2025 Roadmap

Encourage government leadership on lifecycle refrigerant management, for both new and existing stationary HVAC equipment.

While it is very important to reduce the global warming impact of refrigerants in new equipment, it is equally if not more important to assure that refrigerant within today’s existing systems (the refrigerant ‘bank’) is appropriately managed.

Challenges:

Unfortunately, emissions from existing HVAC systems remain high, and venting refrigerant is still the norm at end of equipment life in all but the largest systems, despite a clear ban on refrigerant venting in the Clean Air Act. Enforcement of anti-venting laws has proven difficult, and the amount of refrigerant returned for reclamation (purification) remains low.

Strategy for Success:

Fortunately, governments are starting to experiment with new and improved approaches to remedy the refrigerant venting problem. One example is California’s gradual prohibition on the sale of high-GWP virgin refrigerants (SB 1206, 2022), which aims to boost the market for reclaimed refrigerants. In 2025, REEF will work to raise awareness and encourage replication of leadership actions that government actors are taking to improve lifecycle refrigerant management, boost reclamation, and reduce refrigerant waste through venting by, for example, developing targeted materials to guide policymakers and hosting informational webinars.

Quantifiable Metrics:

● Host a minimum of 2 webinars by Q1 2025 focused on raising awareness around refrigerant reclamation program initiatives including California’s SB 1206

● Engage with at least 3 additional states about replication of refrigerant reclamation strategies by Q4 2025

● Develop white paper / roadmap for Federal replication/implementation of enhanced LRM strategies, above and beyond existing AIM Act regulation, in partnership with at least 3 NGO and corporate partners by Q4 2025

What success looks like:

By the end of 2025, additional state(s) propose innovative policies supporting refrigerant capture and reclamation instead of venting; more refrigerant is recovered at end of life and sent to EPA certified reclaimers; additional NGOs are coordinating actions around LRM replication at the state and federal level.

Encourage private sector leadership, accountability, and standards to reduce refrigerant emissions.

REEF was founded to coordinate the collective voice of owner-operators seeking to overcome refrigerants as a barrier to achieving climate objectives. Despite growing corporate and organizational adoption of mid-century decarbonization goals, few companies to date have a solid plan to eliminate refrigerant emissions. This situation is increasingly untenable, especially with increased GHG emissions reporting for investor-demanded ESG transparency and accountability rules.

REEF will work in 2025 to assure that more companies have a solid plan to eliminate refrigerant emissions by encouraging corporate leadership and improving standards, reporting tools, and accountability metrics.

Challenges:

HFCs are Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions, meaning they must be accounted for accurate GHG reporting. However, many organizations do not adequately inventory their HVAC equipment or track refrigerant purchases or emissions. Some of the most popular and common tools used to track building water and energy use, such as EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager, do not yet allow users to track refrigerants. Even the most progressive building standards, like LEED, fail to fully reward low-GWP refrigerant selection or use of reclaimed refrigerant. As a result, refrigerant emissions are often poorly accounted for, and thus ineffectively managed.

Strategy for Success:

● Advocate for better integration of refrigerant in greenhouse gas emissions accounting and decarbonization planning, including in corporate GHG reporting standards and LEED.

● Highlight and champion companies that are correctly accounting for refrigerant emissions and including refrigerant in their decarbonization plans; encourage replication.

● Educate about tools and resources to help organizations better track and manage refrigerants.

● Encourage Energy Star to add refrigerants to Portfolio Manager, so that organizations that use this Federal tool can better manage refrigerants.

Quantifiable Metrics:

● By Q4 2024, REEF engages with USGBC about improving refrigerant provisions of LEED v5 standards, creating additional incentives for low-GWP refrigerant in new equipment and increased use of reclaimed refrigerant;

● By Q1 2025; REEF organizes NGOs and corporate leaders to urge Energy Star to add refrigerant tracking feature to Portfolio Manager;

● By Q2 2025, REEF profiles 3 organizations that are role models for refrigerant management;

● By Q3 2025, REEF provides online and in-person educational opportunities to learn about tools and resources to help organizations track and manage refrigerant;

● By Q4 2025, REEF members hold dialogue with influential GHG reporting and accountability authorities (GHG protocol; CDP; Department of Energy Better Climate Challenge) about improving integration of refrigerant management so that building owners and managers include it in decarbonization plans.

What success looks like:

The U.S. Federal government improves Energy Star Portfolio Manager by adding refrigerant input feature and stops ignoring refrigerant in the Better Buildings, Better Climate Challenge; LEED improves refrigerant management credits; Corporate GHG reporting and accountability authorities get serious about addressing refrigerants; and more companies are following best practices for refrigerant management.