ASHRAE®, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its members focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability within the industry. Through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. The National Capital Chapter began as the Washington, DC Chapter of the American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers (ASHVE) on 24 September 1935. An organizational meeting of the ASHVE Washington Chapter was held on 9 October 1935 and Lt. Col. Wilmot A. Danielson was elected the first president. Later, the American Society of Refrigerating Engineers (ASRE) formed the Baltimore-Washington Section in 1939. These two organizations existed side-by-side for the next twenty years, until they joined together in 1959 to form the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). The name of the Chapter became the National Capital Chapter of ASHRAE after the merger of the two former Societies in 1959. Thanks to its location at the seat of the U. S. Government, and to the hard work of its membership committees, the Chapter has grown to become one of the largest in the Society.