You’ve no doubt heard about the “graying of America.” According to the National Institutes of Health, by 2030, about 20 percent of the U.S. population or approximately 72 million individuals will be over the age of 65.

Schools, colleges, and universities are a familiar and valuable market for HVAC contractors. These institutions typically combine a large amount of square footage with a high percentage of building ownership, which often means a willingness to invest for the long term.

A number of disruptors in the retail market and an active regulatory environment present obstacles for HVAC and refrigeration systems’ designers in foodservice operations, supermarkets, and cold storage facilities.

A friend of mine runs the mechanical systems group at a data center. It’s a decent job and he likes it most of the time. But, like many people, he sometimes wonders if there might be a little greener grass or new horizons to be found elsewhere. So when a local school district let it be known they were looking for an experienced HVAC guy to take care of the systems at their brand-new combined high school/middle school, he looked into it. And the interview experience was eye-opening.

Refrigeration contractors are all too familiar with people problems: the technician shortage, the challenges of retaining skilled workers and of attracting millennials to the refrigeration industry, and the day-to-day task of maintaining a good company culture and motivating employees. If it’s any consolation, you are not alone.

Supermarkets and grocery stores are facing challenging times as the $1.2 trillion annual sector strives to maintain its relevancy in a sea of change.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a subject area where so many of the strategic questions are being sorted out in the field,” said Robert Cavey, a partner with Praxis Inc., in kicking off Danfoss’ 30th EnVisioneering Symposium, Refrigerants2Sustainability, which was held Sept. 27 in Orlando, Florida.

When it comes to achieving sustainability in commercial buildings, one might say, “It takes a village.”

Sustainability tends to conjure up images of green buildings contributing to a healthier global environment, and that is certainly one aspect of it. But we all know that money talks, and building owners and managers are going to justifiably expect to see a solid returns on their investments (ROIs) in sustainable building measures.

It’s impossible to take stock of the thousands of sustainability measures being incorporated into commercial buildings today — the market and technologies appear to have nothing but unlimited opportunities for growth ahead.