• Absorption chiller blueprint provides roadmap to convert waste heat into productive cooling, reducing cooling electrical demand by up to 44%
• Additional computing capacity creates the potential for billions of dollars in additional revenue from existing power infrastructure
• Potential outcomes include a PUE as low as 1.23 with zero on-site water use and up to 43% lower CO₂ cooling system emissions  
• Operators bring AI capacity online faster through a repeatable, modular design from 100MW campuses to gigawatt-scale AI Factories

MILWAUKEE, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), a global leader in thermal management, mission-critical building systems, energy efficiency and decarbonization, today launched its Absorption Chiller Reference Design Guide. The blueprint helps data center operators convert the 57% of energy typically lost as waste heat from on-site power generation into productive cooling, reducing cooling-related electric demand and allocating more power available for AI workloads. In a 1GW-scale AI Factory, those efficiency gains can support up to 97MW of additional AI computing capacity without increasing on-site power generation, creating the potential for up to $18 billion in additional revenue over the life of the facility, based on a typical U.S. AI Factory model.

“One of the biggest untapped opportunities in data centers is the heat they generate,” said Austin Domenici, president, Global Data Center Solutions, Johnson Controls. “Johnson Controls helps transform recovered heat into useful work through Combined Heat and Power and absorption cooling solutions, enabling AI Factories to scale more efficiently while reducing strain on the grid and delivering value to local communities.”

The reference design demonstrates how operators can convert cooling efficiency gains into additional AI computing capacity or reduce cooling system CO₂ emissions by up to 43%. It can achieve a PUE as low as 1.23 with zero on-site water use. The repeatable, modular architecture scales from 100MW campuses to gigawatt-scale AI Factories without redesign, helping bring new capacity online faster.

Built on more than 65 years of YORK absorption innovation and a global installed base of thousands of units across multiple industries, Johnson Controls has deployed this technology in some of the world’s most demanding applications, including naval vessels and advanced manufacturing facilities. With a thermal management portfolio spanning air-cooled and water-cooled chillers, liquid cooling, controls and lifecycle services, Johnson Controls helps data center operators bring capacity online faster, improve efficiency and maximize AI computing capacity from available power.

“A vast amount of heat produced by on-site power generators is essentially thrown away — dissipated into the air. We see a huge opportunity when that energy is put to work instead,” said Katie McGinty, vice president and Chief Sustainability and External Relations Officer, Johnson Controls. “By converting waste heat into useful cooling, we’re turning a resource already bought and paid for into an asset rather than a disposal liability. Every megawatt we can shift from cooling to computing capacity helps customers increase the revenue potential of their facilities and accelerates time to value by significantly cutting pressure on the grid. That’s the kind of innovation that supports AI growth, lowers costs and helps communities and businesses get more from existing energy resources.”

Learn more at www.johnsoncontrols.com/industries/data-centers/reference-designs

Important Note: The results referenced in this release are illustrative and based on a modeled AI Factory. Actual results may vary based on site-specific conditions and are not guaranteed.

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About Johnson Controls:
Johnson Controls, a global leader in thermal management, mission-critical building systems, energy efficiency, and decarbonization, helps customers use energy more productively, reduce carbon emissions, and operate with the precision and resilience required in rapidly expanding industries such as data centers, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, and higher education.

For more than 140 years, Johnson Controls has delivered performance where it really matters. Backed by advanced technology, lifecycle services and an industry-leading field organization, we elevate customer performance, turn goals into real-world results, and help move society forward.

Visit johnsoncontrols.com for more information and follow @Johnsoncontrols on social platforms.

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SOURCE Johnson Controls International plc