By Anne Fonda
A gigaton is one billion metric tons.
When we say gigaton, we’re referring to one billion metric tons of greenhouse gases (GHG). Climate science tells us that approximately 15% of global annual GHG emissions relate to heating and cooling buildings and homes. Customer use of our heating, cooling, and refrigeration products is our largest area of opportunity to reduce carbon emissions and help tackle climate change.
In 2019, Trane Technologies committed to our Gigaton Challenge. We aim to reduce 1 gigaton of GHG emissions (1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent [mtCO2e]) from our customer footprint by 2030. As of 2024, we have reduced 237 million metric tons of CO2e from our customers’ carbon footprint. You can read about this in more detail in our most recent Sustainability Report.
This reduction equates to 2% of the world’s annual emissions – or the annual emissions of Italy, France, and the U.K. combined.
We plan to reach our goal via four avenues. We focus here on residential applications, but rest assured, we are making the same moves in our commercial HVAC and refrigerated transport businesses.
We’re helping homeowners like you transition from burning fossil fuels for heat to using electric heat pump systems or hybrid heat systems. This greatly reduces carbon emissions.
Learn more in our Electrification Hub.
We are continually innovating to bring you the most energy-efficient HVAC equipment. In the residential HVAC market, this includes air source heat pumps, air conditioners, air handlers, and high-efficiency gas furnaces.
In a residential application, our communicating systems and smart thermostats help achieve the greatest reduction in energy consumption.
In addition, Trane Diagnostics helps your local Trane dealer spot issues with your system before they become big ones, leading to greater system efficiency.
The HVAC industry transitioned to using new refrigerants with a lower global warming potential (GWP) in all newly manufactured equipment at the beginning of 2025. For our residential systems, the new refrigerant is R-454B. It replaces R-410A. R-454B has a GWP that is 78% less than R-410A.
Learn more about the refrigerant transition.
Our energy-efficient and sustainable HVAC products help you reduce your energy consumption, increase your cost savings, and decrease your carbon footprint, all at the same time. Work with your local Trane dealer to find the HVAC system that’s right for your home.
Anne Fonda, Content Writer
A Content Writer with Trane Technologies, Anne Fonda researches topics and writes for Trane® and associated residential HVAC brands. She works in collaboration with Trane Technologies subject matter experts, offering easy-to-understand, informative content on complex topics. Her goal is to help consumers make informed decisions on the products and services they need.
She has written for HVAC and other service provider websites for over 16 years. Before transitioning to web content writing, Anne had a 14-year stint as an award-winning journalist. She graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.
When she’s not working, Anne enjoys playing word games, reading, gardening, spending time with family, and visiting gardens and museums.
Expert review by Stacie Downie, Sustainability Solutions Marketing Manager
Carbon emissions are the largest contributor to greenhouse gases.
Learn what a carbon footprint is and how to determine your own carbon footprint. Trust Trane® for reliable and sustainable HVAC equipment.
Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are gases that trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. This is sometimes called the greenhouse effect.
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