ARLINGTON, Va. — The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH) have signed a mutual cooperation agreement designed to help each association promote common policy positions and statements, communicate those positions to their respective governments and code bodies, and avoid, to the extent practicable, conflicting policy positions.

The agreement was signed during the CMX-CIPHEX show in Toronto by CIPH president Ralph Suppa, and AHRI president and CEO Stephen Yurek. The agreement provides for regular consultation between the two organizations on issues of mutual interest, and also for attendance at each other’s meetings.

“This agreement extends our cooperation with our Canadian counterparts on issues of mutual concern,” said Yurek. “We already have an agreement in place with the Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI), and through this agreement, we can cover more areas of concern and ensure that we have access to extensive information in Canada, while providing the same type of American information to CIPH.”

In implementing the agreement, AHRI and CIPH agreed to promote and facilitate mutual cooperation between each organization in providing services to their respective members — several of which are common to both associations — in the North American market for residential and commercial HVACR equipment, water heaters, hydronic heating equipment, and other products that fall within the scopes of both associations.

“The agreement will strengthen cooperation and assistance in providing common services to our respective members, specifically in responding where possible to legislative, regulatory, code proposals, and policy development. CIPH and AHRI will focus on issues relating to environmental, building, and product standards concerning domestic water heaters and boilers,” said Suppa.

Publication date: 04/16/2012