A coalition of industry, environmental, governmental and code development organizations is encouraging early adoption by states and localities of the 2024 International Building Code (IBC), International Fire Code (IFC) and International Mechanical Code (IMC), which now permit the use of A2L refrigerants. The groups recently approved code changes that allow commercial and residential use of A2L refrigerants to replace high global warming potential (GWP) hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants.
The supply of HFCs, commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning, will decrease 40 percent in 2024 due to the bipartisan American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 and the corresponding U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that mandates a phasedown in GWP refrigerants by 2036. Most of the remaining supply will be used to service existing equipment currently installed in businesses and homes. The 2024 I-Code changes facilitate compliance with these requirements and support producers and refrigerant appliance manufacturers already transitioning to lower-GWP solutions such as A2Ls.
“State and local governments need to act now to enable next-generation refrigerants before older options get phased out,” says Matt Sigler, the code council’s PMG executive director. “The code council stands ready to partner with the construction industry to help them best navigate this positive change.”
Here are steps jurisdictions can take now:
