Refrigerant Management Technical Assistance & Grant Program

Welcome

The City of Ann Arbor is offering both a refrigerant management technical assistance program and a grant program to help eligible businesses reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and save money by replacing or retrofitting old and faulty refrigerant systems. Interested small food retail businesses can also be considered to sit on the Grant Program Steering Committee to help inform the grant program.

Ways to Get Involved

Technical Assistance Program

Technical assistance will be provided by a qualified technician who will conduct an on-site refrigerant assessment and guide businesses through appropriate promising practices as outlined in the GreenChill Best Practices Guideline: Commercial Refrigeration Leak Prevention & Repairs. Technical assistance site visits will include jointly performing a hands-on inspection of the refrigerant system, receiving a leak detector to monitor the system, training in preventative maintenance, and more. Each business that participates in the technical assistance program will receive follow-up support.

Interested in participating in the technical assistance program? Please fill out this Form.

One free handheld refrigerant leak detector.

On-site technical assistance and training aligning with the U.S. EPA GreenChill best practices, including preventative maintenance, leak detection and repair, and sharing knowledge of best practices and resources.

Follow-up refrigerant management support from the City of Ann Arbor and technical assistance experts.

Access to opportunities for further engagement, including two business roundtables per year.

Improved refrigerant system efficiency, reducing energy costs and environmental impacts.

Priority consideration for grant funding to switch to a low-global warming potential (GWP) refrigeration system.

Reduced emissions, improving air quality and lowering climate impacts.
Recognition for your efforts, including listing your business on the City’s website and related promotional materials.

To be eligible for this program, businesses must be independently owned and operated food retailers with 100 or fewer employees and located in Ann Arbor. Examples of businesses that may be eligible for this program include gas stations, convenience stores, liquor stores, and small grocers. Priority will be given to businesses located in historically underserved communities, as identified by the EJScreen tool . Participants should be prepared to participate in an exit interview when completing the program.

Grant Program

The City of Ann Arbor is offering a competitive grant program for eligible small food retail businesses to upgrade from high-global warming potential (GWP) refrigeration systems to low-GWP alternatives, significantly reducing local greenhouse gas emissions and major environmental contaminants. A total of $100,000 is available to businesses to replace, retrofit, or upgrade to refrigeration systems that use refrigerants with a relatively low climate impact.

Interested in receiving updates about the grant program, including when applications open, or in applying for grant funding once the program begins? Please fill out this Form.

*Note: filling out this form will not impact your likelihood of receiving grant funding

Financial support to switch to a low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant system.

Significant greenhouse gas emissions reduction.

Get connected to additional opportunities with the City of Ann Arbor.
Recognition for your business and your sustainability-related activities

To be eligible for this program, businesses must have demonstrated the need for and agree to use grant funds to upgrade, replace, or retrofit a refrigeration system or unit that did not previously use refrigerants from the EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) and agree to only purchase refrigerants and/or refrigeration systems that contain refrigerants included in the SNAP with grant funds. 

Businesses must be independently owned and operated food retailers with 100 or fewer employees and located in Ann Arbor. Examples of businesses that may be eligible for this program include gas stations, convenience stores, liquor stores, and small grocers. Priority will be given to businesses located in historically underserved communities, as identified by the EJScreen tool.

Grant Program Steering Committee

A steering committee of 5-7 local businesses is forming to help create the refrigerant management grant application and selection criteria to ensure it is equitable, accessible, and reflective of real-world conditions. 

Interested in becoming a steering committee member to help develop the City’s refrigerant management grant program? Please fill out this Form. Please complete this form by May 1, 2025.

*Note: filling out this form will not directly impact the likelihood of receiving grant funding. Participating in the steering committee will not guarantee that your business will receive grant funding.

Have a role in shaping the grant program.

Participate in discussions with businesses similar to your own.

Get connected to other opportunities with the City of Ann Arbor.

*Note: participating in the development of the grant program does not influence your likelihood of receiving these grant funds

It is highly preferred that participants in this steering committee meet the eligibility requirements for the refrigerant management grant program and technical assistance program. This includes representatives from independently owned and operated Ann Arbor food retail businesses with 100 or fewer employees. Examples of businesses that may be eligible for this program include gas stations, convenience stores, liquor stores, and small grocers. Priority will be given to representatives from businesses located in historically underserved communities, as identified by the EJScreen tool.

Refrigerant Management and Ann Arbor's Climate Goals

Commercial refrigeration is a major driver of climate change. According to the California Air Resources Board, one pound of R-22, the most common commercial refrigerant today, has a GWP of 1,810. This means R-22 is 1,810 times more potent of a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, which has a GWP of 1. In other words, one pound of R-22 has a similar GWP to one ton of carbon dioxide. Moreover, research shows that food retail businesses leak an estimated 25% of their refrigerant per year on average, leading to significant greenhouse gas emissions. Strategy 5 of the City’s carbon neutrality plan, A²ZERO, lays out goals to change the way we use, reuse, and dispose of materials to ensure the highest and most efficient use. Due to their significant climate impact, refrigerants are specifically identified in the A²ZERO plan as materials that need to be managed more sustainably.

Contact Info

Claire DeBlanc

Sustainability Coordinator, Circular Economy

cdeblanc@a2gov.org

Email Claire