Chair: Chris Rhodes, Cambridge Refrigeration Technology.
As global temperatures rise, the refrigerated transport sector faces unprecedented challenges. The interplay between ambient temperature increases and refrigerant performance is critical, influencing energy efficiency, operational reliability, and compliance with environmental regulations.
This workshop will explore:
Chair Catarina Marques, London South Bank University
This confirmed workshop will explore innovative refrigeration adaptation and mitigation strategies aimed at enhancing building resilience to extreme heat. While initial discussions considered broader themes such as emissions and future decarbonisation scenarios, the final focus emphasizes practical, scalable solutions within the refrigeration sector—particularly in the context of climate adaptation. The session will feature expert speakers with technical and policy expertise, offering interdisciplinary insights into the challenges and opportunities for implementing resilient cooling strategies in buildings. This workshop is part of the conference’s broader commitment to advancing actionable solutions in response to climate extremes.
Chair: John Clarke MInsR Star Refrigeration
As global temperatures rise, the refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat-pump (RACHP) sector must meet soaring demand efficiently and sustainably. Data holds the key but without the right tools and workflows, most operational data simply becomes dark data (information collected but never analysed). In this interactive session, you’ll access industrial refrigeration datasets and digital twin simulations in the Ethos cloud-based analytics environment to explore and search for insights that can drive better energy performance, reliability and resilience.
What you’ll experience
Who should attend
What you need to bring
Chair: Lawrence Leask,Kaizen Energy Consultancy
As global ambient temperatures rise, cooling systems are increasingly pushed to their limits. This practical workshop explores the real-world implications of high ambient conditions on system design, capacity, and reliability. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how system sizing and specification must adapt, why performance degrades under heat stress, and how to mitigate risk through better design, maintenance, and operation.
Key topics include:
The impact of ambient temperature on cooling capacity and performance
Understanding condensing temperatures and condenser ΔT
Mitigation strategies for rising ambient and condensing temperatures
Consequences of fouled coils and poorly positioned equipment
Correct coil cleaning procedures
Case study: 57% performance improvement and reduced failures
Lessons from failure: The Guys & St Thomas’ data centre incident
This session is aimed at engineers, facility managers, and designers seeking practical, evidence-based insights to improve cooling resilience in a changing climat
Chair: Judith Evans, Institute of Refrigeration
Higher heat levels will affect the ability of refrigeration systems to function. Recent work in the UK has identified that there are no comprehensive and widely agreed practices to ensure that refrigeration systems continue to operate as the climate changes. The workshop will provide information on a UK initiative lead by the IOR, IMechE, Cibse, CCF and Bsria to develop a Code of Practice to design, maintain and operate refrigeration systems as the climate warms. The workshop will:
Session leads: Tom Southall, Deputy Chief Executive, Cold Chain Federation and Andy Pearson, Group Managing Director, Star Refrigeration
Course Description:
This focused short course will equip participants with the knowledge and tools to apply energy benchmarking as a strategy to cut energy costs and reduce emissions in temperature-controlled logistics and storage operations. The session will combine strategic insight with technical expertise. Attendees will explore how benchmarking enables businesses to measure performance, identify inefficiencies, and implement cost-effective improvements, all while supporting climate goals and compliance.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
Course Content:
Introduction to Energy Benchmarking
Technical Deep Dive: Benchmarking in Practice
Who Should Attend:
This short course is ideal for professionals in cold chain operations, energy and sustainability management, engineering, logistics, and facilities planning — especially those looking to reduce costs and meet emissions targets through data-driven strategies.
The ENOUGH project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the food sector, which contributes 20–40% of global emissions. It aligns with the EU Farm to Fork strategy, providing tools and methods to help food businesses achieve climate neutrality. The project objectives are to define pathways to climate-neutral food businesses, enhance sustainability across the food supply chain and inform policy makers, businesses, and stakeholders about innovative solutions for reducing emissions.
The project has demonstrated practical solutions across various stages of the food chain, including processing, transport, retail, and domestic consumption, focusing on products such as meat, fish, fruits/vegetables, and dairy.
This meeting will provide an opportunity for partners to reflect on the project’s outcomes and explore future opportunities for applying the demonstrated solutions at scale. Register now to secure your attendance.