Chapter Events 2020-2021
September Meeting
The 2020-2021 ASHRAE season picked-up where the last season ended – amongst the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result all of the seasons meetings where held virtually.The first meeting of the 2020-2021 season took place on Wednesday, September 23 virtually. The guest speaker was Josiah Strauss from Neptronic. Josiah presented on how maintaining indoor humidity can lower infection rates, improve our bodies defenses against viral infection, and benefit overall health.
October Meeting
October’s meeting was held on Wednesday, October 21, virtually. The guest speaker for this event was ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer Dr. Stephanie Taylor. Dr. Taylor works as an international consultant and research leader to better understand how the design and operation of hospitals, offices, schools and all occupied buildings can help people thrive, not merely survive. The title her presentation was Engineers are the Physicians of the Future which presented studies on building interventions that optimize the health of human occupants and decrease the threat of microbial pathogens such as COVID-19.
November Meeting
November’s chapter meeting was held virtually on Wednesday, November 18. Sami Ahmed with Johnson Controls was the featured speaker presenting on variable refrigerant flow (VRF) equipment, design considerations, and financial considerations.
Holiday Lunch Meeting
Every year ASHRAE NAC hosts an annual holiday lunch to raise money for the Christmas Bureau with typically over 200 people in attendance. With the COVID restrictions at the time, the holiday party was held virtually. The even took place on Wednesday, December 16 and included Mark Connelly from CBC Radio who hosted a Q&A session about his broadcasting career.The event also included a beer tasting session and informal discussion with Adam Nachbaur from Snake Lake Brewery. Virtual attendees had the option to pickup two beers brewed by Snake Lake to sample during the event.Most importantly, Stephanie Parelli from the Christmas Bureau provided a talk on the role in the community the bureau plays. The chapter was able to donate $6,929 to the Edmonton Christmas Bureau from proceeds raised during this event.
January Meeting
The first meeting of 2021 was held on Wednesday, January 20. The guest speaker was Kenneth Sloat from Gunter who presented on adiabatic cooling technology and applications in HVAC.
Diversity in ASHRAE – Virtual Cooking Class
The diversity in ASHRAE NAC chair hosted a virtual cooking class on Thursday, February 4. Chef Carene Schroeder guided the class through making delicious Pasta Cabonara.
February Meeting
February’s chapter meeting took place on Wednesday, February 17. Don MacDonald with Phoenix Controls presented on healthcare ventilation and increasing patient safety through HVAC risk mitigation.
March Meeting
The March chapter meeting took place on Wednesday, March 17, again virtually. The guest speaker was Brian Mazur with Engineered Air presented on cleanroom, operating rooms, and suspended ceiling modules.
Industry Q&A
On Wednesday, March 31 an Industry Q&A was held virtually. The event included a panel answering questions from students and others interested in a career in the HVAC industry. The panel included three members representing building owners, design engineers, and mechanical contractors. Representing owners was Justin Phil with the City of Edmonton. Representing engineers was Reggie Nicolas with Arrow Engineering. Representing contractors was Joffrey Orquia with Seven Mechanical.
April Meeting
The April chapter meeting took place on Wednesday, April 21. The guest speaker was Brock Trimble with SHARC Energy Systems. Brock presented on wastewater energy recovery in residential, commercial, and industrial applications.
May Meeting
May’s chapter meeting took place on Wednesday, May 19. Brad Goddard with Ultimate Fabrication Inc. presented on the basics of natural refrigerants and their design criteria.
June Meeting
The final meeting of the 2020-2021 season was held on Wednesday, June 9. The event was held via video conference and included Aaron Engel with Fresh-Aire UV. Aaron presented on germicidal ultraviolet-C in HVAC systems including how they work, fundamental technology, and the advantages of a cleaner, safer HVAC system.