How to Get Ahead of the R-22 Replacement Game

MCCLELLAN, CA—Bluon Energy is working to provide practical solutions for the post Freon/R-22 refrigerant world. In the second of a two-part exclusive, Bluon’s founder, Peter Capuciati, executive chairman of the board, recently discussed how TdX 20 (R-458A) is a viable replacement for R-22, how it can be used in newer infrastructure, the impact of having Leonardo DiCaprio on the Bluon board and next steps.

GlobeSt.com: How can TdX 20 help companies reduce impacts?

Capuciati: Bluon TdX 20 represents the single most cost-effective investment a company can do to help reduce its carbon footprint. For example, if a company with a standard 100,000-square-foot building decides to replace the R-22 in its existing HVAC infrastructure, it will cost approximately $40,000, including third party labor, and this will reduce the overall carbon footprint by over 100 metric tons of CO2 per year. To obtain this same impact using other methods, it would cost many times that amount, and possibly up to $1 million.

TdX 20 can reduce HVAC energy consumption by up to 25%. HVAC usually accounts for 50% or more of total energy spend in a commercial setting, which is a huge amount of potential savings that can be realized by switching to TdX 20.

As R-22 becomes very expensive and harder to obtain, companies are going to be forced to choose a replacement. Many times, this choice will happen without their knowledge or consent, as it is simply done as part of normal repairs and maintenance. A contractor will likely choose the least-expensive replacement, which will end up increasing the company’s electricity bill and carbon footprint dramatically. Getting ahead of this issue with an R-22 replacement policy in place and a R-22 replacement chosen and specified for the contractors is extremely important.

GlobeSt.com: By how much can Bluon’s refrigerant extend the life of existing equipment?

Capuciati: This is a difficult question to answer with any hard data, however we know that replacing R-22 with Bluon TdX 20 will 100% of the time decrease compressor head temperatures, decrease operating pressures and increase compressor stability. With that being said, it is likely to assume that using Bluon TdX 20 will add years onto the equipment lifespan.

GlobeSt.com: Can TdX 20 be used in newer infrastructure?

Capuciati: Yes. Bluon is currently working with an original equipment manufacturer to produce the very first new equipment designed to run on TdX 20. These units have already been chosen and spec’d for a project by one of the largest real estate developers in the world.

GlobeSt.com: What are the next steps for Bluon?

Capuciati: Bluon recognizes the coming vast changes in the HVAC service industry due to the advent of blends and more complex systems and refrigerants becoming the norm. We at Bluon call this the coming replacement reality. This paradigm shift is not fully recognized by most of the industry and as a result, many contractors and technicians are not fully prepared for these changes. Bluon is busy developing comprehensive training, tools, resources and support to assist the contractor community through these changes. Bluon is actively building a large community of contractors to share best practices and intelligence, while all having access to our growing arsenal of tools and resources. The Bluon mobile app is currently in beta, ready for broad launch soon, and is the first of its kind in the HVAC service industry. The app allows the contractor to simply type in the model number of the equipment and immediately gain access to all of the pertinent information on that system as well as detailed instructions on how to best install TdX 20 and how to best tune the system for maximum efficiency. We see a huge future in this community we are building and the tools that we are building alongside it.

GlobeSt.com: How do you envision the company evolving as companies update infrastructure?

Capuciati: As mentioned in the previous answer, we see Bluon evolving into a HVAC service solutions company providing refrigerants, equipment and most importantly, information and training to the contractor community as it transitions into the new paradigm of new refrigerants and new equipment–all of which act and operate very differently from what they were originally trained on. The industry is going to need a huge amount of support to enable a successful transition.

GlobeSt.com: Leonardo DiCaprio recently joined your board of directors as an advisor and investor. Has Bluon benefited from his presence?

Capuciati: The short answer is yes. Having the support and influence that comes with Mr. DiCaprio’s involvement and investment is extremely beneficial. We expect to gain even more out of this relationship in the coming years as the end users (companies and landlords) become more aware of the coming replacement reality and we are able to help increase awareness of this issue and its potential impact with Mr. DiCaprio’s help. He allows us to grab the attention of the corporate user and enables us to communicate much more readily, to allow understanding the issue and its potential impact.

GlobeSt.com: Any new initiatives, partnerships or other announcements in the pipeline?

Capuciati: Our primary new initiative is the building of the Bluon contractor community. We are actively training hundreds of contractors a month in getting them ready for the transition and also trained to install Bluon TdX 20 to get the maximum efficiency possible–they become Bluon Accredited Contractors and gain full access to our community, tools and resources. We believe by building this community, we can have a much bigger impact on the overall industry and its ability to make this transition and to do it mindfully with an eye on efficiency. There are so many challenges coming down the pipe for the HVAC service industry and we see these challenges as huge opportunities and the mechanism for interacting about these challenges is our Bluon contractor community and Bluon Accreditation Program.