Next-Gen HVACR: Building the Future of the Trades (Live from AHR Expo 2026)

Event: 2026 AHR Expo – Las Vegas, NV
Moderator: Rhydon Atzenhoffer
Panelists: Anthony Woo, Leilani Orr, Loren Morris, Max Rohr, Paige Knowles
Watch the Full Panel: Live from AHR Expo 2026

Walking the floor at the AHR Expo in Las Vegas always feels a bit like peering into a crystal ball. But this year, in 2026, it felt different. The “future” isn’t some distant target we’re aiming for anymore: it’s standing right in front of us, holding a tablet and a manifold gauge.

The neon lights of the Strip are one thing, but the energy inside that convention center was another beast entirely. Between the talk of electrification, the push for decarbonization, and the rapid-fire evolution of smart building tech, there’s a lot of noise. But if you strip away the shiny new hardware and the high-tech booths, you’re left with the one thing that actually makes this industry move: the people.

I had the honor of moderating a powerhouse panel this year titled Next-Gen HVACR: Developing Skills, Opportunity, Innovation and Collaboration for Sustainable Growth. I sat down with Anthony Woo, Leilani Orr, Loren Morris, Max Rohr, and Paige Knowles to cut through the corporate fluff and talk about what it actually takes to build a future that lasts.

The View from the Middle

Something hit me while I was looking out at the crowd before we started. We had manufacturers, contractors, and educators all sitting in the same room, but for a long time, those groups have operated in their own silos.

From the distribution side, I see the friction that causes. Manufacturers build incredible tech, but if the contractors aren’t trained to install it, and the educators aren’t teaching it, that innovation just sits on a shelf. This panel was about breaking those walls down.

Bridging the Gap: From Classroom to Job Site

Max Rohr from Caleffi and Anthony Woo from Climatisation ACG both brought up a point that we’ve been feeling for years: the “gap.”

You can graduate from a trade program with a certificate in your hand, but that doesn’t mean you’re ready for the reality of a 2:00 PM service call in July when the customer is frustrated and the tech is complex. Max, with his deep background in education, emphasized that we have to stop teaching HVAC as a static trade.

It’s not just about “turning the wrench” anymore. It’s about understanding the why behind the system. We discussed how manufacturers need to be more involved in the curriculum. If the schools are teaching on 20-year-old units and the industry is moving toward low-GWP refrigerants and 300% efficient DOAS systems, we’re setting these kids up to fail.

Anthony pointed out that the job site is the ultimate classroom. The collaboration needs to be a loop: not a straight line. Contractors need to feed back to the educators what they’re actually seeing in the field, and manufacturers need to make training as accessible as the parts themselves.

Recruiting the Next Generation (It’s Not What You Think)

When we got into the topic of recruitment, the room got quiet. We all know the labor shortage story. We’ve been telling it for a decade. But Leilani Orr (GRIT Foundation) and Paige Knowles (the one and only All Trades Paige) shifted the narrative.

Leilani is doing incredible work on the ground, showing that the trades aren’t a “backup plan.” They are a first-choice career for high-level thinkers. Paige, who has become a massive advocate for women in the skilled trades, made it clear: if we want the next generation, we have to meet them where they are.

That doesn’t just mean TikTok and Instagram: though that helps. It means showing the lifestyle and the impact. Younger people today want to know they are contributing to something bigger. In 2026, HVAC isn’t just about comfort; it’s about sustainability and the environment. We’re the ones making things like electrification a reality. That’s a powerful recruiting tool if we use it right.

Mentorship: The Long-Game Trust

We spent a good chunk of time talking about mentorship. Loren Morris President at TMCx Solutions and representing the AABC Commissioning Group brought a perspective that often gets overlooked: the technical precision and the “passing of the torch” in high-stakes environments.

In the trades, reputation is everything. You can’t buy it. You have to earn it. And you earn it by learning from the people who have been in the trenches. But mentorship isn’t just an old guy telling a young guy what to do. It’s a two-way street.

The younger generation is coming in with a digital fluency that we need. The older generation has the “field sense” that only comes from twenty years of hearing a compressor struggle. When those two things click? That’s where the magic happens. That’s how you build a #TradeCrew that doesn’t just survive but dominates.

Technology and the “Measured” Technician

One of the biggest realizations from the panel was how much the role of the technician is shifting. With the rise of platforms like Honeywell’s connected solutions and ABB’s motor controls, the “parts changer” is becoming a thing of the past.

As we discussed on stage, the future rewards the technician who can measure, test, and document. Data is the new refrigerant. If you can’t prove the system is performing at the high efficiencies these new regulations demand, you’re going to get left behind.

Loren and Max both hammered home the idea that we are moving toward a “whole-system” performance mindset. It’s not just about the outdoor unit; it’s about the ductwork, the controls, the air quality, and the energy grid. It’s a massive responsibility, but it’s also a massive opportunity for anyone willing to put in the work to learn the tech.

The Power of Collaboration

If there was one “mic drop” moment for me as the moderator, it was continuing to get to hear more people coming to the realization that none of us can do this alone. The amount of times I have said that we must focus on, “Collaboration over Competition,” could make anyone’s head spin, but here was that fact coming out of everyone’s mouths loud and clear for the room and the world to hear.

The manufacturer can’t innovate without the contractor’s feedback. The contractor can’t grow without the educator’s graduates. And the distributor (my world) has to be a major part of the glue that holds it all together. We are the Vendor Hub that keeps the communication flowing from Manufacturer to Contractor through training, discussion and continued education of ourselves and our customers.

When we talk about sustainable growth, we aren’t just talking about green energy. We’re talking about a sustainable workforce. We’re talking about building businesses that people actually want to work for.

Final Thoughts from the Desert

As we wrapped up the panel and the Q&A started, I looked around the room. I saw both young and old technicians, veteran and new business owners and corporate execs all nodding.

The trades are changing. The heat is on. But if there’s one thing I know about this industry, it’s that we handle the heat better than anyone else.

We’re moving away from the “grind” for the sake of grinding and moving toward a strategic, tech-driven, community-focused future. Whether you’re a contractor looking for your next lead tech or a manufacturer trying to stay ahead of the next regulation, the answer is the same:

Invest in people. Build the relationship. Play the long game.

If you missed the live session in Vegas, I highly recommend checking out the video. The insights from Paige, Leilani, Max, Loren, and Anthony are exactly what we need to be hearing right now. You can find more about what we’re doing at HVAC R&D and how we’re trying to move the needle every day.

Keep pushing. Keep learning.

See you out there.

Ramblin’ Rhyno, out. PeaceY’all.

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