The Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE) has unveiled its roadmap for Society Year 2026–27, placing climate-positive building solutions, technology advancement, education, research and industry collaboration at the centre of its agenda.

Addressing the roadmap, ISHRAE Society President Saravanan said the organisation would work towards strengthening India’s HVAC&R ecosystem by bringing together professionals from industry, academia and government.
“Our vision is to enable a climate-positive built environment,” Prof. Saravanan said, emphasising ISHRAE’s mission to emerge as a trusted global knowledge partner for planet-centric HVAC&R solutions.

Expanding National and Global Footprint
Headquartered in New Delhi, ISHRAE has established a network spanning more than 54 chapters and sub-chapters across nearly 60 cities, with a presence extending from metropolitan centres to Tier-2 and Tier-3 locations.

The Society has over 7,000 members and maintains an extensive student network covering nearly 380 engineering and architecture institutions across India and the GCC region. It also maintains international affiliations and collaborations with organisations including ASHRAE in the United States.

ISHRAE’s technical expertise is supported by 39 Technical Groups covering specialised areas such as indoor air quality, refrigerants, thermal comfort, chillers, VRF systems, district cooling, data centres, healthcare HVAC and building automation.
Focus on Skills, Certification and Research

Education and professional capacity building remain key priorities for the Society. Its ISHRAE Certified Professional (ICP) programmes offer specialised training in HVAC servicing, drafting, design and commissioning.
The Society has also introduced a new Cold Storage Design and Operation course, while continuing to expand its technical publications, standards, guidelines and knowledge resources.

Through the Foundation for ISHRAE, the organisation is promoting research in HVAC&R, environmental sustainability and the built environment. Its research ecosystem includes collaborations with premier institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur and MNIT Jaipur, besides partnerships with government and industry bodies.

Coimbatore Hosts Cool Conclave 3.0

One of the major highlights of ISHRAE’s 2026–27 calendar is Cool Conclave 3.0, being held in Coimbatore from August 20 to 22, 2026.The conclave brings together HVAC&R professionals, industry leaders, technology experts, academics and other stakeholders to deliberate on emerging technologies, energy efficiency, sustainability and the future of the built environment.

Other flagship events on the Society’s calendar include REFCOLD 2026 and ACREX 2027, with a strong emphasis on refrigeration, cold-chain development
and decarbonisation.

Driving India’s Net-Zero Ambition

ISHRAE is also stepping up its sustainability initiatives in line with India’s Net-Zero 2070 vision. The Society is promoting energy-efficient technologies, including VRF systems and IoT-enabled smart controls, while working with organisations such as the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) on building energy-efficiency initiatives.
Its K-12 Net Zero Energy School initiative seeks to encourage ISHRAE chapters to adopt rural and semi-urban schools and support their transformation into Net Zero Energy facilities.

With the HVAC&R sector emerging as a critical component of India’s energy and sustainability transition, ISHRAE said it would continue to focus on developing India-specific standards, strengthening professional skills, supporting research and fostering industry-academia partnerships.

The Society’s 2026–27 roadmap thus places knowledge, technology, education and partnership at the heart of its efforts to build a more energy-efficient, resilient and climate-positive built environment.