The ASHRAE Winter Conference 2024
As President of the ASHRAE Ireland Chapter and Managing Director of OSENG, it was a privilege to attend the ASHRAE Winter Conference 2024 in Chicago. Travelling alongside delegates from Ardmac, Kirby Group, PM Group, Entropic, Sygma Automation, and OSENG, this conference was an opportunity to engage with experts and professionals from around the world in the fields of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R).
The conference officially opened for registration on Friday, 19th January, running until Wednesday, 24th January. Unfortunately, several of us had to return to Ireland on Monday night, but with speaker papers made available, there is still plenty of reading ahead.
Exploring Chicago & ASHRAE Networking Events
Saturday was dedicated to registration and exploring the city, including visits to the Willis Tower Sky Deck, a Chicago Bulls match at the United Center, and the ASHRAE Welcome Party at the historic Old Post Office, which was attended by ASHRAE members from across the USA, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
It was inspiring to see engineers at all stages of their careers from students to retirees united by a common goal: shaping a sustainable future.
Technical Discussions & Committee Engagement
A key part of the ASHRAE Winter Conference is the opportunity to participate in technical committee discussions. This year, the focus was on key challenges facing the built environment, with topics including cleanroom air conditioning, data centres, laboratory systems, and mission-critical facilities.
Committees of particular interest included:
TC9.11 – Clean Spaces: Covering air conditioning for cleanrooms, manufacturing, R&D, pharmaceuticals, microelectronics, aerospace, and medical environments.
TC9.9 – Mission Critical Facilities: Discussing data centre cooling, high-reliability systems, and advanced infrastructure solutions.
We were also delighted to support ASHRAE Ireland Past-President, Conor Murray, who presented two key papers:
Design of HVAC Systems for Aseptic Manufacturing Facilities
The Opportunity and Energy Density Challenge of Lithium-Ion Battery Dry Cleanrooms in Climate Rebalancing and Carbon Reduction
The discussions reinforced the importance of engineering innovation in achieving sustainability goals and ensuring energy-efficient cleanroom and HVAC systems.
Irish-Themed Networking Event
The ASHRAE Ireland Chapter, along with other regions, hosted an Irish-themed networking event at the Emerald Loop Irish Bar in downtown Chicago. Attendees included ASHRAE members from Chicago, Boston, New York, Spain, Portugal, Serbia, Romania, the UK, and Israel.
We were honoured to be joined by:
Ginger Scoggins (ASHRAE President)
Dennis Knight (Incoming ASHRAE President)
Adrian Catchpole (CIBSE President)
Anastasia Mylona (CIBSE Technical Director)
Representatives from the IDA
The evening was brought to life by an Irish dancing performance of Riverdance, followed by a special appearance from the Chicago Garda Pipes & Drums Band, who marched through the bar to close out the event. It was an unforgettable night, creating new friendships and lasting memories.
Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing
On Monday, I had the pleasure of speaking to over 70 ASHRAE members on the topic of “Best Practices of a Mentor-Mentee Relationship”, alongside my colleagues Conor Murray (3Dimension) and Tunji Faturoti (Ethos Engineering).
The session focused on the ASHRAE Ireland Chapter’s Mentor-Mentee Programme, launched in 2022, which aims to bridge the gap between experienced engineers and the next generation of professionals. With many senior engineers retiring, the industry risks losing decades of valuable knowledge—but through structured mentorship, we can ensure that expertise is passed down and the industry remains strong.
I am delighted to announce that we are preparing for the next phase of the programme, with ten new mentor-mentee pairings set to begin in early 2025. Additionally, our annual ASHRAE student scholarship fund is now open to all ASHRAE student members, supporting the next generation of industry leaders.
Looking Ahead
The ASHRAE Winter Conference 2024 was a fantastic opportunity to exchange knowledge, build professional connections, and discuss the future of the built environment.
With plans for more Irish-authored papers at the next ASHRAE global conference, and Portugal CRC 2025 on the horizon, we look forward to continuing these important discussions and strengthening Ireland’s contribution to ASHRAE’s global mission.
A huge thank you to everyone who made this event so memorable. The knowledge shared, connections made, and experiences gained will continue to shape our industry and drive sustainable engineering forward.
Follow OSENG and ASHRAE Ireland for more updates on industry events, mentorship opportunities, and the latest in engineering innovation.
