Air-to-water gives you options. This session shows which ones pay off—and which ones burn weekends.We’ll start with a fast review of common applications: in-floor radiant, fin-tube radiant, radiant + fan coils, straight fan coils, snow melt, and mini-chiller. For each, you’ll see where it shines, where it bites, and the cleanest piping diagrams and control strategies to keep comfort high and complaints low.Then we get into the choices that actually move the needle: 

• Integrating supplemental heat: when to add it, how to stage it, and how to stop it from fighting the heat pump. 

• Design trade-offs: emitter sizing, delta-T, and how water temperature decisions swing efficiency and capacity. 

• Controls & staging: outdoor reset that works, DHW priority without starving space heat, and simple overrides homeowners won’t hate.We’ll name the barriers to adoption—panel limits, permitting, stocking, inspector confusion—and give practical fixes for new construction and retrofits.

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We’ll close with “what’s next,” including a path to R290 readiness: tools, training, safety, and what changes (and doesn’t) on day one.You’ll leave with:  

• A simple decision tree sample to help pick the right architecture fast 

•  Few field-tested piping/control templates 

• A short commissioning checklist sample aimed at the top causes of callbacks

In this session, we will highlight Manual S procedures for cold climate heat pumps and discuss additional important tradeoffs, that Manual S is silent on, that should be considered when selecting equipment, such as electricity consumption, house of aux heat, and low load cycling.

Learn the field-proven process that turns potential callback nightmares into referral goldmines. Get the duct evaluation framework that positions you as the contractor who gets it right the first time. Stop competing on price when you could be winning on expertise.

We'll cover best practices when sizing, selecting and designing heat pumps in humid areas or peak summer months. Is supplemental dehumidification ALWAYS required? What about other strategies such as reheat dehumidification? We'll even cover how to avoid summertime duct and register condensation issues.

When it comes to heating, cooling, and hot water systems, the comparison of ground source heat pumps (GHPs) and air source heat pumps (ASHPs) is not as straightforward as it may seem. This panel discussion session will delve into the technical and economic advantages of GHPs, showcasing how they leverage the Earth's stable underground temperatures to provide consistent, eco-friendly comfort year-round, while offering low-cost hot water as a bonus. As an HVAC contractor, you will gain knowledge and learn why GHPs may be the superior choice over traditional ASHP systems, backed by expert insights and data-driven analysis.

Discover how ground source heat pump (GHP) systems, also known as geothermal, can revolutionize your HVAC offerings. Discover how GHP systems can reduce energy use by 40-70% while seamlessly integrating with standard HVAC equipment. This expert-led panel demystifies costs, installation, and maintenance, proving GHP’s scalability for any climate. Engage with evidence-based insights, debunk myths, and discover how geothermal can enhance your business.

Selling and installing high-performing heat pump systems isn’t about luck—it’s about having a clear, repeatable process that ensures quality and customer satisfaction. In this session, Paul McHugh, Senior New System Engineer at Ray O. Cook, shares a step-by-step workflow—from the first phone call to post-installation verification—that helps his team uncover customer pain points, offer tailored solutions, and proactively address objections and concerns.You’ll learn how his team sets expectations early, uses diagnostics like load calculations and airflow verification to guide recommendations, and leverages third-party verification tools to ensure every system performs to spec. Whether you’re a team of one or many, this is a playbook for delivering high-quality, customer-centered results—every time.

Do you have enough training support? Hear from top distributors and NY's Clean Heat Connect training program on how you can partner with your distributor for deeper training using proven comprehensive knowledge from Clean Heat Connect. View the training material at https://cleanheatconnect.ny.gov/sizing-design-materials/

This session breaks down the fundamentals of heat pump water heater installations. Voya will clear up common myths with a quick history lesson, explain airflow essentials, and cover capacity basics—including when HPWHs run in resistance mode—so contractors can avoid pitfalls and deliver reliable performance.

Key Takeaways: 1) Balancing Capacity & load. 2) Managing Moisture & Comfort. 3) Data Logging & Diagnostics

Did you know that Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heaters will be replacing standard electric residential tanks May, 2029?Its not IF you will be selling/installing them, but WHEN you choose to become the “go to” company.Start building your skills now by learning how to tell the story, how to install, and how to service.

Heat pumps deliver the best results in homes with strong building envelopes, but success isn’t just about building science. For many contractors, the real challenge is deciding how envelope work fits into their business model. For example, should you add insulation and air sealing services in-house, building your own dedicated department, or partner with a trusted local insulation company? This session explores the organizational and financial considerations of integrating envelope and mechanical work, from improving margins to avoiding poor installations that frustrate homeowners. You’ll hear directly from both contractors and industry partners on the different ways to make envelope work a key part of your heat pump success, and how it can create long-term growth for your business and the industry.

Hiring is never easy, and in the heat pump industry, the stakes are even higher. In this candid panel, contractors from a variety of backgrounds share their best experiences (and maybe a few horror stories) about building teams. Together, the panel will share hiring missteps, success stories, and lessons learned, from retraining seasoned HVAC techs vs. bringing in raw talent to how they evaluate candidates with tools like DiSC profiles or mechanical aptitude tests. Expect discussion around cultural fit, compensation strategies, and what makes employees stick. Attendees will walk away with insights on where the best people come from, how to avoid common pitfalls, and what it really takes to build a strong, loyal team in a changing labor market.

Profitability in the heat pump business comes down to more than just setting a price—it’s about understanding the numbers behind every job. This session covers essential job costing methods and why relying on gross margin alone can be misleading, especially in labor-intensive work.Learn how to incentivize crews and reduce callbacks with performance-based pay, measure dollars made per labor hour, and apply dual job costing to identify your most profitable jobs. Attendees will walk away with practical tools for pricing, tracking, and managing heat pump projects, as well as insights into how Halco incorporates heat pumps into their ‘house as a system’ approach to home services.

Dual Fuel Systems promise flexibility, and efficiency - but only if they're designed with the right balance of climate, controls, and contractor know-how. This session will break down when dual fuel makes sense (and when it doesn’t), how to size and design for real-world conditions, and the keys to choosing balance points—whether your goal is comfort, economics, or both. We’ll also cover control strategies, hybrid system options, and the climate zone pitfalls that separate success from costly callbacks.

This session will show you how to turn insulation into a simple, profitable add-on without overloading your technicians. We’ll cover the basic scope of work, what it takes to get started, and how to make it a smooth, hands-off profit center that sets your company apart.

Journey through the wild applications and learn the key settings for success for controlling ccASHP’s in various applications. We will go through ducted all electric heat pumps, ducted dual fuel heat pumps and Ductless heat pumps with and without non connected back-up heat. Define a smart inverter VS a dumb inverter. We discuss what makes a control smart, and how user settings like programming, demand response, and utility rates will affect efficiency and performance.Outcomes:• Be able to pick the correct thermostat for the application and client• Understand how balance points will affect your settings in various applications• Define and understand the three balance points and their use cases• Be able to make an educated guess on the economic balance point • How to prevent the homeowner from compromising everything you designed

Selling your HVAC business isn’t just about the numbers—it’s about building a company that can scale. In this session, Brian Alexson, CEO of HomeX Services Group, shares what acquisition firms look for when evaluating potential purchases and how they plan for long-term integration.Learn how strong operations, a healthy company culture, and repeatable best practices can increase your value, and how those same elements lay the foundation for a smooth transition into a larger organization. Whether you're thinking about selling or simply want to future-proof your company, this session offers actionable insights for building a business that stands out.

Heat pumps are no longer niche, and as adoption grows, so do the strategies for marketing them. This session covers both the fundamentals of heat pump marketing as well as the latest tactics and evolving advice on how to capture homeowner attention and understand their motivations in 2025.In the Northeast, strong incentive programs, the appeal of cooling for homes without central AC, and the common use of mini splits to supplement existing heating all shape how contractors should position their services in this area. From paid ads and search insights to website strategy and messaging, attendees will walk away with practical tools for reaching more customers in a shifting market.

See a real-world home going from oil heat through several iterations to a modern heat pump—using actual performance data from Huff Hoffmaster's own family home. Through full commissioning, real-time measurements, and verified kW usage, Huff shows how the system beat the load calcs not just in the models, but in reality. Attendees will see how comfort can be illustrated in practical, everyday terms, and why proper design and commissioning matter as much as equipment choice.

You probably know air pretty well, but across the country Ty Branaman finds there's a number of misunderstandings or key concepts commonly forgotten about air. Join this engaging demonstration driven talk to dial in your core knowledge essential to creating comfort with heat pumps for space conditioning and water heating.

This panel brings together innovators and industry leaders who are pushing the heat pump frontier. The discussion will spotlight breakthroughs in efficiency, new ways to use hot and cold water for energy storage, and the advanced control strategies that make real-world performance possible. Panelists will share how the latest hardware is changing installation practices, what smarter controls mean for commissioning and comfort, and how integrated approaches to space conditioning and water heating can deliver more value to customers. Contractors will walk away with a grounded view of what’s emerging, what’s practical today, and how to prepare for the next generation of heat pump technology.

With heat pump installers flooding the market, homeowners are increasingly left wondering why one contractor’s bid looks different from another’s—why yours is ducted, or a different size and, frequently, why yours costs more. In this panel, contractors will share their secrets on how they’ve set their companies apart in an increasingly commoditized space. Hear candid discussion on the challenges of selling higher-quality systems and services, from design and commissioning to mixed ducted/ductless solutions, and how to turn that expertise into a real competitive edge. Attendees will hear about successful strategies and marketing tactics to clearly communicate value, win homeowner trust, and avoid being seen as just “another heat pump company” in a crowded marketplace.

Today’s AC Systems and Heat pumps, despite their efficiency in temperature control, often exhibit limited dehumidification capacity.  This combined with mechanical ventilation and occupants can result in indoor relative humidity levels exceeding the ASHRAE recommendation of no greater than 60% for extended periods of time. This compromises occupant comfort, indoor air quality, and building integrity. The presentation will address the importance of dedicated humidity control, why homes are now seeing moisture issues, and  detail how advanced dehumidification systems can integrate with heat pump installations to provide precise moisture control without sacrificing energy efficiency.

Proper commissioning is the foundation of high-performance HVAC systems. This session explores better practices, including the ACCA Quality Installation process, key testing and verification steps, and how commissioning ensures efficiency, comfort, and reliability. Learn how a Verified Quality Installation improves system performance, reduces callbacks, and builds lasting customer trust—while addressing the question: with dozens of standards available, are they truly worth the time and effort?

This panel dives into one of the biggest challenges in heat pump design: the gap between modeled load calculations and the real-world loads homes actually experience. Panelists will explore the pros and cons of Manual J and other modeling approaches, and contrast them with sizing methods based on past energy use and runtime data. Expect practical discussion of what’s accurate, what’s scalable, and how contractors can size systems more confidently.

Recruiting and Retaining the Next-Gen Workforce• How to attract younger techs who want clean energy careers.• Apprenticeship models, in-house training, and partnering with trade schools.• How to keep your best employees when demand for talent is exploding.

Address rising moisture issues in HPWH installations and offer proven strategies to prevent mold while improving performance. Attendees will learn practical ventilation techniques and explore how HPWHs can be leveraged to create a European-style cold room, enhancing efficiency and customer value.

Across the country, a new wave of companies is rethinking how heat pumps are marketed and delivered to homeowners. Backed by significant funding and focused on customer experience, these “concierge” models promise to make heat pump installation simple and accessible.In this panel discussion, you’ll hear directly from a few of these companies, and learn how their approaches differ from traditional contractors as well as the variety of business models they’re deploying. We’ll also examine when and how subcontracting relationships come into play, and what the growth of these new types of heat pump companies could mean for the broader industry.

Finding skilled heat pump technicians is one challenge—developing them is another. More contractors are focusing attention and resources on in-house training programs to advance employees with varying skill levels and bring newcomers from outside HVAC up to speed.This panel explores how heat pump contractors of different sizes have built effective internal training, from traditional in-house programs to models that more resemble full-fledged trade schools. You’ll hear what’s worked, what hasn’t, and how to tailor heat pump training to your business needs. Attendees will learn practical approaches for building workforce capacity, improving retention, and setting teams up for long-term success in the heat pump market.

Call us crazy, but we think openly publishing your installation prices, and where the money goes from a homeowner's pocket to equipment, materials, and labor, is a great way to build trust with customers in a low-trust market, particularly for small/medium-sized businesses. Come join us and discover a different way of building a business that is centered on trust and transparency, not ads & high-pressure sales tactics.

The selection of grilles and registers is just as important as choosing equipment based on an accurate load calculation and proper duct design. Yet, this critical step selecting the right supply outlet covers and return grilles is often overlooked. Don’t miss out on following the proper procedure. It can make all the difference in system performance and comfort.​

This course explores the critical role of supply outlet coverings and return grilles, commonly referred to as termination hardware in HVAC system design. Participants will learn how to properly select and size this equipment to support airflow, comfort, and system efficiency. Too often neglected, termination hardware can make or break a well-designed system. ​

If you hated reading that, we're going to talk about the overlooked Importance of supply registers.​​

Come hear the terrible news about good HVAC (for the first 30 minutes of the session)- laying out widely held or (up and coming) beliefs that lead to bad outcomes. Stay for the good news: (30 minutes of the session) of tips for doing better- with an emphasis on efficient and practical approaches to good planning and design.

Running a profitable HVAC business requires more than instinct; it’s about knowing your numbers and having systems in place to make them accessible every day. This session explores the financial practices that keep companies on track, including:-Understanding cost of goods sold (COGS) in detail-Creating budgets and forecasts-Monitoring progress against those forecasts on a daily basisWe’ll also look at the sales side of the equation, from estimating volume to tracking close rates and dollar values. Attendees will leave with a clear framework for building financial visibility and making smarter decisions that drive long-term profitability.

Everyone is talking about AI, and it's clear we're at a turning point. We’re at a moment where the tech is real, but the playbook isn’t. What can AI actually do for small HVAC businesses that make up the majority of the industry? LLM technologies have the potential to transform how back office work gets done in small shops, allowing owners to save on overhead and spend more time in the field. In this session, Furman Haynes (co-founder of WorkHero) walks through practical automations grounded in real HVAC operations like quoting, billing, rebates, equipment registration, and pricebooks. If you're a small HVAC owner who wants to save time and implement AI but doesn't know where to start, this session is for you.

Air-to-water heat pumps (AWHPs) bridge HVAC and plumbing. In this field-first AWHP 101 class, Ross Trethewey hits the basics of what matters: monobloc vs. split, keeping refrigerant outdoors, and delivering heating, cooling, and DHW from one system. 

Learn sizing/defrost tactics, backup strategies, and proven designs—radiant floor heating, fan-coils, 3-way valves, buffer tanks, hydraulic separation, glycol choices. 

Then nail commissioning: flow/ΔT tuning, pump selection, air elimination, and startup checks that cut callbacks. 

We’ll also cover the R-410A phasedown, leak liability, line-set corrosion, and time-of-use + thermal storage plays you can sell tomorrow.

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Participants will learn about heat pumps and their control systems during this session. We will discuss how adjusting heat pump controls can enhance or affect occupant comfort and energy efficiency.Learning Objectives:- Be engaged and interested in learning what heat pump balance points are, a crucial aspect of heat pump operation that can significantly impact energy efficiency and occupant comfort- Feel enlightened and informed as they learn the difference between fixed and floating crossing temperatures, a key knowledge that can enhance their understanding of heat pump operation and control.- Learn the difference between auxiliary and emergency heat.

This session explores how next-generation zoning and control systems maximize the potential of Inverter-driven heat pumps. Attendees will learn how zoning plus modulation delivers tailored comfort without peak power waste, while maintaining full Inverter functionality, even with third-party thermostats. We’ll cover practical installation benefits like prewired zoning systems and plug & play plenums, as well as advanced connectivity options from local APIs to building automation and voice control. The discussion will also highlight compliance advantages under new A2L refrigerant regulations, showing how reduced refrigerant volume per zone can improve both safety and efficiency. From high-end residential to commercial spaces, discover how smart zoning drives performance, simplifies maintenance through real-time diagnostics, and creates long-term value across applications.