Alexandria, VA (December 4, 2025) — The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) will co-locate its 2026 Smart Tech Summit with the brand-new HVAC Contractor Forum, hosted by ACHR NEWS.
Both events will take place at the Omni Frisco Star in Frisco, Texas, from November 2–4, 2026, bringing together contractors, thought leaders, and industry partners for a dynamic, solutions-driven experience.
The Smart Tech Summit, ACCA’s new fall event focused on technical excellence and innovation, will be held on November 2 as part of this new partnership. The forum and summit together will give HVACR professionals the hands-on learning they need to navigate real-world challenges, grow their businesses, and advance their teams’ performance in a rapidly evolving industry.
“This alliance with our longtime friends at ACHR News represents a bold step forward,” said Barton James, president and CEO of ACCA and ACCA’s Educational Institute. “By combining ACCA’s technical expertise with the editorial strength of ACHR NEWS, we’re creating an event built to elevate contractor performance. It’s a purpose-driven experience focused on what really matters—supporting contractors and growing our trades.”
The ACHR NEWS is a trusted source for news for HVACR contractors, covering the industry on a bi-weekly basis since 1926.
“We are so excited about launching this new event for the HVAC residential contractors,” ACHR NEWS Publisher Sarah Harding said. “We bring a wealth of experience in the HVAC industry, and this event is long overdue. I guess you could say it has been one hundred years in the making.”
ACCA’s one-day event will be a hands-on experience designed for HVACR leaders including business owners, general and operations managers, and emerging leaders who are driving digital transformation within their businesses.
At the ACCA summit, attendees will leave with:
- A simple 90-day tech adoption plan personalized to their business.
- Practical, real-world skills they can apply immediately.
- Workflows, checklists, and examples built around HVACR operations.
- A clearer understanding of how to embed ACCA standards and quality benchmarks into digital processes.
- Leadership habits and tools to improve communication, consistency, and decision-making.
Contractors and partners can visit achrnews.com/hvac-contractor-forum/acca to learn more about ACCA’s partnership with ACHR News.
Media inquiries:
Kate Wessels
VP of Communications, Marketing, and Partnerships
kate.wessels@acca.org
703-824-8864