Daikin VRV IV+ A/C system with certified reclaimed refrigerant

Expansion of the L∞P by Daikin programme is set to increase sustainability gains in Europe: 250,000 kg of virgin refrigerant production is avoided yearly thanks to a circular economy in HVAC systems.

Daikin Europe is expanding its circular economy programme to all VRV units manufactured and sold across Europe. The L∞P by Daikin programme saves 250,000 kg of virgin refrigerant from being produced yearly by giving Europeans access to recovered and reclaimed refrigerant. Independent certification guarantees that the reclaimed refrigerant fully meets quality standards and is correctly allocated to certified L∞P by Daikin VRV units. Daikin plans to expand the programme to other products and refrigerants as part of its global refrigerant policy.

Daikin, a market leader in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R), recently announced an expansion of its L∞P by Daikin circular economy programme for refrigerants. The key principles of the programme are simple: Daikin recovers refrigerants from existing HVAC-R systems through its installer network, upcycles and reclaims them to virgin quality, and then allocates the reclaimed refrigerants to new VRV systems manufactured and sold across Europe.

The programme is a perfect example of a circular economy, leveraging the entire Daikin ecosystem and its business partners across Europe.

250,000 kg of virgin refrigerant production saved yearly

L∞P by Daikin was launched in 2019 for selected Daikin VRV units, but thanks to the programme’s success, the company is now expanding it to all VRV units produced and sold in Europe from November 2020. Specifically, L∞P by Daikin will now cover all EU member states, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

In total, L∞P by Daikin saves 250,000 kg of virgin refrigerant being produced yearly. Since its launch, L∞P by Daikin has proved popular in the European market. The programme makes it easier than ever before to reuse refrigerants, and has been adopted by companies such as Action. The Dutch retail chain with over 1.400 stores across Europe uses reclaimed refrigerant from their old stores in new or refurbished stores.

“L∞P by Daikin is a perfect example of a circular economy,” says George Dimou, VRV product manager at Daikin Europe. “We work every day to make our products as energy-efficient as possible, improve the circularity of our products and to motivate all of our partners and customers to join forces to reduce carbon emissions. The responsible use of materials is an integral part of this ambition. L∞P by Daikin showcases just that. By eliminating resource depletion, we save tonnes of virgin refrigerant and cut down our impact on the environment.”

Perfect match with European Green Deal

The L∞P by Daikin programme fits perfectly with the ambitions of the European Green Deal Circular Economy Action Plan, which Daikin Europe fully supports. The European Commission aims to reduce waste, plastic and material use across the Union. Innovative circular projects such as L∞P by Daikin with a tangible impact on natural resource use are one of the HVAC-R industry’s contributions to the fight against material waste.

In addition, investing in a local circular economy and European businesses is also a durable investment in the European Economy. This brings the Green Deal’s ambitions in line with those of ‘Next Generation EU’, the Union’s post-COVID-19 recovery programme.

Furthermore, the reuse of reclaimed refrigerant has no impact on the EU F-gas Regulation quota and supports the growth of the HVAC-R industry in a sustainable way. An independent audit process guarantees that the reclaimed refrigerant meets the exact same quality standards as virgin refrigerant. This process also ensures the correct administrative allocation of the reclaimed refrigerant: for every certified L∞P by Daikin unit on the market, there is an equivalent 100% reclaimed refrigerant used at Daikin’s factories.

‘Potential to become an industry standard’

Daikin will continue to invest in its L∞P by Daikin programme as part of its sustainable strategy. The company is committed to further expanding the programme in the short term to cover more types of refrigerants and different product ranges.

“We extend a hand to all of our partners, installers and customers to join forces and pave the way to a circular, European economy. By doing so, every Euro invested in reclaimed refrigerant boosts European business and reduces our environmental impact. We believe the L∞P by Daikin principle has the potential to become an industry standard, and will hopefully inspire other HVAC-R manufacturers,” concludes Toshitaka Tsubouchi, vice-president of Daikin Europe.

For more information on L∞P by Daikin, please visit www.daikin-ce.com/loop-by-daikin