ALEXANDRIA, VA -- The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) announced the Connecticut Heating and Cooling Contractors Association (CHCC) as its 23rd Allied Contracting Organization (ACO), expanding ACCA’s ACO network to 30 states and the District of Columbia.

Founded in 1972, CHCC is an independent nonprofit trade association representing licensed heating, refrigeration, air conditioning, and sheet metal contractors across Connecticut. For more than 50 years, the association has championed ethics, workforce development, and quality standards — priorities that mirror ACCA’s own mission and make this alliance a natural next step for both organizations.

ACOs partner with ACCA to advance the HVACR industry’s technical excellence, business success, and legislative goals while maintaining their own independent membership structures. Through this alliance, both organizations will work to better represent Connecticut contractors through a unified voice on industry issues and expanded access to resources at the local and national levels.

“CHCC brings deep roots in Connecticut and a membership that takes professionalism seriously. That’s exactly the kind of organization we want in our ACO network, and we’re glad to be working alongside them,” said Barton James, ACCA president and CEO. “The ACO network is strongest when it’s built on organizations that already have the trust of their members. CHCC has earned that in Connecticut.”

This alliance reflects both organizations’ shared commitment to advancing the HVACR industry and ensuring contractors have the representation and resources they need at every level.