Johnson Controls previews YORK YK-HT two-stage economized centrifugal chiller at AHR Expo, delivering energy, water and space savings

Rhea-AI Summary

Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) previewed the YORK YK-HT two-stage economized centrifugal chiller at AHR Expo 2026, a compact, high‑lift unit designed for data centers and large campuses. It operates with condenser leaving fluid temperatures up to 165°F and up to 110°F lift, enabling dry‑cooler, water‑free heat rejection.

The YK‑HT can offset more than 35 MMBtu/hour, eliminate typical cooling‑tower water use (≈8–9 million gallons/year for a 2,000‑ton unit), reduce dry coolers by up to 60%, cut noise by up to 20 dBA, and offers a ~30% smaller footprint.

Positive

• Condenser leaving fluid temperature up to 165°F enabling high‑temperature heat recovery
• Supports up to 110°F lift for dry‑cooler, water‑free operation
• Can offset >35 MMBtu per hour of thermal energy reuse
• Eliminates ~8–9 million gallons/year cooling‑tower water for a 2,000‑ton example
• Up to 60% reduction in required dry coolers and up to 20 dBA noise reduction
• Single driveline reduces rotating components/failure points by 50% and footprint ~30% smaller

Negative

• None.

Key Figures

Condenser temperature: 165°F Lift capability: 110°F Heat offset capacity: 35 MMBtu per hour +5 more

8 metrics

Condenser temperature 165°F Maximum condenser leaving fluid temperature for YK-HT

Lift capability 110°F Maximum lift for YORK YK-HT chiller

Heat offset capacity 35 MMBtu per hour Thermal energy that can be reused instead of wasted

Homes heated equivalent 350 single-family homes Heating demand that can be offset per hour

Chiller capacity example 2,000 tons Typical chiller size referenced for Las Vegas water use

Cooling-tower water use 8–9 million gallons annually Water consumption avoided when using dry coolers

Dry cooler reduction 60% Potential reduction in dry coolers for large data centers

Noise reduction 20 dBA Potential onsite noise reduction from fan power savings

Market Reality Check

Price: $119.26 Vol: Volume 4,961,121 is at 0....

normal vol

$119.26 Last Close

Volume Volume 4,961,121 is at 0.79x the 20-day average of 6,252,730, indicating subdued trading ahead of the news. normal

Technical Shares at $119.26 are trading above the 200-day MA of $107.14 and about 3.9% below the 52-week high of $124.07.

Peers on Argus

JCI was down 0.85% while key peers showed mixed, low-magnitude moves: CARR +0.27...

JCI was down 0.85% while key peers showed mixed, low-magnitude moves: CARR +0.27%, CSL +0.56%, MAS +0.75%, TT -0.31%, LII -0.05%. No peers appeared in momentum scanners, suggesting the move was stock-specific rather than a coordinated sector rotation.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 26 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 26	Leadership change	Positive	+1.6%	New Asia Pacific president appointed with deep regional and operational experience.
Jan 13	Tech collaboration	Positive	+0.6%	RFID collaboration aims to automate inventory counts and improve visibility.
Jan 12	Product/platform update	Positive	+0.5%	PaaS option added to TrueVUE Cloud to broaden deployment flexibility.
Jan 12	Earnings call notice	Neutral	+0.5%	Announcement of date and access details for Q1 2026 earnings webcast.
Jan 08	Product enhancement	Positive	-1.0%	Shrink Analyzer expanded with new machine-learning features for loss analytics.

Pattern Detected

Recent corporate and product updates have generally coincided with modest positive price reactions, with one notable divergence on retail tech news.

Recent Company History

Over the past month, JCI news has focused on leadership changes, retail technology collaborations and product/platform enhancements. An executive appointment in Asia Pacific on Jan 26, 2026 and several Sensormatic retail-analytics launches in early January all saw small positive next-day moves between +0.49% and +1.64%, while one shrink-analytics update coincided with a -1.00% reaction. The current YORK YK-HT chiller preview continues the theme of innovation targeted at data centers and large campuses.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights JCI’s focus on high-efficiency, low-water-use solutions for data center...

Analysis

This announcement highlights JCI’s focus on high-efficiency, low-water-use solutions for data centers and large campuses, with the YORK YK-HT designed to operate up to 165°F condenser temperatures and offset over 35 MMBtu per hour of heat. Recent news has emphasized leadership, retail analytics and platform innovation. Investors may watch how this product integrates into upcoming earnings discussions and whether adoption trends in data centers and industrial campuses are reflected in future disclosures.

Key Terms

centrifugal chiller, dry coolers, cooling towers, heat pump, +4 more

8 terms

centrifugal chiller technical

"previewing the high-density, compact YORK YK-HT two-stage economized centrifugal chiller at AHR Expo"

A centrifugal chiller is a large industrial cooling machine that uses a fast-spinning compressor to move refrigerant and remove heat, similar to a powerful refrigerator or a water pump for air conditioning. Investors care because these units represent significant capital and maintenance costs for buildings and factories, affect energy use and operating expenses, and influence revenue and margin for manufacturers and suppliers in the HVAC and industrial equipment sectors.

dry coolers technical

"enables the use of dry coolers in place of traditional cooling towers, eliminating water"

A dry cooler is an industrial heat-exchange unit that uses air and fans to remove heat from liquids, similar to how a car radiator cools engine coolant without mixing air and liquid. Investors care because dry coolers are capital equipment that affect a company's energy costs, maintenance needs and regulatory compliance; choices about buying, upgrading or servicing them can change operating expenses, capital spending and asset reliability.

cooling towers technical

"use of dry coolers in place of traditional cooling towers, eliminating water consumption"

Large structures that remove excess heat from power plants, factories, or HVAC systems by cooling hot water into the air, similar to how a car radiator or an outdoor evaporative fan releases heat. They matter to investors because their design, upkeep, water use, and regulatory permits affect operating costs, downtime risk, environmental compliance, and capital spending—factors that influence a company’s profitability and legal exposure.

heat pump technical

"supports high temperature heat pump and heat recovery applications"

A heat pump is an electric device that moves warmth from one place to another—extracting heat from outside air, ground, or water to warm a building, or reversing to cool it—similar to how a refrigerator transfers heat to stay cold. Investors care because heat pumps cut energy use and emissions compared with traditional heaters, influencing demand for manufacturers, utility load patterns, fuel markets, and eligibility for incentives or regulations that can affect company revenues and long‑term operating costs for consumers.

low-gwp refrigerants technical

"Other efficiency and performance features include:Low-GWP refrigerants R‑1234ze and R‑515B"

Low-GWP refrigerants are cooling gases designed to trap far less heat in the atmosphere than traditional refrigerants; think of them as thinner blankets that keep a room cool without warming the planet. They matter to investors because shifting to these chemicals reduces regulatory and legal risk, can lower future operational costs, and creates market demand for new equipment and services—so companies that adapt early may avoid costly retrofits and capture growth opportunities.

flash tank economizer technical

"Flash tank economizer for enhanced efficiency"

A flash tank economizer is a piece of equipment in steam and boiler systems that captures steam that naturally forms when hot water pressure drops, separates that “flash” steam from the cooled water, and uses the recovered heat to pre-warm feedwater or other process fluids. Think of it like capturing steam rising from a hot cup and using it to warm another cup — it lowers fuel use and operating costs, so investors see it as a way for industrial operators to boost efficiency and reduce ongoing energy expenses.

variable speed drives technical

"Optional variable speed drives for increased efficiency and BESS compatibility"

Variable speed drives are electrical devices that control the speed and torque of electric motors by adjusting the power they receive, similar to how a car throttle lets you change driving speed without shifting gears. They matter to investors because they improve energy efficiency, reduce operating costs and wear on equipment, and enable more flexible production—factors that can lower ongoing expenses, extend asset life, and affect a company’s profitability and capital needs.

mmbtu technical

"these systems can offset more than 35 MMBtu per hour, equivalent to the heating demand"

A MMBtu is a unit of energy equal to one million British thermal units, commonly used to measure natural gas and other fuel quantities for trading and contracts. For investors, it translates raw energy into a standardized price metric—think of it like gallons for gasoline—so changes in the MMBtu price affect producer revenues, utility costs, commodity derivatives, and the profitability of energy-related investments.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

• High lift compressor enables the use of dry coolers in place of traditional cooling towers, eliminating water consumption entirely.
• Expanded operating range supports high temperature heat pump and heat recovery applications.
• Ultra-high condenser water temperature facilitates deployments of large data center campuses with fewer dry coolers, lower noise and water‑free operation.
• Compact single‑driveline design cuts failure points by 50%, and a nearly 30% smaller footprint eases legacy‑space retrofits, reducing cost, time and labor amid skilled‑labor shortages.

MILWAUKEE, Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, is previewing the high-density, compact YORK YK-HT two-stage economized centrifugal chiller at AHR Expo 2026 in Las Vegas. Engineered for data centers and large industrial, pharmaceutical and healthcare campuses, the YK‑HT delivers the industry's widest operating range from a single driveline, operating with condenser leaving fluid temperatures up to 165°F and up to 110°F of lift.

This extended operating range supports efficient closed‑loop heat rejection with dry coolers and enables heat‑pump and heat‑recovery applications. By reusing thermal energy that would otherwise be wasted, these systems can offset more than 35 MMBtu per hour, equivalent to the heating demand of approximately 350 single‑family homes per hour, while lowering carbon emissions and reducing energy costs.

"Water conservation, energy efficiency and decarbonization are priorities for our customers," said Aaron Lewis, vice president and general manager, Applied Equipment, Johnson Controls. "The YK‑HT expands what is possible by enabling high‑temperature operation in a compact and efficient platform, helping customers move beyond traditional water‑intensive heat rejection and unlock new opportunities for efficient electrified heating. With its expanded operating range, mission‑critical facilities can scale with confidence while advancing sustainability, performance and long‑term operating efficiency."

These capabilities translate to significant real‑world impact on water and noise as well. For example, a typical 2,000‑ton chiller operating in Las Vegas, where the YK‑HT will be previewed, consumes approximately 8 to 9 million gallons of cooling‑tower water annually. When paired with dry coolers, the YK‑HT eliminates that water use entirely. For large data centers, including AI factories facing water conservation constraints and strict noise limits, the YK‑HT's enhanced lift capability enables up to a 60% reduction in dry coolers and enough fan power reduction to lower onsite noise by as much as 20 dBA.

Beyond advanced heat‑rejection performance, the YK‑HT delivers expanded functionality in a single packaged unit. As a unified heating and cooling platform for large buildings, it can produce 44°F chilled water and 140°F hot water at the same time, a normal operating condition for heat pumps, while delivering efficiency levels that exceed ASHRAE requirements. This unified feature eliminates the need for cascaded systems, extra electrical infrastructure or major mechanical room redesigns. By using a single driveline and reducing rotating components by 50%, the YK-HT simplifies installation and service, while improving uptime, a critical advantage as data center operators face skilled-labor shortages. With a footprint nearly 30% smaller than most alternatives, the unit is well suited to fit more easily into existing legacy chiller spaces, helping reduce retrofit investment in cost, time and labor.

Other efficiency and performance features include:

• Low-GWP refrigerants R‑1234ze and R‑515B
• An integrated lubrication system and dual variable geometry diffuser control
• Flash tank economizer for enhanced efficiency
• Optional variable speed drives for increased efficiency and BESS compatibility
• Factory-equipped with Smart Ready connectivity for seamless integration

YK-HT chillers are tested against the most extreme real-world conditions, ensuring unmatched performance and reliability at the state-of-the-art Johnson Controls Advanced Development and Engineering Center (JADEC) in New Freedom, Pennsylvania, as well as in Wuxi, China. The chillers are planned for global distribution and will be manufactured in San Antonio, Texas and Wuxi, China, backed by a robust network of resources, including dedicated support teams and fast service and parts delivery. 

To learn more, visit https://www.johnsoncontrols.com/events/ahr-2026. 

MEDIA CONTACT:
Kari Pfisterer
Direct: +1 414-217-1488
Email: kari.b.pfisterer@jci.com

About Johnson Controls: 

At Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI), we transform the environments where people live, work, learn and play. As the global leader in smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, our mission is to reimagine the performance of buildings to serve people, places and the planet.  

Building on a proud history of 140 years of innovation, we deliver the blueprint of the future for industries such as healthcare, schools, data centers, airports, stadiums, manufacturing and beyond through OpenBlue, our comprehensive digital offering.  

Today, Johnson Controls offers the world`s largest portfolio of building technology and software as well as service solutions from some of the most trusted names in the industry.  

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

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SOURCE Johnson Controls International plc

FAQ

What operating range does the YORK YK-HT chiller (JCI) support at AHR Expo 2026?

The YK‑HT supports condenser leaving fluid temperatures up to 165°F and up to 110°F lift. According to the company, that extended range enables dry‑cooler heat rejection, high‑temperature heat pump use, and heat recovery in large data center and campus deployments.

How much water can the JCI YORK YK-HT save compared with a traditional 2,000‑ton cooling‑tower setup?

When paired with dry coolers, the YK‑HT can eliminate cooling‑tower water use estimated at 8–9 million gallons annually for a 2,000‑ton example. According to the company, this enables fully water‑free heat rejection in many arid or water‑constrained sites.

What efficiency and simultaneous heating capabilities does the JCI YK‑HT chiller provide?

The YK‑HT can produce 44°F chilled water and 140°F hot water simultaneously, operating as a unified heat‑pump platform. According to the company, it exceeds ASHRAE efficiency requirements while removing the need for cascaded systems or major mechanical redesign.

How does the YORK YK‑HT affect data center infrastructure needs and noise levels for JCI customers?

The YK‑HT's higher lift can reduce required dry coolers by up to 60% and cut onsite fan power noise by as much as 20 dBA. According to the company, this lessens equipment count, footprint and helps meet strict noise and water constraints.

Where will Johnson Controls manufacture and support the YORK YK‑HT chillers (JCI)?

YK‑HT chillers are planned for global distribution with manufacturing in San Antonio, Texas and Wuxi, China, and testing at JADEC and Wuxi facilities. According to the company, units are factory‑equipped with Smart Ready connectivity and backed by local support teams.