March 31, 2020
Keen co-authors textbook
Julia Keen, professor and Bob and Betty Tointon engineering chair in the GE Johnson Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science at Kansas State University, along with co-author, Tom Lawrence, professor of practice and coordinator for the mechanical engineering degree program at the University of Georgia, announce the publication of a new textbook, "High-Performance Buildings Simplified: Designing, Constructing and Operating Sustainable Commercial Building."
The book is designed to instruct and guide students and early career professionals in the principles of high-performance building design, construction and operation with lessons designed to provide fundamental concepts, outside-of-class activities, suggested design projects and learning exercises.
Published by the global society of ASHRAE, which advances human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment, the first copies were available for purchase at the ASHRAE Winter Conference 2020 in Orlando.
Keen and Lawrence became acquainted through their involvement with ASHRAE, having recently both served on its board of directors. From their similar roles and backgrounds came the idea of collaborating on a book that could be used at the university level, based on other reference publications by ASHRAE intended for the practitioner.
"The book is intended to be a tool faculty can use in the classroom," Keen said. "Our goal was to keep it at a level a professor could use for introductory-level courses on the subject as well as for more advanced engineering classes depending on the discussion topics and exercises selected to incorporate as class content."