ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 12

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS
PERSONAL LIFE:
At 5 years old on
the farm, sweet 16,
marriage to Shirl,
with the grandkids.
Capable people. Passionate people. People who want
to make a difference. It's an issue of survival and of
our planet's sustainability for future generations. If
we are going to meet this challenge, fi rst, we need to
understand how to solve our workforce development
issues.
Let's start with the good news-and it is good news.
We are a growing industry, and future demand is
exceptional. The International Energy Agency (IEA)
expects the number of HVAC systems worldwide to
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increase from around 2 billion today to over 6 billion
by 2050. Many of those systems will be in new, largescale,
multifamily residential buildings and mixed-use
developments as people begin to work more from home
and within walking distance from their homes. Many
buildings will connect to large district heating and
cooling plants and energy storage facilities.
In addition, the United Nations Global Status Report
estimates that nearly 2.5 trillion ft2 (2.3 × 1011 m2) of
existing buildings-most over 20 years old-will need to
be renovated. Existing building projects require even
more people than new construction to be involved in
the work. Renovation is complicated work. We need
to design and renovate these buildings to be healthy,
energy effi cient and carbon neutral. As a result, we
need an expanded workforce that is more diverse
and skilled in the latest technologies. Yet our global
workforce is diminishing.
So, we have to ask ourselves: Why is our fastgrowing
industry-with its direct ability to address the
role that buildings play in improving human health
and the climate crisis-experiencing an inability to
attract new talent?
Senior building engineers and building scientists bring
a wealth of knowledge and experience to our industry-
but we are aging out of the workforce. Unfortunately, not
enough younger people are interested in pursuing this
essential career path.
We have a perception problem. Part of it is that our
message about our vision for a sustainable future
where buildings are energy effi cient, healthy and
carbon neutral and our role in that work needs to be
clarifi ed! We all want to be involved in a career that
we can be passionate about and where we can fi nd
meaning and purpose. Maybe it comes down to this-
we need to demonstrate to the world what we do and
the impact that our industry is making today and is
capable of producing in the future to address indoor
environmental quality, sustainable development and
climate change. We need to highlight our industry in
a way that celebrates the ideas and innovations that
emerge when we embrace and encourage greater
diversity, equity and inclusion.
The good news is that you are in the right place at
the right time. Together, we can grow the ranks of
committed and passionate professionals and shape the
future of our industry and our planet. We are making a
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ASHRAE Journal - August 2024

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