The challenges facing the refrigeration, air conditioning, ventilation and heat pump industries are growing, and technological advances, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), must be addressed with confidence. Chillventa showcases the solutions that will shape the future of the sector. Alongside more than 1,100 exhibitors from over 50 countries, trade visitors can look forward to an extensive programme of talks and information on key industry topics, including refrigeration technology, heat pumps, energy efficiency and digitalisation. Specialist forums, special displays and the Future Zone will present trends, innovations and practical applications. The Chillventa CONGRESS will provide additional scientific perspectives and in-depth technical expertise.
In keeping with its motto, Chillventa Connecting Experts, knowledge sharing and professional networking will once again be at the heart of Chillventa 2026. Across the specialist forums, renowned speakers from national and international companies will deliver more than 200 presentations on forward-looking topics, providing first-hand industry expertise. Dr Rainer Jakobs, coordinator of the Chillventa and European Heat Pump Summit technical programmes, explains: “This year, heat pumps and refrigerants will once again be key topics at the exhibition, in the forums, in the Future Zone and, not least, at the Chillventa CONGRESS, with a focus on sustainability and the circular economy. Cooling and waste heat recovery in data centres will be a new highlight at the CONGRESS and in the forums. The ninth Refrigeration Technology Innovation Day alone will feature 19 presentations from German universities and higher education institutions, showcasing the latest scientific research findings. Other topics will include AI, digitalisation, overall energy efficiency, virtual reality in the skilled trades, current legislation and regulations for the refrigeration and air conditioning industries, and much more, presented by internationally renowned experts and companies,” Jakobs adds.
A Wealth of Expertise for Visitors: Specialist Forums Across the Exhibition Halls
The easiest way for visitors to explore the forum programme in advance is online at www.chillventa.de. The website provides an overview of presentations covering the following topics:
- Refrigeration technology in Hall 4A
- Air conditioning, ventilation and heat pumps in Hall 7A
- Applications, training and regulations in Hall 8
Over three days, experts will cover a broad range of subjects, from AI in refrigeration technology and more efficient solutions for industrial heat pumps to new approaches to data centre cooling. They will also examine the implications emerging from the first 100 days following the entry into force of the ErP26 Ecodesign Regulation.
NEW: The “Future Zone” – A Central Hub for Tomorrow’s Industry
The Chillventa technical programme will be complemented by the new Future Zone in Hall 9, Stand 9-504, serving as a central meeting point for all future-oriented topics. Visitors can gain practical insights into digitalisation and AI, from the office to the construction site, as well as social media and skilled workforce recruitment. The format is concise, inspiring and designed to deliver immediately applicable ideas. The stand will bring together practitioners, forward thinkers and technology experts presenting solutions that skilled trades businesses can put into practice straight away. Alongside fresh ideas and inspiration, visitors will find concrete examples demonstrating how businesses can adapt and develop in response to technological advances and increasing digitalisation. The networking arena will focus on connecting visitors with digitally experienced peers and experts. Discussions will address, among other things, how businesses can remain attractive to skilled professionals and use digital tools to save office time, freeing up valuable capacity for their core trade activities.
Chillventa CONGRESS Delivers In-Depth Scientific and Technical Expertise
Held on the day before Chillventa opens (12 October), the Chillventa CONGRESS will focus on international knowledge exchange. Leading speakers from research, development and industry will share their expertise through the “Symposium ASERCOM + EPEE” and the presentation programmes “Heat Pumping Technologies”, “9th Refrigeration Technology Innovation Day” and “Data Centre Cooling”. Participants will gain insights into current developments and a forward-looking perspective on their respective industries.
Key topics will include:
- 9th Refrigeration Technology Innovation Day: The potential of R-744 as an environmentally friendly refrigerant; the energy performance of a thermal management system for battery-electric intercity coaches; and heat pumps in local district heating networks.
- Heat Pumping Technologies (English only): “Changing the Game: Retrofitting for Resilience” – ASHRAE; “Industrial and High-Temperature Heat Pumps: Global Progress and Germany’s Role”; and “Intelligent Cooling and Sustainable Savings Through AI-Driven Refrigeration Control”.
- Symposium ASERCOM + EPEE (English only): The state of the German refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump (R-AC-HP) market and its regulatory landscape in relation to the refrigerant transition; the current regulatory landscape for ecodesign; regulatory challenges facing the EU heat pump market; and the regulatory framework for F-gases.
- Data centres: The transformation towards genuine sustainability; making waste heat from data centres usable; data centre cooling with R-290; and air cooling – limitations, options, realities and future prospects.
Special Displays Offer Valuable Practical Insights
Electrical measurements during commissioning, maintenance and troubleshooting are standard practice for specialist contractors. The special display “Working Under Voltage – Testing Modern Electrical Equipment” goes beyond the usual verification of protective measures to examine additional issues, including harmonic distortion and its effects. Alongside the requirements for working on and testing electrical installations, the display highlights specific challenges associated with electronic loads. Live demonstrations will illustrate, for example, how harmonic distortion occurs and how it can be measured. Phenomena such as neutral conductor overloading and neutral point displacement will also be addressed. Demonstrations will take place at the Bundesfachschule Maintal special display area at 10:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm on each of the three exhibition days.
The “AIT Heat Pump Innovation Lounge” special display will give visitors insights into the latest developments and research findings in heat pump technology. Heat pumps are rightly regarded as a key technology for decarbonising industry and the building sector. For more than 25 years, the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology has made significant contributions to research and development in this field, achieving several important milestones. In collaboration with Takeda Pharmaceuticals, AIT developed an innovative heat pump that, in what is described as the world’s first industrial application of its kind, generates process steam for pharmaceutical production at +184°C without CO₂ emissions, using a refrigerant with a global warming potential (GWP) of zero. With the commissioning of one of the most advanced heat pump laboratories, featuring test rigs for units with heating capacities of up to 100 kW, AIT is particularly well positioned to serve the growing commercial and large-building market while further strengthening its position as one of Europe’s leading research institutions.
Visitors can also watch the German Refrigeration Plant Engineering Championship live during the first two days of the exhibition in Hall 9, Stand 9-322. Organised by the German Federal Association of Refrigeration Plant Engineering Contractors (BIV), the competition brings together the most talented young professionals of their cohort to demonstrate the capabilities of modern refrigeration plant engineering. Their shared goal is to win the title of German Champion in Refrigeration Plant Engineering.
In front of an international audience of industry professionals, competitors will demonstrate their skills under realistic competition conditions. Alongside in-depth technical knowledge and outstanding craftsmanship, the challenges demand concentration, precision and the ability to work safely under time pressure, all under the watchful eye of the expert jury. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience first-hand how the next generation of refrigeration professionals tackles demanding practical tasks. The competition will culminate in the awards ceremony on 15 October 2026 at 2:00 pm at Stand 9-322.
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