Cooling is essential to modern life and it makes people’s lives better: refrigeration preserves foodstuff and vaccines whilst air conditioning provides thermal comfort and keeps data centres running. Versatile and omnipresent, cooling has become absolutely critical to people’s well-being and will be even more so in the face of climate change and digital transformation. Contractors fulfil an essential mission: they ensure the proper design, installation and functioning of the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump systems that satisfy these various societal needs.
The refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump contracting sector is undergoing profound changes driven by 4 main factors: increased demand for cooling, sustainable cooling, technological developments, and attracting, retaining and upskilling personnel. In this context and with a new EU political cycle starting, AREA would like to present its strategic vision for the European refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump contracting industry for the next 5 years. This also follows on from the Vision 2020 presented in 2014.
The AREA Vision 2025 consists of 4 pillars:
- Refrigerants: succeeding in the transition towards alternative refrigerants
- Sustainable innovation: supporting energy and resource efficiency principles in a lifecycle approach
- Human capital: supporting members in attracting and retaining skilled personnel
- Framework conditions: promoting a coherent and supportive regulatory and standardisation framework.
These pillars will serve as overarching strategic imperatives that will guide AREA’s activities in the next 5 years. To ensure internal consistency, AREA has also restructured its working organisation with the creation of 4 Working Groups reflecting the 4 pillars of AREA Vision 2025 and replacing the existing Task Forces.
With this, AREA is well-equipped to take up the challenges ahead and looks forward to continuing the cooperation with other industry stakeholders and decision-makers at international, European and national levels.
