ATLANTA — This year, in addition to its Student Design Competition, ASHRAE also presented students with its new Applied Engineering Challenge, which invited them to design a portable refrigeration unit.

The Engineering Challenge stipulated that students design a refrigeration unit with a holding volume of 1 square foot that could transport small essential cargo, such as food or medicine. The temperature inside the box must be maintained at 25°F without an external power supply and the device must be able to be assembled anywhere in the world.