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The new year usually ushers in an exciting time for the HVAC industry: trade show season. Of course, with COVID-19, disruptions have become par for the course. The global pandemic means trade shows have had to adapt, adjust, or outright cancel all their plans. We took a look at some of the most prominent HVAC trade shows and their plans for 2021. Read on!
International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition - AHR Expo 2021
Traditionally the biggest HVAC expo in North America, AHR 2021 has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Per their website:
"With roadblocks set in place by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and resulting current state and local restrictions that prohibit mass gatherings over 50 people, an in-person event will not take place in 2021. Instead, we'll shift our focus to 2022 and prepare for an in-person event in Las Vegas, NV."
So, bad news for this year. Fortunately, AHR has plans in motion for 2022, and with vaccines on the way, next year's event will likely occur as scheduled.
Air Conditioning Contractors of America – ACCA Conference & Expo 2021
Like AHR, this year's ACCA conference (once scheduled for New Orleans) has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, ACCA does have plans to hold their expo in 2022 in St. Louis, MO.Â
Indoor Air Quality Association – IAQA Annual Meeting
Fortunately, it's not all doom and gloom. IAQA has decided to go digital in 2021. Their expo will consist of "a blend of on-demand and live speaker with multiple attendee interaction options" and will take place online. Putting a positive spin on things, the organization points out that a digital schedule will allow attendees to attend more sessions than they could at an in-person expo. Of course, attendees won't have the same informal networking opportunities. Some HVAC businesses may not find an online trade show particularly useful, but those that do can register for this event at: https://annualmeeting.iaqa.org/registration
International District Energy Association – CampusEnergy2021 and IDEA2021
Good news on both fronts! CE2021 will go digital this year. The conference will take place February 16-18, 2021 as a virtual event. The early bird registration deadline has passed, but you can still sign up to attend: https://www.districtenergy.org/campusenergy2021/registration
For now, it seems IDEA2021 will go forward as an in-person event at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas from June 14th through the 17th. Attendee registration has not opened yet, but they are currently accepting presenters. Check https://www.districtenergy.org/events/conferences for any updates.
As you can see, the overall HVAC trade show outlook for 2021 is... well, pretty bleak. Still, you have some options, and with vaccines on the way, things should return to normal in 2022.
Was evaluating HVAC software on our wish list for the 2021 trade show season? If so, we've got you covered. You can request a free demo of Smart Service, our award-winning HVAC software, by calling 1-888-518-0818 or filling out the form on our free demo page. Stay safe out there!
