AHR Expo
The crowds at AHR Expo 2022 in Las Vegas, NV.

The Reinvention Convention — AHR Expo Atlanta

Dec. 8, 2022
As the event comes closer my words are haunting me: what will a reinvention convention look like?

We are all working towards a reinvented presence at AHR Expo in Atlanta, but it is reinvention is tough. Reinvention begets more reinvention, so every presentation and product idea sparks radical new thoughts and new ways of doing. We need to clearly understand the reinvented vision each presenter brings. They are not talking about what we have done, but what we are now going to do. I started this discussion and conversation a while back, but as the event comes closer my words are haunting me: what will a reinvention convention look like? 

As we work hard at adding faces to each session's panel and presenters, the conversation keeps evolving into what will be our actual presentation in Feb 2023.

Turning Chaos into Creative Change

Join our 12 free education sessions in Atlanta. Remote anywhere work, the radical change in the use of existing infrastructures, and the evolving online economies all cry for the reinvention of “virtually” everything. This can create Chaos—but also presents an amazing opportunity for Creative Change. You will want to be part of these changes. (And here let me add a quick tip of the hat to our sponsors who make the event possible:  https://www.automatedbuildings.com/sponsors/)

We have compiled a very robust 2023 Trend Report with information from our HVACR industry associations, as well as a sampling of manufacturers and those working in the field. We asked our participants a series of questions based on the current state of the industry, opportunities, threats, and market predictions heading into 2023. I encourage you to take a thorough look through as there is no shortage of expertise!

In the midst of this chaotic whirlwind, it remains important to focus on what is essential. Contributing editor Marc Petock shares his thoughts: 

So what matters most?

What a difference a year makes. It is hard to recognize the built environment of today. The pandemic combined with the new demands from the business side of managing buildings has rewritten the rules, and now, the industry is once again going through a transformational time. Suffice it to say that managing and operating buildings is much harder today than it was last year. And the hardest task of all for owners and operators is to incorporate an approach that includes resiliency and risk mitigation combined with deciding what needs to be done now and what can wait.

Furthermore, the current economic conditions are not driving owners and operators to curtail their building technology investments. I am seeing an increase in conversations and projects that I expect to accelerate in 2023 as both owners and occupants come to terms with the smarter built environment. 2023 should be looked at as the year for “The RESHAPE”.

This just-added summit gives us

An Opportunity to Rethink Building Automation

Contributing Editor Anto Budiarjo explains:

As we prepare for AHR Expo 2023 in Atlanta in February, I cannot help thinking about the significant amount of progress that has occurred in the BAS industry since the last “real” AHR Expo 2020 in Orlando (Las Vegas was really held under COVID rules and sparsely attended). It seemed like the COVID lockdown drove us to contemplate our collective future and organize ourselves to identify and address some of the industry’s most intractable problems, thanks to many Zoom calls.

The organizers of the Smarter Summit invite you to participate in this seminal event that will gather industry leaders to define the future of building automation to make buildings smarter.

Smarter Summit 23 will be held on Sunday, Feb/5 on the eve of the AHR Expo.

We have been adding to last month's post: Following the HTML to AHR Expo Atlanta

AutomatedBuildings has had a very busy month. We added these HTML wranglers, two contributing editors from the lighting control industry, and James "Jim" McHale of Memoori—not to mention three new sponsors.

I’m very pleased that Jim has come on as one of our editors From Jim’s first post:

The Cyber Security in Smart Commercial Buildings 2022 to 2027”  report will be of value to all those engaged in managing, operating, and investing in commercial smart buildings (and their advisers) around the world. Rob Murchison, Intelligent Buildings principal, and co-founder said, “We are now seeing insurers actively exclude cyber events that affect digital building systems, such as HVAC, lighting, elevator, parking, and access control, from their policies.

Lauren Scott is the Vice President of Marketing & Sustainability at Acuity Intelligent Spaces Group.

Craig DiLouie, LC, CLCP is the education director for the Lighting Controls Association.

I'm extremely proud of all our contributing editors!

Our new sponsors are:

Distech Controls connects people with intelligent building solutions.

KODE Labs is a cloud-based, vendor agnostic, and open smart building software platform.

VYKON is Tridium’s enterprise and integration brand of Building Automation, Energy, and Security products based on Niagara Framework® technology.

And because bringing new people into our industry should be a priority for all of us, here's a link to the careers page of our sponsor Smart Infrastructure Apprenticeships.

I would like to congratulate Melissa Boutwell, President, Automation Strategy & Performance, for her work with the  Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Sprint at the White House.

This LinkedIn post from Cierra Mitchell Division Director, Office of Apprenticeship, U.S. Department of Labor, says a little more about the Sprint:

During this Sprint, we developed approximately 200 new cybersecurity apprenticeship programs for 200 employers who hired over 7,000 apprentices to meet critical cybersecurity workforce needs, in less than 120 days.

(Learn more in this release, https://www.automatedbuildings.com/2022/11/21/automation-strategy-performance-recognized-at-white-house-event/)

Each additional contributor brings new people and connections to new networks of industry players. For more on the ever-expanding AutomatedBuildings.com, visit our FAQ—hope to see you in Atlanta!

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