R-410A Refrigerant

What is R-410A Refrigerant?

R-410A refrigerant is a blend used in commercial air conditioning and heat pump systems. It is used to transfer heat so equipment can cool and heat occupied spaces efficiently. R-410A is an HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) blend of R-32 and R-125.

Introduced in the late 1990s, R-410A was developed as an environmentally preferable replacement for R-22 (often referred to by the brand name Freon®), an ozone-depleting hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC). Because R-410A does not contain chlorine, it has zero ozone depletion potential (ODP). Following federal regulations that banned R-22 in new equipment starting in 2010, R-410A became the primary refrigerant for light-to-medium commercial and residential cooling systems.

How Is R-410A Used in Commercial HVAC Systems?

R-410A refrigerant has been highly valued in the commercial sector because it operates at higher pressures and has a higher volumetric capacity than older refrigerants like R-22. This allows HVAC manufacturers to design more compact, highly efficient equipment.

In commercial and industrial facilities, you will find R-410A used in:

• Packaged rooftop units (RTUs): The primary cooling agent in standard commercial RTUs serving retail spaces, offices, and schools.
• Commercial split systems: Used to transfer heat between outdoor condensing units and indoor air handlers in low-rise commercial structures.
• Scroll chillers & heat pumps: Circulated in central chilled-water or hot-water systems to provide cooling and heating across multiple building zones.
• Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems: Key for VRF systems that demand precise, variable-capacity heating and cooling in multi-zoned buildings like hotels or office complexes.

Is R-410A Being Phased Out?

Yes, recent HVAC industry regulations call for the phasing out of HFCs such as R-410A refrigerant because of their high global warming potential (GWP).

The American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2020 directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to phase down the production and consumption of certain hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), including R-410A. This phasedown began in 2022 with a 90% production allowance that drops to 15% by 2036 and beyond.

R-410A is still legal for use in existing air conditioning and heat pump systems. However, as of January 1, 2025, newly manufactured HVAC units in the US are required to use a new refrigerant with a lower GWP.

For commercial building owners and facility managers with existing R-410A equipment, this means the refrigerant will remain available for service and maintenance for years to come. However, as the HFC phasedown continues, the global supply of raw R-410A will shrink, which will likely drive up service and refrigerant recharge costs over time.

What Are Trane’s Alternatives to R-410A? 

As a global climate innovator, Trane has proactively engineered next-generation, low-GWP solutions across our commercial product lines to transition away from R-410A. For equipment utilizing scroll-compressor technology, such as rooftop units, split systems, and scroll chillers, Trane has transitioned primarily to R-454B. For VRF systems, we have primarily moved to R-32 refrigerant.

What Does the Phase Out Mean for Your Building?

If your building uses R-410A, you do not necessarily need to replace the system immediately. But Trane recommends planning ahead for the refrigerant transition, since supply will become tighter over time and new equipment is moving to lower-GWP refrigerants. Trane also supports customers with system design, retrofitting, and transition planning.