Trane Awarded for Energy Innovation and Software & Cloud Solutions

Trane continues to lead in energy innovation and digital transformation, earning  Environment + Energy Leader Awards that underscore the impact of our customer collaboration and technology. Three projects—55 Water Street, TG Kentucky, and Northern Illinois University—were recognized for Energy Innovation, including a Judge’s Choice Award for 55 Water Street. In the Software & Cloud category, ARIA and AI Control were recognized as advanced platforms driving smarter, more efficient building performance, with AI Control also receiving a Judge’s Choice Award. 

“As organizations navigate an increasingly dynamic and uncertain operating environment, the ability to improve efficiency, reduce emissions, and deliver measurable results has never been more critical,” said Sarah Roberts, Co-President and Publisher of Environment+Energy Leader. “This year’s winners demonstrate the innovation and leadership required to move forward with clarity and impact.”

Energy Innovation Category Winners 

55 Water Street — Judge’s Choice Winner 

At 3.6 million square feet, 55 Water Street is Manhattan’s largest office building. With Trane’s support, the building achieved Local Law 97 compliance within just 12 months, avoiding penalties and significantly reducing its reliance on legacy steam systems through the nation’s first Storage Source Heat Pump system—an integrated solution combining heat recovery, electrified heating and cooling, and thermal energy storage. 

Results: 

• 90% electrification of HVAC systems 
• 70% reduction in steam consumption 
• More than 42,000 MMBTU in annual energy savings 
• About $1.5M in yearly utility savings, plus incentives 

Northern Illinois University — Campus-Wide Energy Transformation 

Northern Illinois University is collaborating with Trane to modernize more than 50 buildings while advancing its Sustainability and Climate Action Plan. The initiative is improving infrastructure across the campus, elevating building performance, and expanding hands-on learning opportunities for students. 

Projected impact: 

• 26% reduction in campus‑wide energy use 
• 11% reduction in CO₂e emissions 
• $5 million in annual savings, totaling just over $100 million in 20 years

TG Kentucky — Transforming Industrial Process Cooling 

TG Kentucky, a Toyoda Gosei company, is working with Trane to redesign its energy-intensive cooling plant and reduce natural gas consumption. The system’s repeatable design can scale across its global facilities. 

Results: 

• 58,000 therms of natural gas saved annually 
• More than nine months per year of natural-gas-free paint operations 
• Significant reductions in Scope 1 and 2 emissions 

These projects are raising industry standards and proving that forward-thinking organizations can drive meaningful sustainability, efficiency, and community impact, even in highly complex environments. 

Software & Cloud Category Winners 

BrainBox AI, Trane Technologies AI Lab, was recognized for two leading AI products designed to support more intelligent, efficient, and sustainable building operations. 

AI Control —Judge’s Choice Winner

AI Control uses advanced deep learning to autonomously optimize HVAC performance, continuously adjusting to weather, occupancy, grid conditions, and equipment behavior to balance comfort, cost, and carbon reduction. 

Core Capabilities: 

• Directly controls systems to reduce energy use and emissions 
• Integrates with the BMS to automate zone level adjustments 
• Focused on operational efficiency, predictive maintenance, and compliance 

Results: 

• AI Control helped an industry leading biomedical company decarbonize its buildings, reducing 1,132 mtCO2e and saving $329k+ in energy costs. 
•  Dollar Tree saved over $1M in savings and avoided over 5,600 tCO₂e in the first year
•  Amazon Grocery fulfillment centers saw nearly 15% energy reductions, leading to expansion across dozens of sites 

ARIA — AI Building Agent  

ARIA brings building data, generative AI, and real-time analytics together to help facility teams, operators, and sustainability leaders gain a 360-degree view of their operations. It delivers predictive insights, automated diagnostics, and clear, conversational guidance in more than a dozen languages. Paired with AI Control, ARIA can help reduce energy costs by up to 25% and cut emissions by up to 40%. 

Core Capabilities: 

• Analyzes and interprets building data 
• Uses conversational text or voice to explain issues and guide decisions 
• Focused on simplifying building management and enabling faster, smarter decision-making 

Together, ARIA and AI Control illustrate how AI-powered insights and autonomous control can accelerate decarbonization with speed and scale. 

Innovation That Drives Real-World Impact 

From high-performing customer projects to breakthrough software solutions, we help organizations hit their sustainability targets, streamline operations, and achieve measurable results. These recognitions reinforce the strength of our people, our drive, and our ability to deliver scalable solutions that create lasting value for our customers and environment.  

About the Environment + Energy Leader Awards

Now in its 14th year, the Environment+Energy Leader Awards program recognizes excellence across products, projects, startups and organizational initiatives that deliver meaningful advancements in environmental programs, sustainability, and energy management. Entries are evaluated by an independent panel of industry experts, with a focus on innovation, scalability, and measurable impact. Winners are recognized as leaders in advancing best practices and setting new standards across the global energy and environmental landscape.