ATLANTA—Registration is open for ASHRAE’s 2015 Winter Conference in Chicago where attendees have the chance to discuss and examine the latest topics in the building industry, network, participate in technical tours, attend ASHRAE Learning Institute courses, earn professional credits, and obtain ASHRAE certifications.
The ASHRAE Conference will take place January 24 to 28 at the Palmer House Hilton, while the ASHRAE co-sponsored AHR Expo will be held January 26 to 28 at McCormick Place. Complete conference information and registration can be found at www.ashrae.org/chicago and Expo information at www.ahrexpo.com.
In keeping with ASHRAE’s goal of continuing education, the conference offers over 200 Professional Development Hours, as well as Continuing Education Units, which can be applied toward a Professional Engineering license.
The Technical Program features more than 100 sessions and 300 speakers over eight tracks: Systems and Equipment; Fundamentals and Applications; Industrial Facilities (new); Large Buildings: Mission Critical Facilities and Applications (new); Energy Efficiency; Life Safety (new); Design of Energy and Water Efficient Systems (new); and Hospital Design and Codes (new). Specifically, the program features sessions on cold climate design, tall buildings, hospital and clean room design and data centers.
Twenty Professional Development Seminars
The ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI) offers 20 professional development seminars and short courses to stay current on HVAC&R trends. Among them is a new course on Standard 202, Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems, in addition to updates to Standard 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, and 62.1, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality. Training topics include commissioning, energy management, Standard 55, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy, energy efficient data centers, healthcare facilities, building energy audits, the coming smart grid and ground source heat pumps. Register at www.ashrae.org/chicagocourses.
Additionally, ASHRAE offers a special administration of all six certifications on January 28: Building Energy Assessment Professional (BEAP); Building Energy Modeling Professional (BEMP); Commissioning Process Management Professional (CPMP); High-Performance Building Design Professional (HBDP); Healthcare Facility Design Professional (HFDP); and Operations & Performance Management Professional (OPMP). Register at www.ashrae.org/certification.
The keynote speaker at the opening Plenary Session is Aron Ralston, adventurer and subject of the film 127 Hours. In April 2003, during a hike into a remote area of Utah’s canyon country in April 2003, Ralston accidentally dislodged a boulder that crushed and pinned his right hand. After six days of entrapment alone, he freed himself with a cheap multi-tool knife and hiked to a miraculous rescue. Since his amputation, Ralston has written an internationally bestselling book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, later turned into a movie nominated for six Oscars.
Also offered are technical tours, which include a Walgreens net zero store, a brewery and McCormick Place.
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