SEOUL, South Korea — LG Electronics is hosting the first-ever meeting of the Global Heat Pump Consortium this week in Seoul, South Korea.

A cooperative venture between LG and a number of universities, the consortium is focused on developing new, more efficient heat-pump technologies, including solutions designed to withstand harsh climates. The event brings together LG personnel and academics from participating universities to introduce heat-pump technologies and discuss projects being conducted by each of the consortium’s regional clusters.

The Global Heat Pump Consortium is made up of LG-led heat-pump research and development groups established in Alaska, Oslo, Norway, and Harbin, China. The consortium also includes a South Korean cluster, with LG working collaboratively with universities in Seoul and Busan to drive HVAC innovation.

On September 23, the first day of the event, LG introduced key heat-pump technologies and products from its lineup. Each regional group then provided an update on its specific research tasks and shared its progress in evaluating high-performance heat-pump technology for challenging climates. The inaugural meeting is also offering attendees learning opportunities, with seminars and discussions on topics that include the latest HVAC industry and market trend and future technologies for region-specific heat-pump solutions.

The meeting is scheduled through Thursday, Sept. 26.

Through cooperating with universities known for HVAC research programs, LG is strengthening its R&D capabilities and accelerating the development of the next generation of heat pumps, a press release from the company said. The company anticipates that the groundbreaking work being carried out by the consortium will also help strengthen its competitiveness in the global heating and cooling solutions market.

“We are committed to accelerating our HVAC business, with heat-pump innovation as the cornerstone of our vision,” said James Lee, head of the Air Solution Business Unit at LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Co. “Through the Global Heat Pump Consortium, we aim to lead the HVAC industry with decarbonization solutions aligned with the global electrification trend.”