June 2026 Newsletter ASHRAE Rochester Chapter 
ASHRAE Rochester Newsletter
Statements made in this publication are not expressions of the Society or of the chapter and may not be reproduced without special permission of the chapter.
Picnic & Golf Major Door Sponsors
Many thanks to our of our Platinum & Gold Sponsors, as well as our Major Door Prize Sponsors .. and to everyone that was able to join us!
Membership Application
Application is also available on the website:
Chapter Officers
President: Gannon Dubay, (585) 435-0250, [email protected]
President Elec: Brian Heffernan, (585) 490-1409, [email protected]
Treasurer: Zoe Benson, (585) 210-8758, [email protected]
Secretary: Sameer Bhise, (585) 427-8888, [email protected]
Past President: Bret Fryover, (585) 427-8888, [email protected]
Board of Governors (3): Adam Roeder, (585) 880-3860, [email protected]
Board of Governors (2): Joe Cappotelli, (585) 991-9723, [email protected]
Board of Governors (2): Rachel Stuckey, (585) 217-3294, [email protected]
Board of Governors (1): Nate Kurash, (216) 577-9178, [email protected]
Board of Governors (1): Joseph Maioli, [email protected]
Board of Governors (1): Nicholas Pegoli, (585) 576-4587, [email protected]
Committee Chairs
Attendance: Nik Jaremka, (585) 360-7891, [email protected]
Awards and Recognition: Matt Kremers, [email protected]
CTTC: Jeff Wiedrick, (585) 325-8354, [email protected]
Diversity and Inclusion: Jordan Morin, [email protected]
Education: Bill Murray, (585) 641-7121, [email protected]
Government Advocacy: Sameer Bhise, [email protected]
Historian: Allen Mort, [email protected]
Membership: George Herman, (585) 219-5908, [email protected]
Newsletter Editor: Scott Edwards, (585) 301-6591, [email protected]
Nominating: Bret Fryover, (585) 427-8888, [email protected]
Refrigeration: Sam Scorsone, [email protected]
Research Promotion: Dan Diaz, [email protected]
Social Media: Orson Lyons, [email protected]
Student Activities: Rob Hudson, (585) 341-3187, [email protected]
Sustainability: Zoe Benson, (585) 210-8758, [email protected]
Webmaster: Bill Ernst, (585) 872-7472, [email protected]
YEA: Joe Cappotelli, (585) 991-9723, [email protected]
ASHRAE Diversity Equity and Inclusion
ASHRAE Diversity in ASHRAE Committee - Call for Members!
Did you know that:
- 67% of engineers in the US are white?
- The average age of an engineer in the US is 40 years old?
- Only about 5% of engineers in the US are LGBTQIA+?
These numbers have improved over the last few years as the culture that surrounds us has continued to raise the voices of minorities. The growing diversity in the industry encourages people to go into whichever field or career of their choosing, no matter their gender, race, age, or orientation. There is a delayed return in the process, though; changing the culture enough to empower more people to become engineers takes time, so there is no better time to start contributing to the culture change than right now.
Do you have a unique perspective or story about being an engineer as a minority? Do you want to contribute to the culture of empowerment of minorities in this field? Do you want to encourage diversity in a new generation of future engineers?
Please reach out to me if you have any interest in participating in the growth of diversity in our community. There’s handful of events and activities I’ve considered, but one person alone cannot accurately portray or represent diversity. The success of any ideas that come from this committee will depend on a resourceful and diverse group of committed engineers that want to see the field improve and grow.
Jordan Morin
ASHRAE Diversity in ASHRAE Chair
Job Postings and Help Wanted
This section of the newsletter is reserved for those firms wishing to advertise their desires to hire from the Chapters Membership. If you are interested in utilizing this FREE service provided by the Rochester Chapter, please contact our Chapter President, Gannon Dubay at (585) 435-0250 or by email [email protected]. This service is available to ASHRAE members for any local firm in our industry looking for knowledgeable persons in the HVAC&R industry.
Region I CRC
Come join us at the 2026 ASHRAE Region I CRC in Boston at the Westin Boston Seaport District from August 19th, 2026 - August 22nd, 2026.
Chapter Committee Chairs
We have completely reimagined this year's schedule with you in mind!
We highly encourage you to arrive early on Friday to kick things off at the Presidential Luncheon featuring Sarah. From there, you can dive straight into your training, celebrate with us at the Friday night Awards Gala, and keep the fun going at F1 Arcade. This updated flow is designed to maximize the value of your trip, allowing for significantly more interaction with your peers across the region.
Early bird pricing ends on July 10th.
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Hotel and Venue Details |
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Be sure to book your hotel room immediately after registration. We have a limited number of rooms available at a discounted rate, and these are available on a first-come, first-served basis! |
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What to Expect at CRC 2026 |
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We’ve done our best to balance the necessary regional business with some great training opportunities and, of course, plenty of time to enjoy the city. Here’s a quick look at the plan:
August 20th Boston Chapter Product Show Explore the latest HVAC&R technologies.
August 20th Welcome Reception The Lawn on D kicks off the weekend
August 19th Diamondbacks at Red Sox Unforgettable evening of baseball at Fenway Park
August 21st Presidential Luncheon Featuring Society President Sarah Maston
August 21st YEA Event: F1 Arcade High speed sim racing and networking.
Aug 20th - 22nd Family Events Duck tours, Aquarium and more! |
ASHRAE Training
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Strengthen your technical expertise and stay current with ASHRAE guidance this July by participating in a series of instructor-led virtual courses tailored for engineers, contractors, facility managers, and design/build professionals. Each course includes valuable ASHRAE publications at no additional cost. |
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ASHRAE Building Decarbonization Conference
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In-Person Attendee |
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Early Bird Member: $725 ($775 after July 31) Early Bird Non-Member: $825 ($775 after July 31) Speaker: $400 | Student: $100 One Day Member: $350 | One Day Non-Member: $400 (Available On-site Only) Early bird pricing ends July 31st |
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In-person Attendees will receive the following: • On-site Access to Technical Program from September 23-25, 2026 • Interactive Conference App: ASHRAE 365 • Welcome Reception on Tuesday, September 22nd • Light Breakfast, lunch and breaks on Wednesday, September 23rd • Light Breakfast, lunch, breaks on Thursday, September 24th • Light Breakfast and morning break on Friday, September 25th • Networking Reception on Thursday, September 24th |
Keynote Spotlight:
Stet Sanborn, SmithGroup Stronger Than the Break: Lessons for Big Impact from the Recovery Room for the Decarbonization Movement
Stet Sanborn shares out a vision for scaling our decarbonization impact in a time of turmoil, federal rollbacks and escalating energy costs. Using the lens of his own recovery from a traumatic injury involving a years-long rehabilitation, Stet will cast the value of ASHRAE and members' decarbonization services as an interconnected set of impact drivers that, when layered with each other, provide a pathway to radically scale our decarbonization impact.
Erin McConahey, ARUP
We don’t have a carbon assessment problem. We have a design problem. The built environment continues to drive a significant share of global emissions, yet progress remains far too slow to meet climate targets. The issue is not a lack of data, but how little that data changes what we actually design. This keynote challenges the industry’s focus on ever more detailed carbon accounting, calling for a fundamental shift: to treat carbon as a core design driver—no different from cost, performance, or aesthetics. Drawing on lessons from a global analysis of over 1,000 buildings, we show how embedding whole life carbon assessment into everyday design practice is beginning to shift decisions instead of just producing numbers after the fact. The opportunity and the challenge are clear: to use what we know to design what comes next.
Keynote Panel: Harmonizing Policy, Reducing Burden: State Leadership in Coordinated BPS Development
Supriya Goel, West Monroe, JoAnna Saunders, California Energy Commission, Emily Salzberg, Washington Department of Commerce, Nicole Ballinger, City of Seattle, Coleen Wisniewski, City of Chula Vista
As Building Performance Standards (BPS) expand nationwide, states play a critical role in coordinating policy development with municipalities to advance decarbonization goals while reducing administrative burden on building owners. This panel brings together state and local leaders to discuss how statewide frameworks can align with municipal priorities to create consistent, streamlined compliance pathways. Panelists will explore strategies for harmonizing performance metrics, timelines and implementation approaches across jurisdictions to support portfolio owners operating in multiple cities within a state or building owners who need to comply with policies of city and state. The discussion will also highlight collaborative approaches to stakeholder engagement, including partnerships with local governments, community-based organizations, utilities, and workforce programs to ensure equitable implementation. Attendees will gain insight into governance models that balance statewide consistency with local flexibility, lessons learned from early adopters, and practical solutions to simplify compliance while accelerating building decarbonization across diverse communities.
ASHRAE Annual Conference
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Join Us in the Ground Source Heat Pump Track at the 2026 ASHRAE Annual Conference in Austin, TX, June 27 – July 1. |
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The Ground Source Heat Pump Track brings renewed focus to this proven, yet often underutilized, technology and its growing role in building decarbonization. From their early use of groundwater systems in the U.S. and Europe to the rapid expansion of closed loop applications following the 1970s energy crisis, GSHP systems have a long history of innovation. By the late 1990s, installations surged across the U.S. and Canada—particularly in rural areas—demonstrating their reliability, scalability, and long-term value. Today, GSHP systems offer one of the most efficient and sustainable solutions for residential, commercial, and district energy applications, delivering: • Significant reductions in energy use and peak load • Long-term operational savings • Meaningful progress toward decarbonization goals This track focuses on the application of GSHP technology to residential, commercial, and district energy system projects contributing to energy efficiency, reduction in peak load and energy-use, and decarbonization. Join us in Austin, TX and explore how going below the surface can unlock above the line performance for your projects.
Check out the technical sessions in these 8 tracks: Fundamentals and Applications HVAC&R Systems and Equipment Research Summit Workforce Development Ground Source Heat Pumps Hot Climate Building System Design, Operation and Resilience AI in Building Design and Construction Building Decarbonization Need approval to attend? Use the pre-written email and expense sheet available here. |
ASHRAE News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Karen Buckley Washington
Associate Manager, Public Relations
[email protected]
ASHRAE, NEMA and PNNL Release AI Data Center Energy Performance Framework to Guide Next-Generation Design and Operation
ATLANTA (June 10, 2026) — ASHRAE, in collaboration with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), announced the release of a comprehensive AI Data Center Energy Performance Framework. The Framework is hosted on ASHRAE’s website, providing industry-wide access to practical, expert-driven guidance for next-generation data center design and operation.
As demand for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing continues to grow, data centers are placing increasing demands on both facility systems and energy infrastructure. According to Pew Research Center, the United States currently has more than 3,000 operational data centers, with significant growth expected in the coming years. An additional 1,500 data centers are already in various stages of development.
The new Framework delivers practical, consensus-based guidance to help owners, operators and engineers optimize performance, control operating costs and sustain resilient, high uptime operations through effective thermal management.
The Framework delivers strategies for both new and existing facilities, addressing the full lifecycle of data centers, from planning and design, to commissioning, retrofit and ongoing operation. It addresses key considerations including thermal management, integrated system performance, energy and water use, and facility reliability, with recommendations tailored to varying climates, load densities and operating conditions.
ASHRAE led the development of guidance related to HVAC systems, thermal management and overall facility performance, building on its established body of work, including resources developed through Technical Committee 9.9 (Mission Critical Facilities, Data Centers, Technology Spaces & Electronic Equipment) and Project Committees overseeing Standard 90.4, Energy Standard for Data Centers and Standard 127, Method of Testing for Rating Air-Conditioning Units Serving Data Center (DC) and Other Information Technology Equipment. NEMA contributed expertise in electrical systems, equipment and safety, while PNNL is a federal authority in energy systems research, providing coordination of the working group.
“ASHRAE’s technical leadership in building systems and data center guidance is central to this effort at a pivotal moment for our industry,” said 2025-26 ASHRAE President Bill McQuade, P.E., CDP, Fellow ASHRAE, LEED AP. “As AI continues to drive rapid changes in load density, system design and operational expectations, this Framework brings together the collective expertise of ASHRAE, PNNL and NEMA to deliver practical, integrated solutions. It translates complex technical challenges into clear, actionable strategies that help operators enhance performance, control costs and make more effective use of energy, while strengthening reliability at both the facility and grid level.”
“This guide brings together the most comprehensive industry expertise on data centers in a single resource,” said PNNL Director of Buildings and Industrial Programs Bing Liu, who launched this industry-lab partnership a year ago. “Rather than being frozen in time, it's a dynamic online resource that can be updated, remain relevant and stay accessible to anyone involved in developing a data center.”
“Data centers require seamless integration between electrical and mechanical systems. Power distribution infrastructure must be coordinated with cooling and thermal management to maximize safety, reliability, and efficiency outcomes,” said NEMA President and CEO Debra Phillips. “By partnering on this Framework, NEMA, ASHRAE, and PNNL are giving data center developers a unified approach to system design, enabling them to deploy integrated solutions that optimize both power delivery and thermal efficiency while minimizing risk of equipment failure – and operational disruptions.”
To further support industry collaboration and knowledge sharing, ASHRAE will host the 2027 Data Center and AI Integration Conference, March 3-5, 2027 in Dallas, Texas. The conference will bring together global experts to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, infrastructure performance and system integration.
For additional guidance, including access to the ASHRAE TC 9.9 Datacom Encyclopedia, please visit the ASHRAE Data Center Resource Page at ashrae.org/datacenter.
ASHRAE Celebrates World Refrigeration Day 2026, Highlights the Role of ‘Cool Intelligence’ in Shaping the Future of Refrigeration
Atlanta (June 18, 2026) — ASHRAE joins organizations, governments and industry partners around the globe in recognizing World Refrigeration Day (WRD 2026) on June 26. This year's theme, "Cool Intelligence," showcases the innovation, expertise and advanced technologies that are transforming refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump systems to operate more efficiently, sustainably and intelligently.
World Refrigeration Day is an international awareness campaign that raises the profile of the refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat-pump industry and highlights the essential role cooling technologies play in supporting health, food security, economic development and quality of life worldwide.
The 2026 theme recognizes that "intelligence" in cooling extends beyond technology alone. From artificial intelligence and advanced controls to data-driven system optimization and the expertise of engineers, technicians and operators, intelligent cooling solutions are helping address some of today's most pressing energy, environmental and resilience challenges.
"Intelligence in cooling goes beyond algorithms and automation, it is about applying knowledge, innovation and technology to create healthier, more sustainable environments," said 2025–26 ASHRAE President Bill McQuade, P.E., CDP, Fellow ASHRAE, LEED AP. "This year's World Refrigeration Day theme highlights how AI, digitalization and human expertise are working together to create smarter, more sustainable cooling solutions. ASHRAE is proud to support the professionals and technologies that are advancing the future of refrigeration around the world."
To mark World Refrigeration Day, ASHRAE is encouraging industry professionals to explore the latest refrigeration guidance and technical resources, including the 2026 ASHRAE Handbook—Refrigeration (I-P) and 2026 ASHRAE Handbook—Refrigeration (SI), now available for preorder.
ASHRAE also continues to support global refrigeration education and capacity-building efforts through the ASHRAE-UNEP Portal, which provides access to technical resources, training materials and guidance designed to help industry professionals advance sustainable cooling practices worldwide.
As part of its ongoing commitment to industry advancement, ASHRAE will spotlight emerging refrigeration technologies during the 2026 Annual Conference, June 27– July 1 in Austin, Texas.
Featured sessions include:
• Application of Thermal Storage for Refrigerated Warehousing
• Cooling without Compressors: Emerging Caloric and Electrochemical Approaches
Registration for both in-person and virtual attendance is open now.
ASHRAE Professional Development
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ASHRAE offers a range of learning opportunities to keep you up to date with the latest innovations, helping you strengthen your expertise and demonstrate your value to your employer. Certification | eLearning | Global Training | Learning Institute | Bookstore |
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Certification |
eLearning
eLearning’s biggest sale of the year returns with 20% discounts on all individual courses in our catalog.
Use code SUMMER20 on any individual course, including our bestselling Liquid Cooling and Facility Cooling Systems course, which provides foundational knowledge of facility cooling systems for data centers and liquid cooling technologies for IT equipment.
Got a Workforce Group to Train? ASHRAE is offering an incredible 30% discount on these ASHRAE Course Packages when 5 or more individuals participates in training. Enroll online or email us at [email protected] to grab your discounts today!
Need a different course package topic? See all ASHRAE’s eLearning Course Package Topics. Enroll online or email us at [email protected] to get your discounts today!
ASHRAE Global Training
Professional, Intensive Training for the Middle East, Africa, & Asia
Scholarship Opportunity! ASHRAE Members can now get 35%-50% off one AGT course.
Achieve true control of humidity, not just moderation.
Humidity Control I: Design Tips & Traps (MENA) – 3 PDH
Live Virtual | 4 June 2026 | 3-6 PM UAE
Understand and easily estimate the major humidity loads that must govern the design and how to make decisions about equipment size and configuration.
Humidity Control II: Practical Solutions to Existing Problems (MENA) – 3 PDH
Live Virtual | 5 June 2026 | 3-6 PM UAE
Go beyond the basics and apply humidity control to HVAC designs for seven different types of commercial buildings. Learn effects on thermal comfort, corrosion, mold growth, and airborne microorganisms.
ASHRAE Data Center and AI Integration Conference
ASHRAE has announced a call for presentations for the 2027 ASHRAE Data Center and AI Integration Conference to be held March 3-5, 2027 in Dallas, Texas.
This conference will bring together professionals from the data center and IT infrastructure industries to share insights and best practices for designing, operating and optimizing facilities in the age of artificial intelligence. As AI workloads place increasing pressure on power capacity, cooling performance and sustainability goals, the event will explore how to align next-generation computing demands with resilient, efficient and future-ready data center infrastructure.
Potential presenters are invited to submit proposals for full seminars or individual presentations.
● Full Seminars: 2-4 speakers and session Chair, covering one of the conference topics. (60 or 90 min)
● Individual presentations: 1 speaker presenting on a conference topic (10-20 min). Accepted submissions will be slotted in sessions with other presentations that cover similar topics.
Please note that presentation slots are very limited and selection will be based on a peer review process. Subtopics are provided as examples, but submissions can include additional related subtopics.
Tracks and topics include:
Track 1: Roadmap + Research + Emerging Technology
o Research projects
o Developing tech
o IT roadmap
Track 2: Codes + Standards + Guidelines
o Guidelines
o Standards
o Codes
Track 3: Resources + Sustainability + Impact
o Water metrics
o Water policy
o Energy metrics
o Energy policy
Track 4: Applied Execution + Best Practices + Case Studies
o Best Practices
o Case studies
Presentation proposals are due August 7th, 2026.
Submit a proposal HERE.
For more information, visit: www.ashrae.org/datacenters2027