HVAC market groups work on climate change
Agreement calls for HFCs credits 'bank'
The Air Conditioning Contractors of America, HARDI and AHRI were among the HVAC market organizations that have agreed to boost efforts to fight global warming.
ACCA President and CEO Paul Stalknecht; Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute CEO Steve Yurek, Laura Wand, Johnson Controls’ vice president of global chiller solutions; Heating, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International CEP Talbot Gee; and representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, State Department and Energy Department took part in an Oct. 15 talk about the HVAC construction industry and government’s efforts to remove and reclaim HVAC construction refrigerants that contribute to global warming.
“ACCA’s participation in today’s roundtable demonstrates that contractors play an important role in the policy development process," Stalknecht said. "The HVACR industry is at a critical crossroads as the Department of Energy is setting new energy efficiency standards for several product classes of HVACR equipment while simultaneously the U.S. EPA is initiating a regulatory phase down of refrigerants with a high global warming potential. Meanwhile the State Department is engaged in global discussions that will trigger a phase down of HFCs (hydro fluorocarbons) through the Montreal Protocol in the next few years.”
The ACCA, the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy, AHRI, HARDI, and EOS Climate said they have reached an agreement to create an HFC credit bank.
Johnson Controls’ officials said it has cut refrigerant charge in equipment by nearly 30 percent and boosted efficiency over 40 percent. The company is also working to reduce leaks while improving maintenance and service training.
“A building’s heating and cooling systems account for approximately 40 percent of its yearly C02 (carbon dioxide) emissions. We can make an impact by improving the energy efficiency of the system to reduce power consumption as well as increasing the use of low-GWP refrigerants,” Wand said. “Today’s commitment reaffirms our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a comprehensive approach providing safe, economical and available options for our customers.”
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