The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) and the Queensland Department of Housing and Public Works have released management guideline for the phase-out of refrigerant R22.
The free online guide offers advice on audit and asset management, as well as on technical options.
AIRAH CEO, Phil Wilkinson, said that over the next 15 years, the amount of R22 available for servicing systems will dwindle, until there is a complete phase-out in 2030.
"We all need to be informed and prepared, in order to provide system owners with a management plan that exposes them to the least financial risk," he said.
"With the import quota of R22 dropping 75 per cent between 2013 and 2014, and further restrictions set to come in next year, it’s crucial that building owners, facilities managers, system operators, and technical service providers are all on the same page when it comes to the phase-out."
Wilkinson warned that the continued use of R22 presents a risk to owners or managers of building assets, with the reduced availability pushing up the price of the refrigerant.
"Availability of the refrigerant is expected to be highly constrained from 2016 onwards," he said.
AIRAH's Vincent Aherne, who worked on the guide, said it provides comprehensive background material and also explains the audit and asset-management process as well as technical options available for retiring R22 systems.
"In particular, for facility managers and building operators, the guide will be a critical resource in understanding the major issues at play, and how to deal with them," Aherne said.
R22 is being phased out in accordance with Australia’s obligation to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
As of next year, import quotas will be kept at a stable minimum level until 2030, when the phase-out will be complete.
For more information or to download the free guide, visit www.airah.org.au/R22PhaseoutGuide