5 takeaways from Chillventa 2026 ❄️

Now that the exhibition materials are unpacked, the evaluations and follow-ups are complete, and we’re back into our usual routines, we’ve had some time to reflect on the conversations, trends and developments that caught our attention during three intense days in Nuremberg.

Here are five key takeaways from this year’s event.

• Natural refrigerants remain high on the agenda
  Regulatory compliance continues to be a major driver of the transition towards natural refrigerants. With increasingly stringent requirements, the industry is placing greater emphasis on refrigerant selection and its implications for system design.

• Indirect refrigeration is becoming increasingly relevant
  The ability to keep refrigerants to a limited area while distributing cooling through a secondary heat transfer fluid offers interesting opportunities for safer and more flexible system design. As a result, the choice of HTF and its impact on energy efficiency and system performance is becoming increasingly relevant.

• Data center cooling is gaining momentum
  Compared with Chillventa 2024, data center cooling had a noticeably stronger presence in discussions this year, reflecting growing interest in cooling solutions for this expanding sector.

• Cybersecurity is entering the refrigeration conversation
  With refrigeration systems becoming increasingly connected, protecting critical cooling infrastructure against cyber threats is another topic gaining attention.

• International interest extends beyond highly regulated markets
  We welcomed a large number of visitors from countries across several continents, highlighting the widespread interest in heat transfer fluids and secondary refrigeration systems. Our conversations showed that safety, flexibility and environmental considerations are important factors even in markets where regulatory requirements are less stringent than in Europe.

One thing is clear: refrigeration is evolving, and system design is becoming an increasingly important part of the conversation. Thank you to everyone who shared their perspectives with us at Chillventa 2026. We look forward to continuing these discussions!