The HVACR industry has passed a key milestone in the transition to lower-global warming potential refrigerants, according to the April 2025 Unitary Market Intelligence Report by Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI). Central ducted HVAC systems using A2L refrigerants accounted for 51% of sales in April, with preliminary May data indicating further growth to 60%.
The report, based on automated distributor sales data, provides national, regional, and state-level insights into the HVAC market. The share of A2L-based equipment has increased rapidly since November 2024, when it comprised less than 5% of the market.
“This milestone confirms that the industry is embracing the new A2L refrigerants,” said Talbot Gee, CEO of HARDI. “Despite facing price volatility and ongoing shortages of R-454B cylinders, distributors and contractors are adopting the next generation of HVAC systems at a rate no one anticipated.”
The transition has been affected by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule that sets compliance deadlines based on installation dates rather than manufacturing or import dates. HARDI reports that this structure complicates inventory management for distributors still holding R-410A stock.
“This installation date requirement is bad policy,” said Alex Ayers, Vice President of Government Affairs at HARDI. “It creates significant uncertainty for businesses without delivering any additional environmental benefit. We urge Congress to ensure that future regulations avoid this flawed approach. No agency should be able to punish businesses over political pressure from outside groups.”
HARDI continues to advocate for a market-based approach that maintains consumers’ ability to repair existing systems while ensuring availability of compliant new systems. The Unitary Market Intelligence Report remains a key benchmarking resource for HVACR distributors during the ongoing transition.
