Jun 24

Jun 24 Innovation, Sustainability, and Design for HVAC Systems

This summer, I have the amazing opportunity to work as an engineering intern for Trane Technologies. If you are unfamiliar, Trane Technologies is a company that develops innovative HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) solutions. They have solutions for residential and commercial buildings, refrigerated transportation, and many other refrigeration applications. As amazing as these comfort-providing systems are, they present a host of problems for global sustainability and energy usage - and innovation is needed to create a sustainable world for the future.

The Problem

Throughout the world, buildings need to be heated and cooled. If you ever get to thinking about the amount of buildings in every city in the world, you’ll realize that a lot of energy is needed to power the HVAC systems that keep people comfortable. Although not every building is actively cooled, buildings are responsible for 40% of all U.S. energy consumption and emissions [1], and space heating and cooling accounts for 53.1% of building energy usage [2].

Electricity production plants such as these are often what provide power for HVAC systems. A lot of emissions are released during the production of energy.

Another (seemingly) unrelated issue is refrigerated transport. Around 35% of the food supply in the United States is wasted each year, and improper storage and transportation accounts for a large portion of that waste. Monetary losses due to food waste add up to $161 billion per year [3]. One of Trane Technologies’ brands is Thermo King, and they work to create refrigerated transportation solutions for food, medicines, and other perishables around the world.

If nothing is done about these issues, the world will continue to see a rise in emissions and waste. The earth is not equipped to handle such an increase, and something needs to be done to curb these growths. This is why companies such as Trane Technologies take bold actions to change how the world functions.

Trane Technologies’ Efforts

Throughout my time working as an intern at Trane Technologies, I have come to learn of their sustainability commitments. Here is a portion of their goals and commitments (to be completed by 2030):

Achieve carbon neutral operations
Zero waste to landfills
Net positive water use
Reduce customer’s carbon footprint by 1 gigaton (1 gigaton of emissions is equal to the entire annual emissions of Italy, France and the UK combined!)
Reduce food loss in the global cold chain

You can view these goals and more below [4].

Setting Goals for Sustainable Design

Because I am in school, I always do my work with a goal in mind. That goal depends on the assignment; for example, math assignments have a goal to quickly solve the problem using the easiest solution path. For design assignments, the end goal is to complete a project that is kept within design restraints and definitions. For Trane, their “design assignment” is to help the world become a more sustainable place. As such, new designs are implemented in every aspect of the business to reach goals that will help the earth become more sustainable. Some design implementations that I have noticed during my time at Trane include:

Assigning a waste leader to coordinate how scraps, waste, and recycling are processed and reused - this helps reduce waste to landfills.
Implementing new and improved manufacturing processes that minimize waste and energy usage - reduces waste to landfills and reduces the plant’s carbon footprint.
Using new refrigerant types to decrease the amount of CFCs and greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere - refrigerants are often leaked by old HVAC units. Using newer types of refrigerant (such as refrigerants with the A2L classification) have a smaller global warming potential and do less harm to the environment if leaked.
Designing new products that use new technologies to maximize energy efficiency, thus reducing a unit’s carbon footprint. Such technologies include placing sensors in strategic locations and designing controls that help automate building heating and cooling.
Helping customers choose the correct product for their application (based on building size and type, geographical location, etc.).
Training customers and providing support on building controls (automation of systems to save energy and money during downtimes). This supports the company’s 2030 commitment to reduce customer emissions by 1 gigaton.

With these design changes (and many more not mentioned), Trane is in a position to meet their 2030 commitments and help the world become a more sustainable place. Actively thinking about design in each aspect of the industry is essential in order to create a more sustainable planet and future.

Key Takeaways

It may seem like Trane Technologies is only influential because they have a “foot in the door” of the HVAC world. Regardless of whether or not you decide to go into HVAC, you too can help the world become greener and more sustainable through design. Here are some suggestions to get you thinking:

While designing, actively think of how your products and solutions can be more sustainable. While some solutions have necessary components, processes, and energy sources, nearly all products can be improved to be more green or sustainable in some way. Take a moment to think if your solution to a problem could be more eco-friendly by using different components, a different energy source, or if an entirely different design would help.

Research green energy solutions. Renewable energy is gaining speed and popularity. Seeing as the earth cannot sustain the use of fossil fuels forever, the future lies in these renewable energy sources. Research these solutions so that you know the basic design concepts behind them. Doing this will help you to be well equipped to be an influential designer for the future. (A great place to start is at https://www.energy.gov/clean-energy).

Be conscious about other people’s sustainable solutions. Green solutions exist all around us, whether we notice them or not. Throughout your daily activities, try to be more mindful of these (sometimes small and simple) design solutions. Doing so will help generate more ideas to drive sustainable innovation.

Set goals, and stick to them. Just like Trane Technologies, we must set goals for ourselves if we are to make any progress. In your design work, make commitments to become more sustainable and innovative. A redesign of our products and energy infrastructure is needed so that the earth can become a more sustainable place for future generations.

People love to stay comfortable - whether it be at work or at home. Although energy usage comes with a cost, we can all strive for innovative designs to cut heavy energy consumption. Implementing new and innovative practices in your own design work will add to the cause of helping the earth become more sustainable.