On November 14, 2025, ASHRAE President William McQuade and representatives of the ASHRAE Hellenic Chapter met with the Mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, at Athens City Hall to explore opportunities for collaboration in support of sustainable, healthy, and high-performance municipal buildings.

The meeting was attended by William McQuade, President of ASHRAE, together with Chrysostomos Bouras, President of the ASHRAE Hellenic Chapter, Aristotelis Tsekouras, Government Affairs Committee Chair, George Pantelidis, Chapter Board Member and Certified ASHRAE Instructor, and Costas Balaras, ASHRAE Fellow and internationally recognized expert in building energy performance.

Discussions focused on the role of internationally recognized ASHRAE standards and best practices in supporting local authorities as they address challenges related to energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, building resilience, and decarbonization. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of creating healthy and sustainable municipal buildings that provide long-term value to both citizens and local governments.

The meeting also established the foundation for a strategic collaboration between the City of Athens and the ASHRAE Hellenic Chapter through the development of the Energy in Buildings: Athens Academy, an initiative designed to strengthen the technical capacity of municipal engineers, technical departments, and local government professionals.

The Academy aims to provide education and practical guidance based on internationally recognized standards and engineering best practices, supporting municipalities in the design, evaluation, operation, and supervision of building projects. Key areas of focus include energy efficiency, healthy and comfortable indoor environments, reduced environmental impact, and improved building performance.

Commenting on the collaboration, the Mayor of Athens publicly highlighted the shared objective of bringing ASHRAE’s global expertise closer to Greek cities and supporting the sustainable, healthy, and innovative transformation of the municipal building stock.

The meeting was fully aligned with the 2025–2026 ASHRAE Presidential Theme, “Healthy Buildings: Designed for Life,” promoted by ASHRAE President William McQuade. The discussion emphasized that high-performance buildings must simultaneously address energy performance, occupant health, indoor environmental quality, and long-term resilience.

The ASHRAE Hellenic Chapter remains committed to supporting municipalities, public authorities, and policy makers through technical expertise, education, and the promotion of internationally recognized standards that contribute to healthier, more efficient, and more sustainable communities.