Tag: 3BL

May 11, 2026 /3BL/ – The Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC) is pleased to welcome Smith+Nephew, a global medical technology company specializing in orthopaedics, sports medicine, ear–nose–throat (ENT) surgical reconstruction, and advanced wound management, as a new member.

“We’re excited to add Smith+Nephew to our growing membership,” shared Tracy Taszarek, Executive Director of HPRC. “They bring significant expertise as a global medical technology manufacturer, with deep experience in medical device packaging engineering, sterilization methods, and regulatory and quality compliance—capabilities that are critical to overcoming barriers in healthcare plastics recycling.”

Anchored in “People, Planet, and Products,” Smith+Nephew’s sustainability strategy aligns with HPRC’s goals and initiatives. Their strategy incorporates several activities which will lend valuable insights to HPRC’s work including designing packaging with reusable, recyclable, and/or renewable resources, standardizing mono-material packaging, and collaborating with suppliers to increase post-consumer recycled content.

“As a global medical technology leader, our ESG efforts aim for packaging that supports product safety, quality and sustainability,” shared Katya Hantel, VP, ESG at Smith+Nephew. “We’re thrilled to be joining HPRC and contributing to transformative solutions for healthcare plastics sustainability.”

HPRC is currently engaged in multiple initiatives aimed at enabling the recycling and circularity of healthcare plastics, including an assessment of recycling infrastructure, opportunities for labelling standardization, and developing a scalable playbook for implementing regional hospital recycling programs.

 

About HPRC

HPRC is a private technical coalition of industry peers across healthcare, recycling, and waste management industries seeking to improve the recyclability of plastic products within healthcare. Made up of more than 30 brand-leading and globally recognized members, HPRC explores ways to enhance the economics, efficiency, and ultimately the quality and quantity of healthcare plastics collected for recycling in support of a circular plastics economy. HPRC is active across the United States and Europe working with key stakeholders, identifying opportunities for collaboration, and participating in industry events and forums. For more information, visit www.hprc.org and follow HPRC on LinkedIn.

 

About Smith+Nephew

Smith+Nephew is a portfolio medical technology business focused on the repair, regeneration and replacement of soft and hard tissue. We exist to restore people’s bodies and their self-belief by using technology to take the limits off living. We call this purpose ‘Life Unlimited’. Our 17,000 employees deliver this mission every day, making a difference to patients’ lives through the excellence of our product portfolio, and the invention and application of new technologies across our three global business units of Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine & ENT and Advanced Wound Management.

Founded in Hull, UK, in 1856, we now operate in around 100 countries, and generated annual sales of $6.2 billion in 2025. Smith+Nephew is a constituent of the FTSE100 (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN). The terms ‘Group’ and ‘Smith+Nephew’ are used to refer to Smith & Nephew plc and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise.

For more information about Smith+Nephew, please visit www.smith-nephew.com and follow us on X, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.

Bob Herr| Director of Corporate Governance
John Huang, CFA| Director of Responsible Investments, Data and Technology—Responsibility
Ryan Oden| Co–Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst—US Growth Equities

Our research shows a link between governance and stock returns.

Investors have long suspected that companies with poor corporate governance may be more prone to mismanagement and weak returns. Our research suggests they’re right.

Specifically, our proxy voting study shows a connection between governance and return. We think proxy voting is one of the best tools investors can use to express a view on the quality of a firm’s governance, providing it’s based on careful analysis and accountability, not a rubber stamp.

We believe that proxy voting—alongside direct engagement*—may encourage companies to improve their governance practices, which may result in better long-term outcomes. Several studies, including our own findings, have made this connection much more apparent.

The Governance-Return Nexus

In one study, professors at Harvard Law School constructed an entrenchment index, or “E-index,” based on six key governance provisions. Their findings linked poorer E-index ratings with reductions in firm valuations and returns across US equities from 1990 to 2003. Since then, the predictive power of the E-index has waned, as investors learned to more accurately price these governance risks.

More recently, S&P Global found that, between 2000 and 2017, companies in the bottom quartile of S&P Dow Jones Indices’ governance scores underperformed those in the top quintile by about 2% on an annualized basis.

Inspired by these observations and our own experience, we designed an internal study to determine if a similar association exists between our proxy-voting record and returns. We found that, on average, companies where we voted against management (VAM) on any number of proposals later underperformed those with which we were aligned. 

Standing Up for Governance—One Company at a Time

Evaluating governance isn’t a one-size-fits-all proposition. Our approach focuses on issues that are material to investors, backed by a willingness to vote independently of management and proxy advisors. We use a proprietary proxy-voting policy to vet each company’s alignment with our basic expectations, followed by a collaborative review process that leverages analyst expertise and engagement data. This approach enables us to incorporate company-specific insights to implement more constructive voting strategies.

When we surmise a company’s governance practices aren’t supporting our clients’ best interests, we may vote against management to signal our objection; when executive compensation is misaligned with performance, we vote against it.

Some governance issues may warrant a stance against the specific board member(s) responsible—also known as an “accountability vote.” For instance, seeing internal accounting problems, we may record our opposition to the chair of the audit committee.

Entered into Evidence, Thousands of AB Proxy Votes  

Within this backdrop, our study retraced approximately 12,000 shareholder meetings with MSCI AWCI firms between 2019 and 2025.

To help quantify a company’s degree of alignment with our governance expectations, we grouped the companies into equal-weighted baskets based on our number of VAMs. For example, zero VAMs may reflect stronger alignment based on what we believe is sound governance and oversight across the firm. One VAM indicates a single “no” vote on any of the proposed matters, from capitalization and audits to compensation and director elections. Two VAM reflects our disapproval on two such measures, and so forth.

VAMs occurred in approximately 55% of all shareholder meetings during the period, which means we pushed back—whether on minor issues or proposals of greater consequence—a majority of the time. This reflects our rigorous standards and desire to improve on the status quo. Multiple VAMs can be vital for voicing material concerns, especially if a firm’s governance has been a growing issue for several years.

We next linked our proxy votes to each company’s stock returns in the following calendar year. Companies with higher governance quality—as approximated by our proxy votes—delivered stronger absolute and risk-adjusted returns during the period studied (Display). We found that zero-VAM companies—those we fully supported—outperformed those in the other VAM baskets by 2.6% to 4.6% per year on average. We observed this trend among similarly sized peers and across most—but not all—sectors and regions. 

For the seven-year period, the zero-VAM basket delivered a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.1% with a 0.72 Sharpe ratio, while the three+-VAM basket delivered a 6.5% CAGR with a 0.42 Sharpe ratio.

Governance Matters: We Vote Accordingly

Proxy voting should be more than a compliance exercise. It’s a fundamental tool in active management, empowering investors to sway companies from pitfalls that can impede long-term performance. In matters of governance especially, we’ve found that well-thought-out proxy votes can improve business decisions, from leadership and disclosures to compensation and capitalization.

Landon Shea, Investment Stewardship Associate and Research Lead, and Peter Højsteen-Ljungbeck, ESG Data Research Analyst at AB, were instrumental in the research that formed the basis for this blog.

*AB engages issuers where it believes the engagement is in the best interest of its clients.

MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations, and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indices or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, reviewed or produced by MSCI.

The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice or trade recommendations, do not necessarily represent the views of all AB portfolio-management teams and are subject to change over time.

Learn more about AB’s approach to responsibility here.
 

Originally published by GoDaddy

TEMPE, Ariz., May 11, 2026 /3BL/ – GoDaddy (NYSE: GDDY), the world’s largest domain registrar, launched Airo for WordPress, an AI-powered experience that transforms how small businesses and web professionals build, manage and grow their WordPress websites.

Today, customers can create and launch a fully functional WordPress site in minutes with Airo for WordPress. Within the native WordPress dashboard, Airo for WordPress combines AI creation and ongoing editing with full ecosystem support, managed infrastructure, agency-friendly workflows and more.

“Small businesses and agencies have long faced a tradeoff where website builders are easy but limiting, while WordPress is powerful but complex,” said Bhala Dalvi, vice president of engineering at GoDaddy. “Airo for WordPress eliminates that by bringing the speed and simplicity of AI together with the flexibility and ownership of WordPress.”

Launch Fast. Improve Continuously.

Airo for WordPress goes beyond traditional AI website builders by supporting the entire lifecycle of a website, not just creation.

Key capabilities include:

• AI-powered site creation in minutes using a conversational chat interface
• Lightning-fast page-load times, up to 2x faster performance than the competition*
• Single-prompt AI companion functionality to create blogs, update products, refresh webpages and more in minutes
• Continuous AI-driven improvements, allowing users to update and evolve their site over time
• Seamless editing inside WordPress with no need for a separate builder UI or parallel plugin interface
• Automatic plugin installation and configuration based on business needs
• Dual editing paths, enabling users to switch between AI assistance and the native WordPress editor

Unlike many AI tools that focus only on initial setup, Airo continues working long after launch, helping businesses keep their websites fresh, optimized and aligned with their goals.

Simplicity Meets Flexibility for Small Businesses and Agencies

Designed for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and agencies that need more than a basic website, Airo for WordPress delivers AI-powered ease without sacrificing the depth and control that professionals expect from WordPress.

Whether launching a new brand or managing multiple client sites, users have access to more than 60,000 plugins, full ownership of their site and data with no platform lock-in, and a WordPress foundation that scales with their business. Airo for WordPress also treats commerce as a first-class capability, generating a complete WooCommerce storefront from a single conversation, with no manual configuration required.

By embedding AI directly into the tools users already know, GoDaddy is delivering an end-to-end platform for creating, managing and growing an online presence.

To experience Airo for WordPress free for seven days, visit news.godaddy/airoforwordpress.

About GoDaddy 
GoDaddy, the world’s largest domain name registrar, helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start, grow, and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a website and logo, sell their products and services and accept payments. GoDaddy Airo®, the company’s AI-powered experience, makes growing a small business faster and easier by helping them to get their idea online in minutes, drive traffic and boost sales. GoDaddy’s expert guides are available 24/7 to provide assistance. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

*With optimized server hardware and GoDaddy Website Security Suite, including a CDN and WAF, you’ll get faster page load times. GoDaddy does not claim best page load performance in industry. Actual results vary by region. See terms for uptime guarantee.

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

At just 33 years old, Adamari López was thriving in her career and had quickly become a household name. She was successful, happy, healthy and felt unstoppable. It was then that an ordinary moment changed her life. During a regular self-exam, she discovered a lump that she couldn’t ignore.

Like many women, she initially wondered if it was nothing — a hormonal change, stress, something temporary. A doctor suggested the same. But when the lump didn’t go away and pain followed, Adamari listened to her instincts and returned for further testing.

Several doctor visits and tests later, she was faced with the unexpected, but unfortunately it happens more often than one might think, even at her age: a breast cancer diagnosis. Adamari’s world quickly shifted from television studios and bright lights to doctor appointments and treatment that included surgery, chemotherapy and steps that would help preserve her fertility — choices that not only helped save her life, but helped give her the best chance at the future she knew she wanted beyond cancer. All were successful: Adamari is now a mom, cancer-free, back hard at work and mission-driven — milestones that once felt uncertain but now proudly define who Adamari is.

Survival with purpose: From patient to champion

Today, more than two decades after diagnosis, Adamari’s life is full — as a writer, television personality, mother and survivor. Her journey inspired her and shaped her purpose to help empower people to take charge of their wellness, driving the importance of being proactive and persistent when it comes to routine health care.

“My main reason for speaking openly has always been to emphasize the importance of prioritizing your health — because you never know what life may bring,” said Adamari. “By having these regular, open conversations about our health, we can have a positive impact on our families and communities to create a healthier, brighter future for everyone.”

Adamari lives by example, instilling these same principles for her daughter, Alaïa, who speaks out herself about her mom’s story. And it’s because of this unwavering commitment to helping others understand the importance of proactive health that Adamari was honored as one of Aflac’s inaugural Check for Cancer Champions — an exclusive group comprised of people who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to turning negatives into positives.

Cancer remains part of her story, not as a shadow, but as a catalyst. It reshaped how she measures success, deepened her empathy and clarified her mission. It’s a message forged in survival, delivered with urgency and hope — and one she continues to share so that others may never have to learn it on their own. At the same time, Alaïa has been recognized by Aflac as a junior Check for Cancer Champion.

Helping break down cultural barriers

For many Hispanic families, health decisions are rarely made in isolation. According to the 2025 Aflac Wellness Matters Survey®, Hispanic men (86%) and Hispanic women (83%) are among the most likely to be swayed by a loved one urging them to act on their personal health. The study also found that one-third of U.S. Hispanics cited their mothers as their top advocate, underscoring the powerful role family plays in shaping these types of decisions.

“I’m deeply aware of how culture, language and access can shape health outcomes,” said Adamari. “I don’t just want the Latina community to be aware of the potential impact of cancer, I want them to feel empowered to have regular, open conversations, ask questions and seek care early — even if they feel fine.”

For Adamari, fostering those conversations within families, across generations and in trusted spaces is essential to breaking down barriers and building a healthier future for the communities she has long represented — just another reason why Adamari is a champion.

The Check for Cancer Champions program is part of Aflac’s Check for Cancer initiative, a bold, national movement to increase cancer screenings by 10% over 10 years. Learn more about the Check for Cancer movement by visiting Aflac.com/CheckForCancer. 

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^{Aflac WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999}

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LINCOLN, Neb., May 11, 2026 /3BL/ – The Arbor Day Impact Fund, a mission-driven investment initiative of the Arbor Day Foundation, is working to accelerate large-scale reforestation in Brazil alongside its new partner, Working Trees.

The partnership combines catalytic capital from the Arbor Day Impact Fund with Working Trees’ on‑the‑ground reforestation capabilities in order to support tree planting, ecosystem restoration, and the development of high‑integrity forestry carbon removal projects. Together, the organizations aim to help promising projects move from early development to durable, investable climate solutions.

“High‑impact reforestation projects often face a critical gap between planting trees and securing long‑term financial sustainability. We want to close that gap by pairing low-cost capital with market access,” said Pete Davis, Managing Director of the Arbor Day Impact Fund. “This partnership will empower us to not only help Working Trees scale faster with greater confidence, but also turn climate ambition into durable, tangible impact —rooted in trees, trust, and long‑term stewardship.”

“One of the most critical barriers facing nature-based carbon projects is the early-stage capital required before a single credit can be sold. The Arbor Day Foundation has identified this gap and taken a meaningful step toward closing it – providing the catalytic financing that allows projects like ours to get trees in the ground today, before carbon revenues materialize. Beyond the capital itself, Arbor Day’s deep relationships on the buyer side will help unlock the further commercialization of our projects at the scale this moment demands,” said Leif Gonzales-Kramer, CEO of Working Trees. “Creating systems change requires long-term partnerships – not one-off transactions. We are proud to stand alongside one of the world’s most trusted organizations in tree planting, and excited about what we can build together.”

Working Trees has significant operational experience in reforestation and land‑based climate solutions, translating investment into trees planted, new income streams for farmers, landscapes restored, and carbon sequestered.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit with more than 50 years of tree planting experience. The organization specializes in fostering strong connections with corporate buyers, investors, project developers, and on-the-ground planting partners.

In addition to providing capital, the Arbor Day Foundation will help Working Trees connect its forestry carbon removal project to corporate and institutional buyers seeking credible, nature‑based climate action earlier in the project lifecycle. This can help reduce market uncertainty and strengthen project bankability, by supporting offtake discussions, aligning projects with buyer expectations, and helping translate restoration outcomes into market‑ready opportunities.

This collaboration is part of the Foundation’s broader effort to support forestry ventures that are ready to scale but underserved by traditional finance. Visit arborday.org/impact-fund to learn more.

About the Arbor Day Foundation 

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners. And this is only the beginning.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.

About the Working Trees

Working Trees is a nature-based carbon project developer on a mission to mobilize the next generation of cattle ranching – where nature and producers thrive together. We partner with cattle ranchers to deploy silvopasture at the million-hectare scale, integrating trees into active grazing systems to sequester carbon, restore biodiversity, and improve farmer livelihoods.

Founded at Stanford University, to-date Working Trees has deployed over 2,000 hectares of silvopasture, planting approximately 400,000 trees and distributing over $1M directly to farming families.

Working Trees aims to deploy 50,000 hectares of silvopasture by 2030 and 100M hectares by 2050. Learn more at workingtrees.com.

 

###

LINCOLN, Neb., May 11, 2026 /3BL/ – The Arbor Day Impact Fund, a mission-driven investment initiative of the Arbor Day Foundation, is working to accelerate large-scale reforestation in Brazil alongside its new partner, Working Trees.

The partnership combines catalytic capital from the Arbor Day Impact Fund with Working Trees’ on‑the‑ground reforestation capabilities in order to support tree planting, ecosystem restoration, and the development of high‑integrity forestry carbon removal projects. Together, the organizations aim to help promising projects move from early development to durable, investable climate solutions.

“High‑impact reforestation projects often face a critical gap between planting trees and securing long‑term financial sustainability. We want to close that gap by pairing low-cost capital with market access,” said Pete Davis, Managing Director of the Arbor Day Impact Fund. “This partnership will empower us to not only help Working Trees scale faster with greater confidence, but also turn climate ambition into durable, tangible impact —rooted in trees, trust, and long‑term stewardship.”

“One of the most critical barriers facing nature-based carbon projects is the early-stage capital required before a single credit can be sold. The Arbor Day Foundation has identified this gap and taken a meaningful step toward closing it – providing the catalytic financing that allows projects like ours to get trees in the ground today, before carbon revenues materialize. Beyond the capital itself, Arbor Day’s deep relationships on the buyer side will help unlock the further commercialization of our projects at the scale this moment demands,” said Leif Gonzales-Kramer, CEO of Working Trees. “Creating systems change requires long-term partnerships – not one-off transactions. We are proud to stand alongside one of the world’s most trusted organizations in tree planting, and excited about what we can build together.”

Working Trees has significant operational experience in reforestation and land‑based climate solutions, translating investment into trees planted, new income streams for farmers, landscapes restored, and carbon sequestered.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit with more than 50 years of tree planting experience. The organization specializes in fostering strong connections with corporate buyers, investors, project developers, and on-the-ground planting partners.

In addition to providing capital, the Arbor Day Foundation will help Working Trees connect its forestry carbon removal project to corporate and institutional buyers seeking credible, nature‑based climate action earlier in the project lifecycle. This can help reduce market uncertainty and strengthen project bankability, by supporting offtake discussions, aligning projects with buyer expectations, and helping translate restoration outcomes into market‑ready opportunities.

This collaboration is part of the Foundation’s broader effort to support forestry ventures that are ready to scale but underserved by traditional finance. Visit arborday.org/impact-fund to learn more.

About the Arbor Day Foundation 

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners. And this is only the beginning.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.

About the Working Trees

Working Trees is a nature-based carbon project developer on a mission to mobilize the next generation of cattle ranching – where nature and producers thrive together. We partner with cattle ranchers to deploy silvopasture at the million-hectare scale, integrating trees into active grazing systems to sequester carbon, restore biodiversity, and improve farmer livelihoods.

Founded at Stanford University, to-date Working Trees has deployed over 2,000 hectares of silvopasture, planting approximately 400,000 trees and distributing over $1M directly to farming families.

Working Trees aims to deploy 50,000 hectares of silvopasture by 2030 and 100M hectares by 2050. Learn more at workingtrees.com.

 

###

LINCOLN, Neb., May 11, 2026 /3BL/ – The Arbor Day Impact Fund, a mission-driven investment initiative of the Arbor Day Foundation, is working to accelerate large-scale reforestation in Brazil alongside its new partner, Working Trees.

The partnership combines catalytic capital from the Arbor Day Impact Fund with Working Trees’ on‑the‑ground reforestation capabilities in order to support tree planting, ecosystem restoration, and the development of high‑integrity forestry carbon removal projects. Together, the organizations aim to help promising projects move from early development to durable, investable climate solutions.

“High‑impact reforestation projects often face a critical gap between planting trees and securing long‑term financial sustainability. We want to close that gap by pairing low-cost capital with market access,” said Pete Davis, Managing Director of the Arbor Day Impact Fund. “This partnership will empower us to not only help Working Trees scale faster with greater confidence, but also turn climate ambition into durable, tangible impact —rooted in trees, trust, and long‑term stewardship.”

“One of the most critical barriers facing nature-based carbon projects is the early-stage capital required before a single credit can be sold. The Arbor Day Foundation has identified this gap and taken a meaningful step toward closing it – providing the catalytic financing that allows projects like ours to get trees in the ground today, before carbon revenues materialize. Beyond the capital itself, Arbor Day’s deep relationships on the buyer side will help unlock the further commercialization of our projects at the scale this moment demands,” said Leif Gonzales-Kramer, CEO of Working Trees. “Creating systems change requires long-term partnerships – not one-off transactions. We are proud to stand alongside one of the world’s most trusted organizations in tree planting, and excited about what we can build together.”

Working Trees has significant operational experience in reforestation and land‑based climate solutions, translating investment into trees planted, new income streams for farmers, landscapes restored, and carbon sequestered.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit with more than 50 years of tree planting experience. The organization specializes in fostering strong connections with corporate buyers, investors, project developers, and on-the-ground planting partners.

In addition to providing capital, the Arbor Day Foundation will help Working Trees connect its forestry carbon removal project to corporate and institutional buyers seeking credible, nature‑based climate action earlier in the project lifecycle. This can help reduce market uncertainty and strengthen project bankability, by supporting offtake discussions, aligning projects with buyer expectations, and helping translate restoration outcomes into market‑ready opportunities.

This collaboration is part of the Foundation’s broader effort to support forestry ventures that are ready to scale but underserved by traditional finance. Visit arborday.org/impact-fund to learn more.

About the Arbor Day Foundation 

The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners. And this is only the beginning.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.

About the Working Trees

Working Trees is a nature-based carbon project developer on a mission to mobilize the next generation of cattle ranching – where nature and producers thrive together. We partner with cattle ranchers to deploy silvopasture at the million-hectare scale, integrating trees into active grazing systems to sequester carbon, restore biodiversity, and improve farmer livelihoods.

Founded at Stanford University, to-date Working Trees has deployed over 2,000 hectares of silvopasture, planting approximately 400,000 trees and distributing over $1M directly to farming families.

Working Trees aims to deploy 50,000 hectares of silvopasture by 2030 and 100M hectares by 2050. Learn more at workingtrees.com.

 

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This article is authored by Hillary Gray, Director of Innovation, Trane Technologies.

As AI adoption accelerates and global digital demand skyrockets, data centers are becoming some of the world’s most energy-intensive facilities. Improving data center energy efficiency has never been more essential. That’s why Trane Technologies is proud to be a member of the Center for Energy-Smart Electronic Systems (ES2), a National Science Foundation Industry and University Cooperative Research Center that is reshaping how data centers operate.

ES2 brings together academia, government and industry to develop next-generation methods for optimizing electronic systems —  reducing energy use, improving cooling performance and enabling the sustainable, high-density digital infrastructure the world relies on.

Through research funding and advisory board participation, our membership in ES2 underscores our commitment to climate innovation and our role in advancing data center decarbonization.

Why energy-smart data centers are critical for a sustainable future

Modern data centers face a new set of challenges: higher thermal loads, AI-driven compute spikes, rising energy costs and the need for low-carbon operations. Improving sustainability and performance requires both efficiency and intelligent resource management.

ES2 addresses these needs by researching systems and controls that:

• reduce cooling energy consumption
• improve data center thermal management energy efficiency
• enable higher server density
• support low-carbon operations
• increase operational resilience

“The conversation around sustainable data centers has shifted. It’s no longer about whether we should optimize data center performance — it’s about how quickly we can deploy smarter, more sustainable solutions.”

Hillary Gray, Director of Innovation, Trane Technologies

The benefits of energy smart systems

Energy smart data centers don’t just reduce emissions, they boost performance, lower operational costs and increase reliability. ES2’s research spans the full ecosystem of data center cooling, power distribution and intelligent controls, delivering real-world solutions that create measurable impact. Key areas of research include:

1. Holistic IT Load Management and Predictive Control

Advanced algorithms forecast workloads and distribute computing across the ideal number of servers. This minimizes energy waste and ensures cooling is aligned with real-time IT demand — essential for supporting high-power AI systems efficiently.

2. Advanced Air Cooling Technologies

ES2 models airflow, containment, active tiles and close-coupled cooling to enhance data center air management. Validated predictive models help operators dynamically adjust airflow and temperature for optimal performance.

3. Intelligent Thermal Controls

By incorporating real-time sensor data (temperature, pressure, airflow), ES2 researchers develop AI-enabled controls that improve cooling strategies, enhance reliability and reduce operating costs.

4. Warm Water Liquid Cooling

High-density compute environments demand more efficient solutions. Research into warm water liquid cooling enables compressorless systems and reduced energy use — ideal for AI clusters and dense server racks.

5. Two-phase and Immersion Cooling

As rack power increases, immersion and two-phase cooling help push performance boundaries. ES2 advances evaporator performance and immersion system design to support next-generation chips and AI workloads.

6. Waste Heat Recovery

Data centers generate substantial thermal energy. ES2 explores ways to capture and reuse this heat, reducing energy loads and supporting circular thermal systems.

7. Power Distribution and Energy Storage

Optimized power electronics and control systems support peak shaving, first-level backup and improved energy efficiency across the entire facility.

8. Embedded Cooling

Chip-level cooling research explores advanced direct contact technologies to improve heat transfer at the module and component level — crucial for enabling future high-power processors.

9. Data Center Environmental Metrics

Tools like ES2’s open source Data Center Environmental Calculator help organizations measure Scope 3 carbon and water scarcity impacts, enabling more strategic sustainability planning.

ES2 in Action: Real-world impact for digital infrastructure

Just as electrification is transforming buildings and transport, ES2 is transforming the digital backbone of our economy. ES2 research enables:

• improved energy efficiency for high-density racks
• lower total cooling energy use
• smarter controls for fluctuating compute demands
• solutions that support renewable-powered operations
• greater resilience in the face of rising energy costs

These advancements help data centers achieve sustainability goals while maintaining the performance and uptime modern workloads require.

What’s next for sustainable data center design?

The next era of digital infrastructure will be defined by AI-optimized data center cooling, low-carbon thermal management systems, advanced liquid cooling technologies, integrated power and cooling controls and high-density, high-efficiency compute environments

ES2 is leading the research that makes these innovations possible. With high-temperature liquid cooling, predictive control systems and real-time optimization, the future of sustainable data center technology is already taking shape.

Every breakthrough developed through ES2 brings us closer to a world where data centers are high-performing, low-carbon and resilient. By designing for efficiency and sustainability today, we enable the digital infrastructure needed for tomorrow’s economy.

Learn more about ES2’s research and its impact on the future of sustainable digital infrastructure.

This article is authored by Hillary Gray, Director of Innovation, Trane Technologies.

As AI adoption accelerates and global digital demand skyrockets, data centers are becoming some of the world’s most energy-intensive facilities. Improving data center energy efficiency has never been more essential. That’s why Trane Technologies is proud to be a member of the Center for Energy-Smart Electronic Systems (ES2), a National Science Foundation Industry and University Cooperative Research Center that is reshaping how data centers operate.

ES2 brings together academia, government and industry to develop next-generation methods for optimizing electronic systems —  reducing energy use, improving cooling performance and enabling the sustainable, high-density digital infrastructure the world relies on.

Through research funding and advisory board participation, our membership in ES2 underscores our commitment to climate innovation and our role in advancing data center decarbonization.

Why energy-smart data centers are critical for a sustainable future

Modern data centers face a new set of challenges: higher thermal loads, AI-driven compute spikes, rising energy costs and the need for low-carbon operations. Improving sustainability and performance requires both efficiency and intelligent resource management.

ES2 addresses these needs by researching systems and controls that:

• reduce cooling energy consumption
• improve data center thermal management energy efficiency
• enable higher server density
• support low-carbon operations
• increase operational resilience

“The conversation around sustainable data centers has shifted. It’s no longer about whether we should optimize data center performance — it’s about how quickly we can deploy smarter, more sustainable solutions.”

Hillary Gray, Director of Innovation, Trane Technologies

The benefits of energy smart systems

Energy smart data centers don’t just reduce emissions, they boost performance, lower operational costs and increase reliability. ES2’s research spans the full ecosystem of data center cooling, power distribution and intelligent controls, delivering real-world solutions that create measurable impact. Key areas of research include:

1. Holistic IT Load Management and Predictive Control

Advanced algorithms forecast workloads and distribute computing across the ideal number of servers. This minimizes energy waste and ensures cooling is aligned with real-time IT demand — essential for supporting high-power AI systems efficiently.

2. Advanced Air Cooling Technologies

ES2 models airflow, containment, active tiles and close-coupled cooling to enhance data center air management. Validated predictive models help operators dynamically adjust airflow and temperature for optimal performance.

3. Intelligent Thermal Controls

By incorporating real-time sensor data (temperature, pressure, airflow), ES2 researchers develop AI-enabled controls that improve cooling strategies, enhance reliability and reduce operating costs.

4. Warm Water Liquid Cooling

High-density compute environments demand more efficient solutions. Research into warm water liquid cooling enables compressorless systems and reduced energy use — ideal for AI clusters and dense server racks.

5. Two-phase and Immersion Cooling

As rack power increases, immersion and two-phase cooling help push performance boundaries. ES2 advances evaporator performance and immersion system design to support next-generation chips and AI workloads.

6. Waste Heat Recovery

Data centers generate substantial thermal energy. ES2 explores ways to capture and reuse this heat, reducing energy loads and supporting circular thermal systems.

7. Power Distribution and Energy Storage

Optimized power electronics and control systems support peak shaving, first-level backup and improved energy efficiency across the entire facility.

8. Embedded Cooling

Chip-level cooling research explores advanced direct contact technologies to improve heat transfer at the module and component level — crucial for enabling future high-power processors.

9. Data Center Environmental Metrics

Tools like ES2’s open source Data Center Environmental Calculator help organizations measure Scope 3 carbon and water scarcity impacts, enabling more strategic sustainability planning.

ES2 in Action: Real-world impact for digital infrastructure

Just as electrification is transforming buildings and transport, ES2 is transforming the digital backbone of our economy. ES2 research enables:

• improved energy efficiency for high-density racks
• lower total cooling energy use
• smarter controls for fluctuating compute demands
• solutions that support renewable-powered operations
• greater resilience in the face of rising energy costs

These advancements help data centers achieve sustainability goals while maintaining the performance and uptime modern workloads require.

What’s next for sustainable data center design?

The next era of digital infrastructure will be defined by AI-optimized data center cooling, low-carbon thermal management systems, advanced liquid cooling technologies, integrated power and cooling controls and high-density, high-efficiency compute environments

ES2 is leading the research that makes these innovations possible. With high-temperature liquid cooling, predictive control systems and real-time optimization, the future of sustainable data center technology is already taking shape.

Every breakthrough developed through ES2 brings us closer to a world where data centers are high-performing, low-carbon and resilient. By designing for efficiency and sustainability today, we enable the digital infrastructure needed for tomorrow’s economy.

Learn more about ES2’s research and its impact on the future of sustainable digital infrastructure.

This article is authored by Hillary Gray, Director of Innovation, Trane Technologies.

As AI adoption accelerates and global digital demand skyrockets, data centers are becoming some of the world’s most energy-intensive facilities. Improving data center energy efficiency has never been more essential. That’s why Trane Technologies is proud to be a member of the Center for Energy-Smart Electronic Systems (ES2), a National Science Foundation Industry and University Cooperative Research Center that is reshaping how data centers operate.

ES2 brings together academia, government and industry to develop next-generation methods for optimizing electronic systems —  reducing energy use, improving cooling performance and enabling the sustainable, high-density digital infrastructure the world relies on.

Through research funding and advisory board participation, our membership in ES2 underscores our commitment to climate innovation and our role in advancing data center decarbonization.

Why energy-smart data centers are critical for a sustainable future

Modern data centers face a new set of challenges: higher thermal loads, AI-driven compute spikes, rising energy costs and the need for low-carbon operations. Improving sustainability and performance requires both efficiency and intelligent resource management.

ES2 addresses these needs by researching systems and controls that:

• reduce cooling energy consumption
• improve data center thermal management energy efficiency
• enable higher server density
• support low-carbon operations
• increase operational resilience

“The conversation around sustainable data centers has shifted. It’s no longer about whether we should optimize data center performance — it’s about how quickly we can deploy smarter, more sustainable solutions.”

Hillary Gray, Director of Innovation, Trane Technologies

The benefits of energy smart systems

Energy smart data centers don’t just reduce emissions, they boost performance, lower operational costs and increase reliability. ES2’s research spans the full ecosystem of data center cooling, power distribution and intelligent controls, delivering real-world solutions that create measurable impact. Key areas of research include:

1. Holistic IT Load Management and Predictive Control

Advanced algorithms forecast workloads and distribute computing across the ideal number of servers. This minimizes energy waste and ensures cooling is aligned with real-time IT demand — essential for supporting high-power AI systems efficiently.

2. Advanced Air Cooling Technologies

ES2 models airflow, containment, active tiles and close-coupled cooling to enhance data center air management. Validated predictive models help operators dynamically adjust airflow and temperature for optimal performance.

3. Intelligent Thermal Controls

By incorporating real-time sensor data (temperature, pressure, airflow), ES2 researchers develop AI-enabled controls that improve cooling strategies, enhance reliability and reduce operating costs.

4. Warm Water Liquid Cooling

High-density compute environments demand more efficient solutions. Research into warm water liquid cooling enables compressorless systems and reduced energy use — ideal for AI clusters and dense server racks.

5. Two-phase and Immersion Cooling

As rack power increases, immersion and two-phase cooling help push performance boundaries. ES2 advances evaporator performance and immersion system design to support next-generation chips and AI workloads.

6. Waste Heat Recovery

Data centers generate substantial thermal energy. ES2 explores ways to capture and reuse this heat, reducing energy loads and supporting circular thermal systems.

7. Power Distribution and Energy Storage

Optimized power electronics and control systems support peak shaving, first-level backup and improved energy efficiency across the entire facility.

8. Embedded Cooling

Chip-level cooling research explores advanced direct contact technologies to improve heat transfer at the module and component level — crucial for enabling future high-power processors.

9. Data Center Environmental Metrics

Tools like ES2’s open source Data Center Environmental Calculator help organizations measure Scope 3 carbon and water scarcity impacts, enabling more strategic sustainability planning.

ES2 in Action: Real-world impact for digital infrastructure

Just as electrification is transforming buildings and transport, ES2 is transforming the digital backbone of our economy. ES2 research enables:

• improved energy efficiency for high-density racks
• lower total cooling energy use
• smarter controls for fluctuating compute demands
• solutions that support renewable-powered operations
• greater resilience in the face of rising energy costs

These advancements help data centers achieve sustainability goals while maintaining the performance and uptime modern workloads require.

What’s next for sustainable data center design?

The next era of digital infrastructure will be defined by AI-optimized data center cooling, low-carbon thermal management systems, advanced liquid cooling technologies, integrated power and cooling controls and high-density, high-efficiency compute environments

ES2 is leading the research that makes these innovations possible. With high-temperature liquid cooling, predictive control systems and real-time optimization, the future of sustainable data center technology is already taking shape.

Every breakthrough developed through ES2 brings us closer to a world where data centers are high-performing, low-carbon and resilient. By designing for efficiency and sustainability today, we enable the digital infrastructure needed for tomorrow’s economy.

Learn more about ES2’s research and its impact on the future of sustainable digital infrastructure.