The 2018 ASHRAE Winter Conference takes place January 20-24 at the Palmer House Chicago with the co-sponsored AHR Expo being held January 22-24 at McCormick Place. The AHR Expo seminar program features over 120 sessions, including over 70 free one- and two-hour best practices sessions and industry trends seminars. A total of 20 courses will be offered before and during the expo. Advance registration and fee payment is required.
Attendees earn six professional development hours (PDHs)/learning units (LUs) or 0.6 CEUs for each full-day course, while half-day courses are worth three PDHs. Topics include the fundamentals of the commissioning process, complying with requirements of ASHRAE standards, laboratory design basics and beyond, optimizing indoor environments and more.
Delegates can also attend review sessions and exams, as well as see what is new from the industry in the New Product and Technology Showcase Presentations. Exhibitors will deliver over 100 20-minute product presentations on the exhibit floor.
ASHRAE will present a series of refrigerant and residential building “mini-track” seminars at the AHR Expo. The eight seminars are free, and no badge is required to attend. They take place from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on January 22. According to Michael Collarin, conference chair, high-efficiency home materials and the drive to incorporate low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants are timely subjects for building industry professionals.
“The refrigerant and residential mini-tracks featured at this year’s AHR Expo highlight two industry segments that are experiencing rapid change,” he said. “The goal is to provide an integrated look at these two important topics, in order to equip manufacturers, designers, building owners and other users with the resources they need to improve residential energy efficiency and overall sustainability.”
Seminar Topics by Track
Residential Track
Senses and Cents: Reducing Sound, Improving Comfort and Enabling Energy Efficiency in Residential Buildings
Real-World Experience Providing Residential Energy Excellence
Keeping Occupants Happy and Healthy Through Affordable and Flexible Air and Water Control Strategies
ASHRAE’s Duct Size Calculator Tool for Easy, Reliable Residential Duct Sizing
Refrigerants Track
Lubricant Changes for Low GWP Next Generation Equipment .
Some Low GWP Next Generation Refrigerants Will Be Flammable: What Does It Mean to Be Flammable?
Next Generation of Lower or Low GWP Next Generation HVAC/R Equipment
Contaminant Control: What Is the Same and What Is New When Using Low GWP Refrigerants?
Note: Professional Development Hours will be available for each of the sessions.
In addition to exhibitor presentations, demonstrations and seminars, the AHR Expo Innovation Awards will honour the most inventive and original products, systems and technologies showcased at the expo.
AHR Innovation Award winners raise the bar
The AHR Expo Innovation Awards recognize products, systems and technologies featured at the AHR Expo. The 2018 winners were selected by a panel of third-party ASHRAE member judges who evaluated all award entries based on innovative design, creativity, application, value and market impact. The winners will be recognized in a formal ceremony during the 2018 AHR Expo. At that time the winner of the Product of the Year Award will be announced.
The winners and finalists are:
Building Automation Winner: Setra Systems, Inc. (2018 AHR Expo Booth 4021)
Innovation: Setra FLEX room monitoring and control solution for operating rooms, isolation rooms, bio-safety laboratories, clean rooms and all pressurized critical spaces. Finalists in this category were: BELIMO Americas (six-way Electronic Pressure Independent Valve); Cielo WiGle Inc. (Breez: Smart Controller for Ductless Air-conditioning Systems); and Emerson (Site Supervisor facility control platform).
Cooling Winner: Emerson (2018 AHR Expo Booth 5300)
Innovation: Copeland Scroll, a two-stage compressor. The latest generation of Copeland Scroll two-stage compressors from one to 10 tons has been redesigned for improved performance and reliability in residential and commercial air conditioning systems. Finalists in this category were: Delta Cooling Towers, Inc. (Delta Anti-Microbial Cooling Tower); Johnson Controls, Inc. (YORK Affinity YXV 20 SEER Variable Capacity Air Conditioner); and ZIEHL-ABEGG, Inc. (ZAvblue centrifugal fan).
Green Building Winner: Danfoss (2018 AHR Expo Booth 2510)
Innovation: Danfoss Turbocor TTH/TGH High Lift Compressor, a compressor optimized for air-cooled chiller and heat recovery applications. Finalists in this category were: International Wastewater Systems Inc. (PIRANHA HC thermal energy recovery hot water production system); Nexus Valve, Inc. (Pressure Step Deaerator); Regal (NovaMAX Motor – 600 RPM); and Smardt Chiller Group Inc. (Smardt Solar Integrated Chiller (SSiC)).
Heating
Winner: Calefactio (2018 AHR Expo Booth 7577)
Innovation: The ONE, a three-in-one expansion tank, air separator and dirt separator. Finalists in this category were: Cleaver-Brooks, Inc. (Cleaver-Brooks ClearFire-CE hydronic boiler); Johnson Controls, Inc. (YORK Affinity YZV 20 SEER Variable Capacity Heat Pump); and WaterFurnace International, Inc. (Versatec Variable Speed water source/geothermal heat pump).
Indoor Air Quality
Winner: Spartan Bioscience (2018 AHR Expo Booth 8175)
Innovation: Spartan Legionella Detection System, the world’s first on-site Legionella DNA test to prevent outbreaks.Finalists in this category were: AAF Flanders (Sensor360 filtration monitor); Addison (Linear Capacity, Dedicated Outdoor Air System); and Johnson Controls, Inc. (GLAS smart thermostat).
Plumbing
Winner: AquaMotion Inc. (2018 AHR Expo Booth 6816)
Innovation: AquaMotion Aqua-Flash, an under-sink hot water recirculation system. Finalists in this category were: Caleffi Hydronic Solutions (LEGIOMIX electronic mixing valve with disinfection); and John Guest USA, Inc. (JG ProLock twist-to-lock fitting system).
Refrigeration
Winner: Chemours (2018 AHR Expo Booth 4544)
Innovation: Opteon XP44 Refrigerant (R-452A), a non-ozone depleting, low GWP, HFO-based refrigerant replacement for R-404A/507. Finalists in this category were: CAREL INDUSTRIES S.p.A. (HEEZ control and management solution); and Emerson (Fractional horsepower low-temperature Copeland Scroll compressor).
Software
Winner: Regal (2018 AHR Expo Booth 4945)
Innovation: Browning Toolbox Technician Motor Efficiency Calculator, for Apple and Android platforms. Finalists in this category were: Coolfront Technologies (Coolfront Mobile flat rate pricing app); LG Electronics USA, Inc. (LG Air Conditioning Technical Solution (LATS) Revit drawing plug-in); and SuperCool Slide Rule (SuperCool HVAC app).
Tools and Instruments
Winner: Fluke Corporation (2018 AHR Expo Booth 6549)
Innovation: Fluke T6 Electrical Tester, an electrical tester that takes simultaneous voltage and current measurements without test leads. Finalists in this category were: GrayWolf Sensing Solutions (GrayWolf’s DirectSense II Smart Probes/Sensor); Milwaukee Tool (102 x 77 Spot Infrared Imager); and SuperCool Slide Rule (Line-set Saver cleaning device).
Ventilation
Winner: Triatek (2018 AHR Expo Booth 4344)
Innovation: Stable Vortex II Fume Hood, a dynamic, low flow, high performance fume hood that protects chemists from harmful dusts and vapours during experiments. Finalists in this category were: Regal (UlteMAX Axial PM Motor); Titus (TJD, OMNI diffuser) and ZIEHL-ABEGG, Inc. (ZAbluefin bionic, high-efficiency impeller). www.ahrexpo.com
