SUSTAINABILITY
WITH MORE THAN 56,000 members spanning 132 countries , it ’ s fair to say ASHRAE has seen it all when it comes to HVAC ( heating , ventilation and air conditioning ), and is more than qualified to live up to its motto : “ Shaping tomorrow ’ s built environment today ”.
ASHRAE was formed as the American Society of Heating , Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers by the merger in 1959 of the American Society of Heating and Air-Conditioning Engineers ( ASHAE ), founded in 1894 , and The American Society of Refrigerating Engineers ( ASRE ), founded in 1904 .
ASHRAE ’ s President Bjarne W . Olesen reveals the organisation ’ s continued success relies on strong partnerships that allow it to foster collaboration and offer guidance . “ Alongside the Air-Conditioning , Heating , and Refrigeration Institute ( AHRI ) and the US Department of Energy ( DOE ), we have collaborated to fund vital research to expedite findings and establish a more robust fact base about the properties and the use of flammable refrigerants ,” says Olesen . ” This $ 5.2mn investment will provide the technical knowledge needed to facilitate and accelerate the safe use of these refrigerants as well as identify any additional climate-friendly alternatives . Of the total , DOE is contributing $ 3mn , ASHRAE $ 1.2mn and AHRI $ 1mn .”
Allied to this , ASHRAE and UNEP ( United Nations Environment Program ) have paired up to launch new eLearning courses to help developing countries better understand and implement the Montreal Protocol as it relates to conventional and low-GWP refrigerants . ASHRAE also develops partnerships through its Associate Society Alliance ( AASA ) which brings more than 60 HVAC & R ( heating , ventilation , air conditioning & refrigeration ) societies from around the world together to unite the global built environment .
“ AASA creates a powerful force addressing global issues such as climate change and indoor air quality and allows us to speak with a larger , more influential voice on the global stage ,” asserts Olesen , who believes ASHRAE are taking the lead in developing tools to look at new and existing facilities to see if they are performing as intended . He notes this trend towards supporting sustainability in the industry is not just from a HVAC
48 April 2018