C&R is a professional HVAC and refrigeration event. Your visit is most useful when you arrive with a product, installation, purchasing or market question that can be explored through the event’s equipment categories and trade contacts.

HVAC buyers, distributors and purchasing teams

Useful if you source equipment for resale, projects or a service portfolio. Compare product ranges and suppliers across air conditioning, heat pumps, heating, ventilation, hot water and refrigeration. Before making a decision, record the technical specifications, service arrangements, documentation, delivery conditions and commercial terms you still need to verify. The event’s 2025 report describes a broad distribution channel among the professional groups brought together.

• Compare two or more products against the same installation or customer requirement.
• Ask how equipment integrates with controls, ventilation, heat recovery or other relevant system components.
• Identify which suppliers can provide the technical documentation and after-sales information your organisation requires.
• Separate an interesting product demonstration from a product that meets your procurement criteria.

Installers, contractors and maintenance professionals

Useful if you specify, install, commission or maintain HVAC and refrigeration systems. Focus on practical installation details, system interfaces, access for maintenance, operating controls and the information a supplier can provide for commissioning or service. The 2025 programme included air-conditioning and refrigeration workshops; check the official 2027 programme when published before planning around any practical sessions.

• Bring representative project constraints, such as the system type, installation context and performance question, without disclosing confidential client information.
• Ask suppliers what installation, commissioning and maintenance information accompanies the product.
• Compare equipment dimensions, connection requirements, control compatibility and service considerations where relevant to your project.
• Record unresolved technical questions and request the appropriate product documents after the event.

Engineers, architects, specifiers and consultants

Useful if you advise on building services, refurbishment or system performance. Use the product range to investigate how HVAC equipment, ventilation, air quality, control and energy-efficiency requirements might fit a project brief. The organiser’s 2025 report records conference discussions on indoor air quality, filtration, monitoring, digitalisation, heat pumps and building decarbonisation. Treat those subjects as evidence of the previous edition’s discussions, not as confirmed 2027 sessions.

• Map each product conversation to a specific design, retrofit or operational question.
• Ask what performance evidence, compatibility data and relevant standards or certifications are available.
• Compare the implications of equipment-only offers with integrated controls, operation and data requirements.
• Note which claims need independent technical review before they enter a specification.

Manufacturers and HVAC solution providers

Useful if you make or distribute equipment, components, controls or related services and want to assess professional interest, channel fit or competing approaches. C&R’s official scope spans equipment and system areas rather than one isolated product. Use conversations to test how your offer is understood by installers, distributors, engineering firms and specifiers, and to identify what technical or service information they need before considering a product.

• Prepare a clear explanation of the products, applications and support your organisation can verify.
• Ask visitors which project types or operating requirements influence their evaluation.
• Record requests for specifications, compatibility details, service documentation or follow-up discussions.
• Assess potential distributors and partners against your own market, compliance and support criteria.

What can you find at Madrid C&R?

The organiser positions C&R as an international air-conditioning and refrigeration exhibition, and its published market coverage spans the following areas. The groupings below help visitors turn that scope into a practical route through the offer; they do not imply that every product or supplier will be present in 2027.

Air conditioning, heating and heat pumps

• Air-conditioning equipment and related components.
• Heating equipment and heat-pump solutions.
• Domestic hot-water production equipment.

Compare equipment against project requirements, system design, energy use, compatibility and service capability. Ask suppliers for product-level evidence and do not infer that a market-wide trend applies to every model or application.

Ventilation, air quality and air distribution

• Ventilation equipment, including residential and industrial ventilation.
• Air distribution and diffusion equipment.
• Air-handling units and heat-recovery ventilation units.
• Solutions and components connected with indoor air quality, filtration and monitoring where offered.

For a refurbishment or new installation, consider how air movement, heat recovery, filtration and monitoring fit the project’s operating requirements. The 2025 report noted that ventilation and indoor air quality remained underrepresented in some refurbishment projects, while ventilation and heat-recovery equipment were among areas identified as gaining attention.

Refrigeration, plumbing and system components

• Industrial and commercial refrigeration equipment and components.
• Plumbing and installation-related products included in the event’s stated scope.
• Controls, regulation and system components supporting HVAC installations.

For refrigeration and plumbing-related purchases, compare the application, operating conditions, system interfaces and applicable product requirements. Ask suppliers which documentation is current for the destination market and intended use.

Regulation, control and digital operation

The organiser’s market report identifies regulation and control, interoperability and operational verification as important to how buildings and installations perform. Visitors can use this theme to ask how equipment communicates with controls, what data can be monitored, how systems are commissioned and what practical support is available. The event’s detailed 2027 product directory and programme should be checked once published.

What makes Madrid C&R distinctive?

C&R connects specialist HVAC and refrigeration products with the professionals who specify, install, distribute and operate them. Its scope brings together air conditioning, heating, ventilation, plumbing and refrigeration, while IFEMA’s 2025 report documents discussion of indoor air quality, digitalisation, maintenance, heat pumps and building decarbonisation.

The 2025 edition was reported as C&R’s 27th and brought together 45,000 professionals from 88 countries and more than 400 companies. In that edition, C&R was staged alongside the International Week of Electrification and Decarbonisation, including GENERA and MATELEC. That historic co-location is context for 2025 only; the official material reviewed does not confirm the same arrangement for 2027. The event’s biennial rhythm makes it useful to track developments across editions, but visitors should evaluate each product, claim and supplier on its current evidence.

What should you try to achieve at Madrid C&R?

A focused visit begins with a decision, not a general intention to see what is new. Choose objectives that can be completed through product comparisons, technical questions and follow-up information.

If you are a buyer or distributor

Example objective: shortlist three suppliers whose HVAC or refrigeration products meet a defined customer or portfolio need. Set the product category, required documentation, support expectations and commercial conditions before comparing offers. Keep a separate list of products that need additional verification.

If you install or maintain systems

Example objective: resolve a small set of installation, commissioning or maintenance questions about products relevant to your current work. Compare access, system interfaces, control arrangements and the documentation available from each supplier. Ask what technical support is provided and record unanswered questions.

If you design, specify or consult

Example objective: identify equipment or system approaches worth evaluating against a project brief. Bring the relevant performance, space, operating and integration constraints. Collect technical documents rather than relying on a brief demonstration or verbal claim.

If you exhibit or supply

Example objective: test whether the way you explain your product answers the questions trade professionals actually ask. Record which product details visitors request, what evidence they need, and which follow-up action is appropriate. Treat interest as a starting point for evaluation, not as a confirmed order or partnership.

How to prepare before Madrid C&R

1. Define the decision you need to make

Write down the equipment or installation question that makes the visit worthwhile. It could concern a replacement system, a new project, a distribution portfolio, indoor air quality, a control interface or maintenance requirements. Keep the objective narrow enough to guide product comparisons.

2. Build a category-based target list

Group the suppliers or product types you want to find under air conditioning, heat pumps and heating, ventilation and air quality, refrigeration, air distribution, hot water, or regulation and control. The official 2027 exhibitor information is not yet reflected in the event pages reviewed. Check the organiser’s directory when it becomes available and prioritise confirmed exhibitors rather than assuming a particular brand will attend.

3. Prepare comparable questions

• Which application and operating conditions is this product designed for?
• What performance data and test conditions support the stated specifications?
• Which system components, controls or interfaces are needed?
• What commissioning, maintenance and service documentation is supplied?
• Which product standards, certifications or refrigerant requirements apply?
• What installation constraints, connections or space requirements should be checked?
• What support, spare parts or service arrangements are available in the intended market?
• Which commercial terms, delivery conditions and product versions require written confirmation?

Adapt the list to your role; a designer, installer and distributor will not need identical answers. For a purchase or specification decision, verify technical claims and legal requirements through the appropriate product documentation and professional review.

4. Decide how you will capture information

Use a simple record for each useful conversation: Company → product or system → project fit → evidence requested → contact → next action. Separate verified documentation from impressions, and note whether a response is confirmed or still pending. This makes comparisons more reliable after the visit.

5. Check the event information before travelling

The organiser lists the next edition for 16–19 November 2027 at IFEMA MADRID, but the detailed schedule and event-specific location information are marked as coming soon. Opening hours, the final activity programme and 2027 visitor arrangements should therefore be checked on the organiser’s site when released. IFEMA’s general access information covers metro, bus, taxi and car; confirm the event-specific guidance and any changes close to your visit.

How to make the most of the exhibition

Use a route that follows your objective rather than trying to inspect every product category equally. Begin with the suppliers or equipment most relevant to your decision, then use remaining time to compare alternatives and investigate adjacent components that affect system performance.

1. Start with the requirement. Explain the application, constraints and decision you are working towards.
2. Compare like with like. Ask each supplier the same core questions about performance evidence, compatibility, installation and support.
3. Check the system, not only the unit. Where relevant, ask how controls, ventilation, heat recovery, air distribution or maintenance connect with the main equipment.
4. Record what is missing. Mark a specification, compliance document or commercial condition as pending if it was not provided.
5. Choose one next action. Request a document, arrange a technical discussion or follow up with a colleague responsible for evaluation.

Exhibition conversations are useful for discovery and comparison, but they do not replace design review, product testing, compliance checks or written commercial terms.

Beyond the Madrid C&R exhibition floor

IFEMA’s report on C&R 2025 describes technical conferences on air conditioning, air quality, electrification, automation and renewable energy. It also lists a 2025 Air Conditioning Workshop, Refrigeration Workshop, Data Centre Agora, Regulation and Control Agora and New Talents initiative. These are previous-edition examples only.

The detailed programme for 2027 is not yet published on the schedule page reviewed. When it is available, compare session topics with your objectives and reserve time for the product categories that matter most. Do not plan around a 2025 session or assume that a prior workshop will return unchanged.

Planning your time at Madrid C&R

The published event dates span four days, but the 2027 opening hours and detailed programme are not yet available. The most suitable visit length depends on how many product areas and supplier discussions you need to cover.

A focused visit

Useful when you have one defined purchasing, installation or specification question. Prioritise the relevant product category and pre-select meetings or exhibitors once the official directory is published. Leave time to record technical evidence and unresolved questions rather than trying to see every stand.

A broader comparison

Useful when your work spans multiple HVAC disciplines, such as equipment plus controls, or ventilation plus indoor air quality. Divide priorities by category and keep a separate comparison record for each. Use the official schedule, once available, to decide whether a conference or practical activity supports your objective.

Several days

Consider a longer visit if your role requires supplier discovery across several categories, technical sessions and planned follow-up conversations. Check the final programme and daily opening hours before arranging your days; neither the number of hours needed nor the 2027 session timetable can yet be confirmed from the published schedule.

Networking and supplier conversations at Madrid C&R

Professional conversations are most useful when both sides understand the application and what evidence is needed next. Prepare a short introduction to your role, the kind of system or product you work with, and the question you are trying to resolve. If discussing a project, share only the specifications you are authorised to disclose.

• For a supplier conversation, describe the application and ask which product data or support documents are available.
• For a distributor discussion, ask about portfolio fit, service capability and the commercial conditions that need written confirmation.
• For an engineering or specification discussion, identify performance and integration questions that require technical evidence.
• For a potential exhibitor or partner, clarify the product segment, intended market and next step before treating the discussion as a business opportunity.

After each useful conversation, agree on a specific follow-up item where appropriate: a technical sheet, compatibility information, a service contact or a further review. A conversation is not itself a commitment or a confirmed commercial outcome.

One day or several days at Madrid C&R?

Choose visit length by the work you need to complete, not by the event’s overall scale alone.

• One day may be sufficient if you have a short target list in one product area, have arranged priority conversations and need a focused comparison.
• More than one day may be useful if you need to compare several categories, speak with different technical and commercial contacts, or attend relevant sessions once the 2027 schedule is published.
• Allow time for follow-up preparation if your visit supports a procurement, design or maintenance decision: organise the evidence you collect and list what still needs confirmation.

The published 2027 dates are 16–19 November, but opening hours and the detailed activity schedule are still to be confirmed on the organiser’s page. Plan the number of days after checking those details and the exhibitor information.

Madrid C&R is particularly valuable if you have a project

A live project gives product conversations a practical reference point. Before attending, prepare a non-confidential summary of the system type, the intended application, operating conditions, installation constraints and the performance or maintenance question you need to answer. For refurbishment work, note the existing system and the parts of the building or operation that limit possible solutions.

Ask suppliers what product documentation, compatibility information, installation guidance, commissioning support and service information they can provide. If a question concerns refrigerants, energy performance or product conformity, identify the applicable requirements with a qualified professional and current official documentation; do not rely on a brief stand conversation as regulatory advice.

After the exhibition, compare suppliers against the same criteria. A product that appears suitable in a demonstration may still need detailed design review, confirmation of availability and service arrangements, compliance checks and written commercial terms before selection.

After Madrid C&R: turn information into decisions

Sort the contacts and information you collect by the action required:

• Immediate evaluation: product or supplier is relevant to an active project; request the technical, compliance or commercial information needed for review.
• Potential future fit: solution may suit a later project or portfolio; record the application and conditions that would make it relevant.
• Market intelligence: discussion helps you understand product direction, controls, ventilation or other sector issues, but does not yet support a purchase decision.

Compare written specifications and evidence, involve the colleagues responsible for design, procurement, installation or compliance, and record the remaining decision risks. Follow up while the purpose of the conversation is still clear. Keep supplier claims distinct from independently verified performance and requirements.

Who should consider exhibiting at Madrid C&R?

The published scope is relevant to manufacturers and suppliers of air-conditioning, heating, heat-pump, hot-water, refrigeration, ventilation, air-distribution, air-handling and regulation-and-control products. Companies providing related services may also assess fit where their offer directly supports these systems and professional audiences.

Before considering participation, define the business objective: introduce a product, test how a technical offer is understood, meet distribution-channel professionals, explain a service capability or assess market feedback. Prepare the product evidence and staff who can answer detailed questions. IFEMA reported more than 400 participating companies in 2025; this is the previous edition’s reported figure, not an announced 2027 exhibitor count.

• Identify the product categories and professional roles most relevant to your offer.
• Set a measurable objective for the conversations you want to have.
• Prepare current specifications, compatibility information and service documentation.
• Clarify which claims can be supported by evidence and which require follow-up.
• Assess the event’s confirmed 2027 exhibitor and visitor arrangements once published before committing resources.

Madrid C&R visitor checklist

Before

• ☐ Define the equipment, project or market question that matters most.
• ☐ Group priorities by HVAC product category and role.
• ☐ Check the official exhibitor directory and programme when the 2027 information is released.
• ☐ Prepare comparable technical and commercial questions.
• ☐ Confirm the final event schedule, opening hours and venue-access details before travel.

During

• ☐ Compare products against the same requirement, not just their displays.
• ☐ Record product details, evidence requested, contacts and next actions.
• ☐ Distinguish verified documents from verbal claims and open questions.
• ☐ Prioritise useful technical or professional sessions only after the official programme is published.

After

• ☐ Sort contacts by immediate evaluation, future fit and market intelligence.
• ☐ Request missing specifications, compliance information or service details.
• ☐ Compare suppliers and products using consistent criteria.
• ☐ Share findings with colleagues responsible for design, procurement, installation or maintenance.

Is Madrid C&R worth visiting?

Madrid C&R is most relevant to professionals who work with HVAC, refrigeration or related building services and have a clear reason to compare equipment, suppliers, system approaches or technical information. Its published scope and the reported scale of the 2025 edition make it a meaningful place to investigate professional offers across connected categories. Value depends on selecting the right areas, asking comparable questions and following up on evidence. Visitors seeking a specific exhibitor, session, fee or opening time should wait for the organiser’s 2027 details rather than assume that previous-edition information will repeat.

Madrid C&R 2027 at a glance

The next edition’s dates are published, while detailed opening hours, programme and event-specific access information remain to be confirmed by the organiser.

Make your Madrid C&R visit purposeful

Choose the question you need to answer, compare relevant products on consistent criteria, and leave with clear next steps for technical and commercial follow-up. Specify. Compare. Verify. Follow up.

HVAC opportunities in Spain

Market size and demand

AFEC, Spain’s air-conditioning equipment manufacturers’ association, reported that aggregate Spanish HVAC market sell-in data grew by 11.4% in 2025. Within that total, air-conditioning, heat-pump and domestic-hot-water production equipment grew by 6.5%; AHUs and heat-recovery ventilation units showed 0.9% value growth. These are sector-reported sales-in growth indicators, not market revenue, retail demand or a forecast for any individual supplier. AFEC’s 2025 report says growth was supported by price, volume and a more professionalised mix.

Market drivers and commercial opportunities

AFEC identifies electrification, refurbishment and asset repositioning, ventilation and indoor-air-quality needs, and digital regulation and control as relevant market themes. It reports that ventilation and heat-recovery units gained attention amid regulatory factors, data-centre demand and industrial operating requirements, while new tertiary construction showed weaker momentum than previous years. These findings suggest areas for investigation, not guaranteed demand:

• Heat pumps and HVAC equipment: suppliers may assess product fit against the reported growth in this equipment group; energy-price signals, product performance, competition and project economics remain important checks.
• Ventilation and heat recovery: manufacturers and buyers may investigate residential, industrial and refurbishment applications; AFEC reports significant growth drivers but does not quantify each segment here.
• Controls and building operation: companies may explore interoperability, regulation and operational verification as digital building requirements advance; adoption remains uneven, so integration and implementation need evaluation.

Regulations and market-entry conditions

Regulation (EU) 2024/573 on fluorinated greenhouse gases is in force and covers F-gas-related conditions relevant to air-conditioning, refrigeration and heat-pump equipment. Product-specific restrictions, refrigerant conditions and transition dates depend on equipment type and the current consolidated legal text. Manufacturers, importers and distributors should verify the rules applicable to each product and intended placement on the market before making compliance or sourcing decisions.

What this may mean for exhibitors

HVAC and refrigeration exhibitors may use C&R to test how their equipment, controls, ventilation or heat-recovery offer fits the questions of Spanish and international trade professionals. The AFEC indicators provide sector context, not evidence of obtainable sales. Product-specific compliance, service capability, market segment and commercial terms remain essential barriers to assess.

What this may mean for visitors

Buyers, installers and specifiers may compare equipment against current project needs, request product-level performance and compliance documents, and examine system integration or service questions. AFEC’s figures can help frame market discussions, but visitors should not treat aggregate sector growth as proof that a particular product or supplier will meet demand.