The 2023 AHR Expo wraps in Atlanta, setting sights on the future of HVACR with energy and passion for the industry

The AHR Expo (International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition) wrapped up the 2023 show in Atlanta with an exigent focus on reshaping the future of the industry – together.

“This year’s show is one for the books,” said Show Manager Mark Stevens. “We heard it in every corner of the industry – HVACR is gearing up for an exciting path forward. As a collective force, we are focused on change and growth inside our industry, as well as anchoring our combined efforts on serious developments to set the course for the future of HVAC. It’s hard to miss the excitement.”

The stats indicate the industry’s resurgence
The 2023 AHR Expo hosted 42,794 verified visitor and exhibitor personnel, 1,779 total exhibitors, 425 of which were international, and filled 486,000+ square feet of exhibit space. While these numbers are still recalibrating from pre-Covid years, the strong showing from new audiences is a welcome sign of growth and a hopeful indicator for future workforce development.

Atlanta also hosted 17 industry podcasters in the show’s Podcast Pavilion. Industry podcasters dedicated their time at the show covering trending topics and speaking to leaders across the industry with the added excitement of a live audience. The pavilions remained active all three days, resulting in exciting content to roll out in the coming weeks. Full session recordings will be available on ahrexpo.com once produced content is released by hosting podcasters.

Community and communication
There is a growing sense of community in HVACR currently. This year’s AHR Expo set a goal to open new lines of communication between the communities that make up the whole industry, particularly those seeking new channels of access for discussion. A panel series accomplished this by posing topics and questions to rouse discussion rather than seeking a solution. On the stage this year, we heard from industry leaders heading up our associations, commanders of trending topics and stewards of the trade.

“In the months leading up to the show, we are intentional in our efforts to speak to members from all disciplines within HVACR,” said Stevens. “We are grateful for the unique opportunity to connect all industry audiences and are devoted in our efforts to represent every role in our education programming. This is an area of growth for us and the fruits of these efforts are evident in the conversations we see blossoming. We live in an age of connection and the need for deepened communication at every level is apparent. As the largest event to host the entire industry, we are delighted to provide a forum to host these conversations in our programming and in face-to-face networking on the show floor.”

In the session, HVACR State of the Industry Leadership Panel Discussion: Today’s Market, Challenges, Opportunities and What’s Ahead, leadership from AHRI, ASHRAE, HARDI, NCI and PHCC discussed gaps in the industry that need to be addressed in order to continue on a progressive path. Bryan Orr of HVAC School moderated as the group highlighted what is working, areas for improvement and what lies ahead.

On Tuesday afternoon, Kyle Gargaro of ACHR The News moderated a discussion among industry advocates of decarbonization in the panel discussion, Decarbonization and the Future of HVAC, featuring Luke Leung, Principal at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; Kevin Edstrom, Senior MEP Manager at Hines; Kent Peterson, PE, FASHRAE, Vice President & COO at P2S Inc.; and Donald Horn, FAIA, LEED Fellow U.S. GSA, Deputy Director at Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings.

This year, AHR Expo expanded its education programming to Wednesday. The headliner panel, HVAC & Social Media: Strengthening the Trade with a Community Mindset, featuring social media influencers of the industry, was the first of its kind discussion. Hosted by some of the industry’s most active content creators and trade mentors, new lines of communication were formed through a deep dive into an open conversation about how all shareholder roles can work together to better the industry as a whole.

Innovation and mapping the future of HVACR
The 2023 AHR Expo Innovation Award Winner for Product of the Year is Cielo WiGle, Inc. for their Cielo Breez Max. Learn more about this year’s Product of the Year.

Our ten industry category winners offer a preview of the explosion of innovation that’s currently happening across the industry. New product signage was prominently displayed across the halls, as this year proved to be a big year for progress in HVACR.

Next year we will meet in Chicago!
In 2024 we hit the road to Chicago. Save the date for January 22-24, 2024 and stay tuned as we roll out information to help prepare for your visit to HVACR’s epic event.

“What a show,” concluded Stevens. “This is the industry to be a part of right now. We are essential; we are poised for growth and the world needs us to be prepared to solve problems and meet demands. We’re excited to play a role in launching new products, services, conversations and partnerships to make it happen. We hope to see you in Chicago.”