A new Web site, developed by members of the Partnership for Air Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Accreditation (PAHRA) program, gives heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) instructors and schools the tools they need to ensure their HVACR programs have met or exceeded industry standards in instruction, curriculum, student, faculty qualification and facility standards set forth by the industry in areas of residential air conditioning and heating, light commercial air conditioning and heating, and commercial refrigeration. The PAHRA Web site, which is free to everyone, is located at www.pahrahvacr.org.

PAHRA, a partnership between HVACR educators and the HVACR industry, is a national accreditation program designed to ensure the level of educational quality of HVACR programs by establishing and maintaining high educational standards. A training program seeking PAHRA accreditation is volunteering to have its quality compared to national standards established by HVACR industry professionals.

The new Web site contains plenty of helpful information, including:

  • A step-by-step guide to becoming PAHRA accredited

  • A list of accredited schools

  • Frequently asked questions

  • Links to other supporting PAHRA organizations

  • Contact information for schools interested in becoming accredited

Partners in PAHRA include the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the Council of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Educators (CARE), the Gas Appliance Manufacturing Association (GAMA), the Heating, Airconditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI), and the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors National Association (PHCC).

For more information about PAHRA log on to www.pahrahvacr.org or contact Ed Dooley, ARI's vice president of communications and education, at edooley@ari.org.