Events

Experience the all-new RIDGID® PEX-OneTM at the 2017 NAHB International Builders’ Show®, January 10-12 in Orlando, Fla. Ideal for home contractors, the tool is thirty percent lighter than other battery-powered PEX connection tools and is the first in the industry designed for one-handed use. Stop by RIDGID booth #S2867 to see first-hand how the PEX-One Read more

Experience the all-new RIDGID® PEX-OneTM at the 2017 NAHB International Builders’ Show®, January 10-12 in Orlando, Fla. Ideal for home contractors, the tool is thirty percent lighter than other battery-powered PEX connection tools and is the first in the industry designed for one-handed use.

Stop by RIDGID booth #S2867 to see first-hand how the PEX-One is changing the way contractors install PEX. Show attendees can also enter to win a RIDGID 1250RV Wet/Dry Vac.

“Our new PEX-One tool is an exciting innovation that not only enables contractors to make overhead connections and access tight spaces faster and with less stress on their body, but at the same time, with its ability to press three sizes from one tool it frees up space in their tool belt and tool boxes. Home contractors won’t want to miss experiencing it first-hand at the International Builders Show,” said Marcus Borman, RIDGID Global Marketing Manager.

At five pounds, the PEX-One provides full power through 150+ presses per charge with a 5-second crimp cycle. It is currently compatible with ASTM F1807 copper crimp ring fittings and in the near future Viega PureFlow® fittings. The tool can press multiple size fittings up to one inch, and has interchangeable dies with a quick change system.

Stop by the RIDGID booth (#S2867) or visit RIDGID.com to learn more, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn for exclusive coverage from the International Builders’ Show.

According to a recent AHR Expo and ASHRAE Journal survey sent to more than 1,400 HVACR manufacturers worldwide, there is growing optimism for improving economic prospects in 2017. Based on survey results, 86 percent of the respondents expect their sales to grow in the coming year. The survey consisted of nine questions, all in relation Read more

According to a recent AHR Expo and ASHRAE Journal survey sent to more than 1,400 HVACR manufacturers worldwide, there is growing optimism for improving economic prospects in 2017. Based on survey results, 86 percent of the respondents expect their sales to grow in the coming year.

The survey consisted of nine questions, all in relation to anticipated overall market and individual business performance. Results were then compared to a similar survey sent in the Fall of 2015, which gauged Show exhibitors’ expectations for 2016.

“It is always interesting to see how trends across the exhibitor landscape continue to shift,” said Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Company. “We’re pleased to note the increase in responses around anticipated business growth, as well as an increase in good and excellent outlook responses regarding a majority of the HVACR industry’s various market segments. Combining these positive predictions with the fact that the 2017 AHR Expo will be the largest held in the Show’s 88-year history, we are anticipating a stellar year for business activity among exhibitors and attendees.”

Business Activity Projections for 2017

When asked to rate prospects for business in 2017, 98 percent of survey participants indicated a positive outlook. Within these responses, 24 percent answered “excellent,” representing nearly a 10 percent increase from 2016. Additionally, 54 percent responded “good” and 20 percent responded “fair,” with only two percent rating prospects as “poor” for the coming year.

Additionally, 86 percent of survey respondents said they expected their business to increase in 2017. Of these, 27 percent believed their business would increase by more than 10 percent, indicating a 6 percent jump from 2016. Respondents forecasting their business growth to be between five and 10 percent in 2017 increased five percent from 2016, to a total of 38 percent. Twenty-two percent of respondents indicated business growth of less than five percent, with 11 percent anticipating business activity to remain the same for 2017. With only two percent of respondents anticipating their business to decrease next year (compared to eight percent surveyed in 2015), overall results showed a notable uptick in expected sales for 2017.

In further qualifying sales performance, respondents were asked to share their comparative sales results between 2015 and 2016. Twenty-three percent of respondents indicated sales had increased significantly (by more than 10 percent), while 34 percent shared sales had increased somewhat (up to 10 percent) from 2015 to 2016. With 29 percent indicating their sales had stayed about the same, an additional 11 percent noted they had decreased somewhat (by less than 10 percent), and three percent indicated a sales decrease of more than 10 percent. Overall, when comparing these performance results to those anticipated for 2017, respondents generally seemed to feel they would perform as well as, if not better than, they did between 2015 and 2016.

Anticipated 2017 Market Segment Performance

Thirty-eight percent of survey participants shared that maintenance and replacement applications would provide the best prospects for business in 2017, representing a 10 percent increase from 2016 survey results. Retrofit and renovation applications, indicated by 32 percent of respondents as providing the best business prospects, decreased 10 percent from 2016. New construction held steady at 30 percent, in exact alignment with the response percentage from 2016’s survey.

Drilling down into anticipated opportunity across the HVACR industry’s various market segments, respondents were asked to rate their outlook for the following: residential; light commercial; heavy commercial; schools; non-school institutional; office buildings; lodging; manufacturing/industrial; hospitals/healthcare; restaurants/hospitality; laboratories/cleanrooms; and international markets. The residential, light commercial, heavy commercial, schools, lodging and international market categories all received a greater percentage of “excellent” ratings when compared to 2016’s survey. Additionally in comparison to 2016’s responses, the non-school institutional, manufacturing/industrial, hospitals/healthcare and restaurants/hospitality markets all received a higher percentage of “good” ratings for 2017.

Overall, the light commercial market was identified as offering the most promising outlook for 2017, with 74 percent of respondents rating it as excellent or good. The hospitals/healthcare market followed, receiving a combined total of 71 percent excellent and good ratings, and the heavy commercial market came in at a close third, with a combined 70 percent of excellent and good ratings. Laboratory and cleanroom applications represented the category of least anticipated growth next year, with less than half (46 percent) of respondents indicating either an excellent or good business outlook in its regard.

Product & Technology Characteristics of Significance

Respondents were also asked to weigh in on the anticipated importance of energy efficiency, indoor air quality (IAQ), maintenance, first costs, sustainability, reliability and comfort to their customers in 2017. Reliability led in significance, with 77 percent of respondents denoting it as “very important” to customers, reflecting similar results from survey respondents in 2016. While the previous year’s survey reflected a 10 percent higher (87 percent) response regarding reliability as “very important,” this year’s survey denoted a 10 percent jump in “somewhat important” responses, equating to the same number of combined respondents indicating reliability as either “very” or “somewhat” important for both 2016 and 2017. From this, it is expected that manufacturers will continue to engineer product and systems solutions to deliver on improved reliability in the coming year.

Of additional significance was maintenance, first costs and energy efficiency, which received combined “very” and “somewhat” important responses of 98 percent, 96 percent and 92 percent, respectively. Within these categories, there was a three percent increase in those indicating first costs as “very important” when compared to the previous year’s survey results.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) followed with a combined 89 percent of respondents indicating this category as either “very important” (48 percent) or “somewhat important” (41 percent) to their customers in 2017. Most notably, 12 percent more respondents denoted IAQ as “very important” for 2017, when compared to 2016 survey results. IAQ is subsequently expected to be a category of keen interest, and one on which manufacturers will place an increasing emphasis around research and development in the coming year.

Sustainability and comfort, with combined “very” and “somewhat” important respective percentages of 88 and 87, rounded out the responses regarding factors of importance for customers in 2017. When compared to 2016 survey results, sustainability increased in overall importance (i.e. combined “very” and “somewhat” important responses) by 6 percent, while comfort slightly decreased in overall importance by three percent.

Innovation Introductions for 2017

Similar to years past, this year’s survey results indicated continued industry growth as 61 percent of AHR Expo exhibitors said they planned to introduce a new product at the 2017 Show in Las Vegas. Additionally, 43 percent of respondents shared that the new products they introduce would in some way improve energy efficiency.

2017’s Driving Trends

Provided with the opportunity to share their thoughts in an open-ended answer to the question “What do you see as the most important trend or issue in the HVACR industry,” respondents were candid in sharing a variety of opinions. While the range and scope of answers was wide, 36 percent of respondents were unanimous in their belief that energy efficiency remained a key focus for 2017. This reflects a similar trend in survey responses for 2016, and is anticipated to indicate further advancements across the HVACR manufacturing landscape around improved efficiency performance.

In a similar vein, several respondents indicated sustainability and emissions reduction as important areas of focus in the coming year. One respondent particularly indicated the importance of keeping efficient equipment and overall building operations running properly, so that mechanical systems can operate at the optimal levels originally intended by the mechanical engineer.

Fifteen percent of open-ended responses in some way addressed the issue of connectivity, improved equipment integration and technology platform protocols, and the increasing role played by the Internet of Things (IoT) across the HVACR industry. Within these, specific remarks were made on the importance of advancing smart controls, and capabilities such as occupancy-sensing/controlled mechanical systems, in the coming year.

Customer concerns around first costs were indicated by 11 percent of respondents as a major issue for 2017, with particular responses addressing: the balance between quality and cost-effectiveness; the need for clearly defined return on investment (ROI) calculations; and cautionary measures regarding cheaply produced products and parts.

An additional nine percent of respondents shared their belief that recruiting the next generation of HVACR industry professionals, as well as ensuring their proper education and training, would be of utmost importance as a focus for the coming year.

Recognizing the impact of the U.S. economy and political landscape on the HVACR industry at-large, 13 percent of respondents remarked on governmental regulations, a revitalized economy, and the results of the 2016 U.S. presidential election as expected to notably affect the industry in 2017.

Further factors such as fuel costs, the reliability of the U.S. utility grid, increased application of heat recovery, VRF and ductless systems, movement from tube-and-fin to microchannel solutions, and increased awareness/use of push-to-connect fittings were also mentioned as important trends for the coming year.

For more information on the 2017 AHR Expo, visit www.ahrexpo.com.

As a highlight of the 2017 Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo), to be held next January 30 to February 1 in Las Vegas, the 2017 AHR Expo Innovation Awards ceremony has been scheduled for Tuesday, January 31. From 1:00 to 2:00 pm in Las Vegas Convention Center room N253 (on the second floor of Read more

As a highlight of the 2017 Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo), to be held next January 30 to February 1 in Las Vegas, the 2017 AHR Expo Innovation Awards ceremony has been scheduled for Tuesday, January 31.

From 1:00 to 2:00 pm in Las Vegas Convention Center room N253 (on the second floor of the North Hall), the 2017 AHR Expo Innovation Awards will honor the most inventive and original products, systems and technologies showcased at this year’s Show in the categories of: building automation; cooling; green building; heating; indoor air quality; plumbing; refrigeration; software; tools & instruments; and ventilation.

Additionally, one 2017 AHR Expo Product of the Year award winner, selected from among the 10 category winners, will be announced during the ceremony on January 31.

All 2017 AHR Expo Innovation Award winners have been selected by a panel of third-party ASHRAE member judges who evaluated each entry based on innovative design, creativity, application, value and market impact.

“The innovative and creative product development demonstrated by this year’s Award winners has served to confirm the HVACR Industry’s ongoing vitality and forward thinking. It is exciting to see all the emerging technologies that are bringing about better and better solutions to the challenges we face,” said Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Company.

“We congratulate those who have been recognized as 2017’s pioneers from across all areas of the industry, by proving there is always more to be achieved, and farther to be propelled, when it comes to HVACR innovation,” Stevens continued. “This is the spirit that makes each year’s competition so fresh and exciting, and is what we are proud to see, year after year, as a cornerstone of inspiration for the HVACR industry’s ongoing creativity and advancement.”

The complete list of 2017 AHR Expo Innovation Award winners includes:

Building Automation

Company: Danfoss (www.danfoss.us; 2017 AHR Expo booth No. C4506)

Innovation: Danfoss Enterprise Services

Cooling

Company: Daikin Applied (www.daikinapplied.com; 2017 AHR Expo booth No. C2509)

Innovation: Pathfinder® Air-cooled Screw Chillers with Variable Volume Ratio (VVR) Technology

Green Building

Company: Carrier (carrier.com/commercial; 2017 AHR Expo booth No. C1510)

Innovation: Dual Stage Relief Economizer (DSRE)

Heating

Company: Noritz America (www.noritz.com; 2017 AHR Expo booth No. C5917)

Innovation: Noritz CB Combi Boiler

Indoor Air Quality

Company: Nortec Humidity (www.humidity.com; 2017 AHR Expo booth No. C4706)

Innovation: Nortec GS Series – CS Model (Nortec GS CS) Humidifier

Plumbing

Company: Taco, Inc. (www.tacocomfort.com; 2017 AHR Expo booth No. N7926)

Innovation: SmartPlug Smart Hot Water Recirculation Control

Refrigeration

Company: Danfoss (www.danfoss.us; 2017 AHR Expo booth No. C4506)

Innovation: Danfoss CTM (Electrical Controlled Transcritical Multi Ejector)

Software

Company: Nidec Motor Corporation / U.S. MOTORS® (www.usmotors.com; 2017 AHR Expo booth No. C3924)

Innovation: Rescue Select Programming App

Tools & Instruments

Company: PEXOLOGY, Inc. (www.pexgun.com; 2017 AHR Expo booth No. C6618)

Innovation: PEXGUN

Ventilation

Company: Titus (www.titus-hvac.com; 2017 AHR Expo booth No. C3137)

Innovation: Helios Digital Diffuser

For more information on the 2017 AHR Expo, visit ahrexpo.com

About AHR Expo

The International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo), which began more than 85 years ago as a heating and ventilation show, has now grown into one of the world’s largest HVACR events. The Exposition is held annually in key markets and major cities across the U.S., hosting close to 2,000 exhibitors and bringing in crowds of 60,000 industry professionals. The Show provides a unique forum for the HVACR community to come together and share new products, technologies, and ideas. The event is co-sponsored by ASHRAE and AHRI, and is held concurrently with ASHRAE’s Winter Conference.

Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical (Hiller), the region’s premier provider of residential and commercial service and repair, hosts the inaugural PRAXIS S-10 and PriceFixer.com National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.  PRAXIS S-10, a success college for contractors, equips HVAC contracting businesses across the nation with skills and long-term strategies for rapid business growth. PriceFixer.com, a franchise Read more

Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical (Hiller), the region’s premier provider of residential and commercial service and repair, hosts the inaugural PRAXIS S-10 and PriceFixer.com National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. 

PRAXIS S-10, a success college for contractors, equips HVAC contracting businesses across the nation with skills and long-term strategies for rapid business growth. PriceFixer.com, a franchise opportunity through PRAXIS S-10, offers straightforward, transparent pricing to consumers on HVAC service and repair. PriceFixer.com is expected to be one of the fastest-growing franchises in history, with over 110 new contractors joining over the next 30 days.

The PRAXIS S-10 and PriceFixer.com National Convention, held at Gaylord Opryland Resort, will begin at 8:30am on Friday, November 11, 2016, and continue through the evening on Saturday, November 12. PRAXIS S-10 anticipates over 240 contractors from across the country to attend. In addition to seminars and discussions that will equip contractors with the tools necessary for long-term success, Hiller will host a tour and Bar-B-Q on Friday night to welcome fellow business owners.

“We are honored to host the inaugural PRAXIS S-10 and PriceFixer Expo this year in Nashville”, remarked Jimmy Hiller, founder and CEO of Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical. “As a business who has experienced exponential growth in recent years, I am thrilled that other HVAC contractors will learn new strategies for achieving their own growth goals”.

Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical, an industry leader in the Plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical trades, will be featured during the conference as an example of long-term strategies and growth plans to other contractors. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from Jimmy Hiller, founder and CEO, himself about his background, road to success, and goals for the future.

Launched in 1990 out of a duplex in Antioch, Tennessee, with a single employee and just $500, Hiller has grown to include over 470 trucks, 12 locations, and more than 600 employees across the southeast. Hiller, recently honored by inclusion on the Inc. 5000 List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America for the 11th time, has achieved 100% growth over the past 3 years, reporting 2015 annual revenues over 90.2 million dollars.

Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical, provides residential and commercial service and repair throughout Tennessee, Southern Kentucky, and Northern Alabama. As the homeowner’s premier provider of choice with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, Hiller is Tennessee’s largest residential plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical services provider. Hiller, recently named to the list of fastest-growing private companies in Middle Tennessee and “Best in Business” from the Nashville Business Journal, employs more than 600 associates, boasts a fleet of 470 “happy face” trucks across 12 locations, and has responded to over 1.4 million service calls. For more information about Hiller, visit http://www.happyhiller.com or e-mail press@happyhiller.com.

Building on the success of such offerings at previous AHR Expos, the 2017 Show, to be held January 30 to February 1 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, will feature a wide array of educational opportunities. Throughout the week, contractors, engineers and other show attendees will have the chance to participate in numerous free seminars Read more

Building on the success of such offerings at previous AHR Expos, the 2017 Show, to be held January 30 to February 1 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, will feature a wide array of educational opportunities. Throughout the week, contractors, engineers and other show attendees will have the chance to participate in numerous free seminars and presentations, paid programming and professional certification exams – all further enhancing the value of Show attendance.

“We pride ourselves on offering these ancillary education, training and certification opportunities as a way to fully maximize the benefit attendees gain from being a part of AHR Expo,” said Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Company.

“Beyond the ability to discover cutting-edge innovations showcased at each year’s AHR Expo, attendees have come to appreciate the opportunity to combine valuable educational sessions into their agendas,” Stevens said. “The Show has thus become a place where attendees can earn CEUs, complete professional certification exams, and engage in meaningful discussion with peers about solutions to the industry’s most difficult challenges.”

Free Seminars & Training

A series of topics will be covered in free seminars and presentations, offered across several umbrella categories, during the first two days of the show. These include:

Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in more than 50 free seminars on a range of topics presented by endorsing associations and other HVACR industry groups. These industry expert-led one- and two-hour sessions have been designed to allow for easy integration of valuable education time into attendees’ overall Show agendas.

A Town Hall meeting, hosted by the Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA), will provide opportunity for open-forum discussion on the topic of technology integration into HVACR practices. Ron Zimmer, CABA president and CEO, will guide dialogue on drill-down topics including automation, usage tracking, and ways to increase efficiency through the latest technological advances in the industry.

Paid Programming & Testing

Numerous courses, continuing educational sessions and opportunities for testing will be offered for a nominal fee, both prior to and during the 2017 AHR Expo in Las Vegas. These include:

  • ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI) Continuing Education Courses – Held concurrently with the ASHRAE 2017 Winter Conference, AHR Expo will incorporate several opportunities for attendees to participate in ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI) continuing education courses. A total of 20 courses will be offered prior to and during the 2017 AHR Expo, and all courses are approved for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) toward maintaining P.E. licensure.

Each full-day course will earn attendees 6 Professional Development Hours (PDHs)/Learning Units (LUs) or 0.6 CEUs, with topics including: “Commissioning Processes in New & Existing Buildings (code 62);” “Complying with the Requirements of Standard 62.1-2016 (code 76);” and “Energy Modeling Best Practices and Applications (code 61).”

Numerous half-day courses, from which participants will earn 3 PDHs/LUs or 0.3 CEUs, will also be offered throughout the week. Among the many topics addressed will be: “Designing High-Performance Healthcare HVAC Systems (code 79);” “Design of Affordable and Efficient Ground Source Heat Pump Systems (code 72);” “High-Performance Building Design: Applications & Future Trends (code 70);” and “Designing Toward Net-Zero Energy Commercial Buildings (code 68).”

Advance registration is required for all ALI Continuing Education Courses, and can be completed by visiting www.ashrae.org/lasvegascourses.

  • Certification/Exams – Those attending the 2017 AHR Expo in Vegas can additionally sit for exams from several HVACR industry organizations, including: the AABC Commissioning Group’s (ACG) CxA Workshop & Exam; the National Air Filtration Association (NAFA) CAFS Testing and Two-Hour Tutorial; and testing by the North American Technician Excellence (NATE).

Exam sessions will cover more than 11 industry specific topics for certification, including: air conditioning; air distribution; heat pumps; gas heating; oil heating; hydronics gas; hydronics oil; commercial refrigeration; light commercial refrigeration; ground source heat pumps; and senior efficiency analyst certification.

A complete list of 2017 AHR Expo educational opportunities can be found at http://ahrexpo.com/education-overview/. For general information or to register for the 2017 AHR Expo, January 30 to February 1 in Las Vegas, visit ahrexpo.com. 

About AHR Expo

The International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo), which began more than 85 years ago as a heating and ventilation show, has now grown into one of the world’s largest HVACR events. The Exposition is held annually in key markets and major cities across the U.S., hosting close to 2,000 exhibitors and bringing in crowds of 60,000 industry professionals. The Show provides a unique forum for the HVACR community to come together and share new products, technologies, and ideas. The event is co-sponsored by ASHRAE and AHRI, and is held concurrently with ASHRAE’s Winter Conference.

About International Exposition Company, Inc. (IEC)

International Exposition Company (IEC) is a Westport, Conn.-based trade show management company. For more than 100 years, the company has built its reputation on a track record of honesty, respect and fairness for exhibiting companies and show attendees. IEC owns and manages three major trade show events; the annual AHR Expo (International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition), the biennial AHR Expo-Mexico, and the biennial Chem Show. Attendance across these three events totals in excess of 70,000.