ASHRAE Conference Charts Path Toward Healthier Indoor Environments
ASHRAE concluded its 2025 Annual Conference, held June 21–25, in Phoenix, Arizona. The conference drew 1,990 registered HVAC&R and building science professionals, as well as supporters from around the world to explore critical topics such as heat pumps, refrigerants, thermal energy storage, decarbonization strategies, workforce development and more. Attendees engaged in over 80 technical sessions spanning eight tracks. The most highly attended sessions included:
- Using Artificial Intelligence to Make You Irreplaceable
- LIVESTREAM: Gen AI in HVAC Industry: State of Art, Case Studies and Future Applications
- A Tale of Two Campuses: Energy Storage at Arizona’s Flagship Universities
- Generative AI applications in HVAC Industry: Tools, Techniques and Best Practices
- Hot! Hot! Hot! Best Practices and Challenges of Heat Recovery from Data Centers
The conference also marked a leadership transition, as Bill McQuade, P.E., CDP, Fellow ASHRAE, LEED AP, assumed the role of 2025–26 ASHRAE society president. In his inaugural remarks, McQuade unveiled the Society Year theme, “Healthy Buildings: Designing for Life,” calling on the professional community to champion indoor spaces that support health, productivity and quality of life. McQuade’s full remarks and presentation can be found at ashrae.org/president.
A standout moment of the conference took place during the Women in ASHRAE Happy Hour event, where a proclamation was presented on behalf of Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego declaring June 23 as International Women in Engineering Day in the city of Phoenix. The proclamation recognized ASHRAE’s efforts to “…include women who are making significant advancements and serving as leaders in their field.”
The conference also featured ASHRAE’s annual Honors and Awards program, celebrating the exceptional contributions of members. Outgoing President M. Dennis Knight, P.E., BEMP, Fellow Life Member ASHRAE, delivered his final State of the Society address, highlighting achievements from the 2024–25 Society Year.
All registered attendees, both in-person and virtual, have access to the virtual conference platform 12 months post-conference. The 2026 ASHRAE Winter Conference will take place Jan. 31–Feb. 4 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The AHR Expo will be held Feb. 2-4.
