The State Building Code Council on Sept. 26 received two petitions from Eric Vandermee asking the council to update emergency rules and the 2024 mechanical code to reflect recent ASHRAE 15 addenda and related test/installation standards for A2L refrigerants.

Vandermee, representing Delta‑E Consulting, told the council the petitions “are essentially putting us in alignment with nationally recognized standards” and that the revisions add exceptions and clarifications that would let properly tested refrigerant piping be routed without vented shafts in some installations. He said the changes make it more cost‑effective to install heat‑pump and VRF systems that use A2L refrigerants while preserving safety through testing and leak detection.

Council members noted the petitions update references to ASHRAE 15 (the continuous‑maintenance standard) and cited related test and equipment standards such as UL 60335‑2‑40. Kjell Anderson and others reviewed proposed edits and a small typographical fix was identified in the posted language (the word “tested” was missing in one exception); the proponent acknowledged the scrivener’s error.

The council did not take final rulemaking action at the meeting. Instead it referred both petitions to the MVPE (Mechanical, Ventilation, Plumbing and Energy) committee for further review and invited the committee to consider the emergency‑rule update for the 2021 code and the proposal to incorporate the language into the 2024 mechanical code. The committee referral passed on a council vote.

Why it matters: A2L refrigerants (lower‑global warming potential refrigerants with mild flammability) are increasingly used as industry phases down higher‑GWP gases. States and jurisdictions are updating codes to permit modern high‑efficiency systems while addressing safety through equipment standards, piping tests, and leak detection requirements.

What’s next: The MVPE committee will review the petitions, the ASHRAE addenda status, and any needed edits before recommending whether the council should find an emergency and pursue rulemaking to amend the emergency rule and the 2024 mechanical code.