ASHRAE Fight Night 2026 Recap

Our January Chapter Meeting brought the energy, the insight, and just a touch of spectacle with a 3-Way Debate centered on ASHRAE’s society theme for the year: the tradeoffs between Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) and Decarbonization goals. Rather than a traditional panel, this month’s meeting took on a bold new format: ASHRAE Fight Night! Where technical expertise met WWE-style theatrics, spirited debate, and active audience participation.

Meet the Contenders!
Team IEQ: Dan Luddy (AEI) & Brian Cawley (Hargis)
Defended the importance of occupant health, comfort, and performance in the built environment, even as buildings push toward more aggressive carbon reduction targets.

Team Decarb: Lewie Thomson (MacDonald-Miller) & Megan Messick (Arup)
Made a compelling case for prioritizing emissions reductions, electrification, and long-term climate responsibility as the industry continues to evolve.

Wild card: Darren Schwend (P2S)
Delivered a thoughtful and nuanced argument advocating for balance, reminding us that the most successful projects often emerge from carefully managing the tension between competing priorities rather than choosing a single winner.

The Main Event!
The debate unfolded over five high-energy rounds, complete with bold claims, technical rebuttals, and plenty of crowd reaction. Each team went toe-to-toe highlighting how engineers navigate IEQ and decarbonization goals on today’s projects. The night culminated in a 20-minute Battle Royale, where audience-submitted questions pushed the contenders even further, testing their positions with scenarios pulled straight from everyday practice.

And the Winner is…
When the final bell rang, Team IEQ emerged victorious, earning bragging rights and walking away with the coveted ASHRAE Fight Night Belt! But as any true fight fan knows… a title win only invites the next challenge. Who will challenge them to defend their title next?

A huge thank you to our panelists for bringing both expertise and entertainment, and to everyone who attended and participated. This was one for the books and a reminder that the best conversations in our industry are often the ones that embrace complexity, creativity, and a little fun.