Construction firms failing to ensure F-gas compliance

NORWAY: Some of Norway’s largest building and construction contractors have been accused of failing to ensure that those who install and dismantle refrigeration and AC systems are F-gas certified.

The audit of eight of the largest building and construction contractors in Norway by the Norwegian Environment Agency was carried out to establish whether main contractors had sufficient measures and routines in place to ensure sub-contractors comply with the European F-gas regulations

In Norway, as elsewhere, there is often a subcontractor who outsources the assignment to refrigeration contractors. Both the main contractor and the intermediary have a responsibility and must implement measures to ensure that the regulations for handling f-gases are complied with.

The audit found that the construction companies had scant knowledge of their responsibility, and none had sufficient measures and routines or took random samples to check whether the fitters they commissioned were certified or whether the intermediate companies that commissioned used subcontractors.

Thor Lexow, CEO of the Norwegian contractors association VKE commented: “The result is disappointing and shows that customers still have a long way to go.”