Lennox RTU meets cold climate challenge
6th September 2025
USA: Lennox is claiming that its commercial heat pump rooftop unit is the first to successfully complete the US Department of Energy’s cold climate challenge in the 15-25 tons category.
The DOE’s Commercial Building HVAC Technology Challenge is designed to encourage innovation and provide customers with access to high-efficiency heat pumps in cold climates.
“This unit reflects years of focused research and development to overcome cold-climate limitations, particularly around defrost, and deliver consistent comfort in the toughest conditions,” said Lennox chief technology officer Prakash Bedapudi.
Lennox is one of eight manufacturers participating in the Commercial Building HVAC Technology Challenge. Later this year, the Lennox prototype will be installed in a US commercial building to validate the cold climate heat pump’s performance, efficiency, and comfort through severe winter conditions.
This latest achievement follows the company’s success in the DOE’s Residential HVAC Challenge, where the company was also the first to complete Phase 1 testing in 2022.
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