Stars of Our Community: Stephen Roth
Posted by jteo on Dec. 1, 2025 / Member Spotlight / Subscribe 0
Meet our featured member, Stephen Roth, P.E., LEED AP, President of Carmel Software, a 30-year-old firm specializing in developing HVAC and building performance software for the built environment. A graduate mechanical engineer and business major from the University of Pennsylvania, Stephen previously served as a Senior Product Manager for Autodesk Revit, the industry’s leading BIM authoring tool, following Autodesk’s acquisition of his prior company.
An active contributor to the engineering community, Stephen serves on multiple ASHRAE technical committeesfocused on computer applications, data interoperability, and HVAC performance. He is also the President of Green Building XML (gbXML.org), leading efforts funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, SBIR, Autodesk, ASHRAE, and Bentley to advance data sharing across nearly 50 different building design tools. A frequent speaker, author, and educator, Stephen continues to champion innovation in BIM and software technologies to support more energy-efficient building design.
How long have you been involved with ASHRAE in years? Describe the roles or capacities in which you are involved with ASHRAE.
Prior to 2005, I did attend periodic AHR/ASHRAE Shows in the late 1990s. I
- Voting and Corresponding Member of TCs: 1.5, 4.1, 4.7, 7.6, MTG.BEQ, MTG.BIM, MTG.AI, SPC-224, SSPC-224 SPC-232P, GPC-20
Have attended Golden Gate ASHRAE events for almost 20 years, but no formal roles. I attended my first CRC in SF this past August.
Smart and Passionate
What has been your favorite ASHRAE memory, event, or experience, and why?
Too many good memories to really narrow it down. I enjoy the Summer and Winter meetings and haven’t missed one since 2005 except during the COVID years. Many times, the meetings are in cities that I probably would never have travelled to, so that’s always a plus. Also, I always enjoy dinner with my TCs and also just bumping into colleagues and having a drink during the Winter/Summer meetings.
How has your involvement with ASHRAE influenced your career and personal growth?
It has influenced my career and personal growth in so many ways:
- Improved my leadership skills having chaired TCs, SPCs, PMS’s.
- I try to do a seminar at every Society meeting, so it has helped me network and connect with all sorts of professionals and, of course, improve my public speaking skills. Over the years, I have probably spoken or chaired 35+ seminars, debates, or other related speaking events.
- By attending every meeting, I have built an incredible network of professionals in the HVACR industry including many I call friends. What’s great about ASHRAE is that many professionals remain active members for decades—even after retirement—making it the perfect forum for building lifelong relationships.
Do you hold any ASHRAE or other professional certifications/licenses? If so, how have they benefited your career?
I hold PE and LEED AP: Having a PE designation for 20+ years has given me credibility with engineers in our industry. Amazingly, only about 1% of all mechanical engineers have a PE designation, so it is an exclusive club and has opened doors for me in terms of doing business with clients and advancing within ASHRAE Society.
What initially drew you to ASHRAE, and what has kept you engaged over the years?
My dad was an HVAC mechanical engineer and ASHRAE member from the 1960s through the 1990s. I worked for my family’s mechanical contracting, design-build, and controls business for a while to learn the industry. I still remember attending my first ASHRAE AHR Show in Chicago in the mid-1990s—it made quite an impression on me.
While my dad was not involved at the Society level, as I mentioned earlier, I attended my first Society Meeting in 2005 and haven’t missed a live one since. The following have kept me engaged with the Society: (1) Leadership of TCs and SPCs (2) Seminar speaking opportunities (3) Professional networking and friendships (4) Learning opportunities and intellectual stimulation (5) Research projects and business opportunities
What is one key piece of advice you would offer to young professionals entering this field?
This is a great industry. Some say it’s not as glamorous as high-tech or other fields, but I beg to differ. Our industry is incredibly glamorous because it is both diverse and essential. Cities like Phoenix wouldn’t even exist today without it. There are countless roles for engineers and technically minded individuals in this field—design, software programming, product management, research, leadership, and many others. This is an industry that continues to grow, so there’s no risk of running out of work. It’s always challenging, and I’m constantly learning something new. New technologies are being adopted all the time, and even AI is making inroads—helping building owners better manage and control their facilities.
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