The role of the servicing sector inheating and cooling

Marco Buoni
President AREA

Abstract• Heat pumps, heating and cooling have an important role in the decarbonization plan of Italy and Europe.
The sector uses 20-25% of the total electricity and several legislations have been issued to increase theenergy efficiency, improving the maintenance and the installation, preventing the refrigerant leakages.
The sector response has been excellent creating innovation and competition and bringing Italian andEuropean industries to lead globally.
The role of the servicing sector is to install, maintain and repair the systems to keep them at the highstandard of quality they have been designed for.
During the pandemic this role has been under the spotlight and the sector has increased visibility.

Agenda1. Importance of the servicing sector
2. Importance of maintenance
3. Changing refrigerants
4. Refrigerant leakage and its impact on energy efficiency
5. Training and certification

1. Importance of the servicing sector

About AREA
Established in 1989
24 national associations
21 countries
13,000 companies
110,000 people€23bn annual turnoverContractors are the essential link between
end users and manufacturers. They design,install and maintain RACHP equipment using
every available solution with complete
neutrality towards equipment andrefrigerants, in the sole aim of ensuring thehighest level of reliability, energy efficiency
and cost-effectiveness.

Our sector is Essential and Growing (and exciting… )• Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, Heat Pumps demand is increasing• Wealthier countries (China, India, South-East, Middle East, Africa, SouthAmerica…) and emerging middle class in developing countries• Cold chain in Africa and other developing countries…
• Heat Pumps (decarbonization)• Global warming is getting cool appliances more needed (paradox)• and even more in the last year (covid)• Cold chain for the supply of food during the pandemic and the lockdown• Air ventilation, air recirculation, fresh air and heat recovery (airborne virus)• Cold chain for the supply of the vaccines (Ultra Low temperatures freezers
and dry ice)
Refrigeration is essential

Our world needs refrigeration, air conditioning
and heat pumps systems• Number of systems
in operationworldwide perapplication
Source: 29th Informatory Noteon Refrigeration Technologies/ November 2015 “The Role ofRefrigeration in the GlobalEconomy”, International
Institute of Refrigeration IIRInstallers increase importance• Systems increase in complexity (connection with renewableenergies, different plants, NO one fit all solution, heat recovery…)• More professionalism and competence needed due to different
regulations with the installers in the centre• Less available workforce. Lack of young technicians• Logbooks, programmed maintenance, IoT• Retrofit, Recovery, Reclaiming, Circular economy

The world is regulating Energy efficiency
Our sector is key for the future,
EU (Italy) is market leader for RACHP innovation (and export)• Fgas regulation and phasedown of High GWP refrigerants• Ecodesign and Ecolabelling• Renewable Energy Directive• Energy Performance of Building
Directive• Circular economy•…

2. Importance of regular maintenancein buildings

Importance of regular maintenance of buildings(credit IRI Ireland)• Benefits of Deep Cleaning and Maintenance➢Improved IAQ. A/C units act as filters of dust, filters must be cleaned.
➢Minimized odors and micro-organisms. By cleaning an A/C unit, we kill odorcausing bacteria and prevent growth of micro-organisms.
➢Lower energy use. HVAC uses significant % of energy. Cleaning and maintenanceof indoor and outdoor HVAC equipment greatly reduces the amount of energy
consumed. 3% per every °C of increasing of condensing temperature.
➢Longer equipment life expectancy.
➢ Fedene/Cardonnel, France, 2014: lack of maintenance increase energy
consumption +10% in 5 years, +18% in 7 years, +35% in 10 years• Health and IAQ➢Low IAQ can lead to negative health effects: Short term and long term.
➢Studies show People perform better in better work environments.

3.

Changing refrigerants

Changing refrigerants: Fgas reduction, moving to alternatives• EU Fgas regulation (andrevision)• Phase down
• Bans• Incentives• National legislation• Outside EU Legislation (KigaliAmendment)• Natural and Low GWP
Refrigerants
14

Revision of the Fgas Regulation
Original Process & timeline
2020
June

July-Sept

2021
Oct- Dec
Publicconsultation+ targetedinterviews

Roadmap +Inception Impact
Assessment
Consortium nominated:Ricardo, Öko-Recherche,
Öko-Institut

2022

2023

March - AprilMay

6/05:
Stakeholder
workshop:presentation ofpreliminary findings

Ordinary legislative
procedure(European Parliament &Council)
Proposal fora revision

Impact Assessment
concludedAdoption expected late 2023

European Commission Report on Split AC• Technically possible to avoid F-gases in new single split AC (below 7kW) by
using Refrigerant R-290 (propane) unless prohibited by national legislation orcodes• Available at the moment in UK from an online DIY, no other market in EU yet(provisions to be extended also to this kind of systems)• Larger split systems moving from R410A to R32,
• Majority of small systems do contain already R32
In 2019, the F-gases contained in split systems represented 74% of all F-gases imported
into the EU in precharged equipment (measured in CO2 equivalent) and small singlesplits themselves made up 38% of all F-gases imported in equipment (and it is growing).
 Again We need a certification addressing in particular thedifferent safety aspects. --Real Alternatives. (theory and practical assessment)

4. Refrigerant leakage and its impact onenergy efficiency

Making a case for reducing leakage• Reducing leakage makes business, financial and environmental sense. The benefits to business include:••••

Compliance with legislation including the F Gas regulation;
Improved “green” credentials;
Reduced production down time / increased sales fixture availability / improved staff comfort as a result of improved reliability;
Less health and safety risk from refrigeration or air conditioning – directly from refrigerant emissions and, for food applications,indirectly as a result of improved reliability.

• In addition there are financial benefits:••••Less refrigerant cost;Less service cost;
Lower costs associated with plant down time;
No loss of energy efficiency associated with reduced refrigerant charge. These costs may need to be offset against increased
maintenance or some additional capital expenditure, but usually the difference is positive.

• The environmental benefits are in parallel with the benefits identified above and include:••

More efficient operation of RAC systems and hence lower emissions of CO2 at the power station;
Lower emissions of greenhouse gases.

• With Alternative refrigerants, which are mainly flammables, leakage are potentially dangerous and asource of fire ignition and propagation

Financial, energetic, environmental, safety & reliability:
Alternative Refrigerants & Leakage

Source: IPCC (2006), Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories

Financial and Energetic cost

Source: IIR informative notes

Cooling Capacity [kW]Coefficient of Performance

Research on one system type to determine the effect ofleakage on one system

Charge [kg]Charge [kg]Source: Grace, I.N., Datta, D. and Tassou, S.A. (2005), Sensitivity of refrigeration system performance to charge
levels and parameters for on‐line leak detection. Applied Thermal Engineering, 25 (2005),

Reduction of leakage due to increase in competence
and EU Fgas regulation – one example

Source fig.1: Updated from Cowan D, Gartshore J, Chaer I, Francis C, Maidment G. (2010), REAL Zero – reducing refrigerant
emissions & leakage - feedback from the IOR project, Proceedings of the Institute of Refrigeration, Proc. Inst. R. 2009-10. 7-1
Source fig.2: Cowan D, Beermann K, Chaer I, Gontarz G, Kaar K, Koronaki I, Maidment G, Reulens W. (2011), Improving F-Gas
containment in the EU – results from the REAL SKILLS EUROPE project.

5.

Training and certification

F-gas certified personnel by country
covered by AREA
Belgium
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
FinlandFranceGermany
GreeceIreland
Italy
Netherlands
PolandPortugal
Slovakia
Spain
SwedenTotal EUUK
Total EU+UK
TurkeyNorwayGrand total

5.200
1.418
5.029
4.021
465
7.552
19.14144.00010.9004.300
73.400 (81.000 Nov 2021)
5.020
23.9865.300
2.150
127.000 (1)5.810
344.69252.300396.992
32.0004.804
433.796F-gas certified companies by countrycovered by AREA
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
FinlandFranceGermany
GreeceIreland
Italy
Netherlands
PolandPortugal
Slovakia
Spain
SwedenTotal EUUK
Total EU+UK
TurkeyNorwayGrand total

N/A
2.000
1.745
900
1748
N/A
3.397
35.289
3.500
100
1.200
35.000 (44.000 Nov 2021)
2.263
8.346
1.558
1.924
15.9871.615
116.572
8.634
125.206
N/A
1.141
126.347

Proportion of F-gas certified personnel
trained on alternatives
Ammonia

CO2HC (small)

HC (large)

HFOs

7%

6,9%

6,2%

5,3%

3,5%Real Alternatives

Refrigerant Emissions Alternatives and Leakage– blended learning for low GWP refrigerants

International scope of our training and certification programme
15 languages..
Croatian
Czech
Dutch
EnglishFinnishFrenchGermanItalianPolishPortuguese
Romanian
RussianSlovakian
SpanishTurkishExample: REAL Alternatives Flammables Course
Issue REAL Alternatives 4 LIFE Certificates Only available to those who passed assessments by a licensed training provider
 Options for certification:
I.
Flammable refrigerant (HC, HFO & R32): theory and practiceII. Flammable refrigerant (HC, HFO & R32): theory only
III. Carbon Dioxide: theory and practice
IV. Carbon Dioxide: theory only

Importance of Training & Certification
Example of international support: (inmany countries, such as The Gambia,Kuwait, Bahrain, Argentina, Rwanda,Ghana, Benin, Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, SriLanka, Montenegro, The Caribbean's,China, etc…)
 Training Sessions and material
 Certification Sessions and material
 Drafting Certification schemes forhandling refrigerants© ASSOCIAZIONE TECNICI ITALIANI DEL FREDDO (ATF) | UNEP-ATF COLLABORATION PROJECT30

Assessing training centers• Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar• Maldives• Grenada (Caribbean) …
 Propose a package, tools, training and certification (including in the legislation) tomake it sustainable

Assessing training centers• Armenia• Belarus, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan
 Propose a package, tools, training and certification (including in the legislation) tomake it sustainableCooling for a better life

Stronger together
Thank you
Marco Buoni
Email: buoni@centrogalileo.it