ATLANTA - The ASHRAE 2011 Winter Conference will be held in Las Vegas, Jan. 29 through Feb. 2. The extravagant setting of Las Vegas serves as a unique contrast to ASHRAE’s conference theme: “A Safe Bet: Zero-Energy Design.” It is sure to highlight the importance of finding the balance in design. The conference will take place at the Las Vegas Hilton and will be held in conjunction with the AHR Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

In keeping with ASHRAE’s goal of continuing education, the conference will offer over 200 professional development credits, as well as continuing education units, which can be applied toward a Professional Engineering license.

The technical program features more than 90 programs and 300 speakers addressing the efficient use of energy in new and existing buildings; refrigeration updates; applications including data centers, laboratories, and health care facilities; the real cost of zero-energy design; and other topics related to design, standards, codes, and professional skills.

The ASHRAE Learning Institute will offer a new course on building energy modeling that focuses on HVACR systems and updates to courses covering Standards 62.1 and 90.1 to reflect changes in the 2010 versions of these standards from previous versions.

Additionally, ASHRAE will launch a sixth certification program during the 2011 Winter Conference. Called the Building Energy Assessment Professional (BEAP), the new program is appropriate for individuals who perform energy assessments or audits for commercial, industrial, or residential buildings.

“We all know that ‘we can’t manage what we can’t measure’,” said Tom Phoenix, chair of the committee that developed the BEAP certification. “Providing reliable energy analysis means we are holding ourselves more accountable for the energy our buildings use. The results of an analysis can tell us which systems are working efficiently and which systems provide opportunities for improvement.”

The BEAP certifies individuals’ ability to audit and analyze residential, commercial, and industrial buildings including determining project scope, collecting data, analyzing building performance, interpreting results, evaluating alternatives, submitting recommendations for energy conservation measures, and assisting with the implementation of recommendations.

The program was developed in collaboration with representatives from ASHRAE’s Building Energy Quotient (BEQ) program, the Illuminating Engineers Society, the National Institute of Building Sciences, the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association and the Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing Bureau. The first BEAP exam will be offered at the conference on Feb. 2.

Beyond the education and certification programs, ASHRAE 2011 will also offer technical tours spotlighting how technology developed by ASHRAE members is practically applied to buildings such as the central plant at Planet Hollywood and MGM Center and Springs Preserve.

Attendees who register before Dec. 31 can save up to $195. Complete information is available at www.ashrae.org/lasvegas.

Publication date:10/18/2010