In October, the Supreme Court decided not to review the case, leaving in place the 2017 ruling, which means for now, the use of high-GWP refrigerants, such as R-404A and R-410A, remains legal.
If finalized as proposed, the revised Refrigerant Management rule would, among other things, rescind the leak repair and maintenance requirements for substitute refrigerants.
Many end users, as well as refrigeration engineers and contractors, attended Food Marketing Institute’s (FMI’s) 2018 Energy & Store Development Conference in Atlanta, looking for advice on how to respond to these trends.
This led to concerns that higher prices would cause customers to repair their systems, rather than replace them, and a second round of price increases from some OEMs later in the summer magnified that concern.
At the symposium, industry experts from Danfoss, as well as refrigeration equipment manufacturers, end users, regulators, advocacy groups, and refrigerant producers came together to discuss some of the challenges facing the industry, as well as new technologies and megatrends that will impact every aspect of the commercial refrigeration market.
While the stronger economy is definitely good news for contractors, they are probably not too thrilled to see these record low unemployment numbers. As everyone knows, the HVACR industry is struggling with a severe shortage of skilled labor, and the problem is only getting worse.
From boilers to rooftop units to VRF systems, each technology offers a unique set of benefits sure to keep commercial customers — and their tenants — happy.
HFO blends are not drop-in refrigerants, and modifications usually have to be made to the equipment before they are used. However, following the guidelines from experts in the industry can help ensure a smooth transition.