Industry trade associations and professional bodies from around the world have united to declare June 26 as World Refrigeration Day, to be celebrated all over the world as an
annual event. The objective is to promote the significant role of refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps for the well-being of mankind. World Refrigeration Day is intended to serve as a means of raising awareness and understanding among the general public, of the significant role that the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps industry and technology play in modern life and society, with RACHP and HVACR organisations and professionals around the world undertaking a host of activities. Associations and societies from the USA, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, Australia, Africa, the Middle East and across Europe have all indicated their support for the establishment of the World Refrigeration Day.

C. Subramaniam, President ISHRAE, said on this occasion, “Refrigeration preserves nourishment, adds value to agriculture and extends healthcare services for humanity. The practice of refrigeration has historically provided an essential service for communities across the diverse fabric of India and will increasingly continue to enhance the lives of many. The Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE) is delighted with the establishment of World Refrigeration Day, which will drive innovation, efficiency and standards for the refrigeration industry and the cold chain.”

Didier Coulomb, Director General of the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR), said, “With increasing global stakes at hand, over the past years refrigeration has come to take a leading role at the heart of international aff airs. The inauguration of an official World Refrigeration Day would not only be an ideal way to recognise the many historical achievements of the industry, but also a means to anticipate and overcome together the challenges we face.”

Marco Buoni, recently elected as the President of the European contractors’ association AREA, said, “AREA supports the establishment of World Refrigeration Day on 26th June. Such a celebration is an acknowledgment of the role for our society played by refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps whether related to health, food or comfort. RACHP contractors represented by AREA are proud to contribute to achieving such noble purposes”

.Miriam Rodway, CEO of the Institute of Refrigeration said, “The IOR is a proud supporter of World Refrigeration Day as an initiative to raise the profi le of the important contribution that refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps make globally across so many aspects of modern life – from medical to food supply and farming, process engineering to data and IT, refrigeration technologies are essential and yet go widely unrecognised. Bringing together the world community to celebrate our success and achievements is very much a part of IOR’s role to promote the advancement of refrigeration technologies, and we look forward to working more closely with everyone supporting this great campaign”.

The establishing of a World Refrigeration Day has been the personal crusade of well-known industry figure Stephen Gill for over a decade. Although he will be the first to admit that the idea of an industry day may not be new, the gaining of a consensus for a fixed date from organisations and individuals from around the world certainly is. Stephen Gill said, “Refrigeration has such a long and fascinating history full of inventors, engineering pioneers, scientists, and  ndustrial entrepreneurs from around the world, all of whom deserve to be recognised and remembered for their valuable contribution. With such a long and rich history, agreeing upon a date has proven to be challenging even at a national level, let alone an international one. However, the industry is united in its desire to raise its profile to the general public for all the right reasons and so we were able to build solidarity upon many common goals and finally agree on a date.”

Stephen continued, “Refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump technologies and applications have evolved out of a human need for food, comfort and thermal processes, with a history dating back centuries; however it remains a longstanding frustration for those working within the industry that it is not widely recognised that modern life could not exist without it, nor is there any appreciation by wider society for the skills and knowledge employed on a daily basis by industry professionals.
The World Refrigeration Day will serve as an opportunity to help raise public awareness.”

A website, www.worldrefrigerationday.org, is currently under construction and is intended to be ready by September. Until then, events and updates may be found through Twitter @worldrefday Any organisation or individual wishing to support World Refrigeration Day can contact steve@worldrefrigerationday.org