Bahnfleth honored with ASHRAE award

7/31/2019 Julia Stackler

Written by Julia Stackler

William Bahnfleth
William Bahnfleth

MechSE alumnus William P. Bahnfleth, P.E., (BSME ’79, MSME ’80, PhD ME ’89) received the 2019 Donald Bahnfleth Environmental Health Award from ASHRAE.

Named in honor of his late father, ASHRAE Presidential Member and MechSE alumnus Donald Bahnfleth (BSME ’52, MSME ’56), the award recognizes excellence in volunteer service focused on environmental health issues. Initiated in 2006 as the Environmental Health Award, it was renamed this year to honor Donald’s memory and his central role initiating ASHRAE’s environmental health activities during his presidency in 1985-86 through the creation of the Environmental Health Committee (EHC). It recognizes excellence in volunteer service focused on environmental health issues, which allows ASHRAE to contribute technological advances for the benefit of industry and public. 

William is a Professor of Architectural Engineering and Director of the Indoor Environment Center at Penn State University. His research focuses on thermal storage, district heating and cooling, indoor air quality, building energy modeling and analysis, applications of thermal sciences to buildings, and sampling protocols for indoor bioaerosol contaminants.

William is being recognized for his service, including terms on the EHC, twice serving as chair of the ASHRAE IAQ (indoor air quality) conference, and authoring papers and articles for ASHRAE related to environmental health. He is a previous recipient of ASHRAE’s 2018 E.K. Campbell Award and the 2018 Louise and Bill Holladay Distinguished Fellow Award. He is a Presidential Fellow Life Member ASHRAE. William received the award at the ASHRAE Annual Conference in Kansas City on June 22. 

Donald was a 1985 recipient of the MechSE Distinguished Alumni Award.

According to Penn State, “both [Donald and William] studied at the University of Illinois, both had careers that included academic appointments and professional practice, and both served as presidents of ASHRAE (formerly, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers).”


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This story was published July 31, 2019.