The free publication offers an introduction to how waste heat can be captured and reused, reflecting findings from the Transport, Industrial and Commercial Refrigeration (TICR) Project, which identified heat recovery as a significant opportunity for reducing carbon emissions across multiple sectors.

Chris Griffiths, Chair of the IOR Environmental Committee, said the brief is intended to help members understand how to implement heat recovery effectively and explain its benefits to customers. He added that further briefs are in development, including guidance on door retrofits for open-fronted cabinets and demand-side response, which are expected to be released in the coming months.

The TICR Project based its recommendations on site investigations and emissions modelling, ranking the top technologies for reducing carbon output in each sector. One of its key observations was that many sites continued to reject heat outdoors while heating other areas using gas or electricity, resulting in a loss of usable waste heat. The project estimates that wider adoption of heat recovery in the commercial sector alone could deliver substantial annual energy savings.

The IOR Technology Brief on Heat Recovery is available at ior.org.uk, and further information on the TICR Project and its guides for equipment owners can be found at netzerorefrigeration.uk.