For HVAC contractors tired of flying blind on leaky VRF systems, help may finally be on the way: A new Texas-Nebraska partnership promises to arm service techs with AI tools that can sniff out refrigerant losses fast –
before energy bills spike, warranties are voided, or callbacks eat into profits.
Internet of Team (IofTeam), an “intelligent building operations” firm headquartered in Hutto, Texas, is partnering with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Peter Kiewit Institute (PKI) in Omaha to fast-track commercialization of a novel method for detecting leaks in variable refrigerant volume (VRF) systems, a technology at the heart of smart, climate-friendly building management.
The collaboration centers around an algorithm developed by Dr. Haorong Li and his research team at PKI, recently disclosed in a UNL provisional patent application. The method promises to pinpoint refrigerant charge levels in VRF HVAC systems, helping technicians rapidly diagnose leaks that can sap energy, raise costs, and damage the environment.
“These are the kinds of leaks you don’t always notice right away, but over time they translate into big problems: higher utility bills, comfort complaints, and excess greenhouse gases,” said Patrick Davis, founder and CEO of IofTeam. “With regulations tightening and equipment getting more advanced, solving this is critical.”
The centerpiece of IofTeam’s pitch is DigiMEP, its cloud-based management platform for HVAC service teams. By embedding Dr. Li’s detection algorithm into DigiMEP, the partnership aims to give field technicians an “X-ray” capability – accurate, real-world data on refrigerant status, baked directly into routine diagnostics. Recent peer-reviewed research demonstrates the growing use of algorithms and AI for detecting refrigerant charge levels and diagnosing faults in VRF systems as well (Energy Reports, 2024; Applied Thermal Engineering, 2023).
The partnership comes as the HVAC industry faces new EPA standards requiring next-generation, lower-impact refrigerants. Detecting small leaks, long a technical challenge, is only becoming more important. By standardizing and automating the process, the team hopes to help service companies cut performance variance, reduce emissions, and avoid costly callbacks.
Their deal, formalized last month and slated to run through early 2027, will see IofTeam fund the full patent process and support joint research initiatives exploring even broader applications – including universal AI models for building energy management. PKI’s team will bring its technical expertise, with both sides sharing credit as inventors and rights-holders in IP that comes out of the partnership.
“This is what collaboration between academia and industry should look like,” Davis said. “It’s about matching ground-breaking research with real-world need, so innovation actually gets out of the lab and makes an impact.”
The complexity of VRF systems is generating demand for smart, automated tools that can process large volumes of sensor data, distinguish actual leaks from regular operating changes, and give actionable alerts to human technicians. As these models reach commercial platforms like DigiMEP, HVAC maintenance is moving rapidly toward a predictive, precision-driven future.
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