The San Francisco Environment Department (SF Environment) is making waves with its latest initiative targeted at the city’s small businesses. Unveiled during the San Francisco Small Business Week, the Bay Area Regional Energy Network’s Refrigerant Replacement Program (BRRR) offers a climate-forward solution for operations within the food and floral sectors, and it does not come with a hefty price tag. The BRRR program provides incentives that assist small businesses in replacing outdated and harmful refrigerants with eco-friendlier alternatives, in addition to sealing refrigerant leaks and enhancing the efficiency of refrigeration systems, all of which could come at low or no cost to eligible businesses.
In a city that is no stranger to addressing climate change, SF Environment’s Director, Tyrone Jue, expressed enthusiasm over the available resources to local enterprises. “As we launch San Francisco Small Business Week, I am thrilled to be able to announce another climate-forward resource program that will help our small businesses succeed,” Jue said, according to the San Francisco Environment Department. He emphasized the program’s alignment with the city’s ambition to attain net-zero emissions and ensure neighborhood stores contribute to and benefit from such climate actions, without incurring additional financial strain.
Haight and Cole Liquors were the first to capitalize on the BRRR initiative. The historic Haight-Ashbury-based store, a local fixture for over a quarter century, underwent a free equipment evaluation, leading to the installation of new fan motors, better insulation, and critical leak repairs. This zero-cost upgrade dropped the refrigeration temperature by 10 degrees and led to increased system efficiency, translating directly into lower energy usage and reduced utility bills. Frank Zeidan, the store’s owner, detailed his anxieties over the costs of upgrading their systems and how the incentive changed his predicament. “Without incentives, we would not have been able to make the improvements we needed,” Zeidan told SF Environment. “We are grateful for the opportunity to upgrade our refrigeration equipment and are excited for other small businesses to benefit like we have.”
The ripple effects of this program are far-reaching, with the BRRR Program being a pivotal component of the city’s broader Climate Action Plan. By aiding businesses in transitioning to refrigerants with a lower global warming potential (GWP), a significant decrease in harmful emissions is achieved. GWP measures the impact of gases on the climate; the old refrigerants traditionally used in systems are notorious for being some of the worst contributors.
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