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Washington, D.C. — PRNewswire-USNewswire — Oct. 15, 2015 — The Obama Administration recently recognized Daikin Industries Ltd. and other private-sector businesses for their continuing commitment to reduce emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and other powerful greenhouse gases that can contribute to climate change.
The Oct. 15th event at the White House was hosted by Dr. Ernest Moniz, U.S. secretary of energy, and Gina McCarthy, EPA administrator.
Shinya Okada, senior executive officer, Daikin, said the company "is committed to the future development and production of a full product line of HVAC systems that utilize environmentally beneficial technologies designed to have a positive impact on the environment. We are grateful that our efforts have been recognized by President Obama's Administration, and we feel Daikin can contribute to the private-sector leadership that is needed for global climate protection."
Daikin Industries is the world's leading manufacturer of air conditioner products and fluorochemicals, and is headquartered in Osaka, Japan. The company has long been committed to producing HVAC systems that have a lower global-warming potential than alternative systems. Daikin's U.S.-based subsidiary, Goodman Global Group, Inc., was recognized by the White House at a similar event last year.
Daikin made three announcements at the White House event:
• The company will begin producing the first ever high-efficiency Package Terminal Air Conditioning (PTAC) systems using the next-generation refrigerant, HFC-32.
PTAC units are self-contained heating and air conditioning systems used extensively in hotels, motels, senior housing facilities, hospitals, condominiums, and apartment buildings. The new units will be manufactured in the United States beginning in the first quarter of 2016 and marketed under the Amana brand name. Additional PTAC products are expected to be introduced over time.
• Daikin said it would continue efforts to strictly control and eliminate by-product emissions of HFC-23, a high global-warming potential (GWP) material created during production of HCFC-22. The commitment extends to both Daikin's U.S. and worldwide facilities. Destroying the HFC-23 by-product will reduce GWP emission releases by an amount equivalent to 6.7 million metric tons of C02 per year.
• The company also reiterated an announcement it made last month that Daikin is offering manufacturing companies worldwide free access to 93 patents to encourage others to develop and commercialize air conditioning and heat pump equipment that use HFC-32 as a single component refrigerant.
HFC-32 is a next-generation refrigerant that addresses a range of environmental considerations in a balanced manner. It is a non-ozone-depleting substance, is energy efficient, affordable, and easier to recycle, and it has a global-warming potential (GWP) that is one-third of today's most commonly used refrigerant.
Daikin is the world's leading manufacturer of air conditioner products and fluorochemicals, including refrigerants. For more information, visit http://www.daikin.com/.
