DUBAI, UAE, 25 April 2024:  Eurovent Middle East announced that it awarded the first certificates for F-Gas handling to eleven HVACR engineers and technicians from EPTA Middle East. Making the announcement through a Press release, Eurovent said that during the three-day course, which is part of the Association’s HVACR Leadership Academy, technicians were trained on the correct handling and treatment of HVACR equipment containing fluorinated greenhouse gases. Eurovent said it is dedicated to all professionals who wish to learn the best practices for installing and performing servicing activities such as maintenance, repair, recovery, leakage checking, and dismantling RAC systems containing F-Gases. 

Eurovent said the certification ceremony was organised during a four-day meeting of the West Asia Network of National Ozone Officers in Dubai, organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Association said the ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol by the governments in the region is increasing the pressure to transition to long-term alternatives and natural refrigerants. Education, training, and qualification of HVACR technicians play a vital role in this transition and are major pillars in climate action and the fight against rising greenhouse gas emissions, Eurovent further said. 

Eurovent said EPTA, a company specialising in commercial refrigeration products, solutions, and services, is the first to make use of the Association’s training programme for HVACR technicians. The Association further said that EPTA is spearheading the initiative for upskilling and is fully committed to strengthening its leadership by qualifying its personnel in the region through further education and training.

Andrea Cavalet, General Manager, EPTA Middle East, said: “Training and qualification of HVACR personnel will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it also encourages better understanding and handling of HVACR equipment, leading to savings in various areas, from power consumption to maintenance. Upskilling, in general, harbours the largest saving potential in the industry.”

Khaled Klaly, Regional Coordinator for the Montreal Protocol West Asia, UNEP, said: “We are extremely happy to see this education and training initiative by Eurovent Middle East unfold in the region. We need to radically reduce leaks and ensure better handling of such refrigerants throughout the HVACR industry. Products or policies alone are not sufficient. We depend on every technician and service provider to handle refrigerants responsibly and skillfully. And this can only be achieved by training and qualification of the people involved.”

Eurovent said companies and individuals interested in enrolling in this course programme can obtain all relevant information from the Association’s website, www.eurovent.me. For any further details, contact the Eurovent Middle East Team at office@eurovent.me.