Johnson Controls joins White House roundtable to reinforce commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Company on track to meet $50 million R&D product investment that benefits both the environment and building operators
MILWAUKEE, Oct. 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson Controls today 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 invested $15 million in research and development (R&D) of low-GWP refrigerants and component technology for scroll, screw and centrifugal compressor-based products.
Over the past decade, Johnson Controls' industry-leading product innovations have reduced refrigerant charge in equipment by nearly 30 percent while improving efficiency over 40 percent, which has a major impact on reducing greenhouse gas. Other R&D 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 the Council on Environmental Quality 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.
In addition, the company will 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. The company also plans to support and participate in an industry effort to develop and standardize 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.
Learn more about Johnson Controls' commitments to the Council on Environmental Quality here: http://on.jci.com/1MrW3sT
About Johnson Controls:
Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. Our 130,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and seating components and systems for automobiles. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful. In 2015, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the #14 company in its annual "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com or follow us @johnsoncontrols on Twitter.
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SOURCE Johnson Controls
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