UNIDO selects MACS Worldwide to produce training material for developing countries

The Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide has been chosen by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to write a training manual on mobile air conditioning retrofit for technicians in 120 developing countries. The manual is one of three commissioned through UNIDO’s Montreal Protocol Branch to address the phase-out of ozone-depleting refrigerants in mobile, residential and commercial air conditioning.

“Given that UNIDO’s evaluation criteria included ‘specialized expertise in the field of mobile air conditioning’ and the ‘proven capacity in producing training material, MACS is honored to have been selected by UNIDO to perform this important work,” says Elvis Hoffpauir, MACS president and chief operating officer.

The manual was edited by Hoffpauir, with Ward Atkinson, MACS technical advisor, providing expert review.

The MACS manual is part of UNIDO’s work to help developing countries comply with their obligations under the Montreal Protocol. Within this context, UNIDO is implementing a number of terminal phase-out management plans designed to eliminate the use of CFCs by the year 2010, according to MACS.

UNIDO observed that some service workshops were simply charging R134a into existing R12 systems without changing oil in the systems or taking other steps necessary to avoid system contamination, preserve performance and guard against system failures. UNIDO felt retrofit training was needed and selected MACS Worldwide.

Content for the UNIDO Mobile A/C Retrofit Manual was drawn from a number of existing MACS training manuals, which were adapted for international use and updated to include lessons learned in the North American market as it went through its transition from R12 to R134a.

For more information, visit www.macsw.org.