by Janet B. Stroud — December 13, 2022 — The AHR Expo has released its 2023 Trend Report covering the current state of the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industry and outlook for 2023. The researchers created the HVACR trends report to provide a thoughtful connection point for its audiences with the goal of identifying the state of the industry ahead of the show in Atlanta February 6-8, 2023.
The robust report was compiled with information from HVACR industry associations, as well as a sampling of manufacturers and those working in the field. Respondents were asked a series of questions based on the current state of the industry and discussions happening in their specific areas of expertise, as well as opportunities, threats and market predictions heading into 2023.
Respondents from HVACR industry associations were:
- Farooq Mehboob, ASHRAE President and Fellow
- Stephen Yurek, AHRI President and CEO
- Scott Lynch, ABMA President and CEO
- Andy Mcmillan, BACnet International President and Managing Director
- Greg Walker, CABA President and CEO
- Howard Weiss, Green Mechanical Council COO and Executive Vice President of ESCO Group
- Talbot Gee, HARDI CEO
- Patrick Nielsen, HVI Chairman of the Board
Summary takeaways and common industry themes include:
1. Regulations remain a driving force towards a cleaner future
- Decarbonization
- Green transition
- New standards with quicker onboarding
- M1 and refrigerant updates
2. The built environment is evolving
- New demands for efficiency
- IT and the connected consumer
- Automation
- Awareness of long-term benefit with higher performing systems
3. Supply chain recovery
- New practices adapted out of necessity
- New ways of moving product across the chain
- Rebounding and future planning
- Transportation models
4. Inflation and recession
- Forecasts and planning
- Expectations
- The new role of HVACR in the budget
5. Workforce and training
- The need for a strong and skilled workforce
- Projected increasing demands for the industry
- Flow of information across the chain: IAQ, changing regulations, application updates
6. Cybersecurity
- Building control
- Threat considerations
- Planning for a connected future
7. Expansion, growth and meeting demand
- Managing multiple areas of growth within the industry
- Educating first the workforce, and secondly the end user
- Managing and meeting expectations — the consumer is more involved than ever
The full 2023 Trend Report is available from the AHR Expo.
Readers may register to attend the show for free.
