The C&R FORUM 2023 will examine the primary hurdles faced by the HVACR industry.

Climatización & Refrigeración, C&R 2023, working in partnership with the relevant Sectorial and Professional Associations comprising the Technical Commission of its Organising Committee, will examine the sector's key challenges through the conference and debate programme, C&R FORUM 2023. The event will take place concurrently with the trade show held from 14 to 17 November at IFEMA MADRID, transforming the venue into the main stage for the Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Industrial and Commercial Refrigeration, Heating, and Plumbing industries.

Among the subjects to be tackled at C&R FORUM 2023 are the obstacle to implementing the IDAE guide on energy rehabilitation using heat pumps. There will also be discussions on solutions in industrial refrigeration, the technical implications of F-GAS in thermal and air conditioning installations, architectural considerations in energy rehabilitation for buildings, the obstacles faced during the construction and delivery of the new 12 de Octubre University Hospital in Madrid, zero-emission buildings, addressing the challenges and solutions for food distribution, and sharing the initial experiences with CAEs (.

Energy rehabilitation

On 14 November, the Forum will focus on the IDAE Guide and the challenges of energy rehabilitation with heat pumps during the morning session. This event will be led by Asociación de Fabricantes de Equipos de Climatización (AFEC). The IDAE's latest "Heat Pump Retrofit Guide" examines the viability of integrating heat pumps into both residential and commercial buildings, outlining several measures to expedite the shift to low-emission heating. This guide covers the technology and barriers to its introduction in the renovation of buildings. It defines common scenarios where conventional air conditioning systems are replaced with new heat pump solutions based on building typology and usage. A session will be held to review the guide's key contents, featuring contributions from a selected group of collaborators.

On the same day in the afternoon, Asociación de Empresas de Frío y sus Tecnologías (AEFYT) will analyse innovative solutions for industrial refrigeration. Following a presentation by proprietors from the industrial refrigeration sector outlining their demands and requests to companies and refrigeration professionals, a round table will be arranged to contribute to innovative solutions, such as fluid carriers, low-charge systems, hydrocarbons, intelligent CO2-based systems and new low GWP refrigerants, to provide an overview of the latest options available for decreasing energy usage and carbon footprint in this sector.

Technical Implications of F-Gas

On Wednesday, 15 November, there will be a morning session on the technical implications of F-GAS in thermal installations and air conditioning. The session will be coordinated by AFEC, and attendees will include representatives from CNI, CONAIF, AEDICI and ATECYR. The document will outline the ongoing revision of F-Gas Regulation, evaluating the potential impacts of the proposed options on the thermal and air conditioning installations sector, particularly with regards to safety and the scope of regulation, such as the Safety Regulations for Refrigeration Installations, training, accreditation, and responsibilities. Additionally, the document will address the primary concerns and information gaps, as well as knowledge and certification requirements of technicians, engineers, and installers that need to be addressed in the future.

This will be succeeded by a conference focused on Architecture in Energy Retrofitting of Buildings, followed by a public discussion, identifying challenges and barriers to overcome, and proposing recommendations to accelerate progress towards generating more sustainable and efficient building and retrofitting solutions. Among other participants, representatives from CSCAE (Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España), AFEC, and COAM (Colegio de Arquitectos de Madrid) will attend. The forum will primarily target architects, brand ambassadors, engineers, legislators, property managers, manufacturers, and installers.

In the afternoon, the ASHRAE Spain Chapter will present on the challenges faced in designing, constructing, and delivering the new University Hospital 12 de Octubre in Madrid. Representatives from Grupo Aire Limpio, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Árgola Arquitectos, Promec Ingenieros, Sacyr, Commtech, and Incosa will be in attendance.

Other challenges

On Thursday, 16 November, C&R FORUM will cover three significant topics. These include a conference about Zero Emissions Buildings, coordinated by ATECYR; the Challenges and Solutions for Food Distribution, by AEFYT; and the first experiences with the CAEs (National Energy Efficiency Certificate for Spain), by ATECYR. 

The Zero Emission Buildings conference will assess the challenges that the construction industry will face when transposing the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). The event will feature experts from various technical backgrounds, who will present their opinions regarding different technical solutions to be implemented soon for decarbonising the construction of buildings. The event aims to address the specifications of forthcoming zero-emission constructions. They must be healthy, effective, decarbonised, versatile, and grid compliant. The session will include representatives from FEGECA, AFEC, Instituto Eduardo Torroja de ciencias de la construcción (IETcc-CSIC), CONAIF, ATECYR, and government representatives.

Throughout the morning, we will also discuss challenges and solutions for food distribution. Following a presentation by food distribution facility owners outlining their demands and requests to companies and refrigeration professionals, a round table will be established to gather contributions from different stakeholders in refrigeration. The aim is to provide an overview of current possibilities to achieve energy targets and reduce the sector’s carbon footprint. The management of both current and new installations will be discussed. Participants will include representatives from ASEDAS, Coldsulting, Honeywell, Exkal, Asofrio, and Ako.

The afternoon will concentrate on initial experiences with CAEs. The National Energy Efficiency Certificate system (CAEs) will be explained, and its practical operation will be demonstrated. This year, a new mechanism has been introduced to provide access for consumers, either directly or through a third party, to the National Energy Efficiency Fund. By showing energy savings, consumers can now recover part of their investment. In addition to outlining the CAEs System, various presenters will share their initial experiences how it works in practice. Representatives from ATECYR, ISOVER, AEFYT and ANESE will attend.