For existing buildings, confirm that the phase-out plan has been completed and preparations are being made for the installation of new equipment or for the conversion to a non-CFC refrigerant in existing systems before the project completion date.
Consider attempting EAc4: Enhanced Refrigerant Management, which is attainable for many projects. Rather than simply avoiding a specific set of chemicals, EAc4 requires you to run calculations on your refrigerant selection that factor in leakage rates and coolant charge, as well as ozone depletion potential (
If your project is connected to a district cooling system and you want to show that a CFC phase-out is not economically feasible, engage a qualified, independent third party to prepare an analysis demonstrating that both conversion and replacement will have a net ten-year cost. This is determined by a simple payback calculation that subtracts the ten-year cost savings (from energy and maintenance savings) from the cost of the system replacement or conversion.
If your building is connected to a district cooling system, the chillers in that system, even if outside your project's scope or control, should be CFC-free. If they are not, commit to a plan for phase-out of the refrigerant or replacement of the system equipment within five years of project completion.
If existing equipment uses CFCs and will be retained, prepare a phase-out plan for conversion to an appropriate CFC-free refrigerant or a plan for equipment replacement.
The prerequisite does not, however, apply to small units and other types of equipment, such as refrigerators and small water coolers that contain less than 0.5 pounds of refrigerant.
If your project is using an existing HVAC system, investigate the type of refrigerant being used. If CFCs are being used, discuss equipment or conversion options with the building manager and owner.
