European Union Cyber Resilience Act Mandates Cybersecurity for Connected HVAC/R Equipment with Vulnerability Reporting Already in Force and Full Compliance Required by 2027
The EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) has introduced mandatory cybersecurity requirements for all products with digital elements, including connected heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC/R) equipment. While full compliance is required by December 2027, mandatory vulnerability and incident reporting requirements took effect on September 11, 2026, requiring manufacturers to report exploited vulnerabilities to ENISA within 24 hours.
ebm-papst Introduces Energy Efficiency Guarantee for NEXAIRA.Fit HVAC Retrofits Backed by Great Lakes Insurance SE to Reduce Investment Uncertainty
ebm-papst has launched a new energy efficiency guarantee for its NEXAIRA.Fit retrofit solution, providing customers with greater predictability of energy savings from HVAC modernization projects. The guarantee is financially backed by Great Lakes Insurance SE, a subsidiary of Munich Re, and utilizes real-time operating data and digital optimization to address differences between projected and actual savings, which can reach up to 70% in some applications.
France's Refrigeration and HVAC Sector Records 1.5 Percent Revenue Decline in 2025 While Installation Activities Grow 2 Percent
A new industry survey commissioned by SNEFCCA reveals that France's refrigeration and HVAC sector revenue fell to €6.87 billion in 2025, a 1.5% decrease from 2023. While installation revenue grew by 2%, contract maintenance and repair services saw significant declines of 4% and 8% respectively, although 35.5% of surveyed companies anticipate revenue growth in 2026.
ASHRAE Building Decarbonization Conference in Seattle Convenes 450 Professionals to Focus on Practical Implementation of Thermal Storage and Geothermal Technologies
The 2026 ASHRAE Building Decarbonization Conference brought together 450 industry professionals to discuss strategies for reducing building emissions through practical technological solutions. Key topics included exhaust air heat recovery, thermal energy storage, and geothermal systems, with a strong focus on aligning state and local building performance standards across different jurisdictions.
xMEMS Labs Commences Mass Production of Fanless Solid-State Cooling Chips for AI Smartphones and Smart Glasses
xMEMS Labs has moved its µCooling solid-state thermal management chips into mass production, targeting Edge AI devices such as smart glasses and smartphones where traditional fans are impractical. The all-silicon piezoMEMS chips claim to reduce system temperatures by up to 25°C with minimal power consumption, with the first commercial products expected to hit the market in early 2027.
Heat Pump Association Publishes 99-Page Roadmap for Widescale Heat Pump Deployment Calling for Installer Workforce Growth, Consumer and Installer Confidence, and Wider Regulatory Support
A new report from the Heat Pump Association sets out a comprehensive roadmap and recommendations for accelerating the adoption of heat pumps in the UK. The 99-page report, Unlocking Widescale Heat Pump Deployment in the UK, provides an analysis of the current state of the UK heat pump industry, outlining existing barriers, opportunities and the economic benefits of mass adoption, and a clear set of policy recommendations aimed at creating an environment conducive to widespread deployment. These include support to reduce upfront heat pump costs and ongoing running costs, increasing the installer workforce and encouraging new entrants, improving consumer and installer confidence, supporting the development of heat networks, wider regulatory support and investment in innovation. As the UK government considers how to meet its legally binding net-zero emissions target by 2050, the HPA says there is a critical need for highly efficient and sustainable solutions in the heating sector and sees heat pumps as the emerging cornerstone of the transition. HPA chair Craig Dolan said the report is a call to action for stakeholders, policymakers and industry players to come together, and chief executive Charlotte Lee highlighted the significance of collaboration with members and industry partners.
Move to -15C Coalition Launched With Research Showing a 3C Shift in Frozen Food Temperature Saves 17.7 Million Tonnes of CO2 a Year and 8.63 Per Cent of UK Energy Consumption
A coalition led by Dubai-based multinational logistics company DP World is calling for frozen food temperatures to be set at -15 degrees Celsius as standard to cut carbon emissions. Most frozen food is transported and stored at -18 degrees Celsius, a standard set 93 years ago that has not changed since, and it is argued that changing the temperature by just 3 degrees would save 17.7 million tonnes of CO2 per year without compromising food safety or quality. Researchers from the International Institute of Refrigeration, the University of Birmingham and London South Bank University, among others, found the small change would also create energy savings of around 25 TWh, equivalent to 8.63 per cent of the UK's annual energy consumption, and cut supply chain costs by up to 12 per cent. The coalition has been joined by AJC Group, AP Moller-Maersk, Daikin, DP World, the Global Cold Chain Alliance, Kuehne + Nagel, Lineage, Mediterranean Shipping Company and Ocean Network Express. DP World's chief sustainability officer Maha AlQattan said: 'Frozen food standards have not been updated in almost a century. They are long overdue for revision.' The initiative seeks to create a just transition, deploying accessible storage technologies globally to freeze food at sustainable temperatures.
European Heat Pump Association Accuses the European Commission of Slamming on the Brakes by Postponing the Heat Pump Action Plan Until After the EU Elections
The European Heat Pump Association has accused the European Commission of slamming on the brakes on the heat pump roll out after postponing its Heat Pump Action Plan, which would have set out how it planned to achieve its pledge to install 10 million additional heat pumps by 2027, until after the EU elections in June. EHPA secretary general Thomas Nowak said: 'Despite saying that it wanted to accelerate the rollout of heat pumps and reminding the member states about the importance of higher ambition, the European Commission has slammed on the brakes,' and that 'Europe is falling behind on the decarbonisation of heat. Yet, rather than tackle the issue by developing and publishing the promised Heat Pump Action Plan, the Commission has kicked it into the long grass.' The decision comes at a time when heat pump sales are declining and the sector is calling for strong policy support, and EHPA notes manufacturers have invested over 7 billion euros in production capacity and training of installers, building on the key role given to heat pumps in the Green Deal, the Fit for 55 package and REPowerEU.
Ukrainian Authorities Seize Refrigerant Mis-Declared as Humanitarian Aid to Evade Customs Duties, Worth Around 354,000 Euros
Authorities in Ukraine have seized a large shipment of refrigerant being brought into the country and mis-declared as humanitarian aid to evade customs duties. Detectives of the Territorial Department of the Economic Security Bureau in the Kyiv region, working with border guards and customs officers, exposed the illegal importation of refrigerant said to be worth around 354,000 euros. The investigation identified a group of people who had used the details of a charitable organisation to import the gas declared as humanitarian aid to avoid paying customs duties. The pre-trial investigation revealed that the director of the unnamed charitable organisation had previously been prosecuted for the illegal use of humanitarian aid for profit. The economic crime agency did not identify the refrigerant involved, but one of the cylinders in photographs of the seizure is marked R125.