ATLANTA - Lynn G. Bellenger, president of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), has distributed a letter to members informing them that ASHRAE and the National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB) are discussing a possible merger of the two associations.

In the letter, Bellenger noted that, through their initial discussions, the associations have determined:

• NEBB is a leading international certification association for firms that deliver high performance building systems. NEBB brings unique strengths to the building performance discipline.

• ASHRAE is a leader in the arts and science of HVACR and promotes high performance buildings through standards, guidelines, design manuals, and educational courses. ASHRAE brings unique strengths to the building performance discipline.

• ASHRAE and NEBB believe that building performance is evolving as a new standard by which the industry will be measured in the future.

• ASHRAE and NEBB believe that combining their strengths would produce an approach to building performance that would be superior to any that could be produced by their individual efforts.

Discussions have centered upon consolidating the organizations in a way that creates a separate organization under the ASHRAE umbrella that concentrates upon performance of the built environment and the associated education, training, and certifications for building performance professionals.

Thus, Bellenger and Bill Neudorfer, president of NEBB, have formed negotiating teams to determine if a consensus can be achieved on consolidating the two organizations.

ASHRAE members have been encouraged to send comments and questions regarding the possible merger to ashrae.nebb@ashrae.org, and Bellenger stated that NEBB is likewise reaching out to its membership.

Publication date:06/27/2011