AHR Expo Announces the 2020 Education Program

Each year, the Education Program discusses some of HVACR’s biggest opportunities and challenges through a series of comprehensive, informative and industry-focused sessions hosted by leaders from every sector of the industry.

This year, the AHR Expo will add a series of HVACR trend discussions led by members of the AHR Expo Expert Council. The 2020 AHR Expo will be held Feb. 3-5 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fl.

“The Education Program adds a unique element of learning to the AHR Expo with the opportunity to hear directly from leaders within the HVACR industry about the latest trends, applications and practices,” said Mark Stevens, AHR Expo Show Manager. “The development of our session schedule is ongoing, and we take careful consideration of discussions happening across the industry to identify pain points, opportunities, trends, etc. where we might offer support and solutions through dedicated sessions. There is tremendous planning involved, internally with AHR Expo as well as from the speakers and sponsoring organizations, to deliver useful advice, perspectives and tools to advance as professionals in the industry.”

EDUCATION SESSIONS
The 2020 Show features 76 free sessions led by industry experts working with leading organizations. Each session will range from one to two hours and will aim to deliver solutions to some of the HVACR industry’s most pressing challenges and exciting opportunities. Attendees are invited to attend general HVAC-related subjects as well as those specific to their sector of the industry and practice. Additionally, attendees are encouraged to download the MyShowPlanner App for iOS and Android to manage their Show and Education Program schedule. Details and instructions for downloading the 2020 AHR Expo App will be released closer to the Show and available on the AHR Expo website.

"In our daily work, it s easy to get tunnel vision. We often get so focused on what we see in our business that we lose touch with the rest of the industry," said Pam Duffy, P.E., owner of SparkOne Solutions and member of the AHR Expo Expert Council. "Having diverse perspectives from experts in all industry sectors is invaluable in capturing real insights. The AHR Expo Expert Council has offered guidance from real industry experts to identify true industry trends. I look forward to furthering these discussions as part of the 2020 Education Program."

Below are highlights for the 2020 AHR Expo’s free seminar session agenda:

General Industry-wide Topics
- Global Trends in the HVACR Market, presented by BSRIA Ltd.
- HVAC as a Service - How Soon is Now?, presented by BACnet International
- Private Equity 101: What HVACR Founders Need to Know, presented by Women in HVACR

Engineering
- Fundamentals of Test, Adjust, & Balance for Engineers, Cx & Energy Providers, presented by Associated Air Balance Council (AABC)
- Building for a Climate Emergency, presented by AutomatedBuildings.com
- Key Factors for a Successful Snowmelt Design, presented by Radiant Professionals Alliance (RPA)

Contractor-focused
- HVAC Retrofit Paradigm Shift: First, Attack Distribution System; Second, Replace Equipment, presented by National Comfort Institute (NCI)
- Hydrocarbon Refrigerants, presented by RSES/RSES Journal
- Fundamentals of Working with Flammable Refrigerants, presented by the Institute of Refrigeration (IOR)

Specialized
- SMACNA HVAC Duct Construction Standards - Metal & Flexible, presented by SMACNA
- Fan Energy Index (FEI) as a Rating Metric and Design Tool, presented by Air Movement and Control Association International, Inc. (AMCA International)
- Cooling Tower and Water Treatment Fundamentals, presented by Cooling Technology Institute (CTI)

Bilingual
- NAFA, Requerimientos de FiltraciÓn de Aire en Áresa Limpias, presented by National Air Filtration Association (NAFA)

Industry Trend
- Pulling More Women into the Ranks of Smart Buildings Leadership, presented by AutomatedBuildings.com
- Marketing Trends in HVAC, presented by AHR Expo Expert Council Member Pam Duffy
- Applying Emotional Intelligence (E.Q.) to Strengthen Your Business Model and Customer Relationships, presented by AHR Expo Expert Council Member Karine Leblanc

CONTINUING EDUCATION
AHR Expo attendees have the opportunity to participate in professional development courses through ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI) and short courses/professional development seminars approved for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) that can apply toward maintaining P.E. licensure. Attendees are required to register and pay tuition fees in advance of the Show and can do so by visiting the ASHRAE registration website.
Full-day courses account for six earned Professional Development Hours (PDHs)/Learning Units (LUs) or 0.6 CEUs. All half-day courses are awarded three accredited PDHs/AIA LUs. Topics cover a wide range of industry subjects, including the fundamentals of the commissioning process, complying with the requirements of ASHRAE standards, laboratory design basics and beyond, optimizing indoor environments and more. Course highlights include:

- Commissioning Authority (CxA) Workshop and Exam (2-days)
- NAFA CAFS Testing and 2-Hour Tutorial; NCT Testing
- ASHRAE Certification Exams

NEW PRODUCT AND TECHNOLOGY THEATER PRESENTATIONS
Attendees are also encouraged to sit in on exhibitor presentations in the New Product & Technology Theater. More than 100 presentations lasting approximately 20 minutes each are planned across all three days of the Show. These free presentations are meant to provide attendees with brief overviews of new product announcements and technologies that can be found in exhibitor booths on the Show floor. Attendees are invited to follow up presentations with a visit to the booth for a more in-depth explanation and 1:1 interaction with products and representatives. These sessions are set to take place in special theaters right on the exhibit floor. No fee or registration is required.

This year, four 2020 Innovation Award winners and seven finalists will present, including:

Winners:
- Danfoss (Green Building)
- Interplay Learning (Software)
- Infinitum Electric (Ventilation)
- Matelex (Tools & Instruments)

Finalists:
- Emerson (Heating)
- Sensirion, Inc. (IAQ)
- NIBCO INC. (Plumbing)
- BELIMO Americas (Building Automation)
- Smardt Chiller Group Inc. (Cooling)
- BCA Technologies, Inc. (Software)
- American Aldes (Ventilation)

Attendees can view the complete schedule for the 2020 AHR Expo Education Program on the education section of the AHR Expo website. The MyShowPlanner tool is available to assist attendees in building personalized Show agendas.