Latest News
HVAC&R concentration Update
This year marks a major milestone: 20 years of the Mechanical Engineering HVAC&R Concentration as well as the 20th Annual Cal Poly HVAC&R Fundraiser!
We kicked off our celebration with the Women in ME/ASHRAE Dinner on October 9, where more than 60 students joined industry professionals and faculty for an evening of networking and inspiration. The event fostered meaningful connections, highlighted diverse career paths in HVAC&R, and encouraged students to prepare for the transition from school to professional life.
The excitement continued with our HVAC&R Industry Showcase on Friday, October 10, which saw record-breaking student attendance! Over 300 students connected with representatives from 35+ companies across the HVAC&R industry. The Showcase remains one of the most valuable opportunities for students to explore career options, find internships and full-time positions, and learn firsthand about the HVAC&R industry.
Our 20th Anniversary Dinner Celebration honored our sponsors and supporters who helped raise $150,000 for the Cal Poly HVAC&R Program—funds that will sustain our tradition of excellence in undergraduate HVAC&R education. During the evening, Steffen presented the rich history of HVAC&R education at Cal Poly, tracing its roots back to 1936, when the first Air Conditioning Industries courses and technical certificates were established. More historic pictures can be found in our Cal Poly HVAC&R Through the Years Photo Gallery. He also shared a look ahead at several exciting milestones:
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2027 – 90 years of the A/C Club at Cal Poly
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2030 – 90 years of HVAC&R Engineering and 70 years of the Cal Poly ASHRAE Student Branch
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2036 – 100 years of HVAC&R education at Cal Poly
The weekend concluded with a day of sunshine and fun, as alumni, faculty, and students enjoyed golfing, wine tasting, and mountain biking in true Cal Poly spirit.
Looking ahead, our ASHRAE Student Club Fall Field Trip will include attending the San Jose ASHRAE Chapter Student Night, along with a visit to local HVAC&R company and job site—offering students valuable industry exposure.
As we enter the new year, we are excited to launch the Net-Zero Design Competition 2026 and host our first Cal Poly HVAC&R Conference in collaboration with NASRC on April 17, 2026: Student Experience & Career Networking – The Future of Cooling: From Everyday Life to Global Impact.
Stay tuned and check our Events tab regularly for updates on these and other upcoming opportunities to connect, learn, and celebrate with the Cal Poly HVAC&R community.
- Steffen Peuker,
- Professor, HVAC&R Director and IAB Liaison
- 805-756-1353
- speuker@calpoly.edu
FROM THE HVAC&R BLOG
Project Spotlight
Senior Design - ASHRAE Student Design Competition
Students were tasked to present the methods and decisions that went into selecting an HVAC system for a single-story laboratory facility in Cairo, Egypt. This 2,515 m2 (27,000 ft2) new construction contains a variety of rooms, including wet bench labs, dry bench computational labs, research support offices, a common area for circulation, a break room, and an atrium reception area. The owner specified building requirements including a budget, operating hours, and a space function analysis.
Upcoming Events
Data Center Design Workshop – Jan. 8, 2026
The Cal Poly ASHRAE Club is excited to host a Data Center Design Workshop on Thursday, January 8th at 11:10 AM in Building 13, Room 124. This workshop will be sponsored by Therma, with guest speaker Mehrdad Alipour, Director of Critical Facilities Engineering, leading the session.
Attendees will explore the history of data centers, core cooling systems, and efficiency and HVAC standards critical to modern data-center engineering. The event is open to all majors, and lunch will be provided.
Join us to deepen your understanding of one of the fastest-growing sectors in the HVAC&R industry!
