AHR Expo visitors seek to improve energy performance

WESTPORT, CONN. — Energy efficiency, building automation and green building technology are the areas of greatest interest to 800 industry professionals who attended the 2006 AHR Expo in January in Chicago and participated in an online survey released in late May. AHR Expo officials said they would use the results of their survey to help plan offerings for the 2007 show, which will be Jan. 29-31 in Dallas.

The AHR Expo is cosponsored by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers and the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, a trade group for HVACR manufacturers. At 15.5% and 12.9% respectively, manufacturing personnel and engineers rank third and fourth as industry classifications attending the 2006 show. Contractors and dealers, at 27.5%, were surpassed in attendance at the show only by distribution personnel at 31.2%.

The topics that survey respondents reported as most important to address at next year's show include:

• Energy efficiency and recovery;
• Building controls and automation;
• Green building issues/technology;
• Indoor air quality; and
• Solar and other alternative energy sources such as geo-thermal and woodburning appliances.

"Given the high cost of fuel and the ongoing desire for more healthy living environments, there is a critical need to learn more about the products, technologies and trends that can help achieve greater energy efficiency," said Clay Stevens, president of International-Exposition Co., show producers and managers.

• Features planned for 2007 include:
• Educational sessions focusing on energy efficiency and building automation topics in addition to the ASHRAE conference program and short courses;
• A focus on green buildings featuring new conference sessions by the U.S.
• Green Building Council;
• The New Product Technology Theater where companies will present brief previews of their latest technologies and products, including many dealing with energy efficiency, building automation and green buildings;
• An expanded Building Automation and Control Showcase area on the show floor; and
• The AHR Expo Innovation Awards to showcase the most innovative new products at the show including those focused on building automation, indoor air quality and green building.