contractors (63%) keep inventory on hand, and roughly a third of businesses (37%) order supplies as needed. Further assessment of supply chain management reveals that 50% of commercial contractors order directly from the supply house, with the rest split evenly between vendor and manufacturer purchases.

Amid labor shortages, contractors increase technician salaries

Labor shortages (53%) and overhead costs (50%) are cited as the primary risks to achieving contractors’ 2024 goals, with economic recession (49%), increase in material prices (35%), and access to working capital (26%) rounding out the top five risks.

Just as ongoing labor shortages make it challenging for contracting businesses to find skilled workers, the shortage of talent and the increased cost of living make salaries a determining factor in attracting and retaining technicians. In response to these trends, 73% of respondents still plan to increase technician salaries this year.

Software adoption accelerates

Current trends and market sentiment point toward software as a leading solution to streamline commercial contractor operations and improve efficiencies without increasing overhead. In fact, the average commercial trade business uses 4-6 software providers, with a high adoption rate (70%) of Field Service Management software. Correspondingly, a significant 43% of businesses plan to increase their investment in sales and marketing activities in 2024.

With technology becoming increasingly essential for contracting businesses, it is key to take full advantage of the capabilities and innovate accordingly. Based on the survey, there is room for improvement—while 30% of survey respondents identified improved cash flow as their top goal, 20% of contractors still take more than a week to send invoices, and 33% of customer payments are more than one week late.

To review the full findings and key takeaways, download ServiceTitan’s Commercial Markets Report here.

About the research

This research was conducted by Thrive Analytics on behalf of ServiceTitan, polling more than 1,000 commercial service contractors representing a variety of geographical regions, business growth stages, and revenue levels. This research is for informational purposes only and ServiceTitan provides no assurances (express or implied) with respect to the accuracy of the survey data.