11 Sep 2023
The 2023 Parliament Environment Audit Committee inquiry that closed on 17th August 2023 focussed on the issues of the relationship between heat and health, Government policies in relation to current and future need for cooling and what measures could be taken to increase adaptation and resilience to rising temperatures - sustainable cooling solutions and adaptation strategies that minimise overheating, reduce energy consumption and prevent overloading the electricity grid. MPs are aiming to understand how communities can better adapt to increased temperatures without relying on energy-intensive solutions, such as air conditioning units.
The IOR submitted a response drafted by members of our Beyond Refrigeration Environment Committee and Technical Committees that highlighted the importance of refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps technologies to address overheating, energy management and emissions reduction matters. The IOR response has been published on the Environment Audit Committee website at https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/123183/html/
The IOR will be holding a Business Technical Briefing on Extreme Heat on 14th November in Birmingham where these issues and examples from other countries who are managing cooling in a wider temperature envelope will be discussed further. Registrations for this event are now open
Read more about IOR's Beyond Refrigeration policy work
Where are emissions coming from in transport, industrial and commerical refrigeration (TICR) and what can be done to reduce them? What new technologies are coming that will have an impact? What skills are needed for the future? Follow the TICR project, led by LSBU on behalf of DESNZ, with IOR support and involvment at www.netzerorefrigeration.uk
3 Feb 2026
The IOR and CIBSE are pleased to announce that they will be working together to provide their respective members with access to relevant technical events in 2026 as part of their commitment to members’ professional development and sharing of expertise.
2 Feb 2026
The webinar on the introduction to Ammonia Refrigeration, which was held on 29 January 2026, is now available on catch up from the IOR webinar channel.
2 Feb 2026
Last week, the IOR outreach team had the privilege of attending the Harris Academy Orpington Careers Fair 2026. What stood out throughout the day was the genuine interest students showed once they realised just how essential refrigeration, air‑conditioning, and heat pump technologies are to everyday life and to the UK’s future workforce needs.
26 Jan 2026
The SC2 Cool project, which counts the IOR as a strategic partner, has been highlighted in the UK Government’s International Education Strategy as a case study within the theme “Championing the UK as a Global Leader in Research, Science and Technology”.
21 Jan 2026
As part of its commitment to decarbonisation, the UK Government has launched a consultation to understand what alternative technologies are available across different types of domestic and non-domestic buildings to ensure consumers have a choice of suitable low-carbon heating technology options.