The plan outlines ASHRAE's research goals for the next five years. It centers on sustainability.

"Research and technology are the foundation of ASHRAE on which everything else is built," said John Mitchell, Ph.D., P.E., chair of the Research Advisory Panel which developed the plan.

The plan contains goals in five targeted areas: energy and resources; indoor environmental quality; tools and applications; equipment, components, and materials; and education and outreach.

"With issues related to energy conservation, refrigeration, and indoor air quality facing our industry, our foundation must remain strong," said Mitchell.

According to ASHRAE, by the year 2015, the plan should produce new residential and light commercial buildings that have 70 percent less energy use than buildings built at the turn of the millennium. ASHRAE's goals are occupant health and comfort will yield a 20 percent increase in productivity, more effective tools will improve productivity of the design process by 25 percent, and techniques will be developed reducing the installed energy use of HVACR system auxiliary equipment by 50 percent. To view the plan or for more information on ASHRAE's research program, visit www.ashrae.org/research.

Publication date: 10/24/2005