The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Show (ACR Show) 2014 opened its doors to visitors in February, at the NEC, Birmingham.
The event is the only national exhibition for the UK’s cooling industry, and has the backing of more than 100 leading UK and European companies. It is supported by the industry’s main trade bodies, including the Institute of Refrigeration, FETA, the British Refrigeration Association and B&ES Association.
With major technology launches and a cutting edge seminar programme featuring the industry’s leading experts, the show enables visitors to get up-to-speed with important commercial, technical and legal developments happening across the refrigeration and air conditioning sector.
The show’s headline sponsor Daikin UK used the event as a launchpad for its latest technology roll-out, which it describes as a major breakthrough in HVAC technology with “important implications for energy efficiency, running costs and occupant comfort”.
The innovation is expected to have a significant impact on design and installation time, as well as the long-term flexibility of buildings.
The show took place against the background of the recent revisions to the F-Gas Regulation by the EU, seen as ushering in the most important changes to impact the industry for many years.
The proposals target common HFC refrigerants used in millions of air conditioning and refrigeration systems across the UK and Europe. Industry experts briefed visitors to the show on the changes and their practical consequences in a series of free seminars.
The new regulation will result in a phase-down of commonly-used HFC refrigerants with a High Global Warming Potential (GWP). The refrigerants affected are used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems in offices, retail stores, food and drink production, restaurants, leisure centres, hospitals, data centres and educational establishments.
With many of the UK’s leading refrigerant suppliers exhibiting at the show, visitors were also able to see and discuss the alternatives being introduced to fill the gap left by high GWP HFCs.
Another key seminar session, entitled “The Greening of the Supermarkets”, took place and included presentations from several experts working at the frontier of new supermarket technology.
The Institute of Refrigeration held a series of expert-led briefings to raise awareness of the vital importance of cutting refrigerant leaks from refrigeration and air conditioning systems. The briefings, aimed at the industry and end users, build on the organisation’s award-winning REAL Zero campaign.
The organisation also staged a series of highly practical sessions aimed at service engineers, enabling them to refresh their skills and test current knowledge.
The talks included hands-on demonstrations and exercises, supported by IOR technical guides.
The show is the only national exhibition dedicated to the UK air conditioning and refrigeration industry, is backed by leading air conditioning supplier and headline sponsor, Daikin UK, and features more than 100 leading companies.
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