• 19.01.2024
Matelex Gains National Attention for Sustainable Refrigeration System Management Insights
[January 20, 2024, CHICAGO] Ahead of AIM Act’s 2024 refrigerant regulations, Matelex
is receiving national attention, having presented webinars for The Environmental
Protection Agency’s GreenChill Program and Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers
(IISE) in late 2023. Both events offered sustainable refrigeration system management
insights to reduce climate-damaging HFC refrigerant releases. Embracing Lifecycle
Refrigerant Management globally has been identified to prevent fluorocarbon emissions
equal to 90 billion metric tons of CO2 this century—nearly three full years of global
energy-related carbon dioxide emissions today.
David Reitz, US Business Development and Strategic Partnerships for Matelex,
presented the GreenChill Webinar, “Refrigerant Leak Detection Technologies,” to over
200 registrants alongside Gary Epright, US Technical Advisor for Matelex. Speaking to
green-minded food retailers and industry stakeholders, the duo provided an overview of
refrigerant leak detection technologies, including handheld, direct, and indirect
technology, with a focus on automatic leak detection (ALD) and proactive remote
monitoring solutions. Data showed how to simplify refrigeration installation management
and reduce environmental impact while achieving financial goals.
For IISE’s webinar, “Decarbonizing supermarket refrigeration by applying systems
thinking combining IoT,” Reitz spoke to industry engineers and
students, presenting a pioneering systems engineering approach and reviewing data
from Matelex’ 4,000 installations showcasing how connected refrigeration can help
grocery stores with decarbonization, compliance, and cost savings.
“The choice and complexity of different technology solutions can be confusing,” notes
Reitz. “We consistently are honored to share our extensive industry knowledge,
assisting those seeking proactive plans and striving to discern the optimal approach for
refrigerant leak detection in alignment with current compliance requirements and safety
standards.”
2024 AHR Expo
Reitz and Epright will be on hand at the 2024 AHR Expo (International Air-Conditioning,
Heating, Refrigerating Exposition) in Chicago, January 22-24, and co-exhibiting with
Climalife, a company with eco-efficient solutions, including expertise on alternative low
GWP refrigerants and refrigerant lifecycle management. Stop by Booth S7729 to
preview a demo of Matelex’ products or schedule a time slot ahead of time https://
lnkd.in/eU7gCQWx
More about Matelex:
Matelex, based in France and now running US pilots, has developed award-winning
technologies for managing commercial refrigeration systems. With over 4,000
installations historically worldwide, the company has demonstrated a 5 percent global
leak rate for its customers, much lower than industry averages. Currently, its patented
products are responsible for supervising 1,200 stores. In terms of CO2 equivalent
emissions, that amounts to 1,649,274 metric tons being monitored.
Owners and operators of commercial refrigeration systems are benefiting from this new
technology. An Impact Calculator is available on Matelex’s website for companies to
simulate the environmental and financial impact of its sites, taking into account the
refrigerant (GWP and price) and the leakage rate of its refrigeration systems.
Clips from David & Gary’s presentations are available to view, free of charge.
PolarBox and PolarVisor
The company’s patent-pending PolarBox (with patent pending n°18/231,624) is a
remote monitoring device for refrigeration installations, offering 24/7 visibility to owners
and technicians. With measurements taken every 5 seconds and data analysis tools,
the PolarBox is able to learn the normal operation of an installation in order to identify
drifts and alert operators. PolarBox is able to monitor up to 4 refrigeration units by site/
shop and all sites and refrigeration units are visible on the accompanying web app,
called the PolarVisor. Together, PolarBox and PolarVisor simplify the management of
refrigeration installations, improve their performance and drastically reduce their
environmental impact.
Matelex’s PolarBox and PolarVisor were past AHR Expo Innovation Awards finalists –
2023 Refrigeration Finalist and 2020 Tools and Instruments Finalist. All entries are
reviewed and selected by a panel of third-party judges made up of distinguished
ASHRAE members. Evaluations are based on overall innovative design, creativity of the
product or service offered, product or technology real-world application, as well as
overall potential market impact.
