Call for Programs

2026 ASHRAE Annual Conference (June 27 - July 1, 2026 | Austin, TX, USA)

Contact Info

Conference Chair: Cindy Callaway
Email: cindy.callaway@p2sinc.com

Staff Support
For information on the technical program, special events, special sessions and general conference inquiries:

Haley Booker-Lauridson
Conference Programs Coordinator
Email: hblauridson@ashrae.org

Technical Support

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

Tracks

Track 1: AI in Building Design and Construction

Track Chair: Jeslu Jacob
Email: jesluceline@gmail.com

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being adopted across many industries. As sensor systems, internet connectivity, building management software and data collection become more sophisticated and ubiquitous, substantial opportunities exist to make buildings, HVAC systems and equipment, and the construction process “smarter.” Implementation of AI during the design and construction phases offers opportunities to improve those processes while incorporation into the building automation and control systems can improve operational energy efficiency, occupant comfort, security and maintenance, and enhance utilization of renewable energy resources (e.g., wind, solar) and energy storage.

Track 2: Building Decarbonization

Track Chair: Raul Simonetti
Email: raul.simonetti@carel.com

Decarbonization is urgently needed to slow climate change that is affecting the planet. Approximately 10% of global CO2 emissions is attributable to embodied carbon in building materials and construction processes. Energy use in buildings accounts for about 40% of energy-related carbon emissions. Therefore, to accomplish building decarbonization goals, accounting for embodied carbon and carbon emissions from operational energy use is essential. This track will focus on refrigerant selection and minimizing refrigerant releases, advancement of carbon neutral, net zero energy and decarbonization strategies in new construction, renovation and HVAC&R design for residential and commercial buildings.

Track 3: Fundamentals and Applications

Track Chair: Mikael Salonvaara
Email: salonvaaramh@ornl.gov

Fundamentals are the foundation for understanding applications in engineering. Key components of ASHRAE fundamentals include thermodynamics, psychrometrics, heat transfer, and fluid flow. This track provides opportunities for papers and presentations of varying levels across a large topic base. Concepts, design elements and shared experiences for theoretical and applied concepts of HVAC&R design are included.

Track 4: Ground Source Heat Pumps

Track Chair: Ahmed Elatar
Email: elataraf@ornl.gov

Ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems using groundwater pre-1940s in the US and Europe evolved to include closed loop applications as a result of the 1970s energy crisis. By 1999 there was a proliferation of GSHP system installations in the US and Canada, often in rural areas. These systems offer one of the most efficient and sustainable paths toward building decarbonization, yet they remain a less prominent solution in the heat pump landscape. This track focuses on the application of GSHP technology to residential, commercial, and district energy system projects contributing to energy efficiency, reduction in peak load and energy-use, and decarbonization.

Track 5: Hot Climate Building System Design, Operation and Resilience

Track Chair: Jie Cai
Email: cai40@purdue.edu

The design, construction and operation of buildings in hot climate regions which experience extreme weather conditions require specific considerations for the building envelope and HVAC&R systems, and resulting thermal and hygrothermal performance. Resilience in the face of extreme temperature shifts, utility interruptions, remoteness, tornadoes and hurricanes, should be considered to ensure buildings maintain interior design conditions. This track covers efforts and topics specifically focused on buildings, building systems and equipment in hot climates.

Track 6: HVAC&R Systems and Equipment

Track Chair: Atilla Biyikoglu
Email: abiyik@gazi.edu.tr

HVAC&R Systems and Equipment are constantly evolving to address the changing requirements of the built environment. Papers and programs in this track will focus on the development of new systems and equipment, improvements to existing systems and equipment and the proper application and operation of systems and equipment.

Track 7: Research Summit

Track Chair: Craig Bradshaw
Email: crbrad@illinois.edu

Active research, and the exchange of those research findings, are critical to the development of our HVAC&R industry and built environment. The 10th annual research summit invites researchers to share those results, including ASHRAE-sponsored research and research of interest to the ASHRAE community.  The Research Summit includes a partnership with ASHRAE's archival journal, Science and Technology for the Built Environment. Researchers are invited to present papers, extended abstracts, seminars, forums or participate in panel discussions.

Track 8: Workforce Development

Track Chair: Mike Bilderbeck
Email: mbilderbeck@pickeringfirm.com

As members of a professional organization, we not only participate for the great value of technical exchange, but also the interpersonal exchange. We recognize that the single greatest strength of our organization is its membership. This track is designed to allow those professionals an opportunity to develop in the areas of presentation skills, leadership, team-building, understanding various business operations, interpersonal skills, etc. In short, the Workforce Development Track will cover all aspects of business outside of engineering/technical applications and lends itself to interactive session types such as workshops and forums.

Submission Process

The website is now open for Seminar and Workshop Proposals. Please follow these steps:

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; 3-5 presentations - 90 minutes in length) 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 seven steps to the submission process:

  1. Track: You will be asked to choose which track you are submitting to.
  2. 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.
  3. Additional Background and/or Scheduling Request for this session: Please provide any additional information that will be useful in describing the session that is being proposed. If you have any scheduling requests please state them here.
  4. 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.
  5. 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:
    • Define Smart Grid functions, objectives and architecture
    • Describe how the Smart Grid affects building operations
    • Provide an overview of Smart Grid projects in North America
    • Describe the federal policies and regulations promoting the Smart Grid
  6. 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).
  7. 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.

Seminars and Workshops are eligible for GBCI and AIA credits.

The website is also open for Forum, Panel, and Debate Proposals. Please follow these steps:

To begin, please choose the program type that you would like to submit a program proposal to: Forum (1 Moderator; 60 minutes in length), Debate (1 moderator; 60-90 minutes in length; 3-6 presenters; no individual presentations), or Panel (1 moderator; 3-4 panelists; 60-90 minutes in length).

  1. Track: You will be asked to choose which track you are submitting to.
  2. 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.
  3. Additional Background and/or Scheduling Request for this session: Please provide any additional information that will be useful in describing the session that is being proposed. If you have any scheduling requests please state them here.
  4. People: Enter the name and contact information and select the appropriate role for all session participants.
  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.

Forums, Debates, and Panels are not eligible for GBCI and AIA credits.

Panels, Debates, Workshops, and Seminars are recorded for the Virtual Conference.

Publication Schedule

This is the overall publication schedule for the 2026 ASHRAE Annual Conference. For specific details and questions regarding these dates, please contact the appropriate Track Chair.

Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Conference Paper Abstracts, Technical Papers, and Paper Session Requests Due
Friday, December 12, 2025 Conference Paper Abstract Accept/Reject Notifications
Wednesday, January 7, 2026 Website Opens for Extended Abstracts and Seminar, Workshop, Forum, Debate and Panel Proposals
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 Debate, Panel, Seminar, Forum, Workshop, and Debate Proposals Due
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 Extended Abstracts and Full Conference Papers Due

Authors' Resources

Sample Paper

View a sample paper in PDF format.

Templates

Download the conference paper template in MS Word.

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 Extended Abstract. Both must be submitted by their respective deadlines in order to be considered for presentation at the 2026 ASHRAE Annual Conference. 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 March 18, 2019. (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 July 8, 2019 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.
      10. Ready to be published.
    • Additionally, your Conference Paper must be submitted as a PDF file, referencing your ID# as the file name.

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. These cover the entire seminar.

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

Q&A sets should be in multiple choice or true-false format. These questions will be used for quizzing in the Virtual Conference to provide virtual attendance certificates to Virtual Conference users.

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 questions with answers based on the Learning Objectives and what will be covered within the Seminar.

Example:

  1. Is 55F the desired coil leaving air temperature in Florida?
    1. Yes
    2. No
  2. True or false: You should use a humidifier in a Florida Lab.
    1. True
    2. False