How does air conditioning affect the environment?

Air-conditioning systems transfer heat between indoor and outdoor units using refrigerants. In the late 1970s, it was discovered that CFC and HCFC fluorocarbon gases, which were the most common refrigerants of that time, damaged the ozone layer if released into the atmosphere.

Since then all producers of refrigerants have been looking at designing and manufacturing refrigerants that have little or no affect on the atmosphere and ozone layer.

CFC's were some of the first chemical compounds used as refrigerants. They consisted of chlorine, fluorine and carbon. CFC's were not manufactured after 1995. It was later discovered that CFC's had up to 10 times the harming potential of HFC's.

HCFC's consist of hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine and carbon. These were introduced to substitute CFCs. HCFC's have an ozone depletion potential just one-twentieth that of CFCs.
The manufacturing of HCFC's will stop in 2020. The global warming potential is about the same as HFCs.

HFC's consist of hydrogen, fluorine and carbon, (hydro-fluorocarbon). With an ozone depletion potential of zero, HFC's are the best refrigerant for protecting the ozone layer. HFC's are currently in the process of being substituted for HCFC's.

There are several natural gases that have refrigerant characteristics, such as ammonia, hydrocarbon propane based, and CO2. In time these will be implemented into taking the place of environmentally damaging refrigerants.

There are international regulations in place to prevent the use of certain refrigerants. These restrictions are described in the Montreal Protocol, based on ozone depletion, and the Kyoto protocol based on global warming.

What are the manufacturers doing to help the environment?

All manufacturers are required by international law to maintain certain standards in dealing with CO2 emissions, waste and recycling. Most manufacturers are striving to achieve goals set out in both protocols to design and manufacture air conditioning equipment that is energy efficient and made from recycled materials using environmentally safe refrigerants.

What is Air 2 Hire doing to help the environment?

Air 2 Hire uses,

• Manufacturers that are leading the field in environmentally green products.
• Inverter driven air conditioning. The majority of which are A rated in efficiency.
• Refrigerants that are not damaging the environment. HCFC and HFC refrigerants.
• Decommission old air conditioning and dispose of materials in the correct way, recycling all materials that can be.
• Implemented training to adhere to regulations on disposal and waste of refrigerants.