A coalition of 24 states along with the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and about a dozen more cities and counties have filed a lawsuit to challenge the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent rescission of an Obama-era declaration known as the Endangerment Finding, which determined that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare. This finding was the legal underpinning of nearly all climate regulations under the Clean Air Act, or CAA, for motor vehicles, power plants and other pollution sources. Read more
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Researchers at the University of Seville have demonstrated the effectiveness of vertical garden systems in improving indoor air quality in buildings. Gaseous pollutants and volatile organic compounds were introduced into a closed glass chamber with active living wall, monitoring changes in concentration and calculating the reduction. High values of the pollutant reduction indicator were recorded after releasing pollutants into the chamber, especially for formaldehyde and sulfur dioxide. Read more
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Despite their polar-opposite politics, California and Texas have achieved the same distinction: They’re national leaders in producing renewable energy. Wind and solar account for 40% of power generation in California and 30% in Texas, well above the national average of 17%. California and Texas alone generate more than one-third of the U.S.’s solar and wind power and over half of its battery storage capacity—shares that continue to grow. Read more
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Amid widespread blowback against the spread of data centers, Microsoft recently announced it is abandoning its practice of secrecy with local governments when deploying new facilities. The Washington-based tech giant said it previously used non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in early stages of development to protect commercial information, address security needs and navigate regulatory and permitting processes. Read more
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Join ASHRAE Journal's Linda Rathke and Allison Hambrick live from the AHR Expo with Women in ASHRAE Leadership Symposium co-chairs Nancy Kohout and Karine Leblanc for a discussion about leadership in STEM—where emotional intelligence, communication and human connection matter just as much as technical expertise.
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By Chandra Sekhar, Ph.D., Fellow ASHRAE
The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change is an international, multidisciplinary collaboration aimed at monitoring the evolving health profile of climate change. A major conclusion of the 2022 Lancet Countdown is that at a temperature rise of 1.1°C (2°F) of heating, climate change is increasingly impairing all aspects of good health and aggravating the health effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical conflicts. Pertaining to the built environment, the Lancet report laments the increased use of air conditioning and inadequate deployment of effective solutions based on nature. Download here
Access more ASHRAE Journal articles through the Technology Portal.
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ASHRAE members will vote on the bylaws amendments to finalize the proposed new membership model on the April 2026 ballot. If approved by the membership, the new model will be effective July 1, 2027. Please review the new simplified model and reach out to Daniel Gurley with any questions. Read more
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The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced a $1.9 billion funding opportunity aimed at reconductoring transmission lines and installing advanced technologies to expand the capacity of the existing power grid system. The Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades, or SPARK, funding opportunity has an application deadline in May with project selections anticipated in August, and it is a rebranding of the Biden-era Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program. Read more
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