STL Chapter ASHRAE 2026 HRATEC

Six PDH Credits available for attendees, with a light breakfast, plated lunch, and refreshments provided. WHEN: Monday, December 14, 2026, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM WHERE: In Person, Basso's at the Cheshire Inn, 7036 Clayton Ave, St. Louis, MO 63117 FEE: $125 for ASHRAE St. Louis Members, Past Presidents, and full-time students; $175 for Non-members PDH: Six PDH credits available for attendees EVENT SCHEDULE: 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM - Registration & Breakfast 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM - Presentation 1: Lessons Learned from Commissioning 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM - Presentation 2: Lab Exhaust Seminar 11:00 AM – 11:15 AM - Break 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM - Presentation 3: Thermal Energy Storage Systems 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM - (Lunch Served) – Presentation 4: Fan Efficiencies 1:15 PM- 1:30 PM - Break 1:30 PM- 2:30 PM – Presentation 5: Utilizing VRF systems with A2L 2:30 PM– 3:30 PM – Presentation 6: Extreme Event Engineering - Seismic, Vibration, Wind 3:30 PM– 4:00 PM – Happy Hour! Bar will be open from 2:30 – 4:00 PM Presentation 1: Lessons learned from Commissioning: Bridging the gap between HVAC design and Field Operations Designing on paper and operating in the field don’t always align. Join us for a practical, 1 hour session as we dive into real world lessons learned from the commissioning (Cx). This presentation goes beyond standard checklists to focus on actionable insights that add value to design engineers. This session draws on real commissioning findings across healthcare, federal, educational, and municipal projects to show where a design intent and installed reality diverge. Attendees will learn how early commissioning involvement, testable sequences, constructability reviews, and trend verification can reduce change orders, cut operator call backs, and improve long term system performance. About the Presenters: Baskar is the President at Zodiac, Inc, a commissioning firm located in St. Louis, MO. Baskar has experience in Construction Management, Commissioning, Energy Measurement & Verification and Engineering Design. Baskar has over 18 years of commissioning experience where he has commissioned new and existing buildings. His project portfolio includes healthcare, education and government buildings. Baskar is a CxA, PE, LEED AP, CMVP, EMP. Baskar holds an MBA and a Bachelor’s and Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering Nitish Suresh is an Energy and Commissioning Specialist at Zodiac, Inc, a commissioning firm located in St. Louis, MO. Nitish has commissioned educational, healthcare and government buildings. Nitish has developed energy models for healthcare buildings and assisted in retro commissioning projects. Nitish is a CxA, licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the state of Missouri. Nitish holds a Bachelor’s and Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering. Presentation 2: Lab Exhaust Seminar This presentation reviews control strategies and products required to exhaust contaminated air from laboratories and other critical environments. Greenheck’s dynamic Virtual Lab will be utilized to show how the exhaust system reacts to changes in pressure in the lab space as well as fume hood sash positions. Understanding these system fundamentals will allow us to identify solutions that will safely reduce the cost of operation, more effectively control the system pressure, and meet exhaust flow requirements. Agenda: • Lab Exhaust System Fundamentals – Virtual Lab Demonstration • Plume Rise and Plume Concentration Basics • Fume Exhaust Product Review – Fan and Nozzle Types • Energy Savings and Sound Attenuation Considerations About the Presenter: Patrick Filbrandt is a Senior Applications Engineer for Greenheck’s Laboratory and Fume Exhaust division where he has been for the past 10 years. He specializes in optimizing product and controls selection for system efficiency. Patrick has diverse industry experience ranging from Installing Contractor, Engineering Sales, and Equipment Manufacturer. Patrick holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Presentation 3: Thermal Energy Storage Systems: What is it and why is thermal storage needed This course provides an integrated overview of thermal energy storage and its role in stabilizing and supporting critical infrastructure systems, particularly within data centers. It illustrates how thermal energy storage tanks work with chiller plants, to maintain reliable cooling and thermal continuity during normal operation, generator events, or grid outages. The presentation explains operating modes, including full charge, full discharge, and partial charge—to show how thermal storage shifts cooling load, enhances resiliency, and optimizes energy usage during varying power conditions. It also quantifies system requirements such as flow rates, tank capacity, and thermal effectiveness, demonstrating how a properly sized thermal energy storage can support chiller operation and extend ride-through time during transitions between power sources. Overall, the presentation emphasizes thermal energy storage as a highly effective, resilient, and energy‑efficient strategy for ensuring uninterrupted cooling stability in mission‑critical environments. About the Presenter: Tony J. Furst, MSEd, CPD, LEED AP, is a senior engineering and technical education leader with more than 50 years of experience advancing commercial HVAC, plumbing, and energy-system performance. He has led application engineering, systems strategy, workforce education, and client support for major industry organizations and currently serves as Senior Systems Engineer for Commercial Training at Taco Comfort Solutions. His expertise combines executive-level technical leadership, complex systems analysis, and the development of high-impact education programs for engineering professionals nationwide. Presentation 4: Optimizing Fan Efficiency: Navigating Codes, Standards, and Fan Selection Strategies We will be discussing ways to optimize energy savings and improve system performance. Discover how smart selection strategies and tools can help with compliance with fan efficiency regulations and codes. As compliance to the fan efficiency regulations have been implemented both domestically and abroad, it is more critical that system design and installation allow for optimal airflow to both the inlet and outlet of a fan or blower. Additionally, we will be discussing ASHRAE 90.1 and 189.1, AMCA Standards, IECC and IgCC Codes, and some State and city specific adoptions. About the Presenter: Brent brings more than 30 years of construction industry experience to his role as the Central Regional Manager for Loren Cook Company. His background includes positions in engineering, product management, and OEM sales management. Before joining COOK, he provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) design services for a full-service architectural and engineering consulting firm in Springfield, Missouri. Brent has served AMCA International, Inc. (Air Movement and Control Association, International) in several capacities, including service on the Air Movement Code Action Review Committee (AMCARC) as well as the Marketing and Education Committees. In October 2026, he began a term on the Americas Region Steering Committee. He is also active in ASHRAE, having served on Technical Committee (TC) 5.1, Fan Design and Application, and TC 9.10, Laboratory Systems. He has also been involved with TC 5.10, Kitchen Ventilation. Brent has been a speaker at various ASHRAE International Conferences, Chapter Meetings and Technical Sessions. In addition, he has made contributions to various ASHRAE Handbook Chapters. He holds dual degrees in engineering and economics from the University of Missouri–Rolla (Missouri S&T), and an MBA from Drury College (Drury University). Brent has served as an adjunct professor in William Woods University’s MBA program and as an adjunct professor of economics at Ozarks Technical Community College in Springfield, Missouri.