ASHRAE, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, has elected M Dennis Knight as its president for the 2024/25 term. Knight, the founder of Whole Building Systems of South Carolina, will lead the organization with a focus on ‘Empowering Our Workforce: Building a Sustainable Future.’

Bill McQuade, the vice president of government affairs and global sustainability at Baltimore Aircoil, has been named as the president-elect.

The theme for Knight’s presidency emphasizes the industry’s efforts in addressing climate change, sustainable development, and indoor air quality. It also highlights the importance of new technologies in HVACR and building sciences, as well as ASHRAE’s role in attracting and developing a diverse workforce of professionals.

In other news, Trane Technologies has successfully completed the US Department of Energy’s Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge with its high-efficiency prototype heat pump. The Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) has called for increased collaboration between the European parliament and cold chain businesses in Europe.

Meanwhile, a report by sustainable innovation charity Nesta reveals that the lack of customer demand is hindering heat pump sales in the UK. In Italy, Lu-Ve has merged its subsidiaries Sest SpA and Air Hex Alonte Srl into the parent company.

Additionally, Amy O’Grady has been appointed as the first full-time executive director of Women in HVACR (WHVACR), a US non-profit organization. Schmitz Cargobull AG has acquired a majority stake in Spanish telematics solutions provider Atlantis Global System (AGS) for monitoring and maintaining the cold chain.

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