ACHR News
search
Ask ACHR NEWS AI
cart
facebook twitter instagram linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
ACHR News
  • NEWS
    • Breaking News
    • New HVAC Products
    • Featured Products
    • Manufacturer Reports
    • HVAC Data
    • Legislation
    • ACHR NEWS Centennial
  • RESIDENTIAL
    • Air Conditioners
    • Furnaces
    • Residential Heat Pumps
    • Ductless
    • Residential IAQ
    • Testing, Monitoring, Tools
    • Components & Accessories
  • COMMERCIAL
    • Air Handlers
    • Rooftop Units
    • Chillers and Cooling Towers
    • Commercial Heat Pumps
    • Boilers and Hydronics
    • VRF/Ductless
    • Commercial IAQ
  • REFRIGERATION
    • Refrigerants
    • Refrigerant Regulations
    • Leak Management
  • CONTRACTOR PRO
    • Geothermal
    • Homeowner Study
    • VRF and VRV Ductless
    • Unitary Trends
  • EDUCATION
    • Training and Education
    • Business Management
    • Service and Maintenance
    • Continuing Education
    • Market Research >
      • HVAC Brand Awareness Report
      • VRV, VRF, VRVZ Report
      • Unitary Trends Report
      • Water Heat Professionals Report
    • Webinars
    • Sponsor Insights
    • eProducts Info
    • White Papers
  • EVENTS
    • HVAC Contractor Forum
    • Industry Events and Webinars
  • MEDIA
    • Videos
    • AHR Expo 2025 Videos
    • Podcasts >
      • ACHR News Podcast
      • HARDI Podcasts
      • AHR Expo Podcasts
      • ACCA Podcasts
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Quizzes
    • eBooks
    • HVAC Talkback
  • HVAC GROUP
    • ACHR NEWS >
      • Current Issue
      • Digital Edition
      • Subscribe
    • Distribution Trends
    • SNIPS NEWS >
      • Join SNIPS NEWS
    • Engineered Systems News >
      • Join ES News
    • HVACR Directory
    • Contests
    • Newsletters
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • My Account
NewsRefrigerationGuest ColumnRefrigerants

Guest Column

Built in America, Attacked from Abroad: Why Congress Must Defend the Refrigerant Transition

By Steve Yurek
heat-pump-install.jpg
Courtesy of MyrKu iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Image

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT: The Technology Transitions Rule applies only to newly manufactured equipment. It does not mandate retrofits, restrict servicing, or impose requirements on existing systems, according to Steve Yurek. 

August 7, 2025

Calling for the withdrawal of the Technology Transitions Rule under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act), as some have recently done, is a cynical distortion of market conditions. It is built on misinformation, fearmongering, and a transparent effort — led in part by a foreign-based manufacturers — to derail a carefully planned, American industry-backed refrigerant transition that strengthens U.S. manufacturing, protects consumers, and reinforces national technology leadership. 

Make no mistake: efforts to undo the transition have little to do with today’s temporary refrigerant logistics. They are opportunistic attempts to exploit a short-term constraint for the purpose of upending a long-standing policy that foreign commercial interests have opposed from the start.

Arguments to delay based on transient market disruptions are misguided, economically harmful, and strategically shortsighted. U.S. HVACR and water heating manufacturers strongly oppose any rollback. Implementation of the AIM Act is essential to sustaining American industrial competitiveness, ensuring long-term affordability, and delivering tangible environmental and public health benefits.

The refrigerant transition under the AIM Act was adopted with bipartisan support and implemented through a phased, sector-specific framework developed in close collaboration with U.S. industry. The Technology Transitions Rule applies only to newly manufactured equipment. It does not mandate retrofits, restrict servicing, or impose requirements on existing systems. These provisions protect continuity in the installed base while guiding the shift toward next-generation refrigerant technologies.

The present challenge is not a refrigerant supply shortfall — it is a short-term distribution bottleneck driven by A2L cylinder packaging and certification. Multiple U.S. producers are already scaling up compliant packaging solutions. Most critically, R-454B and other transition refrigerants are broadly available. Repealing the rule would do nothing to resolve logistics; it would instead dismantle years of U.S. investment, confuse the market, and reward noncompliance.

American manufacturers have already committed billions of dollars in workforce training, product redesign, plant retooling, and channel coordination to align with this rule. A reversal now would inject major inefficiencies, delay production cycles, and force duplicative revalidation of legacy platforms. It would also open the door to noncompliant foreign imports — undercutting domestic innovation and employment.

Contrary to recent claims, the rule strengthens protections for vulnerable households by preserving full access to service refrigerants and enabling the use of more energy-efficient systems. Over time, these systems will deliver lower utility bills and reduced maintenance costs. As shown in previous transitions — this is the third major shift in refrigerants — costs stabilize with scale, and consumers benefit from improved performance.

Looking for quick answers on air conditioning, heating and refrigeration topics? Try Ask ACHR NEWS, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ACHR NEWS →

Manufacturers, distributors, and contractors need policy stability — not reversals triggered by temporary logistical issues. The AIM Act and its implementing rules offer exactly that: a predictable policy framework that supports productive investment, technology modernization, and supply chain resilience. Repealing these rules would not relieve temporary supply pressures, but it would fracture the market and destabilize American manufacturing.

We urge the Trump Administration and the U.S. Congress to reject any legislative effort to suspend or repeal the Technology Transitions Rule. The American HVACR industry is fully prepared to meet this transition — on schedule, with improved technology, and without compromising economic competitiveness or public safety. Our government should stand with American manufacturers and reject efforts that put short-term convenience ahead of long-term strength.

KEYWORDS: AIM (American Innovation and Manufacturing) Act Congress and the HVACR Industry refrigerant regulations

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

 

Steve yurek

Steve Yurek is president and CEO at the Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • HVAC-enrollment

    The Trades Are Back: HVACR Programs See Nearly 30% Enrollment Spike

    A new wave of future technicians is entering the pipeline.  
    Training and Education
    By: Matt Jachman
  • 2025 Top 40 Under 40

    2025 Top 40 Under 40 HVACR Professionals List

    The 11th annual Top 40 Under 40 list highlights those...
    HVAC Commercial Market
    By: Hannah Belloli-Oster
  • LG Ductless Mini-Split Systems

    The 9 Types of Heat Pumps

    As the U.S. moves toward electrification, heat pumps are...
    Air Source Heat Pumps
    By: Joanna R. Turpin
Subscription Center
  • Create an Account
  • Start a Subscription
  • Manage My Account
  • Sign Up for Newsletters
  • Visit Customer Service
  • Update Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to The News audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of The News or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Piggy Bank
    Sponsored byWatercress Financial

    Energy Prices, Inflation, and HVAC: What Today’s Homeowners Care About

  • Refrigerated Food
    Sponsored bySolstice Advanced Materials

    R-455A Refrigeration: A Cold Storage Solution for the Future

  • Airex Rooftop Units
    Sponsored byAirex Manufacturing Inc

    Consolidating Roof Penetrations: A Growing Trend in Multifamily HVAC Design

Popular Stories

Refrigerants-and-gauge.jpg

HVAC Industry Warns of Counterfeit Refrigerants Entering U.S. Supply Chain

U.S. Supreme Court building

95% Furnace Efficiency Rule to Get New Hearing

Midea-training.jpg

HVAC Workforce Crisis Expands Beyond Technicians to Instructor Shortages

Data_Center_facility.jpg

HVAC Manufacturers Respond to Growing Data Center Backlash

HVAC Minute retail refrigeration system

EPA Final Rule’s Impact on R-410A Deadlines

View The ACHR NEWS
Centennial Anniversary Timeline

The ACHR News Timeline Chart
Submit a Letter
Submit a letter to our editors.

Events

November 6, 2025

Next-Gen Data Center Cooling: HVAC Innovation and Real-World Solutions

On Demand As AI workloads and high-density computing push traditional cooling methods to their limits, the data center industry is accelerating the adoption of next-generation HVAC technologies.

June 23, 2026

HVAC Duct Sealing Mastics: Why Selection Matters

In this webinar we will detail what HVAC material buyers and technicians need to know when selecting duct mastics, including matching mastic to substrate, alternatives to liquid mastic, and where UL 181 Listings fit into real world installations.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Summer Staff

Are you fully staffed for the summer season?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

BNI Mechanical/Electrical Square Foot Costbook, 2026 Edition

BNI Mechanical/Electrical Square Foot Costbook, 2026 Edition

See More Products
HVAC Duct Sealing Mastics: Why Selection Matters - Free Webinar - 6/23/2026

Related Articles

  • Refrigerant Containers

    The Refrigerant Transition Picks Up the Pace in 2023

    See More
  • Tim Anderson

    How the Refrigerant Transition Will Impact Grocers

    See More
  • Refrigerant Change

    Overcoming Communication Challenges Within the Refrigerant Transition

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • The ACHR News - August 11, 2025

    ACHR NEWS August 11, 2025, Issue

See More Products

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • May 21, 2026

    The A2L Genie is Out of the Refrigerant Canister – What Now?

    On Demand Join this webinar to learn about key updates to refrigerant regulations. We will cover practical installation and servicing content gathered from thousands of our interactions with contractors across the US and Canada.
View AllSubmit An Event

Related Directories

  • The Malco Group

    The Malco Group is a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-quality HVACR solutions that power the success of businesses, trade pros end-users, and homes across North America.
  • Hoshizaki America Inc.

    Commercial ice makers including cubers, flakers, specialty ice, hotel/motel dispensers, countertop dispensers, ice storage bins, beverage dispensers, reach-in refrigerators, reach-in freezers, hot-holding cabinets, mega top tables, sandwich prep tables, undercounter refrigerator/freezers.
×

Sign Up. Stay Informed.

The #1 trusted source for the HVACR industry since 1926

SUBSCRIBE
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Advisory Board
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Letter
    • Directories
    • Store
  • ACCOUNT CENTER
    • Create an Account
    • Start a Subscription
    • Manage My Account
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Visit Customer Service
    • Update Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing