January 22, 2008

This morning I had the opportunity to meet with editors and reporters of leading HVAC&R trade magazines to share my message about ASHRAE’s work related to net-zero-energy building.

Rising energy costs, climate concerns, and a greater emphasis on sustainable buildings have awakened the interest of nearly everyone looking for ways to simultaneously create more energy-efficient buildings, save money and help the environment. To move beyond the first steps of solar panels and compact fluorescent light bulbs means a fundamental shift toward the creation of net-zero-energy buildings.

Joining me were Steve Skalko, vice chair of our Standard 90.1 Committee, and Mark MacCracken, vice of chair of the Standard 189.1 Committee. The media was very interested in the work being done by our Society, particularly 189.1P (our proposed standard for high performing buildings). Their interest reinforces my belief that we are headed for a market transformation. I believe this standard, once published, will play a leading role in that transformation.

Later, our roundtable, High-Performance Buildings: Lessons from the Leaders, took place. The panelists are key players in the design and operation of New York City’s most sustainable buildings. The panelists shared their experience in delivering high-performing buildings. As one stated “what we do today is called high performance but it is just good and efficient design…..It is reasonable to believe that the issue is no longer if it is a high performance building: the question is how high.” This session was video-recorded and will be available soon on ASHRAE.org at no charge.

Finally, I had the pleasure of accepting a Readers Choice Award from RSES Journal for the Standard 15 Users Manual, which provides guidance for our Safety Standard for Refrigeration Systems. It is a nice reminder of the value of ASHRAE products to the marketplace.

Tonight, I’m headed off to our members’ night out, which is great way to wind down after the hectic week. I look forward to talking to friends and colleagues.