MINNEAPOLIS — Daikin Applied has introduced enhancements to its award-winning Rebel Applied commercial heating and cooling system.

The packaged rooftop system is now available in a larger cabinet that can accommodate equipment that provides between 45 and 75 tons of air-conditioning capacity, with supply airflow volumes of up to 29,000 cfm. The new unit also features R-32 refrigerant, which has a GWP of 675.

With the transition to a more climate-friendly refrigerant, the upgrades provide building owners a cost-effective solution for improving energy efficiency and starting to decarbonize facilities, a press release from Daikin Applied said.

"Rebel Applied has already set the standard for high-performance design and efficiency, pairing unlimited configurability with low lifecycle costs," said Jim Macosko, vice president of product and sustainability solutions at Daikin Applied. "Adding R-32 to this packaged system delivers even greater energy efficiency and ability to cut carbon emissions. It enhances how buildings can be designed to advance decarbonization efforts and help optimize the environment indoors and out."

Daikin Applied has committed to R-32 for applications that previously used R-410A refrigerant, which is gradually being phased down in accordance with federal and state regulations. As a single-component refrigerant, R-32 boasts a two-thirds lower GWP compared to R-410A.

Not only is R-32 a more sustainable choice, but it stands as one of the most efficient and proven options available; with over 230 million R-32 HVAC units already installed worldwide, this refrigerant has been tested and widely recognized for its exceptional performance, Daikin Applied’s press release said.

The addition of R-32 adds to a growing list of Rebel Applied’s efficiency- and carbon reduction-focused features. For example, Rebel Applied units are available with Daikin inverter compressors that continually adjust to the building loads, helping systems consume less energy at part load to deliver an Integrated Energy Efficiency Rating (IEER) as high as 20.3, more than 40 percent above the ASHRAE 90.1 Energy Standard for Buildings, Daikin said. Rebel Applied also features Sorbent Ventilation Technology from enVerid Systems that allows building operators to decrease the volume of outdoor air needed and the total cooling load of their buildings, which can trim HVAC energy use by up to 30%, the company said.

Rebel Applied now has three cabinet sizes: 45-75 tons (C cabinet), 31-52 tons (B cabinet) and 20-34 tons (A cabinet). These units also feature an adaptable base channel designed to ease the replacement of rooftop products by fitting existing curbs and ductwork connections.

Rebel Applied is ideal for a range of facilities with distinct needs, from offices and hospitals to schools and retail stores, Daikin Applied said.

The C cabinet is available with R-32 refrigerant, and systems with the other two cabinet models will be transitioned to the lower-GWP refrigerant in the coming months.