Sustainability

The Sustainability Committee's responsibilities are:

1. Develop and coordinate a chapter sponsored community sustainability project or event in conjunction with a non-profit organization to help local charities lower costs related to HVAC&R and make a difference in the community.
2. Ensure that organized events are publicized within the normal Chapter advertisements channel and outside of normal Chapter advertisements.
3. Encourage ASHRAE members to share their engineering knowledge to improve the world around them.
4. Work in collaboration with Chapter Technology Transfer Committee (CTTC) to organize educational seminar having a sustainability theme (e.g. energy efficiency, indoor air quality, high-performance buildings, bEQ etc.).
5. Encourage the formation of a chapter user group on modeling that has an active online forum or meets periodically to provide education and mutual support.
6. Facilitate and coordinate chapter sponsored presentation to local, state or provincial government entity serving the Chapter area (e.g. school board, state or provincial legislative committee, state or provincial agency, city council, county board, etc.) on sustainability or energy related topics.
7. Promote to the chapter members Professional Development Hours (PDHs) on building science topic related to sustainability.

There are two prominent ASHRAE Technical Committees that our Sustainability Committee will interface with:

Building Environmental Impacts and Sustainability - TC 2.8

TC 2.8 is concerned with the environmental, social and economic impacts of buildings, including effects on ecosystem sustainability and the well-being of building occupants. The committee works to enhance awareness of these issues and the resiliency needed to adapt to a changing climate. Building impacts of concern include, but are not limited to, environmental impacts of energy and water production, conversion, delivery and use; availability of energy and other resources; pollution of air, water, and soil; and encroachment on sensitive habitats and ecosystems.

Exergy Analysis for Sustainable Buildings (EXER) - TC 7.4

TC 7.4 is concerned with all exergy aspects of energy and power utilization of systems and equipment for comfort and service, assessment of their impact on the environment, and development of analysis techniques, methodologies and solutions for environmentally safer, sustainable low-exergy buildings.

Upcoming SUSTAINABILITY events