ASHRAE Journal - October 2013 - 65

2012 – 2013

ASHRAE Research Report
By Michael Vaughn, P.e., MeMBer aShrae, Manager of reSearch/Technical SerViceS

research Strategic Plan

ASHRAE research is guided in part by the ASHRAE Research
Strategic Plan. The purpose of the plan is to identify key HVAC&R
research needs and provide that information to ASHRAE 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. Rather it is 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 most recent version of the plan was developed over a threeyear period with input provided by chapter members, technical
committee members, research fund contributors, and representatives from HVAC&R industry 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. Minor updates to the plan will
be made as required over the next five years so that it remains
pertinent in a rapidly changing HVAC&R research environment
and the next major update will begin in 2015.
Complementing the Society’s Research Strategic Plan is the
Society’s Research Implementation Plan, which documents all
technical committee 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 41 projects
in various stages of development. The estimated dollar value of
these projects is $6.5 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 (www.ashrae.org/
research).

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 uses an extensive unpaid volunteer network of

technical committee members to prepare work statements,
select projects, select contractors, and monitor research projects to ensure that maximum benefits accrue from ASHRAEsponsored research. Additionally, the Research Administration
Committee plans the research program, evaluates and approves
the projects and ensures that 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 2012 –
2013 were almost $2.4 million. In addition to the research
project and grants-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 12 new research projects
and completed 14 projects during fiscal year 2012 – 2013 (ending June 30, 2013). Currently, the average cost of an active
ASHRAE project is approximately $164,000. Thirteen technical papers based on ASHRAE research projects were presented
at Society meetings during the past year and another eight
were published this past year in the ASHRAE publication,
International Journal of Heating, Ventilating, Air-Conditioning
and Refrigeration Research.
ASHRAE research projects result from work statements
initiated by the Society’s technical committees, 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,
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 www.ashrae.org/listserves Unsolicited
proposals are accepted from organizations interested in conducting ASHRAE-related research from self-generated ideas.
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ASHRAE Journal - October 2013

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