Johnson Controls spotlights new thermal management and waste heat strategies that ease grid and water constraints for data centers

•  At Data Center World 2026, Johnson Controls will showcase integrated thermal management innovations that cut non IT energy use by over 50% and expand cooling options that reduce or eliminate cooling-related water use
• Experts will present on how waste heat-driven cooling with YORK absorption chillers can cut chiller electricity needs by 90%, freeing additional power capacity when grid expansion is constrained.

MILWAUKEE, April 21, 2026 — As energy, water and land constraints intensify across the data center industry, Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), a global leader in energy efficiency, decarbonization, thermal management and mission critical building performance, is at the forefront of thermal management innovation, helping operators improve efficiency and unlock power capacity for AI growth. At Data Center World 2026, April 20–23 in Washington, D.C., Johnson Controls will showcase its leading technologies, investments and design strategies that help reduce grid and water constraints and accelerate high density, AI driven environments.

Cooling efficiency as the foundation
Cooling accounts for an estimated 30% - 40% of total data center energy use, making thermal performance the primary lever to reduce energy demand from cooling and drive down power usage effectiveness (PUE). The International Energy Agency projects global data center electricity demand could more than double by 2030, increasing pressure on cooling systems to manage higher and more variable loads. At the same time, water use effectiveness (WUE) remains a key priority, increasing demand for advanced cooling technologies that can manage rising thermal loads while eliminating cooling-related water use.

At Data Center World 2026, Booth #420, Johnson Controls is highlighting a range of thermal management technologies that address these demands including the its recently launched YDAM magnetic bearing chiller — delivering 3.5 MW of cooling, a 20% capacity density increase versus competing solutions, its YK-HT two-stage economized centrifugal chiller — almost 30% smaller than alternatives, requiring up to 60% fewer dry coolers and delivering the industry's widest operating range from a single driveline and its Silent-Aire Coolant Distribution Unit (CDU) platform — a scalable liquid cooling solution offering cooling capacities from 500kW to over 10MW.

When deployed across the full thermal management chain, Johnson Controls solutions can reduce non IT energy consumption by more than 50% in most North American data center hubs. This performance advantage is reinforced by Johnson Controls’ unique ability to deliver building automation, fire and life safety, security and services across the entire facility.

Waste heat reuse reduces grid dependence
With long wait times to secure access to the grid, many operators are investing in on site generation, including natural gas turbines and fuel cells, an approach Johnson Controls will highlight at Data Center World. When natural gas is used to generate electricity, only 35–50% becomes usable power, with the remainder becoming heat and typically rejected. When paired with YORK absorption chillers, which use heat rather than electricity to generate cooling, data centers can reduce chiller electricity use by more than 90%, freeing additional power capacity for IT equipment where grid expansion is limited or unavailable.

“By utilizing waste heat for cooling instead of drawing electricity from the local grid, data centers can get on line faster, significantly expand compute and become better neighbors,” said Mihir Nandkeolyar, director of thermal management business development and technical strategy at Johnson Controls, who will discuss waste heat–driven cooling strategies at Data Center World on Wednesday, April 22, at 10:00 a.m. ET.

Targeted investments and design guidance
Johnson Controls is strengthening its thermal management portfolio through targeted acquisitions and strategic investments. The company has signed an agreement to acquire Alloy Enterprises, a thermal, mechanical and materials sciences technology innovator focused on a proprietary platform with advanced direct liquid cooling components. Johnson Controls has also made a strategic investment in Accelsius, a leader in two-phase, direct-to-chip liquid cooling technology for data centers. Two-phase solutions use 'phase change' from liquid to vapor to remove heat, enabling more efficient heat extraction with reduced energy consumption.

In parallel, Johnson Controls has launched its Thermal Management Reference Design Guide Series. Each guide in the series maps the full thermal chain, offering cooling architectures tailored to diverse compute densities, geographies and elevations. The series begins with a detailed blueprint for water-cooled chiller plants with future guides to address air-cooled, absorption and two-phase liquid cooling architectures.

The company also continues to grow its capabilities and offerings at the Johnson Controls Advanced Development and Engineering Center (JADEC) in Pennsylvania, one of the world’s largest and most advanced HVAC research, development, and testing facilities. JADEC spans seven acres and includes more than 20 specialized labs, supporting over 1,000 test runs each month under real world operating conditions. Within this environment customers can work directly with Johnson Controls engineers on custom, co-developed solutions.

To learn more about the latest data center solutions, stop by booth #420 at Data Center World and visit: https://www.johnsoncontrols.com/industries/data-centers/solutions.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Kari Pfisterer
Direct: +1 414 217 1488
Email: kari.b.pfisterer@jci.com

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About Johnson Controls: 
Johnson Controls, a global technology leader in energy efficiency, decarbonization, thermal management and mission-critical performance, helps customers use energy more productively, reduce carbon emissions, and operate with the precision and resilience required in rapidly expanding industries such as data centers, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, and higher education.

For more than 140 years, Johnson Controls has delivered performance where it really matters. Backed by advanced technology, lifecycle services and an industry-leading field organization, we elevate customer performance, turn goals into real-world results and help move society forward.

Visit johnsoncontrols.com for more information and follow @Johnsoncontrols on social platforms.