English
August 25, 2026
Advancing Building Decarbonization Through Cold Climate Heat Pump Research
A joint research project between Trane Technologies and the University of Wisconsin–Madison is exploring how cold climate heat pumps can support the electrification of heat, advance building decarbonization and help reduce boiler use in occupied buildings.
As organizations look for practical paths to building decarbonization, the electrification of heat is becoming an increasingly important area of focus. At Trane Technologies, we are exploring how innovative technologies can help reduce dependence on conventional heating systems, improve efficiency and support progress in reducing carbon emissions.
Earlier this year, our Enterprise Advanced Concepts and Capabilities team and the Trane Commercial business launched a joint research project with the University of Wisconsin–Madison to develop a prototype cold climate heat pump designed as a drop-in replacement for a hot water boiler.
A real-world approach to building decarbonization
This research project with the University of Wisconsin-Madison will further Trane Technologies’ decarbonization goals and capabilities, while also providing a demonstration of new, sustainable technology, functioning in an already occupied space. This project will also help establish a research experience with local and global relevance, serving as a learning lab for professors and students for years to come.
Trane Technologies will develop and deliver a heat pump for UW–Madison to install in one of its campus buildings alongside existing boiler equipment. That real-world setting will allow facilities team members, professors and students to monitor system performance and track energy efficiency in an occupied space.
This type of field-based research is essential in understanding how the electrification of heat can work in colder climates, where reliability and flexibility are critical. By studying the interaction between the cold climate heat pump and the existing boiler system, we can evaluate how dual fuel configurations may contribute to building decarbonization while meeting the needs of occupied buildings.
Our local Commercial HVAC sales team in Madison will serve as advisors for the project, connecting the research to real-world customer applications and broader decarbonization solutions.
This work will further our decarbonization goals and capabilities and provide a demonstration of new, sustainable technology functioning in an occupied space for potential customers.
Erica Gallant
Lead Engineer, Advanced Systems, Trane Technologies
Sustainable innovation through collaboration
The project reflects the value of collaboration in driving sustainable innovation. At UW-Madison, the research is being led by Allison Mahvi, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Mechanical engineering Ph.D. student Payton Bartow joined Trane Technologies as a summer intern as part of this research project, working under the direction of Logan Stephenson, Lead Engineer for the project. He is studying advanced heat pump technologies for his dissertation and expects to author two journal articles based on the joint research findings.
By combining academic research with applied engineering experience, this effort helps both organizations learn faster. It also creates opportunities for emerging talent to contribute to practical decarbonization solutions and gain insight into how sustainable HVAC systems are developed, tested and applied in the field.
Projects like this can serve as a model for how research partnerships contribute to decarbonizing buildings. And, they create opportunities not only to validate new technologies, but also to educate future engineers and accelerate lower-emission heating strategies. In addition to hosting the heat pump, UW-Madison plans to use research findings to inform future decisions on meeting campus climate needs.
Building and testing the cold climate heat pump
The cold climate heat pump is currently in the beginning phases of construction and will be completed and tested in La Crosse, Wisconsin, later this summer before being installed at UW–Madison in the fall.
Once the unit is installed, Payton will return to UW-Madison with the results of his summer internship, including a software model that will be used to analyze building performance, energy efficiency and other operational factors. Those learnings can then be extrapolated to different climates to better understand how this dual fuel setup performs under a range of conditions.
That broader perspective matters. To scale building electrification successfully, we need better insight into how systems respond to climate, load and building-specific requirements. Research like this can help identify more practical pathways for the electrification of heat and for reducing carbon emissions across a wider range of commercial buildings.
Ultimately, this work will allow us to discover the most practical solution for reducing boiler use going forward and better understand buildings’ needs for dual fuel applications.
Explore how Trane Technologies is advancing building decarbonization, sustainable HVAC and the electrification of heat.
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