In a move that shows commitment to environmental responsibility and British manufacturing, West Midlands-based HVAC manufacturer, Weatherite has introduced a next-generation R290 heat pump aimed at commercial and light-industrial use.
About the launch
The new unit, engineered using refrigerant R290 (a natural refrigerant with very low global warming potential), has been developed entirely in Britain, from design and testing to final assembly.
Weatherite emphasised that the system combines high efficiency with strict safety measures, including fully hermetic compressors, optimised heat exchangers, advanced defrost-cycle management and a bespoke safety architecture.
According to Weatherite’s Sales Director Michael Boyles, the R290 unit is the result of “intense research and development, conducted in collaboration with leading UK academic institutions.” He described it as a low-carbon system that doesn’t just meet existing regulatory standards but sets “a new benchmark for safety and real-world efficiency.”
What this means for businesses
- Lower environmental impact: R290 has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of only 3, compared with synthetic refrigerants whose GWP can reach into the thousands.
- Safety and reliability: Weatherite’s design includes multiple safety layers; leak detection, ventilation, and fail-safe shutdown protocols, aiming to overcome traditional safety concerns linked to flammable refrigerants.
- Efficiency and cost-effectiveness: The system is built to deliver efficient heating/cooling while minimising downtime and energy waste, making it suitable for commercial and light-industrial environments where consistent HVAC performance is critical.
Why this matters for Sandwell
As businesses across the West Midlands look to reduce their carbon footprint and meet evolving environmental standards, locally manufactured solutions like Weatherite’s R290 pump offer a viable, future-ready alternative. It reinforces the region’s strength in industrial innovation and supports the UK’s broader net zero goals.
the information and photos for this article came from Dudley News, read it here.
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