Refrigerants: changes are coming. Now is the time for facility managers to start looking to the future
Facility managers count on efficient, safe refrigerant solutions to provide cost-effective comfort to building occupants. Today, future refrigerant options are being discussed. Alternative refrigerants are under development; a few are already on the market. With an upcoming refrigerant transition, now is the time for facility managers to learn about what’s changing and why. Facility managers who educate themselves now will be in a better position to make the best equipment choices in the future based on refrigerant safety, efficiency, reliability, cost, and availability.
Concerns about climate change have led to worldwide efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One result has been new attention to the global warming potential (GWP) of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants. Today, the HVAC&R industry is investing billions of dollars to develop alternative solutions and technologies. As a result, the refrigerant landscape is becoming more complicated than in the past. New refrigerants could increase operating costs by reducing equipment efficiency; the alternatives could also raise installed costs due to additional safety measures needed for refrigerant options that are flammable. There are also the very practical issues of refrigerant price and availability, and the availability of trained service technicians familiar with the new refrigerants …
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