R32 Refrigerant

Hi Yodi, you could contact USGBC's customer service line to ask how you should document R32. Other folks have raised this same question on LEEDuser so you're not the only one having this issue. Maybe if enough people contact USGBC they'll release an updated credit form. Alternatively, you could provide a narrative and manufacturer documentation that provides the information requested on the form, and complete the calculation outside the form in order to confirm compliance. That's more work on your end but if you need the better GWP value to comply with the credit threshold, it's probably worth it.

I contacted USGBC recently for a similar issue and received this response: If the project equipment uses a refrigerant type that is not listed in the LEED v4 credit form, the project team may use the LEED v2009 sample form for the refrigerant impact calculation. (https://s3.amazonaws.com/leedonlineprd/documents/usgbc/leed/content/CreditFormsDownload/V06/common/ea/eac4/eac4_dya.pdf) This form includes a choice of 'other' where project team can insert new refrigerant type along with the associate ODP and GWP values. Please include a brief narrative in the Special Circumstances box on the LEEDv4 form and upload the completed sample form. It is up to the project team to identify ODP and GWP values for the new refrigerant. Supporting documentation for these values must be provided.

It should be noted that it would not be acceptable to substitute the properties of a different refrigerant, and that any non-standard documentation will be considered upon its merits.

Hi Yodi, were you successfully approved for your project using this technique?

Hi All, The new LEED forms allow the user to enter specific GWP and ODP values Make sure to upload the refrigerant's datasheet that support the values entered in the form.