As HVAC technologies evolve to meet changing regulatory requirements and cooling needs, more engineers and building owners are turning to variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems. A recent article in ACHR News points to this 2025 HVACR trend, citing VRF systems as “the fastest growing segment of the commercial HVAC industry.”¹ These systems offer flexible design options, energy efficiency, and better temperature control, making them a strong fit for spaces like hotels, dormitories, hospitals, office buildings, and apartment complexes.

But with the VRF shift comes a new responsibility: ensuring indoor spaces stay safe in the case of a refrigerant leak. VRF systems function differently from legacy HVAC systems, which potentially increases the risk of human exposure to refrigerant gases in confined spaces.

VRF Systems Bring Refrigerant Directly Into Occupied Rooms

Unlike traditional HVAC systems that generally keep refrigerant gas lines outside of a building or centralized in a mechanical room, VRF systems carry refrigerant gases directly to the indoor units in the occupied space. This method allows for more precise temperature control in different rooms and energy savings for the building. In addition to the efficiencies and temperature control perks that come with VRF systems, regulations like the AIM Act are also helping fuel the growing transition to lower-global-warming-potential (GWP) refrigerants and HVAC systems. Even though lower-GWP refrigerant gases are considered safer for the environment, the need to protect people with fast detection and response to a leak remains high.

VRF systems can introduce potentially harmful refrigerant gases into human-occupied areas if a refrigerant gas leak event occurs. In places like hotels, dormitories, hospitals, and apartment buildings, even a small leak can pose a risk to occupants if left undetected.

Embracing a Safety-First Mindset Can Help Prevent Unnecessary Risks

Most refrigerant gases are heavier than air, meaning they will start to accumulate from the ground up in a confined space. Should these gases leak into an occupied space without any detection, they can accumulate and displace oxygen in the room. This can endanger people in these spaces, especially when they’re sleeping closer to the floor when lying on a bed or sofa.

Best practices for installing VRF systems should include a proactive approach to refrigerant gas detection inside occupied spaces, not just for compliance with regulations, but also for human safety and peace of mind.

Installing a refrigerant leak detector in rooms served by VRF units:

• Helps protect building occupants
• Enables fast response through building automation systems
• Demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to system safety

The MVR-300 is Designed for VRF Refrigerant Gas Detection in Occupied Spaces

The MSA MVR-300™ VRF Refrigerant Gas Detector is designed specifically for use with VRF systems. It monitors for refrigerant gases directly within spaces that may be occupied by people and provides both local alarms and digital signals to building controls if a leak is detected.

Key features of the MVR-300 include:

• Continuous in-room monitoring
• Audible and visual local alerting and the ability to provide clear alerts to occupants
• Integration with Building Management Systems/Building Automation Systems (BMS/BAS) to provide signal to close valves, activate alarms and exhaust fans, or initiate evacuation procedures
• Low-profile/flush mount design for aesthetically non-intrusive appearance in commercial and residential spaces
• Self-diagnostics and simple field calibration for easy maintenance
• Floor mapping and consolidated status updates for up to 99 MVR-300’s available on the MVR-SC Alarm Panel

If you have or are considering installing a VRF system, make sure safety is not an afterthought. Learn more about how the MVR-300 system can help you maintain comfortable spaces efficiently and safely. Check out all the key features and capabilities of the MSA MVR-300 VRF Refrigerant Gas Detector today!