Pictured from left to right: Tetsuji Okada, Ichiro Hongo (JRAIA), Zhang Zhaohui (CRAA), Jaeyoon Koh (LG/KRAIA), Jim Walters (AHRI), Samoel Vieira de Souza (ABRAVA), Teresa Li (CRAA), Cade Clark, Matt Gardner (AHRI), Sharon Liu (CRAA), Wadi Tadeu Neaime (ABRAVA), Felix Van Eyken (Eurovent), Steve Yurek (AHRI), Christine Kim (KRAIA), Greg Picker (AREMA), Christian Herten (Eurovent), Warren Heeley (HRAI), Andrea Voigt (EPEE), Caroline Czajko, Martin Luymes (HRAI) during the ICARHMA meeting.
To address the challenges facing the industry, AHRI organized an ambitious schedule of international meetings with its global partners during the most recent AHR Expo in Chicago. With an impressive international attendance, the AHR Expo presents an ideal time and place for AHRI and its global partners to hold these international meetings.
AHRI organized two separate meetings the morning of Sunday, January 25, with participants representing Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Europe, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and the United States. First, supporters of the proposed Global Refrigerant Management Initiative (GRMI) met to review the objectives of the initiative and to comment on a draft charter. The GRMI is an industry-led effort that seeks to identify and explore opportunities to educate the HVACR and water heating industry’s global supply chain on ways to improve the management of refrigerants to reduce leaks and service emissions. It also aims to promote the recycling, recovery, reclamation, and end-of-life destruction of refrigerants and foam blowing agents. During the second meeting, many of the same participants, but also including representatives from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), gathered to discuss training and education efforts for the handling of alternative refrigerants.
Following these two meetings, members of the International Council of Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Heating Manufacturers Associations (ICARHMA) met for its annual working group meeting. Of particular note, they discussed the need for more frequent communication via teleconference or other forums this year to share information regarding global climate change developments aimed at regulating high-global warming potential refrigerants, and to work toward a common industry position on generally accepted principles. In a separate meeting with UNEP, AHRI discussed its credentialing concept for a global refrigerant “driver’s license” as a baseline for technician competency qualifications. Following the ICARHMA working group meeting, AHRI hosted its annual Global Partners Reception.
AHRI also organized several bilateral meetings with its global partners. These meetings focused on topics of mutual interest and explored ways in which AHRI and its partners can establish greater cooperation.
Contact: Michael LaGiglia.