Contact Info/Tracks

• Track 1: HVAC&R Systems and Equipment

  Track Chair: Jon Cohen / Rocky Alazazi

  Email: jonjcohen1@gmail.com / mralazazi@yahoo.com

  This track solicits papers and presentations on all aspects of HVAC&R Systems and Equipment.  Efficiency is always important, so information on new and improved equipment and systems offering improved efficiency is particularly welcome.

• Track 2: HVAC&R Fundamentals and Applications

  Track Chair: Ann Peratt / Cynthia Moreno

  Email: ann.peratt@gmail.com / cindym@tmmechanical.com

  Fundamental information and applications of fundamentals related to all aspects of HVAC&R are welcome.  This can range from fundamental psychrometrics to combustion, system and envelope fundamentals and beyond.

• Track 3: Research Summit

  Track Chair: Thomas H. Kuehn / Samir Traboulsi

  Email: kuehn001@umn.edu / traboulsi.samir@gmail.com

  This track will continue the highly successful Research Summit tracks pioneered at Denver and Seattle.  Research results related to any aspect of heating, cooling and other energy uses in buildings are solicited.

• Track 4: Refrigeration

  Track Chair: Gary C. Debes / Monte Troutman

  Email: gary.debes@comcast.net / montemechsys@bellsouth.net

  Refrigeration is a critical element of modern life, from preserving our food to maintaining comfort.  The ozone depleting potential of the older refrigerants has led to adoption of non-ozone depleting refrigerants, with the focus now shifting to refrigerants with low global warming potential.  These factors when combined with multiple drivers toward energy efficiency may lead to a diverse set of different refrigerants and processes for different cooling applications.  This track will have presentations and papers from all areas of refrigeration and will particularly explore related technologies that will reduce the use of traditional refrigerants including evaporative cooling and desiccants.

• Track 5: Building Operation, Maintenance and Optimization/Commissioning

  Track Chair: Alan Neely / Mike McDermott

  Email: alan_neely@pghcorning.com / mmcdermott@grummanbutkus.com

  Operation and maintenance have always accounted for a major portion of building expenses and a much smaller level of engineering effort aimed at controlling these expenses.  Over the last one to two decades, there has been an increasing realization that real engineering applied to operation, maintenance and operational optimization or “commissioning” can bring increased comfort and offers huge financial returns.  This track solicits papers and presentations related to any and all aspects of this topic.

• Track 6: Indoor Air Quality

  Track Chair: Chuck Curlin / Dennis Alejandro

  Email: ccurlin@shultzeg.com / denzjac@yahoo.com

  Indoor air quality has become a vital consideration during all phases of a building’s life.  It is closely linked to comfort and to occupant satisfaction, productivity and health.  This track seeks presentations and papers that explore these links, particularly in ways that make the case for high levels of indoor air quality compelling to building owners.

• Track 7: Modeling throughout the Building Life Cycle

  Track Chair: Jeffrey Spitler / Michael Collarin

  Email: spitler@okstate.edu / michael.collarin@parsons.com

  Modeling was originally concerned primarily with building and system design specifications.  The demands of energy efficient operation brought about the need for modeling of part-load operation for a variety of off-design conditions.  The explosion of computational capacity and data collection capability is rapidly expanding the scope, complexity and practical applications of modeling both during design, but even more so for fault detection, diagnostics and operational optimization.  Thirty years ago, people were dreaming of doing some of the things that Building Information Modeling is now bringing to reality.  Presentations and papers are solicited related to all aspects of building modeling, with a particular interest in successful applications that have extended modeling into operational phases of the building life cycle.

• Track 8: High Performance Buildings

  Track Chair: Rachel Romero / Andrea Zarour / Mary Ann Piette

  Email: rachel.romero@nrel.gov / azarour@greaterbaymechanical.com / mapiette@lbl.gov

  This track seeks papers and presentations on the design and measured performance of high performance commercial and industrial buildings in North America and around the world.  There are numerous examples of buildings designed for high performance that have fallen considerably short of the design intent and papers that identify reasons for these shortfalls are of particular interest.

• Track 9: Moving Advanced Energy Design Guidance to the Mainstream

  Track Chair: James Liston / Paul A. Torcellini / Frank Schambach

  Email: jfliston@verizon.net / paul.torcellini@nrel.gov / frankschambach@mindspring.com

  This track focuses on the Advanced Energy Design Guides, with a circulation of over 500,000, and other like methods for reaching a broad audience with advanced energy efficiency.  The target is a 50% reduction in energy.  Papers and sessions focus on methods for using the guides including actual building case studies, educational curriculum, and other documented uses to move the market towards energy efficiency.  Also, papers and sessions focus on the methods to create the guidance.

• Track 10: Laboratories

  Track Chair: Sarah E. Maston

  Email: sarah@greenfootprintscx.com

• Track 11: Modeling Best Practices

  Track Chair:

  Email:

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• Track 12: Tours

  Track Chair:

  Email:

  Description

Conference Program Chair: David Claridge

Email: dclaridge@tamu.edu

Staff Support

For information on the technical program, special events, special sessions and general conference inquiries
Tiffany D. Cox
Conference Program Administrator
Email: tcox@ashrae.org

Technical Support

For technical problems or for help in submitting an abstract online, email Tech Support

Submission Process

To begin, please choose the program type that you would like to submit a program proposal to: Seminar (1-2 presentations - 60 minutes in length; 3-4 presentations - 90 minutes in length), Forum (1 moderator; 60 minutes in length; no presentations), or Workshop (1 chair, 1-2 presentations; 60 minutes in length; 30 minutes reserved for discussion).

Before beginning your submission, it may be a good idea to gather all the information that you will be required to submit.

There are five steps to the submission process:

1. Session Description: Enter the title of the session. Also please provide a 100 word abstract. Please complete the rest of information, including TC sponsors (if any), estimate of the size of audience, etc.
2. People: Provide your name and contact information as the session organizer. Enter presenters by choosing the "Presenter" checkbox. You will need to enter the presentation title as well. Once a presenter has been entered, you will see the presentation title and presenter's name listed on the "People" step. Click on the icon in the Abstract text column to enter the abstract. Click on the author's name to add co-presenters and speaker bios.
3. Objectives: Please include 4 Learning Objectives for the entire session (not required for Forums). The Learning Objectives should complete the statement, "After attending this session, the attendees will be able to..." All 4 Learning Objectives need to be addressed by the speakers. The Learning Objectives should use measurable verbs such as "Explain," "Describe," "Distinguish," "Design," "Apply," etc., such as the example below:
1. Define Smart Grid functions, objectives and architecture
2. Describe how the Smart Grid affects building operations
3. Provide an overview of Smart Grid projects in North America
4. Describe the federal policies and regulations promoting the Smart Grid
4. Method of Assessment: Please include 10 questions and answers (in T/F, Yes/No, or multiple choice format only) for the entire session based on the Learning Objectives and what will be covered within the speakers' presentations (not required for Forums).
5. Confirmation: When your submission is complete, click the "Conclude Submission" button. Note that you will still be able to make changes to your abstract up until the submission deadline.

Publication Schedule

This is the overall publication schedule for the 2015 ASHRAE Annual Conference, Atlanta. For specific details and questions regarding these dates, please contact the appropriate Track Chair.

January 5, 2015	Website Opens for Seminar, Forum and Workshop Proposals
January 5, 2015	Final Conference Papers Submitted for Review (Includes Bio, Learning Objectives and Methods of Assessment)
February 4, 2015	Conference Paper accept/reject notifications
February 9, 2015	Seminar, Forum and Workshop Proposals Due
February 17, 2015	Revised Conference Papers/Final Technical Papers Due
March 2, 2015	Conference and Technical Paper Final Accept/Reject Notifications
March 23, 2015	Seminar, Forum, Workshop Accept/Reject Notifications
May 04, 2015	Upload of PPTs Begin
June 05, 2015	All PPTs Due Online
June 22, 2015	Final Day for Commercialism Revision Upload prior to on-site
June 27, 2015	Speaker's Lounge Opens

Authors' Resources

Authors' Manual

Note: Conference Papers, as well as Technical Papers, must be prepared in accordance with ASHRAE’s Authors’ Manual.

Conference Paper Formatting

View how a sample paper should be formatted. Download the conference paper template in MS Word. As the instructions indicate, use this Word template to format your conference paper.

Agreement to Publish

Authors of approved Conference Paper abstracts are required to submit a signed Agreement to Publish form. A link will be in the acceptance letter to access and submit the form in electronic format.

Description of Papers

There are two types of paper presentations: Conference Paper and Technical Paper. Both must be submitted by their respective deadlines in order to be considered for presentation at the 2015 ASHRAE Annual Conference in Atlanta, GA. Please note the submission process is different for each paper type.

1. Conference Papers: two-step process - an abstract of the paper (400 words or less) is due for review by September 22, 2014. (Please select the "Submission Process" tab for more details and examples). The abstract must be approved prior to submitting the paper.

   Conference papers are shorter than technical papers, undergo a less stringent review and can be prepared closer to the conferences. Unlike technical papers, abstracts of conference papers are submitted first for review. Upon acceptance of the abstract, papers are due January 5, 2015 and undergo a single-blind review and must be approved by two reviewers. Due to this shorter time frame for review as well as a single review cycle, Conference Papers being submitted should be considered "Final" by the author. "Final" means that it could be published on the internet the next day – which puts responsibility by the author to have quality checks prior to submitting. Conference papers can be a maximum of eight single-spaced pages in length. Papers are submitted in 'final' form using the template.

   Guidelines for Authors of Approved Conference Paper Abstracts
   Below are some guidelines to consider when preparing your Conference Paper. Please note that the guidelines are significant factors in determining the acceptance of your Conference Paper.

   • Adherence to the template.

     The Conference Paper template and paper sample are located on the Author's Resources tab for your reference. Per the conference paper template, please include an author's note at the bottom of page 1 of your manuscript.

     1. Author note with job title, affiliation, and address (city, state, country) must be given for each author in the following form:

        J.L. Doe is associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan. R.L. Roe is president at Consulting Engineers, Inc., Lawrence, Kans.

     2. Paper is no more than 8 single-spaced pages in length total (includes text, tables, figures, etc.)
     3. Non-commercial (paper does not focus on a single product -- proprietary or not.)
     4. Paper has not been previously published.
     5. Equations are accurate.
     6. Paper includes dual units (I-P and SI). Both text and tables require the addition of dual units.
     7. Technical merit, effectiveness of the manuscript (organization & writing), originality.
     8. Relevance to ASHRAE members.
     9. Acknowledgment of the work of others by reference. Refer to the Chicago Manual of Style to make sure your in-text citations and reference list match the proper format. Using the link above, click on the Author-Date tab to see more information for formatting citations. ASHRAE follows the author-date citation format.
     10. Ready to be published.
   • Additionally, your Conference Paper must be submitted as a PDF file, referencing your ID# as the file name.
2. Technical Papers: full-length Technical Papers are due September 22, 2014 and must complete final review by February 27, 2015.
   Technical papers are presented by authors at ASHRAE Winter and Annual conferences and then published in ASHRAE Transactions. Papers submitted for review must be both technically accurate and clearly written. Technical papers undergo a rigorous double-blind review and must be approved by three reviewers knowledgeable in the subject matter. Presentation is by poster or orally, if grouped into a session with related papers. Technical papers can be up to 30 double-spaced manuscript pages in length, including tables and charts, and a maximum of 12 figures (not counted in the page count).

   Guidelines for Complete Submission of a Technical Paper for Review

   To submit a full-length technical paper, go to http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ashrae. The following items are mandatory for submission:

   1. When writing your Technical Paper manuscript, please follow the guidelines in the ASHRAE Authors Manual.
   2. Upload a title page with complete authors' listing (Word format). The author's listing should be submitted as a separate file (Word format), and must include:
      • Title of the paper
      • Author names in desired order, principal author first, with (if applicable) ASHRAE membership grade, academic degrees at the doctoral level (e.g., Ph.D., D.Sc.), and professional certification (e.g., P.E., BEMP, BEAP, CPMP, HBDP, OPMP).
      • Author note with job title, affiliation, and address (city, state, country) must be given for each author in the following form:

        J.L. Doe is associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan. R.L. Roe is president at Consulting Engineers, Inc., Lawrence, Kans.

      • Complete contact information for the corresponding author, including mailing address, phone and fax numbers, and email address.
   3. The paper has a maximum of 12 figures.
   4. The length of the text including tables is a maximum of 15 single spaced pages (and figures can be extra.)
   5. Upload your Agreement to Publish form(s) signed by every author.
   6. Upload in Word format 2 Learning Objectives and 4 Question and Answers (select the file designation “not for review”.)
   7. Include dual units of measurements in tables and text (I-P and SI Units)

Learning Objectives and Q&A

ASHRAE submits its conference technical program for approval for NY PDHs, AIA Learning Units and GBCI LEED-AP continuing education credits. Among the requirements for approval are Learning Objectives and Questions and Answers for each of the sessions.

Seminar and Workshop Session Chairs are required to submit 4 Learning Objectives and 10 Questions and Answers in True/False, Yes/No, or multiple choice format. These are for the entire seminar or workshop.

Conference Paper and Technical Paper Authors are required to submit 2 Learning Objectives and 4 Question and Answers upon upload of the final paper

Following are examples of each:

Learning Objectives: The Learning Objectives should complete the statement, "After attending this session, the attendees will be able to…" Learning Objectives need to be addressed by the speakers and should use measurable verbs such as "Explain," "Describe," "Distinguish," "Design," "Apply," etc., such as the example below:

1. Define Smart Grid functions, objectives and architecture
2. Describe how the Smart Grid affects building operations
3. Provide an overview of Smart Grid projects in North America
4. Describe the federal policies and regulations promoting the Smart Grid

Method of Assessment (Q&A): Please include 10 questions with answers based on the Learning Objectives and what will be covered within the Seminar or Workshop.

Example:

Q1. Understanding the design intent of a system is necessary to achieve effective operation and exceptional energy savings.
A1. True
A2. False
Correct Answer: A2

Explanation: Without understanding the design intent of a system, it is difficult or impossible to achieve either effective operation or exceptional energy savings.

Q2. The automation system can provide the most effective control sequences for energy efficiency when:
A1. “Low-hanging fruit” are recognized by the building engineer monitoring the data and learning the “personality” of the system
A2. Setpoints are fine tuned to match a system’s characteristics and responses to environmental conditions
A3. Submetering data is used to make control decisions regarding which energy source will be the most effective
A4. All of the above
Correct Answer: A4

Explanation: The most effective control sequences and best energy savings can be achieved when all of the above are true.