MADRID, Spain - The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) Manufacturers Division Chair Mark Boncardo, HRAI President Warren Heeley, and Manufacturers Division Manager Caroline Czajko represented HRAI at the 15th annual meeting of the International Council of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Manufacturers Associations (ICARMA).

Eighteen delegates from the seven ICARMA member countries participated. The agenda covered a range of global industry topics, including approval of a standards harmonization proposal and an intellectual property rights (IPR) policy statement.

During the meeting, council members discussed potential involvement in the standards development process, and established an ICARMA Working Group on standards priorities. This working group will regularly review work programs from global standards bodies, and global industry needs as reflected by the ICARMA membership. Then ICARMA will recommend to those standards bodies areas that should be addressed by the development or harmonization of standards and conformity assessment programs.

The council also approved an IPR policy statement, which supports protection of intellectual property at trade exhibitions; communication and training to promote IPR awareness among HVACR supply chain segments; and cooperation in sharing IPR protection strategies with local officials. ICARMA recognizes that through collaborative efforts, the global industry can protect its manufacturers, while maintaining its characteristic strength and integrity.

In addition to standards and IPR protection, council members discussed new membership, approved “A Global HVACR Partnership for Energy Efficiency and Environmental Stewardship” as the new ICARMA tag line, and provided briefings on their country or region’s activity to address responsible refrigerant use, energy efficiency, sustainable technologies, and market-based initiatives such as carbon trading. As part of the council’s responsible refrigerant use strategy, ICARMA pledged to collect evidence demonstrating the industry’s responsible refrigerant use in each council member’s country. The next ICARMA Annual Meeting is scheduled for September 2008, in Xi’an, China.

For more information, visit www.icarma.org.

Publication date: 07/16/2007