ACCA Study Highlights Trends, Strategies & Challenges of Future HVACR Ecosystem

The Air Conditioning Contractors of America has released its 2025 Contractor of the Future Study, delivering timely, data-driven insights into the habits, challenges and strategies of high-performing HVACR contractors across the country.

Developed in partnership with Farmington Consulting Group, the study reflects ACCA’s role as the national leader in contractor intelligence — shaping conversations, guiding innovation and helping the entire HVACR ecosystem better understand the evolving needs of contractors. For more info, visit acca.org. Key highlights from the study include:

A larger investment into marketing and advertising leads to high profitability: Contractors who allocate at least 12% of their revenue toward marketing and advertising have a net profit of +9%, compared to just +5% net profit for contractors who allocated less than 12% of their revenue toward marketing and advertising.

The most successful and progressive contractors are adopting different technologies to improve their businesses: More contractors are adopting different software and technologies to streamline processes and become more efficient.

Installing and supporting one equipment brand is becoming a thing of the past. More contractors now have a dual-branded strategy and are supporting multiple unitary equipment brands to diversify their business and be more adaptable to supply chain challenges.

The move to press fittings in the HVAC industry is faster than most expected. By 2027, 62% of the HVAC industry will have adopted press fittings and moved completely away from traditional brazing.

The contractor of the future must have a strong focus on training and education; both product/technical training (i.e. A2L, minisplit and VRF install/service, load calculation and duct sizing, airflow, wiring and electrical components, system zoning), as well as business training (job costing, sales and marketing, consumer financing, warranty and service plans, employee management and leadership, creating and understanding financial statements, etc.) are more important now than ever before for contractors to have a heightened focus.