New Year, New Expo

The AHR Expo (International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition) will return Jan. 22-24 to McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. The expo is co-sponsored by ASHRAE and AHRI, and is held concurrently with ASHRAE’s Winter Conference. This year’s program will feature more than 110 free seminars, a robust panel series lineup, new product and technology presentations, professional certifications and continuing education courses.

The AHR Expo Education Program, which was recently announced, will provide an understanding of real-world application and practice in areas of niche discipline, as well as a broader discussion of topics relating to industry trends. As part of the Education Program, this year’s panel series lineup includes:

Heat Pumps, Electrification and the Grid
This presentation will address how best to deploy heat pumps in retrofit projects, while addressing major barriers to electrification.

AI, Controls and the Future of Technology in HVAC
This session will discuss the current and future roles of controls technology and artificial intelligence as they relate to HVAC and buildings management.

Addressing the Workforce Talent Gap through Educational Partnerships
This session will discuss the impact collaboration with an educational institution can have on fostering a robust workforce.

Regional Updates: Refrigerants, Regulation and More
Refrigerant and regulation updates specific to region, including but not limited to DOE, practices, equipment, as well as current and future projections in the region.

Industry leaders convene for state of the industry
Bryan Orr will return to moderate a state-of-the-industry update with leaders from ASHRAE, AHRI, HARDI, NCI, ASHB, etc. to address challenges, opportunities and forecasts in HVACR.

Expected topics include changing regulations, the economic forecast including inflation and tariffs, the green transition, the supply chain and more. Speakers will include Dominick Guarino, president & CEO of National Comfort Institute, Inc.; Ginger Scoggins, president, ASHRAE; Greg Walker, CEO of ASHB; Steve Yurek, CEO of AHRI and Talbot Gee, CEO of HARDI.

Dive deeper into trends with free industry seminars
The 2024 show will feature more than 110 free sessions led by industry experts. Sessions will range from one to two hours and address some of the industry’s most pressing challenges and exciting opportunities. Attendees are invited to attend general HVACR-related sessions, as well as those specific to professional practice areas.

Free seminar program highlights include:

For contractors
-Contractor Marketing Do’s and Don’ts 2024
-A2Ls Are Here; What Happened to A3s?
-Price Increases, Inflation, the Economy… and What Your Customer Experience Can Do about It

For facility managers/owners
– Exploring HVACR’s Role in Facilities Management
– Key Performance Metrics for Energy and Facility Managers

For engineers
– Building Tomorrow’s Cooling Workforce: Navigating New Technologies and Challenges
– The Decarbonization Countdown: What’s in Store for Commercial HVAC Systems
– ACG Building Systems Commissioning Guideline Overview

Continuing education opportunities
AHR Expo attendees have the opportunity to participate in professional development courses through ASHRAE Learning Institute, as well as short courses/professional development seminars approved for Continuing Education Units. Attendees are required to register and pay tuition fees in advance of the show and can do so either onsite or by visiting the ASHRAE registration website. Full-day courses account for six earned Professional Development Hours/Learning Units or 0.6 CEUs. All half-day courses are awarded three accredited PDHs/AIA LUs.

Topics cover a wide range of industry subjects, including the fundamentals of the commissioning process, complying with the requirements of ASHRAE standards, laboratory design basics and beyond, optimizing indoor environments and more.

Don’t forget to check out product presentations
Attendees are encouraged to sit in on exhibitor presentations in the New Product Theater. More than 145 presentations lasting approximately 20 minutes each are planned across all three days of the show. These free seminars will provide brief overviews of new product announcements and technologies that can be found in exhibitor booths on the show floor.

Attendees can view the complete AHR Expo Education Program schedule, including the New Product Theaters, at ahrexpo.com. Additionally, attendees are encouraged to manage their show floor and education program agenda by creating a free MyShow Planner account and downloading the AHR Expo app.