by Brianna Crandall — November 10, 2017 — Trane, a global provider of indoor comfort systems and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, announced that it has acquired CALMAC Corporation, a privately held company specializing in cool energy technologies including IceBank ice storage tanks .
CALMAC IceBank ice storage tanks integrate with Trane commercial HVAC systems to take pressure off of the energy grid, reduce building operating costs, and allow for better use of renewable energy.
CALMAC’s IceBank ice storage tanks are integrated with Trane commercial heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to take pressure off of the energy grid. Similar to a battery, the ice storage tanks store energy, and use that energy to cool commercial buildings during times when the cost of energy is high. This reduces the strain on public utilities, reduces operating costs for building owners, and allows for better use of renewable forms of energy, says the company.
Donny Simmons, president of the Commercial HVAC business of Ingersoll Rand, stated:
We are pleased to incorporate CALMAC solutions into our leading portfolio of energy efficient systems and services. With CALMAC, we are well positioned to offer customers even greater choices for reducing energy and operating costs and capitalizing on the multi-billion energy services market opportunity.
Mark MacCracken, chief executive officer of CALMAC, added:
CALMAC is pleased to be part of Trane. We know that with the support and investments from Trane and its parent, Ingersoll Rand, CALMAC can expand the availability and distribution of our products, serving new and existing customers with the energy storage and ice solutions they demand.
More than 4,000 businesses and institutions in 60 countries rely on CALMAC’s thermal energy storage to cool their buildings, including some prominent buildings in the US such as Rockefeller Center and the Credit Suisse Building in New York City and an Ingersoll Rand North America headquarters building in Davidson, NC.
The energy-efficient thermal storage systems are designed to reduce energy usage by roughly 35 percent by decreasing the need for carbon-emitting “peak plants” — power plants that kick in when there is high demand for electricity.
CALMAC operates from one location in Fair Lawn, NJ. The CALMAC acquisition is said to be consistent with Ingersoll Rand’s strategy to help customers solve climate and industrial challenges including energy and fuel efficiency, food waste and productivity. Ingersoll Rand brands include Club Car, Ingersoll Rand, Thermo King and Trane.
