ISH is the world’s leading trade fair for the HVAC and water sector and is a bi-annual event that takes place in Frankfurt am Main. This year, the event took place from the 13th to the 17th of March and was launched physically and digitally and offered manufacturers and retailers the possibility to network and market their innovations to a wide audience, online and offline.
This year’s trade fair highlighted modern bathroom design, sustainable heating and air-conditioning technology, building, renewable energies and intelligent home systems. Showcasing an array of practical solutions to help industries meet climate protection targets, conservation of resources and the increasing digitalisation of solutions through intelligent technologies – this year’s event outperformed itself compared to previous years.
Key target groups that were found at the event included sanitation, heating and air-conditioning installers and industry, system planners and engineers, wholesalers and retailers, architects, interior architects, designers, and many more. Once again, ISH demonstrated its importance for German and international industry, providing a global meeting place for developing and sharing solutions for the future.
Today, we will take a look at some highlights at ISH Messe Frankfurt 2023 trade fair. If you weren’t able to make it this year, don’t worry. We’ve got the lowdown on all of the most unmissable events.
ISH Energy highlights
This year’s event saw an extensivee program of lectures from industry experts to discuss hot topics in the energy and heating sector.
One of the main highlights was the Technology and Energy Forum which took place in the West Foyer Hall and was organized by the Federation of German Heating Industry (BDH) in cooperation with Messe Frankfurt and further industry associations.
The forum offered attendees an overview of the current political framework and solutions for achieving climate targets in the heating sector. By 2023, CO2 emissions in this sector must be reduced by 40%, a tough target for companies and innovators in the industry to meet. The forum examined how these targets could be met in Germany while also considering European climate policy. Energy sources that were discussed include biomethane and hydrogen, e-fuels, and wood energy. Experts also looked at how technology is facilitating the more sustainable use of energy resources, including particular systems such as hybrid heating systems, fuel cell heating systems, wood-based systems, and digital solutions.
Another highlight of this year’s event was Energy Storage@ISH, a separate exhibition space which was dedicated to the topic of energy storage. This space revolved around the theme of this year’s event, which was focused on the transformation taking place in the heating market away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy sources. Located in Hall 12, the special area hosted selected manufacturers as they presented their solutions for more sustainable heating sources. Exhibitors included Exide Technologies GmbH, Guangzhou Sanjing Electric Co Ltd, and LG Electronics Deutschland GmbH.
Our final top highlight from the energy sector at this year’s ISH event was Start-up@ISH, in which 20 building technology startups presented their ideas. Young founders were given the opportunity to inspire established companies and industry players with their designs towards a more climate friendly future and new energy.
ISH Water highlights
The ISH Water sector at this year’s event was held in Hall 3 and offered guests an insight into the current industry, 2023 bathroom trends and much more.
One of the main stand-out exhibitions at ISH 2023 was Pop up my Bathroom. The trend exhibition showcased important new products for lifestyle-oriented bathrooms that took into account industry trends such as demographics, climate, and urbanization. Various stunning visualizations addressed these topics and cross-discipline discussions went into further depth, offering unique perspectives and innovations. A highlight within this exhibition was the Pop up my Bathroom Atelier talk forum which features workshops and panel discussions to inspire and educate on topics like state-of-the-art and future strategies of the bathroom industry and bathroom-related trades.
“Sustainable bathroom” was the top trend at this year’s event, and it was presented as a concept for the future that strives to optimally combine smart, water and energy-saving products with eco-friendly industrial production and enduring design. Additionally, the trend emphasizes the need to remain in touch with nature while operating in the sphere of consumer trends like zero-waste.
Also in Hall 3 was the Therapeutic Bathroom exhibition organized by Zentralverband Sanitär Heizung Klima. This section of the event focused on the subject of therapeutic bathrooms in an increasingly aging society to cater to those in need of outpatient care and those who require care in their own homes.
Additional highlights at ISH 2023
There were so many highlights at this year’s event, so we thought we’d share some additional Hotspots that stole the spotlight.
Hotspot Innovation exhibited exceptional products that impressed with their sustainability and innovative designs, as well as various solutions for intergenerational bathrooms. The Design Plus competition, organized by Messe Frankfurt with the support of the German Design Council, showcased products that combine sustainability, aesthetics and functionality and is one of the most renowned design competitions in Germany.
Another highlight was the Indoor-Air Forum which took place in Hall 8. This area of the event delivered insights and expertise via panel discussions and lectures centered on the latest themes and trends in the cooling, air-conditioning and ventilation sectors with a focus on the importance of hygienic air supply in buildings for healthier lifestyles.
Finally, the Building Technology Forum, organised by the Building Automation and Controls Association in the Federation of German Machine and Plant Manufacturers (VDMA), the Federal German Industrial Association for Building Services and Technical Installations (BTGA), played host to a range of experts who offered information on important future topics in technical building equipment and the real estate industry. Each day featured a program of presentations dedicated to different topics, namely Research and Development, Digitalization, Building Information Modeling (BIM), and Indoor Environmental Quality.
This year’s ISH event was one to remember and made up for its hiatus since the onset of the pandemic. We can’t wait for the next instalment!
Check out all the recent design and architecture events from DDN here.
