WASHINGTON — Carrier Corporation and its parent company, United Technologies Corp. (UTC), announced that UTC has surpassed its 25 percent energy and water usage reduction goals four years ahead of schedule and is increasing them to 40 percent. The companies also announced that UTC had joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Climate Leaders program, a voluntary industry-government partnership, which identifies manufacturers that are leaders in adopting goals and strategies for curtailing greenhouse gas emissions. Since 1997, UTC has lowered its greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent.

Carrier and UTC made their announcement here at the Earth Technologies Forum, an international conference focused on climate change and ozone protection.

“UTC’s original conservation plan, announced in 1998, called for the company to reduce both water and energy usage by 25 percent, as a percent of sales, by 2007,” said Ellen Quinn, UTC director of environmental programs. “Through the efforts of our subsidiaries, like Carrier Corporation, UTC has exceeded these goals by achieving a 27 percent energy reduction and 34 percent water use reduction through 2002. Therefore, we’ve set a new goal to reduce each by 40 percent by the end of 2006.”

UTC has more than 200 facilities worldwide participating in these conservation efforts, including more than 100 in the United States, over 50 in Europe, and nearly 40 in Asia. Performance will be monitored annually to track results and identify further conservation opportunities, Quinn said. Site audits and conservation tools are also available to help facilities identify effective savings opportunities.

According to John Mandyck, Carrier’s vice president of government and international relations, “You can’t truly bring green products to the marketplace unless you produce them in an environmentally responsible manner. As a manufacturer committed to producing environmentally sound heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technologies, we are proud to join EPA’s Climate Leaders program under the umbrella of our parent United Technologies.”

“EPA applauds United Technologies for its environmental leadership and strong commitment to conserving our natural resources,” said Jeff Holmstead, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation.

Publication date: 04/21/2003