Call for Papers
Overview of Conference Tracks:
1. 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 Chair: Jon Cohen | jonjcohen1@gmail.com
2. HVAC&R Systems and Equipment are constantly evolving to address the changing requirements of the built environment. Papers and programs in this track focus on the development of new systems and equipment, novel applications of existing systems and equipment, improvements to existing systems and equipment and the proper application and operation of systems and equipment.
Track Chair: Richard Gunpat | richard.gunpat@gmail.com
3. Refrigeration systems generate and use cold for a range of processes, from food production and temperature-controlled storage to vaccine preservation, to long-term protection of fragile ancient inks of historic documents and others. Differences in technologies and equipment, performance, refrigerants, etc., may hide synergies from which both industrial and commercial systems might benefit. Refrigeration systems and the refrigerants also have environmental impacts including direct and indirect GHG emissions. Papers and programs in this track will focus on refrigeration systems of all types from process cooling to comfort cooling as well as best practices for refrigerants that are used in refrigeration systems.
Track Chair: Anuj Gupta | anuj@design2occupancy.com
4. Active research, and the exchange of those research findings, are critical to the development of our HVAC&R industry and built environment. This track invites researchers to share those results, including ASHRAE-sponsored research and research of interest to the ASHRAE community. Researchers are invited to present papers, extended abstracts, seminars, forums or participate in panel discussions. The Research Summit includes a partnership with ASHRAE's archival journal, Science and Technology for the Built Environment.
Track Chair: Haotian Liu | Haotian.liu@okstate.edu
5. Residential HVAC research focuses on improving heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems in dwellings to enhance comfort, energy efficiency, and indoor environmental quality. It emphasizes advanced heat pumps, smart thermostats, low-carbon refrigerants, dual fuel systems, radiant heating and cooling and heat recovery for residential applications. This track invites studies analyzing energy consumption, peak demand, occupant comfort, cost, and reliability under real-world conditions. Field measurements, simulations, and occupant behavior research identify performance gaps between design and operation. The scope also includes grid integration and climate resilience, supporting technologies and policies that reduce emissions, lower utility bills, and deliver healthier, more comfortable homes across diverse climates and housing types.
Track Chair: Vinod Venugopàl | vinodpvgopal@gmail.com
6. Thermal network system research investigates the modeling, design, and optimization of interconnected thermal components used to represent heat transfer and energy flows in buildings, industrial processes, and energy systems. Using network-based approaches, researchers simplify complex thermal behavior into nodes and links, enabling efficient simulation of heat storage. This track focuses on applications such as networked building energy modeling, district heating and cooling, and advanced control architecture. Emphasis is placed on accuracy, computational efficiency, parameter identification, and integration with control algorithms to improve energy efficiency
Track Chair: Dennis Alejandro | denzjac@yahoo.com
7. The nexus of real and artificial intelligence explores how human insight and AI‑enabled HVAC controls work together to elevate building operations. It considers how people and algorithms share decisions, learn from one another, and blend experiential knowledge with data‑centric modeling, machine learning, and automation to produce transparent, adaptive systems that improve performance and resilience. Particular attention is directed toward data‑center environments, building and campus design strategies, and power‑delivery systems.
Track Chair: Joshua Vasudevan | joshuavasudevan2011@gmail.com
8. Building decarbonization retrofits focus on reducing emissions from existing buildings through improvements, including control modifications, commissioning (could be retrocommissioning), system or equipment replacements, etc. Relevant topics include weatherization and pressurization, heat pumps and other high efficiency HVAC systems, renewable integration, and controls. Programs in this track will focus on implementation process, cost evaluation, performance, occupant impacts, and carbon savings across climates with emphasis on scalable retrofit strategies that lower energy use, improve comfort, and extend building lifespans.
Track Chair: Kevin Brown | kevin@kbsquared.net
Types of Presentations Presented
|
These sessions present both technical and conference papers. Conference papers are written on current applications or procedures, as well as papers reporting on research in process. These papers differ from technical papers in that they are shorter in length and undergo a much less stringent peer review. Technical papers cover current applications or procedures, as well as papers resulting from research on fundamental concepts and basic theory. Papers presented in these sessions have successfully completed a rigorous peer review. PowerPoint presentations with audio descriptions of the presentations are posted online in the Virtual Conference. Preprints of the papers are available to all attendees who have purchased a conference registration.
|
 |
|
Forums are “off-the-record” discussions held to promote a free exchange of ideas. Reporting of forums is limited to allow individuals to speak confidentially without concern of criticism. There are no papers attached to these forums.
|
 |
Debates highlight hot-button issues. Experts, either on teams or as individuals, present different sides of an issue in debate format. Each participant presents evidence for or against a specific statement or question such as ‘Is Sustainability Really Sustainable?”.
|
 |
Panel discussions can feature a broad range of subjects and explore different perspectives on issues in the industry. A panel may feature discussions about integrated project delivery among designers, builders and facility management professionals.
|
 |
Seminars feature presentations on subjects of current interest. Papers are not available from the Society; however, seminar PowerPoint presentations with audio descriptions of the presentations are posted online in the Virtual Conference. Access is free for attendees who purchase a conference registration. Seminars are available as a collection via subscription to the Technology Portal online and include video files synched with audio, audio files and PDF files of the presentations.
|
 |
Workshops enable technical committees and other ASHRAE committees to provide a series of short presentations on a topic requiring specific expertise. These short presentations are provided with an increased emphasis on audience participation and training in a specific set of skills. PowerPoint presentations with audio descriptions are posted online in the Virtual Conference.
|
 |
>> Upcoming Deadlines
-
- May 27, 2026 | Conference Paper Abstracts Due
- June 17, 2026 | Abstract Accept/Reject Notifications
- August 3, 2026 | Debate, Panel, Seminar, Forum, Workshop Proposals Due
- September 2, 2026 | Conference Papers and Extended Abstracts Due
- September 23, 2026 | Conference Papers/Extended Abstracts Notifications
- October 2, 2026 | Debate, Panel, Seminar, Forum, Workshop Scheduling Notifications
- October 7, 2026 | Revised Conference Papers Due
- October 26, 2026 | Conference Paper Final Accept/Reject Notifications