Red Dot Corp. announced Tuesday, May 1, that it has received the 2007 Climate Protection Award, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s highest honor for leadership, innovation, dedication and technical achievement in reducing greenhouse gases. Gary Hansen, vice president of Seattle-based Red Dot, accepted the award Tuesday at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Red Dot was recognized for its research and commercialization of low-global warming potential refrigerants to replace HFC-134a in the climate control systems of commercial trucks and equipment used in construction, mining, agriculture, fire and rescue, and military service. “As a global supplier, Red Dot has to anticipate changing regulatory and technical requirements anywhere, in any climate,” Hansen says. “We’re proud to have helped expand the field of cleaner, alternative refrigerants for vehicles in demanding work environments.”
In 2003, Red Dot began working with government and industry to develop a practical alternative to HFC-134a, which is scheduled to be phased out as the standard refrigerant for mobile air-conditioning systems. The company mobilized commercial vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers to find refrigerants more suited to commercial vehicle applications than those being considered for automobiles.
In 2004, Red Dot introduced the first off-road air-conditioning system to use HFC-152a, a safe, environmentally-friendly refrigerant commonly used as an aerosol propellant. Red Dot showed that as an alternative to HFC-134a, HFC-152a can reduce refrigerant greenhouse gas emissions by 93 to 98 percent. HFC-152a also is more energy-efficient, so air conditioners typically require less fuel to operate. Furthermore, HFC-152a can be used in commercial vehicles and heavy equipment without significant design changes or compromised performance.
Based in part on research by Red Dot and its development partners, regulators in Europe and North America identified HFC-152a as a viable alternative refrigerant to HFC-134a. “We continue to work diligently on mobile air-conditioning solutions that use HFC-152a and other alternative refrigerants that meet tougher environmental standards and deliver the performance, value and reliability customers expect,” Hansen says.
Red Dot is one of only six companies to receive a Climate Protection Award this year. “This award places Red Dot among some of the world’s most accomplished businesses and organizations working to protect the climate,” says Kristen Taddonio, manager of the EPA Climate Protection Awards program.
EPA established the annual Climate Protection Awards in 1998 to recognize exceptional leadership, outstanding innovation, personal dedication and technical achievements in protecting the climate. Candidates are selected from all over the world. For more information, go to www.epa.gov/cppd/awards/climproawards.htm.
