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2021 Virtual WInter Conference

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The 2021 ASHRAE Virtual Winter Conference concluded with more than 1,800 people in attendance over three and a half days and presentations from industry thought leaders from around the world. The conference which ran from February 9-12, featured 66 live sessions, 27 Q&A chats with presenters of Conference Paper Sessions and 80+ on-demand sessions. In the weeks leading into the conference, committee members also participated in over 450 meetings of technical, standards and standing committees, developing guidance for the future of the industry and ASHRAE.

Registered attendees have access to the Virtual Conference environment until August 11, 2022 (18 months post-conference). Registered attendees can click the buttons below to access content from the live sessions and on-demand content. Registration is still open! Register post-conference and gain access to recordings of most live sessions, all on-demand presentations, downloadable copies of all Conference Papers, informational kiosk from our conference sponsors and more!

                                                                                 REGISTER NOW         
Virtual Conference Environment On-Demand Presentations TECHNICAL PROGRAM (PDF)                              
                               FULL SCHEDULESchedule-at-a-GlanceStudent Program                          

  Registered Attendees Have Access To:

    • Recordings of sessions that were presented live February 9-11, 2021 (most with PDHs)
    • Special sessions that covered the latest on the COVID-19 pandemic
    • More than 80 on-demand sessions including downloadable videos, audio recordings and PPT slides (most with PDHs)
    • Recordings of updates from Society leaders, Women in ASHRAE keynote presentation and recognition of ASHRAE Honors and Awards recipients
    • Recordings of virtual technical tours and sponsor technology demonstrations

  • Post Event Registration Information

    Registrants get 18-month access to all content starting Feb. 8. Live sessions taking place Feb. 9-11 will be recorded and available at the end of each day. Most sessions are approved for LEED AP credits and AIA learning units.

    Post Event Registration Fees for 2021 Winter Virtual Conference Rate
    Member/Non Member Post Conference $ 324.00
    Company Package (3-5) $ 1,060.00
    Company Package (6-10) $ 1,995.00
    Company Package (11-20) $ 3,735.00

    Register Now

  • Tracks

    The 2021 ASHRAE Winter Conference technical program is comprised of eight tracks, selected to represent areas of focus common among ASHRAE membership.

    Tracks include:
    Track #

    Description

    1

    HVAC&R Fundamentals and Applications: Fundamentals are the foundation for understanding applications in engineering. Key components of ASHRAE fundamentals include thermodynamics, psychrometrics, fluid and mass 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 Sponsored by:

    2

    Systems and Equipment: 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.

    3

    Refrigeration and Refrigerants: Refrigeration is a critical element of modern life, from preserving food and medicine to maintaining comfort. With significant changes on the horizon for refrigerant regulations, along with new applications for refrigeration systems being frequently applied, there is more need than ever to understand both the fundamental and advanced concepts and issues related to refrigeration. Papers and programs in this track will focus on refrigerants, refrigerant regulation, refrigeration cycles and refrigeration applications.

    4

    Environmental Health Through IEQ: HVAC&R systems play a significant role in maintaining indoor environmental conditions. As people spend increasingly more time in the built environment, health concerns are becoming paramount to design. This track will seek papers and programs on developing, evaluating and predicting optimal indoor environmental conditions, especially as they pertain to environmental health.

    Track Sponsored by:

    5

    Building Performance and Commissioning for Operation and Management: Modern HVAC&R systems are complicated and designed for high efficiencies. In order to optimize their use and provide proper operation, commissioning is recommended. This track provides an opportunity to provide papers and presentations surrounding building operation and commissioning practices as well as case studies in performance and commissioning.

    6

    Energy Conservation: Whether it is new construction, renovation, routine maintenance or energy audits there is a major concern over the use of energy in the built environment. Designs are using more techniques to reduce energy with the use of energy wheels and pipes, solar energy, photo voltaic, and more efficient equipment and new concepts that are pushing to be standard design practice. In addition, modeling is being used to generate more life cycle cost decisions for the design and value-engineering decisions beyond standard HVAC practice. This track will highlight case studies and research that expand on the simple to the complex energy savings measures being implemented in today’s and tomorrow’s designs.

    7

    International Design: Design for various environmental elements, geography and culture demand that new and innovative strategies be developed. As an international organization, ASHRAE strives to meet the needs of a global membership. HVAC&R systems vary globally and this track provides an opportunity to share innovative and necessary design elements that can be shared internationally.

    8

    Standards, Guidelines and Codes: ASHRAE is known for its standards and design guidelines – and they are constantly evolving with the intent on improving the built environment and its systems. Designers, Contractors, Architects and Owners must be able to keep up with the continuing changes in the current cycle but to also be prepared for the future changes. In addition, there is a large interaction of ASHRAE with the code authorities and government to incorporate these standards and guidelines. The series of sessions in this track highlight the changes to the standards and guidelines, their projected path and optimum design techniques to meet or exceed the standards.
  • Social Events

    Meeting of the Members

    Recording Available to View! Click the “Virtual Conference Environment” button at the top of the page to login and access the session recording in the Theater!

    The 2021 Virtual Winter Conference’s Meeting of the Members includes an update on the State of the Society by ASHRAE President, Chuck Gulledge and the Secretary’s Report from ASHRAE Executive Vice President, Jeff Littleton. 

    Virtual Escape Room hosted by the Chicago Host Committee

    Women in ASHRAE Keynote: Buildings are Our Best Medicine

    Recording Available to View! Click the “Virtual Conference Environment” button at the top of the page to login and access the session recording in the Theater!

    We are currently living with tremendous uncertainty brought about by a mutated virus of the familiar Coronavirus family. Many unanswered questions about COVID-19 disease transmission, mortality rates and our own immune response have resulted in fear, confusion and a sense of helplessness in many of us. Thankfully, we have a solid foundation of scientific data from studies in microbiology, medicine and the indoor environment that can guide our management of buildings so that they are true shelters. Women in ASHRAE invite Dr. Stephanie Taylor to present studies on building interventions that optimize the health of human occupants and decrease the threat of microbial pathogens such as COVID-19. Communication between medical and building professionals, such as in this webinar, along with your input will help us fight back and regain our footing. Attend this webinar to learn about the power of the indoor environment to keep us safe and healthy during COVID-19 and beyond.

    Virtual Technical Tour of the New ASHRAE Headquarters Building

    Recording Available to View! Click the “Virtual Conference Environment” button at the top of the page to login and access the session recording in the Theater!

    Join Ginger Scoggins, Chair of the Building Ad Hoc Committee and ASHRAE President Chuck Gulledge on a behind-the-scenes technical tour of the new ASHRAE Headquarters building located at 180 Technology Parkway in Peachtree Corners, GA. Ginger and members of the Building Ad Hoc Committee will be available to take live questions from the audience.

    Virtual Tour of STACK Infrastructure Data Center hosted by the Chicago Host Committee

    Recording Available to View! Click the “Virtual Conference Environment” button at the top of the page to login and access the session recording in the Theater! It’s the first video in the On-Demand tab in the Theater.

    The Chicago Host Committee is bringing a Chicago-based Technical Tour to you VIRTUALLY! Data centers are designed to operate with maximum uptime and resiliency where outages are measured in seconds and can equate to millions of dollars of lost revenue. STACK Infrastructure is nearing completion of a 200,000 SF, 24MW facility in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. The tour looks at the critical electrical and mechanical infrastructure that supports the server and network environment for some of the world's largest companies. Amongst them are secured facility entrances, electrical rooms providing uninterrupted power, data halls that house the computing equipment, and the chiller plant that rejects all of the immense heat produced by the innumerable computational operations continuously taking place.

    Closing Ceremony and Encore Performance featuring The Psychrometrics

    Recording Available to View! Click the “Virtual Conference Environment” button at the top of the page to login and access the session recording in the Theater!

    Turn up your volume and join The Psychrometrics, a band made up of ASHRAE members, to close out the conference with up to nine tracks – some familiar and some original! The Psychrometrics made their official debut at the 2020 Virtual Annual Conference this summer but have been meeting in-person at ASHRAE Winter and Annual Conferences to jam together for years. Enjoy some tunes while cooking dinner, answering emails or with your family as we close the 2021 Virtual Winter Conference.

  • Awards Recipients

    COVID-19 may have caused cancellations of the in-person 2020 Annual Conference and 2021 Winter Conference – but COVID cannot overshadow the many achievements of ASHRAE members! ASHRAE will honor award recipients that would have been presented in-person at the plenary session at both the 2020 Annual Conference in Austin and the 2021 Winter Conference in Chicago. Join us for six award recognition segments scheduled throughout the 2021 Virtual Winter Conference  to honor those who have made significant contributions to ASHRAE.

    All Honors and Awards videos are available by clicking the Virtual Conference Environment button at the top of the page. Once you’re logged in, go to the Theater and click on the “On Demand” tab. The videos highlighted below are available to view at any time!

    ASHRAE Honors Recipients of Society’s Personal Honors Awards
    Honoring recipients of the following awards:

    • ASHRAE Hall of Fame
    • F. Paul Anderson
    • Louise &Bill Holladay
    • Andrew T. Boggs
    • YEA Inspirational Leader
    • E.K. Campbell
    • ASHRAE Fellows

    ASHRAE Honors Research Promotion and Major Donors
    Honoring the following:

    • Leaders in the Research Promotion Campaign
    • Major Donors to Society
    • Scholarship Donors

    ASHRAE Honors Recipients of Specific Society Activity Awards
    Honoring recipients of the following awards:

    • Lincoln Bouillon
    • William J. Collins
    • Homer Addams
    • Ralph G. Nevins
    • John F. James
    • Standards Achievement
    • Dan Mills Chapter Programs
    • Student Activities
    • Lou Flagg Historical
    • Donald Bahnfleth Environmental Health
    • Youth Outreach Award
    • Government Affairs

    ASHRAE Honors Recipients of General Society Activity Awards
    Honoring recipients of the following awards:

    • Exceptional Service Awards
    • Distinguished Service Awards
    • 50-Year Member Awards

    ASHRAE Honors Recipients of Paper and Student Design Awards
    Honoring recipients of the following awards:

    • Crosby Field
    • Willis H. Carrier
    • Technical Paper
    • Journal Paper
    • STBE Best Paper Award
    • Student Design Winners for Design Calculation, System Selection, Integrated Sustainable Building Design and Applied Engineering Challenge

    ASHRAE Honors Recipients of Technology Awards
    Honoring 1st Place Technology Award recipients of the following categories:

    • Award of Engineering Excellence
    • Category I-Commercial Buildings-EBCx
    • Category I-Commercial Buildings-Existing
    • Category I – Commercial Buildings – New
    • Category II – Educational Facilities – Existing
    • Category II – Educational Facilities – New
    • Category III – Health Care Facilities – Existing
  • Host Committee

    ASHRAE thanks the 2021 Host Committee from the Illinois Chapter:

    Chad Powell
    General Chair

    Maggie Moninski
    Technical Program Conference Chair


    - Vice Chair: Kevin Summers
    - Entertainment: John Song and Joe Hauge
    - Tours: Frank Moccio
    - Hospitality: Nick Manusos
    - Sessions: Sumayyah Theron

    Even though the 2021 ASHRAE Virtual Winter Conference will not meet in-person in Chicago, the Chicago Host Committee is still working hard to make your conference experience one that you won’t forget. Stay tuned for more information on how the Chicago host committee will “bring the Chicago experience” to the Virtual Winter Conference.

  • Thank You to Our Sponsors
    ASHRAE would like to thank these sponsors for supporting The 2021 Virtual Winter Conference.

  • Sponsor Technology Demonstrations

    New to the ASHRAE Virtual Winter Conference are Sponsor Technology Demonstrations. Technology Demonstrations hosted by sponsoring companies provide the opportunity for attendees to join a 30-minute interactive session via Zoom to learn more about conference sponsors’ technology. 

    All sponsor technology demonstrations were recorded and are available on the “Tuesday” and “Wednesday” tab in the Theater. Click on the Virtual Conference Environment button at the top of the page and login to view in the Theater.

    Sponsor Technology Demonstration: Better Air Through Science presented by GPS

    Join David Schurk, GPS Business Development Director and ASHRAE member, to learn more about understanding the process of needlepoint bipolar ionization and how NPBI® improves indoor air quality by reducing particles, odors and pathogens – including SARS-C0V-2.

    Presented by GPS: Global Plasma Solutions.

    Sponsor Technology Demonstration: Easy auto-tuning of PM Motors to Improve Efficiency presented by Mitsubishi Electric

    Tuning a motor can take a significant amount of time to program a drive and motor to work together most efficiently. Using a VFD with auto-tuning capability, you can easily tune any motor from any manufacturer, saving set-up time by avoiding trial and error work. In this live demo, you will see the ease of using auto-tuning features.

    Presented by Mitsubishi Electric.

    How Ceiling Systems Can Clean the Air & Help Control & Direct Airflow presented by Armstrong Ceilings

    Join Paul Hough, ASHRAE member and Manager, Codes & Standards at Armstrong to see how technologies integrated into the ceiling plane can help create, convert or maintain more reliable and robust pressure-controlled spaces as well as utilize UV-C safely and effectively to clean the air. Learn from modeling and laboratory testing, along with case studies that demonstrate the impact of reduced air leakage through the ceiling plane, and the use of UV-C systems to reduce infectious aerosols. www.armstrongceilings.com/cleanair

    Presented by Armstrong Ceilings.

    Sponsor Technology Demonstration: Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Airborne Particle Analysis for HVAC and Environmental Testing Professionals presented by Honeywell

    This demonstration shows how new advances in artificial intelligence and massive cloud computing are starting to change the way HVAC and environmental testing professionals work with building owners to provide detailed insight into the types and quantities of airborne particles present. The demonstration shows how new technologies enable on-the the-spot display and classifications of particles, allowing field professionals deeper levels of insight for air cleaning systems and service design.

    Presented by Honeywell.

    Sponsor Technology Demonstration: Why R-32 is the Best Choice to Replace R-410A presented by Daikin

    Join Anuj Mistry, Manager, Technical Services at Daikin for a presentation about R-32. For more information before the session, please visit www.R32Reasons.com.

    Presented by Daikin.
  • Frequently Asked Questions

      

    How do I access the technical program content?
    To access recordings of the live sessions, click the Virtual Conference Environment button at the top of the page and use your email address that you registered with to sign in. Go to the “Theater” to view recordings of all of the live sessions that were held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. You can also view on-demand videos and presentations there as well.

    How do I get PDHs?
    For sessions that are presented live, login to the Virtual Conference Environment by clicking the button at the top of this page and logging in using the email address you registered with. Find the recordings of the live sessions in the Theater section on the “Tuesday” “Wednesday” and  “Thursday” tabs. When you view the recording, you will see a  “quiz” button located in the web console of the session. Click the quiz at any time during the session and score 80% or more and be able to download a PDH certificate immediately. You can take the quiz as many times as you would like.

    For OnDemand sessions, we recommend clicking the “On Demand Sessions” button at the top of this page. Login using your email address that you used to register for the conference. You’ll be able to browse the on-demand sessions via program type or track. Download instructions on how to access the quiz and PDH certificate.

    Which sessions are eligible for NY/AIA and GBCI LEED AP credits?
    A full list of Technical Program sessions with information for the value of PDH credits can be found here as well as in the Resource Center within the Virtual Conference environment.

    What if I have multiple employees from my company that want to register for the Virtual Winter Conference?
    ASHRAE offers three tiers of Company packages that accommodate discounted pricing even for post-conference purchases. Contact meetings@ashrae.org if you have questions related to Company Packages and pricing.

    Questions about the online conference venue?
    Please click here for an in-depth overview.

    Please contact meetings@ashrae.org with additional questions.

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