Europe is a continent that spans many different climates, from Athens to Oslo, seasonal temperatures vary significantly. The performance of heat rejection equipment can be impacted by the installed environment, which means that the data used for purchase, design and installation decisions must be accurately adapted to different climate zones. If HVACR professionals cannot access verified data relevant to their region, gaps may form between expected and real-world performance. As pressure mounts to reduce carbon emissions, adopt low-GWP refrigerants, and traverse an unpredictable energy market, accurate performance data is key.

A new white paper, “Beyond the brochure: Exposing the reality of refrigeration product underperformance,” explores this issue in full. Revealing striking new research on gas coolers, the researchers found that heat rejection capacity could be up to 53% lower than declared in Central and Northern European regions and up to 37% lower in warm weather climates. Published by independent product certification body, Eurovent Certification, the paper highlights the importance of independent verification and transparent, region-relevant performance data for professionals operating in the European heat exchanger sector.

White paper overview

The white paper examines the key challenges and developments shaping the HVAC and refrigeration industry. It begins by addressing critical topics such as refrigerant performance and utilisation, the growing adoption of natural refrigerants, and the importance of independent third-party verification. It also explores the consequences of inaccurate performance data, including the risks of greenwashing.

These themes lead to the core of the paper: a test campaign on uncertified CO₂ gas coolers. The campaign is designed to identify discrepancies between manufacturer-declared data and measured performance, and to assess the accuracy of Eurovent Certification’s correction factors - used to predict CO₂ gas cooler performance across different climate zones.

The white paper further investigates the impact of an underperforming heat rejection component on both HFC and CO₂ refrigeration systems through a series of simulations analysing energy consumption, operating costs, and carbon emissions. It concludes with an overview of product performance certification and its important role in supporting transparency, credibility, and trust across the industry.

The importance of accurate data

Eurovent Certification is encouraging decision makers to look beyond the brochure and question if the performance data available is independently verified and appropriately adapted to the conditions relevant to their project.

Sylvain Courtey, President of Eurovent Certification said, “This white paper sends a clear message to the sector. When performance data is not independently verified, or adapted to different regions, the consequences may ripple far beyond the equipment itself. Energy bills may rise, emissions increase, and entire systems may be compromised. Certification exists to protect the market from these risks. This white paper shows how important verified data is for building a trustworthy and sustainable refrigeration sector.”

Full results from the test campaign and whole system simulations are included in the white paper, along with insights into core industry topics. “Beyond the brochure: Exposing the reality of refrigeration product underperformance,” is available as a free download in English, French, German, Italian, Turkish and Spanish.

Download it now