Johnson Controls, a global leader in thermal management, building technologies, energy efficiency and decarbonization solutions, has announced new findings demonstrating the growing impact of its commercial and industrial heat pump portfolio in helping customers lower operating costs, improve energy efficiency and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions across critical industries. According to company estimates, customers using Johnson Controls heat pump solutions in 2025 achieved an average reduction of 32 percent in annual heating costs while lowering heating-related emissions by nearly 55 percent when compared to conventional gas boiler systems. The emissions savings are estimated at approximately 1.6 million metric tons of greenhouse gases annually, equivalent to removing nearly 400,000 passenger vehicles from the road for one year.
Katie McGinty, Vice President and Chief Sustainability and External Relations Officer at Johnson Controls, said the adoption of advanced heat pump technologies is rapidly accelerating as industries seek practical solutions that improve both economic and environmental performance. “Customers are seeing measurable business value through lower energy consumption, reduced emissions and improved operational efficiency,” Ms McGinty said. “Heat pump technologies are no longer viewed as experimental alternatives. They are becoming a core component of modern energy infrastructure.”
Johnson Controls heat pump systems are currently being deployed across healthcare, manufacturing, municipal infrastructure and district energy projects globally. In Denmark, the New Aalborg Hospital has integrated Sabroe ChillPAC chillers and Sabroe HeatPAC heat pumps into its district cooling network, using a nearby water body as a natural cooling source. The project has reduced electricity costs by nearly 80 percent while lowering emissions by as much as 90 percent.
In Canada, the city of Vancouver is using two ultra-efficient YORK CYK centrifugal heat pumps to recover thermal energy from wastewater and convert it into low-carbon heating for 47 residential, academic and public buildings covering nearly seven million square feet. The upgraded system now supports approximately 10,000 residents and businesses while delivering efficiencies exceeding 300 percent.
The company also highlighted advancements in cold-weather performance, noting that many industrial-scale heat pump applications rely on stable heat sources such as data centers and manufacturing processes rather than outside air temperatures. By recovering waste heat that would otherwise be lost, these systems can substantially improve operational efficiency even in colder climates.
Johnson Controls stated that its latest heat pump portfolio is capable of operating in temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius and can generate high-temperature hot water exceeding 125 degrees Celsius using recovered waste heat. These capabilities are expanding the use of heat pumps across campuses, industrial facilities and district-scale infrastructure projects.
The company was recently recognized in New York’s Empire Technology Prize competition for developing a low-carbon heating retrofit solution for high-rise commercial and multifamily buildings. The solution combines ultra-low global warming potential refrigerants with advanced mechanical vapor recompression technology to improve energy and water efficiency. With industries increasingly focused on resilient and sustainable operations, Johnson Controls said heat pumps are expected to play a central role in future heating and cooling infrastructure investments worldwide.
