ATLANTA | Sept 11 – ASHRAE and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have renewed their longstanding partnership to advance sustainable refrigeration and air conditioning, signing a new Memorandum of Understanding that strengthens cooperation on lifecycle refrigerant management, energy efficiency, technology, safety and capacity building in developing countries.
UNEP OzonAction and ASHRAE have cooperated strategically since 2007 to advance sustainable, lower-GWP technologies and best practices in the Refrigeration Servicing Sector (RSS).
The new agreement establishes a two-year framework to support the implementation of the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment. Priorities include strengthening the refrigeration and air-conditioning workforce in developing countries, advancing international standards and technical guidance, promoting energy-efficient cooling, and exploring digital and artificial intelligence (AI)- enabled tools to improve refrigerant management and system performance.
The partnership will be implemented through the 2026–2027 Work Plan, the seventh in a series of joint work plans. Under the theme “Lifecycle Refrigerant Management,” activities will address refrigerants from manufacture and importation through equipment selection and use, servicing and leak prevention, and ultimately end-of-life management. Projects include an AI-powered mobile field companion for RAC technicians, new fact sheets on safe handling of flammable refrigerants, continued promotion and evaluation of ASHRAE-UNEP educational products, and stronger connections between ASHRAE chapters and National Ozone Units.
The 2026–2027 Work Plan is available through the ASHRAE-UNEP Portal at ashrae.org/ashrae-unep-portal. The portal also provides information on joint ASHRAE-UNEP products available to ASHRAE members and National Ozone Units, including a free technical guide with operational checklists for assessing the sustainability of RAC plants.
The collaboration combines ASHRAE’s technical expertise and global professional network with UNEP OzonAction’s international mandate to assist developing countries in meeting their Montreal Protocol obligations.
