A series of changes to ensure that refrigerants are more friendly to the environment are currently being enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2020. Right now, as part of an ongoing effort to remain in compliance with these AIM Act enforcements, the HVAC industry is moving to next-generation refrigerants with less than 700 global warming potential (GWP).
Fortunately, Trane has you covered as you face these new industry requirements. We’re working to transition our products to refrigerants that regulators have deemed more sustainable, for many product lines years ahead of mandated deadlines. We evaluated multiple low-GWP refrigerant choices to help you deliver the performance properties you need. And we thoughtfully engineer our product changeovers to deliver the performance you’ve come to expect while prioritizing the climate.
Here are 10 reasons to transition with Trane:
- Complete approach to refrigerant transition management
Recognizing you’ll need a complete approach, we assist you from every angle, including providing refrigerant transition support and leak detection monitoring after you’ve made the switch, along with refrigerant management — helping you recover, reclaim and recycle the refrigerant at the end of its lifecycle.
- Full portfolio of low-GWP-refrigerant heating and cooling equipment
Trane is committed to helping to reduce the potential environmental impacts associated with refrigerants used in our products and we do this through our full portfolio of low-GWP-refrigerant heating and cooling equipment. Recent product portfolio enhancements include more sustainable, environmentally conscious refrigerants and leak detection system technology; as well as design enhancements in our chiller, rooftop and other HVAC equipment lines to support the highest efficiencies — so that overall, our equipment can help use less energy, further lowering the impact to the environment
- Holistic consideration for efficiency, emissions and safety standards
Given exact refrigerant replacements don’t yet exist, we holistically evaluate refrigerants allowed for our industry in ASHRAE® Standard 34 for safety, efficiency and emissions as well as the hardware, lubrication, refrigerant and controls to closely replicate current performance with next-generation refrigerants.
- Unbiased refrigerant choices based on extensive research and development
Trane has invested over 15 years and $500M to determine the next-generation refrigerants for our equipment and systems. We base our decisions on extensive research and application knowledge, considering factors for optimizing GWP and energy efficiency and upholding safety standards.
- Industry advisor to policy makers
As a Trane Technologies company, we are guided by the belief that one company can change an industry, and one industry can change the world. Trane plays an active role in helping shape domestic and international policy to incorporate updated safety standards into new building codes as we commercialize new products to enable these next-generation, lower-GWP refrigerants.
- Expertise on new regulations affecting installation sites
Building codes and industry standards (such as American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 15 and UL-60335-2-40) have been updated to help protect buildings and ensure they play an integral role in our communities. We regularly provide insights on these regulations and expert guidance that will help you adapt for tomorrow and well into the future.
- Expert consultation to ease your refrigerant transition
Industry transitions can be confusing. Whether it’s questions about changing the way you operate and control equipment, what you need to do to prepare your facility or anything in between, our Trane Experts have the answers you need.
- Thorough safety testing and risk mitigation
We call upon extensive and ongoing safety testing to help you assess equipment needs, then select the right refrigerant and mitigate site risks by, for example, providing clarity around designations associated with the low-flammable A2L refrigerants by helping you understand how to bring your site into compliance.
- Service technicians fully trained on new guidelines for safe refrigerant handling and transportation
Fully certified mechanical service technicians are available to guide you in safe, professional refrigerant handling, storage and transportation in compliance with all applicable regulations.
- Leak detection and available 24/7 remote monitoring
Early leak detection is critical for safety and sustainability and our leak detection systems will offer the level of assurance you need, along with available 24/7 remote monitoring through your building automation system (BAS) which is easy to operate and capable of sensing multiple refrigerant types.
