ATLANTA - The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) are entering into an agreement, to be signed at IFMA’s World Workplace 2008 Conference & Expo today, that increases cooperation between the two groups. The memorandum of understanding calls for sharing resources and collaborating on projects, publications, sustainability research, and educational offerings beneficial to both organizations’ members and constituents. ASHRAE and IFMA will also work together on legislative and regulatory issues through their Washington, D.C., offices.

“Engineers and facility managers share an important relationship in creating and maintaining buildings that are safe, healthy, and energy efficient,” said Bill Harrison, ASHRAE president. “Now, ASHRAE and IFMA are seeking to take that cooperative relationship to the next level. This agreement strengthens the existing partnership between our two organizations. By working together on issues in the built environment, we can enhance our respective efforts to create a sustainable future.”

“ASHRAE’s indoor air quality standards have long provided benchmarks and guidelines for facility managers to use in keeping workers comfortable, safe, and productive,” said David J. Brady, IFMA president and CEO. “In the new era of triple bottom line accountability on financial, social, and environmental contributions, the need for energy vigilance and conservation is greater than ever.”

For more information about ASHRAE, visit www.ashrae.org. For more information about IFMA, visit www.ifma.org.

Publication date: 10/13/2008