Refrigerant for hotels, hospitals and malls
What these buildings run
| Building type | Typical plant | Common refrigerants |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels | Water-cooled chillers, VRF for guest floors, cold rooms in kitchens | R-134a, R-410A, R-404A |
| Hospitals | Chillers for theatres and wards, precision units for imaging, vaccine and sample storage | R-134a, R-410A, R-407C |
| Malls and offices | Central chiller plant, VRF/VRV, tenant splits | R-410A, R-32, R-134a |
The mix is wider than in industrial settings because these buildings accrete systems over time. A hotel that opened in 2005 has original chiller plant on one gas, a refurbished wing on another, kitchen refrigeration on a third and tenant units on a fourth. That is normal, and it is why the useful conversation with a supplier starts with a plant list rather than a single product.
Where the pressure actually comes from
Unlike a factory, the consequence of failure here is human and immediate. A guest floor that loses cooling in May generates complaints within the hour. An operating theatre out of specification cancels lists. A mall that cannot cool loses footfall on the day.
That reshapes what a facilities team needs from refrigerant supply. Not the lowest price on a bulk order — a cylinder available today, of exactly the right gas, with paperwork that will satisfy whoever audits the building. In hospitals particularly, temperature-controlled storage for pharmaceuticals and samples brings the same documentation expectations that pharmaceutical manufacturers face.
Legacy plant, and the R-22 question
Buildings of this vintage are where most surviving R-22 chiller plant sits. The position is worth stating clearly because it is widely misunderstood by building owners:
- Your existing R-22 equipment is legal to own, run and service
- What ended on 1 January 2025 is the manufacture of new equipment charged with R-22
- Servicing supply continues through the phase-down's servicing tail, from registered sellers only
- Supply gets tighter and the economics shift as the phase-down steps down
So there is no need to panic-replace a working chiller. There is a case for knowing your replacement or retrofit options before the machine forces the decision at the worst possible moment. R-22 retrofit options and the legal position in full.
What to send us, and what you get back
Send the gas, the quantity and the location. If you can send a plant list, better — it lets us tell you which of your systems are on gases with a longer or shorter comfortable horizon, which is useful at budget time.
What comes back: original sealed cylinders sourced directly from manufacturers, Stallion and Refron (GFL); GST invoice; Safety Data Sheets on request for any line; and for R-22 the record-keeping a registered seller maintains anyway. We are a distributor, not a testing laboratory — purity conformity is the manufacturer's, published by them, and we pass it through rather than assert it ourselves.
Collection from Ranigunj in Secunderabad, or dispatch Pan-India. Accessories travel with the gas.
Quick answers
Which refrigerants do hotel and hospital chillers use?
Most commonly R-134a in water-cooled chillers, R-410A and R-32 in VRF and split systems, R-407C in some chiller and AHU duty, and R-404A in kitchen and cold-room refrigeration. Older plant may still run R-22.
Do we have to replace our R-22 chiller?
No. Equipment already installed remains legal to own, run and service, and servicing supply continues from registered sellers. Only the manufacture of new R-22 equipment ended, on 1 January 2025. Planning a retrofit or replacement before the machine forces the decision is still sensible.
Can you supply facilities teams and AMC contractors directly?
Yes, both. Supply is to building operators and to the maintenance contractors working for them, with documentation available for either party's records.
- Ozone Cell, MoEFCC — HCFC phase-out management plan and the servicing provision — ozonecell.nic.in.
- ASHRAE — refrigerant designations and safety classifications — ashrae.org.
- World Health Organization — good storage practices for temperature-sensitive medical products — who.int.
This guide is general information compiled from the cited sources — not legal, safety or engineering advice. Read our full disclaimer.
Related: R-410A supply · R-22 retrofit options · MEP & AMC supply · All industries served