International collaboration: The key to a prosperous future in refrigeration

The IIR puts its international network into action for the benefit of all.

The IIR puts its international network into action for the benefit of all



I have no doubt that JSRAE will be able to attract the younger generation to the refrigeration domain, since there are new and interesting professional and enriching opportunities at the frontier of the needs of humanity and respect of our environment,Didier Coulomb, Director of the IIR.



JSRAE: 90 years on and still going strong


The Japanese Society of Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (JSRAE) was founded in 1925, a few years after the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) in 1908, and since that time we have developed a strong relationship.


We have had the pleasure of organizing several events together and participated in various publications. Moreover, Japanese representatives have played, and continue to play, key roles within our Commissions and Committees.


However this year, in conjunction with JSRAE’s 90th anniversary, this successful collaboration grew to another level, with the organization of the 24th International Congress of Refrigeration on 16-22 August 2015 in Yokohama; the first time the Congress will take place in Japan.


This highlighted the place Japan holds within the IIR and our partnership with JSRAE.



ICR2015 in Yokohama


During the Congress, presentations on today’s relevant issues will be delivered and various workshops are also organized. It is clear that we certainly need more research and additional engineers in refrigeration and air conditioning for future decades in order to meet these challenges.



Global challenges have no boundaries


International cooperation is necessary because of main common global challenges:

  • food security and safety;
  • health products, surgery and medicine;
  • energy and environmental issues.


2015 is a key year for hot issues concerning:

  • negotiations on the future of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and
  • energy sources and efficiency.


The 21st Session of Conference of the Parties (COP21), which will meet in Paris in December 2015, could be a key step to phasing down HFCs and to committing countries to reducing CO2 emissions. Reducing CO2 emissions also has clear impacts on the refrigeration industry:

  • construction of sustainable and high performance buildings,
  • development of heat pumps and energy recovery,
  • energy labelling and improvement of energy efficiency in all types of refrigerating equipment, and
  • new energy sources (liquefied gases, solar cooling, …).



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About JSRAE


In 1925, the Japan Society of Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, JSRAE, was established to develop and disseminate knowledge nationally and internationally on refrigerating and freezing technology together with related scientific technologies. For over 45 years, it has functioned as a non-profit academic organization in the field of refrigeration. JSRAE in detail