AHR Expo 2026 Draws More than 53,000 Attendees

LAS VEGAS, NV — AHR Expo (Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition) wrapped a milestone week at the Las Vegas Convention Center Feb. 2–4, drawing 53,315 professionals to nearly 579,000 square feet of exhibits across the Central and South Halls.

A total of 1,956 exhibitors showcased equipment, controls, software, tools and services spanning commercial, residential and industrial applications across the plumbing, HVAC/R and electrical trades. Attendees included contractors, engineers, OEMs, distributors, sales partners and facility owners—all focused on technologies that improve performance, efficiency and jobsite execution.

“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.”

Refrigerants, Data Centers and Workforce Development

Education sessions and show-floor conversations reflected the pressures contractors are navigating now: supply stability, evolving regulations, and the rapid growth of data center cooling demand.

Standing-room-only panels covered refrigerants, heat pumps, ERV systems, building automation, workforce development and the annual State of the Industry outlook.

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 Data Center Demands 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.”

Full-length videos from the 2026 Panel Series are available at ahrexpo.com.

Contractors Emphasize Real-World Solutions and Efficiency Gains

For contractors and engineers, the value of AHR Expo continues to center on practical takeaways—from smarter controls and next-generation HVAC systems to tools that improve retrofit and commissioning performance.

“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.”

First-time attendee Steve Doring, Owner of Paradise Heating & Cooling Ltd., added, “WOW, what an amazing experience. As a first-time attendee, 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.”

Innovation Awards Spotlight Next-Gen HVACR Equipment and Controls

During a closed ceremony, AHR Expo honored the 2026 Innovation Awards winners across multiple categories. Highlights included:

• Building Automation: Honeywell Connected Solutions
• Cooling: Daikin, Magnitude® WME-C Quad
• Heating: Copeland, heating-optimized modulating vapor injection portfolio
• Indoor Air Quality: Sharp Corporation, Airest
• Plumbing: IDC Fluid Control, LeakStop III
• Refrigeration: Copeland, transcritical CO₂ scroll compressor with dynamic vapor injection
• 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 earned the 2026 Innovation Product of the Year Award.

"When it was announced that we won Product of the Year, I could only think of the audacity of my team at Blue Frontier. 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," Dr. Daniel Betts, CEO of Blue Frontier, Inc.

Students Gain Hands-On Exposure to HVACR Careers

Workforce development remained a visible priority throughout the show.

Student engineers participating in ASHRAE youth programming attended curated tours and panel discussions focused on career pathways, field experience and long-term industry growth.

High school students from Clark County Public Schools also participated in hands-on programming, connecting with manufacturers and contractors to explore career options in HVACR.

“We are so incredibly grateful for our time at the AHR Expo this week. 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,” said Lilianna Bonderov, Principal at Central Technical Training Academy.

AHR Expo Heads to Chicago in 2027

AHR Expo will return to Chicago Jan. 25–27, 2027. Registration is expected to open this summer.