Gives details of keynote speeches, presentations and special sessions

ASHRAE has announced that it will be holding the First International Conference on Energy and Indoor Environment for Hot Climates in Doha from February 24-26. Organised by ASHRAE, the ASHRAE Qatar Oryx Chapter and the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), it includes four keynote addresses, three internationally organised special sessions, 13 conference paper sessions and 43 papers, with overall about 60 presentations on the latest trends, new ideas, research and applications of energy efficiency in high ambient temperature climates, the announcement added.

The conference is reportedly endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), the Federation of European Heating and Air-Conditioning Associations (REHVA), the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), and is co-sponsored by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and the Qatar University College of Engineering.

ASHRAE gave the programme details:

Papers presentation topics:

• Modelling building load
• HVAC system operation
• Sustainable buildings
• HVAC technology
• Thermal comfort
• Renewable energy technologies
• Systems for improving indoor environmental quality
• Building envelopes
• HVAC system performance
• Unique applications
• Refrigerant performance
• Healthy indoor environments

The conference features the following keynote presentations:

• Traditional Technology for Modern Problems: Re-energizing Wind Towers, Ben Richard Hughes, PhD, associate professor of building physics, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds
• Solar Cooling in Hot Climates, Stephen White, PhD, Energy for Buildings Manager, CSIRO Energy Flagship Program leader, Low Carbon Living Cooperative Research Centre, Newcastle, Australia
• Integrating Indoor Air Quality and Energy Efficiency in Buildings, ASHRAE President Bill Bahnfleth, PhD, PE, Fellow ASHRAE, ASME Fellow, professor of Architectural Engineering and Director of the Indoor Environment Center at The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa.

Other events include:

• A session by the World Health Organization (WHO) on indoor environments and health, covering general perspectives on health and indoor environments; housing and health; health-based guidelines on Indoor Air Quality; and the health aspect of energy use in indoor environments
• A special session hosted by UNEP with regional research centres to present updates on projects and research findings related to IAQ and energy efficiency, followed by a panel discussion
• A look at future HVAC&R technology, presented by major companies, and hosted by the Qatar Oryx Chapter and AHRI

The conference proceedings will be distributed to attendees onsite and is included in the registration fee of $600 ($500, ASHRAE members), ASHRAE informed, and added that for conference schedule and to register, those interested could visit www.ashrae.org/hotclimates.