ASHRAE

ASHRAE, which stands for the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, is a global professional society founded in 1894 and headquartered in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, with over fifty thousand members across more than one hundred thirty countries. Despite its name, the organization is internationally focused and its membership includes engineers, architects, contractors, building owners, manufacturers, and researchers involved in the built environment and HVAC systems. ASHRAE is best known for developing and publishing industry standards that are incorporated into building codes worldwide, including Standard 90.1 which sets minimum energy efficiency requirements for commercial building envelopes and mechanical systems and is referenced by the International Energy Conservation Code, Standard 62.1 for ventilation and indoor air quality, and Standard 55 for thermal comfort conditions for human occupancy. The society publishes the ASHRAE Handbook, a four-volume technical reference covering fundamentals, refrigeration, HVAC applications, and HVAC systems and equipment that is updated on a four-year cycle. Annual ASHRAE Winter and Annual Conferences bring together building science professionals for technical paper presentations, standards committee meetings, and networking events.