5 HVAC and Data Center Sessions I'm Excited about at UltraFacility 2025

The UltraFacility Conference is stepping into new frontiers this year, with some of the most forward-thinking HVAC and data center content we’ve ever hosted.

When we opened the doors to HVAC sessions in 2024, it was in direct response to what our industry partners were asking for. That decision has paid off. The result is a wave of collaboration and technical exchange between the semiconductor and data center worlds – two industries that share more in common as industrial cooling needs evolve in scale and complexity. 

As one end-user reviewer put it, the 2025 abstracts are “exactly the kind of solutions we want to see.” From AI optimization of chiller plants to breakthroughs in liquid cooling, every presentation has the same goals: saving water, cutting energy, and making operators’ lives easier.

Here are five HVAC and data center highlights I’m personally looking forward to at UltraFacility 2025 (3–5 December, Austin, Texas):

1. Smart HVAC Optimization

Two standout papers demonstrate how artificial intelligence is transforming energy efficiency across facilities.

• With their paper “Smarter Cooling for Smarter Chips: Data-Driven Optimization of Cooling Towers in Semiconductor Facilities”, Infinite Cooling delivers hot topic case studies on MIT-derived technology. Real data from two live pilots showing a 30% reduction in energy use through AI-based optimization.
• Rockwell Automation showcases an emerging model for maximizing efficiency and reliability through advanced data analytics in their paper: “Chiller Plant Optimization for Semiconductor Manufacturing: A Data-Driven Approach for Closed-Loop Operation”.

Together, they show how AI is moving from concept to daily operation, making smarter, more responsive HVAC systems the new standard.

Filter all 50 abstracts presented at UltraFacility here.

2. Pre-Conference Workshop: Data Centers & Semiconductor Facilities in the AI Era

Setting the scene for cross-industrial collaboration, we’re hosting a cross-sector workshop dedicated to critical infrastructure for the AI revolution.

Engineering the next generation of facilities requires both scale and precision — and data centers and fabs share many of the same challenges. This interactive, roundtable-style session will explore design, construction, electrical infrastructure, HVAC systems, and cooling strategies, guided by experts from Meta, Samsung Austin Semiconductor, Georg Fischer, Carollo Engineers, and Ecolab.

It’s a rare chance to have direct, unscripted discussions with people building the physical backbone of our digital future.

View the full workshop agenda here.

3. Advances in Liquid Cooling for Data Centers

Liquid cooling is quickly becoming a defining trend for both data centers and semiconductor fabs, and this year’s sessions cover it from multiple angles:

• “Benefits of Water Reclaim Systems for Evaporative Cooled Data Centers” – Carollo Engineers
  Performance data from an operational mid-west facility showing a 75% reduction in wastewater discharge.
• “Engineering Precision in Liquid Cooling Systems” – Schneider Electric
  A real-world case study where direct-to-chip liquid cooling replaces air cooling, cutting energy use and improving heat management.
• “Water Cooling IQ” – Ecolab
  New approaches to optimizing cooling performance while maintaining sustainability and system integrity.

These sessions highlight how the AI revolution does not need to consume disproportionate water quantities, as data centers move to more reclaim and direct-to-chip cooling. Engineering new techniques for cooling offers an avenue for collaboration with semiconductor, who can exchange best practices and enable scale deployment of AI technologies. 

Filter all 50 abstracts presented at UltraFacility here.

4. Hands-on Technical Roundtables

On December 3rd and December 4th, UltraFacility will host roundtable sessions designed to foster open exchange and give attendees the chance to meet the end-users’ making decisions on their systems.

In the Facility Foundations pre-conference workshop, roundtable hosts will lead participants through an expert-designed case study. Expect focused discussions on cooling system design (Ecolab), and facility-scale HVAC strategies (Samsung Austin Semiconductor).

The main roundtable session on December 5th will feature more HVAC roundtables hosted by Samsung Austin Semiconductor, as well as a special future-looking discussion on alternatives to PFAS-based Heat Transfer Fluids, led by Intel. 

These sessions are built for honest, practical conversations and they’re often where the best new ideas are born.

View 25+ roundtables confirmed for December 5th here.

5. Day 2 Opening Panel: The Convergence of Fabs and Data Centers

The data center buildout shows no sign of slowing — and it’s reshaping the entire semiconductor ecosystem. The two industries influence each other in every way: power, water, construction, materials, and design.

This opening panel of Qualcomm, Micron, Carollo Engineers and a data center planning company will bring together leaders from both sectors to tackle three crucial questions:

• What does the chip technology roadmap look like, and what does that mean for advanced facility operations, such as cooling and the water-power nexus?
• What sustainability, infrastructure, and resource constraints emerge as these industries grow side by side?
• What can each learn from the other’s construction and operation strategies?

With senior directors speaking openly about the opportunities for strategic and technical convergence, this panel is your chance to understand one of the most important emerging dynamics in facility innovation and spending.

View the Day 2 Panel here.

UltraFacility 2025: Where innovations meet application

Now only 4 weeks away, UltraFacility will play a key role as a forum for knowledge-exchange between 800+ data center and semiconductor manufacturing experts. It’s a place to connect, to collaborate, and to exchange the kind of data-driven technical insights that practically advance the cutting-edge of facility operations. 

For anyone looking to join, spaces are still available. You can book your place now at ultrafacility.io/booking/. I look forward to seeing you all there.