Copeland Reaffirms Commitment to Sustainability

Officials from Copeland took time during the AHR Expo on Tuesday to reiterate the company’s commitment to the “megatrends” of decarbonization, electrification, and increased sustainability, while also touting the progress Copeland has made since separating from its former parent company.

Chief technology officer Patrick Forsythe said Copeland has released more than 100 products and solutions since it was spun off from Emerson, as a completely separate company, in 2024. Last year alone, he said, the company filed 265 patent applications.

Forsythe spoke during a press conference at the Orange County Convention Center, where the Expo concludes on Wednesday.

Copeland, a major supplier of HVACR compressors, remains committed to developing products that reduce dependency on fossil fuels and also to the use of natural and low-GWP refrigerants, Forsythe said. He called the energy transition a critical step in addressing climate change, adding, “The move to natural and low-GWP refrigerants is key, absolutely key, for sustainability.”

Copeland has a workforce of more than 18,000 people who are passionate about its values and its sustainability mission, Forsythe said. “We empower each other to challenge the status quo and have the confidence to develop new solutions,” he said.

The thinking is long term, Forsythe said, recalling a mentor who once told him that “if I was only working on problems that could be solved in my lifetime, I was thinking way too small.”

John Schneider, president of HVACR Technologies for the Americas at Copeland, said the Trump administration’s de-emphasis on moving away from fossil fuels won’t have much impact on Copeland’s direction.

“The megatrends are not changing regardless of the administration,” Schneider said.