Attendee FAQ


IDEA2026 is 4 days of education, exhibits and exchange of ideas for everyone in the district energy industry. We can't wait to see you in Ottawa!
We are honored to be hosting IDEA2026 in Ottawa this year, hosting more than 800 attendees, speakers, and exhibitors. 
 
Below are some key details, helpful hints and general knowledge that will help get you through the conference. 

Should you need assistance or have questions about the conference, please contact us via email at conference.idea@districtenergy.org. 


General Questions

Q: Where will the IDEA2026 Conference be held?
A: IDEA2026 will be held at the Rogers Centre Ottawa, 55 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 9J2

Q: What is the Wi-Fi Information?
A: Network:  IDEA2026  Password: ottawa26 (case sensitive)
 
Q: Where do I check in and pick up my attendee badge?
A: IDEA Registration is located in the Rideau Canal Atrium on the second level of the Rogers Centre. 
Hours:
 Monday, June 22 - 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
 Tuesday, June 23 - 7:00 am - 6:00 pm
 Wednesday, June 24 - 7:00 am - 6:30 pm
 Thursday, June 25 - 7:00 am - 5:30 pm


You will have received an email with a QR code that you will scan to print your badge. Please have it ready to scan at check-in—it’s much faster than manual entry.

Onsite Registration

Q:  I'm not preregistered - can I register onsite?

Attendees can register in-person at the Rogers Centre or you can register online prior to your arrival.


Q:    Is there a virtual registration?
A:    No, there is no virtual registration/participation for this conference.

Q:    How do I receive member pricing?
A:    You must be a member in good standing to receive member pricing. Please contact the Scott Szycher at scott.idea@districtenergy.org if you have any questions about your membership.

Q:    I am a member of IDEA, but I am not getting the member pricing?
A:    You must renew your IDEA membership for 2026 to receive the member pricing. Please contact the Scott Szycher at  scott.idea@districtenergy.org if you have any questions about your membership.

IDEA2026 Mobile App

Q:    How do I download the App?
A:    Search for the “Eventscribe” app in the app store or google play store. Once downloaded, search for for the “IDEA2026” event. If you're an attendee, instructions have been sent to you already. 

Q:    How do I login to the App?
A:    Once you have the event added to the app, you can log into the event using:

Username: your email address (the one you registered for the conference with)
Password: Access Key printed on your badge and included in your Registration Confirmation Email 

Q:    How do I build "My Schedule"?
A:    Tap the star next to a presentation to “favorite” that presentation. The star will then turn yellow and will be added to the “My Schedule” tile.

Q:    How do I take notes or draw on presentation slides?
A:    To take notes or draw on presentation slides, you must first download the slides. Use “Schedule” to navigate to a presentation. Select “View Slides,” then “Notes.” Use the “Notes” mode to type notes adjacent to the slide. To return to the full slide view, select “Nav.” Notes are automatically saved. Use the “Pen” to draw directly on the slide and the “Marker” to highlight areas of the slide.

Q:    How do I take notes when there are no slides?
A:    Use “Schedule” to navigate to a presentation. Select “Take Notes,” then select the “Notes” mode to type notes adjacent to the blank slide. To return to the full view, select “Nav.” Notes are automatically saved.

Q:    How do I send/retrieve messages to/from other app users within the app?
A:    To send a message to an app user select "Browse App Users" under the "People" tile on the app’s home screen.

Next, select the name of the user to which you would like to send a message and then select the "Send Message" button on the navigation bar located at the bottom of the screen. Type your message and send.

Received messages can be found by selecting the "Messages" button located in the navigation bar at the bottom of the app’s main screen.

Educational Session Lineup

Q:    How many sessions are there at IDEA2026?


A:    Between our preconference workshops, plenary panels, podium sessions and poster presentations we have well over 100 sessions taking place at IDEA2026.

Most sessions are self-contained on Level 2 near registration, with one tech session, the “E” track, on Level 4. 


Poster sessions are a great opportunity to take a deeper look into a project while interacting one-on-one with poster presenters. They are available throughout the conference in the Parliament Foyer outside of the Exhibit Hall.

Exhibit Questions

Q: Where is the exhibit hall?

A:  The IDEA2026 exhibit hall is located in Canada Hall 1&2 on Level 3 of the Ottawa Convention Center. Poster presentations are located at the entrance of the hall.

On-Demand Content Access in the IDEA Learning Center

Q:    I heard there are recordings of the IDEA2026 sessions. How do I access them?
A:    With five concurrent sessions, it’s impossible to make it to every amazing presentation. Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered so you won’t miss a thing.

Presenters have been asked to record their sessions for those who might have missed their live presentation. These recordings will be available a few weeks after the event on the IDEA Learning Center, where you can also earn CE credits that you can print out for your records.

IDEA will reach out to you with details as soon as the recordings are ready. 

Q:    What will be available on-demand after the conference?
A:    Most program sessions, workshop sessions, and plenary panel will be available on-demand, for those who registered as paid attendees for the conference and/or workshops.

Q:    Can I receive certificates of attendance for content I watch on-demand after the conference?
A:    Yes, you will receive a certificate of attendance for each viewed session after completing a survey in the Learning Center. 

Q:    How long will on-demand content be available?
A:    On demand content will be available indefinitely for registered attendees.

Q:    I cannot attend in-person; is there an option for on-demand viewing?
A:    You must purchase a conference registration to access on-demand content. Session content will be available on the IDEA Learning Center for all registered conference attendees following the conclusion of the conference. Instructions on how to access the Learning Center will be sent via email, post-conference. 

Concurrent Sessions

Q:    What Is the Format of the Main Program Sessions?

A:   Sessions are grouped by topic into Session Tracks. Each session lasts 25 minutes: 18–20 minutes of presentation followed by 5–7 minutes of Q&A.

These sessions are podium presentations, with speaker(s) sharing slides on screen, with a mic for audience questions. Key things to consider: 

• Blocks of five concurrent sessions run throughout the day, with refreshment breaks in the exhibit hall throughout the day.
• Five-minute breaks are scheduled between presentations

Poster Sessions

Q:    How do I find a session room?

A:  Each session room has a sign outside displaying a letter. This letter corresponds to the session track held in that room. Each session title begins with a code made up of a number, a letter, and another number—such as "1A2 – District Energy and You."

 
  • The letter (e.g., A) indicates the room.
  • The first number (e.g., 1) identifies the session block (Block 1 of the conference).
  • The second number (e.g., 2) represents the order of the session within that block.
 
So, if you're looking for session 1A2, head to Room A and enjoy!

Poster Sessions

Q:    When are Posters presented?

A:    Posters are up throughout the conference in the Parliament Foyer, right outside the IDEA Exhibit Hall (Canada Hall 1&2).

Poster presenters will be available during scheduled breaks in the Exhibit Hall to answer questions and interact directly with attendees. Visit the conference schedule for the full list of posters and poster times.

How Do I Obtain CEUs?

Q:    How can I obtain CEUs?
A:    Attendees can download CEU certificates for each session attended onsite by completing the survey in the app or from the IDEA2026 website.

Additional CE credits can be obtained through the IDEA Learning Center after completing all required tasks to earn credit. Detailed instructions for accessing the Learning Center will be provided after the conference.