ACR Journal

December 2021 | January 2022 NEWS 06 Volume 8 No.1 Welcome return for FETALunch The FETA Annual Lunch made its long-awaited return following a challenging 18 months which saw the event postponed on several occasions. Representatives from the heating, ventilation, building controls, refrigeration and air conditioning sectors gathered again at The Brewery on London’s Chiswell Street and heard from FETA chairman Paul White and guest speaker Kevin Keegan, who presented one of his England shirts to Mike Nankivell, a recent recipient of an OBE for his services to the UK refrigeration and air conditioning industry. In what was FETA’s 30th Annual Lunch at The Brewery, White took the opportunity to reflect on some of the changes brought about by the pandemic, paying particular attention to the movement towards net zero. He said: “Two years ago, the mainstream media would have used this term rarely but now there is a reference to it nearly every day, alongside the issue of overuse of energy and its impact on the environment. Net zero may mean different things to different people but it has captured the public attention. The pandemic has clearly demonstrated what can happen to global emissions when manufacturing output and travel is cut dramatically.” After highlighting FETA’s role in working collaboratively with its membership and government to implement industry initiatives and meet the challenges associated with reducing emissions to Net Zero, White then referenced the current supply chain problems before discussing the recently introduced UKCA mark and building safety. Changes to building regulations will increase the focus on competency across the industry and White advised guests to be ready, remarking: “Proof of competency is going to become very high profile in both the short and long term. People offering training must be able to demonstrate their own competency in being able to deliver that training successfully for the specific subject. Anyone can attend training. Putting that training effectively to work is another matter.” The FETA Lunch returned to The Brewery in London Guest speaker Kevin Keegan presents an England shirt to Mike Nankivell Honeywell demonstrates lowGWP impact Honeywell reports that global adoption of its Solstice low-global- warming-potential (GWP) refrigerants, blowing agents and aerosols has avoided the potential release of the equivalent of more than 250 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, equal to eliminating the potential emissions frommore than 52 million cars per year. Honeywell’s Solstice hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) technology, which aims to help customers lower their carbon footprint and improve energy efficiency without sacrificing end-product performance, is used in various applications, including refrigerants for supermarkets, air conditioning for cars and trucks, blowing agents for insulation, propellants for personal and household care and solvents for cleaning solutions. Honeywell has already invested a billion dollars in research, development, and new capacity for the technology, having anticipated the need for lower-GWP solutions to combat climate change more than a decade ago. “The successful deployment of safe, lower GWP alternatives such as Solstice is critical to meet phasedown targets for higher- GWP materials that were agreed to in the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol,” said George Koutsaftes, president, Honeywell Advanced Materials. “Honeywell will continue to support the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” “In Europe, buildings are responsible for 40 per cent of energy consumption and 36 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, and almost half of the energy used in buildings is on heating and cooling,” added Koutsaftes. “The use of our Solstice ze solution in sustainable heat pump technology that replaces fossil-fuel based heating is an economical solution for customers to maximise energy savings and reduce carbon emissions.” About half of Honeywell’s investment in new product introduction research and development is directed towards products that improve environmental and social outcomes for customers, such as Solstice. This aligns with the company’s commitment to become carbon neutral in its facilities and operations by 2035, building on a track record to sharply reduce its greenhouse gas intensity and its decades-long history of innovation to help its customers meet their environmental and social goals. Promoting careers in cooling The Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) is inviting anyone interested in sharing their experience of the career opportunities available in the industry to join a new LinkedIn group, RACHP. The group will be a place to share tips and opportunities to engage with young people and promote the RACHP sector and careers, and the IOR hopes it will also become a forum for companies able to offer work placements and recruiting apprentices. Lisa-Jayne Cook, IOR education committee member, said: “I’m delighted to see the launch of the new RACHP STEM – Raising Awareness of Careers in Cooling LinkedIn page. This is a fantastic opportunity for us to not only share resources for careers talks and STEM activities but also for us to share our own journeys and stories with our colleagues and peers.” To support members of the group, the IOR has a range of free education guidance notes that explain how to gain recognition as a STEM Ambassador, how to plan school visits, how to get the most out of apprenticeships and how to make use of the IOR Fantastic Fridges website, which provides experiment ideas and fun facts on the cooling industry. www.fantasticfridges.com