CHANTILLY, Va. — The current and future impact home improvement stores such as Lowe’s and Home Depot have on the HVAC industry will be examined by FMI Corp. and the New Horizons Foundation, a group formed by the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association and the Sheet Metal Workers union.

“FMI is contributing the entire value of the firm’s services for this study at a value of approximately $60,000,” said foundation board chairman George L. “Butch” Welsch. “Our foundation board is very pleased to have FMI as a partner for this key project.”

“The home center has already changed the residential building market in terms of product sales and installation,” said Dennis Bradshaw, executive director of the foundation. “Together, the foundation and FMI will be able to project what may happen in the commercial market, specifically to the HVAC industry. That is why this study is so timely and so important for our HVAC contractors nationwide.”