President’s Message

Hello ASHRAE Madison Chapter!

Last Month we had a presentation for our UW Student chapter and a tour of Morgridge Hall.  It was good to see what the student we are developing and see what our local engineering community is designing today to achieve LEED Platinum. Our upcoming meeting is a presentation from our very own Fred Betz on hospital decarbonization.

Important notice for Spring news: I want to share 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.  We need volunteers to continue presenting our Award winning both (yes, award-winning…)!  Be on the lookout for the sign-up link.

Ever wonder where the meeting topics come from?  Ever wish the chapter meetings would talk about something you’d be interested in?  The CTTC committee, which is in search of members.  See me or any BOG member today!

Also, CRC planning is underway.  Ask how you can help.

Both are excellent opportunities to shape the chapter’s activities and learn some skills beyond engineering!

Have a great Month!

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

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Meeting Announcement

Presentation: 12:00 pm - Providence St. Peter Hospital Decarbonization By Fred Betz

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DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion)

The 2026 Engineering Day for Kids was a great success!  Nearly 30 kids participated in various hands-on activities through the day!  Their enthusiasm and positive feedback is its own reward!

We couldn't do this without our many sponsors and volunteers, along with our partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County!  Centro Hispano and the Bayview Foundation also brought youth to the event this year.  A special thank you to the DEI Committee for all the work that goes into making this a positive experience for all involved!

Check out our LinkedIn post for more photos and details!

But wait... there's more!! There's another opportunity to spark a young person's interest in engineering next month at the UW-Madison Engineering Expo on April 17th and 18th!  This will be the Chapter's 3rd year participating, and we need YOU to help staff the booth.  Watch your email for more details!!  Or email us if you'd like to get involved!

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

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Membership

Welcome to our newest members: Matthew Peterson, Anvay Joshi, and Student member Liz Nelson!  We hope to see you and all our new members at the next monthly Chapter meeting!  Also, congratulations to former Chapter President Ron Wrobleski for advancing to Life Member!

What's new in Membership Promotion?  We're looking for a volunteer to join us on the Membership Promotion Committee!  Email us if you'd like more information!  We're also looking forward to Membership Promotion and Milestone Recognition Night coming soon in April.

Summary of Chapter Membership:

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

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YEA

YEA Event: March 18^th:  Beers and Board Games

Join us for our winter social event and meet other young engineers. Join other younger ASHRAE members for a beer and some social time outside a regular meeting setting. A great opportunity to meet others and learn more about ASHRAE: please encourage the young engineers in your office to attend! 

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CRC

St. Louis is hosting the Region VI CRC this year, at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark.  The full schedule and registration are available at their website.  Three tracks are available, two of which are Technical Content and Professional Development/Business Management.  Hotel registration is open now on the website.

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AHR Show and Meeting

2026 AHR Expo Vegas RECAP

We look forward to following along as the outcome of new conversations, partnerships and products hitting the market take hold in the industry. If you made it to the show floor, we hope you came away with an inspired sense of energy for HVACR. We are looking forward to staying in touch as we move ahead to 2027, when we are back in Chicago!

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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 and UNEP Approve Two-Year Work Plan Focused on Life Cycle Refrigerant Management
ATLANTA (February 19, 2026) ASHRAE and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have approved a new two-year work plan titled Life Cycle Refrigerant Management (LCRM), reinforcing their long-standing partnership to advance sustainable refrigerant practices worldwide. The plan was adopted during the 2026 ASHRAE Winter Conference in Las Vegas. 

ASHRAE Concludes 2026 Winter Conference and AHR Expo with Strong Momentum for Indoor Environmental Quality and Healthy Buildings
ATLANTA (February 6, 2026) ASHRAE concluded its 2026 Winter Conference in Las Vegas with renewed momentum around indoor environmental quality (IEQ), healthy buildings and the evolving role of HVAC&R professionals in shaping the future of the built environment.

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. 

For more information, follow HERE.

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