ASHRAE Journal - October 2010 - 52

2009 – 2010

ASHRAE Research Report
to ensure maximum benefits accrue from ASHRAE-sponsored research. Additionally, the Research Administration Committee plans the research program, evaluates and approves the projects and ensures results are properly presented. In summary, ASHRAE research gets a lot of bang for its bucks. Expenditures for projects and grants-in-aid for FY 20092010 were almost $2.9 million. In addition to the research project and grant-in-aid expenditures, ASHRAE joined with government and private agencies to fund and support special projects of mutual benefit, including expediting standards, producing technical publications and conducting research. Research Projects ASHRAE, under the leadership of the Research administration Committee, initiated 19 new research projects and completed 12 projects during fiscal year 2009-2010 (ending June 30, 2010). The average cost of new projects was approximately $153,000. Fifteen technical papers based on research projects were presented at Society meetings during the past year and another ten were published this past year in the ASHRAE publication, International Journal of Heating, Ventilating, AirConditioning and Refrigeration Research. ASHRAE research projects result from work statements initiated by the Society’s technical committees and task groups, or from unsolicited proposals submitted by organizations interested in conducting research for ASHRAE. Any research that advances the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, refrigeration, air conditioning or the allied arts and sciences, and related human factors, is eligible for funding; this is ASHRAE’s mission. Work statements originating from technical committees or task groups, after approval by the Research Administration Committee, are offered to prospective bidders for proposals. The bidders’ list includes universities and agencies that have a history of cooperative research with ASHRAE or have indicated an interest in ASHRAE research. If you wish to add your name to the bidders’ list and receive automatic e-mail notification when projects are released for bid, typically twice per year, please go to http://www.ashrae.org/publications/detail/14931. Unsolicited proposals are accepted from organizations interested in conducting ASHRAE-related research from self-generated ideas. We prefer to see unsolicited research proposals submitted in early May and December each year so we have sufficient time to review the proposal prior to the Society’s Annual and winter meeting respectively. Whether the proposals are solicited from work statements
October 2010

By Michael Vaughn, P.E., Member ASHRAE, Manager of Research/Technical Services Research Plan ASHRAE research is now guided in part by the new ASHRAE Research Strategic Plan 2010-2015. The purpose of the plan is to identify key HVAC&R research needs and to provide that information to ASHRAE members and Technical Committees as guidance while they develop research projects and to the Research Administration Committee as it approves and funds research proposals. The Research Plan is not meant to take the initiative for research development from the technical committees within ASHRAE, but rather to use input from ASHRAE members to identify strategic research needs that are appropriate for many committees to collaborate on, that may require larger budgets, and for which additional outside funding may be available to supplement ASHRAE’s budget. The plan was developed over a three-year period with input provided by chapter members, TC/TG members, research fund contributors, and representatives from HVAC&R related outside organizations. The plan provides eleven strategic goals that address technical challenges that limit our ability to maximize building performance, energy efficiency, and indoor environmental quality. The plan is updated every five years so that it remains pertinent in a rapidly changing HVAC&R research environment. Complementing the Society’s Research Strategic Plan is the Society’s Research Implementation Plan, which documents all TC/ TG research topics that support the research strategic plan or are tactical in nature (updates and new information for handbook and standards, etc) and have been approved for further development into ASHRAE research projects. The implementation plan currently includes 51 projects in various stages of development. The estimated dollar value of these projects is $6.3 million. This, when coupled with the cost of projects already under contract, exceeds ASHRAE’s current annual budget for research. ASHRAE hopes, however, to implement most of these projects in the near future. Details about ASHRAE’s research plans, active research projects, completed projects, currently available requests for proposals and guidelines for submission can be reviewed on the “Research” page of the ASHRAE website (http://www. ashrae.org/technology/page/39). Stewardship The members of the Research Administration Committee (RAC) maintain stewardship of the funds entrusted to ASHRAE by careful planning and oversight of the research program. ASHRAE utilizes an extensive unpaid volunteer network of Technical Committee and Task Group members to prepare work statements, select projects, select contractors, and monitor research projects
52 ASHRAE Journal

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ASHRAE Journal - October 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASHRAE Journal - October 2010