About the GreenChill Corporate Emissions Reduction Program
EPA’s GreenChill Corporate Emissions Reduction Program, "the Partnership," is a voluntary partnership with food retailers, refrigeration system manufacturers, and chemical producers to reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease their impact on the ozone layer and climate change.
The goals of the GreenChill Partnership are to provide food retailers (supermarkets, supermarkets, grocery stores, co-ops, supercenters, and wholesale clubs) and other industry stakeholders with information and assistance to:
- Transition to environmentally friendlier refrigerants;
- Lower refrigerant charge sizes;
- Eliminate refrigerant leaks;
- Implement best environmental practices; and
- Adopt green refrigeration technologies.
GreenChill Partners and Stakeholders
Three types of companies can become GreenChill Partners:
- Food Retailers commit to take action to reduce company-wide refrigerant emissions by setting an annual emissions reduction goal, and report corporate refrigerant stocks and emissions. Food retailers include supermarkets, grocery stores, co-ops, supercenters, and wholesale clubs.
- Refrigeration System Manufacturers commit to promote the adoption of advanced refrigeration technologies, and submit annual systems sales reports for conventional and advanced refrigeration technologies.
- Chemical Producers commit to promote the adoption of environmentally friendly retrofit chemicals and secondary fluids used in commercial refrigeration.
GreenChill Partners collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders to achieve their emissions reduction goals.
Benefits of Joining GreenChill
Through the GreenChill Partnership, Partner companies access a variety of environmental, economic, technical, and marketing benefits, giving many companies a competitive advantage within the industry.
- Protect the Environment
- Save Money
- Receive Analytical Support
- Access Best Practices
- Build Your Network
- Demonstrate Sustainability
- Earn Recognition
- Prepare for the Future
Protect the Environment
The GreenChill Partnership helps reduce the environmental impact of commercial refrigeration systems on the ozone layer and climate change. It does this by assisting Partners in improving refrigerant management practices, transitioning to alternative refrigerants, and setting and tracking progress toward environmental goals.
GreenChill also encourages emission reductions at individual stores through its Store Certification Program for Food Retailers. GreenChill’s Store Certification Program recognizes individual stores for using environmentally friendlier commercial refrigeration systems. To achieve GreenChill Certification, a store must emit at least 65% less refrigerant than the average supermarket. Many GreenChill Food Retail Partners have GreenChill Certified Stores, but it is not necessary to be a Partner to certify a store.
Save Money
Refrigerant leaks can have a costly impact on a company’s bottom line. The amount of refrigerant leaked from a commercial refrigeration system eventually needs to be replaced. Leaky systems also require maintenance and repairs that come at a high cost. By eliminating refrigerant emissions now, it saves company time and money down the road.
Receive Analytical Support
Each year Food Retail Partners submit data to GreenChill and in turn, GreenChill provides each Partner a customized data report that helps them interpret their refrigerant management performance relative to their peers honoring confidentiality. Tracking changes in refrigerant use, emissions rates, and other metrics over time helps Partners judge the effectiveness of their technology choices, maintenance programs, and operational practices, and helps them make long-term plans. Many Partners identify this as the most valuable aspect of participating in GreenChill.
Access Best Practices
GreenChill provides a forum for Partners to share lessons and experiences about new system types, new refrigerants, strategies for working with service contractors, system installation, ensuring leak-tightness, and other topics. GreenChill’s best practice guidelines and webinar series share current information, such as new technologies and servicing practices, to help food retailers choose the best options.
Build Your Network
GreenChill Partners establish valuable connections with other supermarkets, equipment manufacturers, refrigerant producers, service contractors, and EPA. Partners are invited to participate in exclusive roundtables, learn about new products and technologies through GreenChill webinars, and connect at conferences.
Demonstrate Sustainability
GreenChill helps Partners set and meet refrigerant emissions reduction goals, achieve corporate sustainability objectives, and learn about related sustainability activities. Sharing these accomplishments and achievements with the public is an important aspect of the GreenChill Partnership. Consumers want to do business with companies that share their environmental values.
Earn Recognition
GreenChill has an annual ceremony at which EPA recognizes Partners for their achievements over the past year. EPA recognizes Partners for multiple types of achievements, such as reducing emissions rates over time and for achieving low emissions rates in a given year. Learn more about GreenChill Recognition.
Prepare for the Future
All GreenChill activities, especially GreenChill’s annual refrigerant data reports and best practices sharing, help Partners to develop long-term refrigerant management plans and anticipate industry changes, including planning for changing technologies and refrigerants. EPA staff can provide one-on-one support and guidance.