Refrigerant Phaseout at The Beacon: Paths Considered and Paths Taken
In response to New York City’s phase-out of R-410A refrigerant, our team has explored alternatives to conventional centralized VRF systems. Our evaluations have considered key criteria including energy efficiency, refrigerant reduction, cost, regulatory requirements, fire safety, maintenance and architectural integration. The presentation will provide a comparative overview of four system options studied within the context of project-specific constraints, with a focused analysis on two leading candidates: water-to-water systems with ground source heat pumps, and unitized packaged terminal heat pumps (PTHPs). The session will underscore the value of a holistic, interdisciplinary decision-making process in delivering solutions tailored to project specific requirements.
Session Chairs
Session Speakers
Discuss NYC’s refrigerant regulations (including SEC Phase-Out Law 6 & HPD requirements) to avoid compliance pitfalls in affordable housing projects
Evaluate alternatives to centralized VRF systems based on factors including cost, refrigerant reduction, fire safety, occupant health, maintenance, efficiency, and architectural integration
Explore strategies to minimize refrigerant (e.g., capped horizontal runs, no vertical risers) in order to meet GWP targets while maintaining system efficiency and avoiding triggering fire code reviews
Evaluate the occupant benefits, sustainability, and implementation challenges of both unitized packaged terminal heat pumps and water-to-water ground source heat pump systems on Passive House affordable housing projects
Approved for 1 credit hour toward AIA (LU|HSW), BOC, BPI, GBCI (BD+C, ID+C, O+M), NARI, Phius, and RESNET certification