Engineering as Universal Language and Bond

At some point during ASHRAE's lively annual meeting in broiling Phoenix this June, it hit me... There were roughly 2,000 attendees from all over the world on hand, but they were all speaking one language: Engineering.

Indeed, engineers from Asia, Africa, Europe, South America, North America, the Middle East, Australia, all had converged in the Southwestern U.S. to meet in person, share stories, present solutions and ask questions about issues, both practical and pressing, related to heating, refrigeration and air conditioning. An international Society both hardened and reenergized by the recent Coronavirus pandemic and its inherent call on the group's vital indoor air quality expertise, attendees arguably seemed even more bonded to each other than before Covid.

As I watched the global mix around me, I recalled the iconic Old Testament story of the Tower of Babel, where humans were said to get "too prideful" and schemed to build a soaring edifice that would reach to Heaven. To teach humans a lesson, the Almighty then supposedly introduced different languages on Earth to sew discord and to prevent the designers and builders from different lands from reaching their towering goal. Or so the Bible story goes.

But in Phoenix, that dynamic had been reversed.

Seemingly humble engineers from all four corners of the Earth, with varying levels of experience, were cheerfully meeting to collaborate and to use their collective learning and hard-won skills to help solve complex problems for the benefit of humankind. And all their diligent efforts and shared best practices were framed in the language of "engineering."

Think about that.

In this divisive moment of surging international friction and political hostility, doesn't that sound like a refreshing way to approach things? By leaning into the math? When times get tough, maybe we should actually just let the engineers lead.

“We have answered the call in the past and helped to solve difficult problems in times of great need," said new ASHRAE President Bill McQuade, PE, in Phoenix. "It is a new day and time for another ‘good turn.’ We can build on a half-century of progress in the energy performance of buildings and now focus the same effort on the indoor climate and environment. We need to become healthy indoor environmentalists,” he said.

Emphasing that theme in his first Presidential speech, McQuade reminded attendees of how important their roles are in today's society. "Providing safe, stable, and sustainable shelter is not just a basic human need; it is a fundamental pillar of societal advancement and long-term development," he said.

Thank goodness such vital global work is still in the hands of responsible problem solvers who all speak the same language.

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