Ten Canadian winners of 2025 ASHRAE awards span the generational gamut from young engineers to 50-year members. The honours for professional excellence that advances innovation, sustainability and technical leadership in the built environment were bestowed at the Society’s annual conference in Seattle last week.
William (Bill) McCartney, an ASHRAE Life member, is one of the 17 recipients this year of the 50-year Distinguished Member Award, acknowledging members of at least 50 years’ standing who have performed outstanding service to ASHRAE. McCartney is a certified commissioning professional (CCP), a certified commission process management professional (CPMP) and the president of HVAC Commissioners Inc, based in southwest Ontario. He began his career as a refrigeration and air-conditioning mechanic in 1966.
Turning to youth, Jayson Bursill, a data scientist with Delta Intelligent Building Technologies in Surrey, British Columbia, is a two-time honouree this year. He is one of three recipients, along with fellow Canadian, Aaron Besseling, a project manager with Besseling Mechanical in Hamilton, Ontario, of the Young Engineers in ASHRAE (YEA) award for induvial excellence in promoting YEA and its programs. He is also among the slate of 28 Distinguished Service Award winners, recognizing members who have contributed their talents and represented ASHRAE well in the industry.
Three other Canadians also received Distinguished Service Awards. They include: Badri Patel, P.Eng., a certified building energy assessment professional (BEAP) and HVAC equipment account executive with Johson Controls in Toronto; Daniel Redmond, P.Eng., director of operations and maintenance in Carleton University’s facilities management department, based in Ottawa; and Gregory Scrivener, lead refrigeration engineer and partner, with Laporte Engineering in Calgary.
Doug Cochrane, P.Eng. and a certified decarbonization professional (CDP) based in Mississauga, Ontario, is one of 14 recipients of the Exceptional Service Award, which recognizes previous winners of the Distinguished Service Award who have continued to stand out in ASHRAE and the industry. Cochrane is currently an independent consultant after a long career with Carrier. A past president of the Toronto ASHRAE chapter, he has held many board positions and is also an ASHRAE course instructor.
Amanda Forest, P.Eng, a mechanical engineer with JASEL Engineering Inc. in Windsor, Ontario, received the William J. Collins Jr. Research Promotion Award. The award is named for a past ASHRAE Society president and recognizes members who excel at raising funds to support ASHRAE’s research initiatives.
Jeffrey Siegel, an ASHRAE Fellow and Professor in the University of Toronto’s department of civil and mineral engineering, received the Donald Bahnfleth Environmental Health Award. Named in honour of a former ASHRAE Society president, the award recognizes excellence in volunteer service focused on environmental health.
John Hollick, P.Eng., an ASHRAE Life member and chief executive officer of Conserval Engineering Inc., based in Toronto, is part of a three-member team that received the Lower GWP Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Award. This recognizes those who have developed or applied practical technologies to minimize global warming potential (GWP) related to refrigeration and air-conditioning in developing countries.
“We are proud to recognize this year’s ASHRAE Honours and Awards recipients for their exceptional accomplishments,” says Dennis Knight, the 2024–25 ASHRAE president. “Their commitment to excellence and advancement of sustainable building practices reflects the very best of our Society. We extend our congratulations and gratitude to each honouree.”
