GREEN MATTERS
Carbon accountability in the supply chain
With increasing focus on end-to-end supply chain emissions, installers who demonstrate their own commitment to sustainability are gaining a competitive advantage. Here, Steve Molloy, sustainability and commercial solutions manager at Daikin UK, looks at how HVAC professionals can set themselves apart by getting their own ‘house in order’ when it comes to carbon accountability.
The ability to demonstrate verifi ed carbon reduction eff orts, showcase industry certifi cations, and provide transparency about
environmental performance is becoming as important as technical expertise and competitive pricing.
D
ecarbonising the built environment represents one of our most signifi cant opportunities for meaningful climate action. Buildings and construction account for
approximately 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with a substantial portion coming from heating, cooling, lighting, and day-to-day operations. This places HVAC systems squarely at the heart of sustainability improvement eff orts. The UK’s commitment to reaching net zero by 2050 has established a timeline that requires immediate and coordinated action across all industries. For the HVAC sector specifi cally, one of the most pressing challenges is the phasedown of hydrofl uorocarbons (HFCs) – refrigerants with high Global Warming Potential (GWP). The European Commission’s F-gas Regulation introduces
several key measures designed to reduce the environmental impact of these substances: reducing the quantity of HFCs available on the market, implementing stricter rules to prevent emissions, enhancing enforcement and monitoring mechanisms, and capping production while allocating rights to manufacturers. Alongside the F-gas regulations, the industry must navigate
an increasingly complex landscape of building standards and certifi cations. BREEAM Version 7 places a stronger emphasis on carbon reduction and climate resilience, with a growing focus on Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). The NABERS system, now incorporated by CIBSE for UK use, measures buildings’ environmental performance across multiple factors using a star rating system. And perhaps most comprehensive is the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, which provides a framework for achieving true net-zero carbon emissions by addressing operational and embodied carbon.
The ripple eff ect: client demand for supply chain accountability As building owners and operators increasingly commit to sustainability targets, their focus has naturally extended beyond their own operations to encompass their entire supply chain. This shift represents both a challenge and an
24 June 2025 •
www.acr-news.com
opportunity for HVAC installers. For example, the industry is seeing a fundamental change
in how commercial clients approach procurement. Off ering sustainable products and services is no longer enough; clients want to know that every link in their supply chain is aligned with their carbon reduction goals. This growing expectation for end-to-end supply chain accountability means that HVAC installers who can demonstrate their own commitment to carbon reduction have a distinct competitive advantage. Commercial tenders increasingly include sustainability criteria, with preference given to suppliers with formal carbon reduction plans that can provide verifi ed data on their environmental performance. Indeed, working with suppliers who share their
environmental values has become a strategic priority for many commercial clients, particularly those with public-facing sustainability commitments. This represents a signifi cant opportunity for forward-thinking installers to diff erentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market.
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