Regulation 2 min read Kyoto Mühendislik technical team
Refrigerants are going through the most decisive change the air conditioning sector has seen in the past decade. The gas used by the unit you buy today will directly determine whether it can still be serviced in ten years.
What is GWP and why does it matter?
Global warming potential (GWP) shows the warming effect a gas produces in the atmosphere compared with carbon dioxide. For R410A this value is around 2088, while for R32 it is about 675 - roughly one third. Regulations are gradually restricting the use of high-GWP gases.
What does phase-down mean?
With the European Union's F-Gas Regulation 2024/573, GWP limits were introduced for certain equipment groups, and those limits are being lowered further over the years. Türkiye has taken a matching path with its own F-Gas Regulation (F-Gaz Yönetmeliği). The practical result: the supply of equipment using high-GWP gases is shrinking and gas prices are rising.
What to look for when selecting equipment
If you are investing today, it is worth asking about the future of the refrigerant the unit uses. R32 has become widespread on the split and VRF side. On the chiller side, low-GWP alternatives such as R513A and R1234ze are in use. In cold stores, R290 and CO2 (R744) applications are increasing.
The flammability class question
Some of the low-GWP gases fall into the mildly flammable (A2L) or flammable (A3) class. This brings additional rules depending on the volume of the space where the unit will be installed, its ventilation and the need for gas detection. Applied correctly it creates no safety problem, but it must be accounted for at the project stage.
What happens to my existing equipment?
Units running on R410A will keep working. But because supply of the gas will become harder in the medium term, regular leak checks and the prevention of large refrigerant losses are becoming steadily more important.
Have a question?
If you would like an assessment specific to your facility on this topic, write to us for details on our measurement and reporting process.