SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS
Asset Classes
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Offices
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Enclosed Shopping Centres
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Open Air Retail
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Light Industrial
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Multi-Unit Residential Buildings
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Health Care Facilities
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Universal
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Focus Area
Indoor Air Quality and Hazards
Topic
Refrigerants
Question #
I5.3 – Phase-Out High GWP Refrigerants
Question
Is there a plan to phase out any of the high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants in use at the building or have any already been phased out?
Applicability
All asset classes
Owner/landlord occupied building
Tenant occupied building – systems managed by the owner/landlord
Answer & Scoring
- Yes = 3 points
Select which of the following high GWP refrigerants are planned for phase-out:
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- R12
- R22
- R410a
- R407c
- R134a
- Halon or Halocarbon Fire Suppressants greater than 10 kg
- Other (include refrigerant name and GWP)
- No = 0 points
- Not applicable – Tenant occupied building: No systems managed by the owner/landlord OR No systems in the building require refrigerants = 0/0
Max of 3 points
Requirements
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- Indicate which type of refrigerants have already been phased out
- Indicate which type of refrigerants are currently being used in the building
- Where high GWP refrigerants are being used please describe the transition plan
The following refrigerants are considered to have medium to low GWP compared to those with high GWP listed above:
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- R32 (medium GWP)
- R513a (medium GWP)
- R1234ze (low GWP)
- R1234yf (low GWP)
- R514a (low GWP)
- R1233zd (low GWP)
- Ammonia (R717) (low GWP)
- Propane (R290) (low GWP)
- CO2 (R744) (low GWP)
- Water (R718) (low GWP)
Low emissions refrigerants have a GWP under 600 kg CO2e/m2.
Documentation
- Evidence of refrigerants already phased out
- Refrigerant Phase-out Plan
Suggested Lead
In-house, with third-party support
Value
- Some refrigerants pose an even more significant risk to the environment as they have a high global warming potential (GWP). High GWP gases when released into the environment, significantly contribute to global warming and climate change
- Building off I5.1 – Refrigerant Safety program, phase-out of refrigerants with a high GWP to reduce the building’s contribution to global warming
- When replacing equipment, building management teams purchase new equipment that uses refrigerants with low GWP
Description
Refrigerants contribute to climate change by trapping heat in the atmosphere similar to CO2. The global warming impact of a refrigerant is referred to as Global Warming Potential (GWP), a metric that measures a substance’s impact relative to CO2. When a refrigerant is released to the atmosphere it contributes to a building’s emissions. This often occurs when leaks develop, equipment is damaged, and during decommissioning. As refrigerants are phased out equipment will require decommissioning and replacement with new equipment.
For comparison, the common refrigerant R410A has a GWP 2,088, meaning the warming effect it has when released to the atmosphere is 2,088x more than that of CO2.
References
Adapted BB 3.0 Question
New in BOMA BEST 4.0