NEWS
IOR to host fi rst in- person Talk & Tour in May
T
he Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) will hold its fi rst in-person Talk &
Tour event on 19 May 2026, hosted by Carter Thermal Industries in Birmingham. The half-day session will bring together people from across the RACHP sector to look at practical steps towards net zero. The programme includes three technical talks covering system design for
energy effi ciency, Scope 3 emissions and reuse in the refrigeration sector, and how cooling technology aff ects behaviour in food retail. Delegates will also take a guided tour of the Net Zero Training and Innovation Centre, including its sustainability area, laboratories, showcase space and training facilities. The event will open with networking and close with lunch. Talk & Tour is a new series of IOR in-person
events that combine expert presentations with access to working sites. Each session is free to attend and off ers CPD opportunities, as well as a chance to meet peers and see current developments in sustainable cooling.
Heat recovery takes centre stage in new IOR brief
T
he Institute of Refrigeration’s Environmental Committee has published the fi rst in a
new series of Technology Briefs on emissions-reducing technologies, beginning with a guide to heat recovery. The free publication off ers an
introduction to how waste heat can be captured and reused, refl ecting fi ndings from the Transport, Industrial and Commercial Refrigeration (TICR) Project, which identifi ed heat recovery as a signifi cant opportunity for reducing carbon emissions across multiple sectors.
Chris Griffi ths, Chair of the IOR
Environmental Committee, said the brief is intended to help members understand how to implement heat recovery eff ectively and explain its benefi ts to customers. He added that further briefs are in development, including guidance
on door retrofi ts for open-fronted cabinets and demand-side response, which are expected to be released in the coming months. The TICR Project based its
recommendations on site investigations and emissions modelling, ranking the top technologies for reducing carbon output in each sector. One of its key observations was that many sites continued to reject heat outdoors while heating other areas using gas or electricity, resulting in a loss of usable waste heat. The project estimates that wider adoption of heat recovery in the commercial sector alone could deliver substantial annual energy savings. The IOR Technology Brief on Heat Recovery is available at ior.
org.uk, and further information on the TICR Project and its guides for equipment owners can be found at
netzerorefrigeration.uk.
FETA looks ahead with confi dence
T
he Federation of Environmental Trade Associations (FETA) welcomed more than 600 guests to a sold-out Annual Lunch at The Brewery in London on 16 April, bringing together leaders from across the heating, ventilation, building controls, refrigeration and air- conditioning sectors. In his fi rst Annual Lunch address
as FETA Chair and HEVAC President, Barry Trewhitt highlighted the pace of political, economic and environmental change shaping the built-environment landscape. Trewhitt noted that FETA has responded to this evolving landscape with an “unprecedented number of consultations” over the past year, supported by a new structured workshop model that has strengthened the Federation’s reputation for fast, expert, evidence-based engagement with policymakers. Membership growth and a sharp rise in social visibility were also cited as signs of a sector increasing its infl uence and confi dence. Trewhitt’s speech showcased progress across FETA’s associations, including:
Barry Trewhitt
ADCAS, continuing to lead on ductwork competence through EBSSA. BFCMA, advancing the UK Annex to BS EN15287 and preparing for updates to Approved Document J. BRA, intensifying its focus on refrigerant safety and regulatory complexity. BCIA, now nearing 200 members and 270 apprentices, with its House of Lords-launched white paper infl uencing Net Zero policy thinking. HEVAC, driving work on ventilation, air distribution, embodied carbon and European standards alignment. HPA UK, newly formed through the merger of the Heat Pump Association, Ground Source Heat Pump Association and Heat Pump Federation.
Embodied carbon emerged as a major theme, with FETA’s Embodied Carbon Group working closely with the CIBSE TM65 team to prepare the industry for potential regulation, such as Part Z. Building safety and competence also featured prominently, with new training and certifi cation schemes, particularly within smoke control, positioned as essential post- Grenfell reforms. The afternoon’s headline moment came from Matt Dawson MBE, whose
career highlights, including England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup victory and his long tenure on A Question of Sport, were warmly received by the audience. Trewhitt closed by thanking sponsors, members and guests for their continued support. As the sector navigates regulatory reform, technological change and the accelerating push toward Net Zero, he stressed that collaboration remains the Federation’s greatest strength.
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www.acr-news.com • May 2026 9
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