ORLANDO, Florida — Tens of thousands of HVACR professionals came together in Orlando to attend the annual AHR Expo, held Feb. 10-12. The industry was abuzz with two main themes: the switch to A2L refrigerants and the continued push toward decarbonization, most notably through heat pump technology.
“Global temperatures have risen by about 1.1° C since pre-industrial times, with some people believing that the 1.5° C tipping point will be hit as soon as 2035,” says Patrick Forsythe, chief technology officer and executive leader, Copeland. “The major source of greenhouse gas emissions, as we all know, is the burning of fossil fuel to produce energy, and so it's critical to enable that energy transition — the move to natural and low-GWP refrigerants is key, absolutely key, for sustainability. Copeland is truly uniquely positioned to deliver solutions for an efficient and sustainable chain.”
Though the Trump administration has focused on the reversal of climate policies and clean energy incentives of the Biden administration, Forsythe notes he expects the low-GWP refrigerant trend to continue. “Four years ago, this administration supported the AIM Act, which led to some of the refrigeration changes we’re going through now. We still expect to see state-level activity and incentives to continue to drive towards a more electrified install base and reduce dependency on fossil fuels.”
John Schneider, president, HVACR Technologies, Americas, Copeland, adds “The mega-trends are not changing, regardless of the administration.”
For the first time in its history, Daikin Applied's booth was filled with all new products, according to Jim Macosko, vice president of product and sustainability solutions, Daikin Applied Americas. Some were legacy products, but newly engineered to use A2L refrigerants. In fact, Daikin felt so strongly, that it went all-in on R-32 as the chosen A2L for all of its products.
“[The reason is] R-454B is primarily R-32 blended with some other refrigerants to mimic 410A — that's really important to remember,” Macosko says. “If there's ever a leak in a system, which we never want a system to leak, but if it were to leak, blended refrigerants leak at different rates. What will happen then is, you have to take the old refrigerant out, and put all new refrigerant in, because you need that refrigerant to be the right balance for the system to perform as intended. Blended refrigerants aren’t valuable, there’s no reclaim process to bring those cold refrigerants back into the industry. It’s expensive. With R-32 single-component refrigerant, if there’s ever a leak, you just top it off, and you're back to as good as brand new. When the product is ready to be decommissioned, you can pull that refrigerant out, put it in a canister, put it in inventory, and use it on your next project. The whole lifecycle of R-32 is really efficient.”
Daikin Applied’s air-source heat pump Rebel packaged rooftop system featuring R-32 drew attention at the show. The units also include features that increase performance, especially in cold climates, and simplify installation for both new construction and retrofits.
“We’re not just making heat pumps available; we’re also making them practical for a wide range of applications,” Macosko says. “Buildings account for 40% of global energy use and 33% of greenhouse gas emissions, which is why they’re central to mitigating climate change. By addressing the historic limitations of heat pumps, we’re making it easier for customers to use this technology, electrify their HVAC systems, and decarbonize in a way that benefits the environment and bottom line.”
The transition seamlessly to A2L refrigerants is a challenge for everybody, notes Thomas Carney, vice president of business development, Samsung HVAC America.
“We have new products across the board, starting in residential with Hylex, which is our universal heat pump replacement unit, with R-454B refrigerant, and a 100% heating capacity down to -5°F. It is the best mousetrap in the industry. It is a horizontal draw-through unit operating as low as 53 dB. It's very flexible for an existing retrofit of a cooling-only system because you only need two wires. The flexibility on the existing piping, typically a 3-ton unit is a 3/4-inch suction line, but we can go up a size to 7/8, or down 5/8, so you get that versatility. When it comes to Samsung units, what makes us different from others is significant components are manufactured by Samsung.”
Midea also made waves at the expo, showcasing its EVOX G3 Heat Pump and EVOX G3 Air Handling Unit (AHU). The EVOX G3 Heat Pump is the outdoor unit engineered to defy harsh winter temperatures, reliably providing up to 100% heating output at down to -13°F and operating effectively down to -22°F, all with a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of up to 1.8.
According to David Rames, senior product manager, Central AC Systems, Midea America Research Center, Midea’s cold climate heat pump — part of the Department of Energy’s Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge — tested at 118% of its rated heating capacity at -15°F. Midea took that technology and added some enhancements on the cooling side, so the compressor will now cool at 149°F outside temperature.
“We have a distributor, I think, in hell now,” he joked. “We’re now calling it our all-climate heat pump.”
However, it was the latching modular design of the AHU that drew interest from attendees. Capable of being separated into three manageable pieces thanks to the “Block N Lock” design, the AHU is optimized for single installers, especially when maneuvering into challenging spaces like attics, basements, or crawlspaces. With its multi-position installation configuration, the industry-exclusive LowBoy application allows for unparalleled flexibility in fitting within existing HVAC spaces, and the multi-voltage compatibility in a single unit eliminates the need for voltage adjustments, ideal for replacing gas furnaces. Its narrow width of 14.5 inches to 21 inches allows the EVOX G3 to fit into spaces that others cannot.
Rames says Midea interviewed many contractors and distributors and took what they said to heart when it came to designing the AHU.
“They need it to be easier to install, troubleshoot, and service,” he explains. “The biggest issues were attics, basements, and hard-to-reach spots. Most air handlers are just one big box. In about two minutes, we can break this thing down to move in three easy-to-move pieces with the latches. We’re making it safer and far more efficient. Not only is the contractor saving money as far as workman’s comp claims, but there will be less labor, and we’ve also shrunk down the size so it can fit into a lot of different places.”
Rames also points to the A2L refrigerant transition as the biggest challenge facing the HVACR industry this year.
“You’ve got two choices, R-32 or R-454B, and for us the decision was easy, we went with R-454B,” he says. “One [reason] was the global warming potential of R-454B is much lower than our R-32, and we feel that R-454B will be the predominant refrigerant for the U.S. Midea doesn't want to be responsible for forcing techs to carry an extra jug of another refrigerant. We think about the contractors with everything that we do, and that's why we want to be contractor-friendly with this product as well. So that conversion has been a challenge for everybody.”
The AHR Expo will return Feb. 2-4, 2026, in Las Vegas. For more information, visit www.ahrexpo.com.
