The AIRAH Board has approved a funding proposal to establish a secretariat for PRIME, the blueprint to transition Australia’s HVACR industry to a low emissions future.

Funding approval is great news for industry as it means PRIME can finally move ahead.

Despite its significance for the future of the industry, the PRIME initiative stalled last year due to lack of funding.

AIRAH executive manager for government relations, Phil Wilkinson, said the secretariat would scope out what needs to be done over the next six months and then approach industry for funds to begin a series of projects.

“We have identified nine priority projects but its critical we take a whole of industry approach and that means getting 170,000 people on board to support PRIME,” Wilkinson said.

Work that needs to be done ranges from upskilling the HVACR workforce in flammable refrigerants to educating an entire industry on making the transition to a low emissions future.

The Australian Refrigeration Association president, Tim Edwards, welcomed the announcement.

“It’s time to get serious about reducing emissions and this funding announcement is an important step in the right direction,” he said.