AHR Expo 2023 Pre-Planner

AHR HEATS UP ATLANTA

2023 edition of the ARH Expo includes an expanded program of educational opportunities.

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. 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).

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, highlight future 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 management issues.

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

“The education program has grown tremendously in recent years,” says the show manager, Mark Stevens. “The

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 www.ahrexpo.com

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

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

With hundreds of free sessions on offer for AHR Expo attendees, we’ve picked out a few of our favourites:

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

C102 Auditorium

Improving Indoor Air Quality in Commercial Spaces: Best Practices and Financial Resources

This panel discussion explains the demonstrated best practices and financial resources that can be accessed to help make commercial spaces as healthful and safe as possible.

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 series of panel discussions featuring industry leaders.

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. B315

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. C102 Auditorium

Marketing Myth Busters - 2023 Paid & Organic Marketing Dos and Don'ts

This session will break down common residential and commercial contractor marketing bad habits and highlight proven best practices.

Communication Across the Supply Chain: Mapping the Channel and Flow of Information

This discussion will examine gaps in communication flow starting from the manufacturer and following the chain through equipment install and maintenance.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. C102 Auditorium

HVAC/R State of the Industry Leadership Panel Discussion: Today’s Market, Challenges, Opportunities and What’s Ahead

In this panel discussion, leaders from ASHRAE, AHRI, HARDI, NCI, and PHCC come together to discuss the current challenges, opportunities and forecasts for the year ahead in HVAC/R.

In 2022 the Expo debuted its State of the Industry panel session and attracted a standing room only and very engaged crowd. This year the show organizers are expanding the popular panel discussion platform with additional sessions.

Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. marks the return of the 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).

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. C102 Auditorium

Decarbonization and the Future of HVAC

A panel discussion with experts from varying industry perspectives come together to discuss regulation, practices and the future of decarbonization as it relates to HVAC/R.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

C102 Auditorium

HVAC & Social Media: Strengthening the Trade with a Community Mindset

This group of HVAC/R online influencers, including Canadians Aaron Bond (@bond_aaron) and Jessica Bannister (@hvacjess) dive into how engaging the industry through social media channels is supporting the growth of the trade.

Visit ahrexpo.com to search the entire education schedule. For all free sessions no registration is required, and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Also on Tuesday, at 1 p.m. will be a panel discussing Decarbonization and the Future of HVAC. On Monday at 1 p.m. will be a discussion on the Basics of Refrigeration Changeover, and then on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. is a new session featuring some Canadian content, HVAC & Social Media: Strengthening the Trade with a Community Mindset. This discussion with feature HVAC social media influencers sharing the valuable role trade professionals can play in elevating the industry and attracting the new generation of talent with online content.

Featured on the social media panel will be Ontario-based influencer Aaron Bond (@bond_aaron) and Vancouverarea’s Jessica Bannister (@hvacjess).

Among the many topical ASHRAE Conference seminars that are free to all attendees is a comprehensive three-part series beginning on Tuesday

ABOVE: AHR Expo brings together the HVAC/R industry from across North America.

RIGHT: Last year’s State of the Industry panel discussion was a standing-room only event

morning covering the latest on Low GWP Refrigerant Advancements for Decarbonization. One of the free ASHRAE seminars of interest to hydronics professionals is Efficiencies of Decentralized DHW Systems in Hydronic Conditioned Multi-Unit Buildings, featuring Canadian Robert Bean among the presenting speakers.

Over the three days of the show there are 90 other free industry sessions covering a variety of topics for HVAC/R business owners including: 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 HighPerformance HVAC Through Home-

owner 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 a.m.

For engineering professionals, the ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI) will of-

fer 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 association's 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 will showcase 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.

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

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

Attendees can see live interviews in the Podcast Pavilion on the show floor.

Spread across two exhibit halls, the showfloor at AHR Expo will be packed with new technologies and networking opportunities.

Exhibit Hall B will feature the Software Center offering demonstrations of field service management software and more.

AHR 2023 INNOVATION AWARD WINNERS

The annual awards program identifies technologies that are leading the way towards the future of HVAC/R.

The 2023 AHR Expo Innovation Award winners have been selected prior to the kickoff of the annual trade show and conference.

Annually a panel of ASHRAE judges evaluate entries based on innovative design, creativity, application, value, and market impact and this year the Innovation Award winners were selected across 10 industry categories, including: building automation, cooling, heating, indoor air quality, plumbing, refrigeration, software, sustainable solutions, tools and instruments, and ventilation.

The Innovation Award program helps serve as a metric to reveal the year-to-

year growth in the industry and showcase good examples of how manufacturers are growing the industry in unique ways. Each year one of the

COOLING

category winners is selected as the Product of the Year.

Following, are this year’s AHR Expo Innovation Award 10 category winners.

Opteon XL41 is a non-ozone depleting, low global warming potential refrigerant replacement for R-410A in residential and light commercial air conditioning, and scroll chiller applications. This product maximizes the benefits of the transition to HFO refrigerants while minimizing the impact of the transition. Opteon TM XL41 provides a 78% reduction in GWP from R-410A, while remaining compatible with all R-410A residential and commercial applications and lubricants, reducing the re-design effort for OEMs, and reducing the learning curve for the technicians in the field.

HEATING

Emerson’s ZPSK7 scroll compressor is a product line of 1.5 to 5-ton two-stage compressors suited for residential and light commercial HVAC applications. The compressors can operate at 100% capacity or as low as 65% based on heating/cooling demand. When a partial load is needed, bypass ports inside the compression chamber open which partially unload the compressor, thereby consuming less energy at light loads and avoiding stops and starts. When demand increases, the modulation control valve is activated, sealing the bypass, and shifting capacity to 100%. The ZPSK7 two-stage compressor can run at lower capacity without stopping, ensuring air continues flowing over the coil and the filter for improved humidity reduction and air quality.

Members of the Danfoss team at AHR Expo 2022 celebrate winning the Product of the Year award. This year’s winner will be announced at the show in Atlanta.

REFRIGERATION

The Copeland ZFW variable speed scroll solution includes brushless permanent magnet (BPM) motorbased scrolls and variable frequency drives (VFDs) targeted for low-temperature, stationary refrigeration applications. The variable speed scroll provides improved efficiency, precision, flexibility and reliability, while Copeland variable frequency drives, the EVM/EVH series, complement Emerson compressors and controls. It has double the capacity of a fixedspeed compressor of the same size while providing a 20–30% efficiency improvement. To optimize ease of use, the Copeland EVM has been preconfigured for Emerson controls (iPro, E2, E3, Site Supervisor) and can be integrated universally with any controller. Available today with A1 refrigerants and moving toward A2L approval by 2024, the platform offers design options for complying with current and future commercial refrigeration regulations.

SOFTWARE

Built for mechanical engineers, the loadmodeling.tool software from cove.tool establishes peak cooling and heating loads to design and right-size a mechanical system using the EnergyPlus engine. This web-based tool supports cove. tool’s goal of providing the solutions needed for the AEC industry to unlock productivity and address the climate crisis. The software is web-based, so mechanical engineers can access the tool anywhere, including stored results, which means large files aren’t having to be transferred or shared manually. Another function of the tool is that multiple people can log into a project and work on various tasks at the same time, increasing team efficiency.

BUILDING AUTOMATION

The Cielo Breez Max smart thermostat for mini-split, window and portable air conditioners provides an AI-based engine to auto-detect AC type and model number. The Max unit is universally compatible with any brand or type of ductless air conditioner. It works with a 5V adapter or can be hardwired through 12/18/24 volts AC. It can also be powered with 12/18/24 Volt DC. All Cielo Breez Max are secured with TLS1.2 to authenticate and encrypt data securely when transferred over a network. Max is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings, IFFTT and Siri shortcuts.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY

The new Belimo room sensors measure temperature, humidity, dew point, and CO2 with or without an ePaper touch display. Integrated Near Field Communication (NFC) provides easy field adjustability, commissioning, remote display capabilities, and troubleshooting even without power. These sensors are maintenance-free and provide long-term reliability for a comfortable room environment. Nonpowered configuration allows customers to set these room sensors up before being installed in the field, eliminating technician frustration as the sensors can arrive on site fully configured and ready to communicate. Select models offer BACnet, Modbus, or MP-Bus, which enhances communication and reduces installation, cables, and terminal connections.

TOOLS & INSTRUMENTS

Navac’s NEF6LM BreakFree power flaring tool produces accurate tubing flares quickly compared to traditional flaring methods. Designed to perform reliably in harsh environments, NEF6LM allows onebutton, one-hand operation. The tool is equipped with a rechargeable battery that makes over 100 flares per charge. Refrigerant leak is a major service issue, especially for ductless VRF systems with many flared connections. This tool’s automatic flaring operation improves efficiency and accuracy of tubing works and ultimately reduces refrigerant leaks in HVAC systems.

VENTILATION

SmartD’s Clean Power variable frequency drive (VFD) changes the motor control landscape. By delivering a clean, sinusoidal signal it reduces motor system losses by up to 40% and extends motor lifetime in a compact footprint that can be deployed without ancillary filters. The SmartD VFD also integrates wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors into its multi-level inverter architecture and combines them with patented modulation algorithms to produce a pure-sine wave electrical signal without the need for external filters. WBG semiconductors have intrinsic characteristics that make them more efficient: on-state losses are 10-80% lower and switching losses are 9 to 30 times lower than standard transistors.

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

System M from Taco is an air-towater heat pump system that provides heating, cooling, and DHW. The System M outdoor heat pump integrates with Taco’s exclusive indoor HydroBox to provide a complete system with just six pipe connections required. Its packaged design makes installation less intrusive; no refrigerant or gas lines are needed. System M integrates with almost any highefficiency heating and cooling system and is a fit for both new construction and existing HVAC systems. The installation time is half of a typical air-to-water heat pump by eliminating the work to design, procure, and install of all of the many required hydronic components.