The 2011 New Year Honours list was published at the end of last year recognising outstanding achievement and service across the whole of the country. The list was said to reflect the rich variety and make-up of the population and in addition to containing the usual majority of high profile awards going to the stars of sport, stage and screen, it also comprised of those extraordinary people who make a real contribution to their community and society in general.

In spite of being one of the most diverse lists yet, containing as it did amongst others a beekeeper, an equine physiotherapist, the Bridge Master at Tower Bridge and the founder member of the UK’s first gay men’s football, it failed to contain anyone from the ACR industry as far as I am aware. The problem with our industry is that it a like watching a duck swimming: all looks calm on the surface but there is plenty happening underneath. It is taken for granted that the nation is supplied with food and drink by refrigeration and that people are able to work and live in comfortable conditions through air-conditioning and heat pumps. Our products and systems are everywhere and yet they are hardly ever noticed. Below this seemingly unobserved outward appearance of seamless continuity, the ACR industry has in a relatively short period of time faced monumental change by rising to the challenges set by environmental concerns. 2010 saw previously unprecedented use of natural refrigerants and a rapid growth in adoption of heat-pump technology. This monumental step change did not happen by chance overnight. A prolonged and sustained huge amount of effort from all sectors of the industry was required and achieved, ranging from product and system development and design, to increasing the industry skill set through training and education. End users, contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, trainers and the Institute of Refrigeration and the trade bodies, all played their part and rose to the challenge, working tirelessly together to make this happen. Having said that, in many ways, isn't that what we always do? We may not have appeared in the New Year Honours list, but as an industry we should give ourselves a well-deserved a pat-on-the-back.