How does The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) globally influence policy development and decision making?
AHRI’s certification and standards programs for HVACR and water heating equipment performance are widely regarded as the most robust in the industry. AHRI is a certification body accredited to ISO/IEC Standard 17065, which ensures that these programs can be accepted and specified all over the world. ASHRAE 90.1, the international gold standard for energy efficiency building design, also recommends AHRI certification.
This credibility, earned through a longstanding commitment to quality, makes AHRI a trusted and influential global resource. Notable solutions for achieving regulatory compliance include the AHRI Directory, used by international governments to verify that products meet their Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) requirements and Path A, which recognizes the integrity of AHRI certified ratings and testing, providing an alternative regulatory compliance path for AHRI certified participants.
Here at home, the Indian Green Building Council specifies AHRI certification of HVACR equipment for its Green Building Certification; The Sri Lankan Building Energy Efficiency Code specifies the use of AHRI certified equipment; and AHRI validates the Bureau of Energy Efficiency’s Chiller Standards and Labelling Program.
How aligned are Indian standards today with global performance and safety benchmarks?
Indian standards are managed and released by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). They are consensus-driven standards primarily made for applications in India, which refer to and adapt international standards. This helps manufacturers easily achieve compliance.
How does AHRI see the HVACR sector contributing to net-zero commitments over the next decade?
The HVACR industry plays a significant role in achieving net-zero commitments. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has set an aggressive 2030 net-zero goal for India. Industry stakeholders are working tirelessly to accomplish this by improving energy efficiency, transitioning to low-global warming potential refrigerants, electrifying heating and cooling systems, and enabling smarter building management.
AHRI is supporting this activity across the globe through its certification, standards, advocacy, and research programs. AHRI certification and standards programs ensure that manufacturers design and produce innovative, high-efficiency equipment which reduces energy demand and helps buildings operate more sustainably. Through its advocacy and research efforts, the association is leading the refrigerant transition and driving innovations in refrigerant technology to reduce their impact on the environment.
Are Indian manufacturers increasingly opting for voluntary certification or is compliance still regulation-driven?
It’s a bit of both. Regulations are driving compliance in the countries that Indian manufacturers are exporting to. End-user demand for certification by the local pharmaceutical, health care, and hospitality industries, government agencies, green building councils, and consultants is increasing the voluntary certification of equipment that is not yet regulated. These types of products include air handling units, cooling coils, room fan coils, heat pumps, variable refrigerant flow air conditioners, and more.
With rising demand for data centres, district cooling, and high-efficiency chillers in India, how is AHRI strengthening certification frameworks to address these segments?
AHRI provides comprehensive operational testing to ensure the reliability of HVACR equipment performance in real-world conditions. These tests validate product durability and address climate-specific requirements relevant to regions like ours, where high or low temperatures, condensation, and other factors can impact performance.
AHRI’s certification program includes mapped ratings, which provide verified performance data for the entire range of operating conditions, rather than only at one point. For example, AHRI’s Chiller Certification Program verifies a chiller’s efficiency at multiple operating conditions, ensuring that it meets the demand of several applications.
AHRI also maintains the integrity of its certification program through ongoing and random product testing. This continuous surveillance builds lasting trust and ensures that manufacturers uphold performance claims beyond the initial qualification certification. Data centre power usage effectiveness and district cooling energy efficiencies will soon be regulated in India, and AHRI will continue to test and certify chillers and other equipment that are a part of these large cooling systems in accordance with these rigorous standards.
How can Indian OEMs leverage AHRI certification to strengthen their global competitiveness and export potential?
It is widely known that AHRI certification demands a higher level of laboratory accuracy and continuous, independent, third-party testing. This is important because specifiers, regulators, governments, and end users trust AHRI to provide accurate performance data.
For Indian OEMs, embracing this rigorous process and achieving the AHRI Certified® mark, which is a symbol of excellence in HVACR, sets them apart from competitors. Because global stakeholders know and trust AHRI, certification opens doors in markets such as the MENA region, where it supports compliance with local codes and regulations, and in Southeast Asia where it is widely accepted.
AHRI certification also reduces manufacturers’ administrative, reporting, and testing burdens. This saves significant time and money, which can be put to better use.
Which emerging segment in India requires immediate standard development?
We see an opportunity to tailor existing AHRI standards for evaporative cooling, heat pumps, and cold chain equipment to the Indian market.
What are AHRI’s key focus areas at ACREX 2026?
ACREX is a welcome opportunity to engage with our local stakeholders. I invite anyone attending the event to visit AHRI at stand 2, A17, where staff will be available to discuss our standards and certification programs, and their applicability to the Indian market. We will also outline the solutions and support available to those wishing to engage with AHRI.
ACREX also allows us to learn firsthand how we can better serve the market. We recognize the need for enhanced testing support in India and will share details of a new and exciting partnership with an HVACR test lab at the event!
What else would you like to communicate to the Indian HVACR product developers or manufacturers?
Our message to HVACR product developers and manufacturers is simple: If you want to remain competitive, test and rate your equipment to AHRI standards and certify them.
