Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 3 July 2018: The 2018 ASHRAE Annual Conference has recently concluded, the organisation said in a Press communiqué. The conference took place from June 23 to 27, 2018, at the Hilton Americas-Houston Hotel and the George R Brown Convention Center, in Houston, Texas, with 1,675 people in attendance, the communiqué said.

The Annual Conference offered an extensive technical program with eight tracks and one mini-track, including numerous presentations, tours and social events, the communiqué said. The five-day event also featured meetings of technical, standards and standing committees, developing guidance for the future of the industry and ASHRAE, the communiqué further said.

According to ASHRAE, Shelia J Hayter took office as the 2018–2019 President, ASHRAE. Her theme for the Society year, ‘Building Our New Energy Future,’ focuses on the important role buildings will play as the traditional electrical grid continues to evolve toward a smart grid with advances in renewable energy, the communiqué said.

Speaking at the conference, Hayter said: “ASHRAE will play a key role in accelerating the use of innovative technologies as we move toward greater energy efficiency and healthier buildings. This conference is a perfect example of how we’re taking the lead through the sharing of knowledge and resources to be the bridge between industries to our new energy future.”

During his State of the Society address, Bjarne W Olesen, outgoing President, ASHRAE, spoke on the Society’s expanding partnership with UN Environment, which includes training courses and resources to support the phase-out activities of ozone-depleting substances around the world, the communiqué said. In addition to highlighting the recent opening of new offices in Washington, D.C. and Dubai, Olesen emphasised ASHRAE’s engagement in Europe by stationing staff in Brussels, Belgium, beginning in July, the communiqué further said.

According to ASHRAE, the conference’s technical program addressed trends in integrated building design, HVAC&R analytics, best practices in standards authoring and impacts of extreme and future weather scenarios on buildings, along with other current topics. The communiqué said a seminar highlighting the proposed ASHRAE Hot Climate Design Guide provided an opportunity for attendees to contribute ideas to improve the design, construction and operation of buildings in hot climates.