During the AHR Expo 2025 in Orlando, Marco Buoni, had the opportunity to interview Dennis Knight, President of ASHRAE, on key industry challenges and future perspectives. The discussion focused on workforce empowerment, sustainability, and international collaboration, reinforcing the importance of global partnerships in addressing the evolving needs of the HVAC/R sector.
Knight emphasized that the success of the industry hinges on skilled and adaptable professionals. His presidential theme, Empowering Our Workforce – Building a Sustainable Future, underscores the need to provide training and development opportunities for engineers, technicians, and contractors. As climate change and technological advancements reshape the sector, ensuring that professionals have access to education and career growth is crucial.
Regarding international cooperation, Knight highlighted ASHRAE’s strong commitment to working with global partners, including AREA, to address shared challenges. He stressed the need for harmonized training programs, knowledge exchange, and the development of global safety standards, particularly with the ongoing transition to A2L and A3 refrigerants.
Beyond technical expertise, Knight also underscored the importance of soft skills and leadership development. Effective communication, adaptability, and teamwork will be essential as the industry evolves, particularly with the integration of AI and automation. He pointed out that this is likely the last generation where managers will oversee an exclusively human workforce.
The interview concluded with a reflection on the role of resilience and leadership, drawing inspiration from the plenary keynote by climber Jim Davidson, who spoke about overcoming challenges – an apt parallel to the industry’s journey toward a more sustainable future.
It’s possible to watch the complete interview on Centro Studi Galileo’s Youtube Channel, GalileoTV.
Marco Buoni also took part as spokesperson during a panel discussion addressing gender equity in the HVAC industry, focusing on the role of male allies in supporting and advancing women in the sector. Titled “Stronger Together: How Male Allies Help Advance Women in HVAC”, the panel was be moderated by Colleen Keyworth from the International Network of Women in Cooling (INWIC).
In the next few months, the sector’s attention will be focused on Europe, and more precisely on Milan, Italy, with the 21° edition of the European Conference RACHP, organized on 12th-13th June 2025 by Centro Studi Galileo with UNEP, IIR, AREA, REI and ATF, under the auspices of MASE, the Italian Ministry of the Environment.