AHR Heats Up Atlanta

The 2023 Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Exposition (AHR Expo), the largest annual North American gathering of HVAC/R industry professionals, returns with a three-day conference and expo at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta from February 6 to 8, 2023. The AHR Expo is co-sponsored by ASHRAE (the global society of heating, refrigeration and air conditioning engineers) and the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute of America (AHRI).

Dates and Times

Monday, February 6, 2023

Hours: 10 am – 6 pm

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Hours: 10 am – 6 pm

Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Hours: 10 am – 4 pm

Expanded learning program 

Like every edition of the AHR Expo since 1930, manufacturers and suppliers from around the world will be on hand to showcase their new product line-ups, feature innovations and provide technical support for attendees.

This year the educational programming at the Expo will include more than 200 free seminars for both novices and seasoned professionals, ranging from technical HVAC/R topics to the latest industry trends and business issues.

In addition, while the educational programming in the past has run over the first two days of the Expo, this year the schedule has been extended into Wednesday.

“The education program has grown tremendously in recent years,” says the show manager, Mark Stevens, in a media release. “The HVAC/R industry is changing and growing quickly and in ways that are new to us all. We’re talking about training a new workforce to replenish a wave of retirements while simultaneously taking on initiatives relating to environmental efficiency, indoor air quality, automation, cybersecurity, supply chain disruptions, new business practices, etc. – there is no shortage of necessary discussions.”

Among the free learning opportunities are ASHRAE technical conference sessions, new product and technology presentations, and a selection of panel discussions with industry leaders.

In 2022 the Expo debuted its panel series, and returning this year, on Tuesday, Feb. 7, will be an HVAC/R State of the Industry Leadership Panel Discussion: Today’s Market, Challenges, Opportunities, and What’s Ahead, featuring executives from ASHRAE, AHRI, the Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI), National Comfort Institute (NCI) and the Plumbing, Heating, Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC). Last year’s edition was standing room only.

Also on Tuesday, is a panel discussing Decarbonization and the Future of HVAC. On Monday at 1 pm will be a discussion on the Basics of Refrigeration Changeover, and then on Wednesday is a new panel discussion featuring some Canadian content, HVAC & Social Media: Strengthening the Trade with a Community Mindset. This discussion among HVAC social media influencers will share the valuable role trade professionals can play in elevating the industry and attracting the new generation of talent with online content.

On the social media panel will be Ontario-based influencer Aaron Bond (@bond_aaron), and Vancouver-area’s Jessica Bannister (@hvacjess).

All new ASHRAE Conference seminars that are free to all attendees include a comprehensive three-part series on Tuesday morning covering the latest on Low GWP Refrigerant Advancements for Decarbonization. The other free ASHRAE seminar of interest to hydronics professionals is Efficiencies of Decentralized DHW Systems in Hydronic Conditioned Multi-Unit Buildings, with Canadian Robert Bean among the presenting speakers.

From among the 90 other free industry sessions, topics for business owners include: How to Build a Maintenance Agreement Culture that Powers Your Business All Year; Pricing for Profit in Inflationary Times; Recruitment through Brand Marketing – How to Build Your Team by Building Your Reputation; Sell High-Perfomance HVAC Through Homeowner Education; and more.

For refrigeration pros, Canadian, Trevor Matthews, the Refrigeration Mentor, is presenting Understanding the R744 (p)-h Diagram is Key to Understanding CO2 Refrigeration, on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 10:30 am.

For engineering professionals, the ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI) will offer a full slate of instructor-led seminars and short courses where professional development hours and continuing education credits will be available. These sessions require registration and tuition fees.

Running in conjunction with the AHR Expo is the ASHRAE Winter Conference, and ASHRAE will be hosting technical organized tours of its newly renovated Net Zero global headquarters in Atlanta on three days: Sunday, February 5; Monday, February 6; and Tuesday, February 7, check the website ashrae.org for times and cost.

Also, on the AHR Expo show floor will be the New Product & Technology Theater where more than 145 presentations, each lasting approximately 20 minutes, are planned across all three days of the show. No fee or registration is required, and a complete schedule is available at ahrexpo.com or on the AHR Expo mobile app (ahrexpo.com/app).

Networking

The attraction of industry trade shows is the ability to interact with a wide variety of like-minded HVAC/R professionals, and AHR Expo is no exception. This year’s show will once again allow the opportunity for attendees to grow existing relationships and open doors to new networks and channels.

The Podcast Pavilion on the show floor is back for the 3rd year and showcases the industry’s trending podcasters from across North America. Attendees will have the opportunity to sit in and listen to these podcasters as they interview movers and shakers from across the HVAC/R industry and gain insights into new products and hear how contractors from different regions are dealing with the industry today.

Attendees can listen in on live interviews at the Podcast Pavilion.

Show organizers are anticipating there will be more than 1,000 exhibitors at the 2023 event. Attendees who pre-register can skip the registration line-up, and by downloading the MyShowPlanner app for iOS and Android visitors can map out their time on the show floor and their education program schedule in advance.

Further details about travelling to the Expo and instructions for downloading and using the 2023 AHR Expo App will be available on the AHR Expo website ahrexpo.com.

AHR 2023 Innovation Award Winners Announced

Once again the 2023 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Exposition (AHR Expo) Innovation Award winners have been selected prior to the kickoff of the event in a preview of the best in new technology for the year ahead..

The winners for these annual awards are selected by a panel of third-party ASHRAE judges who evaluate entries based on innovative design, creativity, application, value, and market impact.

HPAC Magazine previously reported on the winners, which can be found by clicking here.