10 of 11 member organizations that make up the International Council of Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Heating Manufacturers Associations (ICARHMA) Working Group also held a meeting at the Expo. ICARHMA’s member associations represent manufacturers that produce 90 percent of the world’s heating, cooling, and water heating equipment. AHRI President and CEO Stephen Yurek and Senior Vice President of Policy and Government Relations Joe Trauger also attended. Also in attendance were Vice President of International Affairs Jim Walters and Senior Manager of International Affairs Michael LaGiglia, who represented the Secretariat, which is AHRI. ICARHMA members discussed the implications of the Kigali HFC amendment to the Montreal Protocol, including the impact on existing HFC policies such as the EPA SNAP program or the E.U.’s F-Gas regulation. Though the Kigali amendment is yet to be ratified, ICARHMA members highlighted the need to focus on implementation of an HFC phase-down, such as refrigerant research, the revision of codes and standards for flammable refrigerants, and training and education efforts. The next annual meeting of ICARHMA will be hosted by the Korea Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association (KRAIA), October 13-15, in Seoul.

Contact: Jim Walters.

Members of attending ICARHMA organizations during the Annual Meeting.

The International Council of Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Heating Manufacturers Associations (ICARHMA) held its Annual Meeting on May 21 in Melbourne, Australia, hosted by the Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturers Association of Australia (AREMA). President and CEO Stephen Yurek represented AHRI; AHRI Vice President of International Affairs Jim Walters and Senior Manager of International Affairs Michael LaGiglia made up the ICARHMA Secretariat.

ICARHMA’s nine members discussed many common international priorities, including important global training and education initiatives, and Montreal Protocol developments. Each member listed its top three policy issues and provided updates on ongoing research programs. AHRI focused its remarks on alternative refrigerants and plans for high priority research on flammable refrigerants. The latter is expected to cost $5 million and has so far received commitments from AHRI ($1 million), ASHRAE ($1.2 million), and the U.S. Government ($1.8 million). ICARHMA members were encouraged to contribute to fully fund the program.

In addition, ICARHMA approved a policy statement, “Using the Right Refrigerant,” to highlight the risks associated with using refrigerants in equipment not designed for their use. Members will apply the statement in their respective countries/regions. The Council established a taskforce to develop a communications strategy to use the statement in preparations for the Montreal Protocol meeting scheduled for July in Vienna, Austria.

ICARHMA members also formally approved the admittance of two well-known global HVACR trade associations: the Colombian Association of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (ACAIRE) and the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Manufacturers’ Association (RAMA) based in India. The next annual ICARHMA meeting will be hosted by the Korea Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry Association (KRAIA) in 2017 in South Korea.

Left photo, from left to right: Peter Swan (Smardt Chillers), Yurek (AHRI), Val Zdzitowiecki (Smardt Chillers), and LaGiglia (AHRI).
Right photo: Souza, left, with Yurek.

While in Melbourne, AHRI staff used the opportunity to meet with member companies and conduct other business. Yurek and LaGiglia visited AHRI member Smardt’s chiller plant, where they received a plant tour and discussed how future Australian/New Zealand government regulations (which reference AHRI Standard 551/591) will affect the chiller market in Australia.

In addition, Yurek and ABRAVA (the Brazilian Association of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Heating) President of International Affairs Samoel Vieira de Souza signed an agreement to harmonize Brazilian and U.S. standards in the industry. The agreement covers ABRAVA’s translation of 10 AHRI standards into the ABNT format (Brazil’s national standards body). It is expected that the translation of these standards will lead to their adoption as Brazilian Standards. ABRAVA President Wadi Tadeu Neaime also signed the agreement, but was unable to travel to Melbourne for the ICARHMA meeting.

Contact: Jim Walters.

Members of the nine ICARHMA organizations and other attendees during the working group meeting.

The International Council of Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Heating Manufacturers Associations (ICARHMA) held its working group meeting on January 24 in conjunction with the AHR Expo in Orlando, Fla. AHRI was represented by AHRI President & CEO Stephen Yurek and Senior Vice President of Regulatory Policy & Research Karim Amrane. The ICARHMA Secretariat was represented by AHRI Vice President of International Affairs Jim Walters and Senior Manager of International Affairs Michael LaGiglia.

During the meeting, ICARHMA members reviewed formal applications for membership from two well-known global HVACR trade associations: ACAIRE (Colombia), represented by Claudia Sanchez, and RAMA (India), represented by Ravinder Mehta. Both representatives presented their respective organizations’ credentials. The working group recommended admittance of each (ACAIRE as an associate member and RAMA as a full member), which is subject to formal ICARHMA approval.

ICARHMA members also discussed a draft policy statement, “Using the Right Refrigerant,” which is being developed by members of the council, but which will be issued by individual industry associations. The purpose of the statement is to highlight the risks associated with using refrigerants in equipment not designed for their use.

The next annual ICARHMA meeting will be hosted by the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturers Association of Australia (AREMA) in May in Melbourne, Australia.

Contact: Jim Walters.

The International Council of Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Heating Manufacturers Associations (ICARHMA) held its Annual Meeting on October 23 in Chengdu, China. AHRI was represented by President & CEO Stephen Yurek and Vice President of International Affairs Jim Walters.

Hosted by China Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Industry Association (CRAA), ICARHMA’s nine members discussed many common priorities, including global refrigerant policy and various unresolved issues related to the transition to post-HCFC and HFC refrigerants. Members listed their top three policy issues and provided updates about ongoing research programs such as AHRI’s research on alternative refrigerants (Phase II of the Low-GWP AREP). AHRI also updated members on AHRI’s commitment of $1 million toward the multi-million dollar total needed to fund research to assess real-life risks related to the use of flammable refrigerants. ICARHMA members were encouraged to provide additional funding.

Finally, members previewed issues related to the upcoming Montreal Protocol Meeting of the Parties scheduled for November 1-5 in Dubai, and discussed the implementation of important global training and education initiatives, such as the industry-led Global Refrigerant Management Initiative and the Refrigerant Driving License program agreement between AHRI and the United Nations Environment Program. The next annual ICARHMA meeting will be hosted by AREMA in May 2016 in Australia.

Contact: Jim Walters.

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.

The Annual Meeting for the International Council of Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Heating Manufacturers’ Associations (ICARHMA) was held on October 11, 2014, in Berlin, Germany. Hosted by Eurovent, the nine–member association addressed major issues confronting HVACR and water heating manufacturers globally. Representing HVACR manufacturers from the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific the members resolved that there is an immediate need to provide useful information on the proper handling and use of all refrigerants, including alternative refrigerants, to ensure the safety and health of installers and users. Delegates agreed to develop recommendations for action — pursuant to decisions at the January 2014 Industry Training and Education Forum for Alternative Refrigerants and the recently announced Global Refrigerant Management Initiative — at the United Nations Secretary General’s Climate Summit on September 23. ICARHMA members also made presentations on priority issues and common challenges. The next annual ICARHMA meeting will be hosted by the China Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Industry Association in China.

AHRI was represented by President and CEO Stephen Yurek, former AHRI Chairman Harry Holmes (Morrison Products), and Bill McQuade (Johnson Controls).

Contact: Jim Walters.

The International Council of Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Heating Manufacturers Associations (ICARHMA) held its Annual Meeting on October 28 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The meeting of the global heating and cooling manufacturers’ association was hosted by ICARHMA’s Brazilian member, ABRAVA.

Members addressed issues concerning the proper and safe handling of refrigerants, a growing global regulatory environment that may inadvertently create non-tariff barriers to trade, and key points the industry must introduce into discussions with governments. In a special presentation, Eng. Manoel L.S. Gameiro, who serves as ABRAVA’s Vice President for Energy Efficiency and is President of GBC-Brasil, and Commercial Director, Ingersoll Rand — Trane do Brasil, described steps to achieve sustainability in Brazil’s soccer arenas for the 2014 World Cup.

As ICARHMA’s secretariat, AHRI announced that next year’s Annual Meeting will be hosted by Eurovent in Berlin, Germany.

Contact: Jim Walters.

At the recent AHR Expo in Dallas, AHRI strengthened relationships and cooperation with more than a dozen of its Global Partners and colleagues from around the world. AHRI’s Annual Global Partners Reception, held at Wolfgang Puck’s 360° revolving Five-Sixty Restaurant high above Dallas, was attended by more than 60 professionals from 15 countries. Attendees were able to meet (L-R) Claude Blanc, incoming (April 2013) President of ASERCOM, and to thank the outgoing President Jochen Winkler for his long and distinguished service.

Throughout the week, AHRI staff met with organizations and associations from Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Europe, India, Korea, Turkey, and the United Nations Environment Programme. The meetings included conversations regarding certification, standards, regulations, cooperation, and refrigerant policies.

In addition, the International Council of Air-Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Heating Manufacturers Associations (ICARHMA) held its Annual Working Group meeting to plan for its Annual Meeting, which will be hosted by ICARHMA member ABRAVA in Rio de Janeiro in October.

Contact: Jim Walters.

October 12, 2011 — ICARHMA Annual Meeting Held in Kyoto, Japan

October 12, 2011 — ICARHMA Annual Meeting Held in Canada

June 9, 2011 — ICARHMA Issues Policy Statement on Refrigerants and Responsible Use

March 21, 2011 — ICARHMA Launches New Web Site: ICARHMA.org

August 20, 2010 — ICARHMA Annual Meeting Held in Portland, Oregon
Refrigerant policy, energy metrics, standards, certification issues among topics discussed

June 18, 2010 — ICARHMA Members ABRAVA and KRAIA Announced Leadership Transitions