ATMOsphere, a global market accelerator of clean cooling and heating solutions and publisher of NaturalRefrigerants.com, has reapproved the ATMO Approved Natural Refrigerants Label for Refra, a Lithuanian manufacturer of natural refrigerant-based chillers, heat pumps and refrigeration equipment.
This marks the second approval for the company, which was first certified in February 2024.
“Leveraging natural refrigerants like propane [R290] and CO2 [R744] has been a driving force behind our efforts to minimize carbon emissions and enhance energy efficiency,” said CEO Aleksej Pavšukov. “Receiving the ATMOApproved Label in 2024 was an honor and a testament to our unwavering commitment to environmental innovation and climate-friendly solutions. Renewing this certification is not just about recognition: It’s about holding ourselves accountable to the highest standards in sustainability.”
Launched in June 2022, the ATMO Approved label was created to offer a global benchmark for identifying leading manufacturers of natural refrigerant systems and components. In 2024, the label’s scope expanded to include contractors and installers, reflecting the growing need for excellence across the entire natural refrigerant sector.
‘Absolutely no problems’
Refra has been building CO2 refrigeration systems since 2005 and began manufacturing hydrocarbon (R290 and propylene/R1270) chillers in 2013 and reversible hydrocarbon heat pumps in 2018. The company, headquartered in Vilnius, also builds condensing units for small air-conditioning systems and commercial cooling applications.
At Chillventa 2024, the company unveiled an air-cooled CO2/propylene refrigeration unit designed for industrial and commercial applications in the Middle East. The cascade system uses propylene to subcool the CO2 to ensure the system runs in subcritical mode even in high ambient conditions. The company also brought a demo air-to-water high-temperature heat pump to the show that uses R436A – a blend of propane and isobutane (R600a) – to reach outlet temperatures of 80°C (176°F).
While the high-temperature heat pump created buzz at the show, it’s the company’s heat pumps that have impressed HVAC&R installer Heytec. The Belgian company has installed Refra’s R290 heat pumps, with CEO Chris Desmet telling ATMOsphere, “There have been absolutely no problems.”
“[In a recent installation] the heat pump was installed and started up in no time,” said Desmet. “Both installer and end user were surprised by the finish and performance.”
Refra has worked with Heytec for more than 10 years. Desmet noted, “We have benefited from a lot of shared experience during that time.”
Quantifying PFAS
A notable addition to the label criteria for 2025 is the focus on eliminating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a byproduct of the atmospheric degradation of many HFO and HFC refrigerants. Research has linked TFA to environmental accumulation and potential health risks, including reproductive toxicity and liver dysfunction in animal studies.
In November 2024, ATMOsphere opened registration for the 2025 label, announcing the calculation of the amount of TFA emissions avoided by certified companies through their natural refrigerant solutions. TFA is a PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” that forms through the atmospheric degradation of many HFOs as well as R134a.
This addition to the label criteria aligns with recent research highlighting TFA as a “planetary boundary threat” due to its potential risks to human and environmental health.
“The label criteria around PFAS acknowledges what companies are doing to ensure they are PFAS-free,” said Marc Chasserot, CEO and Founder of ATMOsphere. “ATMO Approved companies have the vision and leadership required to navigate the market today and help [companies] move away from PFAS and global-warming synthetic alternatives.”
Refra is a founding member of the Coalition for PFAS Free Cooling and Heating, an organization dedicated to promoting natural refrigerants as alternatives to harmful PFAS in cooling and heating systems and supporting an ambitious European PFAS regulation. ATMOsphere is also a founding member.
Best-in-class certification
The ATMOsphere label is designed to help qualified manufacturers and contractors to market products and services to new customers and regions in the natural refrigerants marketplace. Certified organizations can display the label on products, marketing materials, email signatures and trade show booths, boosting their visibility and helping end users identify best-in-class suppliers.
To qualify, companies must demonstrate excellence across four pillars:
- Company vision – a commitment to natural refrigerants as a core business.
- Customer satisfaction – positive end-user testimonials confirming reliability and performance.
- Measurable impact – mitigation of CO2 and TFA emissions.
- Proactive training – investment in employee and stakeholder education.
Additional information on the 2025 label and the registration form can be found here.
ATMOsphere has been active in the natural refrigerant space for nearly 20 years, producing dozens of market reports, publishing thousands of news articles, hosting more than 60 international conferences and attending hundreds of trade shows during this time.
Refra is the fifth company to be approved for the ATMO Approved label in 2025, following GTS, Fenagy, ENNS Industrial Refrigeration and Zudek. Manufacturers and contractors that were approved for the Natural Refrigerants Label in 2024 were SURE Solutions, General Refrigeration, Secon, Güntner, Nihon Netsugen Systems, TEKO, Refra, M&M Carnot, Zero-C, Equans Kältetechnik, Zudek, SCM Frigo, Temprite, Ceptek, Novum and Vahterus.
