Conference Overview

What to Expect at IDEA2026.

We’re thrilled to bring IDEA2026 to Ottawa—a city and a country where groundbreaking work in advancing district energy is setting an example for the world. The conference will gather experts and innovators from around the world, creating a global platform to share best practices, showcase emerging technologies, and highlight visionary approaches shaping the future of district energy.
 
The IDEA Educational Program is recognized for its exceptional quality, consistently earning rave reviews for its depth, breadth, and speaker expertise. This year’s program will feature preconference workshops for deeper dives into critical topics. The main program will feature podium presentations organized into subject-specific tracks, as well as poster sessions designed for direct, one-on-one conversations with presenters. Daily plenary sessions with global leaders will anchor the program, tying together the insights and themes of the event.
Beyond the classroom, IDEA2026 will offer hands-on learning in the exhibit hall, opportunities to celebrate the individuals making a difference in the industry during networking events. Following the conference, participants can take part in limited-capacity behind-the-scenes tours of local systems—an ideal way to round out your conference experience before heading home to put your new insights into practice.

The IDEA Educational Experience

The IDEA Educational Program is widely recognized for its exceptional quality, bringing together leading voices from around the globe to share best practices, innovative solutions, and visionary perspectives on the future of district energy. With a structure designed to deliver both breadth and depth, the program spans multiple tracks that address the most pressing issues facing our industry today—from decarbonization strategies and thermal energy networks to cutting-edge technologies like data-center heat recovery, hydrogen, and microgrids. Each track is carefully curated to ensure that participants gain practical insights and actionable knowledge that can be applied to their organizations and communities.

What sets the program apart is the diversity and caliber of its contributors. With more than 100 speakers from across sectors, disciplines, and continents, IDEA provides a platform for true knowledge exchange between utilities, campuses, policymakers, engineers, and technology innovators. This convergence of expertise ensures that every session—whether a keynote, panel, podium presentation, or poster—offers fresh perspectives and real-world examples. By weaving together global experience with local application, the IDEA Educational Program delivers an unparalleled opportunity to learn, connect, and collaborate at the highest level.

IDEA2026 Block Program

The official IDEA2026 program will not be published until early 2026, but you can get an idea for all that we have to offer through our block program. IDEA always looks for new and inventive ways to add valuable content to its program - stay connected as the program continues to evolve.

Monday, June 22

12:00pm - 2:00pm IDEA Executive Committee Meeting
1:00pm - 5:00pm IDEA Board Meeting and Luncheon
3:00pm - 5:00pm Conference Registration Open

Tuesday, June 23

6:00am - 2:00pm IDEA Annual Golf Tournament 
7:00am - 7:00pm Conference Registration
7:00am - 8:00am Breakfast for Workshop Participants
7:00am - 7:30am Workshop Speaker and Moderator Orientation Meeting
8:00am - 4:00pm Workshop
8:00am - 4:00pm Exhibit Setup
1:00pm - 3:30pm District Energy 101 Symposium with YPG
4:00pm - 5:15pm Forums 
5:15pm - 6:30pm

Exhibit Hall Ribbon Cutting & Business Partners Opening Reception

Wednesday, June 24

7:00am - 6:30pm Conference Registration
7:00am - 7:50am Breakfast with IDEA Business Partner Exhibitors
7:00am - 7:30am Speaker and Moderator Orientation Meeting
8:00am - 5:25pm Conference Technical Program
5:30pm - 6:45pm

Cocktail Reception with IDEA Business Partner Exhibitors
Young Professionals Group (YPG) Meetup

Thursday, June 25

7:00am - 5:00pm Conference Registration
7:00am - 7:50am Breakfast with IDEA Business Partner Exhibitors
7:00am - 7:45am Speaker and Moderator Orientation Meeting
8:00am - 5:00pm Conference Technical Program Continues
2:15pm - 6:00pm Exhibit Breakdown

Friday, June 26

7:30am - 9:00am Breakfast and Technical Tour Presentations
9:00am - 1:00pm Technical Tours