ASHRAE has established an annual grant program to support chapter-led projects to develop and execute innovative solutions to pressing building problems. The Gordon Holness Presidential Fund will make awards to chapters ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to support their projects, funding energy efficiency. A total of $50,000 will be awarded each year, ASHRAE said in a Feb. 12 release.

“This fund will significantly empower our members to bring forward creative solutions that address critical building issues,” said ASHRAE President M. Dennis Knight.

The society says the award program builds on previous support launched for chapter projects through the Young Engineers in ASHRAE, or YEA, Decarbonization Fund. The prize was initiated by ASHRAE 2023-2024 Presidential Member Ginger Scoggins and allocates between $50,000 and $75,000 annually for project awards.

ASHRAE has 200 chapters internationally including 120 in the U.S. The society’s Presidential Award of Excellence, or PAOE, system encourages members to work with their chapter to compete regionally and nationally, providing incentive for members to share knowledge, train students and support external organizations.

Chapters are awarded PAOE points through a variety of categories, including chapter knowledge transfer, government affairs, student activities, communications, and membership promotion. Additional points are also assigned by ASHRAE staff.

This year, the PAOE award awards points to chapters for submitting building assessments, presenting on building environmental quality to outside organizations and facilities managers, or YEA activities that provide technical support. Chapter projects also provide a way for members to earn additional awards announced yearly at the society’s annual conferences.

For example, last year, engineering students at the University of Cincinnati performed audits of two local churches. Upon discovering that a historic church it examined used nearly 60% of its energy costs to heat a large sanctuary space, the students applied funds under the YEA Decarbonization Challenge to see if installing localized heating would significantly cut down on energy costs, the university said in a Sept. 2024 release.

Read the full article about funding for energy efficiency by Joe Burns at Facilities Dive.