ARI Chairman asks industry to address global energy issues.
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Press Release Summary:
Speaking to audience of air conditioning and refrigeration engineers attending International Congress of Refrigeration, Robert Wilkins, 2007 Chairman of ARI, appealed to delegates for greater research and technology development to help solve world's energy and environmental challenges. Wilkins outlined vision of industry energy and environmental program based on 4 tenets: energy efficiency, responsible refrigerant use, standards development, and performance certification.
Original Press Release:
ARI Chairman Calls Upon Industry to Address Global Energy and Environmental Challenges
Arlington, VA (August 22, 2007) - Speaking today to an audience of air conditioning and refrigeration engineers attending the International Congress of Refrigeration in Beijing, Robert Wilkins, President of Danfoss, Inc. and 2007 Chairman of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), issued a clear call to action for the residential and commercial air conditioning and commercial refrigeration industry. He appealed to the delegates for greater research and technology development to help solve the world's energy and environmental challenges.
The global air conditioning and refrigeration industry has a vital mandate to address energy supply, efficiency and environmental challenges through increased research and innovation, according to Wilkins. Historically, actions by this industry have led to revolutionary benefits for societies worldwide. These improvements to quality of life include dramatic lessening of environmental impact of refrigerants; increased global workplace productivity through indoor comfort and health; greatly increased access to fresher food supplies through commercial and mobile refrigeration; and significantly improved safety and longevity of medical supplies through refrigeration.
"How we address these challenges will determine where we will be as an industry when we approach the middle of the 21st century," is the message Wilkins delivered in Beijing.
Wilkins outlined a vision of an industry energy and environmental program based on four tenets: Energy efficiency, responsible refrigerant use, standards development, and performance certification. He also highlighted several key points to demonstrate the industry's impressive progress, while at the same urging the industry to do more:
Products manufactured by this industry are more efficient than they have ever been, as air conditioning and refrigeration equipment accounts for about one-third of the annual energy usage in developed countries with hot climates
Efforts underway in China and elsewhere to increase the overall energy efficiency of buildings, including an initiative to design a zero net energy building.
ARI's Responsible Refrigerant Use Initiative and its role in ensuring that the industry's most widely used refrigerants - those using HFCs -remain available for vital applications.
The importance of ARI performance standards and certification as a way to ensure quality, performance, and efficiency in HVACR products around the world.
In summarizing his industry call-to-action, Wilkins emphasized that performance certification - ensuring the use of ARI Performance Certified(TM) products - will speed up the globalization of industry standards. Wilkins explained, "Only those whose products have undergone rigorous, third-party testing can actually prove that their products are as efficient as advertised. That is the way to ensure maximum energy efficiency."
ARI Contact: Colleen Hughes
ARI Public Affairs
Direct: 703-600-0331
Danfoss Contact: Jan Petersen
410-513-1133
