ASHRAE has announced the technical program for its 2026 Building Decarbonization Conference, scheduled for September 23–25, 2026, in Seattle, Washington. The event will focus on reducing emissions from existing commercial, institutional and public-sector buildings while improving resilience, performance and long-term value.
The program will include seminars, panel discussions, workshops and case studies covering decarbonization technologies, policies and implementation strategies. Sessions will address capital planning, regulatory requirements, adaptive reuse, embodied carbon, electrification, mass timber construction and renewable energy.
Technical sessions will also examine all-electric, net-zero energy airport terminals, California’s decarbonization work across more than 15,000 public-sector buildings, and community facilities using all-electric systems and geothermal technology. Sessions on AI and hyperscale data centers will cover trigeneration, carbon capture and waste heat recovery.
Keynote speakers include Stet Sanborn, Director of Sustainability at SmithGroup, and Erin McConahey, Arup Fellow and Global Director of Sustainable Development. A policy panel will examine how Building Performance Standards can be coordinated across jurisdictions to create consistent compliance pathways and reduce administrative burdens for building owners.
“Retrofitting existing buildings is one of the greatest opportunities we have to create a more resilient and sustainable future,” said 2026-27 ASHRAE President Sarah Maston, P.E., BCxP, LEED AP BD+C. Early bird registration is available through July 31.
