Global Climate Change
ASHRAE Technical Committee 2.5

Scope of TC 2.5

TC 2.5 is concerned with the impact that activities of the HVAC&R industry may have on the global environment, including climate change and stratospheric ozone depletion. This TC enhances ASHRAE member awareness of these impacts and coordinates activities and planning for the Society to address these issues. This includes identifying factors within the scope of the HVAC&R industry, which may impact favorably and unfavorably, the global environment and the role that ASHRAE serves.

Handbook

The ASHRAE Handbook is published in a series of four volumes, one of which is revised each year, ensuring that no volume is older than four years.

The Handbook can be purchased at the ASHRAE Bookstore by clicking on this link.

 TC 2.5 is responsible for the "Global Environmental Properties" section in the following chapter of the ASHRAE Fundamentals handbook.

Refrigerants
Refrigerants are the working fluids in refrigeration, air-conditioning, and heat-pumping systems. They absorb heat from one area, such as an air-conditioned space, and reject it into another, such as outdoors, usually through evaporation and condensation, respectively. These phase changes occur both in absorption and mechanical vapor compression systems, but not in systems operating on a gas cycle using a fluid such as air. (See the "Thermodynamics" chapter in this hadnbook for more information on refrigeration cycles.) The design of the refrigeration equipment depends strongly on the selected refrigerant’s properties.

 

Comment on the Handbook: ASHRAE welcomes your comments on the Handbook or a specific Handbook chapter.  To submit a comment about any aspect or part of the Handbook series, you can use the Handbook Comment Form.

Review a Handbook Chapter: To provide your feedback about a specific Handbook chapter, you can answer the brief survey questions on the Handbook Chapter Review Form.

Programs

Technical committees develop and sponsor technical sessions at the winter and annual conferences. Information about their future technical program is discussed at each TC meeting and at the TC’s Program Subcommittee meeting.

ASHRAE publishes papers and transactions from presentations at its conference events. In addition, ASHRAE records most of the seminar sessions from its conferences on DVD. These DVDs are ideal for use at chapter meetings, in university courses, or company lunch and learns. Products available from the most recent conference may be found here.

Research

Technical Committees are responsible for identifying research topics, proposing research projects, selecting bidders, and monitoring research projects funded by ASHRAE. Information about their specific research program is discussed at each TC meeting and at the TC’s Research Subcommittee meeting.

Standards

ASHRAE writes standards for the purpose of establishing consensus for: 1) methods of test for use in commerce and 2) performance criteria for use as facilitators with which to guide the industry. ASHRAE publishes the following three types of voluntary consensus standards: Method of Measurement or Test (MOT), Standard Design and Standard Practice. ASHRAE does not write rating standards unless a suitable rating standard will not otherwise be available. ASHRAE is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and follows ANSI's requirements for due process and standards development. Standards may be purchased at the ASHRAE Bookstore.

TC 2.5 has no standards responsibilities at this time.

Other Activities

TIP: If MTG involvement add here otherwise leave blank.

Low Global Warming Potential Alternative Refrigerants

MTG.LowGWP is established to coordinate TC/TG/TRG technical activities to help transition the HVAC&R industry to sustainable lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) alternative refrigerants. The MTG will further request participation from US EPA and AHRI. The MTG responsibilities include suggestions for research, development and presentation of technical programs of all types on alternative lower GWP refrigerants, suggestions for Life Cycle Climate Performance (LCCP) systems evaluation for different applications, development of lower GWP solutions for different applications, and a special publication detailing aspects of LCCP applied to the HVAC&R fields.

FAQs

ASHRAE Technical FAQs are provided as a service to ASHRAE members, users of ASHRAE publications, and the general public. While every effort has been made to ensure their accuracy and reliability, they are advisory and provided for informational purposes only, and in many cases represent only one person’s view. They are not intended and should not be relied on as an official statement of ASHRAE. Technical questions not addressed may be submitted to the ASHRAE Technical Services department at tse@ashrae.net.

What is the phase-out schedule for HCFC refrigerants?