The HVAC Excellence National HVACR Education Conference was attended by a record number of instructors and HVACR professionals, with over one-thousand attendees eager to learn and participate in educational opportunities and experiences. Scheduled ten-hour days quickly turned into eighteen-hour marathons of educational opportunities and experiences.

Despite the expo hall being on the left and the classrooms on the right, attendees united in the center hallway to network and improve education in the industry. Most attendees were there for the first time, and they chose this event for a combination of lecture, hands-on sessions, and exhibitor learning centers, which allowed them to learn about new equipment and technologies and teach others about them.

Refrigerant Transition

To make certain attendees received firsthand information, members of the AHRI Safe Refrigerant Transition Task Force, Chemours, EPA, Honeywell, and Hudson Technologies presented. Their collaborative efforts were highlighted during the EPA town hall addressing frequently asked questions and myths.

A common theme in all of these sessions was the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act signed by President Trump on December 27, 2020. This legislation requires the phasedown of HFC refrigerants, including popular ones like R-134A, R-404A, and R-410A. Although each organization hosted different sessions covering an array of refrigerant-related topics, they all came back to one goal, educating everyone on the new codes and standards for working with Lower GWP refrigerants like R-32, R-449A, and R-1234yf.

Decarbonization and Electrification

Decarbonization and Electrification may seem like foreign terminology to many. However, those who take the time to educate themselves on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), cold climate heat pumps, and inverter driven systems, will be the ones who successfully grow their businesses in our ever-changing industry.

To help attendees better understand key provisions of the IRA, building scientists from the Department of Energy, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory conducted several training sessions. The sessions provided highlights of the IRA, the initiatives, and training required to participate in these programs. To further help educate attendees on innovative technologies, Daikin, Fujitsu, and Mitsubishi hosted an array of sessions on ductless technologies.

Customized Professional Development Opportunities

With multiple educational opportunities offered during each time slot, with over sixty sessions in total, attendees had the opportunity to create a customized professional development plan to meet their individual training needs. Several sessions were hands-on, interactive sessions. In addition, several classes offered rotating training stations, such as the Daikin ductless inverter class.

While it is impossible to attend all of the great sessions by yourself, many organizations and schools send multiple attendees. It was strongly encouraged that these individuals separate throughout the event, attend as many sessions as possible, discuss what they learned when they return home, and evaluate what potential changes to their training are warranted.

Advanced Placement Opportunities

Although many leading associations participated in the conference, one high-energy session compelled people to stay until nearly 10 pm, nearly 3 ½ hours after the scheduled end of the session! During the session, conducted by members of the Mechanical Service Contractors of America (MSCA), and the United Association of Apprentices and Journeymen (UA), the common theme of contractors struggling to fill open positions with qualified individuals was prevalent.

MSCA represents some of the leading organizations in the HVACR industry, including Carrier Commercial, Trane Commercial, and Johnson Controls. Offering some of the most sought after jobs in the industry, they still struggle to fill open positions. During the session they explained the opportunities students have to expand their industry education, work on commercial and industrial equipment, earn higher compensation, obtain exceptional benefits, and become part of a major industry brotherhood. The purpose of the session was to help instructors understand the opportunities awaiting their graduates with some of these leading employers upon program completion.

Presenters and Exhibitors

It takes a great deal to host an international conference and take the concepts to fruition. HVAC Excellence would like to thank all our presenters, and exhibitors. We also want to thank Daikin Comfort Technologies, ESCO Institute, and Hampden Engineering for taking a leading role as sponsors of this event. We hope you look to these individuals and organizations when you are looking for additional training resources and support.

While we had more applications for exhibit space and breakout sessions than we could possibly accommodate, we are pleased to host a weekly show where we showcase additional learning opportunities every Thursday at 4:30 pm Eastern.

Continuing Education Hours and Presentations

Attendees can access continuing education hour certificates for classes they completed by logging in to the HVACR Learning Network. After answering a few quick questions about the session, they can access the class certificate to print, share on social media, or email to a supervisor. If the presenter shared their presentation, or supplemental materials, it will be available within that course listing.

It is important to note that while the in-person portion of the conference has concluded, the conference now continues online with sessions throughout the summer.

2024 National HVACR Education Conference

While the in-person portion has just concluded, preparation for the 2024 National HVACR Education Conference is already underway. We hope that everyone will join us March 25-27, 2024, at the South Point for “An Education Revolution”. Just as the industrial revolution transformed how we manufactured goods, we are now experiencing an education revolution, transforming how we train the HVACR industry. Learn more and register at escogroup.org.

View photos of the event here.