Business leaders, marketing, and corporate contribution managers are invited to join the upcoming webinar, The Rees Scholarship Foundation: Shaping the Future Workforce, to be held March 18 at 2:00 p.m. EDT.

The HVACR industry skills gap - a lack of qualified workers, resulting in unfilled positions – is a pervasive workforce development issue that the Rees Scholarship Foundation has been working to address since its establishment in2003. To date, the Foundation has helped more than 640 students pay for their HVACR education. Register today to learn more about the Foundation operations and how your organization can get involved to support the future of our industry. Topics will include an overview of the HVACR workforce, the workforce development efforts led by AHRI and Rees, testimonies from recent Rees scholarship recipients, and input from Foundation partner SkillsUSA. Download this flyer to learn more about the Rees Scholarship Foundation and visit reesscholarship.org for more information. Register for the webinar here. Contact: Sue Perez.

Hydrogen enrichment offers decarbonization opportunities for the gas industry and improves its environmental competitiveness with other forms of fuel. It also, however, introduces uncertainties for gas-fired appliances. Join us March 17 at 11 a.m. EDT to learn about the current effort to implement hydrogen-enriched natural gas in the U.S. and other countries, as well as potential impacts on new and currently installed gas-fired products and components manufactured by AHRI members. The webinar is free, but registration is required.

Presenters will summarize recent research and discuss the use of hydrogen-enriched natural gas in gas-fired products and components, and its impact on the operation, installation, and venting categorization of products. Register here. Contact: Xudong Wang.

AHRI is pleased to welcome Nirvana Chauffe Piscine Heat Pump as a full member in the Heating Sector, manufacturing heat pump pool and spa heaters. Contact: Betz Rother.

The AHRI Standards Committee is nearing completion and final approval of a revised AHRI Standards Committee Policy & Procedure document, after which AHRI will form new Standards Subcommittees for Unitary, Applied, Heating, Refrigeration, Components, and Sound. These will replace the current Cooling Standards Subcommittee, Heating Standards Subcommittee, and the Technical Committee on Sound. AHRI members are invited to join one or more of these subcommittees, which will be responsible for starting new standards activities and for approving AHRI standards. If you are interested in participating, please submit your name, resume, and the name of the subcommittee(s) that you are interested in joining to AHRI_Standards@ahrinet.org. Contact: Karl Best.

AHRI is pleased to welcome the following new participant to its certification program:

• Oldach Associates, LLC – Unitary Small Heat Pump Equipment (USHP)

Contact: Rupal Choksi.

In December, the Automatic Commercial Ice Makers (ACIM) Regulatory Working Group sent a letter to the Department of Energy (DOE) in response to its request for information (RFI) on the test procedure for automatic commercial ice makers and whether it should initiate a public rulemaking process to establish more stringent energy efficiency standards for ACIM equipment. AHRI is now awaiting a response from DOE to the working group’s letter. The next meeting for the ACIM Regulatory Working Group is scheduled for March 8, at which time it plans to discuss topics such as the national hydrofluorocarbon phasedown and its potential effect on members, and how to increase participation.

For more information on AHRI Working Groups and to join, visit AHRI Connect. Contact: Greg Kalinyak.

The AHRI International Committee, chaired by Rheem Manufacturing Company Chief Legal Officer Scott Bates, met virtually on February 16 to review recent trade and tariff issues, 2021 global engagements, and to set 2021 strategic priorities.

AHRI is following multiple fronts for potential action from the new administration. One area yet to be determined is President Biden’s approach to trade policy, and AHRI is creating an advocacy plan to engage with his appointees on trade and tariff issues once they are confirmed. Another major development that could affect members is the Biden Administration’s plan to submit for ratification the Kigali Amendment, which was included in a package of climate change-related executive orders. AHRI has begun advocacy efforts with Senators to gain the 67 votes needed to ratify the Kigali Amendment once it has been submitted.

AHRI also updated members on its efforts in 2020 to align the U.S. definition of an “essential” industry with Canada and Mexico, and reviewed Mexico’s latest COVID-19 traffic light map. The Committee will meet virtually on June 1. Contact: Jim Walters.

Business leaders, marketing, and corporate contribution managers are invited to join the upcoming webinar, The Rees Scholarship Foundation: Shaping the Future Workforce, to be held March 18 at 2:00 p.m. EDT.

The HVACR industry skills gap - a lack of qualified workers, resulting in unfilled positions – is a pervasive workforce development issue that the Rees Scholarship Foundation has been working to address since its establishment in2003. To date, the Foundation has helped more than 640 students pay for their HVACR education. Register today to learn more about the Foundation operations and how your organization can get involved to support the future of our industry. Topics will include an overview of the HVACR workforce, the workforce development efforts led by AHRI and Rees, testimonies from recent Rees scholarship recipients, and input from Foundation partner SkillsUSA. Download this flyer to learn more about the Rees Scholarship Foundation and visit reesscholarship.org for more information. Register for the webinar here. Contact: Sue Perez.

Hydrogen enrichment offers decarbonization opportunities for the gas industry and improves its environmental competitiveness with other forms of fuel. It also, however, introduces uncertainties for gas-fired appliances. Join us March 17 at 11 a.m. EDT to learn about the current effort to implement hydrogen-enriched natural gas in the U.S. and other countries, as well as potential impacts on new and currently installed gas-fired products and components manufactured by AHRI members. The webinar is free, but registration is required.

Presenters will summarize recent research and discuss the use of hydrogen-enriched natural gas in gas-fired products and components, and its impact on the operation, installation, and venting categorization of products. Register here. Contact: Xudong Wang.

AHRI is pleased to welcome Nirvana Chauffe Piscine Heat Pump as a full member in the Heating Sector, manufacturing heat pump pool and spa heaters. Contact: Betz Rother.

The AHRI Standards Committee is nearing completion and final approval of a revised AHRI Standards Committee Policy & Procedure document, after which AHRI will form new Standards Subcommittees for Unitary, Applied, Heating, Refrigeration, Components, and Sound. These will replace the current Cooling Standards Subcommittee, Heating Standards Subcommittee, and the Technical Committee on Sound. AHRI members are invited to join one or more of these subcommittees, which will be responsible for starting new standards activities and for approving AHRI standards. If you are interested in participating, please submit your name, resume, and the name of the subcommittee(s) that you are interested in joining to AHRI_Standards@ahrinet.org. Contact: Karl Best.

AHRI is pleased to welcome the following new participant to its certification program:

• Oldach Associates, LLC – Unitary Small Heat Pump Equipment (USHP)

Contact: Rupal Choksi.

In December, the Automatic Commercial Ice Makers (ACIM) Regulatory Working Group sent a letter to the Department of Energy (DOE) in response to its request for information (RFI) on the test procedure for automatic commercial ice makers and whether it should initiate a public rulemaking process to establish more stringent energy efficiency standards for ACIM equipment. AHRI is now awaiting a response from DOE to the working group’s letter. The next meeting for the ACIM Regulatory Working Group is scheduled for March 8, at which time it plans to discuss topics such as the national hydrofluorocarbon phasedown and its potential effect on members, and how to increase participation.

For more information on AHRI Working Groups and to join, visit AHRI Connect. Contact: Greg Kalinyak.

The AHRI International Committee, chaired by Rheem Manufacturing Company Chief Legal Officer Scott Bates, met virtually on February 16 to review recent trade and tariff issues, 2021 global engagements, and to set 2021 strategic priorities.

AHRI is following multiple fronts for potential action from the new administration. One area yet to be determined is President Biden’s approach to trade policy, and AHRI is creating an advocacy plan to engage with his appointees on trade and tariff issues once they are confirmed. Another major development that could affect members is the Biden Administration’s plan to submit for ratification the Kigali Amendment, which was included in a package of climate change-related executive orders. AHRI has begun advocacy efforts with Senators to gain the 67 votes needed to ratify the Kigali Amendment once it has been submitted.

AHRI also updated members on its efforts in 2020 to align the U.S. definition of an “essential” industry with Canada and Mexico, and reviewed Mexico’s latest COVID-19 traffic light map. The Committee will meet virtually on June 1. Contact: Jim Walters.