ARLINGTON, Va. - The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) have signed a memorandum of understanding on mutual cooperation and assistance in providing services to their respective members, many of whom are common to both the U.S. and Canadian associations, said the organizations. The agreement was signed by AHRI President and CEO Stephen Yurek and by HRAI Chairman Gerry Cellucci.

Specifically, AHRI and HRAI agreed to provide technical assistance to each other, on an as available basis, in understanding and responding to legislative, regulatory, and code body proposals and activities regarding the safety, energy, and environmental aspects of building standards, product standards, or product installation requirements, whether such standards or requirements originate with a governmental or non-governmental entity.

The two organizations also agreed to present the policy interests of the other to its country’s governmental authorities or code bodies, when there is no conflict between their respective interests and when mutually agreed, concerning the above-mentioned topics. AHRI and HRAI committed to working together to jointly provide proactive and robust services to each other’s members in promoting common policy positions/statements, and communicating those positions to their respective governments and code bodies, and avoiding to the extent possible conflicting policy positions.

“We are very pleased with this agreement, and we are confident that it will result not only in a closer working relationship between our two associations, but also in a better, more coherent, more predictable market environment in our two nations and for our members,” said Yurek. “We know from long experience that navigating the agencies and branches of the U.S. government can be a daunting task. Likewise, we are not all that familiar with the governmental structure in Ottawa, so it will be one of our goals through this agreement to help each other open doors and pave the way for an easier regulatory path in each of our capitals,” he said.

“This agreement is an important step in solidifying the relationship between two key industry partners. HRAI has had an excellent working relationship with AHRI and its predecessor organizations for more than 30 years,” said HRAI President Warren Heeley. “This MOU will solidify our relationship and better define to our respective members how we support each other in the government affairs and standards-writing areas in each country. HRAI looks forward to continuing to work with AHRI to enhance these important services in the future.”

For more information about AHRI, visit www.ahrinet.org. For more information about HRAI, visit www.hrai.ca.

Publication date: 09/20/2010