HVAC Refrigerant Regulations: Three Success Strategies Every Building Owner Should Know

Bad news:
HFC refrigerants, the most common refrigerant type used in air conditioners today, have 1,000 to 9,000 times greater capacity to warm the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.¹

Good news:
Replacing HFC refrigerants with lower global warming potential (GWP) alternatives could reduce emissions by 42.73 – 48.75 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent from 2020 to 2050.²

Here are three strategies for staying in compliance with refrigerant regulations and reducing their ozone-depleting effects.

1. Refrigerant Migration—

Some equipment can be safely converted to use a refrigerant with lower GWP. Caution: 90% of refrigerant emissions happen during removal, so proper handling and recycling is a must.

2. Refrigerant Management—

Choose a qualified service provider that complies with Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) Section 8 requirements for safe, professional refrigerant handling, inspections and documentation.

3. Refrigerant Monitoring—

Using connected mechanical equipment, you can monitor key equipment information to detect leaks early, minimize ozone depletion and comply with ASHRAE 15 requirements.

Read more at Drawdown.com; Trane.com/refrigerant-management