President’s Message

Greeting and Salutations, ASHRAE Madison Chapter!

It’s February now which means a couple of good things are coming, warmer weather, our February meeting, Engineering Day for Kids, and the Engineering Expo on the UW Madison Campus.

This month, we are welcoming student chapters for a presentation and demonstration from the UW Madison Student Chapter and their refrigerator project.  Dinner to follow, and then a tour of Morgridge Hall, which achieved LEED Platinum.

The Engineering Day for Kids is February 20^th and has been an ongoing partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County.  For the day, several local ASHRAE members work with the kids to introduce them to engineering and work on problem solving projects.

Lastly, on the Spring news, I want to share this month is the Engineering Expo on April 17^th and 18^th, where ASHRAE Madison has set up a booth to have kids come by and do interesting HVAC related challenges.

All these events can use volunteers, so keep an look out for more information.

Also, or CRC and CTTC committees are welcoming new members.  Both are excellent opportunities to shape the chapter’s activities and learn some skills beyond engineering!

Have a Great February!

James R. Vander Zanden
Madison ASHRAE Chapter President 2025-2026
[email protected]

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Meeting Announcement

February 9th 2026 REGISTRATION CLOSES NOON ON THE 6th	Add Meeting To Calendar
Location: Fluno Center - Monona Room Fluno Center for Executive Education,  601 University Ave 8th Floor Madison, WI 53715  Direction Link
$   30.00    Madison ASHRAE Member $   40.00    Guest (non-Madison ASHRAE member) $     N/C     Currently Enrolled Full-Time Students Only $     N/C     Board of Governors

Technical Session: 5:00 PM UW Madison Student Chapter presentation and demonstration of refrigerator project

Dinner: 6:15 PM

Presentation: 7:00 PM 

Tour of Morgridge Hall. Morgridge Hall is the home of the School of Computer, data & Information Sciences, designed to achieve LEED Platinum it showcases’ a commitment to conservation, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

 Please note that attendance is capped at 30 attendees. Thanks.

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DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion)

Preparations are underway for the 2026 Engineering Day for Kids to be held in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County on February 20, 2026!

What is Engineering Day for Kids?  It's an opportunity to introduce kids to the wonderful world of engineering, sparking an interest in the next generation!  Middle and high school-aged kids will participate in various hands on activities led by real-world practicing engineers.  

Thank you to our many sponsors and volunteers!  We couldn't do this without you!!

Caryn Rader, P.E., LEED AP BD+C
DEI Committee Chair

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Membership

Welcome to our newest member: Matthew Asmus!  We hope to see you and all our new members at the next monthly Chapter meeting!

ICYMI, last meeting, we recognized employers that support their employees by paying membership dues and/or meeting fees!  Thank you for your support!!  Check out the list here!

Summary of Chapter Membership:

Are you looking for ways to get more involved with your Chapter?  The Membership Promotion Committee is a great place to serve, providing opportunities to grow both personally and professionally.  And we need your help!  Please contact me if you'd like to learn more!

Contact the Madison Chapter Membership Chair,  [email protected] if you have questions or comments about ASHRAE Membership.

Caryn Rader, P.E., LEED AP BD+C
Membership Promotion Committee Chair

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Student Activities

Student Activities

Welcome to the Spring semester. This month’s meeting is recognized as the last of our two annual “Student Night” monthly chapter meetings.  It will feature a presentation and demonstration from the UW-Madison Student Chapter and their refrigerator project. The presentation will be followed by dinner and a tour of the new Morgridge Hall. Morgridge Hall is the home of the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences, designed to achieve LEED Platinum. It showcases a commitment to conservation, energy efficiency, and sustainability. Our chapter meeting will be held at the Fluno Center - Monona Room, 601 University Ave, Madison, WI 53715.

We also invite students to join us, as we roll out our Gustus L. Larson scholarship applications for 2026. The deadline to apply will be sometime in April. Scholarships are available for those students of Sophomore, Junior, or Senior standing and having at least one year of school remaining. 

On February 20th, several chapter members will be participating in a Boys and Girls Club event at the McKenzie Regional Workforce Center. This event will be attended by middle and high-school-aged students. We provide several activity stations for the students to participate in for a fun-filled day.

We will be hosting an ASHRAE booth at the 2026 UW-Madison Engineering Expo on Friday, April 17th, and Saturday, April 18th. We are looking for volunteer members to occupy the booth fora minimum of two-hour shifts. Please let Jim, Jason, or one of the board members know if you are interested in helping with this event. Check our ASHRAE Madison LinkedIn page for additional information and photos of the events. 

Are you an ASHRAE member looking to clear some desk space? We are still interested in ASHRAE Handbook donations. We share these books with our ASHRAE student members.

Feel free to reach out to Jason or I if you have any questions or if you are interested in staffing our ASHRAE booth for the 2026 UW-Madison Engineering Expo in April.

Sincerely,

Jim Kraus & Jason Garvens

(608) 279-8367 or (608) 219-7136

Madison ASHRAE Student Activities Chairs

Engineers Week: February 22 – 28, 2026

The only event of its kind—Engineers Week is a time for you to:

• Celebrate how engineers make a difference in our world
• Add your voice to the conversation about the need for engineers and technicians
• Engage students in engineering

More than a week-long event, Engineers Week is a year-round commitment to making a difference.

         discovere.org/programs/engineers-week

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AHR Show and Meeting

The 2026 Winter Conference in Las Vegas is in full swing with 85 programs, of panels, forums, seminars, workshops, debates, and 121 papers.  About 3,700 members are learning, working on technical committees, and conducting business.  The AHR show has over 560,000 square feet of space of exhibitors and renewed business relationships.  Look forward to the post-event news.

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Meeting Minutes

Recent BOG Meeting Minutes:

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Treasurer’s Report

Recent Treasurer's Reports:

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Meeting Schedule

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Society News Releases

Recent ASHRAE News:

ASHRAE Announces Nominees for 2026-27 Slate of Officers and Directors
ATLANTA (February 2, 2026) ASHRAE is pleased to announce its nominees for the 2026-27 slate of officers and directors. 

ASHRAE Celebrates Outstanding Member Contributions at 2026 Winter Conference
ATLANTA (February 1, 2026) ASHRAE honored members whose leadership, innovation and service have made a lasting impact on the Society and the built environment during its 2026 Winter Conference, held in Las Vegas. The recognitions highlight the distinct ways ASHRAE members advance building performance, sustainability and the HVAC&R profession worldwide. A list of the awards and recipients are below. 

2026 Women in ASHRAE Leadership Symposium to Feature Dynamic Speakers and Sessions
ATLANTA (January 12, 2026) ASHRAE announced a dynamic technical program for the 2026 Women in ASHRAE Leadership Symposium, taking place April 13-14, 2026, in Los Angles, California. Following a sold-out inaugural event in 2025, the symposium returns with an expanded agenda designed to empower women and allies across the HVAC&R and built environment industries.

For more information, follow HERE.

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