What is AHRI?
2 min read
AHRI is a global trade association established to measure and certify product performance in the HVAC&R industry.
AHRI stands for Air-conditioning Heating & Refrigeration Institute. Prior to 2008, it was known as the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), which was established in USA in 1953. Its roots however extend back to at least the 1st recorded meeting of industry professionals and manufacturers in New York in 1888.
Since then, what was initially an informal meeting to set industry standards has grown to be an official association recognised in every country across the globe. Guidelines are set out so manufacturers, governments and consumers can benchmark their air conditioning & heating equipment.
The combination of engineering, experience and wisdom from a variety of disciplines within AHRI ensures a level playing field for the market to abide by. The result is guaranteed performance and a drive towards a more sustainable environment. It eliminates field acceptance tests on performance and reduces troubleshooting time during commissioning and after start-up.
You can read more at https://www.ahrinet.org/about-us. You can also find suppliers that have not met their claims and have been re-rated.
WHY AHRI?
AHRI certification of plate heat exchangers is a perfect way to secure accurate performance evaluations between competitors. Of course it is also a good way for leading suppliers such as Alfa Laval to protect their achievements in innovation and new product developments. But you can find a list of all such manufacturer models at https://www.ahrinet.org/certification
By insisting on AHRI, the end users will be guaranteed the performance they need and that you have specified, have been met. You can be confident that any equipment bearing AHRI certification has undergone rigorous design and 3rd party testing to ensure compliance to its stated performance and energy efficiency.
Ultimately, this will lead to energy savings throughout the life of the installations and a more sustainable environment.
Watch AHRI explained further here.
