The inaugural meeting of a new ASHRAE subset was not just any ordinary gathering. It was a momentous occasion where the audience included the current Society president, two former presidents, and a president-elect.

As the conference unfolded, it became evident that this was not your typical engineering event. The keynote speaker delivered a powerful message to the professional women in attendance, stating, "Our deeds will be the love that we leave behind." These words, uncommon in the construction industry, sparked reflection and a sense of significance.

During the subsequent coffee break, a seasoned engineer from San Diego approached with gratitude, acknowledging the importance of being an ally. The room, predominantly filled with 150 smiling faces, revealed a profound realization - this was more than just a meeting; it was a movement.

As a reporter and a father of a daughter in her 20s, I felt privileged to witness this pivotal moment in industry history. Having covered numerous conferences over the past 35 years, I was struck by the personal and motivational nature of the program. The inaugural Women in ASHRAE Leadership Symposium's opening sessions exuded inspiration and fostered solidarity in a remarkable manner.
 

Conference keynote Erin McConahey, PE FASHRAE, Principal, ARUP:

"We need leaders who are socially cultivated to care," said McConahey, who joined Arup in 1995 and holds degrees in both mechanical and structural engineering. She has been a principal at the global engineering giant for 15 years, and now heads its Net Zero Carbon Buildings team, which collects "Whole Life Carbon Assessment" data on each of the firm's projects every year.

Now Arup's internal sustainability evangelist and watchdog, McConahey had been the one to propose such a team after having a professional epiphany, she recalled. "One Earth Day on the news, I saw protesters outside the White House holding this sign," she said, calling up a slide showing people behind a banner reading OCCUPY EARTH. "That sign was like a punch in the gut. I realized I had carbon on my hands, too."

McConahey's passion for sustainability was ignited by a profound realization triggered by a sign reading OCCUPY EARTH, prompting her to take action. She encouraged young women engineers to embrace leadership roles, emphasizing the power of love and a big-hearted approach to driving change.

"It's not quite the impostor syndrome, but we have convinced ourselves that we are too small to make a difference," she added. "But I eventually realized that I did not have to be any bigger. I just had to be big-hearted. After all, what is it that drives people? Love. What do you love deeply enough that it will cause you to mobilize all your talents?"

And such mobilization in service to that passion is inherently unselfish, she added. "Some people choose to gain power to hold it over others," McConahey said, clearly hinting at current politics. "Some people gain power to give it away."

That sharing leads to greater collaboration and better decisions that the whole team can buy into, she added. Then McConahey escalated her call to arms.

"Your opportunity for transformational leadership is here. We all have the opportunity to change the future, but the future is calling us to act now," she said. "The future is calling. Do you hear it?"

Once again stressing the urgency needed to act on climate change, despite the daunting enormity of the global challenge, McConahey added, "There is still hope because of people like us... Our deeds will be the love that we leave behind. We need your leadership now."

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