AHRI Endorses ICARHMA Policy Statement on Refrigerants and Responsible Use
【2011-6-14】
Contact: Francis Dietz, AHRI Vice President, Public Affairs
Direct: (703) 600-0355
Arlington, Va (June 9, 2011) — The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) today endorsed a policy statement issued by the International Council of Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Heating Manufacturers' Associations (ICARHMA) in response to global policy discussions about refrigerants, their responsible use, and their potential environmental impact. The document, which is available on the ICARHMA website, www.icarhma.org, is intended to provide a framework for such discussions going forward. The statement has two primary points: choosing the appropriate refrigerant and using refrigerants responsibly.
"The members of ICARHMA represent the majority of global heating, cooling, water heating, and refrigeration manufacturers, and the importance of refrigerants and their use around the world is underscored by the creation of the policy statement," said Stephen Yurek, AHRI President and CEO. "In keeping with this policy statement, we must encourage policy makers to consider more than just global warming potential when evaluating refrigerants," he said. AHRI is the U.S. representative to ICARHMA and is its Secretariat.
In the statement, ICARHMA members stress the importance of selecting the appropriate refrigerant based on all criteria, including: cost effectiveness in the intended application, energy efficiency, global warming potential, and safety. In addition, the statement maintains that to fully understand the total global warming potential of a particular refrigerant, astandardized Life Cycle Climate Performance (LCCP) calculation or Total Equivalent Warming Impact (TEWI) must be used in any evaluation.
The containment and efficient use of refrigerants is another important element that should be applied in decisions involving refrigerants. In its Responsible Use of Refrigerants section, the policy statement highlights a number of principles to consider.
AHRI and all ICARHMA Members are committed to providing conditioned warm and cool air, hot water, and refrigeration to improve the world's quality of life, health, and productivity. The Policy Statement on Refrigerants and Responsible Use is intended to provide a framework to allow member associations and the companies they represent can enhance their environmental stewardship, while at the same time continuing to compete effectively in the global marketplace.
