The following stories from Switerland is an extract from the booklet 'Women in the Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry."
STORY BY DOLAANA KHOVALYG
I grew up in Siberia and my hometown, Kyzyl (in the Tuva Republic of the Russian Federation), is very far inland, so the climate there is harsh continental. As a result, the air temperature can drop to -50°C in winter. I remember walking to school in the early mornings: despite layers of heavy clothing, the cold still penetrated to the bone, and my nose and ears got frostbitten from time to time! Nevertheless, I was captivated by the beauty of the frosty winters in Tuva and wanted to learn about the nature of cold.
After graduating high school in Kyzyl and spending three days on the Trans-Siberian Railway to Moscow, I successfully passed the entrance exams and enrolled in the Low Temperature Physics Department at the Moscow Power Engineering Institute, where I completed my BS and MS degrees with honours. During the final year of my MS studies in Moscow I started to work in a HVACR engineering firm with minor duties such as updating technical brochures. Within two years I was a RAC Project Engineer with lots of responsibilities: my duties included sizing RAC equipment and drawing projects for cold storages, food processing facilities, distribution centres, industrial kitchens, and supermarkets in accordance with Russian Federal construction codes. For instance, I designed a project for industrial shock freezing of bread products, which enables the storing of bread for up to 1n months without loss of texture or nutrients.
The tremendous importance of long-term food preservation via refrigeration bolstered my interest in RAC, and my fascination with the capabilities of cooling equipment to generate cold mechanically for various other industrial applications kept growing.
Despite my seemingly considerable progress, my job experience was not entirely smooth, since my working environment was not woman friendly. RAC is traditionally a man’s weld, especially in Russia. I used to meet male technicians to discuss projects and to present RAC solutions, and I recall seeing bored and giggling faces of men thinking that “females don’t have enough brain power to handle complex technical projects, and even to suggest to them what to do”. That was the reality of the profession that I have chosen following my childhood curiosity, and almost every day I have had to encourage myself not to pay attention to such attitudes, but stay strong, work hard and be ready to face all the challenges and push my boundaries.
Through numerous interactions with men in RAC, I discovered “the secret weapon” against the doubters: if you are more knowledgeable and confident than they are, they will eventually accept you into their men’s club. Therefore, I decided to go back to school and deepen my knowledge by pursuing a PhD degree – not in Russia, but rather abroad to gain international experience. In 2011 I was awarded a scholarship by the Fulbright Foundation that provided an opportunity for advanced studies in the USA at a leading RAC research centre, the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Center (ACRC) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. My PhD work focused on yow boiling of refrigerants in compact microchannel heat exchangers (MCHX). MCHXs are lightweight aluminium heat exchangers that allow reduction in the volume of the necessary refrigerant, and the use of MCHXs aligns with the global goal of reducing the use of HFCs in RAC systems.
During that time, I was awarded an opportunity to participate at the Global Young Scientists Summit in Singapore, a premier event bringing young researchers and prominent scientists together from all over the world. My proposal on “Net-Zero Energy Air-Conditioning and Dehumidification” was one of the finalists in the “Sustainable and Livable Cities” challenge held at the Summit. Brainstorming the proposal for that challenge sparked my interest in the sustainable and livable indoor environment, which has significant importance nowadays.
HVAC systems have a key role in achieving a higher standard of living by providing a comfortable indoor environment all year around. However, HVAC systems face major challenges since they are also a major source of energy consumption in buildings. With CO2 emissions causing temperatures to break record after record, the need for sustainable energy systems to combat climate change is now greater than ever. Driven to improve both the global warming situation and the quality of life of people, I came to realize that I can contribute to developing better energy-efficient and novel HVAC solutions for comfortable living environments by pursuing a career in academia.
Currently I am employed as an Assistant Professor in Energy and Building Systems Engineering at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland), one of the leading technical institutions in the world. My laboratory, Thermal Engineering for the Built Environment (TEBEL), focuses on minimizing energy use for thermal conditioning of buildings, and the performance enhancement of building services such as cooling, heating, ventilation, and hot water supply. Presently I advocate for coupling heat pumps with renewable sources, and for the widespread use of CO2 heat pumps for hot water supply.
Presently I teach two courses – “Building Energetics’ and “Thermodynamics of Comfort in Buildings” – that cover the topics of thermal management in buildings, and analysis of the efficiency of building services such as HVAC.
I am truly blessed to be able to contribute to both the local and global community through my teaching, and to shape the future of the weld through my research. The fact that I came from a remote place, and that I am a female who has paved her own way into the RAC weld, have not stopped me in my endeavours; indeed, the challenges I have faced have made me grow and push my boundaries each time. Looking back, I would say that my path so far is less about luck, and more about hard work, persistence, and commitment. I feel proud to be a female in the RAC sector and to serve humanity through my research and teaching.
STORY BY JANET LUDERT
In my 20-year career in the fluorochemicals and RAC industry, I have never experienced such an exciting time as now! The RAC sector is playing a critical role in making a positive contribution to curbing the effects of climate change and I am proud to be in an industry where challenges can become opportunities – from business or regulatory to personal and professional ones, too. Throughout my career, I’ve
learned a lot from the RAC industry about teamwork, resilience, and perseverance (among other lessons) and am happy to pass on a few of my experiences to other women aspiring to work in this dynamic and exciting field.
I started my journey in the RAC sector after graduating from the University of Virginia in the United States with a degree in Chemical Engineering. After leaving my hometown near Washington, D.C., my professional career began in 199 n in Texas with DuPont’s Fluorochemical business – a leader in RAC refrigerant technology. I started from the ground up in a technical role as a process engineer, working at a plant manufacturing one of the key raw materials used in making fluorinated refrigerants. I was only one of a few women on the team, tasked with leading and working with a group of mostly senior men. However, I learned a lot during those years, especially from the excellent group of operators and mechanics who taught me not only about the plant operation but also life in general! From them, I learned how to put safety first, how to solve problems, manage through the night shift and how to make the best chilli you’ve ever tasted. These seasoned professionals had seen it all and personified teamwork. Working with them helped me realize that everyone’s role in the RAC industry is important to achieve common goals – from the CEO to the operator; from the design engineer and contractor to the end-user; from the legislators to the consumers; and of course, from men AND women.
In 2003, I had the great opportunity to transition to a sales role – interacting with customers in the RAC sector and helping their businesses succeed. As a young salesperson in tough negotiations, again in a male-dominated environment, it was difficult to hear “no” for an answer. But as is often the case in the RAC industry, where there is a will, there is a way. I learned that understanding the needs of the person on the other side of the negotiating table was key. Creating a connection led to trust and this opened the doors to many win-win outcomes. This also applies to the RAC industry. Regulators and legislators need to understand the needs of their constituencies. Suppliers, contractors, and manufacturers all need to understand the needs of their customers. And vice versa. With this approach (coupled with resilience), the win-win solutions are possible.
In 2007, I took the leap to move from the United States to Europe. Even though I had travelled to Europe before and spoke several languages, everything seemed new – new job, new city, new challenges in the RAC sector. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work on launching key low-global warming potential (GWP) products, on understanding new regulations (like the Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) Directive and the F-Gas Regulations) and their impact not just on my company (now Chemours, a spin-off of DuPont), but more importantly on our customers and the RAC industry at large. All this while contributing to improving and protecting the environment. During these years, perseverance has been the name of the game. Implementing anything new takes time and patience – sometimes you take two steps forward and one step back. But you move forward, nonetheless. The RAC industry knows this first-hand, as it balances compliance with new regulations (like the F-Gas regulation) with the needs of business, consumers, stakeholders, and the environment. It has been through many transitions over the past decades and, together as an industry, I am confident it will rise to conquer future challenges as well
This leads me to today. Currently, I lead the Marketing efforts for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Refrigerants Business at Chemours – working to promote our OpteonTM portfolio of low-GWP refrigerants that have already made a big difference to helping RAC customers meet the requirements of the F-Gas regulation and transition to more environmentally-friendly refrigerant technologies. Alongside an exceptional team, I’ve been happy to share my expertise in the F-Gas regulation with all levels in the RAC value chain to provide solutions to their refrigerant needs. I’ve given speeches, written articles, hosted webinars – all opportunities for professional development afforded to me in the RAC industry.
Above all, I value the critical function that refrigeration and air conditioning plays in our society. Without RAC, needed medicines and food supplies, for example, might not be available to those who need them most. I’m proud to be in an industry that makes that kind of a difference to society.
All the lessons I’ve learned in the past are relevant today – teamwork, resilience, perseverance – and the RAC industry reflects these and other positive traits. My journey in this sector hasn’t always been easy, but I wouldn’t change anything about the path I’ve chosen. I’ve travelled the world and met amazing people. I’ve grown professionally and personally – all thanks to a varied career in the RAC industry. If young women are up for the challenge and ready to define their own lessons and make a difference, the RAC industry is a great place for them to shine!
Other info: I was born in the US in 1976 to South American parents. I’ve lived in Geneva, Switzerland, since 2007 and work for Chemours – a leading supplier and innovator of refrigerants. I speak Spanish, French and English. I enjoy dancing, singing karaoke, travel, trying new foods and volunteering.
