Refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pumps (RACHP) is a broad sector that includes the installation, commissioning, maintenance, repair, servicing and decommissioning of both domestic and commercial refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. This sector is essential for many aspects of modern life, including for example, protecting public health, helping ensure food safety, and providing comfortable and healthy working and living environments. Both women and men deliver these vital services and products to us on a daily basis.
The workforce employed in this sector is very diverse and ranges from occupations such as refrigeration technician, automotive service technician, building maintenance technician, business owner, civil engineer, construction engineer, contractor, electrical engineer, electrician, energy engineer, installer, mechanic, environmental compliance specialist, manufacturer, mechanical engineer, professor, salesperson, trainer, etc.
Women are already making a tremendous contribution to the RACHP field in these various job categories around the globe, however in some cases their role has been overlooked or under-appreciated. Additionally, women only comprise a small percentage of the total workforce. As is the case in many other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, women have been historically under-represented in this sector, despite the great potential that can be unleashed if more women choose to pursue education and job opportunities in cooling and heating.
Since there are data gaps about women working in this field, the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) and UNEP OzonAction, in cooperation with AIRAH, AREA, ASHRAE, CAR, FAIAR, IOR, ISHRAE, JSRAE, REHVA, and WRD are undertaking the first global survey in this sector under the theme Women in RACHP.
The survey seeks to better understand the background, motivation, challenges, and opportunities faced by women working in the RACHP sector. The results will be used to inform decision-makers inside and outside of the sector about ways to further enhance women's contribution to the field, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal # 5 on achieving Gender Equality by 2030. Refrigeration and air conditioning has a direct impact on the environment through the refrigerant gases and electricity needed to run cooling equipment. How those issues are handled has a direct bearing on the Earth's ozone layer and climate, respectively, therefore the RACHP sector is critical for the success of both the Montreal Protocol and the Paris Climate Accord.
Promoting gender mainstreaming in this sector is part of UNEP OzonAction’s workplan under the Montreal Protocol's Multilateral Fund. In 2019, OzonAction issued the first-of-its-kind publication entitled “Women in Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning Industry”, with over 100 stories from 50 countries that shared inspiring experiences and success stories of women who excelled in the field, while presenting lessons learned from their career paths. More such information needs to be collected and shared through the global survey.
If you are a woman working in the RACHP sector, we invite you to share your experiences by completing this short, anonymous survey. We also encourage National Ozone Units (NOUs), RACHP associations, professional associations, companies and other stakeholders to circulate the survey through their networks using the below link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/women-in-rachp