Trane RTUs meet DOE challenge
26th March 2026
USA: Trane Technologies has announced the successful laboratory testing of its rooftop units in the US Department of Energy’s HVAC Technology Challenge in the 10-14 and 15-25 ton categories.
The company also received additional recognition on the smaller RTU from the DOE as the only manufacturer exceeding the challenge’s optional heating capacity and efficiency requirements for Improved cold climate performance.
The DOE’s Commercial Building HVAC Technology Challenge encourages manufacturers to develop innovative RTUs that meet an advanced technology specification designed to help organisations achieve their cost, energy and reliability goals.
With testing now complete, Trane Technologies has advanced to the next phase of the challenge, which includes two field trial installation sites in Bensenville, Illinois and Kenosha, Wisconsin. These real‑world demonstrations are designed to further validate system performance, reliability, and energy‑saving potential.
Trane Technologies also participated in the DOE’s Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge, where the Trane prototype operated reliably down to -23ºF, surpassing the DOE requirement. The company reports that after nearly two years of field trials, the system continues to perform in extreme cold, improving comfort and delivering about 15% energy savings.
