2026-2027 ASHRAE High School Design Competition
The 2026-2027 ASHRAE High School Design Competition asks teams of students aged 13–18 to design a new exhibit hall for the San Diego Zoo. Entrants choose either a tropical-rainforest habitat or an aquarium exhibit, then integrate spatial planning with cooling-load calculations, HVAC equipment selection, ductwork and indoor environmental quality.
Competition brief
| Organizer | ASHRAE Student Activities Committee |
|---|---|
| Project | New zoo exhibit hall: tropical rainforest or aquarium |
| Location | San Diego, California, United States |
| Competition type | Student building-services and architectural design exercise |
| Eligibility | Teams of 1–5 students; all work must be completed by students aged 13–18 |
| Entry fee | No fee stated on the official competition page |
Dates, registration and awards
| Registration deadline | 7 December 2026, midnight Eastern Standard Time |
|---|---|
| Submission deadline | 5 January 2027, midnight Eastern Standard Time |
| Results | 1 March 2027 |
| Total cash prizes | USD 1,800: first USD 1,000; second USD 500; third USD 300 |
| Additional recognition | First place: plaque; second and third: certificates. All three receive recognition in ASHRAE Insights. |
The organizer states “midnight” on each deadline date without clarifying whether this means the start or end of that calendar day. Entrants should confirm the exact cutoff in the registration portal and submit early.
Submission requirements
| 3D model | Original SketchUp (.skp) model showing walls, windows, doors, HVAC equipment and ductwork |
|---|---|
| Narrative | 2–4 pages in PDF format describing the design process |
| Calculations | Appendix with backup calculations for equipment sizing; excluded from the narrative page limit |
| Design evidence | Cooling loads, equipment selection, distribution routes, temperature and humidity control, energy efficiency and acoustic impact |
Evaluation
The ASHRAE Student Activities Committee will evaluate whether each model meets the owner requirements, addresses optional aspirations, demonstrates modelling skill and creativity, and represents a realistically constructible building. Individual juror names are not published on the official page.
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
This is a focused educational brief in which architecture and building services must be resolved together. Its strongest feature is the requirement to show how environmental targets, animal welfare, visitor comfort, equipment size and duct routing affect spatial decisions rather than treating HVAC as an afterthought.
The exercise is necessarily simplified: entrants work with prescribed assumptions and equipment schedules, and the result is not a professional mechanical design. The age-limited eligibility is also narrow. Within that scope, the deliverables are proportionate and the judging criteria are published, although named jurors and a precise interpretation of “midnight” remain unannounced.
Related competitions — editorial selection
For adjacent educational and technical briefs, see the William Gladstone School new academic wing and the 2027 Concrete Masonry Competition.
Indicative registration countdown
Separate registration is required. ASHRAE writes “midnight EST” for 7 December 2026 without clarifying the start or end of that date. This indicative timer conservatively assumes its start (05:00 UTC); it is not a confirmed interpretation. Submit the registration earlier. Project submission is listed separately for 5 January 2027, with the same midnight ambiguity.
Official brief and application
Review the official brief and terms, and the registration and submission dates in the information table above, before entering.
