New European F-gas Regulation

On 20 May 2014, the European Union published the new F-gas Regulation in its official bulletin. As of 1 January 2015, this new F-gas Regulation will apply to all synthetic refrigerants, which come under the heading “halogenated hydrocarbons” (HFCs), as these have high global warming potential. These refrigerants can be found in a lot of air-conditioning equipment and cooling systems. HVAC+R expert Heinen & Hopman’s CEO Joep Hopman explains: “R22 is one of the ozone depleting HFCs that may not be applied anymore in new systems as of 2004, according to agreements in the Kyoto protocol. Starting next year, refrigeration operations like refilling with HFCs aren’t allowed anymore either. As long as the systems work, there is nothing to worry about. In case of defects, the consequences depend on the type of refrigerant, which is shown on the equipment’s identification label  or service receipts.”

At the heart of the amendment to the F-gas Regulation is a gradual phasing down of marketing HFCs. Marketing HFCs will be reduced from 100% in 2015 to 21% in 2030. In order to achieve this reduction, topping up refrigeration equipment filled with an HFC with a GWP in excess of 2500 (such as R404A and R507A) will be banned. Therefore, Heinen & Hopman advises you to check which refrigerant is used in your air conditioning system, as a defect in some cases might require replacement of the air conditioning instead of repair. Old systems with a high content in CO2 equivalents also require up to twice-yearly leakage checks. New air conditioning systems are a lot more energy efficient, and quieter than older systems though. Heinen & Hopman is a HVAC+R specialist that uses solid equipment to install your air conditioning system and offers worldwide service, maintenance and repair of the equipment. Joep Hopman: “Whenever something is wrong with one of our systems, we always respond quickly and solution-oriented. Our service technicians are qualified and experienced. In addition, we are transparent about delivery times and we keep our promises. Heinen & Hopman has a large established customer base, which values our service.”