AREA members are national associations established in Europe and composed of refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump contractors and installers. AREA also has partnership agreements with refrigeration and air conditioning contractors' associations from outside Europe. Those are called Memorandum of Understanding, whereby both associations cooperate on issues of mutual interest and promote each other’s initiatives.

The highest authority is the General Assembly, who elects the Board Members, approves the budgets and the accounts and decides on strategic orientations. The General Assembly meets twice a year, in spring and in the autumn.

The Board, headed by the President, is also composed of the Immediate Past President, the Vice President, the Treasurer and 2 Directors. The Board prepares and implements the decisions of the General Assembly, represents the association and supervises the daily management by the Secretary General. The Board also serves as a guidance, reference and conciliation authority to the various working bodies.

On 13 May 2022, Coen van de Sande (NVKL, Netherlands) was elected President, alongside Grzegorz Michalski (KFCh, Poland) Vice President, Marco Buoni (ATF, Italy) Past President with a special mandate “International Affairs”, Seamus Kerr (IRI, Ireland) Treasurer and Thanos Biris (HUFGAS, Greece) who remains Director. They were joined by two new faces: Espen Rønning, (VKE, Norway) and Stepan Stojanov (SCHKT, Czechia) who joined as Directors.


AREA technical activities are undertaken by 4 Working Groups

  • WG Refrigerants covers synthetic (F-gases, ODSs, HFOs) & natural (Ammonia, HC, CO²) refrigerants
  • WG Sustainable Innovation covers Energy & Decarbonisation (renewable energy, energy efficiency, EPBD) and Environment & Circular Economy (Ecodesign, WEEE, resource efficiency)
  • WG Human Capital deals with Promotion (inclusive workforce, societal purpose, career development) and Skills (projects, standards, upskilling, education schemes)
  • WG Legislation & Standards looks at Standards (EN378, IEC product standards, ISO 22712) and Legislation (Pressure equipment directive, ATEX, occupational safety, national developments)
AREA structure

AREA is managed by a General Secretariat provided by Orgalim.

 

For more information about AREA's structural organisation, please see the STATUTES (English version)

 

Statutes 2019160.89 KB