Next generation cooling is important because it can help reduce the energy consumption and carbon emissions of cooling systems, which are becoming more widely used as the world gets hotter and more humid.  For example, according to the International Energy Agency, air conditioners account for nearly 20% of the total electricity used in buildings around the world today, and their use is set to soar over the next three decades, becoming one of the top drivers of global electricity demand.

Supporting next generation cooling solutions is of course the workforce; the people working within the sector. “As an industry, we need to recruit, train and retain people equipped with the knowledge and skills that a modern, forward-thinking industry requires” explained Stephen Gill, founder of World Refrigeration Day. “Just as no-one will expect the cooling solutions we supply in the future to be the same as those from the past, no-one should expect the workforce to be the same either.  This year’s campaign is an opportunity to showcase what we are doing now to ensure we have the diverse, highly skilled workforce that our future industry needs.”

'Next Generation Cooling' will tell the story of how our wellbeing depends upon sustainable cooling and heating, and how cooling technology choices and an evolving industry can safeguard the well-being of future generations. 

World Refrigeration Day celebrates the people and technologies responsible for creating and maintaining the world we live in, a world dependent upon temperature-controlled environments. Centred around June 26, the event is supported globally by industry, professional groups, scientific and engineering associations, as well as by governments and individuals.

To join the global community conversation use the hashtags #NextGenCooling and #WREFD23.