Month: September 2024

This article is co-authored by Paul Camuti, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer, Trane Technologies and Kinnar Ghiya, Vice President, Procurement, Trane Technologies.

According to the World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD), in order to limit global warming to 1.5C or less in line with the Paris Agreement, it is essential to decarbonize our economy by 2050. And there is no decarbonizing our economy without decarbonizing buildings.

Embodied carbon in the built environment

Buildings are responsible for almost 40% of global energy and related carbon emissions: 28% from operational emissions—the energy needed to heat, cool and power them—and 11% from materials and construction. We are proud to be leading the reduction of operational emissions by achieving our 2030 Sustainability Commitments, but in order to achieve global climate goals, we also need to reduce the embodied carbon in building materials and equipment.

Embodied carbon refers to the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with a product material’s lifecycle, including the extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation and recycling. According to the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC), embodied carbon in building materials and equipment needs to be reduced by at least 40% from today’s levels by 2030 and to net-zero by 2050.

The embodied carbon footprint of buildings is made up of major building components like steel, concrete and aluminum, along with equipment like HVAC chillers and heat pumps and thermal storage systems, as well as electrical and plumping equipment. This is where Trane Technologies has a major opportunity to contribute.

Trane Technologies moves to reduce embodied carbon

Trane Technologies has announced a commitment to reduce embodied carbon by 40% by 2030. This is an industry-first, first-of-its-scale, precedent-setting commitment. It’s an expansion of our 2030 Sustainability Commitments, and it builds on our momentum for sourcing more sustainable solutions like low-carbon steel.

Industry-first and NGO aligned

WBCSD and WorldGBC have called for the building sector to reduce embodied carbon. And we are proud to be the first HVAC company to make the commitment. As a growth company, we don’t follow norms. We set them.

An expansion of our commitments

We have bold ambitions, set against aggressive baselines. We are constantly scanning the environment for opportunities to move faster and go farther. This new embodied carbon commitment is an expansion of our Leading by Example commitment to reduce the environmental impact of our own operations. As such, it is also set against a 2019 baseline.

Building on our momentum

In November 2022 we made a commitment to source low-carbon steel, and by November 2023, we had shipped more than one million HVAC units made with that low-carbon steel to homes, schools and data centers across the United States.

Our growth mindset and commitment to operational excellence serve as a system of checks and balances. With our deep experience, we know we need to test a bold commitment like this to ensure we can deliver. We have. And we will.

Collaborating with our suppliers

The building sector is incredibly interconnected. Our technology solutions are a component of buildings. And materials like steel, copper and aluminum are components of our solutions. Our suppliers have suppliers, and so on. We are transforming our economy. No one can do this alone.

And so we are collaborating with our suppliers to reduce carbon intensity across the value chain. This is a work in progress, and we are working together to bring transparency, standard approaches and efficient ways to measure and manage embodied carbon.

Building materials: We will focus our efforts on partnering with suppliers of materials used in buildings and building equipment, including steel, aluminum, copper and refrigerants, while continuing to incorporate circular design criteria into our product development projects.All top-emitting categories can contribute, but a priority approach will be leveraged for those with the highest impact and scale.

One company can change an industry

From our customers to our own operations to our suppliers, we are looking for ways to reduce emissions every step of the way. With this new commitment, we are addressing both sides of the challenge to reduce our own and our customers’ carbon footprints: by reducing operational carbon through the Gigaton Challenge and embodied carbon through this expansion of our Leading by Example commitment.

Our strong sustainability performance is the direct result of our culture and the actions our people take every day to deliver on our commitments. Our procurement teams are excited by the challenge to reduce embodied carbon. It aligns with our constant focus on productivity, growth, resiliency and sustainability.

The products we manufacture have a significant lifetime, often upwards of 15-20 years or more. The actions we take today to reduce the embodied carbon of those products have far-reaching implications for achieving tomorrow’s goals. And beyond our products, the way we lead matters.

With this move to reduce embodied carbon, we are elevating the important research of our NGO partners, we are celebrating the good work of our suppliers, and we are leading our industry forward to a more sustainable future. 
 

This article includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of securities laws, which are statements that are not historical facts, including statements that relate to our decarbonization efforts, our sustainability commitments and the impact of these commitments. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from our current expectations. Factors that could cause such differences can be found in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, as well as our subsequent reports on Form 10-Q and other SEC filings. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict these events or how they may affect the Company. We assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Originally published on NRG Insights

By Gin Kinney

With the conclusion of our 17th annual week of volunteerism, positiveNRG Impact Week, I’ve been reflecting on the importance of giving back and community. Both can profoundly shape our lives and leave a lasting impact. Giving back, at its core, is about dedicating time, resources, skills, or financial support to help others. Being part of a community requires more than just belonging – it requires action.

I continue to be inspired by the generosity, passion, and unwavering commitment of NRG employees for the communities where we live and work. Their readiness to give their time, effort, and care to enrich the lives of others, demonstrates the heart of what it means to truly be part of something greater than ourselves.

Making a difference

PositiveNRG, the philanthropic arm of NRG, has always been key in defining who we are as a company. It enables us to put our values into action by promoting healthy choices, enabling community resilience, and supporting environmental health. I am proud to work for a company that is dedicated to making a real difference.

Our corporate social responsibility initiatives including positiveNRG, have created a culture of caring and responsibility at NRG, one that has fostered strong ties across our employee base and instilled a shared sense of purpose that continues to drive connection among each other and within our communities.

It was amazing to connect and build lasting bonds while giving back. This year’s focus for positiveNRG Impact Week was food insecurity. Our colleagues united across 43 cities in the U.S. and Canada to provide one million meals to local nonprofits. I hope you will tune in to NRG’s social media channels to learn more and be encouraged by what the NRG team was able to achieve together this week and beyond.

Yum! Brands

Kudos to Jardine Restaurant Group of Vietnam (JRGVN) for launching their eco-friendly hexagonal pizza box design, using sustainably sourced packaging made from FSC-certified paper. One pizza box at a time, they’re helping to protect the forests.

Read their post below:

Each of our pizza boxes also carries out the mission of sustainable forest development.

Besides the new hexagonal pizza box design, which reduced plastic waste by over 6,000 kg annually, other Pizza Hut packaging, such as takeaway cups and salad boxes, also contributes to forest conservation through FSC-certified paper.

FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification, a voluntary standard for forest management organizations and wood product manufacturers, upholds stringent criteria for sustainable development. It balances environmental protection, social benefits for stakeholders (including manufacturers, businesses, communities, and residents), and economic viability.

Complying with FSC certification means that Pizza Hut uses natural resources effectively, reduces over-exploitation of forests, and ensures the balance of the forest ecosystem in the process of exploiting raw materials to produce paper boxes. Regarding society, this practice indirectly provides a planned livelihood for forest workers and prevents illegal logging. Therefore, while holding a pizza box in your hand, you are joining us in protecting the forests.

Small actions can have a significant impact. Jardine Restaurant Group Vietnam is committed to transparency and sustainable practices across all business operations, demonstrating our dedication to customers and environment.