ASHRAE concluded its 2025 Annual Conference, held June 21–25 in Phoenix, Arizona, with 1,990 registered HVAC&R and building science professionals in attendance. The event featured discussions on heat pumps, refrigerants, thermal energy storage, decarbonization strategies, and workforce development.
The technical program included more than 80 sessions across eight tracks. Well-attended sessions included “Using Artificial Intelligence to Make You Irreplaceable,” “Generative AI applications in HVAC Industry: Tools, Techniques and Best Practices,” and “Hot! Hot! Hot! Best Practice and Challenges of Heat Recovery from Data Centers.” Virtual access remains available for both in-person and online participants, including session recordings and PDH certificates.
Bill McQuade, P.E., CDP, Fellow ASHRAE, LEED AP was installed as the 2025–26 ASHRAE Society President. He introduced the Society Year theme, “Healthy Buildings: Designing for Life,” urging the HVAC&R community to prioritize indoor health and comfort. “We can build on a half-century of progress in the energy performance of buildings and now focus the same effort on the indoor climate and environment,” said McQuade.
ASHRAE’s annual Honors and Awards program recognized member contributions, while outgoing President M. Dennis Knight, P.E., BEMP, Fellow Life Member ASHRAE delivered the 2024–25 State of the Society address. “Every story matters, and every conversation can spark change,” said Knight.
The conference also included the Women in ASHRAE Happy Hour, where a proclamation from Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego declared June 23, 2025, as International Women in Engineering Day in the city.
The ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI) conducted 18 professional courses. Popular topics included energy-efficient data center design, humidity control strategies, and indoor air quality procedures. Attendees will retain access to conference materials for 12 months post-event.
ASHRAE’s next major event, the 2026 Winter Conference, will be held January 31 – February 4 in Las Vegas, Nevada, alongside the AHR Expo from February 2–4.