ASHRAE President

M. Dennis Knight, P.E., BEMP, Fellow Life Member ASHRAE 2024-25 ASHRAE President

M. Dennis Knight, P.E., Fellow, Life Member ASHRAE, is ASHRAE’s president for the 2024-25 term. Knight previously served on the ASHRAE Board of Directors as president-elect, treasurer, vice president and director-at-large. He has also served as an ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer, chair of the International Standards Advisory Subcommittee and vice chair of the ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force, among other extensive involvement.

For his time and dedication to ASHRAE and the industry, Knight is the recipient of the ASHRAE Distinguished Service Award, Exceptional Service Award, Regional Service Award and the ASHRAE Research Promotion “Top Dog” Award.

The theme for the 2024-25 ASHRAE Society Year is “Empowering Our Workforce: Building a Sustainable Future.”

“We all want to be involved in a career that we can be passionate about and where we can find meaning and purpose. We need to demonstrate to the world what we do and the impact that our industry is making today and is capable of producing in the future to address climate change. Together, we can grow the ranks of committed and passionate professionals and shape the future of our industry and our planet.”

Knight’s theme highlights the emergence of new technologies to the HVAC&R and building sciences and how ASHRAE will play a pivotal role in ensuring that the workforce remains adaptive and forward-thinking.

“Today, rapidly changing technology and Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) are transforming the building science industry and presenting numerous career opportunities. By strategically leveraging the power of technology alongside the power of human creativity, both experienced professionals and new talent can collaborate to drive progress within our entire industry. Every ASHRAE member can be a messenger and an ambassador.”

Knight is the founder of Whole Building Systems, LLC, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina and his experience in the design, construction, operation and maintenance of high performance buildings spans over 46 years. He has commissioned hundreds of new buildings and audited or retro-commissioned over 100 million square feet of existing commercial, federal and industrial building stock. He introduced Building Information Modeling (BIM) to a 30-person architectural firm in the early 2000’s and provided whole building energy simulation analysis.

Knight frequently lectures in the U.S. and abroad on high performance building tools and technology and has authored numerous publications and white papers on a variety of technical topics. He has developed curriculum and teaches on BIM, integrated building design, life cycle cost analysis, ASHRAE 90.1 and IECC energy code compliance, energy management for historic structures in hot and humid climates and energy modeling and commissioning of energy using systems.

Knight is a graduate of the College of Charleston with a Bachelor of Science in Physics and holds dual registration in South Carolina as a Mechanical Engineer and Fire Protection Engineer.

Presidential Presentation

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Translations: Spanish

Presentation Abstract: Why is the fast-growing HVAC&R Building Service industry – with its direct ability to address the role that buildings play in the climate crisis – experiencing an inability to attract new talent? “Empowering Our Workforce: Building a Sustainable Future” delves into this question by highlighting the emergence of new technologies to the industry and explores the imperative to remain adaptive and forward-thinking in shaping the engineers and building scientists of the future.

Career Conversations

Introduce. Inspire. Invite.

Dennis Knight, Career Conversations

Watch Dennis' video about his career

To meet the challenges we’ve accepted, our industry needs a broad range of diverse people to choose careers alongside us. How can we recruit and retain more people? One conversation at a time, starting with you! Career conversations are powerful tools, and they start with us. An introduction, inspiration, and an invitation are the starting points for broad change in someone’s life, and our industry.

Introduce yourself, with job title and a summary.

Inspire them to grow within the HVAC&R industry.

Invite them to learn more and exchange information.