CHICAGO - The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recognized 46 people for their contributions to ASHRAE and the HVACR industry at the society’s 2009 Winter Conference.

The ASHRAE Distinguished Public Service award, presented to Kenneth M. Fulk, P.E., principal and chief mechanical engineer of Reed, Wells Benson and Co., Dallas, recognizes distinguished public service by an ASHRAE member.

ASHRAE also elevated 22 members to fellow status. This membership grade recognizes distinction in the arts and sciences of environmental technology. The honor is earned through achievement as a researcher, designer, educator or engineering executive.

The ASHRAE Technology Awards recognize outstanding achievements by members who have successfully applied innovative building designs that incorporate ASHRAE standards for effective energy management and IAQ. Four projects received first-place ASHRAE Technology Awards, among which was Thomas H. Durkin, P.E., Durkin and Villalta Partners Engineering, Indianapolis, in the existing institutional buildings category for HVAC renovations at George Washington Carver Elementary School, Indianapolis.

Also in the Technology Awards, Eric Kirkland, Smithgroup, Phoenix, received second place in the new institutional buildings category for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory Science and Technology Facility, Golden, Colo.

The ASHRAE Student Design Project Competition challenged teams of students to create architectural design as well as select and design HVACR systems for a 60,000-square-foot community recreation center.

First place in the HVAC system selection category was awarded to Alyssa Adams, Calvin Douglass, James Gawthrop Jr., Justin Herzing, Amy Leventry, Michael Smith, and Gregory Smithmyer of The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa.

First place in the HVAC system design category went to Wiroj Ekwongmunkong, Chaowanaphan Lekkham, Pakorn Nontiwatwanich, Patarapol Puangkum, and Supayos Suveepattananont of Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. First place in the architectural design category was awarded to Alexandra Gibson, Justina Jones, Bryan Quarles, and Bazigha Tufail of the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kan.

For more information on other awards, visit www.ashrae.org.

Publication date: 03/02/2009