DUBAI, UAE, 3 October 2023: Eurovent Middle East announced the launch of its new HVACR Leadership Academy. Making the announcement through a Press conference held at Le Meridian Beach Resort and Spa, in Dubai Marina, Eurovent Middle East said the academy is an open platform to bundle course programmes for the professional development of HVACR technicians and engineers, considered a critical missing link between technology and energy savings in the fight for lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Eurovent Middle East said the initiative will implement certified training courses for engineers and technicians, as well as knowledge development programmes for other HVACR professionals to increase the understanding of products and technologies, standards and best practices in an industry which is crucial not only for health and comfort but whose energy footprint is rapidly growing around the world. Eurovent Middle East said it estimates that 25% energy savings can be achieved through simple preventive maintenance, 15% through better installation and 20% through better operations of HVACR equipment.

Commenting on the launch of the academy, Tariq Al Ghussein, President, Eurovent Middle East, said: “The fight for better energy efficiency to mitigate the impact on climate change is now omnipresent at all government levels. Our industry is investing heavily in better and more efficient products. The transition to alternative refrigerants is becoming a more pressing matter, as well. All these developments depend heavily on HVACR professionals trained and educated in new technologies. Without capacity building, we cannot achieve the sustainability targets set by national governments.”

In line with its educational initiatives, Eurovent Middle East said it has signed a cooperation agreement with the Italian training centre, Centro Studi Galileo (CSG). The association further said that since the 1970s, CSG has been conducting training in Europe, the USA, Africa, and the Middle East and is accredited to certify HVAC/R technicians under the EU F-gas certification and the REAL Alternatives programme, in cooperation with the consortium and the European Association of RAC contractors AREA.

For his part, Marco Buoni, Managing Director, Centro Studi Galileo, said: “In the Middle East region, as globally, there is an increasing need for competence in commissioning, installing, maintaining, and repairing HVAC/R systems. CSG has been helping several GCC region countries in tight cooperation with the United Nations in setting up a national certification and training scheme through their legislation. The cooperation with Eurovent Middle East is the natural follow-up, and we are keen and honoured to be part of this important and needed process, thanks to this partnership.”

Furthermore, Eurovent Middle East said that another partner in the academy is Dr Iyad Al-Attar, an independent consultant specialising in indoor air quality and air filtration and a lecturer at several highly renowned universities and institutes.

During the press conference, Dr Attar said: “Raising the bar of IAQ has become a pressing issue facing our well-being and livelihood. Ultimately, the emphasis has shifted towards clean air and the methodologies that avail it. Therefore, it is imperative to embark on professional learning journeys where science meets the industry to take air quality and filtration selections, practices, and policies to the next level.”

Eurovent Middle East said the academy will start with 11 courses and will be constantly expanded in the coming years. For this, Eurovent Middle East said it invites other organisations to join the cooperation and offers governments the option to adjust courses to their local requirements. The association further said that more information on courses and contents can be found on www.eurovent.me.