©2025 This excerpt taken from the article of the same name which appeared in ASHRAE Journal, vol. 67, No. 8, August 2025.
Healthy Buildings: Designing for Life
By Bill McQuade
Bill McQuade P.E., CDP, ASHRAE’s President for the 2025 – 26 term, has spent more than 32 years working in the HVAC&R industry in various roles. He is Global Vice President for Government Affairs and Sustainability at Baltimore Aircoil Company.
I have always had a love for the outdoors—I would say a real avid outdoor enthusiast. As a boy, I spent long summer days with my friends exploring the woods near our homes building tree forts and primitive shelters using scrap lumber, logs and tree branches. We had all kinds of adventures. I guess you could say that my interaction with the built environment started very early, though I must admit my structures would not have passed code. They were from the “perilous” movement in architecture, and I fell out of a few trees. At least my early structures were net zero energy. Clearly, I was ahead of my time.
When I became a father, it was important to me that my sons, Alex and Colin, experienced the outdoors and the values of Scouting. As their troop leader from Tiger Scouts through their Eagle rank, we spent countless hours in the woods—camping in canvas tents, creating unforgettable adventures together.
Scouting is an outdoor activity, and as the scouts get older and more capable, they are taught various survival skills so that they can protect themselves and assist others in times of danger. One of the first skills taught in the wilderness survival merit badge is constructing an emergency shelter.
Shelter is one of the most fundamental human needs—essential for survival, safety and well-being. Throughout history, humans have sought shelter to protect themselves from the elements, including extreme weather, predators and environmental hazards. In its simplest form, shelter provides physical protection, ensuring that individuals are shielded from rain, cold, heat and wind. However, its significance extends beyond physical safety. It plays a vital role in providing emotional and psychological security, which fosters a sense of stability and comfort.
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