World Refrigeration Day Date in the current year: June 26, 2024

The term “refrigeration” refers to artificial cooling of a substance, system or space in order to lower and/or maintain its temperature below the ambient one. The earliest forms of cooling involved harvesting ice and snow to preserve food and cool beverages, and using evaporation to cool down the air.

The first thermodynamic refrigeration cycle — the vapor-compression cycle — was described by American inventor and engineer Oliver Evans in 1805. However, it took several more decades to build the first practical vapor-compression refrigeration system. The first commercial ice-making machine was patented in 1854, and refrigerators for home use were invented in 1913.

Although the word “refrigeration” is primarily associated with home, commercial and industrial refrigerators and freezers, refrigeration technologies are used much more widely than that. Refrigeration is used in many industrial processes, for air conditioning of private residences and public buildings, and more. It is literally impossible to envision modern life without the refrigeration technology because it is used almost everywhere.

Moreover, it is important to keep in mind that refrigeration and heating are two sides of the same coin because refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump systems are all based on the same operating principles. The only major difference between them is their objectives. So, basically, when you’re using a heat pump to warm your home, you’re using the refrigeration technology. This is why World Refrigeration Day encompasses the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump industry.

The person who came up with the idea of establishing an awareness day dedicated to refrigeration technologies was Stephen Gill, a refrigeration consultant and former president of the UK-based Institute of Refrigeration. In 2018, the idea was supported by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). The next year, the celebration gained support from the UN Environment Program (UNEP).

The inaugural celebration of World Refrigeration Day took place on June 26, 2019. The date of the awareness day was chosen to commemorate the birth anniversary of William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin. A renowned British mathematician, physician and engineer, Kelvin is best known for his contribution to thermodynamics that paved the way for the development of heat pump and refrigeration cycles.

On the occasion of the first World Refrigeration Day, over 800 physical events were held in more than 150 countries around the world. Since then, it has been observed annually, each year focusing on a new aspect of the refrigeration sector. Past World Refrigeration Day themes have included Diversity, The Cold Chain, Careers, and Cooling Champions.