USA – The Obama Administration recognized Daikin Industries and other private sector businesses for their continuing commitment to reduce emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and other powerful greenhouse gases that can contribute to climate change in a reception held in the White House yesterday. The U.S. Secretary of Energy, Dr. Ernest Moniz, and Gina McCarthy, the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hosted yesterday’s event at the White House.
The Senior Executive Officer of Daikin Industries Ltd, Shinya Okada declared after the event that “Daikin is committed to the future development and production of a full product line of HVAC systems that utilize environmentally beneficial technologies designed to have a positive impact on the environment. We are grateful that our efforts have been recognized by President Obama’s Administration, and we feel Daikin can contribute to the private sector leadership that is needed for global climate protection.”
Daikin’s U.S.-based subsidiary, Goodman Global Group, Inc., had previously been recognized by the White House at a similar event last year, while this year’s event saw the Japanese parent company commended for its efforts to reduce HFC emissions.
Daikin marked the occasion by making three specific announcements at the White House event today, stating that:
• Goodman is set to begin producing and selling its first ever high-efficiency Package Terminal Air Conditioning (PTAC) systems using the next-generation refrigerant, HFC-32. The new PTAC units will be manufactured in the United States as of the first quarter of 2016 and the units are slated to be marketed under the Amana brand name. The company also expects to introduce other additional PTAC products in time.

• Daikin also declared that it would continue its efforts to strictly control and eliminate by-product emissions of HFC-23, the high global warming potential (GWP) material created during the HCFC-22production process. This commitment will extend to all of Daikin’s facilities both in the U.S. and worldwide. The company claims that destroying the HFC-23 by- product would reduce GWP emission releases by an amount equivalent to 6.7 million metric tons of CO2 per year.

• The company also reaffirmed last month’s commitment to offer free access to 93 patents to manufacturing companies worldwide in an effort to encourage others to develop and commercialize air conditioning and heat pump equipment using HFC-32 as a single component refrigerant.