ASHRAE Announces 2026–2027 Leadership, Award Recipients

ASHRAE, the professional group that sets many of the standards behind heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, has named new leadership for 2026-27. Sarah E. Maston takes over as Society president with a theme of "retrofitting for resilience," pointing to a broader push toward improving existing buildings rather than only new construction. Her priorities include raising awareness of building codes tied to resilience and encouraging better planning for how buildings operate day to day.

For homeowners, this is mostly background news about who runs an industry organization, not a program or rebate you can apply for. But ASHRAE's standards and guidance do eventually shape the codes and equipment ratings that affect things like heat pump efficiency requirements, ventilation rules, and how contractors assess a home's performance. A renewed focus on retrofitting existing buildings suggests the group expects more attention on upgrading older homes for efficiency and resilience in the coming year, which could influence future codes or guidance you'd encounter when planning upgrades.

The rest of the announcement covers awards given to individual members for technical and volunteer contributions, plus a list of newly elected board members and regional directors from around the country and abroad. None of this changes any rebate, deadline, or program you'd need to act on now. It's simply a look at who is steering the organization that helps set the technical rules of the HVAC world, with an eye toward retrofits becoming a bigger focus.