New Zealand and Australia Trade Groups Agree to Collaborate

Two major HVAC&R trade groups in Australia and New Zealand have signed a joint memorandum of understanding (MoU), agreeing to collaborate on exhibitions, information exchange, and policy statements.

Auckland, New Zealand-based Institute of Refrigeration Heating & Air Conditioning Engineers of New Zealand (IRHACE) and Melbourne-based Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) signed the MoU to formalize the companies’ years of informal cooperation, reported the HVAC&R News website.

The MoU was signed by Ashwin Patel, President of IRHACE, and Ian Harwood, President of AIRAH.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for both our institutes to share valuable knowledge and work co-operatively for our mutual benefit,” said Patel.

“Kiwis and Aussies have worked closely together on many initiatives across several fields throughout our histories,” said Patel. “Having this alignment in place for the two leading HVAC&R organisations from our respective countries is an extremely positive move.”

The MoU commits the signatories to cooperation on exhibitions and conferences, education and training initiatives, standard development, information exchange, and policy and position statements.

Each organization may also be given opportunities by the other “to comment on proposed policy and position statements developed on technical subjects,” said the website.

The MoU benefits for members of each trade group, as “IRHACE and AIRAH will make their printed publications available to the members of the two organizations at members’ rates,” and “members of one organization can attend major conferences of the other on the same terms as members of the host institute,” said the website.