ASHRAE brought together 450 building industry professionals at its 2026 Building Decarbonization Conference in Seattle, Washington, to discuss strategies and technologies for reducing building emissions and improving energy performance. The three-day event focused on turning decarbonization policies and goals into practical solutions for new and existing buildings.
Held under the theme “Decarbonization That Delivers: From Policy to Projects to Performance,” the conference featured 40 technical sessions, seven sponsor technology talks and three keynote presentations. Participants represented industry, government, research and building operations.
Technical sessions covered exhaust air heat recovery, thermal energy storage and geothermal technologies, alongside financial incentives supporting their implementation. Other discussions examined decarbonization tools, project costs, case studies and approaches to securing investment for building upgrades.
A keynote panel addressed coordination of building performance standards across jurisdictions, including compliance requirements and alignment between state and local policies. The ASHRAE Center of Excellence for Building Decarbonization also hosted a Future Strategy Priority Forum to examine priorities for advancing building decarbonization.
“The progress we make on building decarbonization depends on our ability to bring people together, share knowledge and turn ideas into meaningful action,” said Sarah E. Maston, 2026–27 ASHRAE President. The next ASHRAE Building Decarbonization Conference is scheduled for November 3–5, 2027, in Los Angeles, California.
