Session Overview

District energy is internationally renowned for both its technical complexity and its broad impact on sustainability, resilience, and affordability. As a result, IDEA conferences explore a wide array of topics, ensuring that participants can chart their own learning path and leave with insights they can apply directly to their work.
 
To match this diversity of subject matter, the IDEA2026 program is intentionally designed with multiple types of sessions, including:

Podium presentations highlight projects and innovations that are making an impact in the industry. Presentations are typically 25 minutes.

Poster presentations foster one-on-one conversations around emerging ideas and topics, with presenter content displayed throughout the event in a designated poster area.

Plenary Panels bring together practitioners and policymakers for interactive discussions on the biggest challenges and opportunities of the day. IDEA2026 will host three unique panels featuring local and international leaders offering a vision for district energy moving forward. Plenary Panels are typically one-hour discussions.

Preconference workshops allow for deeper exploration of complex topics led by presenters with hands-on experience. This year, IDEA will host two preconference workshops, including one on Thermal Energy Networks and one on District Energy and Data Centers. Conferences are all day affairs, taking place the day before the main program and lead in to the opening of the conference that evening.
 
Topics you can expect to hear about throughout the conference include: 

Artificial Intelligence and Digital Twins in DE Systems
Business Models & Financing Strategies
Community Energy & Sector Coupling
Controls, Monitoring, Metering, And Data Management
Data Centers & District Energy
Decarbonizing with District Energy
DES in Canada Symposium
District Cooling
Energy as a Service
Deeper Dive: Energy Service Acquisition Program (ESAP)

Geothermal, Geo-Exchange & Networked Geo
Heat Pumps, Energy Sharing & Energy Recovery
Integrating Renewables
Master Planning & Climate Action Plans
Microgrids & CHP for Resiliency
P3 Design, Construction, Commissioning
Sewer Heat Recovery
Steam to Hot Water Conversion
Thermal Energy Networks in North America
Thermal Energy Storage

Podium Presentations


During a podium presentation, attendees hear directly from one or more subject matter experts who share in-depth perspectives on key topics. These sessions feature a range of content, from technical case studies and operational insights to new research findings, policy applications, and more. 

Organized into Session Tracks by a common theme, podium presentations give participants a comprehensive view of multiple projects and approaches within the same subject area. You can expect anywhere from 2 - 4 podium presentations within a session track.

You’ll leave a podium presentation with a clearer understanding of the latest advancements, best practices, and proven strategies shaping the future of the industry. With time for Q&A, these sessions also provide opportunities to engage directly with presenters, making podium presentations a valuable blend of formal knowledge-sharing and interactive learning.

Poster Presentations

Poster presentations are more informal, one-on-one opportunity to explore projects, research, and innovative ideas in detail. Instead of a structured talk, presenters showcase their work on large-format posterboards that remain on display throughout the conference. These posters often highlight key data, visuals, and takeaways—similar to slides from a session—giving attendees the chance to absorb the information at their own pace and revisit materials as often as they’d like.

At designated times, presenters are available alongside their posters to engage directly with attendees, answer questions, and dive deeper into their project. Poster sessions are a great way to have meaningful discussions with speakers in a more relaxed setting, while still gaining exposure to a wide range of projects and approaches happening across the industry.

Plenary Panels


Plenary Panel discussions bring together industry leaders from North America an the world to engage in a dynamic, moderated conversation typically centered around the conference theme. Unlike podium presentations, panels focus less on prepared slides and more on dialogue, debate, and real-time exchange of ideas.

Attendees benefit from hearing how industry leaders approach the same challenges from their unique perspectives, offering a more holistic understanding of complex topics. Panel discussions are an opportunity not only to listen but to engage—walking away with fresh viewpoints, potential strategies, and a sense of where the broader industry conversation is headed.

Preconference Workshops

Workshops are designed to provide a day-long, deeper dive into a specific topic, with a mix of podium presentations and panel discussions, divided into core topics and often facilitated by a moderator. Typically scheduled before the main program begins, workshops create space for extended exploration of complex issues, tools, or strategies that require more time and focus.
 
For attendees, workshops are an opportunity to learn from and engage directly with experts, and collaborate with peers facing similar challenges. Seating is limited and the smaller, more focused setting allows for personalized interaction, practical problem-solving, and skill-building that participants can take back and apply immediately in their own work.
 
Whether the topic is technical, policy-driven, or operational, workshops provide concentrated value for those looking to deepen their knowledge and leave with actionable insights.