AHR Expo organizers are hitching up and bringing the show back to Dallas this month.

The expo takes place Jan. 28-30 at the Dallas Convention Center. The expo last appeared in Dallas in 2000 and 2007. The U.S. economy has been slowly expanding since the recession that hit soon after the last Dallas show, although it remains far from the heights of 13 years ago.

Organizers are hopeful this year’s show could surpass the estimated 47,000 who attended in 2007.

“The last three shows have all established new records for their regions of the country,” said Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Co., which produces and manages the expo.

Stevens said the 2011 AHR Expo in Las Vegas and 2010 show in Orlando, Fla., both set records for the number of registered visitors in their regions. The 2012 Chicago show set all-time records for visitor registration and square footage.

“We believe the 2013 Dallas event will also benefit from an improving economy and HVACR industry advancements,” Stevens said.

As of mid-July, over 1,500 companies had reserved 362,000 square feet of exhibit space, surpassing the 2007 Dallas show.

“Fortunately, back in April, we were able to add more exhibit space to what we had originally planned to use as it appeared we would outgrow the entire 350,000 square feet of space on the second level,” Stevens said.

The AHR Expo will offer attendees several free educational sessions covering a wide spectrum of industry topics. Here are some of the sessions that may be of most interest to Snips readers.

The following are scheduled for Jan. 28:

“Architectural Sheet Metal Applications” will be offered by the Sheet Metal and Air-Conditioning Contractors’ National Association at 9 a.m. The presentation will provide information on SMACNA’s recently updated seventh edition of the Architectural Sheet Metal Manual. Topics will include custom metal roofing styles, fascia, gutters and new wind uplift requirements in the code for copings.

At 10 a.m. the National Environmental Balancing Bureau will present “Retro-commissioning for Existing Facilities.” The course will cover optimizing HVAC systems and temperature controls, as well as electrical system evaluation and improvement. System performance and operations evaluation will be discussed.

“Residential Ventilation System Balancing and Airflow Methods” will take place at 10:30 a.m. This session from the Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Institute of Canada will provide hands-on demonstrations of different airflow measurement methods used to balance and commission ventilation systems. HRAI will show how duct design and installation can impact airflow and ventilation issues.

At 1 p.m. the Associated Air Balance Council will offer “Issues in Duct Leakage Testing.” Allowable duct leakage requirements as defined by AABC and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers will be discussed. The session will also examine testing issues, duct sealing and energy savings.

These sessions will be offered Jan. 29:

“Benefits and Strategies of Custom-Designed and Tested Mechanical Rooms” will take place at 9 a.m. This session from the Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International will present benefits and design strategies for custom designed mechanical rooms and penthouses from manufacturers. According to HARDI, these systems can incorporate several custom-made parts and can be installed and tested at a factory before they are shipped to a jobsite.

The National Air Filtration Association will conduct a session called “Does Your Building Have a Strange Air About It? Removing Odors and Gases with Molecular Filtration.” NAFA will hold the session at 10 a.m., which will provide attendees with information on molecular filtration and how it works.

“Green Duct Work Done Right” will be held at 10:30 a.m. This course from the Spiral Duct Manufacturers Association will cover variable air volume design and how designers are using high velocity, static regain and round duct design. SPIDA will educate attendees on how designers are improving system efficiency and duct leakage. ASHRAE standard 90.1, which covers duct sealing, will also be discussed.

The Home Ventilating Institute will provide “Putting the ‘V’ Back in HVAC” at 1 p.m. How to properly size ventilation systems is to be part of the discussion. The presentation will aim to show expo attendees how properly installing a ventilation system can control and offer better indoor air quality.

At 2 p.m., the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers will hold “Basics of HVAC Noise Control.” The issues involved in acoustic performance will play a key role in this session. ASHRAE will present how selecting fans can offer better acoustic qualities as well as energy performance. The physics of sound will also be presented, as well as the limitations that come with silencers and acoustic louvers.

As has long been custom, ASHRAE will have its winter meeting starting Jan. 26 and running through the expo’s end. The society has scheduled in excess of 200 sessions on topics such as energy conservation, indoor air quality, standards development and HVAC performance. Most take place at the Dallas Sheraton hotel.

The society says the 2:30 p.m. Jan. 28 seminar, “Conference Breaking News on Standards 90.1, 62.1 and 189.1,” will covers some of ASHRAE’s most popular rules, including those dealing with indoor air quality and green building.

“The track deals with two well-known and pervasive standards in our industry,” said Jon Cohen, who is acting as chairman for the track. “The third is a newer standard that has seen instant recognition and popularity, especially in light of our industry trend toward sustainability and net-zero buildings. The fourth presentation goes hand in hand with the three standards.  There are always advantages and disadvantages to achieving efficiency. Sometimes they must be weighed against each other. No matter what the decision, understanding consequences is important in design.”

There was a goal in the way the session was scheduled this year, said Wade Conlan, technical chairman for the conference, and a member of ASHRAE’s conference committee.

“We wanted to provide a ‘breaking news’ program for the attendees as the presenters are talking about the latest and greatest changes/updates to the standards in a single program,” he said. “We also wanted to provide something that attendees can take back to their employers that will be as current as if you were on the committees.

“The track highlights an extremely important aspect of ASHRAE, the development of standards,” Cohen added. “The track is not exclusive to ASHRAE standards, as other industry standards are important to our membership, but ASHRAE standards are an important and highly publicized portion of the society.” 

These other ASHRAE educational sessions begin Jan. 28:

Application of Standard 62.1: Multiple Spaces Equations and Spreadsheets starts at 8:30 a.m. This half-day course looks at Standard 62.1 and how to apply it to multiple spaces. A new spreadsheet from the 2010 ASHRAE User’s Manual will be discussed and how it can be used to improve system design. The spreadsheet will be provided and ASHRAE encourages attendees to bring a laptop for exercises.

“Evaluating the Performance of LEED-Certified Buildings” is another half-day course set to begin at 2:45 p.m. Performance verification methods will be offered when it comes to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for existing buildings, operations and maintenance, and building design and construction. ASRHAE will share where points can be earned for LEED certification and how to achieve or exceed goals when it comes to energy use.

Also at 2:45 p.m. is “Introduction to Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation Systems.” This half-day course is an introduction to how ultraviolet germicidal irradiation can be used along with HVAC systems to impact the indoor environmental quality. ASHRAE will show how the technology can help reduce airborne disease transmission. The common types of UVGI systems will be showcased, along with applications, design considerations, maintenance and safety.

“Understanding Standard 189.1-2011 for High Performance Green Buildings” will also begin at 2:45 p.m. This half-day short course will provide the minimum requirements under the standard. New buildings and existing buildings will be part of the course, as well as water use, indoor environmental quality, site sustainability, and the impact the building has on the atmosphere.

ASHRAE will present these session on Jan. 29:

“Avoiding IAQ Problems” will start at 9 a.m. This half-day course is centered on ASHRAE’s IAQ Guide; Best Practices for Design, Construction and Commissioning. The common causes for indoor air quality problems will be reviewed, as well as the ways design teams can improve or avoid IAQ problems during the design and construction of systems. Mold and moisture, dirt in air-handling systems, outdoor contaminants, material emissions and more will be reviewed. Case studies and real-life examples will be part of the course.

“Energy Management in New and Existing Buildings” will also begin at 9 a.m. The ASHRAE Handbook – HVAC Applications and Energy Star Guidelines are part of this half-day short course. ASHRAE will explain how building managers can accomplish energy-saving objectives. Sustained energy management, energy supplies and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are part of the course objective.

At 1 p.m. “Designing Toward Net Zero Energy Commercial Buildings” will take place. Another half-day short course, ASHRAE will explain net-zero energy buildings and how they use no more energy from the utility grid than is provided from on-site generation. The design and operation of these buildings will be discussed, as well as the technologies that are used for these net-zero applications.

Show to feature many new products

When the Dallas Convention Center opens its doors Jan. 28, attendees will get to interact with close to 1,800 exhibitors.

Those exhibitors cover a spectrum of HVAC services. from heating and cooling to hand tools, indoor air quality and sheet metal. Here are a few of the HVAC companies that will be using the expo to show their latest products.

Big Ass Fans will highlight its newest residential fan certified by Energy Star. The 60-inch Haiku fan has a solid core and a 13-step hand-balancing process. The company says this stops the fan from rattling or wobbling. The motor also features seven speeds, including the “Whoosh” mode, which simulates the variations in natural airflow.

Bryan Steam will display its Triple-Flex Series of hot water condensing boilers, which company officials claim will deliver a minimum 90 percent operating efficiency with 160-degree return, 180-degree supply at maximum input. Triple-Flex also features environmental certification from Underwriters Laboratories.

The company will also present its Universal Communication Gateway, an external building automation, multi-protocol gateway for integrating boiler/burner controls into building management systems. This gateway is pre-programmed to support several protocols and boiler configurations with no additional software, downloads or programming required at the jobsite, officials say. 

ClimateMaster Inc. will educate attendees on its Trilogy 40 Series geothermal heat pump. The heat pump is a winner in the AHR Expo’s Innovation Awards. According to ClimateMaster, the heat pump is the first geothermal heat pump to be certified by the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute to exceed a 40 energy efficiency ratio. It is available in two capacity ranges. The first model offers 9,000 to 30,000 British thermal units per hour, while the second model can provide 18,000 to 60,000 Btuh. A communicating control in the heat pump can read 15 different sensors and monitor operation and possible problems.

Malco Tools will give attendees a look at its C5A Crimper drill attachment. The product is part of Malco’s Turbo-X-Tools line, and is capable of crimps in 24- to 30-gauge galvanized steel duct, spiral duct and hardened black stove pipe. The drive shaft of the crimper attachment inserts into the chuck of a drill. The minimum capacity is a 14.4-volt cordless or a maximum 7-amp AC drill. When the drill is set at a low forward drilling speed, the rotation of meshing teeth on adjacent gears provides the desired crimp and then drives the metal out the right side of the tool. The company says that a clutch in the gear mechanism prevents damage to the crimper attachment if the metal ever exceeds capacity.

The Port-A-Cool Hurricane is the latest portable evaporative cooling unit from Port-A-Cool. Company officials report that the unit uses high-efficiency cooling pads and water to naturally cool up to 3,500 square feet and lower temperatures up to 30ºF. The unit’s design provides 67-gallon water capacity and 14,500 cubic feet per minute. The unit requires only 11.4 amps for pump and motor operation. Additional features include a digital control panel with touch buttons for operation and status displays.  

Rheem Manufacturing Co. will showcase its H2AC rooftop unit featuring its eSync integration technology. The rooftop unit is also a winner of this year’s Innovation Award from the AHR Expo. The unit controls both air conditioning and water heating. Typical AC systems will remove unwanted warm air and exhaust it to the outside. The H2AC unit takes that warm air and transfers it to the water for preheating.