2026 ASHRAE Winter Conference: a window on the future of the HVACR industry

The 2026 ASHRAE Winter Conference represents is one of the most eagerly awaited events among professionals, researchers, engineers and stakeholders in the HVAC&R (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration) industry.

This year’s edition is to be held from January 31st to February 4th 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada; a location that has, over time, become symbolic with innovation, largescale events and cutting edge technologies.

This conference provides an international meeting point where future world trends in energy efficiency, air quality, refrigeration and sustainable building planning are defined.

Each year, the professional community look forward to this event as a unique opportunity to discover the latest industry news, build new partnerships and develop key skills to meet the challenges of the energy transition and decarbonisation.

At the same time, the AHR Expo event will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from February 2nd to 4th, further widening the range of educational, technical and commercial opportunities on offer to conference attendees.

A richer technical programme than ever before

The 2026 ASHRAE Winter Conference offers a very rich technical programme this year, consisting of over 100 sessions divided into nine themed pathways, designed to focus on emerging technologies, regulatory changes and the latest design strategies in the HVAC&R sector.

Participants will be able to make use of Professional Development Hours (PDH), an essential way to maintain professional certifications and boost skills.  The themed routes highlight ASHRAE’s ongoing commitment to advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, energy efficiency, infrastructure resilience and the decarbonisation of buildings.

The main topics will include:

• applications of artificial intelligence in energy systems and HVAC systems: AI-driven solutions form a natural extension of Building Management Systems (BMS). The dedicated sessions will focus on machine learning tecniques for load optimisation, energy demand forecasting, the predictive maintenance of complex systems and real time adaptive strategies based on digital thermodynamic models;
• energy resilience and planning for critical infrstructures: analysis will include the management of variables in energy networks, the use of microgrids, reducing the vulnerability of systems to extreme climate phenomena and the integration of HVAC systems into operational continuity protocols;
• decarbonisation of buildings: a theme involving the transition from fossil fuels to low emission technologies, with in-depth analysis of high temperature heat pumps, low GWP refrigerants, grid-interactive strategies and incorporated emission evaluation methods throughout a system’s lifespan;
• evolution of HVAC&R basics: a series of sessions will focus specifically on the consolidation of the sector’ key technical aspects (psychrometry, air flow dynamics, dehudimification system design, the thermo-hydraulic optimisation of distribution networks and advanced control of thermo-hygrometric comfort).

The 2025-26 ASHRAE president, Bill McQuade, has described the event as a place where ideas become actions, emphasising the practical, hands-on nature of a conference which is able to bring together theory, innovation and real world implementation.

Professional training with the ASHRAE Learning Institute

This year’s edition will also feature the AHSRAE Learning Institute (ALI), consolidating its key role by offering 21 courses, all approved for continuing education credits.  Among these, a flagship programme will be the new course dedicated to the design of district cooling systems for Africa and Asia.

The inclusion of content in double units (SI/IP) will favour better planning model adaptability in varied climate and legislative conditions.  Four new advanced courses will also be introduced:

• Techniques and devices for ventilation control in laboratories, with a focus on airflow management and safety;
• Planning of residential ventilation systems in accordance with Standard 62.2;
• High efficiency dehumidification processes, with analysis of thermal exchange and thermodynamic cycles dedicated to humidity removal;
• Decarbonisation strategies focusing on electricity network interaction, with special focus on concepts of demand response and load matching.

These training courses will also include content required for the certification exams, aiming to consolidate the participants’ technical skills, in compliance with the latest standards.

Strategic relevance for the HVAC&R sector

The event’s wide scope, as described above, makes the 2026 ASHRAE Winter Conference a cornerstone of the international technical development network, involving building design, energy regulation, environmental management and technological innovation.

The AHSRAE standards have a global influence on the ventilation, energy consumption efficiency and internal air quality sectors and this event in particular provides a forum where these standards can be discussed, updated and contextualised in light of emerging challenges.

It plays a key role in:

• updating technical guidelines in line with climate and legislative dynamics;
• divulging the results of applied research with an immediate impact on design practices;
• facilitating international partnerships via the sharing of technical protocols, datasets and operational models;
• promoting planning methods supporting sustainability and emission reduction.

It also makes an undeniable contribution to the definition of future global engineering directives, influencing policy on the decarbonisation of buildings, operational protocols and the development of energy infrastructure.

Registration and participation procedures

The conference offers discounted registration for ASHRAE members, as well as options for virtual attendance aimed at both individual professionals and organisations.  The availability of a hybrid mode enables a wider reach of technical content and encourages the inclusion of professionals located in different time zones or with different operational needs.

The introduction of the AHRAE 365 platform aims to support personalised session planning, real time programme consultation, access to logistical information and integrated management of training credits.

The 2026 ASHRAE Winter Conference looks set to provide a highly significant technical platform for the HVAC&R community.  It will provide a setting in which engineers, designers, researchers and energy industry managers will have a unique opportunity to update their skills, discover the latest trends and contribute to developing technologies which will shape the future of production.