“With changing energy, economic, and environmental concerns at the forefront of building decisions, a focus on emerging approaches and advanced concepts of addressing those concerns have become more crucial to building professionals,” said Melanie Derby, conference chair. “The 2020 ASHRAE Winter Conference technical program will present cutting-edge methods and practices on a wide-range of topics to provide solutions to these contemporary building-related concerns.”

The five-day event includes eight conference tracks, selected to represent areas of focus common among ASHRAE membership.

A new and anticipated track at this year’s conference, Big Data and Smart Controls, will examine the use of big data, advanced algorithms, occupancy-based control strategies, data mining, and other analytical techniques to economically automate buildings.  

Another new conference track showcases ASHRAE’s leadership role in the development of standards and guidelines that are used to shape codes. The track Standards, Guidelines and Codes, will include topics such as the standards development process, the use of standards to help mechanical systems in buildings survive disaster, and linking Standard 100 with Standard 90.1-2019, among others.

Conference tracks include:

•             HVAC&R Fundamentals and Applications;

•             Systems and Equipment;

•             Refrigeration and Refrigerants;

•             Cutting Edge Approaches;

•             High Efficiency Design and Operation;

•             Big Data and Smart Controls;

•             Ventilation, IAQ and Air Distribution Systems; and

•             Standards, Guidelines and Codes.

ASHRAE will offer three Residential Buildings “mini-tracks” and three Refrigeration and Refrigerants track sessions at the AHR Expo on Monday, Feb 3. These sessions offer AHR Expo attendees updates on pertinent topics and are free to attend.

ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI) will offer four full-day seminars and 17 half-day short courses during the conference.

New ALI courses include:

•             Guideline 36: Best in Class HVAC Control Sequences;

•             Complying with Standard 90.1-2019;

•             Installing DDC Control Systems;

•             IgCC and ASHRAE Standard 189.1 Technical Provisions;

•             Principles of Building Commissioning: ASHRAE Guideline 0 and Standard 202;

•             ASHRAE Cold Climate Design; and

•             V in HVAC – What, Why, Where, How, and How Much.

PDH’s are available to attendees who attend any of the technical sessions or ALI courses.  

Apply by Jan. 10 to sit for an ASHRAE certification exam. Exams will be administered on Feb. 5 in these key fields: Building Operations; Commissioning; Energy Assessment; Energy Modeling; Health Care Facility Design; High-Performance Building Design; and HVAC Design, a new program.

ASHRAE president Darryl K. Boyce, P.Eng., will provide an update on the 2019-20 society theme, “Building for People and Performance. Achieving Operational Excellence,” at the President’s Luncheon on Monday, Feb. 3. Major contributors to the ASHRAE RP Campaign will also be recognized at this lunch.

For more information, visit 2020 ASHRAE Winter Conference