Organizers: UNEP OzonAction, UNIDO and US-DOE

Description: Alternatives for Air-Conditioning Industry in High Ambient Temperature Countries; Key Findings and Future Work of PRAHA and US-DOE Testing Projects
Over the last 2 years, two key projects were conducted to assess the technical feasibility of low-GWP alternatives for air-conditioners in high-ambient-temperature countries, the MLF-supported project called "PRAHA,” and the US-DOE-supported project on mini-split air- conditioners evaluation at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Both projects’ results were released between the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016. They were well received and acknowledged as good starting points for addressing the concern of feasible alternatives for high-ambient-temperature operating conditions in cooperation with respective industries.
This session will provide detailed summaries of the key findings of both projects and how they complement each other in addition to present ongoing work that builds on the outcomes from both PRAHA and the US-DOE project.

For more information contact:
Omar Abdelaziz
Phone: +18655742089
E-mail: abdelazizoa@ornl.gov

Anne-Maria Fenner
Phone: +33144371454
E-mail: anne.fenner@unep.org

Organizers: GIZ Proklima

Description: Closing normative gaps for the safe use of natural refrigerants

Standards play a significant role in the use and application of low-GWP refrigerants. The introduction of natural refrigerants is often associated with a number of challenges, such as handling of flammability, toxicity, high Pressure Systems. Such risks need to be dealt with throughout the value chain, from manufacturing to disposal.

Many countries are however not yet prepared to respond with a consistent national framework. Within many countries there are generic rules that cover the handling and application of gases or equipment containing gases that are under pressure, flammable and have higher toxicity. In many cases such rules lack harmonization and are not easily directly applicable to, for example, transport, storage, design and installation, and maintenance/servicing of refrigeration and air conditioning systems including the use of flammable and/or higher toxicity refrigerants. Conversely, specific rules may be present but are archaic and have not been updated to reflect state-of-the-art technology, being too blunt to support economic application of new designs and options that are safe and innovative.

The side event evaluates various possibilities and instruments to incorporate best practice, provide safe guidance and support structures for the introduction of energy efficient natural refrigerants, where conventional rules may not be clear, appropriate or suitable. It explicitly illustrates the role and application of standards, norms, legislation, labelling, certification and codes of best practice.

Options and alternative pathways that will help to close possible gaps for the application of these refrigerants are illustrated for selected countries and situations. These include different approaches in assuring best practice and how mandatory standards combined with thorough risk assessment can support safety and development of options at the same time, whilst corresponding to national circumstances. It introduces proven concepts for safe management with natural refrigerants explaining possible elements for building a qualitative infrastructure at each step of design, distribution, use, servicing of RAC equipment.

For more information contact:
Julia Both
Phone: +4961749694719
E-mail: julia.both@proklima.net

Organizers: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)

Description: Experience of Estimating HFC Emissions Based on CCAC-funded HFC Surveys
The side event will present and discuss the methodology and preliminary results of translating HFC consumption into emission factors and estimating HFC emissions based on the HFC surveys for Bangladesh, Chile, Colombia, Ghana, Indonesia, and Nigeria. It will also present the results of the CCAC Assessment of SLCPs for Latin America and the Caribbean recently released, particularly the chapter on HFCs.

For more information contact:
Ajiniyaz Reimov
Phone: +12129065853
E-mail: ajiniyaz.reimov@undp.org

Denise Sioson
Phone number: +33 1 44 37 76 37
E-mail: denise.sioson.affiliate@unep.org

Organizers: JRAIA

Description: Implementation of Alternative Refrigerant Management in Japan ; Latest Activities including Risk Assessment for A2L refrigerants　

This event will explain a background of the reason why A2L refrigerant has been chosen by Japanese manufacturers as an alternative for the air- conditioning products to tackle the mitigation of global warming. Latest activities in Japan including Japanese government's policy and legislation for safe use as well as the examples of the risk assessment in Japan will be presented. JRAIA also emphasize key factors which must be taken into account when the other countries adapt similar risk assessment for flammable refrigerants.

For more information contact:
Miyuki Tsuji
E-mail: tsuji@jraia.or.jp

Organizers: IGSD

Description: New technology to reduce the cost of phasing down HFC-134a from motor vehicle air conditioning
TATA Motors Limited (headquarters India), Mahle (headquarters Germany) and the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development are demonstrating a Secondary-Loop Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning (SL-MAC systems that can reduce the use and emission of any refrigerant by at least 50% and increase the fuel efficiency as a climate co-benefit. The system with both HFO-1234yf (GWP<1), which is protected by application patents and HFC-152a (GWP=138), which if free from intellectual property constraints. The presentation will include preliminary estimates of the cost savings possible with the SL-MAC system.

For more information contact:
Irene Kim
Phone: +12023381300
E-mail: irenekim@igsd.org

Organizers: UNEP OzonAction

Description: Ozzy Ozone Goes to the University: Launch of university course
Launch of the OzonAction University course developed for engineers on refrigeration air conditioning technologies, refrigeration servicing sector (RSS); event in collaboration with the American University of Beirut, Ministry of Environment of Lebanon and Ministry of Environment of Trinidad and Tobago.

For more information contact:
Anne-Maria Fenner
Phone: +33144371454
E-mail: anne.fenner@unep.org