ASHRAE, UN Environment Launch New Courses, More at
Montreal Protocol Meeting
QUITO, ECUADOR—ASHRAE and UN Environment Programme OzonAction Branch launched new refrigerant management tools and initiatives for developing countries at the latest Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol.
The 30th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MOP) opened Monday. The MOP meets annually to consider reports from its scientific and technical advisory bodies, debate amendments and discuss enforcement issues. With its most recent amendment adopted 2016 in Kigali, the protocol seeks to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
On the meeting’s opening day, ASHRAE—which participates as an accredited observer at the meetings—and UN Environment’s OzonAction Branch presented an update on refrigerant management tools for developing countries and launched new tools during a side event. These tools are aimed at capacity building of National Ozone Officers, policy makers, refrigeration technicians and other stakeholders; facilitating the sound management of refrigerants and transitioning to alternative climate-friendly technologies.
ASHRAE and UN Environment representatives discussed new refrigerant management tools at the 30th Meeting of Parties of the Montreal Protocol
on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. From left, Shirley Sotto, the Montreal Protocol Focal Point of Costa Rica;
ASHRAE President Sheila Hayter, Ph.D., P.E., Fellow ASHRAE; Dr. Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, Head of OzonAction Branch-UN Environment;
Steve Comstock, ASHRAE’s Manager of Business Development EMEA; and Dr. Ezra Clark, Capacity Building Manager, OzonAction-UN Environment.
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In her opening remarks, ASHRAE President Sheila Hayter, Ph.D., P.E., Fellow ASHRAE, explained ASHRAE’s structure, membership, operations and activities. She also described work on standards related to A2L refrigerants, conferences featuring refrigeration-system-focused information and refrigerants, and ASHRAE’s refrigeration systems educational programs.
“The partnership between ASHRAE and the UN Environment OzonAction Branch is how ASHRAE is able to directly support the Kigali amendments to the Montreal Protocol and help all nations move towards full implementation of these amendments,” she said. “ASHRAE very much values its partnership with UN Environment OzonAction and the opportunity this partnership has provided to engage ASHRAE in this critical global initiative.”
Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, head of UN Environment OzonAction, discussed OzonAction’s work—particularly in the refrigeration and air-conditioning servicing sector—such as creating practical, usable tools and information for technicians in developing countries. These tools include smartphone applications and training videos.
Attendees listen to presentations on new refrigerant management tools and initiatives for developing countries at a
side event of the 30th annual Meeting of Parties of the Montreal Protocol in Quito, Ecuador.
Shirley Sotto, the Montreal Protocol Focal Point of Costa Rica, and Steve Comstock, ASHRAE’s Manager of Business Development EMEA, jointly launched the Spanish language version of the Refrigerants Literacy E-Course, which provides a holistic overview on refrigerants and their progression.
The first-of-its-kind course is mainly designed for non-specialists in HVAC&R operation and servicing—such as policymakers, business owners and NOUs.
Comstock introduced the partnership’s second E-learning course: Sound Management of Refrigerants. The course is an interactive web-based course that targets technicians, engineers, operators and contractors who need in-depth training for servicing air conditioning and refrigeration equipment in addition to the basic Refrigerant Literacy course.
The new course reviews best practices for key environmental issues, refrigerant applications such as servicing practices, ASHRAE standards and new and flammable refrigerants.
Also, Comstock described a new UN Environment-ASHRAE award that recognizes innovative design, research or practices of lower-GWP refrigerants in refrigeration and air conditioning applications in developing countries. The goal of the award, the Lower-Global Warming Potential Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Innovation Award, is to increase the awareness of sound refrigerant practices through recognizing innovative refrigerant management technologies.