REFRIGERANTSFANS
specialists are often acutely aware of refrigerant risk, this understanding does not consistently reach developers, designers or clients. Smaller developers may lack inhouse expertise and rely heavily on consultant recommendations, while valueengineering exercises can lead to mechanical systems being simplifi ed without fully exploring longterm implications. Several contributors reported that organisations were unaware they were required to maintain FGas registers, let alone track refrigerant exposure over time. A recurring message throughout the paper is the need to
rethink system architecture. Interviewees emphasised that refrigerants cannot be eliminated entirely, particularly in heat pump applications, but exposure can be signifi cantly reduced. The paper contrasts conventional VRF/DX systems, which are popular due to benefi ts such as spatial fl exibility, simpler zoning, and lower structural impact, but which distribute refrigerant throughout occupied spaces, with water-based systems that confi ne refrigerant to a hermetically sealed central plant. This approach reduces leakage risk, simplifi es compliance and improves longterm resilience. As the paper states, “you can’t get rid of refrigerants entirely. But you can drastically reduce your exposure to it”. Faraby Farid, Technical Lead, Urban & Energy at The Crown Estate, said the whitepaper addresses “a lot of important issues relating to refrigerants” and emphasised that viable alternatives already exist. “The good news is that waterbased,
refrigerantminimal solutions are already being deployed across a range of building types. The challenge is moving from pockets of best practice to a genuine shift in how the industry thinks and specifi es. I hope this paper plays a part in that.” The paper also calls for a stronger passivefi rst approach to building design. Contributors stressed that too many projects begin with system selection rather than optimising building fabric, solar gain, natural ventilation and peak loads. Improving the envelope reduces the scale of mechanical systems required and therefore the amount of refrigerant introduced into a building. As one interviewee noted, “if you add mechanical systems before optimising the envelope, you’re wasting money – and often creating discomfort at the extremes”. Artus Air argues that regulation will remain the primary driver of change, but leadership and education are essential to accelerate adoption. The paper warns that without clear policy signals, progress risks remaining fragmented. Investors may act as proxy regulators, but widespread change will require refrigerant risk to be embedded into earlystage design, procurement and asset strategy.
The whitepaper concludes with a call for the industry to design for tomorrow’s realities rather than today’s rules. Refrigerants, it argues, must be treated with the same seriousness as energy performance, embodied carbon and building safety. “The question is no longer whether the industry will adapt; but how quickly, and at what cost.”
“if you add mechanical systems before
optimising the envelope, you’re wasting money – and often creating discomfort at the extremes.”
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