A dedicated round table on the transition from F-gases to alternative refrigerants will take place at Chillventa 2026 on Thursday, 15 October, from 14:40 to 15:20, within the Specialist Forum – Applications & Education & Regulation, in Hall 8 / 8-512.
Entitled “From F-Gas Regulation to Alternative Refrigerants – Technologies, Safety and Skills for the RACHP Transition”, the forum will bring together representatives from international organisations and leading HVACR companies to discuss how regulation, technological innovation, safety requirements and professional skills are reshaping the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump sector.
The session will be moderated by Marco Buoni, CEO of Centro Studi Galileo, and will feature Sonja Wagner, Programme Management Officer at UNEP OzonAction; David Wirth, Power Packs Senior Manager at Epta Refrigeration; Volker Stamer, Director of Schaufler Academy at BITZER, together with representatives from Fieldpiece and CAREL Industries.
The discussion will focus on four key areas. The first will concern technology, looking at the refrigerants and system solutions that are increasingly influencing the market. A second focus will be dedicated to safety, particularly the practical management of A2L and highly flammable refrigerants. The panel will also examine the issue of skills, asking whether technicians, installers and service companies are sufficiently prepared for the rapid evolution of technologies and regulations. Finally, the speakers will look ahead to the end of the decade and discuss the knowledge and professional competences that the RACHP technician of 2030 will need.
The forum will open with a presentation of the International Special Issue 2026, introduced by Marco Buoni as an international platform for sharing technical knowledge across the RACHP sector. A special focus by Sonja Wagner will then be dedicated to INWIC – International Network for Women in Cooling and to the role of women in the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump sector.
The central part of the event will be structured as a moderated round table, encouraging direct discussion among the panelists and interaction with the audience. The session will conclude with an open Q&A and final reflections on the three priorities identified for the transition: technology, safety and skills.
FULL PROGRAMME
FROM F-GAS REGULATION TO ALTERNATIVE REFRIGERANTS
Technologies, Safety and Skills for the RACHP Transition
Chillventa Specialist Forum – Applications & Education & Regulation
Thursday, 15 October 2026 | 14:40–15:20 | Hall 8 / 8-512
Round Table Discussion | English
Moderator
Marco Buoni, CEO, Centro Studi Galileo
Panelists
Sonja Wagner, Programme Management Officer, UNEP OzonAction
Andreina Figuera, Solution Marketing Manager Refrigeration, CAREL Industries
David Wirth, Power Packs Senior Manager, Epta Refrigeration
Volker Stamer, Director of Schaufler Academy, BITZER
Kyle Chester-Marsden, EMEA Training Manager, Fieldpiece Instruments
14:40 – 14:45 | Welcome & Opening
The International Special Issue 2026: Sharing Knowledge for the RACHP Transition
- Marco Buoni, Centro Studi Galileo
14:45 – 14:50 | Special Focus
Empowering Women in RACHP: INWIC
- Sonja Wagner, UNEP OzonAction
14:50 – 15:10 | Round Table Discussion
The transition in practice: what changes for the industry?
- All panelists
Main Topics:
- Technology: Which refrigerants and system solutions are shaping the market?
- Safety: How do we safely manage A2L and highly flammable refrigerants in real-world applications?
- Skills: Are technicians, installers and service companies ready for the new technologies?
- The future: What skills will the RACHP technician need by 2030?
15:10 – 15:15 | Audience Q&A
15:15 – 15:20 | Closing
One transition, three priorities: technology, safety and skills