A funding proposal to establish a secretariat for PRIME, the blueprint to transition Australia's HVACR industry to a low emissions future will go before the AIRAH Board tonight.
Despite its significance for the future of the industry, the PRIME initiative stalled due to lack of funding.
Finally, there are signs that PRIME which identifies five pathways for industry to transition, can begin.
AIRAH executive manager for government relations, Phil Wilkinson, is hopeful the proposal will be approved although he did
not disclose a dollar figure for the proposal.
If approved, he 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, educating an entire industry on making the transition to a low emissions future and what that means for everyone.
Earlier this year the Australian Refrigeration Association president, Tim Edwards, said it was pathetic that such an important initiative had been put on hold over funding.
"We're not talking about a lot of money either it really wouldn't cost much to fund a secretariat," he said.
"If they are serious about Australia moving forward and reducing emissions then its time to act and make the funds available."