Daikin’s VRV innovations exceed the requirements of the EU F-Gas regulation and the Ecodesign directive

Proactive compliance with the next steps in the EU F-Gas regulation and ENER LOT21 Tier 2 showcases how Daikin’s VRV heat pumps curb climate change.

Vienna, March 2021 – In 2021, the EU F-Gas regulation and ENER LOT21 legislative measures are accelerating. The European Union is further phasing down its F-Gas quota, among other initiatives, to drive the industry towards lower GWP (Global Warming Potential) alternatives and reducing direct CO₂ emissions. In addition, ENER LOT21 Tier 2 imposes more stringent energy efficiency thresholds to increase the efficiency of HVAC* systems and reduce indirect CO₂ emissions. Daikin has acted on multiple levels to create a sustainable future for the HVAC industry with:

• the new VRV 5 series that uses R-32 refrigerant with lower GWP,
• LOOP by Daikin, a circular economy program for refrigerant and
• the world-renowned VRV energy efficiency based on continuous innovation.

How does Daikin move the needle?

Daikin’s solutions reduce direct CO₂-emissions

Europe’s F-Gas regulation aims to reduce direct CO₂ emissions by phasing down the consumption of virgin F-gases used in new equipment and for servicing.** In January 2021, the yearly F-Gas quota was reduced to 45 % compared to baseline, which is the average hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) consumption between 2009 and 2012. By 2030, the yearly F-Gas quota is set to decrease by two-thirds.

To meet this target Daikin is using the refrigerant R-32 on new VRV 5 systems. Doing so reduces GWP by two-thirds compared to the refrigerant R-410A, while meeting the requirements for high energy efficiency, safe use and cost-effectiveness. Another initiative is the re-use of refrigerants through “LOOP by Daikin”, a circular economy program to reclaim and re-use refrigerant in Europe. As such, users of Daikin VRV systems can be assured that their refrigerant of choice will remain available throughout the equipment’s operating life, while they make a clear sustainable choice to re-use, rather than to further deplete the earth’s natural resources. Additionally Daikin Central Europe recently launched the “LOOP by Daikin. recover. reclaim. reuse” program especially for key accounts and investors in Austria and Hungary.

Daikin exceeds requirements to reduce indirect emissions

Europe’s Ecodesign LOT21 regulation aims to lower indirect CO₂ emissions from HVAC-R. The strategy is to drive the market towards more energy efficient products, as expressed by minimum seasonal energy efficiency requirements. For VRV systems, the LOT21 Tier 2 requirements increase the minimum efficiency from 181 % to 189 % in cooling, and from 133 % to 137 % in heating. Daikin VRV heat pumps already exceed these minimum efficiency thresholds, offering efficiencies up to 302 % in cooling and 170 % in heating. The result: A sustainable choice for customer cooling and heating systems.

“We publish credible and representative data on our website to report on the efficiencies of our products”, says George Dimou, VRV product manager at Daikin Europe. “Our data represents the real efficiency the system can reach as closely as possible. We use our best-selling units in our efficiency tests. This gives customers the best base to make a conscious and sustainable choice.”

Use of lower GWP refrigerant and re-use on VRV systems

Product innovations and refrigerant choices by Daikin anticipate every reduction step of the F-Gas regulation and lower the environmental impact. In addition, these refrigerants significantly increase the energy performance of Daikin products and are easy and safe to use.

For future VRV systems two sustainable options are available:

• VRV 5 using R-32 refrigerant with a GWP of only one-third compared to the GWP of the commonly used R-410A. As R-32 is a single component refrigerant it can be easily re-used in the future. 
• LOOP by Daikin VRV units use reclaimed refrigerant allocated to the factory-charge, reducing virgin refrigerant use by over 250,000 kgs per year. Reclaimed R-410A refrigerant is excluded from the EU F-gas quota and fully supports the EU Green Deal to create a circular economy and the careful handling of natural resources. 

For more information, please visit

Daikin Ecodesign https://www.daikin-ce.com/en_us/about/daikin-innovations/seasonal-efficiency.html and
LOOP by Daikin https://www.daikin-ce.com/loop-by-daikin

* HVAC – Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning
**The reduction in F-Gas use is expressed in CO₂ equivalents, which is calculated by multiplying kilograms of refrigerant times the GWP of the gas. 

Media contact (Daikin Central Europe)

Doris Passler
Corporate Communications Central Europe
Daikin Airconditioning Central Europe HandelsgmbH
+43 664 24 56 444
passler.d@daikin.at
Lemböckgasse 59/1/1
1230 Vienna, Austria

About

Daikin Airconditioning Central Europe
Daikin Airconditioning Central Europe was founded in 1999 with its headquarters in Vienna, Austria. The company’s portfolio comprises products and solutions for heating, cooling, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration. More than 450 professionals are in charge of pre-sales, sales and after-sales-services in 16 countries across Central and Eastern Europe in Austria, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Moldavia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Daikin Europe N. V.

Daikin Europe N.V., Daikin Central Europe’s mother company, is a major European producer of air conditioners, heat pumps and refrigeration equipment, with approximately 10,000 people employed throughout Europe and 14 major manufacturing facilities based in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Austria and the UK. Globally, Daikin is renowned for its pioneering approach to product development and the unrivalled quality and versatility of its integrated solutions. With more than 90 years‘ experience in the design and manufacture of heating and cooling technologies, Daikin is a market leader in heat pump technology.