Heating, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) announced national HVACR distributor sales for the month of February 2009 were -12.7%.

Read here for The Copper Journal’s weekly chart update.

The California Plumbing Code has approved PEX, and in response Uponor has launched its new www.CaliforniaPEX.com microsite to educate consumers and builders about the material’s benefits.

The North Central Wholesalers Association reported significantly negative sales for the first three months of 2009 based on a survey of 23 wholesalers.

Read here for The Copper Journal’s weekly chart update.

Employment in construction has fallen by 1.3 million since peaking in January 2007.

Fluke Corp., manufacturer of portable electronic test and measurement and thermal imaging technology, has published guidelines and tips for facility managers under pressure to cut energy costs in the current economic downturn.

Construction spending during February 2009 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $967.5 billion, 0.9 percent below the revised January estimate of $976.2 billion, according to the Commerce Department. January construction spending fell 3.5 percent.

Read here for The Copper Journal’s weekly chart update.

Privately owned housing starts in February were 22.2 percent above the revised January estimate of 477,000.