IFMA, ASHRAE to Sign MOU Promoting Energy-Efficient Buildings
With buildings accounting for 40 percent of primary energy use in developed nations, it is becoming increasingly important to find ways to build and operate them in an energy efficient manner. That is the driving point behind a new agreement between the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers and the International Facility Management Association, promising cooperation, shared resources, and other collaborative ventures. The memorandum of understanding between the two groups is to be signed at IFMA's World Workplace 2008 Conference & Expo, which will be held next week in Dallas.
Among the joint projects on the table between the groups are collaborative publications, sustainability research, and educational offerings that will be beneficial to both organizations' members and constituents. ASHRAE and IFMA say they also will work together on legislative and regulatory issues through their Washington, D.C., offices.
"Engineers and facility managers share an important relationship in creating and maintaining buildings that are safe, healthy, and energy efficient," said ASHRAE President Bill Harrison. "Now, ASHRAE and IFMA are seeking to take that cooperative relationship to the next level. This agreement strengthens the existing partnership between our two organizations. By working together on issues in the built environment, we can enhance our respective efforts to create a sustainable future."
IFMA President and CEO David J. Brady added, "ASHRAE's indoor air quality standards have long provided benchmarks and guidelines for facility managers to use in keeping workers comfortable, safe and productive. In the new era of triple bottom line accountability on financial, social, and environmental contributions, the need for energy vigilance and conservation is greater than ever."
The memorandum will be signed at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, at a press conference during World Workplace. Now in its 29th year, the conference will feature 83 educational sessions and new product demonstrations by more than 300 manufacturers from across the globe. The event will be held Oct. 15-17 at the Dallas Convention Center. For a complete list of conference details, visit www.worldworkplace.org.