North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council Welcomes Newest Titanium Member, City Building Engineering Services

The company’s investment underscores its commitment to sustainability and advancing climate-friendly refrigerants

MILL VALLEY, California—March 27, 2024—The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to advance climate-friendly natural refrigerants in supermarkets, announces its newest Titanium Member, City Building Engineering Services (CBES). Headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, CBES is a leading integrated professional services and sustainability company serving some of the top retailers and food retailers in the nation.

“CBES’s decision to join NASRC at the highest level demonstrates their strong alignment with our mission and commitment to driving progress for the supermarket industry,” said Danielle Wright, NASRC executive director. “We’re thrilled to have them on board and look forward to leveraging their expertise for positive change.”

“The CBES team is committed to a sustainable future for our partners, our communities and our environment. Our dedication to sustainability and sustainable refrigeration practices aligns well with the incredible work already done by the NASRC and their positive and ambitious plan to impact the future of our industry,” shared Cary Nix, SVP of Engineering at CBES. “We look forward to collaborating with these impressive member organizations and professionals in this important group to help drive real change that matters.”

Amidst escalating regulatory pressures and corporate sustainability initiatives, the supermarket refrigeration industry faces a pivotal shift from hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants—super-polluting greenhouse gases. Natural refrigerants like CO2, ammonia and propane have zero or near-zero global warming potential, making them climate-friendly, future-proof alternatives to HFCs. 

However, unique market challenges like upfront costs and service readiness have prevented their widespread adoption in US supermarkets. NASRC collaborates with the industry to advance solutions that overcome these barriers, including workforce development, funding support and education.

As the newest Titanium member, CBES is now supporting NASRC at the highest level, demonstrating their strong commitment to collectively advance solutions for the entire industry.

About the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council

The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit working to advance climate-friendly natural refrigerants and reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by traditional HFC refrigerants. We collaborate with stakeholders from across the industry, including over 55,000 food retail locations, to eliminate the barriers to natural refrigerants in supermarkets. For more information, visit nasrc.org, LinkedIn, Instagram, X and YouTube.

 

About City Building Engineering Services

City Building Engineering Services (CBES) is a leading integrated professional services firm supporting technical requirements for retail and related industries. CBES experts manage the most challenging projects from inception to completion, including project design, engineering, construction, commissioning and sustainability solutions. CBES is committed to maximizing technical infrastructure value for their clients and the environment. Learn more on our website and LinkedIn.

Welcome New NASRC Team Members!

NASRC recently welcomed FIVE new members to our team. Join us in giving each of them a warm welcome and read more about them below!

Lisa Baldewin, FRIP Manager
Lisa has spent her career of over 25 years in the refrigeration industry. In the early years, she worked with Southern California Edison, designing and providing technical support for their incentive programs. Since then, Lisa has held a variety of leadership roles at national refrigeration contractor CoolSys, all with a focus on process improvement and system automation. With her passion for sustainability in her personal life and in her work, Lisa is thrilled to be joining the NASRC team.

Ed Estberg, Technical Lead

Ed has been a Refrigeration Consultant for Raley’s since 2009. Before that, he was the company’s Senior Director of Facilities for 20 years. Prior to his roles at Raley’s, Estberg was President of Refrigeration Design Contractors from 1974 to 1989, and from 1965 to 1974, he was Installation and Service Manager of Hussmann’s Sacramento branch.

Dave Flohr, Field Outreach Manager

Dave has over 15 years in the energy efficiency field working primarily with the commercial refrigeration sector assisting grocers large and small to successfully implement energy saving projects. Prior to that, Dave spent 7 years with Unified Western Grocers as a sales manager. In his spare time Dave enjoys golf, camping and working on home projects.

Darrow Soares, Education Design & Outreach Coordinator

Darrow entered the air conditioning and refrigeration industry in 1976.  He worked as a service technician, service manager, and held C-20 and C-38 California Contractor’s Licenses until he began teaching full time at Mt. San Antonio College in 1992.  Darrow served as the Department Chair for the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Programs for six years and later as Associate Dean of Career and Technical Education. He retired as a tenured faculty member in 2018, but continues to manage community college grants, teach as an adjunct professor, and develop curriculum for the community college and trade organizations.

Rusty Walker, Training Director

Prior to joining NASRC, Rusty served as the Corporate Trainer, Manager for the Hillphoenix Learning Center since its inception. In his tenure at Hillphoenix, Rusty also managed the Research and Development lab in the Refrigeration Systems division, worked in engineering, and completed field work.  Previously, he also held positions with Atlanta Energy Specialist, a service technician, and as a Lab engineer with Heatcraft. Rusty has dedicated his entire career to commercial and supermarket refrigeration, and his experience and expertise make him a natural fit as the NASRC Training Director.

Together, the expertise and experiences that Lisa, Ed, Dave, Darrow, and Rusty bring to the team will be instrumental in driving us closer to accomplishing our mission. Read more about our team here.

North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council Celebrates Zero Zone as the Newest Gold-Level Member

MILL VALLEY, Calif.—The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC), a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit working to advance climate-friendly natural refrigerants in supermarkets, welcomes Zero Zone to the Premium Membership group as a Gold-level member. Zero Zone is a leading manufacturer of refrigerated display cases and commercial refrigeration systems for supermarkets, drug, dollar and convenience stores.

“As a longstanding NASRC member, Zero Zone’s upgrade to a premium membership signals their steadfast commitment to advancing natural refrigerants and driving progress for the industry,” says Danielle Wright, executive director of NASRC. “We’re excited to continue our partnership in the new year and are grateful for the example they are setting with this step.”

Based in North Prairie, Wisconsin, Zero Zone manufactures both commercial and industrial systems, serving supermarkets to convenience stores to cold storage facilities and more. The company’s product offerings feature CO2 and ammonia-based natural refrigeration technologies to help customers meet their sustainability goals. Additionally, to help prepare the industry for the transition to climate-friendly refrigerants, Zero Zone offers monthly training for customers and contractors at their Ramsey, Minnesota facility. 

“Zero Zone is committed to advancing sustainable refrigeration technologies and supporting efforts to enhance the industry,” said Dan O’Brien, President of Zero Zone. “We aim to help guide customers as they develop solutions tailored to their stores to meet the AIM Act requirements and use our expertise and experience to be a partner throughout their transition. We are pleased to support NASRC with this upgraded membership as their mission aligns with our company values of environmental stewardship and innovation and their efforts to train and inform the industry complement the needs we see from our customers.”

Hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants (HFCs) are super-polluting greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere at a rate thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide (CO2). Although regulations seeking to reduce HFC use in the US have lagged behind the rest of the world, 2022 marked the start of new federal and state rules that are helping drive the transition from these legacy refrigerants.

Natural refrigerants like CO2, ammonia and propane have zero or near-zero global warming potential, making them climate-friendly and future-proof natural alternatives to HFCs. However, unique market challenges—such as upfront cost premiums, service readiness and technology availability—have prevented US supermarkets from widescale adoption of natural refrigerants.

By working with stakeholders from virtually every sector of the grocery refrigeration industry, NASRC is leading efforts to accelerate the transition to natural refrigerants as a solution to these increases in regulatory pressures. Its membership network represents over 55,000 US food retail locations, including service contractors, manufacturers and suppliers, consultants, engineering firms, trade associations, distributors and nonprofits.

About the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council

The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit working to advance climate-friendly natural refrigerants and reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by traditional HFC refrigerants. We collaborate with stakeholders from across the industry, including over 55,000 food retail locations, to eliminate the barriers to natural refrigerants in supermarkets. For more information, visit nasrc.org, LinkedIn, Instagram, X and YouTube.

 

About Zero Zone 

Established in 1961, Zero Zone is a leading manufacturer of refrigerated display cases and commercial refrigeration systems for supermarkets, drug, dollar, and convenience stores. With display case plants in North Prairie and Waukesha, WI and refrigeration systems plants in Ramsey, MN, and Dyersville, IA, Zero Zone also manufactures industrial refrigeration systems for cold storage, food processing, and ice arenas. For more information, visit zero-zone.com,  LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.

NASRC Welcomes Kathy Loftus to Board of Directors

NASRC recently expanded our leadership by welcoming Kathy Loftus of Ahold Delhaize to the Board of Directors. 

Kathy is the Vice President of Strategic Construction Projects, Energy and Facility Services at Retail Business Services, which is the services company of Ahold Delhaize USA. In this role, Kathy leads several teams all engaged to optimize productivity and operationalize our business’ Race to Zero commitment.

Among previous roles in Business Development, Kathy was also Vice President of Sustainability for Whole Foods Market, leading strategic ESG programs and together with teams innovated in many areas within the built environment, including waste & packaging, responsible sourcing, education, marketing & communication.

She was a founding Steering Committee member for U.S. DOE’s Better Buildings Alliance and was a founding member of EPA’s Green Chill Program. She is immediate past Chair of the Board of Green Building Initiative, and member of the Ratio Institute’s and WPI’s’ Center for Sustainability in Business and Mechanical Engineering External Advisory Boards. She is also former Chair of the Board of Clean Air-Cool Planet and Waste Cap of MA.

Her education includes a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Kathy’s extensive knowledge and experience will be instrumental in driving us closer to accomplishing our mission. Please join us in giving Kathy a warm welcome!

Read more about the NASRC Board of Directors here.

California Air Resources Board Names the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council F-gas Reduction Incentive Program Third-Party Administrator

The $65,000,000 program will support one of California’s most impactful and cost-effective climate solutions

MILL VALLEY, Calif.--The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to advance climate-friendly natural refrigerants in supermarkets, today announced its appointment as third-party administrator for the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) F-gas Reduction Incentive Program (FRIP). The program aims to reduce high-global warming potential (GWP) emissions by incentivizing the adoption of climate-friendly—particularly ultra-low GWP (GWP less than ten)—technologies.

Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants are potent climate pollutants, and addressing them is one of the leading global climate solutions. However, upfront costs are a significant barrier to transitioning to climate-friendly refrigerants, especially for small and independent businesses and businesses operating in disadvantaged communities. These funds will help eliminate that barrier.

“We’re honored to take on this important role and committed to the continued success of this groundbreaking program,” said Danielle Wright, executive director of NASRC. “Not only will FRIP support businesses across the state to transition to future-proof refrigerants, but it will also serve as a blueprint for other states to follow.”

Launched in 2020, FRIP initially provided $1,000,000 in funding to support food retail installations of low-GWP refrigeration equipment and proved to be one of the most impactful and cost-effective programs administered by CARB ($27/MTCO2e). With a $65,000,000 budget, this next phase of FRIP will drastically accelerate the transition of California’s existing facilities to climate-friendly refrigerant alternatives and contribute to California’s climate targets.

As the third-party administrator, NASRC and its subcontractors will support the program’s implementation through stakeholder engagement, technical guidance for applicants and grantees, information sharing, workforce development activities and fund distribution.

NASRC will seek public feedback on the program design and will announce opportunities for public input in early 2024. Program eligibility and application dates will follow.

About the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council

The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit working to advance climate-friendly natural refrigerants and reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by traditional HFC refrigerants. We collaborate with stakeholders from across the industry, including over 55,000 food retail locations, to eliminate the barriers to natural refrigerants in supermarkets. For more information, visit nasrc.org, LinkedIn, Instagram, X and YouTube.

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