‘Cool Skills’ Theme of World Refrigeration Day 2025 emphasises Workforce Development

The WRD 2025 ‘Cool Skills’ theme recognises the wide range of skills required to deliver sustainable cooling that protects the environment, safeguards human health and comfort, and supports modern life in countless ways. The campaign aims to spotlight the professionals whose expertise underpins refrigeration, air conditioning, heat pumps, and other low-carbon cooling systems.

World Refrigeration Day, the international awareness campaign held annually on 26 June, was established to raise the profile of the refrigeration, air-conditioning, and heat-pump sector and focus attention on the significant role that the industry and its technology play in modern life and society. The day chosen marks the celebration of the birth date of Lord Kelvin on 26 June 1824.

ASHRAE joins the organisations, governments, and industry leaders worldwide in celebrating World Refrigeration Day 2025 (WRD 2025) on June 26. This year’s theme, “Cool Skills,” highlights the essential competencies and training. It recognises the wide range of skills required to deliver sustainable cooling that protects the environment, safeguards human health and comfort, and supports modern life in numerous ways. The campaign aims to shine a spotlight on the professionals whose expertise underpins refrigeration, air conditioning, heat pumps, and other low-carbon cooling systems.

2024–25 ASHRAE President M. Dennis Knight, P.E., BEMP, Fellow Life Member, said, “The ‘Cool Skills’ theme aligns powerfully with ASHRAE’s commitment to equipping the next generation of HVAC&R professionals with the tools and knowledge to lead.” “As we face a growing demand for skilled talent across the built environment, our focus on workforce development ensures that the people behind the systems are prepared to meet the challenges of energy performance, resilience, and sustainability head-on.”

As part of WRD 2025, ASHRAE and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction continue their collaboration to enhance education and skills training in the RACHP sector. One such initiative is the Checklists to Assess Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (RAC) Plant Sustainability, developed to help plant managers and service technicians benchmark performance in energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. The checklists are free to access with registration, which also enables users to receive updates and provide feedback.

ASHRAE and UNEP OzonAction encourage the industry to use the opportunity of WRD to raise awareness and understanding of the significant role that the sector, its science, and its technology play in modern life and society.

In addition, several web-based learning tools are available to support workforce readiness.

For more WRD 2025 resources and learning tools, visit the ASHRAE UNEP Portal.