The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) will co-sponsor and exhibit at the 2024 AHR Expo, to be held January 22-24 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois. The AHR Expo is the world’s largest HVACR marketplace event and will host more than 1,600 exhibitors across more than 550,000 square feet of exhibit space and attracting more than 50,000 attendees, including a diverse group of international industry professionals. AHRI staff will be on hand at booth S6910 to discuss the value of the association’s globally recognized certification and standards programs, membership, industry educational scholarships, and more.
Plan to participate in one or more of AHRI’s free educational sessions (pre-registration not required – all times are CST):
What You Need to Know – A Closer Look at the Ongoing Implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act Incentives
Monday, January 22
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. | Room S403a
A panel of five HVACR and water heating industry representatives and stakeholders will provide the latest rulemaking guidance and information about the ongoing implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) programs, including tax credits and home appliance rebate programs important to our industry and customers.
Thermal Energy Storage: Current Technologies and Innovations
Monday, January 22
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. | Room S403a
Attendees will learn about the latest innovations in thermal energy storage and why they are important, especially with the new investment tax credit included in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The presentation will cover the types of products that are commercialized (e.g., rooftop packaged units, chillers, campus-wide tanks), the economic and carbon-reduction benefits, as well as the benefits to the electric grid.
VRF Test Procedure and Efficiency Rating Update
Monday, January 22
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Room S401d
This session will provide a summary of the most notable changes in the new VRF test procedure, such as sensible heat ratio limits, the hierarchy of indoor units to be used, air-flow control settings, and the controls verification procedure (CVP). Walt Hunt, Manager of Environmental Science at Daikin, will also conduct an in-depth review of definitions, calculations, and other requirements to meet the CVP.
What You Need to Know – An Update on the Transition to Low-GWP (or A2L) Refrigerants
Tuesday, January 23
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. | Room S404bc
An expert panel will present and explain the current status of the transition to low-global warming potential (or A2L) refrigerants. It will feature AHRI Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Samantha Slater, AHRI Director of Codes Thomas Deary, and Glencoe Strategies LLC founder Scott Stone.
Supporting Healthy Buildings through Humidity Control
Tuesday, January 23
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. | Room S401d
This session will explore the links between humidity and health in schools, workplaces, and homes, and provide practical approaches for achieving optimal humidity levels. With ASHRAE Standard 241 drawing increased focus toward infectious aerosol controls, humidity, along with filtration and ventilation, has been identified by both recent and historical research as an important component of a healthy indoor environment. Topics covered will be of interest to building owners, designers, and retrofit professionals, facility managers, and anyone interested in healthy indoor environments.
Adiabatic Humidification Technologies for Decarbonization
Tuesday, January 23
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. | Room S401d
To face the environmental challenges of tomorrow, we must begin decarbonizing our buildings today, taking into consideration recent lessons in healthy indoor environments. In this presentation, we will explore how humidification and evaporation technologies intersect with decarbonization strategies, with a particular focus on energy efficiency benefits that can be unlocked with evaporative technologies. The session will examine indoor humidity terminology and theory and traditional applications for humidity control and commonly available technologies, some common decarbonization drivers, and how various humidity control products may assist decarbonization strategies. Rounding out the session will be a detailed discussion of evaporative humidification and cooling technologies, including examples of direct and indirect evaporative cooling applications. Attendees can expect to gain a deeper understanding of:
- Humidity control in buildings
- How decarbonization and humidity control technologies interact
- Approaches for reducing energy usage with evaporative cooling
- Modern evaporative technologies
What Manufacturers Can Get Out of It: The Value in Partnering with Voluntary Programs
Tuesday, January 23
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Room S401a
This session will involve a panel discussion of representatives from the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) and equipment manufacturers. Attendees will learn about the benefits to manufacturers of partnering with regional energy efficiency entities, the basics of market transformation, the relationship between voluntary programs and regulation (including codes and standards), and what products and technologies are on the horizon for energy efficiency programs.
The full AHR Expo educational session schedule is available here.