ASHRAE Names Winners of Five Student Design Competitions
Key Highlights
- The 2026 competitions included categories for HVAC calculations, Systems selection, Net-Zero design, and applied engineering challenges;
- Winning teams represented universities from India, Hong Kong, Indonesia and the U.S., showcasing global student engagement;
- The Bandung Institute of Technology developed HYDEX, a modular system that improves HVAC efficiency by utilizing waste heat, reducing energy costs and emissions;
- Winners will be recognized at the 2027 ASHRAE Winter Conference in Chicago.
ATLANTA (August 20, 2026) – ASHRAE announced the winners of its 2026 Student Design Competition, Setty Family Foundation Applied Engineering Challenge, and Building Energy Quotient Competition. The competitions recognize the outstanding abilities and innovative problem-solving skills of students in HVAC&R, building sciences, and engineering, all over the world.
The 2026 student competition focused on a new building being added to a university campus in Denver, Colorado.
Teams competed in one of four categories:
- HVAC Design Calculations;
- HVAC System Selection;
- Setty Family Foundation Net Zero Energy Design;
- Setty Family Foundation Applied Engineering Challenge.
First Place in the HVAC Design Calculations category is awarded to Sanika Rajendra Gavhane; Nikita Vaijinath Suryawanshi; Neha Vaijinath Suryawanshi; Pradnya Ashok Mane; Sakshi Sanjay Chaugule; and Sakshi Santosh Bhosale of SVERI's College of Engineering Pandharpur. The team advisors is Dr. Digvijay D. Ronge.
Placing First in the HVAC System Selection category is Tong Chi Ho; Hadi Muhammad Raahim; Chow Ching Mei; and Chan Wing Ho of The University of Hong Kong HKU. The team advisor is Dr. Benjamin P.L. Ho.
Receiving first place in the 2026 Setty Family Foundation Net Zero Energy Design category are Syahlaisa Afra Amanio, Vine Novia Pakpahan, Laura Mellisa, Fawzaan Dwi Sulistiyanto, Muhammad Djackwan Firdaus and Nadhif Khairu Athallah of Universitas Indonesia. The team advisors are Dr. Miktha Farid Alkadri and Dr. Eng. Arnas Lubis.
In the 2026 Setty Family Foundation Applied Engineering Challenge, students were asked to design an innovative system for residential applications that rejects heat into domestic hot water and absorbs heat from domestic cold-water systems for space heating and cooling.
First place is awarded to Muhammad Mirza Adhiyarahman, Ahnaf Irbah Hidayat, Rimba Harits Hartanto, Gravin Hotasi Zakharia, Juan Aaron Norata and Muhammad Khairul Anam of the Bandung Institute of Technology. Team advisor is Dr.Eng. Ir. Gea Fardias Mu'min, S.T., M.T.
The project explored HYDEX, which is a modular residential GSHP retrofit that acts as a thermal battery, capturing waste heat from greywater and the heat-pump system, storing it in stratified buffer tanks, and intelligently redirecting it to improve HVAC efficiency and preheat domestic water while reducing energy consumption, operating costs, and carbon emissions.
The Building Energy Quotient Competition takes theory into practice by giving students building energy assessment experience in an operational setting, while working collaboratively with building owners. Students had the opportunity to evaluate and audit building energy consumption for buildings in operation to give the building a Building EQ score using the ASHRAE Building EQ online tools.
First place was awarded to Ivy Exum, Alexander Charbonneau, Tyler Milstead, Ethan Schriner, Hoang Dinh, Tanner Rapp, Keegan Snoozy, Chris Fisher and Nickolas Bozonelos of University of Washington ASHRAE at UW. The team advisor is Robert S Rushing.
The projects will be recognized during the 2027 ASHRAE Winter Conference, January 23-27, 2027 in Chicago, IL. The Winter Conference is held in conjunction with the ASHRAE co-sponsored AHR Expo, which will be January 25-27 at McCormick Place Convention Center.
For a full list of Student Design Competition and Applied Engineering Competition winners (First, Second, Third and Rising Star), please visit the Competitions page on the Student Zone.
About ASHRAE
ASHRAE is a global professional society committed to advancing healthy, sustainable and resilient buildings for everyone, everywhere. Through the collective expertise of more than 55,000 volunteer members in over 132 countries, ASHRAE drives innovation across HVAC&R through trusted standards, research, education and collaboration. Advancing the built environment through technical excellence since 1894, ASHRAE continues to shape the future of building design, construction and operation. Learn more at ashrae.org and follow ASHRAE on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X and YouTube and download the ASHRAE 365 app to stay connected on the go.
About the Author
Karen Buckley Washington
Based in the Atlanta area, Karen Buckley Washington is ASHRAE's Senior Public Relations Specialist, [email protected].
Founded in 1894, ASHRAE is a global professional society committed to serve humanity by advancing the arts and sciences of heating ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and their allied fields. As an industry leader in research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE and its members are dedicated to promoting a healthy and sustainable built environment for all, through strategic partnerships with organizations in the HVAC&R community and across related industries.