The ROI of Refrigerant Management Software

The economics of refrigerant management are immune to shifting political winds. Even with slashed regulations and headcounts, the operating costs for air conditioning and refrigeration systems continue to represent a significant chunk of facility owners’ or operators’ budgets.

Refrigerants from unchecked leaking systems can have a negative impact on operating budgets. Repairing leaks makes good economic sense, even if today’s regulations turn a blind eye to leakage.

Refrigerant Management = Cost Control:

• Early leak detection and repair means less emissions, less refrigerant usage, less cost.
• Refrigerants with high-GWP are being phased-out with supply cuts increasing cost per pound.
• Energy costs go up for leaking systems – 5% of the charge leaked out is 5% more energy cost.
• Repair costs go up because leaking systems and components fail more frequently.
• Labor costs go up because of frequent system repairs.
• Leaks result in more downtime, spoilage, quality control, reliability.
• Indoor Air Quality – leaking systems do not dehumidify occupied spaces.
• Leaking systems don’t last as long, early replacement hits capital budgets.

Refrigerant Management and Information Management:

Facility owners and managers need accurate data and real-time information from the field, which makes refrigerant management an economic, and operational, necessity. The types of information required for effective refrigerant management are varied and complex. For example:

• Information and alerts on leakage from individual systems,
• Tracking and trending usage of individual refrigerant types or GWPs,
• Refrigerant inventories – disposed, reclaimed and/or returned.

These, and more components, must operate together as part of an integrated, cloud-based information management system that all stakeholders can leverage to optimize refrigerant inventories and appliances. This type of information management system helps minimize a facility’s cost of operations in many ways.