The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) participated in the MCE Mostra Convegno Expocomfort trade fair and associated conferences held from March 24 to 27, 2026, in Italy. Represented by Dr. Francesco Fabris, Scientific Coordinator, the IIR contributed to discussions on decarbonisation, refrigerants, and sustainable HVAC developments during key events on March 25 and 26.
MCE 2026 brought together over 1,600 exhibitors from the civil and industrial plant engineering, air conditioning, renewable energy, and water sectors. The event attracted more than 120,000 visitors and hosted multiple congresses focused on technological advancements and policy developments in sustainability.
On March 25 and 26, the IIR provided scientific patronage to the 54th AiCARR International Congress titled “Decarbonising our future: energy, economic and social aspects of smarter and digitalized buildings and cities.” The congress featured more than 50 presentations from industry, universities, and research centres, with over 130 participants discussing current and future HVAC sector developments related to efficiency and sustainability.
On March 26, Dr. Fabris also represented the IIR at the Centro Studi Galileo conference “From the F-Gas Regulation to alternative refrigerants: impact on new and existing systems.” The event included sessions on regulatory frameworks, market transition, and technologies for low-GWP and natural refrigerants. During the technology session, Dr. Fabris presented the 2025 IIR and UNEP report “Cold Chain Technology Brief: Road Refrigerated Transport in Hot Climates.”
AiCARR and Centro Studi Galileo, both organisers of the conferences, are Corporate Members of the IIR. The events provided a platform for knowledge exchange among researchers, industry representatives, and institutions, and supported collaboration on sustainable cooling, refrigeration, and heat pump technologies.
