Ian Harwood (left) and Kevin Glass.
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) and the UK-based Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) formalised the agreement on 14 January at the ASHRAE Winter Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.
The MoU is aimed at “furthering a more effective and beneficial exchange of knowledge and ideas in the HVAC&R industry”. In practical terms it will provide the members of AIRAH and IOR access to each other’s considerable banks of technical resources, foster global collaboration on research projects, and provide shared training opportunities.
The two organisations have also agreed to give full support to International Refrigeration Day, slated for 26 June. The day will see refrigeration-themed celebrations taking place across the globe, including in the UK and Australia, to raise the profile of the industry.
AIRAH president Ian Harwood, F.AIRAH, says the MoU is a perfect move for both organisations and specifically supports AIRAH’s strategic aims.
“We are always looking to highlight the importance of the R in AIRAH,” says Mr Harwood. “Our agreement with the Institute of Refrigeration will help us achieve that. It will also allow HVACR professionals on opposite sides of the globe to access each other’s knowledge and best practices, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.”
IOR president Kevin Glass, FInstR, added: “Our organisations have a long and proud history in their respective countries, with the IOR founded in 1899 and AIRAH in 1920. A century later, the challenges we face are more intrinsically linked than ever, especially with the HFC phase-down driving major change all over the world, and the growing focus on sustainability – a focus that we share.”
The presidents thanked AIRAH chief executive Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH, and IOR immediate past president Steve Gill, FInstR, for laying the groundwork for the historic agreement.