ASHRAE Highlights Existing Buildings

The need to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings was highlighted at the ASHRAE 2009 Annual Conference held in Louisville.

Some 1,530 attendees came together at the conference to support the Society’s mission of advancing HVAC to “serve humanity and promote a sustainable world.”

“In these economic times, dollars for new construction have dwindled,” said Gordon Holness, ASHRAE president. “Given that more people are renovating than building new, now is the perfect time for ASHRAE to focus on reducing energy consumption in existing buildings to save money and reduce carbon emissions.”

“The vast majority of buildings that will exist in the year 2030 exist today,” Holness said. “If we are to have a material impact on overall energy use, it is through renovation of existing building stock. While existing buildings present greater challenges, they offer us a greater opportunity to significantly impact our overall national energy demand, reduce our dependence upon imported oil and gas and minimize our carbon footprint.”

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