Kandice Cohen, Trane Technologies Director of Electrification of Heat: “Our commitment to sustainable business impacts everything we do”

The Silicon Review

It is well-known that thermal systems play a major role in making buildings healthier and safer for occupants. These systems generally make use of fresh air from external surroundings to control thermal comfort. All types of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems use many key components like air conditioning, heating units, thermostats, etc. In the industry, specially trained consultants offer subject matter expertise to educate clients on how to decarbonize their operations. Globally, while there are various companies delivering excellent solutions for decarbonization, Trane Technologies stands out from the rest. Global climate innovator Trane Technologies, through its strategic brands Trane^® and Thermo King^®, provides environmentally responsible, efficient, and sustainable heating and cooling solutions and services to buildings, homes, and transportation.

With approximately 15% of global annual greenhouse gas emissions related to heating and cooling buildings and homes, and another 10% from food lost in transport or never consumed, the company is uniquely positioned to lead a movement to tackle climate change and reduce the rate of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration. Company leaders such as Trane Technologies’ Kandice Cohen are among those at the forefront creating positive change.

In conversation with Kandice Cohen, Director of Electrification of Heat at Trane Technologies

Q. What was the motivation behind starting Trane Technologies?

As a pure-play climate innovation company, Trane Technologies collaborates with our clients to address their sustainability challenges through heating, cooling, and transport refrigeration solutions. With our strategic brands Trane^® and Thermo King^®, innovative portfolio of solutions and services, and 36,000 engaged employees worldwide, Trane Technologies continues to advance its bold 2030 sustainability commitments. These commitments are central to our business strategy and designed to create positive impact for society. With a focused organization and business model, we are positioned to meet the pressing need for innovation in energy efficiency and sustainability.

Q. Unanticipated Costs, Potential for Setbacks, Integration Difficulties, and Quality Suffers are an inevitable part of new product development. How do you overcome these without disrupting the business flow?

We have formed a cross-functional, electrification-of-heating, new-product-development brain trust inside of Trane Technologies that is unlike anything else within the market. With representation from all product portfolios, multiple engineering disciplines, sales, marketing, and more, this team leverages collective intelligence to identify opportunities, innovate, and overcome challenges to offer the most expansive solutions on the market to address clients’ heating needs. With regularly cadenced meetings, this team is well poised to seamlessly bring new solutions to market.

Q. It is quite difficult to achieve success in every sustainable product that is developed. How do you overcome failures?

As a change maker, I believe that ‘failure’ is a part of the process. As we ideate to bring solutions to market, we seek to fail fast, learn, and use these lessons to accelerate innovation. I see failure as a mechanism for rapid continuous improvement, rather than something to fear.

Q. What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful leader?

My personal style of leadership embodies a combination of innovative thinking, pioneering leadership, and passion for making the world a better and healthier place for all.

Q. Do you have any new services ready to be launched?

Trane has launched a portfolio of various thermal systems solutions offering combined heating and cooling capabilities tailored to a customer’s needs today and in the future. Most recently, Trane has delivered an air-cooled chiller heater as well as a multi-pipe chiller heater which offers simultaneous heating and cooling, thereby, reducing reliance on fossil fuels for comfort space heating. According to Project Drawdown, the combination of efficiency, refrigerant management, and electrification of heat could reduce up to 141.2 gigatons of CO2. This technology enables the realization of such ambitious climate-saving endeavors.

Q. What does the future hold for your company and its customers? Are exciting things on the way?

Sustainability is core to Trane’s identity. We are fortunate to be well positioned to aid our clients along their decarbonization journeys. Our expertise within the space, along with our systems and services, enables us to offer consultative partnerships with clients committed to reducing their carbon footprints. Being a part of the solution addressing the climate crisis is not only exciting, but critical. Trane is proud to be a global organization that seeks to reduce the energy intensity of the world.

Meet a leader driving success for Trane Technologies

Kandice Cohen has spent her career focused on sustainability and decarbonization in the HVAC and lighting spaces within commercial and industrial buildings. As the Director of Electrification of Heat for Trane Technologies, her focus is on building and executing upon Trane’s strategy around the megatrends of sustainability, decarbonization, and the electrification of heat. She works to position Trane as the partner of choice clients turn to for decarbonization subject matter expertise. Kandice specializes in driving market modernization towards technologies that lead to a healthier planet, healthier buildings, and a healthier population. As Kandice leads the transition to electric heating across the Americas, she is working to transform our heating infrastructure to one that is significantly more efficient and will drive profound decarbonization, including reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Since the beginning of her career, she has been a thought leader and changemaker in the sustainability space by playing a pioneering role in the advancement of LED lighting technology, specifically driving significant market penetration and adoption of connected lighting systems. Working across both the HVAC and lighting industries, her innovative thinking has helped shift the market toward more efficient, integrated technology. Her work is breaking down silos within building systems to help create the connected building of the future, today.