The REEF initiative stemmed from a very simple question, “Does an organization exist to coordinate the collective voice of owner-operators seeking to overcome refrigerants as a barrier to achieving climate objectives?”

Despite notable efforts from several organizations, the answer was, “No. There is no single entity dedicated to this growing problem."

In late 2022, amid growing concern over the need for a successful market transition away from HFCs, despite the Kigali Amendment and the U.S. AIM Act, a diverse group of industry, non-profits, and corporate end users came together. If building owners and operators – the decision makers on purchasing and servicing HVAC – were not represented, the transition away from these super pollutants would not be successful. The voice of these end users to inform policy that works, technology that meets corporate decarbonization goals, and services that generate cost savings is powerful. No existing group was representing building owners and driving collective action.

As a result, REEF was founded with a mandate to coordinate the collective voice of businesses, governments, and other end users seeking solutions. In the short time following its formation, REEF has punched above its weight by leveraging a powerhouse Board of Directors and focusing on large, often global, owners of real estate to quickly address a critical gap in climate solutions by scaling up action on refrigerants. Our early successes in building partnerships to produce new resources, provide needed education and convenings, and aggregate the voice of building owners to influence policy has been encouraging and exciting, but there is more work to do and REEF is positioned to meet the challenge.