ASHRAE’s 2025 Conference Puts Building Decarbonization in the Spotlight
Chicago event draws global experts seeking climate solutions in the built environment
ASHRAE: The iconic Chicago skyline rises above Grant Park, setting the stage for the 2025 ASHRAE Building Decarbonization Conference.
As cities and industries worldwide scramble to cut carbon emissions, building professionals will gather in Chicago this October for the 2025 ASHRAE Building Decarbonization Conference, hoping to accelerate the transition to net-zero buildings.
The event, hosted by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), will feature more than 40 sessions, technical tours, and keynotes over two and a half days. Organizers say the conference is designed to “equip professionals with the strategies, partnerships, and tools needed to make measurable progress” on building emissions.
“Decarbonization is not just about technology,” said Bill McQuade, ASHRAE’s incoming president. “It’s about rethinking how we design, operate, and value our buildings.”
Sessions will tackle a range of topics, from AI-powered analytics to the reuse of data center waste heat. Highlights include a panel on strategic planning tools for existing buildings, a showcase of a net-zero campus at the University of Illinois, and a community electrification project in Canada. Attendees will also explore how regenerative agriculture and clean energy are transforming rural communities, and hear how the Museum of Modern Art is working to meet New York City’s strict climate mandates.
A special session invites attendees to road-test ASHRAE’s proposed international code framework, intended to help countries implement energy codes by the end of the decade.
Registration fees start at $750 for ASHRAE members and $800 for non-members. Full program and registration details are available at ashrae.org/2025decarb.
ASHRAE, founded in 1894, represents more than 50,000 professionals worldwide and is known for its research, standards, and educational work in the building and HVAC&R industries.
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