Rheem® Unveils 2035 Sustainability Roadmap at 2026 AHR Expo
The company showcased more than 15 new and enhanced innovative products for residential and commercial applications
ATLANTA, Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rheem®, a leader in the HVAC and water heating industry for over 100 years, revealed its vision for sustainability and numerous product innovations at the 2026 AHR Expo. Rheem's portfolio of 50 global brands, including Rheem Heating & Cooling and Water Heating, features advanced and environmentally conscious product solutions for residential and commercial applications.
Building a Sustainable Future
Rheem's President and Chief Executive Officer, Chris Peel; Chief Operating Officer, Alex Housten; and Senior Vice President of Strategy and Sustainability, Chee Wee Gan, announced the next chapter in the company's dedication to environmental sustainability at the AHR Expo with new targets that outline a bold vision for 2035 and beyond. Rheem is advancing its mission to engineer what is best for customers, the industry and the environment by establishing new goals through the company's A Greater Degree of Good™ initiative, including:
Rheem's 2035 Sustainability Goals:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 30% across the entire lifecycle of Rheem products.*
- Optimize packaging, ensuring 90% of packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable, or has 50% recycled content.**
- Maintain zero waste to landfill (ZWTL) status across all factories and extend the initiative to new acquisitions.†
- Reduce global waste intensity by 10% (ton/unit).‡
- Complete one million trainings for plumbers, contractors and key industry influencers worldwide, covering sustainable product use, refrigerant management, and best practices.
"I am proud of the work the Rheem team is doing to promote sustainability because it sets a great example for the industry," said Mike Branson, Rheem Global Air president and 2026 AHRI chairman. "In today's complex and fast-changing regulatory environment, Rheem now has a track record of surpassing its ambitious sustainability goals. As we head toward 2035, I'm confident that our team will be successful in this next phase of environmental stewardship."
Industry Leading Education and Innovation
On opening day, Chris Day, Rheem's vice president of product strategy, marketing and training, shared insights on trends in heat pump technology during an educational session. Day indicated that recent advancements in heat pump technology for Air and Water systems have expanded adoption across North America and are being driven by enhanced adaptability to various applications, increased affordability, and evolving customer expectations.
Rheem showcased more than 15 new and enhanced innovative products for residential and commercial applications from its brands Friedrich®, Gibson®, HTPG®, IBC™, Intertherm® and Raypak®:
Rheem Heating and Cooling:
Rheem Air Controls
Rheem Air Residential
- Endeavor® Line Prestige® Series Side-Discharge Universal Heat Pump
- Endeavor® Line Classic Plus Series Top-Discharge Universal Heat Pump
- Endeavor® Line Classic Plus® Series iR Packaged Dual Fuel
Rheem Air Commercial
Rheem Water Heating:
Rheem Water Residential
Rheem Water Commercial
Friedrich:
- Friedrich® FreshAire® PTAC
- Friedrich® Floating Air™ Ductless Mini-Split
- Friedrich® Breeze™ Universal Heat Pumps
Gibson:
HTPG:
IBC:
Intertherm:
Raypak:
Additional information is available at www.rheem.com and www.rheem.com/sustainability.
About Rheem®
For over 100 years, Rheem has stood as a trusted partner for residential and commercial innovations. From its humble beginnings in 1925, Rheem has grown into a leading global manufacturer of heating, cooling, water heating, and commercial refrigeration solutions, committed to sustainability, and enriching lives through innovative design, technology, and enduring quality.
To learn more, visit www.rheem.com.
*Rheem's goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2035 from the 2023 baseline. This metric will be based on intensity emissions normalized by revenue and includes scopes 1-3 as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
**Rheem measures reusable, recyclable, compostable, and recycled content in line with ISO and FTC standards.
† A Rheem plant is considered to have reached Zero Waste to Landfill when it achieves a rate of at least 90% diversion of nonhazardous solid waste away from landfill, waste-to-energy (WTE), and incineration, in line with the Zero Waste International Alliance standards and TRUE Zero Waste standards.
‡ Rheem measures waste intensity as a ratio of total weight of non-hazardous waste generated across all manufacturing facilities to total units produced from a 2023 baseline. At this time, figures for goals 1-4 mentioned in this article have not been independently verified by a third party.
SOURCE Rheem
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