No topic permeates more areas of society today than concerns about the global climate in the coming decades. How extreme will it become and above all how can we adapt as quickly as possible to better cope with and manage the situation? Because one thing is certain: The last hundred years could be characterised with the words 'too much' – in relation to emissions, resource consumption and imbalance in nature. Driven by the internationally declared motivation to limit climate change, the industry is reacting with determination and recognising the crisis as an opportunity.
So it is only natural that the largest international platform for HVAC (Heating, Ventialtion and Air Conditioning) and Water should also take up this challenge and make it the central theme of its upcoming event. ‘Solutions for a sustainable future’ will be the motto when the ISH once again invites visitors to Frankfurt am Main from 13 to 17 March 2023. After a longer break due to the pandemic, this time the fair will feature a particularly large number of innovations. As usual, the exhibitors are divided into two primary segments: ISH Energy, consisting of the heating and air segments, and ISH Water, with everything to do with bathroom design and installation technology.
A celebration of renewable energies
Which energies will we use for heating in the future? How can we become more independent when it comes to our energy supply? These considerations are not only pertinent in terms of current global political tensions, It is also no secret that the building sector alone accounts for 40%of energy consumption – energy that has so far largely come from non-renewable sources and for which raw materials often have to be transported over long distances. The Fair will show how efficient it has become and what further developed alternatives are available in the heating sector, for example in the field of heat pumps or hydrogen technology. A visit to Hall 12, where suppliers of heat pumps, home energy management and energy storage systems will be concentrated, as well as manufacturers with complete heating systems, is a must.
Of course, energy saving and the associated reduction of CO2 are just as important when it comes to the subject of air, the second of the three focal points at ISH. From domestic ventilation to ventilation and air-conditioning systems in non-residential buildings, leading companies will also be represented in this area and found in Hall 8.
The sustainable and needs-oriented bathroom
One of the most popular part of a visit to the fair in 2023 for architects, interior architects and designers will likely be the ISH Water section. In the eastern part of the Exhibition Centre, in Halls 2, 3, 4 and in the Forum, they will find brands assigned to the Bathroom Experience, i.e., all exhibitors in the field of bathroom furnishings, bathroom ceramics, enamel, shower trays and bathtubs, fittings and more. Here, too, the focus is on sustainability – on hard-wearing, sometimes new materials and on durable design.
Added to this are water- and energy-saving products, and last but not least the emphasised commitment of numerous manufacturers to environmentally friendly industrial production. Ideas for bathroom design will be at least as relevant against the background of an ageing and more self-determined society. Concepts for the sustainable use and security of supply of drinking water, on the other hand, will be on show in the new Hall 5 and in Halls 4 and 6, where suppliers of installation technology and software will be represented.
Making a visit to the fair even more eventful
Guided tours and, for the first time, thematically organised events in the form of hotspots will provide orientation and the opportunity for professional exchange during the fair. The focus of the respective hotspots is on lectures and discussion panels as well as workshops. The special Pop up my Bathroom area, which is part of the Water Hotspot in Hall 3.1, is intended to convey four themes that will accompany the sector in the coming years. These are: the aspect of sustainability, of course, the compact bathroom, mindfulness and emotionality. The highlight in the Innovation Hotspot (in the same hall) will be the Design Plus Awards powered by ISH, which will honour products that combine sustainability, aesthetics and functionality in an outstanding way.
Ultimately, it is precisely this enormous mix of themes that makes this fair so exciting. Whether coming from trade, industry and commerce, planning offices, the building and housing industry or public authorities and utilities, they all learn from and with each other how the world of HVAC and Water can be made more comfortable, more beautiful and more sustainable. For all parties involved, this will be an important meeting place for this.
