ASHRAE has announced that it has recently formed a task force to address climate change through responsible decarbonization strategies for the built environment.

The ASHRAE Task Force for Building Decarbonization (TFBD) has been established to develop technical resources and provide leadership and guidance in mitigating the negative carbon impact of buildings on the environment and the inhabitants of our planet. 

“In a similar vein to how ASHRAE took the lead in responding to the energy crisis of the 1970s era and defined the energy efficiency journey, ASHRAE has much to offer with respect to paths for responsible decarbonization strategies,” said 2020-21 ASHRAE President Charles E. Gulledge III, P.E., HBDP. “The challenges of decarbonization are complex, but this task force is positioned to offer actionable technical guidance to improve how building are built and operated.”

The specific responsibilities of the task force include the following:

• Providing recommendations and practices for industry stakeholders in decarbonization of the built environment.
• Defining the objectives of this holistic initiative; including, but not limited to:
  • Developing a framework for characterizing the issues related to decarbonization.
  • Identifying existing portfolio of ASHRAE technical resources on issues relating to decarbonization, and package them in a way useful to policy makers and stakeholders.
  • Identifying and quantifying knowledge gaps for policy makers and stakeholders who are tackling building decarbonization and develop resources to address these gaps.
• Formulating a value proposition statement as to why ASHRAE is embarking on this journey.
• Identifying the global audience related to this initiative.
• Establishing guiding principles that frame this journey.
• Objectively framing the issues associated with this initiative.

Members of the ASHRAE Task Force for Building Decarbonization are as follows:

• Donald Colliver, Ph.D., P.E., Presidential Fellow ASHRAE, co-chair, ASHRAE Task Force for Building Decarbonization
• Thomas H. Phoenix, P.E., BEMP,  Presidential Fellow ASHRAE, co-chair, ASHRAE Task Force for Building Decarbonization
• Don Brandt, CEM, ASHRAE Vice President
• Drury B. Crawley, Ph.D., Fellow ASHRAE, BEMP, FIBPSA, chair, ASHRAE Standards Committee
• Francesca d ’Ambrosio, Ph.D.
• Lance Davis, AIA, LEED® Fellow
• Hon Katherine Hammack,  LEED® AP, CEM, Fellow ASHRAE, ASHRAE Director-at-Large
• Luke Leung, LEED Fellow, P.E., P.Eng., BEMP, ASHRAE Environmental Health Committee,  Distinguished Lecturer
• Bing Liu, P.E., Fellow ASHRAE, CEM, LEED® AP
• Tim McGinn, P.Eng., HBDP, ASHRAE Vice President
• William McQuade, P.E., LEED® AP, Fellow ASHRAE, ASHRAE Vice President
• Daniel H. Nall, PE, FAIA, Fellow ASHRAE, LEED® Fellow, BEMP, HBDP, CPHC
• Kent W. Peterson, P.E., Presidential Fellow ASHRAE, ASHRAE Headquarters Building Ad Hoc Committee
• Ginger Scoggins, P.E., CEM, CxA, Fellow ASHRAE, chair, ASHRAE Headquarters Building Ad Hoc Committee
• Terry E. Townsend, P.E., Presidential Fellow ASHRAE, LEED® AP, chair, ASHRAE Government Affairs Committee

As work progresses within the task force, additional information and resources will be shared.