During the AHR Expo, Heatcraft held a press conference to discuss how the company is engineering products and technologies to meet the demands of both regulations and end users. Bob Landi, vice president and general manager at Heatcraft started off the conference by noting that this is a critical time for the industry.

“We're seeing regulations unlike anything we've seen before,” he said. “A lot of people are nervous about it. We hear about it from our customers, but we're interested in helping them. We want to lead with good products that address the A2L and CO₂ requirements that are coming out and also ensure that they get the technical training they need, which is critical at this point in time.”

According to David Bolaños, head of product management for Heatcraft Refrigeration, the company has already conducted more than 100 EPA technology transition trainings with customers, who have shared some amazing insights about the refrigerant transition.

“The first thing is they want to understand is how best to select the refrigerant for their application,” said Bolaños. “We're going to have many more options we have the A2Ls, we have CO₂, we have propane, so they're seeking guidance. The second thing is an important one with the incoming regulations, especially with the new refrigerants like the A2Ls. How will selection of equipment change? And really what they're telling us is give them the tools, so that the way that they have selected equipment, historically, is equal to their experience. And the third thing that is very close to us is training. Always training. I mentioned the EPA technology trainings, but that's not just what they're asking. They're asking us, hey, what is different between CO₂ and A2L? How will the UL requirements that are coming with the A2Ls change the way equipment is selected?”

Bolaños then pointed out some of the products that Heatcraft is manufacturing to meet the new regulations, as well as customer demand. The company is doing this by creating a product roadmap that aligns with the evolving regulations.

“A big announcement coming later in 2024 is that we're going to be launching a PRO³ packaged refrigeration system in both propane and A2L versions,” said Bolaños. “And some breaking news: all A2L versions of our core commercial product launch -- the evaporators and condensing units -- will be ready early in 2025, ahead of regulatory requirements. That move for us underscores our commitment to sustainability. And it also aligns with what we've been listening from our customers. We're staying ahead of the game in environmental responsibility. We are preparing for a future beyond the A2Ls, developing and expanding our CO₂ product portfolio.”

Bolaños added that the company is also offers CO₂ products that satisfy the most commercial and industrial refrigeration applications. Products like the eCO₂ Boost centralized rack system, or CO₂ air-cooled gas cooling. “All our unit coolers today are offered with CO₂, and we have more CO₂ products coming. We are privileged to serve the refrigeration industry. And we are positioned to support our customers along the way, as all of us are adapting to what's coming.”