USA: Sam Gladis, business director - heat pumps, Vilter Manufacturing LLC, a business of Emerson Climate Technologies, spoke at the second annual ATMOsphere America 2013 Conference, held in Washington from 17 to 19 June. 

Mr Gladis took part in the 'Supply Chain' panel discussion that brought together perspectives on natural refrigerant use from end users, system suppliers, refrigeration consultants, refrigerant suppliers, and trade and training associations.

He said: "I believe the HVAC&R industry in the US has made significant headway when it comes to utilizing natural refrigerants in an industrial setting. But, in order to drive a greater acceptance of natural refrigerants, we need an industry-wide effort to educate customers."

Discussions among the session's participants focused on the regulatory burden on natural refrigerant end users and on the importance of knowledge sharing and collaborative projects to improve safety and training. Mr Gladis also noted a growing recognition of the benefits of natural refrigerants in Europe, which is also gradually being adopted in the US.

"Since Emerson's first ammonia heat pump installation in the United Kingdom three years ago, which reduced the amount of coal needed to run the factory by approximately 50 per cent, Emerson has installed an additional 17 ammonia systems around the globe, 14 of which are located in Europe," Mr Gladis added.

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