ASHRAE Student Design Competition 2026
ASHRAE
📌 About the Event
The 2026 ASHRAE Student Design Competition focuses on a new healthcare facility building where design teams schematically design a building to determine what site layout, envelope construction, mechanical system, and lighting schemes produce the best life cycle cost over the life of the building. ASHRAE sponsors these competitions to encourage students to become involved in a profession that is crucial to ensuring a sustainable future for our Earth through the design of energy-efficient HVAC systems. Indian engineering and architecture students are fully eligible.
ℹ️ Event Details
- Category: Mechanical Engineering, HVAC Design, Sustainable Building Design, Architecture
- Organizer: ASHRAE, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers, USA
- Eligibility: Project groups must have at least 2 members from an undergraduate engineering or architecture curriculum for HVAC categories, and at least 3 members for the Net Zero Energy Design category. All team members must be enrolled during the semester in which they contribute. Teams from multiple colleges permitted. No ASHRAE Student Branch required at the university. Indian students eligible
- Open To: Global including India
- Team Size: 2 to 6 students depending on category, with a faculty advisor recommended
- Effort Level: Very High, semester long design project
- Submission Type: Online design submission with technical documentation, drawings, and energy analysis reports
📅 Important Dates
- Pre registration Deadline: April 4, 2026
- Final Submission Deadline: May 4, 2026
- Recognition: At the ASHRAE Annual Conference 2026
- Mode: Fully Online submission
🏆 Prize Details and Value
- Prize Type: Cash prizes and international recognition
- Prize Amount: First place receives travel and accommodation expenses covered. Second place receives €600. Third place receives €500. Multiple category prizes available across HVAC Design, System Selection, and Net Zero Energy Design tracks
- Certificates: Yes
📦 Resources and Support Available
- Official competition guidelines, Owner’s Project Requirements, and ASHRAE Standard 189.1 documentation available on the official ASHRAE website
- ASHRAE Student Branch chapters in Indian universities provide local mentorship and faculty advisor connections
- No requirement to have an ASHRAE Student Branch at your university, making participation accessible to any Indian engineering college