PHOTOS: Cooling the Future: Inside ACES’ Academy of Sustainable Innovation

In a world facing climate change, food insecurity, and rising public health demands, cooling systems are no longer a background utility; they are critical infrastructure. From safeguarding life-saving vaccines to reducing post-harvest losses and stabilising food supply chains, sustainable cooling underpins resilient and inclusive development. At the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain (ACES), this is creating a new frontier in technical and professional education. Its accredited Academy trains technicians, engineers, health specialists, consultants, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to design, install, and manage clean cooling systems across Africa and beyond. The Academy’s Essentials courses build a technical foundation. Among them, there are Essentials in Brazing Techniques for Refrigeration Systems and Essentials on Phase Change Materials (PCMs) designed for HVAC technicians, refrigeration practitioners, and professionals seeking to enhance practical skills and improve system efficiency and reliability. Renewable Energies in Refrigeration (Solar Refrigeration – Advanced) targets engineers and installers working in off-grid and agricultural contexts, strengthening their capacity to deploy solar-powered cooling solutions. Other Essentials courses expand access for non-technical stakeholders. Courses on Cold-Chain Systems, GE(D)SI Integration in Cooling and Cold-Chain Sectors, and Food Safety are designed for development practitioners, food value-chain actors, policymakers, and consultants. They provide strategic insights into sustainable and inclusive cooling systems. The Foundation in Cold-Chain programme offers structured entry-level training in refrigeration principles and supply chain management, making it accessible to participants without a prior technical background. For advanced learners, the Refrigeration Technician Course provides intensive, practice-based training for aspiring and practising technicians, while Cold-Chain for Global Health serves health professionals and logistics specialists responsible for vaccine preservation, biobanking, and temperature-controlled medical supply chains. At the leadership level, the 'Train the Trainer (PG-Cert)' pathway prepares sector champions to disseminate expertise nationally and regionally, with advancement pathways to Apprenticeship Level 6 and a Master of Science in Clean Cooling. Rather than offering isolated modules, ACES provides a coherent skills pipeline, from technical mastery to systems leadership. This pictorial story captures that journey in action, positioning cooling as both a technical discipline and a strategic driver of sustainable development in Rwanda and across Africa.

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PHOTOS: Cooling the Future: Inside ACES’ Academy of Sustainable Innovation