Regulatory

01.12.26

Key Takeaways: Labor Markets Will Cool in ’26, But P-H-C Demand for Talent Remains ...

12.22.25

On Nov. 12, 2025, parties to a court case recently decided by The United States Court for the Northern District of New York, including New York State, agreed to delay the state’s all-electric new construction mandate for smaller buildings. The state policy was originally slated to take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. Currently a coalition of several groups, including contractors and the gas industry, …

11.24.25

On March 15, 2023, the Bay Area Air District (BAAD) Board of Directors unanimously approved a proposal from their staff to require all residential water heaters in their jurisdiction emit zero NOx emissions after January 1, 2027. Since that time, various stakeholders have been working with BAAD to explain the multitude of challenges in enacting this policy, particularly as it relates to existing …

11.24.25

Over the weekend of Nov. 8-9, the U.S. Senate remained on Capitol Hill to hash out a deal to end the government shutdown, securing enough Democratic support for it to pass on Sunday evening, Nov. 9 on a 60-40 vote. It went to the House where it passed on a mostly partisan basis. The main details of the agreement are as follows: A three-bill “minibus” is attached to the Continuing Resolution (CR) …

10.19.25

Prior to the federal government’s shutdown stalemate, Congress took initial steps toward modifying how federally regulated appliances are treated by government at all levels. On September 16, 2025, the House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy held a public hearing on several pieces of legislation that would amend federal law in this area. Notably, two bills stood out: …

09.25.25

Like their residential counterparts, commercial water heaters are required to meet minimum energy efficiency standards that are set by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) in order to be legally sold in the United States. However, there are ways that federal law handles commercial products differently. It should be noted that there is a special class of gas-fired commercial water heaters …

08.22.25

More than 20 expert-led education sessions and roundtable discussions for the plumbing and HVAC/R industries at CONNECT 2025. The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC) announces that PHCC CONNECT 2025 will feature an expanded schedule of interactive educational ...

07.31.25

When PHCC members are asked what they value most from their membership, industry representation consistently rises to the top. They know that PHCC is their voice – fighting for their businesses on everything from energy policy to workforce development. But here’s the truth: our advocacy only works with your help. No one tells your story better than you, our member contractors. Whether it’s …

07.31.25

When I got into this trade, I figured I’d be working with pipe wrenches, not politicians. But here I am, telling you that what we do in the halls of Congress is just as critical as what we do in basements and crawlspaces. Why? Because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu. And I don’t know about you, but I prefer eating to being eaten, especially when I’ve already skipped lunch for the …

07.21.25

On July 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) into law. The 870-page bill covers a broad swath of policy initiatives for the current administration from reevaluating federal entitlement programs to workforce development and tax relief. However, as it relates to the HVAC and water heater industries, some of the more interesting developments come with OBBBA …