Refrigerants in building services guide TG 21/2022
|
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
In April 2022, BSRIA announced publication of a new topic guide: Refrigerants in Building Services (TG 21/2022), published in partnership with the Building Services Engineering Association (BESA).
Authored by Graeme Fox, BESA Technical Director, the topic guide is available for free from the BSRIA Bookshop.
[edit] Refrigerants in Building Services (TG 21/2022)
Refrigerants are used in the working cycle of virtually all air conditioning systems and heat pumps. The increased use of both comes at a time when the legislative landscape is looking evermore to restrict or limit the use of refrigerants that have a direct environmental impact. This places additional considerations on the building services designer with regard to which refrigerants can be used and what the likelihood is of restrictions on their use over time.
- Current environmental and health and safety legislation affecting refrigerants.
- Forthcoming changes to legislation.
- Efficiency considerations.
- An overview of commonly used refrigerants.
- Applications, including DX coils, chillers, split systems, VRF/VRV systems and heat pumps.
- Sources of further information.
The choice of refrigerants affects many people in the building services industry; hence this is a valuable guide for designers, installers, project managers, building owner/operators and maintenance staff.
[edit] Spirit of collaboration at a crucial time of industry change
BSRIA has a long history of collaboration with other industry authorities and experts, like the BESA, who share BSRIA’s passion for improving the economic, social, and environmental impact of the built environment.
Here, the two bodies were keen to work together to promote best practice across the sector and to fully explain the implications of stringent cuts to the use of HFCs and other bans as part of proposals to strengthen the European F-Gas regulation.
Graeme Fox, BESA Technical Director, said, “The timing of this guide is crucial. There is so much change going on in the industry and there is a danger that people will be bamboozled by all the current and proposed legislative changes. If people are confused, they can end up simply ignoring their obligations with extremely unfortunate consequences.”
Fox added that the new guide reinforced the importance of people being properly trained and holding up-to-date technical and health & safety qualifications to work with both traditional and alternative refrigerants. This is particularly important because many HFC replacement refrigerants are mildly flammable, he pointed out.
[edit] Webinar: Refrigerants in Building Services: Introducing TG 21/2022
BSRIA and BESA also jointly presented a webinar on May 3rd to discuss the topic guide. This was an opportunity to learn more about the new guidance, understand its wider context and why it is such a timely and important publication.
Article and guide authored by Graeme Fox, BESA Technical Director - available on BISRA website https://www.bsria.com/uk/news/article/bsria_and_besa_publish_refrigerant_guide_at_crucial_time_/
--BSRIA
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Absorption refrigeration.
- Air conditioning.
- Air conditioning inspection.
- Air handling unit.
- BESA - the Building Engineering Services Association
- BREEAM Impact of refrigerants.
- Chilled beam.
- Chiller unit.
- Chilled water.
- Chlorofluorocarbons CFCs.
- Complex system.
- Cooling systems for buildings.
- Cooling tower design and construction.
- Compression refrigeration.
- Constant air volume.
- EMEA compressor market 2020 - 2023.
- Evaporative cooling.
- Fan coil unit.
- Greenhouse gas.
- HVAC.
- Hydrochlorofluorocarbons HCFCs.
- Latent heat.
- Leaks in buildings.
- Montreal Protocol.
- Ozone depleting substance.
- Phase change.
- R22 phase out.
- R404A phase out.
- Refrigerant selection.
- Refrigerants in buildings.
- US among top 2020 global variable refrigerant flow markets.
- Variable refrigerant flow.
Featured articles and news
The 5 elements of seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke.
Shading for housing, a design guide
A look back at embedding a new culture of shading.
The Architectural Technology Awards
The AT Awards 2025 are open for entries!
ECA Blueprint for Electrification
The 'mosaic of interconnected challenges' and how to deliver the UK’s Transition to Clean Power.
Grenfell Tower Principal Contractor Award notice
Tower repair and maintenance contractor announced as demolition contractor.
Passivhaus social homes benefit from heat pump service
Sixteen new homes designed and built to achieve Passivhaus constructed in Dumfries & Galloway.
CABE Publishes Results of 2025 Building Control Survey
Concern over lack of understanding of how roles have changed since the introduction of the BSA 2022.
British Architectural Sculpture 1851-1951
A rich heritage of decorative and figurative sculpture. Book review.
A programme to tackle the lack of diversity.
Independent Building Control review panel
Five members of the newly established, Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommended, panel appointed.
Welsh Recharging Electrical Skills Charter progresses
ECA progressing on the ‘asks’ of the Recharging Electrical Skills Charter at the Senedd in Wales.
A brief history from 1890s to 2020s.
CIOB and CORBON combine forces
To elevate professional standards in Nigeria’s construction industry.
Amendment to the GB Energy Bill welcomed by ECA
Move prevents nationally-owned energy company from investing in solar panels produced by modern slavery.
Gregor Harvie argues that AI is state-sanctioned theft of IP.
Experimental AI housing target help for councils
Experimental AI could help councils meet housing targets by digitising records.
BSRIA Occupant Wellbeing survey BOW
Occupant satisfaction and wellbeing tool inc. physical environment, indoor facilities, functionality and accessibility.