Johnson Controls named a sustainability leader in Europe

Johnson Controls, a global leader in smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, has been named to two leading sustainability rankings: the Financial Times Europe's Climate Leaders list and Corporate Knights’ inaugural Europe 50 list of the 50 most sustainable companies in Europe. These honors highlight the company’s leadership in advancing efficiency, electrification and digitalization in buildings to enable customers to significantly reduce operational costs and cut carbon emissions.

“This recognition reflects our unwavering focus on delivering business value for our customers through smarter, more efficient and sustainable buildings,” said Richard Lek, vice president and president, EMEA, Johnson Controls. “We are honored to be once again recognized as a climate leader in Europe and globally and are seizing the significant opportunity to embrace meaningful climate action.”

This year’s distinctions underscore how Johnson Controls is turning bold sustainability commitments into measurable results. As of 2024, Johnson Controls has reduced Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 48% since 2017, putting it ahead of schedule to deliver on its approved science-based target of 55% reduction by 2030.

Accelerating Sustainable Heating Across Europe
Johnson Controls is at the forefront of building electrification through its scalable and proven technologies, including next-generation heat pump systems. With decades of heat pump experience, the company supports a wide range of sectors — from municipal district heating to pharmaceutical manufacturing — by using ambient and waste heat to reduce both emissions and heating costs.

As Europe races to revitalize key industries and accelerate growth, deploying heat pumps at scale is a key strategy for success. In 2024, Johnson Controls’ heat pumps cut energy costs for customers by 53% and emissions by 60%. The transformative impact of heat pumps on communities and businesses is demonstrated through several Johnson Controls projects across Europe, such as in the UK, where Hounslow Council’s switch from gas boilers to Johnson Controls air-source heat pumps cut both energy and emissions costs by 50% across more than 60 public buildings or the Aalborg hospital in Denmark is close to zeroing out carbon emissions, achieving an 80-90 percent cut while driving energy costs down by 80%.

Cooling Innovation for Data Centers
As the European data center market experiences considerable growth driven by AI and cloud computing, the need for energy-efficient cooling solutions has become critical. Data centers consume 10 to 50 times more energy per square foot than a standard office building, with cooling systems accounting for around 40% of their total energy use. Johnson Controls has responded by launching its YORK® YVAM air-cooled magnetic bearing chillers, a crucial thermal management technology for hyperscale and colocation facilities. YVAM consumes 40% less power annually while still delivering the same cooling capacity as other available solutions and consumes zero water use on site. YVAM therefore plays a role in ensuring compliance with some of the EU’s measuring and reporting key performance indicators for data centers such as power consumption and water usage.

“Our inclusion in these listings is a reflection of the significant sustainability progress we’re making — both within our own operations and by enabling customers to achieve theirs,” Lek, said. “We’re proud to deliver innovations in energy efficiency, electrification, and digitalization that drive economic value and environmental impact.”

To read more about Johnson Controls commitment to sustainability, please visit: https://www.johnsoncontrols.com/corporate-sustainability/sustainability.