Targeting US HVAC contractors means showing up where they're already gathering. The HVAC industry clusters around major trade shows - some pulling 10,000+ professionals to Orlando or Las Vegas, others bringing 2,000-5,000 decision makers to Nashville or New York.

The 2026 calendar spans residential construction shows in February, facility management expos in March, code compliance conferences in October, and field service events in November. Each serves different contractor profiles - new construction vs retrofit, residential vs commercial, service-focused vs equipment sales.

Here's our list of the top 10 HVAC conferences and trade shows in 2026 - attendee counts, dates, locations, and who each conference is best for.

AHR Expo

Location Las Vegas, NV
Dates February 2-4, 2026
Purpose Growth / Revenue
Attendee Count 10,000+
Website https://www.ahrexpo.com/

AHR Expo is the world's largest HVACR marketplace, bringing together 10,000+ heating, air conditioning, refrigeration professionals, manufacturers, and contractors for the industry's premier annual event.

Why attend AHR Expo: 10,000+ HVAC professionals from around the world. Three-day format in Las Vegas. 500+ exhibitors. Best for HVAC contractors, manufacturers, distributors, and anyone in the HVACR industry looking for comprehensive market exposure and latest technology.

NAHB International Builders' Show

Location: Orlando, FL
Dates: February 17-19, 2026
Purpose: Growth / Revenue
Attendee Count: 10,000+
Website: https://www.buildersshow.com/ 

NAHB International Builders' Show is the largest annual construction show in North America, bringing together 10,000+ home builders, contractors, and industry professionals including HVAC contractors serving residential construction.

Why attend NAHB: 10,000+ attendees focused on residential construction. Three-day format in Orlando. Best for residential HVAC contractors, manufacturers, and anyone targeting the new home construction market.

Kitchen & Bath Industry Show

Location: Orlando, FL
Dates: February 17-19, 2026
Purpose: Growth / Revenue
Attendee Count: 10,000+

Website: https://kbis.com/ 

Kitchen & Bath Industry Show brings 10,000+ professionals focused on residential remodeling and new construction, with significant HVAC overlap through whole-home comfort systems and ventilation.

Why attend KBIS: 10,000+ attendees in residential remodeling market. Co-located with NAHB in Orlando. Best for residential HVAC contractors working with builders and remodelers on integrated home systems.

Design & Construction Week

Location: Orlando, FL
Dates: February 17-19, 2026
Purpose: Training / Certification
Attendee Count: 10,000+
Website: https://designandconstructionweek.com/ 

Design & Construction Week combines multiple construction industry events in Orlando, bringing 10,000+ architects, engineers, builders, and contractors together including HVAC professionals.

Why attend Design & Construction Week: 10,000+ attendees across construction disciplines. Training and certification focus. Co-located with NAHB and KBIS. Best for HVAC contractors wanting comprehensive Orlando construction event access.

Grainger Show

Location: Orlando, FL
Dates: March 15-17, 2026
Purpose: Growth / Revenue
Attendee Count: 10,000+
Website: https://www.graingershow.com/ 

Grainger Show brings 10,000+ facility managers, maintenance professionals, and contractors together, with strong HVAC representation for commercial building systems and maintenance.

Why attend Grainger Show: 10,000+ facility management and maintenance professionals. Three-day format in Orlando. Best for commercial HVAC contractors serving facilities management and building maintenance markets.

NFPA Conference & Expo

Location: Las Vegas, NV
Dates: June 22-24, 2026
Purpose: Training / Certification
Attendee Count: 5,000-10,000
Website: https://www.nfpa.org/events/conference 

National Fire Protection Association's annual conference brings 5,000-10,000 fire safety, building code, and life safety professionals together, with HVAC overlap through fire dampers, smoke control, and code compliance.

Why attend NFPA: 5,000-10,000 code compliance and fire safety professionals. Three-day format in Las Vegas. Best for commercial HVAC contractors dealing with fire safety systems, smoke control, and building code compliance.

Autodesk University

Location: Las Vegas, NV
Dates: September 15-17, 2026
Purpose: Training / Certification
Attendee Count: 10,000+
Website: https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2026/web/page/overview 

Autodesk University brings 10,000+ design and construction professionals using Autodesk software including AutoCAD, Revit, and BIM tools critical for HVAC design and engineering.

Why attend Autodesk University: 10,000+ professionals using design software for construction and MEP. Three-day format in Las Vegas. Best for HVAC contractors and engineers using BIM, design software, or working on complex commercial projects.

ICC Annual Conference & Expo

Location: Nashville, TN
Dates: October 18-21, 2026
Purpose: Compliance / Regulation
Attendee Count: 2,000-5,000
Website: https://www.iccsafe.org/events/conference/welcome/ 

International Code Council's annual conference brings 2,000-5,000 building code officials, inspectors, and contractors together focused on building codes and compliance including mechanical codes for HVAC.

Why attend ICC: 2,000-5,000 code officials and compliance professionals. Four-day format in Nashville. Best for HVAC contractors navigating building codes, mechanical codes, and compliance requirements.

Greenbuild International Conference & Expo

Location: New York, NY
Dates: October 20-23, 2026
Purpose: Training / Certification
Attendee Count: 10,000+
Website: https://informaconnect.com/greenbuild/ 

Greenbuild brings 10,000+ green building professionals together focused on sustainable construction, energy efficiency, and high-performance HVAC systems.

Why attend Greenbuild: 10,000+ professionals focused on sustainable building and energy efficiency. Four-day format in New York. Best for HVAC contractors specializing in high-efficiency systems, geothermal, or working on LEED projects.

Service World Expo

Location: Las Vegas, NV
Dates: November 9-12, 2026
Purpose: Growth / Revenue
Attendee Count: 10,000+
Website: https://www.serviceworldexpo.com/ 

Service World Expo is the largest multi-trade event for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractors, bringing 10,000+ field service professionals together for business growth and networking.

Why attend Service World Expo: 10,000+ HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractors. Four-day format in Las Vegas. Best for residential and commercial HVAC contractors focused on business growth and service excellence.

Bonus: HARDI Annual Conference

Location: Las Vegas, NV
Dates: December 8-11, 2026
Purpose: Growth / Revenue
Attendee Count: 2,000-5,000
Website: https://hardiconference.com/ 

Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International's annual conference brings 2,000-5,000 HVAC distributors, manufacturers, and contractors together for industry networking and business development.

Why attend HARDI: 2,000-5,000 HVAC distribution and supply chain professionals. Four-day format in Las Vegas. Best for HVAC manufacturers, distributors, or contractors building relationships with distribution partners.

Plan Your 2026 US HVAC Conference Strategy

The US HVAC industry concentrates major conferences in key periods throughout 2026, with heavy activity in February (Orlando), multiple events in Las Vegas (June, September, November, December), and strategic events in Nashville and New York in October.

Key decisions to make now:

1. How many conferences can you attend?
   Realistically assess budget (booth + travel) and team capacity (who travels, for how many days).
   
   

2. Which customer profile matters most?
   Residential vs commercial, new construction vs service/retrofit, specific US states vs national reach.
   
   

3. What's your conference strategy?
   Brand awareness (requires large conferences like NAHB, Service World Expo), lead generation (medium conferences), relationship building (focused events like HARDI).
   
   

4. When will you decide?
   Booth prices increase as events approach. Early bird pricing typically closes 60-90 days before conference. Book now for best rates.

Pre-event outreach, booth strategy, immediate follow-up, and realistic ROI timelines determine conference success.

HVAC conferences work when combined with good data. Using Orbital's US HVAC contractor database, identify which conference attendees match your ICP, reach out before the event, and book meetings in advance. The companies winning at conferences schedule their entire conference calendar before arriving.

Download The Complete US HVAC Conference List

Get the full conference calendar with dates, locations, attendee counts, purposes, and strategic recommendations for every major US HVAC industry event.

What's inside: 

✓ Complete 2026 US HVAC conference calendar with all dates and locations
✓ Residential vs commercial focus breakdown for each conference
✓ Geographic concentration data showing which US states each conference pulls from
✓ Attendee count comparisons to inform budget and strategy
✓ ROI framework by conference size (large, medium, small)
✓ Pre-event outreach email templates proven to book meetings
✓ Post-conference follow-up sequences that convert

Download the complete list