Trane Technologies to reduce embodied carbon by 40%

Global climate innovator to play a crucial role in lowering the carbon footprint of buildings; expands 2030 Sustainability Commitments with a precedent-setting goal, building on leadership in sourcing sustainable materials.

Buildings are currently responsible for 40 percent of global energy-related carbon emissions. A critical step in lowering the overall carbon footprint of buildings is to reduce their amount of embodied carbon. It is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with a product’s lifecycle, including the extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation and recycling of materials and products.

Trane Technologies commits to reducing embodied carbon by 40 percent by 2030, an industry first. Building on sourcing more sustainable solutions like low-carbon steel, Trane Technologies will focus its efforts on partnering with suppliers of materials used in buildings and building equipment including steel, aluminium, copper and refrigerants, while continuing to incorporate circular design criteria into its product development projects.

Dave Regnery, chair and CEO of Trane Technologies, said, “To create a more sustainable world, we must address emissions from the built environment – everything from reducing embodied carbon to the electrification of heating to optimizing energy with digital solutions. We are proud to be a first mover, partnering with our suppliers to scale more sustainable materials, designing our products for circularity and helping our customers achieve their performance and sustainability goals.”

Diane Holdorf, executive vice president of Pathways, World Business Council for Sustainable Development said, “Bridging operational and embodied carbon is a vital prerequisite for decarbonizing the built environment, and HVAC systems play a crucial role in our shared vision for a net-zero future. There is no decarbonizing our future without decarbonizing buildings, and we are proud to collaborate with industry leaders like Trane Technologies who are helping drive significant carbon footprint reductions for themselves and their customers.”

The new embodied carbon commitment aligns with guidance from global non-profit building sector organisations. The company has also pledged to be net-zero by 2050, and its near and long-term emissions reduction targets have been externally validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).