I am glad to welcome you all back for an interesting year for our chapter and our community at large. There are many challenges facing our community this year. The more recent viral pandemic, and lingering issues of systemic racism and prejudice all are issues at the forefront of our minds. Our local grass roots ASHRAE chapter is positioned to assist our members, and our community with these issues thru better building design, education, inclusiveness, and student outreach.
Indoor air quality has come into the public spotlight recently as a vector for viral transmission, but it should be something the public is concerned with more. This latest virus is a reminder of the importance of good indoor air quality. According to a study done by the EPA, the average American spends about 90% of their life indoors, where pollutant concentrations are often 2 to 5 times higher than outdoors. This year we will be providing educational content relating to issues of indoor air quality and many other topics pertinent to our field.
Our members are actively involved in our local institutions of learning to promote the STEM fields to children and young adults of all backgrounds. This year we plan to do more to promote ASHRAE at the University of Kentucky with our new virtual meeting platform. There are still many jobs available in the industry, but it is not always a field that is made know to students. It is part of our mission to help connect businesses and young talent to help fill these positions and keep the industry alive and healthy.
-Ian Colten PE
