OCTOBER 2026 ASHRAE ATLANTA CHAPTER MEETING

Topic: Decarbonization in the Built Environment. What is it, and the Pros and Cons

Tuesday, October 13th, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Please join the ASHRAE Atlanta Chapter for a technical presentation and lunch on Tuesday, September 8th. This presentation is valid for 1 PDH credit. Certificates of attendance will be sent out following completion of the presentation.

Technical Presentation Abstract:

The concept of decarbonizing our society is becoming a hot topic in global society. Within the built environment, the intent is to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings. This can be achieved in many ways, the first of which is reducing the overall energy consumption. The next, and more complicated, method is the determination of what the energy use and sources are for the building.

This topic is an overview of the overall ‘decarbonization’ process within society and for the built environment. It covers the background of why this is important, the external issues both political and technical (such as the carbon footprint of the electrical grid) and how building owners and designers can plan for a reduced carbon footprint in the coming years, along with the potential downsides to look out for.

Speaker

THOMAS M. LAWRENCE, Ph.D., P.E., LEED-AP

Dr. Lawrence is a Professor of Practice Emeritus with the University of Georgia and has over 40 years of professional experience. He spent his first 18 years of professional practice in industry. After going back for his PhD at Purdue he started the academic phase of his career at UGA in January 2004. Before his retirement in the summer of 2023, Dr. Lawrence was the Mechanical Engineering program coordinator at UGA. He is a former chair of ASHRAE Technical Committee 2.8 and is a member of the committee that wrote and maintains ASHRAE Standard 189.1 for High Performance Green Buildings. As an ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer, he gives seminars related to high-performance buildings at venues around the world. Dr. Lawrence was named an ASHRAE Fellow in 2017 and was a Director-at-Large on the Board of Directors for ASHRAE from 2016-2019.

Dr. Lawrence has a B.S. with Highest Distinction in Environmental Science from Purdue University (1978), a M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University (1982) and a second M.S. degree in Engineering Management from Washington University in 1989. He received a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University in the spring of 2004.