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Our sole mission is to honour the products, projects and people making an impact on the sector and the wider built environment through their work.

A panel of expert judges from across the sector and a rigorous two-stage judging ensure The Cooling Awards remain the most respected and credible accolades in the industry. All finalists who make the shortlist will then be deliberated by our carefully selected panel of judges. To guarantee fairness, no judge assesses a category where they have a vested interest, nor do competing businesses evaluate one another. All judging takes place under Chatham House Rules, with every judge signing a non-disclosure agreement. The winners are chosen by secret ballot, with no judge knowing the outcome before the awards night.

The only exception to this is the RAC and IOR National Student of the Year Award. Individuals shortlisted for this year’s Award will be invited to have a 15-minute online discussion with our specialist panel of judges, to enable candidates to discuss their studies and their ambitions for working in the sector.

You can enter as many categories as you like, for free, before the entry deadline. We will then be in touch to let you know if you have been the shortlist and ask for any further information ahead of our judging days. The shortlist will then be published on the website, and all winning and highly commended entries will be announced live at the awards ceremony.

This category seeks to celebrate the variety of air conditioning products on the UK market, from small but mighty products that help maintain system performance and operational efficiency, to innovative new systems and standalone units.

Entries are welcome from companies that have launched a new air conditioning product, including components and accessories, into the market within the qualifying period. Submissions are welcome from designers, manufacturers and suppliers alike, as long as all product stakeholders are listed.

The judges will be looking for entries that demonstrate their consideration of sustainable cooling, adaptation & climate resilience, occupant wellbeing, health & safety, and indoor air & environmental quality.

Products catered to the domestic, commercial and industrial markets are all welcome. Please note, examples, imagery and data will be essential for the judges to assess your product and its application.

In 1,000 words or less, please tell the judges why you think your product should win this award.

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • Open to air conditioning products or systems made available to the UK market during the eligibility period
  • Details of your product’s specification and applications
  • Compliance with relevant standards and regulations
  • Examples of its installation and performance

This award recognises an outstanding cooling component that has made a significant contribution to the performance, efficiency and reliability, or sustainability of refrigeration or air conditioning systems. The component may be mechanical, electrical, electronic, or digital, but must demonstrate clear benefits to installers, operators, and/or end-users.

Products catered to the domestic, commercial and industrial markets are all welcome. Please note, examples, imagery and data will be essential for the judges to assess your product and its application.

In 1,000 words or less, please tell the judges why you think your product should win this award.

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • Open to component, accessory or peripheral products used within a cooling or refrigeration system, available in the UK during the eligibility period
  • May include compressors, valves, controls, heat exchangers, fans, sensors, monitors or other software-enabled components
  • Details of your product’s specification and applications
  • Compliance with relevant standards and regulations
  • Examples of their installation and performance

This accolade will be awarded to a truly innovative cooling product that challenges conventional approaches and delivers new ways to improve efficiency, sustainability, digitalisation, or performance in cooling.

Judges will be looking for significant innovations, rather than an incremental update, in the design, development and delivery of hardware, software, or integrated solutions that support cooling performance across their application.

Products catered to the domestic, commercial and industrial markets are all welcome. Please note, examples, imagery and data will be essential for the judges to assess your product and its application.

In 1,000 words or less, please tell the judges why you think your product should win this award.  

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • Available or piloted in the UK during the eligibility period
  • Clear explanation of innovation and impact required
  • Challenges and solutions addressed
  • Key performance indicators, results and potential scalability

This category seeks to recognise the critical role of heat pumps in decarbonisation, climate control and resilience in the built environment, as well as the ways in which they have been adapted for comprehensive decarbonisation of both heating and cooling throughout the UK’s building stock. 

Judges will be looking for entries that demonstrate exemplary engineering, technical skill and best practice in heat pump installation and system integration, as well as creative examples of heat sourcing, waste heat reuse and system networking.

Entries are welcome from all contractors, but this award will go to the entire project team, so please be sure to list all stakeholders and their roles in your project to ensure they receive recognition.

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • Projects must feature heat pump technology as a core element
  • Open to retrofit or new-build projects
  • Projects must be substantially completed during the eligibility period, with evidence of successful installation and operation.
  • Entrants must clearly state the involvement of each stakeholder in the project’s commissioning, management and delivery.

This award celebrates the refrigeration products setting new standards for efficiency, performance, accessibility and user experience.

Entries are welcome from companies that have launched a refrigeration product, including fridges, freezers, chillers and other cooling units, into the market within the qualifying period. Submissions are welcome from designers, manufacturers and suppliers alike, as long as all product stakeholders are listed.

The judges will be looking for entries that demonstrate clear improvements and benefits across their design, installation, operation and lifecycle impact.

Products catered to the domestic, commercial and industrial markets are all welcome. Please note, examples, imagery and data will be essential for the judges to assess your product and its application.

In 1,000 words or less, please tell the judges why you think your product should win this award.

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • Open to complete refrigeration product or systems made available to the UK market during the eligibility period
  • Details of your product’s specification and applications
  • Compliance with relevant standards and regulations
  • Examples of its installation and performance

This category is designed to reflect the importance of taking a building-wide approach to cooling infrastructure. The judges will be looking for projects involving integrated RACHP systems and building controls, where the result was a quantifiable improvement in energy consumption and system-wide performance, with measurable benefits to facilities managers and end-users. 

The judges will be looking for case studies demonstrating excellent research & development, design, specification and installation, as well as strong customer service and robust compliance, throughout the project.

Domestic, commercial and industrial projects are all welcome, but all contributing stakeholders must be clearly listed and notified about the entry so the entire project team receives recognition for their role.

Please note, examples, imagery and data will be essential for the judges to assess your project and its results. 

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • Processes for commissioning, planning and delivery of your project
  • Roles and responsibilities of each key stakeholder
  • Specifications for selected products and technologies
  • Key performance indicators, timelines and budgets

This new category seeks to highlight the most impactful cooling and heat reuse projects from across the data centre sector.

With growing energy demand from digital infrastructure, this category recognises projects that deliver significant improvements in efficiency, resilience, and sustainability. Projects may involve the adoption of renewable power, advanced cooling technologies, energy storage integration, AI-driven optimisation, or innovative design that reduces carbon footprint and enhances operational performance.

All contributing stakeholders must be clearly listed and notified about the entry so the entire project team receives recognition for their role. Please note, examples, imagery and data will be essential for the judges to assess your project and its results.

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • Processes for commissioning, planning and delivery of your project
  • Roles and responsibilities of each key stakeholder
  • Specifications for selected products and technologies
  • Key performance indicators, timelines and budgets

This category seeks to recognise the critical role of heat pumps in decarbonisation, climate control and resilience in the built environment, as well as the ways in which they have been adapted for comprehensive decarbonisation of both heating and cooling throughout the UK’s building stock. 

Judges will be looking for entries that demonstrate exemplary engineering, technical skill and best practice in heat pump installation and system integration, as well as creative examples of heat sourcing, waste heat reuse and system networking.

Entries are welcome from all contractors, but this award will go to the entire project team, so please be sure to list all stakeholders and their roles in your project to ensure they receive recognition.

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • Projects must feature heat pump technology as a core element
  • Open to retrofit or new-build projects
  • Projects must be substantially completed during the eligibility period, with evidence of successful installation and operation.
  • Entrants must clearly state the involvement of each stakeholder in the project’s commissioning, management and delivery.

This category seeks entries pertaining to retail cooling projects that demonstrate significant improvements in performance, health and safety, client satisfaction and customer experience.

This category is open to all commercial retail settings, including food service, shopping outlets, and supermarkets.

The judges will be looking for solutions that push the boundaries of existing industry practices, through the creative management practices, store design, or the use of novel methods or technology.

Entries are welcome from all contractors, but this award will go to the entire project team, so please be sure to list all stakeholders and their roles in your project to ensure they receive recognition.

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • Open to projects in all commercial retail settings
  • Open to both new retrofit and new-build projects
  • Projects must be substantially completed during the eligibility period, with evidence of successful installation and operation.
  • Entrants must clearly state the involvement of each stakeholder in the project’s commissioning, management and delivery.

This category seeks to reward cooling that continuously provide exemplary customer service and outstanding project management throughout the year. Entries are open to all RACHP contractors and installers, large or small.

Judges will be looking at each contractor’s completed projects, along with the way businesses have positioned themselves within their supply chains and the wider industry. Winning entries will demonstrate excellence across their business operations, from on-site installations to administration and organisation.

Please be sure to provide evidence of your projects’ success, as well as customer and employee testimonials for the judges to assess. 

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • Descriptions of what your company has achieved throughout the year
  • The processes for conception, development and delivery in the company’s project(s).
  • Benchmarking, accreditation or testimonials.

The RAC and IOR National Student of the Year 2025 prize seeks to honour students and apprentices undertaking training for a range of technical and engineering roles across the RACHP sector.

This category is also open all individuals that have completed their studies within the qualifying period. Entrants are asked to fill in the application below and provide a reference from their trainers or employers where applicable.

Individuals shortlisted for this year’s prize will be invited to have a 15-minute online discussion with our specialist panel of judges, to enable candidates to discuss their studies and their ambitions for working in the sector.

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • Details and evidence of your training and academic achievement
  • Details of your current or future employer
  • Employer and trainer references
  • Customer references

This category seeks to reward collaborative efforts and successful industry partnerships within the cooling sector and its supply chains, including marketing, sales, public awareness and lobbying campaigns.

The judges will be looking for evidence of results that could not have been achieved without the participation of all stakeholders, in recognition of the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration.

In 1,000 words or less, please tell the judges why your entry should win. 

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • A description of your collaboration, its purpose and outreach
  • The roles and responsibilities of all key stakeholders
  • Key performance indicators and results
  • Testimonials and feedback

This category seeks to recognise campaigns, programmes and initiatives that have been the most successful in reaching their intended recipients. The category is open to marketing, public awareness or information, and training campaigns alike.

Judges will be looking for details of each campaign’s planning, implementation, stakeholder engagement and metrics for its subsequent impact. This category is open to the whole cooling supply chain; manufacturers, distributors, consultants, installers, trade associations, and training providers.

In 1,200 words or less, please tell the judges why your entry should win. 

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • A description of your campaign, its purpose and outreach
  • The roles and responsibilities of all key stakeholders
  • Key performance indicators and results
  • Testimonials and feedback

The cooling industry is notable for its large number of small and microbusinesses, so this category aims to highlight their essential contributions to the industry.

This category is reserved for businesses with less than 50 employees, across the RACHP supply chain.

Judges will be looking for evidence of all or most of the following: best practice, notable achievements, new initiatives, collaboration and innovation. 

This category seeks to reward cooling that continuously provide exemplary customer service and outstanding project management throughout the year. Entries are open to all RACHP contractors and installers, large or small.

Please be sure to provide evidence of your projects’ success, as well as customer and employee testimonials for the judges to assess. 

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • Descriptions of what your small company has achieved throughout the last year
  • The processes for conception, development and delivery in the company’s project(s).
  • Benchmarking, accreditation or testimonials.

The continuous improvement of skills and competencies is vital to the industry, so this category seeks to recognise training providers that have gone above and beyond to recruit, retain and train the next generation of RACHP talent. This category is open to manufacturers, trade associations and contractors, as well as colleges, universities and training providers, provided they are registered and accredited to provide such training.

Judges will be looking for entries demonstrating new approaches to the design, implementation and rollout of training courses and upskilling programmes. All entries should be backed up with evidence of their successful rollout and trainee testimonials.

The category is open to companies that are able to demonstrate a concerted commitment to training through their initiative. Please ensure all stakeholders are listed and provide evidence of your initiative’s impact where possible.

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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  • A description of your initiative and its target audience
  • Your approach to recruitment and training outreach
  • Key performance indicators and results
  • Testimonials and feedback from trainees

The Team of the Year prize seeks to reward collective achievements within RACHP organisations that support and encourage effective thought leadership, teamwork and resource management to address key industry priorities and overcome challenges.

Judges will be looking for examples of how the teams were assembled, how their objectives were shared and managed, and how their teamwork has produced tangible results for their oragnisation or the wider industry.

Entries for small or large teams are welcome from all organisations, including trade associations, with at least two testimonials from team members required to help the judges decide which team deserves this year’s accolade. In your entry, please describe why your nominated team should be award team of the year, as well as what makes them stand in their organisation or association.

Qualifying period: 1 Jan 2024 – 24 April 2026
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Non-enterable category 

By nomination only

This award recognises and honours one particular individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the industry throughout the course of their career. Although the recipient is ultimately chosen by the RAC editorial team if you have any suggestions of people you would like to be considered for this accolade, then please contact ella.mackenzie@emap.com before 24 April 2026.

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What tips would you give entrants for next year?

Make sure the product is good, make sure your entry is good and make sure you know exactly what it does. Keep on innovating, keep your heart in it – there’s a lot of ups and downs, the road isn’t always straight but keep sticking to your guns and you will come though.

Winners: AMChill Ultra-low charge ammonia chiller, BITZER UK / KGM Refrigeration – Refrigeration Product of the Year – System or Standalone

What tips would you give entrants for next year?

I think for me trying to look at being a versatile business and looking at everything you do not just for the client but for your people and employers as well, because ultimately at the end of the day, there the ones that are delivering for your business and will keep the clients happy. So for me its just a full life cycle of everything from employees to clients.

Winners: Nationwide Air Conditioning – Contractor of the Year

What tips would you give entrants for next year?

Back yourself, have faith and trust in what you're actually trying to achieve and what you want to do and put it forward. This was an idea we talked about last year, and we went through the process and developed it. We’ve taken feedback from various people and we’ve bought something that is free for people to use so hopefully helps people make informed decisions on refrigeration technology.

Winners: RADICal - Refrigeration Analysis & Dynamic Insights Calculator, OMEGA Solutions & Copeland – Refrigeration Product of the Year – Component or Peripheral

What tips would you give to entrants for the Cooling Awards next year?

Just go for it! You don’t realise where you are in your company to where you can be at these awards. You don’t realise what you are in comparison to other people.

Winners: Keiran Sherlock, Engineer Apprentice, SURE Solutions - RAC & IOR National Student of the Year 2024