Editor's Note: CR4 would like than Larry Butz of GEA Consulting for contributing this blog entry.

Whether your company manufactures, installs, services, owns or operates HVAC equipment you need to make refrigerant choices, whether it is job by job or establishing a policy/list of acceptable refrigerants.

We've surveyed our GEA experts from around the world and from a range of disciplines to provide our guide to the critical choice of refrigerants. Below is our list of recommendations. We will expand upon them in our subsequent blog postings. Expect some lively discussion in the coming weeks on this important subject. Your comments and opinions are welcome!

Keys

• Accept the fact there is no perfect refrigerant
• Base decisions and strategy on total environmental impact (of system, not refrigerant environmental properties)
• Audit your complete business for the transition (manufacturing, suppliers, service, marketing) to assure all materials are compatible, equipment is rated for new refrigerants, data and parts are available before introduction.
• No Shortcuts. Do not ignore the fact that refrigerants must perform at much higher and much lower ambients than the simple system rating points.
• Know (in detail) the actual and probable regulations in each major market and geographic region and participate in rulemaking decisions where possible.
• Follow the leaders (major OEMs and parts suppliers)

We'll be discussing these in more detail in the coming weeks. Do stop by our blogs and share your opinions!

- Larry Butz

Click here for Part 2 in the Refrigerant series.