ARLINGTON, Va. — A new agreement between the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and the China Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry Association (CRAA) to encourage Chinese HVACR equipment manufacturers to voluntarily participate in AHRI’s performance certification programs has been formed.

“The confluence of skyrocketing market demand for air conditioning in China and the current emphasis of the Chinese government to reduce energy use has created an acute need for performance certification there,” said Stephen Yurek, AHRI president.

“This agreement is indicative of the global HVACR market and the need for standards and certification program harmonization. We hope participation by Chinese manufacturers in our certification programs will be accelerated by empowering CRAA to facilitate the application process for manufacturers.”

The agreement, signed April 10 during the China Refrigeration Expo in Shanghai, authorizes CRAA to serve as AHRI’s exclusive certification agent in China. It also authorizes CRAA to begin promoting to Chinese HVACR manufacturers the benefits of AHRI certification and assisting interested companies with the certification application process next year. This agreement also provides a framework for future cooperation in certification testing.

“Building AHRI’s capacity to test and certify HVACR equipment and component performance outside of North America supports our objective of creating a level playing field by allowing consumers to make fair product comparisons,” said Yurek. “This agreement is a significant step toward increasing global access to high-quality HVACR equipment that provides indoor comfort efficiently and reliably.”

For more information, visit www.ahridirectory.org.

Publication date: 05/12/2008