Johnson Controls, a global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, has been named a finalist in the Empire Technology Prize, a $10 million competition to advance building technologies for low carbon heating system retrofits in tall commercial and multifamily buildings in New York State.
The competition is led by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and its ecosystem of partners, in an innovative and collaborative effort to address the unique technologies needed to decarbonise existing infrastructure in buildings seven stories or taller.
“Buildings are one of the leading sources of greenhouse gas emissions in New York State and 70% of buildings in the state were constructed before energy codes were even developed. I commend NYSERDA for their leadership in ensuring resiliency and efficiency of the state’s building stock,” said Katie McGinty, vice president and chief sustainability and external relations officer, Johnson Controls. “Smart action on climate not only protects the environment but it bolsters the bottom line. We are thrilled to move forward to demonstrate that technology can and will tackle climate while offering a competitive edge. With the Empire Technology Prize we are eager to take our capabilities to the next level and help deliver a promising and sustainable future.”
A global Johnson Controls team proposed an innovative heat pump solution that delivers cooling and heating for buildings in a safe, reliable and efficient manner. The system consists of a heat pump that runs on ultra-low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant, in combination with zero-GWP mechanical vapour recompression technology, which meets the competition’s criteria for both sustainability and performance. The innovative solution is expected to save a significant amount of energy and water, compared to a conventional system that includes a standalone chiller and boiler.
The solution will be developed by teams in North America and Europe, led by Ian Casper, vice president, engineering, Global Products, Johnson Controls and Rajesh Dixit, director of product management, Global Products, Johnson Controls.
“Buildings account for nearly 40% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and this competition showcases the power of innovation and collaboration to help solve this problem,” said Rajesh Dixit, director of product management, Global Products, Johnson Controls. “The Johnson Controls heat pump solution provides excellent operational efficiency, while maintaining a low carbon footprint. I am proud of the hard work and bright ideas of the Johnson Controls team and look forward to the next stage of the competition.”
Johnson Controls is one of seven finalist companies that received cash awards to progress their solutions over the next year. Awards will be available to help finalists offset the costs of installing solutions such as pilot programmes or demonstration projects in eligible tall buildings in the New York market. At the end of the one-year prize programme, ending June 2025, one winner will be awarded a grand prize, based on the solution with the greatest potential cumulative carbon emissions reduction by 2040 in the New York market, with a goal of facilitating the further development and deployment of the solution in New York’s tall buildings.
The competition is a NYSERDA initiative, administered by The Clean Fight with technical support from Rocky Mountain Institute, and includes a $3 million sponsorship from Wells Fargo.
