ATLANTA — Perspectives on design styles and experiences from around the world were shared by nearly 2,000 built environment industry professionals at the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers’ (ASHRAE) 2011 Annual Conference. The theme of the conference, Sustainability Knows No Borders, highlighted the international reach of ASHRAE’s membership. Some 1,690 people attended the conference, held June 26-29, in Montreal.

The ASHRAE conference offered a technical program with nearly 300 presentations, nine educational courses, and numerous social events. The meeting also featured nearly 400 meetings of technical, standards, and standing committees, developing guidance for the future of the industry and ASHRAE.

Technical program highlights included several sessions that provided new applications and current practices, such as case studies of new buildings without commissioning, using building energy information in a smart grid, selecting fans for minimum energy usage, emerging wireless technologies for HVACR applications, improving performance of refrigeration systems, back to basics on airflow in unitary systems, energy recovery issues in dedicated outdoor-air systems, unique applications of photovoltaic systems, applications of high-temperature cooling and low-temperature heating and HVACR design checklists that work.

Ron Jarnagin took office as the society’s 2011-2012 president. His theme for the year, Sustaining ASHRAE through Leadership, focuses on developing future leadership, building the society’s global presence and strengthening the industry.

 

Among the awards presented were:

• The Louise and Bill Holladay Distinguished Fellow Award is given to an ASHRAE fellow for continuous preeminence in engineering or research work, was awarded to Byron W. Jones, Ph.D., P.E., Fellow ASHRAE, associate dean for research, College of Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan.

• The Andrew T. Boggs Service Award recognizes past recipients of the Distinguished Service Award for continuing unselfish, dedicated, and distinguished service to the society. It was awarded to Presidential Member Richard B. Hayter, Ph.D., P.E., Fellow ASHRAE, Life Member, associate dean of engineering for external affairs emeritus, College of Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan.

• The Milton W. Garland Commemorative Refrigeration Award for Project Excellence award recognizes the designer and owner of a noncomfort cooling refrigeration application that highlights innovation and/or new technologies. The recipient is John Bittner, P.E., research engineer, Research and Development, Hill Phoenix Inc., Conyers, Ga.