MILAN, Italy, 18 March 2024: RX, a part of RELX, and organisers of the 43rd edition of MCE – Mostra Convegno Expocomfort announced that it closed its doors at Fiera Milano, returning to its customary late-winter calendar. Making the announcement through a Press release, the organisers confirmed the Expo’s role as a reference appointment for the future and innovation of the HVAC&R, energy efficiency, renewables, and sanitary-ware industries.

The organisers said that over 1,700 exhibitors and 1,21,000 visitors attended the exhibition, with more than 30% coming from abroad. The organisers said this encouraging data reflects a positive outlook for the market’s future. Furthermore, the organisers said, CRESME’s 10th Forecasting and Cyclical Report on the Installation of Plants in Buildings in Italy 2024-2026 was presented during the event, and it revealed a less severe contraction than what the market expected in 2023, and added that the report predicts a stabilisation of activities by 2025.

The organisers said that in 2025, MCE—Mostra Convegno Expocomfort will hold a new event, ‘Heat Pump Technologies’, at the Allianz MiCo in Milan from April 2 to 3. 

Massimiliano Pierini, Managing Director, RX Italy, said: “It stems from a need shared by everyone – companies, professionals, trade associations and institutions – to maintain the energy transition process dialogue. We have therefore organised an appointment dedicated to heat pumps, a two-day event designed precisely to cover odd years while waiting for the next edition of MCE – Mostra Convegno Expocomfort 2026”.

The organisers said that from the round tables during MCE, great interest emerged in the new EPBD4 Directive, which the European Parliament definitively approved at the very start of the event. The organisers further said one of the most critical APEs (Energy Performance Certificates) features is the new ‘A0’ class, corresponding to ZEmBs, which will be added to the already known energy performance classes. In addition, RX said, also of interest is the hypothesis of assigning a ‘+’ to the A classes for those buildings that will offer an additional contribution to the energy network, produced locally through renewable sources, and the possibility of creating a new APE at each lease renewal compulsory. 

The organisers said the new EPBD strongly encourages the use of domotics and all smart/adaptive technologies, which ensure the proper functioning of buildings and maximum efficiency in all climatic conditions, and added that it also suggests the creation of digital databases to manage them. As to sustainable mobility, RX said, it proposes the construction of widespread infrastructure for recharging electric vehicles (EVs) in residential and commercial buildings, with increased spaces dedicated to parking, especially bicycles.

Pierini further said: “This edition of MCE was characterised by new features, from the new layout to the Hydrogen Hub, the Water Prix to the MCE Excellence Awards. The aim of going beyond the concept of comfort, supported by the new claim introduced for this edition, Beyond Comfort, offered new areas in which experts from all over the world explored issues related to decarbonisation and energy transition, thanks to a new multi-energy and multi-technology approach. The core value of MCE is undoubtedly its comprehensive offering, with an exhaustive overview of the market. Furthermore, the high internationalisation is another real strength of the event. This is an invaluable element for all those companies that want to meet stakeholders from all over the world for a direct global exchange in just four days in Milan. Moreover, the energy transition has triggered a real cultural transformation we want to narrate. It is increasingly clear that today technological innovation can lead to environmental, economic, and, above all, social sustainability.” 

RX said the attendance of trade professionals from abroad was confirmed at pre-pandemic levels, with 141 countries represented. In addition to Poland, the Country Partner for this 2024 edition, the organisers said, Europe was mainly represented by France and Germany in the first place, followed by Spain, Romania and Greece.