Dear ASHRAE Southern California Chapter Members and guests,

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     I am deeply honored and thrilled to step into the role of President for our esteemed ASHRAE Southern California Chapter. Our distinguished chapter, established in 1930, boasts a remarkable 94-year legacy of shaping building engineering excellence in our region.

As we embark on the ASHRAE year, I have a clear vision for our Southern California chapter. ASHRAE's vision for a healthy and sustainable built environment for all deeply resonates with me – I am committed to fully supporting the Decarbonization movement sweeping across California and beyond.

The climate crisis that we are already experiencing demands action. More frequent and extreme weather events, wildfires impacting air quality, and power outages are just a few of the challenges we face. What we all are feeling is the pain of higher utility bills due to the disruption in our supply and grid stability. Our region is also going through acidification for a little while now. Water shortage is the key issue in our southwest region. To help address these pressing challenges, we are focusing on four key initiatives:

 

1. Technical Presentations: Our chapter will continue to host informative talks from industry experts on pressing topics to educate members, raise awareness and facilitate meaningful discussions. 

2. ​Open Dialogue: We will create an open forum for members to discuss ideas and develop solutions collaboratively. We acknowledge that as the chapter board members, we do not have all the answers. However, as a community, we possess a vast pool of collective knowledge that can propel us towards impactful change.

3. Students and Young professionals: Our chapter will continue to support our students and young professionals, as they are the future leaders of our industry. 

4. DEI: Diversity, equity and inclusion are paramount. Research has shown organizations are stronger on a tapestry of different perspectives, when all voices are being heard. We will cultivate an open and inclusive community where everyone comes together to build meaningful relationships, solve problems, and collaborate to create a more promising future.

 

By coming together, we can create a significant positive impact. Let’s all work together towards the decarbonization of our built environment, building resilient infrastructure, while prioritizing indoor environmental quality, and health and wellbeing.

 

I am incredibly excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and am confident that, with your support and dedication, we will achieve remarkable things. Hope to see you soon!

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Thank you,

Rafi Karim