‘Company on track to meet $50 million R&D product investment that benefits both the environment and building operators’
On October 15, Johnson Controls joined a White House roundtable discussion on actions toward a phase down of high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants. In its first 12 months of a three-year commitment, Johnson Controls reaffirmed its $50 million investment to developing and expanding its existing low-GWP product portfolio.
Since last year, the company has invested $15 million in research and development of low-GWP refrigerants and component technology for scroll, screw and centrifugal compressor-based products.
Over the past decade, Johnson Controls’ innovations have reduced refrigerant charge in equipment by nearly 30 percent while improving efficiency by over 40 percent, which has a major impact on reducing greenhouse gas. Other focus areas have included efforts to reduce the potential for leaks, as well as improved maintenance practices and service training.
“A building’s heating and cooling systems account for approximately 40 percent of its yearly CO2 emissions. We can make an impact by improving the energy efficiency of the system to reduce power consumption as well as increasing the use of low-GWP refrigerants,” said Laura Wand, Vice President, Global Chiller Solutions at Johnson Controls’ buildings business. “Today’s commitment reaffirms our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a comprehensive approach providing safe, economical and available options for our customers.”
In addition to the investment disclosed at a roundtable meeting last October, Johnson Controls announced today that over the next 12 months the company will complete the following:
– Develop high-efficiency, low-GWP refrigerant options in its commercial air-conditioning and industrial refrigeration product portfolio.
– Offer equipment that can be readily retrofitted with low-GWP options for customers concerned that they will not receive the full value over the entire life of their equipment.
– Develop aftermarket retrofit services for customers who desire to convert their existing equipment to low-GWP refrigerants.
The company will also donate up to $100,000 toward independent, third-party, peer reviewed research to support the development safety standards related to the use of mildly flammable, low-GWP refrigerants.
Johnson Controls also plan to support and participate in an industry effort to develop and standardise service technician and operator training for the safe use of these same refrigerants.
“In the end, we want to choose refrigerants for our products that will best fit the needs of our customers and the environment, based on safety and efficiency, as well as reliability, availability and cost,” said Wand.
Johnson Controls joined a White House roundtable discussion on actions toward a phase down of high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants on Oct. 15. Pictured at the conference from left is Laura Wand, vice president, global chiller solutions at Johnson Controls Building Efficiency business, and Gina McCarthy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator. (PRNewsFoto/Johnson Controls)