The Institute of Refrigeration is an organisation in the UK that supports the refrigeration and air-conditioning industry.
The Institute was formed in 1899 as the Cold Storage and Ice Association, the first national society in the world for the refrigeration industry. The Institute's first president was Alan Egerton, 3rd Baron Egerton. It became the IOR in 1944 when professional membership was introduced. In 2010 the Institute launched a short video explaining the opportunities for careers in the refrigeration industry under the title Careers in Cooling. This uses interviews with a wide range of young people working in different aspects of refrigeration and air-conditioning to explain what a rewarding career it can be. A webpage was also set up to support the video.
The Institute of Refrigeration is governed by a Board of Trustees which comprises the President, the President-Elect, the Immediate Past-President, the Honorary Treasurer and six elected members.
It has branches covering:
- East Anglia
- Northern
- Scotland
The purpose of the Institute of Refrigeration is outlined in the Institute's constitution as follows:
There are five main grades of membership; Associate, Technician, Member, Fellow and Student/Young Persons. Membership grade is based on relevant experience and responsibilities gained over time in the industry and is determined by application to the membership committee. Affiliate Membership is offered to individuals without suitable experience. The Institute is a professional affiliate of the UK Engineering Council and has many overseas members. It has formal agreements to share information and co-operate with ASHRAE (USA), ISHRAE (India), PHVAR (Pakistan) and AIRAH (Australia).
