United States. A good number of Latin American professionals visited the AHR Expo in Orlando this year, demonstrating optimism regarding the recovery of the market and the opportunity to generate new business for our region.
In general, this year the exhibition had the participation of more than 50,000 attendees, more than 1,900 exhibiting companies, of which 577 were international and 295 were exhibitors for the first time.
Attendees and exhibitors participated in three full days of innovation and learning and looked forward to the future of HVACR. Spread over 506,090 square feet, exhibitors on the show floor delivered new and never-before-seen products and technology, live demonstrations, networking opportunities, and a revitalized energy for the future of the industry.
At every educational session, council talk, podcast broadcast, exhibitor event, and walk through the show floor, one thing was very clear: the HVACR revolution has come in full force.
"The energy on the show floor this year was hard to lose. From corner to corner, at every booth, educational session, event program, everywhere, it's clear that this industry is alive and thriving," said Mark Stevens, Show Manager. Coming to this Show, we knew that some major changes were taking place across the industry and we saw that reflected in Orlando. It's really an exciting time to be a part of the HVACR community and, if 2020 is any indication, it's just getting started."
The 2020 Exhibition welcomed more than 50,000 attendees, more than 1,900 exhibiting companies, of which 577 were international and 295 were first-time exhibitors.
The Education Program 2020
The 2020 Show featured more than 200 sessions in the Education Program. This year saw the introduction of new sessions inspired by the trends that are currently happening in HVACR, as well as those forecast for the near future.
Private Equity 101: What HVACR Founders Need to Know
This session provided information on private equity at a basic level of understanding. Private equity is currently investing millions in HVAC companies run by small to medium-sized founders. A panel of investors discussed the different types of opportunities for investors, how a company is valued, and how the partnership process works. Attendees were left with an understanding of the options available through the partnership to make the decisions that best suit their business.
Skilled labor! Overcoming shortages to protect your business
This session discussed the current state of the industry and the shortage of skilled labor. Eighty-two percent (82%) of CEOs report that a shortage of skilled labor is a major business issue. Melissa Boutwell, president of Automation Strategy and Performance, presented attendees with a discussion on why this happens, how we can prepare as an industry, and what some organizations are doing to secure current and future market positions.
Building for a climate emergency
Ken Sinclair, AutomationBuildings.com, led a discussion titled Building for a Climate Emergency. In it, he discussed the declaration of a "climate emergency" by more than 400 global cities and how it relates to a huge opportunity for the automation industry as local governments prepare to meet this challenge. With recent municipal government legislation targeting residential and commercial buildings, both new and existing, with aggressive greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets, the widespread deployment of state-of-the-art control systems will be essential to achieving these goals.
Obstacles and opportunities for HVAC/R in the next decade
Panel speakers in this session took an in-depth look at the obstacles and opportunities ahead for the next decade of HVACR. Speakers shared different perspectives on accelerating time for value creation, a greater focus on well-being and productivity, and the skills shortage gap in the industry.
The panel's moderator, Nicolas Waern, the Nordic "Building Whisperer", also provided information on HVACR in Europe, specifically in the Nordic countries and Sweden.
2020: Pivoting to a Post-Carbon World and Impacts on the HVAC Industry
This session covered the fundamental effects that climate change mitigation has caused to the industry and what the 2020 roadmap will look like in the future. As more progressive cities and younger generations around the world continue to focus on climate change, HVAC/R is adapting for a carbon-neutral world by 2050 that is 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial times, and described how 2020 marks a significant year in this adaptation. This session was led by Luke Leung, EP, LEED Member and Director of Sustainable Engineering at Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP.
Update on refrigerants: past, present and future
This session, led by Eckhard Groll, William E. and Florence E. Perry, Chief of Mechanical Engineering and Reilly Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue College of Engineering, provided a detailed review of current and past refrigeration technology and how it can inform refrigerant technologies of the future. Due to the phase-out of ozone-depleting CFC and HCFC refrigerants, refrigeration and air conditioning sciences have been in a time of change, and environmental concerns have sparked industry-wide interest in the use of substances that occur naturally in the biosphere as refrigerants. Many of these natural working fluids were commonly used in refrigeration technology in the late nineteenth century, and this session emphasized that when looking at the refrigerants of the future, it is essential to understand what substances have been used in the past.
The AHR Expo 2021 will return to Chicago from January 25-27.
