Natural refrigerants have powered cooling and heating systems for decades — from food and beverage production, cold storage, and pharmaceuticals to industrial processing, commercial HVAC, and beyond. Their performance in Europe and elsewhere proves they can deliver high energy efficiency with zero ozone-depleting potential and no global warming potential (GWP). As global energy systems decarbonize, natural refrigerants such as ammonia, CO₂, and hydrocarbons are emerging as the future-proof backbone of sustainable heating and cooling.
The webinar on November 26, opened with a strategic overview of the role of natural refrigerants from the perspective of eurammon, followed by insights from the renovation of the European Patent Office in Vienna — a case study of how ammonia-based heat pumps transformed an outdated building into a model of climate-conscious innovation. We learned how renovation and retrofitting with natural refrigerants can cut emissions, conserve resources, and future-proof existing infrastructure, showcasing a strong commitment to sustainability and CO₂ neutrality through smart reuse and efficient design.
The webinar is part of the webinar series "Green Cooling Webinars" designed to share the latest research, publications, and best practices in sustainable cooling technologies. It is organized by the Green Cooling Initiative III.
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Download the slides of the webinar
Agenda 26 November 2025
| Time (UTC) | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 12 00-12:05 | Opening Remarks | Ellen Michel, GIZ Proklima |
| 12:05-12:40 | “From Proven Performance to Climate Action: Natural refrigerants along the value chain” Case study: “Heating and Cooling of a Vienna office building relies on modern heat pump technology with ammonia as a natural refrigerant.” | Dietram Oppelt, eurammon Tommy Angback, Alfa Laval Technologies AB |
| 12:40-13:00 | Q&A | All participants |
The project Green Cooling Initiative III is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) as part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) (opens in a new window).
