Lessons learned in the design, construction, and operation of tall buildings can also be applied to buildings of all sizes and stories, according to ASHRAE.

To prove this, a mini-conference on tall buildings will be featured in the technical program at ASHRAE’s 2014 Winter Conference, Jan. 18-22, at the New York Hilton in New York City. The AHR Expo, held in conjunction with the Winter Conference, runs Jan. 21-23, at the Javits Convention Center.

For complete Conference information and to register, visit www.ashrae.org/newyork.

“What better place to showcase tall building design than in New York,” said Jon Cohen, New York conference program chair. “Designing buildings with contingencies for natural disasters will benefit engineers worldwide. We should learn from how buildings respond to the disasters, and use this information to our advantage to save lives and infrastructure in the future. Environmental quality in buildings isn't just a health concern, it's a concern of the conscience. We need to do everything to ensure healthy work environments and living situations while considering the broader environmental impact.”

Sessions specific to tall buildings include:

• Is ASHRAE Tall Enough for Tall Buildings?, Sunday, Jan. 19

• Linking Tall Buildings' Energy Use to Tenant Contribution to Economy, Sunday, Jan. 19

• Life Safety Issues with Tall Buildings, Tuesday, Jan. 21

• Natural Ventilation for Tall Buildings, Tuesday, Jan. 21

• Current Trends in Tall Building Designs, Tuesday, Jan. 21

• Specific Engineering Solutions for Tall Buildings, Tuesday, Jan. 21

• ASHRAE and Tall Buildings, Tuesday, Jan. 21

• Trends in Building Energy Disclosure: Increasing Energy Efficiency without Retrofits, Tuesday, Jan. 21 (AHR Expo session)

• Fire Safety Concern for Supertall Buildings, Wednesday, Jan. 22

• Data Center Control and Fire Safety in Tall Buildings, Wednesday, Jan. 22