United States. ASHRAE unveiled the technical program for its 2026 Annual Conference, which will be held June 27-July 1 in Austin and will bring together professionals from the HVAC&R industry to discuss the trends and challenges that are transforming the sector.
This year's technical program includes sessions organized in eight thematic axes: fundamentals and applications, HVAC&R systems and equipment, Research Summit, talent development, geothermal heat pumps, design and resilience of buildings in hot climates, artificial intelligence in building design and construction, and decarbonization of buildings.
"The ASHRAE Annual Conference brings together established practices and new ideas that are transforming the way we design, construct and operate buildings," said Bill McQuade. "Attendees will find opportunities to deepen their knowledge, discover innovative approaches, and connect with colleagues facing similar challenges."
Among the program's featured sessions are topics related to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data centers, energy resilience, and healthy buildings. Some of the most relevant conferences will be:
- "AI, Cloud and Cybersecurity: Why Are They Important for Smart Building Design?"
- "Integrated Modeling and Optimization of Data Center Cooling and Reuse of Waste Heat"
- "Thinking Ahead: Preparing Tomorrow's Workforce Today"
- "Resilience, Affordability, and Regulation: The Future of Community Energy Systems"
- "How to achieve healthier buildings with lower cost and energy consumption"
- "Engineering behind cooling for AI: design and commissioning of TCS systems"
In addition, the ASHRAE Learning Institute will offer 10 continuing education courses approved for professional training credit, including trainings on laboratory controls, dehumidification, A2L refrigerant systems, decarbonization strategies, and Net Zero buildings based on ASHRAE 90.1.
The conference will also feature a plenary session with updates from the organization and President Bill McQuade's farewell address. During the presidential luncheon, Sarah Maston will take over as ASHRAE president for the 2026-2027 term and will present the association's new theme: "Changing the Rules of the Game: Modernization for Resilience."
