I suggest, as a contractor, you put this show on your 2016 calendar. As an added incentive, next year’s show — scheduled for Jan. 25-27 — is in Orlando, where the weather in January is likely to be much better than it was in Chicago.

From energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) to filters and compressor technology, these manufacturers are pulling out the stops to meet consumer demand for better IAQ at home, work, school, and everywhere in between.

The 2015 AHR Expo blew into the Windy City and proceeded to trump all previous Chicago expo records as manufacturers, contractors, and distributors from all around the country traveled to the Midwest to discover what’s new and trending in the HVACR industry.

Government regulations, in addition to an increase in end-user environmental awareness, are having a significant impact on the residential air conditioning market, and, based on the products exhibited at the 2015 AHR Expo, manufacturers are heeding the call.

Terminology talk at the AHR Expo focused on variable-speed compressors, electronically commutated motors (ECMs), and variable-capacity systems as well as diagnostics and troubleshooting tools for contractors.

Heat pump technology has drastically evolved over the past several years with higher heating efficiencies and strong performance at temperatures well below freezing. This growth is making these units more attractive in the Northern states, and the industry is pumping them up with new technologies and features.

The No. 1 trend in HVAC refrigeration is the increase in R-22 prices as the supply-demand equation sorts itself out. 

Building codes and increasingly educated consumers who understand the benefits of proper ventilation are driving innovation in the ventilation market.

As the threat of Ebola, measles, and other infectious diseases continue to make headlines, more and more people are considering the addition of air purification equipment to their homes and buildings. 

Commercial vehicles occupied some of the largest booths at the 2015 AHR Expo and certainly left their mark on the event and its 61,000 attendees as major manufacturers showcased new lines of trucks, vans, and accessories.