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

Tracks include:

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.             

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. 

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.         

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.