ASHRAE to showcase solutions at 2025 Building Decarbonisation Conference

ATLANTA, Georgis, United States, 12 September 2025: ASHRAE said the 2025 Building Decarbonisation Conference will take place from October 22 to 24 in Chicago. Making the announcement through a Press Release, ASHRAE said the conference will be a gathering place for professionals to determine how to accelerate building-decarbonisation strategies.

Bill McQuade, President, ASHRAE, said: “Decarbonisation is not just about technology. It’s about rethinking how we design, operate and value our buildings. This conference is about equipping building professionals with the strategies, partnerships and tools needed to make measurable progress. This is the ‘must-attend’ conference for professionals in the business of designing, constructing or operating buildings.”

According to ASHRAE, the two-and-a-half-day programme will feature 21 seminars, 14 panels, five technical tours and three keynotes across four tracks: Scaling Decarbonisation, Innovator’s Showcase, Blueprints for Change and Beyond Decarbonisation. ASHRAE said the sessions will deliver visionary perspectives and practical solutions that attendees can apply immediately in their own projects.

According to ASHRAE, some of the highlighted sessions include:

Demystifying Existing Building Decarbonisation: New Tools for Strategic Decarbonisation Planning. This panel discussion, ASHRAE said, introduces the audience to the strategic decarbonisation planning process, presents the three tools and provides examples of strategic decarbonisation plans that have been developed and implemented. The panel will describe and highlight projects where the strategic decarbonisation planning process has been put into practice in real buildings.

Innovating to Zero: Developer Arriving at Net Positive, Operator Electrifying a Community Including Shared EVs and Designer Outthinking AI in “Human Versus AI”. This seminar features three leading projects in climate action – a fully net-zero campus building at the University of Illinois, an all-electric Canadian development with shared EV mobility, and a bold “human versus AI” competition exploring low-carbon design at scale. Together, ASHRAE said, they reveal how developers, operators and designers are rethinking what’s possible in the built environment.

Turning Up the Heat: Unlocking the Value of Data Centre Waste Heat. This session explores how growing data centres can transform waste heat into a valuable resource for heating

buildings and supporting sustainable urban development. Case studies from leading institutions demonstrate integrated design strategies and emerging metrics that are reshaping the future of data centre efficiency, ASHRAE said.

Designing for Resilience: Energy, Water, Ecology and Agriculture in Rural Decarbonisation. ASHRAE said this session highlights Linkhaw Farms, a sustainable neighbourhood development in Lumberton that brings housing, economic opportunity and climate resilience to a rural, agriculture-based community. Integrating regenerative agriculture, clean energy and resilient water and thermal systems, the project delivers decarbonisation at scale. Experts from multiple disciplines will show how this holistic, community-driven model advances health, sustainability and economic growth while creating a scalable blueprint for rural development.

The Art of Decarbonisation. This session highlights the Museum of Modern Art’s multi-phase strategy to meet New York City’s Local Law 97 targets while safeguarding artwork and improving operations. Speakers will share how energy upgrades, carbon reduction measures, and real-time analytics are helping a world-class museum meet sustainability goals and enhance resilience.

Decarbonising at Scale: Using AI to Move Fast (and Accurately) for Large Real Estate Portfolios. This session, according to ASHRAE, presents how one organisation is leveraging AI-driven analytics to accelerate the decarbonisation of a large real estate portfolio. Presenters will explore legislative and financial drivers, trade-offs between traditional engineering and AI approaches and lessons learnt on using technology to achieve emissions goals at scale.

ASHRAE’s New Flexible International Building Code Framework. An Interactive Discussion with Audience Participation: This interactive session introduces ASHRAE’s global code framework, designed to help countries implement building energy codes by 2030. ASHRAE said participants will preview assessment tools and technical guidance, then take part in a mini stakeholder workshop to experience how this framework can advance decarbonisation worldwide.

ASHRAE added that in-person registration is set at USD 750 for members and USD 800 for non-members, with additional registration options available.