For example, they enable us to preserve food and to cool indoor areas during heat waves. But there are downsides to their use: Many of the refrigerants used in the United States have high ozone-depletion potential and high global-warming potential. In other words, they have detrimental effects on the environment.

Lucy Vereenooghe, a mechanical engineer and associate principal in our New York City office, has conducted in-depth research into the history of refrigerants, legislation surrounding their use, and the latest techniques that the A/E/C industry is using to maximize their efficacy and safety while minimizing their environmental impacts.

Her findings will be the subject of a feature article in our upcoming Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report. But we’ll give you a hint about what she’s discovered: The best solutions might just be the ones developed a century ago. As Lucy states, “Many of the refrigerants being considered as ‘next generation’ are in fact the original refrigerants – ammonia, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons such as propane and isobutane.”

If you’d like to learn more, please keep an eye out for our CSR, scheduled to be published this summer. In the interim, stay cool!