Dr Andy Pearson, group MD of Star Refrigeration and president of US chiller manufacturer Azane Inc, was named an ASHRAE Fellow during the Society’s Winter Conference in Orlando last Saturday.

The prestigious title recognises people who have made substantial contributions to HVACR industry and achieved distinction in engineering.

ASHRAE is an international community which represents building system design and industrial processes professionals around the globe. It is a research hub and leading voice in the world of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration and brings together over 53,000 members from 132 nations.

To become an ASHRAE Fellow is no easy task, as there are strict criteria to follow and there must be proof that an individual has made a significant contribution to the engineering world in their field.

The honour recognises Dr Pearson’s work on natural refrigeration. He is one of the leading names in the refrigeration and engineering industry and has made notable advances in the eco-cooling sector. He has worked across Europe in a number of world firsts, including the first use of carbon dioxide in IT cooling in 2005 and the world’s largest zero carbon 90°C district heat pump in Norway. He has won countless industry awards for his technical papers and pioneering research in the use of ammonia and carbon dioxide as refrigerants and makes further contributions to the sector through seminars and conference presentations, in addition to writing a popular monthly column in the ASHRAE Journal.

Dr Pearson said: “It’s a great honour to be named as an ASHRAE Fellow, and I’ll be hanging my plaque proudly in our UK’s head office in Glasgow. After such a long time working in this industry, it really is great to receive such distinction for my work and achievements – which I share with the Star Group and its talented team.”

To be considered as a Fellow of ASHRAE, individuals must have been a member of the organisation for at least a decade and be nominated by another member with support from current Fellows and sponsors. Nominators also have to describe what projects an individual has been involved in which amount to distinction or a substantial contribution in the industry.

Being awarded the ASHRAE Fellowship is one in a long line of recent accolades and endorsements for Dr Pearson. In the past few years he has been recognised by international organisations such as the Institute of Refrigeration, the Association Française du Froid and the International Energy Agency’s Heat Pump Association.