America's Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) has signed agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Saudia Arabia to adopt AHRI's standards as national standards.
AHRI CEO Stephen Yurek recently visited the middle east to sign the agreements with Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Association (SASO) and the UAE's Emirates Standardization and Metrology Authority (ESMA).

A spokesman for AHRI said: 'With personal visits in November 2009 and February 2010, AHRI has signalled in a very serious way its intent to work closely with the governments of those nations to use AHRI standards and performance certification programs to help them meet with efficiency and environmental goals and to further global harmonization of standards and certification programs'.

Yurek said 'Our active involvement in this region not only helps us expand our global reach, but also helps our member companies that do business in the region compete on a level playing field with other manufacturers,' he said.

ESMA has invited AHRI and AHRI member companies to apply to participate in ESMA standards development and conformity assessment committees that will develop Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for the UAE.

AHRI's 300 member companies account for more than 90% of the residential and commercial air conditioning, heating and commercial refrigeration equipment manufactured and sold in North America.