Trends at this year’s AHR Expo within commercial controls and building automation were improving energy efficiency, making buildings more adaptable, streamlining workflow to make things easier for HVACR contractors, and a greater emphasis on cybersecurity and digitization.

Major manufacturers are betting that ductless HVAC is catching on in the U.S.

As HVAC Tactical gained traction across social media, Founder Ben Poole realized that the brand had potential to do what he really wanted: create a community that could change the prevailing mindset within the HVAC trade.

Programmable thermostats that can be accessed through an internet device are old hat. Here are just a few of the residential HVAC controls products featured at the Georgia World Congress Center, the host venue for this year’s Expo.

The latest refrigerant transition is well underway, with the 10% cut in the production of HFC refrigerants that went into effect last year. But there are growing concerns about some of the chemicals used in certain synthetic refrigerants, such as PFAS.

In the realm of residential cooling, two trends popped out at the 2023 AHR Expo: the new federal tax credits and heat pumps.

Copper was the mainstay in HVAC and refrigeration coils until 2011, when copper prices went through the roof. As manufacturers began testing alternatives, the industry settled on aluminum as a workable, less costly option.

Cold climate heat pumps were on full display on the AHR show floor and manufacturers were eager to share their progress reports in the Department of Energy’s CCHP Challenge.

Catch up on the latest headlines in this episode of the ACHR NEWSRoom.