GREEN MATTERS The crucial shift to sustainable
refrigerants in HVAC systems In March 2024, an update to the F-gas regulation came into eff ect in a bid to phase out the use of F-gases in the EU. Here, Matteo Dall’Ombra, national specifi cation manager at Daikin, explores what key measures the regulation includes and why transitioning to more sustainable refrigerants is crucial for the industry and the population in general.
T
he UK has set itself some fairly ambitious targets to reach net zero by 2050. In order to reach this goal, many things across all industries need to be improved and considered, and for the HVAC industry, hydrofl uorocarbons (HFCs) are one of the most critical challenges to overcome. HFCs contribute to environmental damage through their impact on climate change, otherwise referred to as Global Warming Potential (GWP) of which HFCs score highly. GWP measures how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere relative to carbon dioxide over a specifi c time period. Some HFCs have GWPs thousands of times higher than that of CO2
. If released into the atmosphere, they could contribute to global warming and climate change. To address net zero by 2050, many schemes
and frameworks have been put in place to ensure that major milestones are achieved, an important one being the F-gas Regulation from the European Commission. Key measures within this framework include reducing the number of HFCs on the market, enforcing stricter rules to prevent emissions, facilitating better enforcement and monitoring, and the capping of EU production of HFCs and allocation of production rights to producers. So, how can we as an industry address HFCs and the F-gas phasedown without compromising the effi ciency and performance of systems? The solution is R32.
R32 is a single-component refrigerant
for HVAC systems that possess a much lower GWP in comparison to many other commonly used refrigerants, such as R410A. While the sustainability benefi ts for R32 are substantial, there is no trade-off when it comes to performance. In fact, R32 has excellent thermodynamic properties, which make it highly effi cient in air conditioning and refrigeration systems. It provides good cooling performance
26 June 2024 •
www.acr-news.com
while requiring less energy consumption, contributing to lower operating costs and reduced environmental impact. Furthermore, R32 has very favourable safety characteristics, being classed as a A2L refrigerant means that it has low toxicity and mild fl ammability. The transition to more sustainable means of heating and cooling homes and buildings cannot be overstated, and not just for the regulatory purposes laid out above, but as a social responsibility to protect our environment. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) present a great opportunity for companies to provide more transparent data and information about their products and demonstrate a true commitment to the environment. EPDs also provide reassurance to building designers,
planners, contractors, and developers that products meet their needs. At the moment, Daikin is the only company in the HVAC industry to have an EPD for a major commercial plant – the VRV5 Heat Recovery R32 system – however, we believe that this may encourage other companies to follow suit. The time for action is now if we are to meet both the F-gas regulation requirements and net zero by 2050. To help with this transition, it is crucial to partner with an industry expert, such as Daikin, that can successfully guide you through the process and provide support and insight at all stages.
https://www.daikin.co.uk/
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