AREMA

New awareness campaign to encourage use of licensed technicians

b8Ur4j99Xg — Tue, 12 May 2026 03:04:48 +0000

A new pilot initiative has been launched, inviting retailers to partner with the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC )to promote the legal requirement to use licensed technicians when purchasing or replacing refrigeration and air conditioning units, specifically the split systems.

This is part of a broader commitment to boost consumer awareness and environmental outcomes.

Read about the program

Industry feedback sought for Refrigerant Reclaim review

b8Ur4j99Xg — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:48:46 +0000

Holders of Arctick permits are encouraged to share their views on Australia’s widely acclaimed refrigerant recovery scheme and share their insights into the operational realities of refrigerant use and recovery. This survey, which closes on 13 May 2026, is an important component of a review of the stewardship scheme by its operator Refrigerant Reclaim Australia.

Refrigerants Australia appeals to its members and associates to help in this project which will support improvements to the RRA scheme.

READ THE BACKGROUND or GO STRAIGHT TO THE SURVEY

Important update to E3 program just released

b8Ur4j99Xg — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:19:28 +0000

An important update on the work of the Equipment Energy Efficiency (E3) Program (this is MEPS) was released in early March 2026. The Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council agreed to the release of the E3 Strategy, a suite of documents that guide the direction of appliance and equipment energy efficiency across Australia and New Zealand to 2035. The E3 Strategy has been developed collaboratively by the Australian, state, territory and New Zealand governments, and reflects the strong, long-standing partnership across all E3 jurisdictions.

The E3 Strategy documents are now available at: Equipment Energy Efficiency Strategy | Energy Rating

The E3 Strategy consists of three key documents:

E3 Strategic Plan – provides the long-term vision for the next decade, ensuring the E3 Program remains responsive to rapid technological change and emerging energy priorities.
E3 Implementation Plan – sets out the coordinated actions governments will take to deliver on the Strategic Plan’s objectives.
Annual E3 Workplan – outlines priority activities and projects for each year.

What the Strategy delivers

The E3 Strategy identifies practical opportunities to:

strengthen energy efficiency standards and information for appliances and equipment
increase consumer access to energy-saving products
reduce emissions and contribute to long-term energy security
ensure the program remains agile and aligned with future technologies and market conditions

Next steps

The E3 Strategy marks a key milestone for the program. Over the coming months, work will commence on delivering the actions set out in the Implementation Plan and annual Workplan. Stakeholders will be kept informed as this work progresses.

AREMA will participate in the next E3RC meeting scheduled for 1 April.

DOWNLOAD PICS FROM THE AREMA ANNUAL DINNER

b8Ur4j99Xg — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 01:19:54 +0000

This link will take you to the photos taken at the AREMA annual dinner, where you can download them.

You don’t need to sign in to anything, just follow the links to the ‘Full Edit’ zip file which will download all the photos to your computer or device.

Leadership scholarships help the industry’s young achievers

b8Ur4j99Xg — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 03:56:04 +0000

The ARBS Education and Research Foundation is inviting industry associations, employers and leaders to nominate outstanding young people for the annual ARBS Leadership Scholarships. These awards provide practical support for emerging talent across the HVAC&R and building services sector.

Since 2014, the Foundation has returned more than half a million dollars to the industry through education, training, and applied research. These scholarships continue that commitment by helping young achievers accelerate their development.

AREMA members are encouraged to nominate young candidates from their own workforces.

Award details and timing

What you need to submit

The RAC industry at a glance

b8Ur4j99Xg — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 23:16:54 +0000

In a presentation to AREMA in September 2025 the Australian Refrigeration Council provided a snapshot of the RAC industry in Australia, covering its economic impact, employment, emissions, electricity consumption and the refrigerant bank.

READ THE PRESENTATION

GEMS year 2024-25 in review

b8Ur4j99Xg — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 03:09:52 +0000

The Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards regulator (GEMS) has issued a review of the financial year, including statistics on applications processed, and the results of product monitoring, which found that of 10,385 products monitored, more than 90 percent of them were correctly registered under GEMS.

READ THE STATEMENT

GEMS audit reveals inefficiencies

b8Ur4j99Xg — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 03:31:10 +0000

Changes are likely to be made to the operation of GEMS in the Equipment Energy Efficiency program, which was established to prevent the sale of the most energy inefficient products in the Australian market and to inform consumers about the energy efficiency of products.

READ THE AUDITOR GENERAL’S FINDINGS

Homes, not power plants, are key to slashing energy costs

b8Ur4j99Xg — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 02:25:18 +0000

A new report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis forecasts that household solutions could halve residential bills.

READ THE REPORT

Vale Ken Ball – industry stalwart

b8Ur4j99Xg — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:25:28 +0000

AREMA pays tribute to Ken Ball, a respected industry stalwart, who has died after a long illness.

He served in many roles with AREMA for more than 20 years, and is remembered as an industry leader who supported members with advice and good fellowship. Even though he had retired from the industry, he stayed involved, serving on standards committees and providing technical advice on a broad range of issues. He wanted to see the industry thrive and committed himself to that end even after he stopped work.

Ken was selected into the ARBS Hall of Fame in 2022. The citation is below.