Society News

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations 
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

Editor's Note: A sidebar on HVAC&R-related historical items about St. Louis is available upon request.

ATLANTA – In 1904, at the World’s Fair held in St. Louis, Missouri, the general population was introduced for the first time to the comfort of air conditioning. 

One hundred and twelve years later, ASHRAE is taking its Annual Conference to the city to discuss the latest in built environment technology. The Conference takes place June 25-29, Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel and America’s Center Convention Complex.

To register or for complete information, visit www.ashrae.org/stlouis.

The Conference Technical program features a track on Smart Building Systems, which addresses the revolution in information technology applied to the built environment. Weather and time of day utility rate forecasting, distributed sensors and remote monitoring and control are all included. Also taking place is the fourth annual Research Summit, which reports results on many aspects of ASHRAE-related research.

Tracks are:

• Advances in Refrigeration Systems and Alternative Refrigerants
• Fundamentals and Applications
• HVAC Systems and Equipment
• Smart Building Systems/Remote Monitoring and Diagnostics
• Indoor Environment: Health, Comfort, Productivity
• Professional Skills Beyond Engineering
• Renewable Energy Systems and Net Zero Buildings

ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI) offers two full-day seminars and eight half-day courses. New courses include Variable Refrigerant Flow System Design & Applications; Standard 188-2015 – Successfully Managing the Risk of Legionellosis; and Designing Tall, Supertall and Megatall Building Systems. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/stlouiscourses.

Apply by June 6 to sit for one of six ASHRAE certification exams:  Energy Assessment, Energy Modeling, Commissioning, Healthcare Facility Design, High- Performance Building Design and Building Operations. Apply at www.ashrae.org/stlouisexams.

Technical tours include the Center Ethanol Co., the America's Center chiller plant and the St. Louis Sheet Metal Workers Apprentice and Training School. General tours include a taste of local culinary delights, a look at facilities related to the city’s baseball history, the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, the botanical gardens and historical homes, microbreweries, architecture, and a visit to historical areas of interest.

Jeff Henderson is the keynote speaker at the opening Plenary Session, held Saturday, June 25. Henderson discovered his passion and gift for cooking in a most unlikely place—prison. He is now an award-winning chef, bestselling author and Food Network television star.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

###

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – Creation of a database to help better understand human thermal comfort in residential and commercial buildings is being funded through an ASHRAE grant program.

Veronika Foldvary, a visiting Ph.D. student at the Center for the Built Environment (CBE), University of California, Berkeley, is one of 18 students who will receive a grant through the ASHRAE Graduate Student Grant-In-Aid Award Program, which is designed to encourage students to continue their education in preparation for service in the HVAC&R industry. The grants, totaling $180,000, are awarded to full-time graduate students of ASHRAE-related technologies.

The project would identify previous thermal comfort and occupant responses in residential and commercial buildings worldwide. Foldvary would collect that data to construct an international database, which would include measurements of all the physical conditions affecting thermal comfort (air temperature, humidity, air movement, radiant temperature and occupant clothing and metabolic rate) plus subjective surveys (thermal sensation, comfort, perceived air quality and wherever possible, adaptive behavior and interaction with building controls).

“The database would be used to analyze trends in thermal comfort and behavior patterns and evaluate current comfort prediction tools, as well as their relevance to different building types, climates, cultures and demographics,” Foldvary said. “We would convene discussion groups to address issues of data analysis and representation to ensure its usefulness to the global research community. The analysis will provide the evidence base for developing improved international standards.”

Grant recipients are:

• Paul Armatis, Oregon State University, Experimental Validation of Models for Heat and Mass Performance Evaluation of Membrance Based Energy Recovery Devices
• Daniel Fernandes Bacellar, University of Maryland, Airside Heat Transfer Augmentation Using Multi-Scale Analysis and Shape Optimization for Compact Heat Exchanges with Small Hydraulic Diameters
• Jennifer Date, Concordia University, Model-Based Control of Convectively Conditioned Thermal Zones for Energy and Load Management
• Amin Engarnevis, University of British Columbia, Effect of Humidity, Temperature and Particle Fouling on Permeation Properties of Polymer Membrances
• Veronika Foldvary, University of California, Thermal Comfort Database for Commercial and Residential Buildings
• Seyed Ghahfarrokhy, University of Toronto, Development and Validation of a Novel Approach to Quantify the Impact of Human Exposure to Particle-Bound Contaminants in the Indoor Environment
• Sara Gilani, Carleton University, Occupant Modeling for Prediction of Comfort and building Energy Performance in Office Spaces
• Kristen Jaczko, Queen’s University in Kingston, Advanced Integrated Energy Systems for High Performance buildings
• Leigh Lesnick, University of Texas at Austin, Characterization of Air Mixing with Different HVAC Systems and Assessment of Potential for Airborne Infectious Disease Transmission in Schools
• Hongwan Li, University of Texas Austin, Evaluation of HVAC Filters a Sampling Mechanism for SVOC Pollutants in U.S. Schools
• Ryan Milcarek, Syracuse University, Flame Assisted Fuel Cell for Micro Combined Heating and Power Systems; also receives the Grant-In-Aid Life Member Club grant designation given to the highest rated applicants and supported by a financial contribution from the club.
• Fuxin Niu, University of Alabama, Uncertainty Quantifications and Operation Optimization of Buildings as Virtual Batteries for the Grid with High Penetrations of Renewables
• Sukjoon Oh, Texas A&M University, Quantifying the Energy Savings Benefits of Smart Meters and Home Automation for Single Family Residences
• Parichehr Salimifrad, Pennsylvania State University, Transport of Indoor Biological Dust
• Yi Wang, National University Singapore, Effectiveness of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation Systems in Air Handling Units in Enhancing IAQ and  Energy Performance; also receives the Grant-In-Aid Life Member Club grant designation given to the highest rated applicants and supported by a financial contribution from the club.
• Jiu Xu, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Oil Separation Compressors

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found atwww.ashrae.org/news.

###

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – Registration for the 2016 ASHRAE Webcast, “Making Net Zero Net Positive: Solving the Efficiency & Cost Paradox,” opens today, March 21, at www.ashrae.org/webcast. There is no fee for registration.

The webcast will broadcast live on April 21, 2016, from 1-4 p.m. EDT. This webcast is offered by ASHRAE’s Chapter Technology Transfer Committee (CTTC).

“The presenters will discuss the primary technical and financial challenges in achieving net zero buildings,” Nathan Hart, chair of the CTTC Webcast Ad Hoc Committee, said. “Viewers will learn the importance of, and why we should strive for, net zero in the built environment. The focus will be on realistic solutions and methods of energy conservation.”

Webcast presenters are:

• 2015-16 ASHRAE President David Underwood, P.Eng., CPMP, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
• Marc Brune, P.E., senior associate and mechanical engineer, PAE, Portland, Ore.
• Philip Macey, AIA, national director of collaborative delivery, JE Dunn Construction, Denver, Colo.
• Paul Torcellini, Ph.D., P.E., principal engineer for commercial building research, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colo.

The Webcast has been approved for three HSW Learning Units (LU/HSW) by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and three Continuing Education Hours (CEs) by GBCI.  The state of New York also recognizes AIA course approval.

Visit www.ashrae.org/webcast for more information on the webcast and continuing education credits, as well as ASHRAE net zero resources. 

Not able to view the live webcast? Register to take advantage of the free online on demand webcast, which allows viewers unlimited access to the webcast online until May 6, 2016. Registration is required to view the on demand webcast.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

###

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1216
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – Engineers will get a bird’s eye view of the energy use of building envelopes under a project funded through an ASHRAE Undergraduate Senior Project Grant.

This year, 24 schools from around the world were awarded grants. The grants, totaling some $110,000, are awarded by ASHRAE to colleges and universities worldwide to promote the study and teaching of HVAC&R, encouraging senior undergraduate students to pursue related careers.

The grants are used to design and construct projects, such as The University of Alabama’s proposal to use an unmanned aerial vehicle to document building energy audits. The project notes that while building audits are a key process for determining building efficiency, performance and faults, audits require knowledge of the internal building and energy system and the external building envelope, which can present a challenge.

“The vehicle would be used to quantify envelope characteristics of hard-to-reach and large regions on modern buildings,” Zheng O’Neill, Ph.D., of the Mechanical Engineering Department and advisor of the project, said. “The information will provide engineers with systematically measured control volume characteristics. For example, infrared thermal camera data will provide information of building envelope temperature, which can be used for building infiltration diagnostics.”

She will work with Charles O’Neill of the Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics Department for the vehicle development and flight tests.

The goal of the project is to build a co-robot (human controlled with robotic assistance) quadcopter with onboard sensors including infrared temperature camera, visible light camera, heat flux sensors, direct temperature probes and location and orientation.

Other ASHRAE grant recipients are:

• Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Design and Prototyping of a Heat Transfer Enhanced Hybrid Air Based Building Integrated Solar Photovoltaic/Thermal Collector for Net Zero Energy Building Applications
• Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio, Chiller Control Training Boards
• Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas, A Laboratory System for Evaluating Cooling Systems in Consumer Electronic Devices
• University of Windsor (Ontario),  A Novel Membrane Absorption Heat Pump
• University of Oregon, Eugene,  Campus Audit Squads for Energy (CASE) Studies
• Carleton University,  Ottawa, Ontario, Evaluation of Office-Level Energy Consumption Using a Sparse Sensor Network
• University of Alabama at Birmingham, Cooling and Electricity from Renewable Compressed Air
• Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., HVAC Heat Transfer Experiment and Modelling
• De La Salle University-Manila,  Design, Fabrication and Testing of a Laboratory Set-up of an Aqua-Ammonia Absorption System
• University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines,  Development of an Ice Storage Air Conditioning System as Laboratory Equipment for Engineer Students of University of Santo Tomas
• Southern Illinois University, Carbondale,  Solar Energy PCM Storage combined with Solar-Powered Water Purification
• The University of Texas at Tyler,  Auto Self-Balanced Zoning System
• The University of Texas at Tyler, Phase II – TxAIRE House 2 Ground Source Heat Pump
• Capital University of Science and Technology Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan, Design and Fabrication of a Heat Pump
• Mapúa Institute of Technology, Manila, Philippines, Improvement of An Indoor Environmental Quality Laboratory
• Mapúa Institute of Technology,  Manila, Philippines, Development of a Laboratory Set-Up of a Geothermal Air-Conditioning System
• Texas A&M University - Kingsville, Development of a Miniature HVAC System on Wheel for Classroom Application
• North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, N.C.,  Integrated Variable Air Volume and Terminal VAV Box Control with BACnet DDC, Matlab-Based Monitoring, and Simulation Systems
• The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Building Energy Audits Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
• Sinclair Community College, Dayton, Ohio,  Development of a Ground Source Heat Pump Simulator
• D Y Patil, Maharashtra, India, Performance Analysis of PTC based Solar Powered Solid Adsorption Refrigeration System
• Montana State University,  Bozeman,  Radiant Panel Design Set
• University of Algarve,  Faro, Portugal, Development of a Clean Technology Applied in the Air Treatment and Energy Production
• Mississippi State University, Smart Building Wireless Sensor Network

For more information on the grant program, visit www.ashrae.org/grants.  ASHRAE will begin accepting applications for the 2016-17 program in August 2016, with a December 2016 final deadline.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a building technology society with more than 50,000 members worldwide. The Society and its members focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability within the industry. Through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today.

###

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – A new course, “Variable Refrigerant Flow System Design & Application,” is one of 11 offerings in ASHRAE’s Spring Online Course series.

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems are now being applied in a range of building types across North America.  Benefits of VRF include zoning applications, variable capacity, distributed control, low operating sound, simultaneous heating and cooling, effective energy usage, quick installation, low ambient operation and low maintenance costs.

The course, which takes place May 16, provides non-manufacturer specific concepts of how to apply VRF systems to buildings. It will supplement the fundamental technology introduction presented in the 2012 ASHRAE Handbook, HVAC Systems and Equipment, offering the consulting engineers who already have a basic knowledge of VRF technology.

Eleven online professional development seminars focused on commissioning, spring environmental quality, energy efficiency, HVAC applications, and standards and guidelines are being offered this sby the ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI).

Participants can access these instructor-led courses from anywhere with an Internet connection, and earn continuing education units/professional development hours for each course completed.

ALI courses provide professional development through in-depth information that is timely, practical and advanced beyond a fundamental level. Online courses are offered every spring and fall.

For pricing or to register, visit www.ashrae.org/onlinecourses. The courses offered this fall cover a variety of topics relevant to today’s built environment, including:

Commissioning

• Commissioning Process & Standard 202, March 30

Energy Efficiency

• Combined Heat & Power: Creating Efficiency through Design & Operations, March 28
• IT Equipment Design Evolution & Data Center Operation Optimization, April 6

HVAC Applications

• Air-to-Air Energy Recovery Applications:  Best Practices. April 27
• Laboratory Design: The Basics and Beyond, April 18
• Operation & Maintenance of High-Performance Buildings, May 17 and 18
• Variable Refrigerant Flow System Design & Applications, May 16

Standards & Guidelines

• ASHRAE Standard 188-2015 – Successfully Managing the Risk of Legionellosis, April 25
• Complying with Standard 90.1-2013: HVAC/Mechanical, April 13
• Exceeding Standard 90.1-2013 to Meet LEED®, April 11 and 20
• Fundamental Requirements of Standard 62.1-2013, May 2

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

###

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

Editors Note: Photographs from the Conference are available upon request.

ATLANTA – High attendance was reported for the recent ASHRAE Winter Conference and AHR Expo, in Orlando. The 2016 ASHRAE Winter Conference, was held Jan. 23-27, with the AHR Expo held Jan. 25-27.

The Winter Conference had more than 3,000 attendees. Attendance this year was higher than the past eight Winter Conferences, except Las Vegas 2011. Attendees came from 67 countries. The 2016 AHR Expo, co-sponsored by ASHRAE, set a record by being the first show outside of Chicago to break 400,000 square feet of exhibitor space. The Expo featured 2,063 exhibitors, including 561 deemed international. The total attendance for visitors was 42,672, with total attendance of visitors and exhibitors at 60,926.

Best sellers at the ASHRAE Bookstores included the Pocket Guide I-P; “HVAC Design Manual for Hospitals and Clinics,” 2nd edition; “Cold-Climate Buildings Design Guide;” Guideline 0-2013, The Commissioning Process; Standard 188-2015, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems; “HVAC Simplified;” and the “Design Guide for Tall, Supertall, and Megatall Building Systems.”

The Conference’s Technical Program ranked high in attendance, with new tracks focused on design-build practices and residential systems. Individual top-attended sessions in the technical program were related to Cooling with the Sun: Solar Thermal Cooling; Energy Submetering Fundamentals: Benchmarking, Baselining and Beyond!; The Impacts of Operable Windows on Building Performance; Highlights from the 24th IIR International Congress of Refrigeration; The Internet of Everything: How Smart and Connected Sensors Will Transform the HVAC Service Industry;  HVAC Pumps: New ECM Motor and Control Technologies; Indoor Air Quality and Energy Efficiency: Measurement and Analysis of Multiple Approaches; Back to Basics: The Science, Application and Art of Load Calculations; Integrating Cutting-Edge Technology: Renewable Energy and Thermal Energy Storage; and  Hydronic Systems: Doing More with Less.

Also offered were a combined 20 Professional Development Seminars and Short Courses from ASHRAE Learning Institute. The most popular Short Course offerings were Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems; Complying with Standard 90.1: HVAC/Mechanical; and Designing High-Performance Healthcare HVAC Systems. The Professional Development Seminars that drew the highest number of registrations were Energy Modeling Best Practices & Applications; Commercial Building Energy Audits; and Commissioning Process for New & Existing Buildings.

The 2016 ASHRAE Annual Conference takes place in St. Louis, Mo., June 25-June 29, 2016. The 2017 ASHRAE Winter Conference takes place Jan. 28-Feb. 1, Las Vegas, Nev., with the AHR Expo being held Jan. 30-Feb 1.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

###

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – ASHRAE has announced a call for papers for its 2017 Winter Conference in Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 28-Feb. 1, 2017.

The conference seeks papers that address the new conference tracks and other prevailing issues in the industry.

“Today’s HVAC&R profession is facing challenges unlike those from the past,” Leon Shapiro, Conference chair, said.  “The rapidity with which technology advances the modeling, design, equipment, systems, construction and operation of the buildings we deal with, along with the speed with which climate change is significantly altering the conditions around which we design, are creating problems for today’s ASHRAE members.  The conference seeks to address those problems.”

The conference seeks papers on new tracks that address the changes in technology:

• The relationship between water usage and energy systems becomes more prominent as the demands of development and over use as well as climate change continue to drain resources. The Water-Energy Nexus track highlights research in this area. It also explores technologies and designs intended to reduce the gap between energy and water efficiency.
• The Advances in Mission Critical Design and Operation track highlights developments in mission critical facilities and the challenges of meeting increasing load demands while minimizing the impact on energy and water usage.
• Climate change will have an increasing effect on the design and operation of the built environment. The Climate Change and Its Effects on HVAC&R Design and Technologies track focuses on methods to increase building resiliency and facilitate climate adaptation.
• Energy Efficient Industrial Buildings and Life Safety spotlights energy efficiency in industrial buildings and how it can be achieved without compromising life safety considerations.

In addition, the conference seeks papers on Fundamentals and Applications, HVAC&R Systems and Equipment, Commercial and Industrial IAQ and Building Operation and Performance: Meeting the Modeling Expectations.   

“The industry’s goal is to design, build and operate buildings today that are efficient and sustainable, and that are intended to remain efficient and sustainable into the future,” Shapiro said. “How do you accomplish that if tomorrow promises to be notably different than today?  No sensible design decisions can be made without taking into account not only the world as it has been or is, but also the world as it will be. The 2017 ASHRAE Winter Conference attempts to bridge this design challenge through the tracks and papers and programs accepted for the program.”

 ASHRAE offers two types of paper submissions:

Conference Papers: Abstracts due March 14, 2016. Upon acceptance, papers will be due July 6, 2016. These “final” papers undergo a single-blind review, are submitted as a PDF and have an eight single-spaced page maximum length.

Full Technical Papers, which are due April 18, 2016. Papers submitted for review must be both technically accurate and clearly written. These papers undergo a rigorous double-blind review and can be a maximum of 30 double-spaced pages.

To submit a Conference paper abstract or a technical paper and for more information about the conference, visit www.ashrae.org/lasvegas.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

###

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – A newly published User’s Manual clarifies the intent and implementation of the building industry’s foremost green building standard by explaining its requirements and providing example applications.

The User’s Manual to ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1-2014, Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, is intended to help engineers, architects, and contractors understand and comply with the standard and to help code officials and others enforce its requirements. This new version of the User’s Manual updates the version published in 2010, which covered the content of Standard 189.1-2009.

Standard 189.1 addresses the areas of site sustainability; water-use efficiency; energy ef­ficiency; indoor environmental quality; the building’s impact on the atmosphere, materials and resources; and construction and plans for operation.  The standard is published by ASHRAE, the Illuminating Engineering Society of (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). For complete information on the standard, including a readable copy, visitwww.ashrae.org/greenstandard.

“The 2014 standard updates the 2011 standard through 67 individual addenda that modified all sections of the standard,” Andrew Persily, chair of the Standard 189.1 committee, said. “The User’s Manual is vital in helping the industry understand these updated provisions, which will help further reduce building energy and environmental impacts through high performance design, construction and operation while providing indoor environments that support the activities of building occupants.”

Among the many changes in the 2014 edition of Standard 189.1 that are addressed in the User’s Manual are:

• Change of all site requirements to mandatory, with the previous prescriptive and performance options moved to the mandatory requirements.
• Addition of minimum storm water management requirements for minimizing the impact of storm water discharge from the project site.
• Inclusion of new requirements for bicycle parking; preferred park for low-emission, hybrid and electric vehicles; and a predesign assessment of native and invasive plants.
• Adjustment of minimum on-site renewable energy requirements to provide two clear prescriptive paths for including on-site renewable energy in a project.
• Establishment of two performance options for demonstrating compliance with the minimum energy efficiency requirements.
• Addition of lighting quality to the scope of the indoor environmental quality section as well as requirements for lighting controls in specific space types.
• Clarification of the requirements for air sealing of filtration and air-cleaning equipment; and new requirements for preoccupancy ventilation.
• Addition of minimum moisture control requirements to reduce negative impacts associated with unintentional moisture migration through the building envelope.
• Addition of new requirements for multiple-attribute product declaration or certification and maximum mercury content of certain types of electric lamps.
• Update of requirements related to the environmental impacts associated with the idling of construction vehicles and new requirements to reduce the entry of airborne contaminants associated with construction areas.

The cost of the User’s Manual is $105 ($89, ASHRAE members).

To order, visit www.ashrae.org/bookstore or contact ASHRAE Customer Contact Center at 1-800-527-4723 (United States and Canada) or 404-636-8400 (worldwide) or fax 678-539-2129.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

###

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – After the success and popularity of the first modeling challenge, the ASHRAE LowDown Showdown will be a part of the ASHRAE and IBPSA-USA SimBuild 2016 Conference, Aug. 10-12, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Showdown is a modeling challenge designed to showcase the work of several teams competing to model a net zero or below building. The competition gives conference attendees the opportunity to work with vendors and developers to showcase their abilities using the vendor’s simulation tools, innovative workflows and creative problem solving to model a high performance building.

The Showdown provides a fun way of encouraging participation, demonstrating tool usage in building modeling and for participants to present their models to their peers and colleagues.

How to Join the ASHRAE LowDown Showdown
Each team will be comprised of volunteers who will sign up to play a role on each team, such as:

• Engineers
• Architects
• Designers
• Energy modelers

The teams will be given a “baseline building” and then each team will have several months to work together to create their proposed building.  

At the conference, on the day of the Showdown, each team will present their results.  Teams will be scored on a number of criteria.

The deadline to sign up to participate is Monday, Feb. 15. Join a team by signing up here:https://www.research.net/r/ashraelowdownshowdown16.

Participation in the ASHRAE LowDown Showdown is available to all registered attendees of the ASHRAE and IBPSA-USA SimBuild 2016: Building Performance Modeling Conference. Registration will open this spring.

Call for Presenters
The Call for Presenters is now open.  Abstracts (400 or less words in length) and a 100-word promotional abstract are due Feb. 3, 2016. Papers are not required for accepted presentation proposals.  For more information or to submit an abstract, go towww.ashrae.org/simbuild2016.

 “The first jointly organized conference was held in 2014 and was a huge success in its ability to bring the building energy analysis and performance simulation community together and provide the conference content to serve attendees,” Dennis Knight, Conference chair, said. “The ASHRAE and IBPSA-USA SimBuild 2016 Conference seeks to build upon that success and further improve the industry’s ability to accurately model building performance.”

Modelers, software developers, owner and researchers will address the practices of energy modeling and building performance simulation using existing simulation tools, software development, and future simulation research and applications.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

IBPSA-USA is the United States regional affiliate of the International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA). The mission of IBPSA-USA is to advance and promote the science of building simulation in order to improve the design, construction, operation and maintenance of new and existing buildings in the United States.

###

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – Fifty-four people were recognized for their contributions to ASHRAE and the industry at the Society’s 2016 Winter Conference, Jan. 23-27, Orlando, Fla.

The F. Paul Anderson Award, ASHRAE’s highest for technical achievement, is given for notable achievement of outstanding services performed in the HVAC&R field. The recipient is Presidential Member Thomas E. Watson, Fellow ASHRAE, Life Member, director of the Daikin Learning Institution, Daikin Applied, Staunton, Virginia.

The ASHRAE Hall of Fame honors deceased members of the Society who have made milestone contributions to the growth of ASHRAE-related technology or the development of ASHRAE as a society. Inductees are Calvin D. MacCracken, who with more than 200 inventions and 80 patents is best known for his pioneering work in off peak cooling energy costs savings and energy conserving options in ice rinks. His inventions include flexible duct heating/cooling, a roller-type hot dog cooker, comfort controls for the Apollo astronauts' space suits, plastic mat ice rink, and roll-out solar collectors; and John Edwin Starr, a pioneer in development of small sized refrigeration systems and refrigeration by pipeline from central stations, as well as founder and the first president of The American Society of Refrigerating Engineers (ASRE), an ASHRAE predecessor society, in 1904-05.

Fellow ASHRAE is a membership grade that recognizes members who have attained distinction and made substantial contributions in HVAC&R such as education, research, engineering design and consultation, publications and mentoring. The Society elevated 17 members to the grade of Fellow:

• Peter R. Armstrong, Ph.D., P.E., Masdar Institute, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
• Clive Broadbent, C.P.Eng., Life Member, director, Clive Broadbent and Associates Pty. Ltd., Campbell Australian Capital, Australia.
• Wan Ki Chow, Ph.D., C.Eng., R.P.E., chair professor of Architectural Science and Fire Engineering, Department of Building Services Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
• Suhas D. Deshpande, principal consultant, S.D. Deshpande Consulting Engineers, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
• William D. Gerstler, Ph.D., senior mechanical engineer, General Electric-Global Research, Niskayuna, New York.
• Kristin Heinemeier, Ph.D., P.E., principal engineer, Energy Efficiency Center, University of California, Davis.
• Marisa Jimenez de Segovia, president, Air-Care de Mexico, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
• Kishor Khankari, Ph.D., president, AnSight LLC., Ann Arbor, Michigan.
• Kwang Woo Kim, Ph.D., P.E., a professor, Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
• Dennis R. Landsberg, Ph.D., P.E., Life Member, BEAP, president, L&S Energy Services Inc., Clifton Park, New York, and Henderson, Nevada.
• Patrick C. Marks, P.E., an engineering manager, Johnson Controls, York, Pennsylvania.
• John A. Murphy, an applications engineer, Trane, a business of Ingersoll Rand, La Crosse, Wisconsin.
• Riyaz A. Papar, P.E., director, Global Energy Services, Hudson Technologies Co.
• Andy Pearson, Ph.D., C.Eng., group engineering director, Star Refrigeration LTD., Glasgow, United Kingdom.
• Mukund Sudhakar Ranade, a self-employed professional consultant, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
• Mick Schwedler, P.E., an applications engineering manager, Trane, a brand of Ingersoll Rand, La Crosse, Wisconsin.
• Om Taneja, Ph.D., P.E., an independent consultant, Associated Inspections and Consulting Engineers, Kendell Park, New Jersey.

The ASHRAE Technology Awards recognize outstanding achievements by ASHRAE members who have successfully applied innovative building design.  Their designs incorporate ASHRAE standards for effective energy management and indoor air quality and serve to communicate innovative systems design.Winning projects are selected from entries earning regional awards. First place recipients are:

• Benjamin A. Skelton, P.E., BEMP, president, Cyclone Energy Group, Chicago, Ill., in the new commercial buildings category for the Walgreens Net Zero Store, Evanston, Ill. The building is owned by Walgreen Co.
• Dylan T. Connelly, associate, Integral Group, Oakland, Calif., in the existing commercial buildings category for DPR Construction’s San Francisco Net Positive Energy Office. The building is owned by DPR Construction.
• Nicolas Lemire, Ing., HFDP, president/principal, Pageau Morel and Associates, Montreal, Quebec, in the new educational facilities category for the Anne-Marie Edward Science Building at John Abbott College, Sainte-Anne-De-Bellevue, Quebec. The building is owned by the college.
• Ken Warren, P.E., capital project manager, Port of Seattle (Wash.), in the new industrial facilities or processes category for the Sea-Tac Airport Pre-Conditioned Air project. The building is owned by the Port of Seattle.
• Jonathan M. Heller, P.E., principal engineer, Ecotope Inc., Seattle, Wash., receives first place in the residential category for the Stack House Apartments. The building is owned by Stack House Acquisition LLC.

The ASHRAE Student Design Competition focused on a three-story classroom and office building in Doha, Qatar.

First place recipients in the HVAC System Selection are from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Team members are Brianna Brass, currently seeking a Master’s of Architectural Engineering degree, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Matthew Easlon, Feinschule Hagwon, Gwangju, Korea; Mary Kleinsasser, currently seeking a Master’s of Architectural Engineering degree, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Ben MacKenzie, mechanical engineering intern, Affiliated Engineers, Madison, Wis.; and Rachel Obenland, currently seeking a Master’s of Architectural Engineering degree, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

First place recipients in the HVAC Design Calculations also are from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Team members are Kristin Hanna, currently seeking a Master’s of Architectural Engineering degree, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Garrett Johnson; Mark Wilder, mechanical intern, M.E. Group, Omaha, Neb.

First place in the category of Integrated Sustainable Building Design goes to a team from Portland State University. Team members are Krestina Aziz, architectural designer, Otak, Portland, Ore.; Adam Buchholz, estimator, Johnson Air Products, Portland, Ore.; Nicole Dunbar, mechanical designer, Mazzetti Inc., Portland, Ore.; Lee H. Han, mechanical engineer, PAE Consulting Engineers Inc., Seattle, Wash.; Joel Joiner, project manager, Hydro-Temp Mechanical, Wilsonville, Ore.; Osman Sarper Kucuk; Blake Reynolds, mechanical designer, Interface Engineering, Portland, Ore.; Natalie Sherwood, mechanical designer, Interface Engineering, Portland, Ore.; Huy Tran, CLEARResult, Portland, Ore.; and Alex Wilson, graduate student, Portland State University. 

For the Applied Engineering Challenge, students were required to design a collapsible portable conditioned shelter that can be assembled in the field to assist in the treatment of a victim of heat illness, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

The first place Applied Engineering Challenge recipients are from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo: Miren Aizpitarte, project engineer, Critchfield Mechanical Inc., San Jose, Calif.; Cinthya Mendez, mechanical engineer, Western Allied Mechanical, Menlo Park, Calif.;  Julia Stone, mechanical facilities engineer, Intel, Chandler, Ariz.; and Willis Tang, design engineer, ACCO Engineered Systems, Glendale, Calif.

The E.K. Campbell Award of Merit honors an individual for outstanding service and achievement in teaching and is presented by the Life Members Club. The recipient is Michael M. Ohadi, Ph.D., Fellow ASHRAE, a professor of mechanical engineering and co-founder of the Center for Environmental Energy Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland. 

The ASHRAE Award for Distinguished Public Service recognizes members who have performed outstanding public service in their community and, in doing so, have helped to improve the public image of the engineer. The recipient is Erich Binder, president, Erich Binder Consulting Ltd., Calgary, Alberta.

The John F. James International Award recognizes a member who has done the most to enhance the Society's international presence. The recipient is Florentino Roson Rodriguez, Ing., president, Supercontrols S.A., Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The ASHRAE Pioneers of Industry Award recognizes deceased individuals who have made milestone contributions to the growth of HVAC&R. Recipients are Daniel Livingston Holden (1837- 1924), who was a charter member of The American Society of Refrigerating Engineers and a pioneer of the commercial refrigeration industry.;  and Benjamin Franklin Sturtevant (1833 – 1890), the founder of the air-side HVAC industry, having invented the equipment and starting the first company specializing in engineering and manufacturing of these systems.

Honorary Members, elected by the Board of Directors are defined as notable persons of preeminent professional distinction. Recipients are P.A. Hancock, Ph.D., Provost Distinguished Research Professor, Pegasos Professor and University Trustee chair, the University of Central Florida, Orlando; and Terry M. Manon, who retired from the Trane Co., in 2009 as director of Trane commercial systems air handling systems. He resides in Danville, Kentucky.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 50,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

###