The EPA’s continued phasedown of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants under the AIM Act is entering a phase that commercial building owners can no longer treat as a future problem. Allowable production and import allowances for high-GWP refrigerants like R-410A continue to shrink, and the ripple effect is already visible: refrigerant costs remain elevated compared to just a few years ago, and availability can tighten unpredictably during peak cooling season.
For businesses operating older rooftop units and packaged systems, this matters in a very practical way. A refrigerant leak that once meant a routine top-off can now mean a significant repair bill, or a conversation about whether replacing the unit makes more financial sense than continuing to service it. Systems built for R-410A aren’t going away overnight, but the economics of maintaining them are shifting.
The industry is moving toward next-generation, lower-GWP refrigerants such as R-454B and R-32 in new equipment, which carry different handling, storage, and servicing requirements. Technicians working on these systems need updated training and tools, and building owners should expect that new installations will look and behave a bit differently than the units they’re replacing.
Our recommendation for commercial property owners: get ahead of this by knowing what refrigerant your current systems use, understanding your equipment’s realistic remaining service life, and factoring refrigerant transition costs into any replacement planning. A unit nearing the end of its life is a very different conversation today than it was five years ago, largely because of where refrigerant regulation is headed.
If you’re unsure what’s running through your rooftop units, that’s a quick and worthwhile thing to find out before your next service call.
Temple Air Conditioning and Heating 