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Is it even possible to capture all the impressions from the Frankfurt fairground in just a few sentences? After a couple of days, your phone’s health app has registered around 50 000 steps, and with each and every step, there is something new to see - the amount of impressions are simply immense. But when you zoom out and connect the dots, an interesting snapshot of the HVAC industry in 2025 emerges. Here is how Mikael Börjesson, Director Future Solutions & Public Affairs, summarises the 2025 edition of ISH.
The ISH organisers regularly ask visitors why they attend the exhibition. According to the latest survey results (from 2023), the most common reasons for visiting are looking for product news (45%) and increasing specialist knowledge (42%), far outranking reasons such as cultivating business contacts (23%).
We know that the building industry as a whole is facing major challenges, especially so with the European Union’s 2030 sustainability targets on the horizon. Given this, one would expect there to be a strong focus on thinking new and bold to capture visitors’ attention, and finding a sense of urgency within the industry to develop solutions needed for making the green transition.
What was showcased?
Sure enough, there were a number of news on the sustainability topic in the HVAC halls. The most obvious was the transition to refrigerants with low global warming potential (GWP), as required by upcoming regulations. References to refrigerants such as R290 (propane), were visible throughout the HVAC exhibition.
Compared to a few years ago, the shift from gas boilers to heat pumps was also very noticeable, and energy efficiency remained a strong theme, particularly in the halls dedicated to building automation. Additionally, several start-ups showcased innovative solutions for solar power and energy storage, and of course, there were several digital solutions available.
However, there was a true scarcity in groundbreaking ideas, and surprisingly, the stands’ overarching themes did not seem to address the immense challenges the industry is facing in the coming years. In some aspects, this year’s ISH could as well have been the 2015 edition. It was as if nothing had really happened in the last 10 years, despite the climate crises waiting on the doorstep, and the clear memories of the pandemic which emphasised the vital importance of proper ventilation.
Why the mismatch?
So coming back to the expectations – if most visitors come to this exhibition with hopes to discover something new, why wasn’t there more innovation to be found? The obvious explanation could be that the sharp deadline, such as legislation or a geopolitical crisis which forces everyone to change, are still thought of as far ahead. The pressure for innovation is simply not sensed.
If that is the case, is then there a general lack of interest in even trying to raise the bar, can’t we – as an industry – seize opportunities to come up with bold new solutions to solve tomorrow’s problems? Just like many of the traditionally pioneering car brands faced disruption due to new electric vehicle makers, is there a risk that a traditional HVAC industry now runs the risk of being too complacent and reactive?
Sustainability that caught “everyone’s” interest
At the Swegon stand, I had the chance to engage with many visitors, and what struck me the most was the huge interest in our so called “RE:3 corner”. The RE:3 concept gathers RE:duce, RE:use and RE:vitalise, and serves as an umbrella for our many future-looking initiatives aimed to advance towards a more sustainable business model, with the clear goal of reducing the embodied carbon footprint of HVAC installations.
Our initiatives have so far resulted in innovations such as a concept air handling unit made of wood, a quick-to-mount refurbishment kit for modernising old air handling units in the field and a range of products using recycled steel – all showcased in Frankfurt. The interest these solutions caught was greatly astonishing, and the discussions with installers, planners and real estate owners were highly rewarding.
This fair is merely a snapshot example, but to me, it is evidence that there is a vast interest in forward-looking solutions, not just for the immediate challenges, but also for the larger scope of actually taking on the long-term sustainability tasks as well. If we want to avoid becoming one of those industries struggling to cope with change, we need to get our mindset right and go from being complacent and reactive to curious and proactive.
Find out more about our sustainability focus and our RE:3 concept.
