Zeng Zhaoyun
The Board of Directors of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has approved the latest edition of the ASHRAE Position Document on Climate Change. Zeng Zhaoyun, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Macau (UM), served as a member of the document committee and participated in the revision of the document. He was also the only committee member based in Asia.
The ASHRAE Position Document on Climate Change is an important policy document that presents the society’s views, positions, and recommendations on climate change-related issues. It also provides objective and authoritative background information to government bodies, industry professionals, and other stakeholders, supporting informed policymaking and decision-making related to climate change and the built environment.
Prof Zeng said that climate change has become one of the most significant challenges facing the global built environment, and that buildings and their heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems play a critical role in both climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. His participation in the revision of this important document not only promotes international collaboration and knowledge exchange in the field, but also demonstrates the international recognition of UM’s research strengths in the areas of the built environment, energy efficiency, and sustainability.
Compared to the 2018 version, the latest edition places greater emphasis on addressing climate change by taking a holistic systems approach, viewing buildings and their HVAC&R systems as an integrated entity. The document highlights the need to consider the interactions among building performance, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, climate resilience, and decarbonisation goals throughout the planning, design, operation, and renovation phases of buildings. It also recommends incorporating future climatic conditions and extreme weather data into building design and performance evaluation in order to enhance the adaptability and resilience of buildings and their systems against long-term climate change and extreme weather events.
ASHRAE is one of the world’s most influential professional societies dedicated to HVAC&R, and has over 55,000 members. The society is committed to advancing the science and technology of HVAC&R and related fields, with a view to improving the built environment and enhancing quality of life.