RTU Market Insights Report: Commercial HVAC Contractors

Aug 5, 2025
Cooling
Electrification
Heating
Commercial

Results

  • Awareness of and experience with efficient rooftop units (RTUs) that include a dual fuel heat pump are minimal.
  • Most contractors have some experience with energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) and hold favorable opinions of the technology, but applications are limited.
  • Contractors trust manufacturers and distributors for resources and training on highly efficient RTUs for commercial use. 

Highlights

Objectives

The Next Gen RTU initiative, an effort under Minnesota’s Efficient Technology Accelerator (ETA), sent an online survey to HVAC contractors in Minnesota to gain an understanding of current market perceptions and indicators around more efficient RTUs.

Scope

The survey was sent to contractors identified as having a mechanical bond in Minnesota. Nineteen commercial contractors participated.

Benefits

The market feedback informed strategic recommendations to highlight and expand understanding of energy and cost savings opportunities for next gen RTU products and to work with market actors to reduce supply chain lead times for the products. 

The Next Gen RTU initiative focuses on the inclusion of energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) and dual fuel heat pump RTU products. This report provides a snapshot of insights from commercial HVAC contractors around these technologies and the RTU market. To better understand market perceptions and track market indicators, CEE surveyed 19 commercial HVAC contractors who have a mechanical bond in Minnesota. This report contains strategic insight and information around perspectives and experience with heat pump RTUs, perspectives and experience with ERVs, and resource and training needs.