Impact of Next Generation Low GWP Refrigerants on Building Sustainability (LB-17-C047)

Demands to control climate change are forcing HVAC equipment designers to consider new lower GWP refrigerants to replace traditional higher global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants, for example R134a and R410A. Understanding the environmental tradeoffs of using these new low GWP alternatives in HVAC products is becoming well understood but what uncertainty remains in understanding how they impact the on building sustainability. This paper provides an understanding of the impacts on total building sustainability through using building model simulations employing products using new lower GWP alternatives R513A and R452B to replace R134a and R410A.