The air conditioning and commercial refrigeration sectors are adapting to new climate policies and regulations, requiring manufacturers to develop energy-efficient technologies. “These expanded capabilities in Europe and North America underscore our commitment to providing comprehensive and integrated solutions for the HVAC industry,” said Alessio Dellanoce, vice president and general manager of the Appliances, HVAC and Lighting group at UL Solutions. “By offering both performance and safety testing within a single location, we are streamlining the testing process for our customers, reducing their time to market and associated costs while helping them demonstrate that their products meet the highest safety and efficiency standards.”
The Plano, Texas, facility will increase its capacity for commercial HVAC performance testing and enhance its capabilities for low-global warming potential refrigerants. The expanded services will cover refrigerant leakage mitigation, safety construction assessments, compliance testing, and energy efficiency evaluations.
In Carugate, Italy, UL Solutions is expanding its testing scope for European residential and light commercial heat pump manufacturers. The facility will introduce eco-design requirement testing, including standby and off-mode energy consumption assessments, as well as performance evaluations such as coefficient of performance and sound power level measurements.
Regulatory initiatives like the European Union’s Fit for 55 program, which aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, are driving demand for rigorous HVAC testing. Additionally, the industry is increasingly adopting alternative refrigerants like R32, R454B, and natural refrigerants such as R290, which require comprehensive evaluations to address flammability risks and safety concerns.
The expanded testing capabilities in North America and Europe will support manufacturers in meeting evolving regulations and advancing new HVAC technologies.