The ASHRAE 2026 Annual Conference will open this weekend in Austin, Texas. According to the schedule released by the Society, technical sessions are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, with educational seminars starting on Sunday. The conference brings together HVAC and refrigeration engineers, researchers, practitioners, and industry experts from the United States and other countries to discuss core issues facing the HVAC and refrigeration industry. The Society emphasized the priority of these topics when it announced the technical agenda in April.

Notable topics on the conference agenda include: balancing indoor air quality and energy use, HVAC system design for data centers, utilization of thermal energy networks, optimization of variable refrigerant flow systems, equipment selection for dedicated outdoor air systems, commissioning of net-zero emissions schools, and deployment of electric vehicle canopies and battery energy storage. These themes reflect the industry's latest concerns regarding energy efficiency, resilience, and decarbonization.

Facilities Dive will send reporters to cover the above sessions and other events on site.

In addition to the technical agenda, the ASHRAE Learning Institute will offer continuing education courses for engineers to earn credits required to maintain their professional licenses.

"Attendees will have the opportunity to deepen their professional knowledge, explore innovative approaches, and connect with peers facing similar challenges," said ASHRAE President Bill McQuade in a statement.

McQuade will deliver a speech at the plenary session, summarizing the "healthy buildings" focus he has championed during his two-year term. According to the Society, incoming President Sarah Maston will unveil ASHRAE's new theme in her inaugural address: "Changing the Game: Retrofitting for Resilience."

The conference runs from June 27 to July 5.