AHR Expo 2026 Drew 53,315 to Las Vegas
Key Highlights
- The annual show featured a robust education program, including well-attended panels on refrigerants, data centers, AI, heat pumps, and workforce development;
- Industry awards recognized innovative products, with Blue Frontier winning the Product of the Year for its sustainable HVAC tech solutions;
- Student engagement was a key focus, with tours and panels inspiring future HVACR professionals and highlighting career opportunities;
- Next year’s expo returns to Chicago from January 25-27, 2027.
WESTPORT, CT, Feb. 10, 2026 – The AHR Expo (International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition) wrapped a monumental week in Vegas, taking over the Central and South Halls at the Las Vegas Convention Center February 2-4. 53,315 professionals – including engineers, sales channel partners, owners, contractors, installers and more – came together to experience the latest offering from 1,956 exhibitors over 578,980 sq. ft. of show floor.
“This industry just keeps getting more exciting,” said Show Manager Jeff Stevens. “We’re proud to serve as the place where HVACR professionals come together to tackle emerging challenges and discover new opportunities. As the pace of change continues to accelerate, our work together is more important than ever in shaping a built environment that is comfortable, safe, and efficient. AHR gives our industry the opportunity to connect with the technologies, ideas, and partnerships that move us forward.”
The HVACR industry continues to dive ahead into smarter ways to provide heating, cooling and refrigeration to the built environment. The steadfast application of legacy technologies all the way through the introduction of novel products and practices allows professionals to converge and refresh their knowledge, discover new paths and expand a network to help align and achieve goals.
“AHR Expo is three days of productive engagement with valued customers, suppliers and partners,” said Carrier's Steve Ribaudo, VP & GM, Commercial HVAC Americas. “We wrapped up a truly energizing week in Las Vegas, where the team at AHR Expo and our incredible team put on an amazing show and customer reception.”
Experts lend access to education, training
This week, in conversation, we heard about data centers, AI, methods to strengthen workforce development initiatives, discussions of steadying refrigerant shortages coupled with a push in direction to new refrigerants, updated regulations, and more.
In addition to the free industry program, already packed with sessions for all points of interest, the Education Program featured the 2026 Panel Series.
Highlights included:
Monday and Tuesday featured a series of standing room only discussions on topics including refrigerants, data centers, workforce development, industry communication channels, heat pumps, ERV systems and the annual State of the Industry Panel.
“Standing in the back of a packed room this morning, listening to the state of the industry at AHR Expo. A stark reminder of why this industry works best when we’re actually together. Not because of one company or one product, but because it brings the whole ecosystem into the same conversation,” said Katie Blaufuss, Trane Technologies. “I work for a company and I support specific clients. That matters, but so does staying connected as an industry while everything around us continues to shift."
She continued, "Manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, dealers, and industry partners all in one room, listening, sharing perspective, and wrestling with what’s hard right now and where opportunity really exists. This industry doesn’t move forward without all of those voices at the table.”
Ryan Sen, who moderated the panel Data Center Demands: Cooling Solutions, BMS Advancement and the Next Generation of HVAC, said of the session, “Standing room only! Yes, you heard me right—our panel was certainly one of the most heavily attended sessions at AHR Expo 2026, and with good reason. Given the speed, scale, and investment being made in this vertical, it was timely for the engineering, HVAC, and BAS communities to come together to hear from real subject matter experts helping to shape standards and technology adoption. These included none other than David Quirk, Justin Seter, Ken Duncan, and Davin Sandhu.”
Want to see for yourself? You can find full length videos of all sessions in the 2026 Panel Series on ahrexpo.com, coming soon.
Attendees weigh in
It’s hard to escape the energy present in a room full of HVACR professionals. AHR Expo is honored to provide the once-a-year opportunity for the full community to come together for a few days.
“Still buzzing from AHR Expo 2026! An incredible experience packed with innovation that directly fuels my work in energy efficiency, building retrofits, and retro-commissioning across NYC,” said mechanical engineer Marina Rezkalla with Carlton Energy. “From next-gen HVAC systems to smarter controls and efficiency strategies, the expo delivered real, actionable ideas for improving existing buildings and meeting today’s performance demands.”
Attending for the first time, Steve Doring, owner of Paradise Heating & Cooling Ltd. gave this review: “WOW, what an amazing experience. I was blown away by the number of vendors and HVAC professionals visiting from all over the world. Truly inspired by the seminars, the hands-on tool demos, and great conversations with industry professionals.”
Honoring innovators, led by Blue Frontier
During a closed ceremony on Monday, AHR Expo honored the 2026 AHR Expo Innovation Award winners for their contributions to HVACR and its future. This year's winners:
- Building Automation: Honeywell, Honeywell Connected Solutions;
- Cooling: Daikin, Magnitude® WME-C Quad;
- Heating: Copeland, heating-optimized modulating vapor injection portfolio;
- Indoor Air Quality: Sharp Corp., Airest;
- Plumbing: IDC Fluid Control, LeakStop III;
- Refrigeration: Copeland, transcritical CO2 scroll compressor with dynamic vapor injection technology;
- Software: Rebar, AI-Powered Takeoff Platform;
- Sustainable solutions: Blue Frontier, BF-DOAS;
- Tools & instruments: CSG Compressors (Houston & American Hermetics), SAMMi;
- Ventilation: ABB Motors and Drives, ACH580 Variable Frequency Drives.
Blue Frontier claimed the prestigious 2026 AHR Expo Innovation Product of the Year Award. "When it was announced that we won, I could only think of the audacity of my team at Blue Frontier," said Dr. Daniel Betts, CEO of Blue Frontier, Inc. "A tiny group of people with the seemingly naive conviction that we can do things better and without compromises. This award marks a recognition and an encouragement for us to continue to find ways to align people, science, engineering, product, and customer experience
to create products that seem magical."
Students Share HVACR’s Shining Moment
On Monday, several dozen student engineers from ASHRAE’s youth programming joined us for a curated tour and panel discussion. HVACR professionals from across the industry came together to talk about career paths, industry entry, and real-world advice for building and sustaining a successful career.
On Wednesday, dozens of high school students enrolled in a dual-enrollment program from Clark County Public Schools joined us for their own hands-on experience. Mirroring Monday’s programming, students participated in a curated tour led by industry ambassadors who highlighted the innovation, technology, and career potential within HVACR. The group also attended a panel discussion exploring the wide range of career pathways available in the industry. A special thank you to program sponsors Grundfos, Viega, and Midea for providing lunch and donating goods for the students.
“We are so incredibly grateful for our time at the AHR Expo this week," said Lilianna Bonderov, Principal at Central Technical Training Academy. "I've attended a lot of trade
shows, but this one blew my mind. The size, the innovation, the community. I can't stop telling people about what an exceptional experience it was. I appreciate the thought that went into the programming for our students; it was relevant, meaningful, and engaging. I left feeling inspired, and I know that our staff and students did as well.”
AHR Expo heads to Chicago for 2027
AHR Expo will return to Chicago January 25-27, 2027. Registration is expected to open in summer. For more, please visit www.ahrexpo.com.
ABOUT AHR EXPO
The AHR Expo is the world’s premier HVACR event, attracting the most comprehensive gathering of industry professionals from around the globe each year. The show provides a unique forum where manufacturers of all sizes and specialties, whether major industry brand or innovative start-up, can come together to share ideas and showcase the future of HVACR technology under one roof.
Since 1930, the AHR Expo has remained the industry’s best place for OEMs, engineers, contractors, facility operators, architects, educators and other industry professionals to explore the latest trends and applications and to cultivate mutually beneficial business relationships. The next show, co-sponsored by ASHRAE and AHRI, will be held Jan. 25-27, 2027 in Chicago, Il., and will be held concurrently with ASHRAE’s Winter Conference.
For more information, visit ahrexpo.com and follow @ahrexpo on X, Instagram, Linkedin and Facebook. The AHR Expo is produced and managed by:
International Exposition Company, Inc.
15 Franklin Street
Westport, CT 06880
Telephone: 203-221-9232
Fax: 203-221-9260
Email: [email protected]
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Media Contact:
Nicole Bush
203-226-9232
[email protected]