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ASHRAE’s Proposed New Membership Model

Posted by Catherine Wood on Apr. 1, 2026 / ASHRAE Society / Subscribe 0

Presidential Members Ginger Scoggins and Dennis Knight charged the Membership Models Presidential Ad Hoc to conduct a comprehensive review of the current membership model to address fair, equitable, value-added membership.

The Ad Hoc developed the following new Membership Model to simplify and expand ASHRAE’s reach within the industry and around the world. The proposed model was approved by the Board of Directors on May 28, 2025. These proposed changes in ASHRAE’s membership model will require amendments to the Society Bylaws. ASHRAE members will vote on the Bylaws amendments to finalize the proposed new model on the Spring 2026 ballot. If approved by the membership, the new model will be effective July 1, 2027.

In the new model, all members – no matter the country of residence or the membership grade – will receive access to ASHRAE Handbook Online (HBO), including Students. Discounted membership grades such as Students, Student Branch Advisors, Young Professionals and Tenured professionals will receive access to Handbook Online, the ASHRAE Journal, High Performance Buildings magazine, Insights newsletter, access to the ASHRAE Technology Portal and member pricing for ASHRAE publications, professional development courses and conferences. All members will also have access to discounted member pricing for all ASHRAE publication including printed copies of the Handbook and the Handbook PDF

Members, who pay full dues based on their country of residence, will also receive the choice of one of the following free benefits per year: ASHRAE eLearning course, Certification Study Guide, Standard or Guideline PDF.

Students and the Smart Start Program

The Smart Start Program is currently available for student members who wish to transfer to the current Associate grade of membership in a stair-step approach over three years. This program will be replaced with the Young Professionals membership. Once a student member graduates, they can transfer their membership to the Young Professionals membership and receive discounted dues with quality benefits such as access to Handbook Online, industry magazines and newsletters, the Technology Portal, and member pricing on professional development courses, publications and conferences.

Affiliate Members

The Affiliate membership grade will be replaced by the Young Professionals membership option. The only qualification to joining as a Young Professional is that you are 35 years old or younger. Young Professionals receive discounted dues for the first two years of their ASHRAE membership and receive benefits such as access to Handbook Online, ASHRAE Journal, High Performance Buildings magazine, Insights newsletter, Technology Portal and Member Pricing on publications, professional development courses, and conferences. Unlike the current Affiliate membership grade, Young Professionals will be eligible to serve in Chapter, Region and Society positions as well as have the right to vote. After two years, members will be transferred to Full Member.

Associate Members

The Associate membership grade, intended for younger professionals with less experience in the industry, will be replaced with the Young Professionals category. There will be no qualifications related to work experience, post-high school education, or professional engineering registration or license. All new members who are 35 years old or younger will receive discounted dues for their first two years of membership with access to Handbook Online. After two years of membership Young Professionals will transfer to the Full Member grade – no additional years of work experience, education, or membership tenure required.

Life Members

Current Life Members and members who reach the age of 65 years with 30 years of cumulative ASHRAE by June 30, 2027, will continue to be called “Life Members” and will be grandfathered into receiving waived dues.

Beginning July 1, 2027, members who reach the age of 65 years, have 30 years of cumulative ASHRAE membership, AND who have either received the Distinguished Service Award (DSA) OR a number of qualifying service points to Society will be rewarded with waived dues. Service points are earned by participating in different aspects of Society including serving in Society, Regional, and Chapter positions, on Ad Hocs, Standard Project Committees, Technical Committees, general activities such as service to Society's Winter and Annual Conferences, CRCs Intersociety assignments, Foundation and HVAC&R Research Journal, and Service as a Speaker, author of ASHRAE publications and author of ASHRAE published papers. Those who don't qualify for the waived dues still receive quality benefits, such as access to Handbook Online, at a significantly discounted dues rate in the new Tenured Professional membership category.

The new Tenured Professional category is for members who are 65 years old with 25 years of cumulative ASHRAE membership. The Tenured Professionals category mirrors the Young Professionals category which provides members with access to Handbook Online, the Technology Portal, industry Journals and newsletters as well as member pricing on publications and conferences at a discounted dues rate.