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Earth Day 2025: The Future is Now
April 16 @ 7:30 am - 2:00 pm
Join ASHRAE New York City Chapter and Urban Green Council at our annual Earth Day event! This half-day seminar includes discussions on real decarbonization projects using AI, future weather, and more!
“AI in The Built Environment – THE FUTURE IS NOW”
Abstract:
Can we really achieve NET Zero by 2050 with the current tools we have in the HVAC&R industry? For NYC, can we achieve LL97 by 2030? Enter AI into the HVAC&R industry. Can AI scale energy savings strategies to provide compliance to LL97 guidelines as well as reducing emissions? Can AI speed up the development of correct climate models to design buildings for both Sustainability & Resilience? Is AI better suited for New Building Development or Existing Buildings?
3 PDH Credits Available
Admission Free to Students & HVAC Industry
AGENDA
7:30 am: Breakfast (available until 9:00 am) – Snacks, Drinks, and Lunch Provided
8:00 am – 8:10 am: MC/Introduction: Scott Sherwood, EcoCareAir, Bronx NY
Introducing topics, keynote, & speakers.
8:10 am – 8:20 am: How to scale: Synergy between Philanthropy, The Climate Crisis, and ASHRAE NY
Peter Klein, Claire Friedlander Foundation, Founder of Aline Wealth Investments
8:20 am – 9:20 am: FUTURE WEATHER/CLIMATE DATA IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK!
1. Carrie Brown, Ph.D. – Resource Refocus LLC.
2. Brian McKinney – JBB Deep Carbon Reduction
With the unprecedented rate of extreme weather in 2023 and 2024, it is becoming clear that correct and up to date weather data is pertinent to designing for futureproofing buildings and HVAC&R systems, Future-looking weather will be critical for assessing building performance. Considering warming scenarios in equipment sizing and energy performance can lead to wildly increased equipment sizing and capital cost impacts. With the useful life of new equipment extending 30-40 years into the future, how can we best plan for this changing world & climate?
9:25 am – 10:25 am: THE VIRTUAL ENGINEER WORLD
3. Jean-Simon Venne – Founder & CTO BrainBox AI
This presentation explores the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the HVAC service industry. The key learning objectives include demonstrating how AI can increase productivity by tenfold, highlighting the benefits of AI in HVAC asset management, and understanding the evolution and future direction of AI agents. The presentation delves into the acceleration of AI advancements, the merging of multiple data sources, and the role of AI in real-time data analysis and decision-making. It explains the concept of agentic AI, which uses sophisticated reasoning and iterative planning to autonomously solve complex problems. The presentation also discusses the productivity gains from AI, including the transformation of the P&L and optimization results in HVAC. A significant focus is on reducing issue resolution time in HVAC services, showcasing scenarios where AI agents can drastically cut down discovery work and site visits, leading to substantial cost savings. The presentation concludes with a vision of every modern business becoming a data business and poses critical questions about the future of AI in the HVAC industry.
10:25 am – 10:35 am: Networking/Refreshments Break
10:35 am – 11:35 am: Controls/BMS + AI to Decarbonize NYC Buildings by 2030
4. Jayson Bursill – Delta Controls – AI specialist
Artificial intelligence (Al) is being used in many ways across the building industry. This presentation dives into real world applications of Al in Controls including experiences, successes, and lessons learned. Technologies discussed are practical applications of machine learning, including some that connect directly to contemporary AI. The importance and basics of semantic data modeling and metadata management within building automation systems (BAS) to scale AI are also demonstrated at a high level. This presentation also dives into different applications of machine learning and Al with real-life examples of camera-free occupant estimation via sensor fusion, BAS chat bots with large language models, AI-assisted BAS code generation, and predictive control. The goal is to simplify the Al that is out there in the wild and show that it can be an economical path toward significant energy savings and operational improvements if executed effectively.
11:35 am – 12:15 pm: AI for Smart Buildings
5. Christine A. McHugh – Founder – Whitestrand Development
How we get from where we are to the future to meet 2030 LL97 compliance goals and Sustainability & Resiliency plans. Are we ready to implement, and can we afford the investment required by buildings, and the right partners to achieve the expected energy reductions and Local Law 97 compliance.
Q&A time throughout presentations along with virtual audience questions
12:15 pm – 12:20 pm: CLOSING REMARKS: Scott Sherwood, EcoCareAir
12:20 pm – 2:00 pm: Networking/Lunch
DATE: April 16, 2025
TIME: 7:30am - 2:00pm
VENUE: Fordham Lincoln Center
EVENT ORGANIZERS
• Sponsors •
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