Retrofitting commercial rooftop units for the next 15 years
Title 24, refrigerant transitions, and economizer faults — what we look for on a 25-ton rooftop replacement.
Why most commercial RTUs underperform
On commercial assessments we routinely find rooftop units running on failed economizers, miscalibrated thermostats, and refrigerant charges that drifted years ago. Before recommending replacement we instrument the unit for a week — most buildings can recover 15–25% of HVAC energy by fixing controls before they ever touch hardware.
Refrigerant and Title 24 in 2026
R-410A is phasing out under the AIM Act. New equipment is shipping with A2L refrigerants (R-454B, R-32), which require updated leak detection, line set verification, and Title 24 documentation. We design retrofits to land on equipment that will still be serviceable in 2035.
Right-sizing for actual occupancy
Most commercial RTUs were sized for 1990s occupancy patterns and indoor air quality assumptions. Post-pandemic ventilation rates and lower plug loads change the math. We rerun the load with current usage and often install smaller, variable-capacity units that hit ASHRAE 62.1 with less energy.
Planning a project like this?
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