Stars of Our Community: Carrie Brown
Posted by jteo on Jan. 1, 2025 / Member Spotlight / Subscribe 0
Meet our featured member, Dr. Carrie Brown, a leading expert in decarbonization and resiliency through policy research, program design and evaluation, codes and standards, and technical consulting. With a background in building science, mechanical engineering, simulation and optimization methods, and data analysis, Dr. Brown brings a wealth of knowledge to the field of sustainable design. Dr. Brown is deeply involved in professional communities, serving as an ASHRAE Society Director-At-Large (2024–2027) and a member of ASHRAE's Center of Excellence for Building Decarbonization. She is also the immediate past president of IBPSA-USA, Chair of ASHRAE TC 4.2 Climatic Information, and Co-chair of the 2024 IBPSA-USA SimBuild Conference. Her contributions exemplify her commitment to advancing the built environment toward a more sustainable future.
How long have you been involved with ASHRAE in years? Describe the roles or capacities in which you are involved with ASHRAE.
I joined when I was a student at Berkeley in 2006. My current activities include:
- Society Director-at-Large (2024-2027)
- Center of Excellence for Building Decarbonization, Member
- 2025 ASHRAE Building Decarbonization Conference Vice-Chair
- TC 4.2 - Climatic Information, Chair
- Standard 169 - Climatic Data for Building Design Standards, Secretary
- Climate Change Position Document Committee, Voting Member
- Planning Committee, Consultant
- Corresponding member TC 2.5 - Global Climate Change and TC 2.8 - Building Environmental Impacts and Sustainability
- Resilience Multidisciplinary Task Group, Member
If you had to describe the ASHRAE community in three words, what would they be?
Supportive, influential, and nerdy (in the best way possible).
What has been your favorite ASHRAE memory, event, or experience, and why?
For me, I think it’s the evolution of attending ASHRAE conferences and events over the years. I remember attending a Winter conference as a student and feeling nervous and a bit overwhelmed by all of the amazing people there. But, as soon as I started joining committees and attending more events, I found an extremely welcoming and supportive community. Now, I can’t wait to get back to the next event to see all of my wonderful friends.
How has your involvement with ASHRAE influenced your career and personal growth?
I received the ASHRAE Eric Thor Anderson Memorial Scholarship from the Golden Gate Chapter back in 2007 and used those funds to buy the laptop that I did all of my doctoral work on. So, big thanks to GG ASHRAE for that early support! These days, I work for a small research and consulting company that I absolutely love. In parallel, I’m grateful that ASHRAE connects me to a community full of world-renowned experts to learn from. So, I have the benefits of a small, close-knit company, while still feeling connected to a global community working to provide a healthy and sustainable built environment for all.
Where do you see the industry heading in the next 5-10 years, and what developments are you most excited about?
I think we’re at a really interesting point, where historically we’ve often focused on energy and cost, but as many cities, states, and countries set aggressive decarbonization goals, we’re now thinking about whole life GHG reduction, grid harmonization, and resiliency at a new level of detail. This presents an opportunity -- and a responsibility -- to promote and enrich our industry as leaders in the solution to the climate crisis.
What is one key piece of advice you would offer to young professionals entering this field?
Get involved and don’t be afraid to ask questions! For me this was mostly through conference and technical committees in the earlier years. But, between all of the grassroots and technical work, I think ASHRAE offers ways for everyone to find something they’re passionate about.
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