As Arizona heads into 2026, the recently adopted mechanical code reshapes how designers and owners operate their HVAC systems. By adopting IMC 2024, built on ASHRAE 62.1-2022, Phoenix and the metro area lead the state in taking a significant step toward more efficient HVAC systems. In addition, the adoption of more conservative energy and conservation codes will result in more efficient and healthier buildings.
For property owners, this shift reaches beyond simple compliance. Building performance is now tied directly to energy management, occupant well-being and brand reputation. The connection between how a space performs and how it feels has never been clearer. The good news is that the updated mechanical code offers an engineer the tools to reduce a building’s energy use by 5 to 10% with more efficient ventilation under the Indoor Air Quality Procedure.
According to the 2025 GPS Air Indoor Air Quality Perceptions Report, 66% of Americans say they have become more cautious about indoor air since the pandemic, and 70% say recent pollution and smoke events made them more aware of what they breathe. These attitudes make this a pivotal moment for Arizona businesses to align operational efficiency with human comfort. With the efficient ventilation provisions for the Indoor Air Quality Procedure, owners will be able to achieve both the efficiency and air quality boosts they seek.
The Code Shift
The new standards raise expectations for HVAC performance, ventilation rates and verification of indoor air quality. Not only do these changes open the way for new air cleaning technologies that lower upfront equipment costs, they are also expected to deliver strong long-term returns through lower energy use, improved air quality and higher tenant satisfaction.
In Arizona’s expanding industrial and commercial markets, building performance is now a competitive metric. Developers and investors are incorporating energy and air quality goals into ESG strategies, lease terms and valuation models. These updates reflect a broader understanding that efficient, healthy buildings support both sustainability and profitability. In summary, owners can have efficiency and air quality with actually lower first costs.
The Business Imperative
Phoenix continues to rank among the fastest-growing metro areas in the nation. As that growth accelerates, customer and tenant expectations are changing. Air quality is becoming a marker of trust and professionalism. The GPS Air survey found that 41% of people would avoid returning to a business if the air smelled unpleasant, even more than those who said they would avoid a known virus outbreak. Sixty-one percent said they would trust a business more if it actively monitored indoor air quality.
For a service-driven market like Phoenix, those perceptions matter. The air people experience when they walk through the door can influence how long they stay and whether they come back.
Building Smarter for 2026
The businesses preparing now for 2026 will gain an advantage. Investments in efficient systems and intelligent air cleaning technologies reduce equipment costs and energy use, support well-being and signal a commitment to quality. Property owners who treat compliance as the starting point and air quality as a differentiator will attract tenants and future-proof their properties.
Clean air is good compliance. Considering the rapid pace of change in Arizona’s commercial market, it’s also good business.
Audwin Cash is CEO of GPS Air®, a leading provider of indoor air quality solutions. With prior roles at Regal Rexnord and Acuity Brands Lighting in energy-efficient building technologies, he now leads efforts to bring data-driven air cleaning and real-time monitoring systems like smartIAQ® to market. Cash holds a BS in Computer Engineering from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Lehigh University.
