Dr Andy Pearson of Star Refrigeration awarded ASHRAE Fellowship
Dr Andy Pearson of Star Refrigeration and Azane Inc. has been 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 the HVACR industry and achieved distinction in the field of 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 the individual has made a significant contribution to the engineering world in their field.
This honour recognises Dr Pearson’s work in 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.
“ASHRAE is pleased to honour Andy Pearson with the grade of Fellow,” ASHRAE President David Underwood said. “It is through contributions such as his, including his work on innovative industrial systems using natural refrigerants, that allows our Society to fulfill its mission of advancing the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world.”
Dr Andy Pearson, Group Managing Director of Star Refrigeration and President of US chiller manufacturer Azane, said, “It’s a great honour to be named as an ASHRAE fellow, and I will be hanging my plaque proudly in our UK 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 to 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.
Dr Pearson has recently been named Group Managing Director of Star Refrigeration. The group operates in six global business sectors:
- Industrial refrigeration engineering – Star Refrigeration;
- Low charge ammonia chiller manufacturing – Azane;
- Cooling and heating technical consultancy – Star Technical Solutions;
- Chilling equipment specialist – Starfrost;
- Electrical and mechanical engineering – Star M&E Solutions;
- HVACR eLearning – Star Learning Solutions.
Star Refrigeration is a world pioneer in the design, manufacture, installation, commissioning and maintenance of industrial cooling and heating solutions that pushes forward the boundaries of environmentally focused refrigeration and air conditioning. During the last 40 years, Star has successfully developed cutting edge applications using natural refrigerants, providing its customers with ultra efficient and increasingly innovative technological solutions that build a more sustainable way of life.
Azane Inc. is a California based manufacturer of low charge ammonia refrigeration systems. The company engineered the Azane line, including the Azanechiller and Azanefreezer to help the American food processing, storage and distribution companies meet the challenges presented by the phasing out of R22, an ozone depleting refrigerant. To find out more about Azane, visit the website at: www.azane-inc.com.
To find out more about ASHRAE, visit: www.ashrae.org.