Lennox is the First HVAC OEM to Complete the U.S. Department of Energy's Commercial Building HVAC Technology Challenge Lab Validation

Lennox Commercial HVAC's cold climate heat pump rooftop unit is the first to pass lab validation in the 15-25 tons category of the Commercial Building HVAC Technology Challenge.

DALLAS, Sept. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lennox (NYSE: LII), a leader in energy-efficient climate solutions, announced that its commercial cold climate heat pump rooftop unit (RTU) was the first to successfully complete the laboratory validation for commercial unitary equipment in the 15-25 tons category in the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Commercial Building HVAC Technology Challenge.

Designed to produce innovative HVAC technology, this accomplishment helps provide customers with access to high-efficiency heat pumps in cold climates, improving performance and solving long-standing defrost limitations for greater comfort and reliability. According to the DOE, commercial building space conditioning accounts for approximately 40% of commercial energy use in the United States.

Led by its Texas Product Development and Research laboratory, Lennox developed a cold climate heat pump RTU that meets and, in many cases, exceeds the stringent performance requirements of the challenge, as validated in an independent lab by the DOE and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).  

"We approach advanced technology development with the intent to deliver practical, real-world solutions, and the successful validation of our rooftop cold climate heat pump brings us another step closer," said Lennox Chief Technology Officer Prakash Bedapudi. "This unit reflects years of focused research and development to overcome cold-climate limitations, particularly around defrost, and deliver consistent comfort in the toughest conditions. Our team is proud to be the first to complete the challenge while meeting the evolving needs of our customers."  

Lennox is one of eight manufacturers participating in the Commercial Building HVAC Technology Challenge. Later this year, the Lennox prototype will be installed in a U.S. commercial building to validate the cold climate heat pump's performance, efficiency, and comfort through severe winter conditions.   

This achievement supports a commitment to sustainable innovation and builds on a 130-year legacy of delivering advanced, energy-efficient solutions at Lennox. It also follows Lennox Residential HVAC's successful participation in DOE's Residential HVAC Challenge, where the company was also the first to complete Phase 1 testing in 2022.   

ABOUT LENNOX  

Lennox (NYSE: LII) is a leader in energy-efficient climate-control solutions. Dedicated to sustainability and creating comfortable and healthier environments for our residential and commercial customers while reducing their carbon footprint, we lead the field in innovation with our cooling, heating, indoor air quality, and refrigeration systems. Additional information is available at www.lennox.com. For media inquiries, contact [email protected].

SOURCE Lennox International Inc.