1. Innovation in Refrigerant Management
I am very pleased to announce that UN Environment and ASHRAE are partnering on a new international award program to recognize innovation in refrigerant management.
UN Environment / ASHRAE Award

2. Time of Transition = Disruption/Possibility
Which refrigerants
How to handle
How much refrigerant
What standards
What regulations
What training
Everyone in this room knows our industry transition. Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions including the Kigali amendment’s phasedown schedule for high-GWP HFCs is leading to the to changes in regulations and standards to allow for use of alternative refrigerants some of which are currently restricted. That means Research spearheaded by industry groups like ASHRAE and AHRI and training. Industry is getting together to adopt or develop best practices as well as the training and certification programs that will be necessary to ensure proper management, servicing, and end-of-life practices for equipment using lower GWP refrigerants. Implementing these changes will ensure a smooth transition to lower GWP refrigerants.

3. Three Legs of the Award
That is where the Innovation in Refrigerant Management Award comes in. Transition leads to Discovery. And for Discovery to lead to Innovation, Awareness and Communication are required.
Communication is more necessary than ever in our digital age as the pace of change accelerates exponentially, technology becomes more complex and industries, like ours, are disrupted.
Chris Anderson, the curator of TED Talk, said, “Every meaningful element of human progress has happened only because humans have shared ideas with each other and then collaborated to turn those ideas into reality.

4. INNOVATION – An international award for innovative design, research or practice of lower-GWP technologies for RAC applications in developing countries.
AWARENESS – Purpose is to increase awareness of how sound refrigerant practices contributes to mitigation of climate change through recognition of those who conceive innovative technologies in refrigerant management.
COMMUNICATION – Key benefit is communication of innovation techniques through ASHRAE publishing vehicles, ASHRAE chapter/member network, and Regional Networks of National Ozone Units.

5. Low GWP Innovation Award
Research, design, practice
Project details (implementation date)
Extent of need
Goal of the project
Low GWP refrigerants used and description of refrigerant practices
Environmental impact including reference to the GWP chemicals' contribution
Further application of project
Economic impact of the research, design or practice
Financial feasibility in developing countries
OnLine Submission Process

6. Low GWP Innovation Award
CATEGORIES – Residential Applications and Commercial/Industrial Facilities
Awards – First Place and Honorable Citation awards in each of the two
Eligibility – The award is open to individuals and to teams of individuals who may represent institutions, organizations, firms or project teams.

7. Low GWP Innovation Award
SUBMISSIONS – January 1 to May 15, 2019
JUDGING – Seven international experts in refrigerant research and practice selected by ASHRAE and UN Environment
PRESENTATION – To be determined by UN Environment at one of its meetings.
PUBLICITY – Displays at conferences, news for UN and ASHRAE use and dissemination, ASHRAE Journal technical article

8. Why?
Dissemination of ideas that can be replicated in developing countries
Encouragement of innovation through peer recognition
Recognition of industry commitment to low GWP refrigerants use
Fulfillment of UN Environment objective of capacity building