The first-ever meeting of the Airconditioning Heating Refrigeration Institute, the group formed by the merger of GAMA and ARI, took place in May in Colorado Springs.

At the meeting, members of the Hydronics Institute were updated on the progress of the Hydronics Industry Alliance. HIA is entering its third year.

In the past year, the group's website, www.myhomeheating.org, was updated; a new logo designed; press releases were distributed at this year's AHR Expo; and the Alliance had 192 placements in newspaper Metro sections. HIA also participated in a number of national and regional trade shows and worked with trade allies such as NATE, the Radiant Panel Association, the Canadian Hydronics Council and the Propane Education Research Council to promote the use of hydronics.

The Alliance is funded by 29 hydronic manufacturers and has an annual budget of $112,000.