Run for Green: A Sustainable Relationship
Learn how Trane Technologies works with a local conservation organization to preserve and enhance natural areas in Davidson, NC, home to its North American headquarters.
By Anne Fonda
One of our long-term partnerships is with the Davidson Lands Conservancy (DLC. This past weekend marked the 19th Run for Green, a Davidson institution and tradition. Trane Technologies provides funding that helps with the race, other programs, and day-to-day operations.
It is DLC’s only fundraiser each year raising 20% of the annual operating budget. The run drew around 700 runners from the surrounding area (including 23 Trane Technologies employees). The race goes all through the Town of Davidson including on a portion of the Greenway.
Trane Technologies has been a corporate sponsor of Run for Green and the DLC since 2020 and the Title Sponsor since 2021. Prior to that Ingersoll Rand (predecessor of Trane Technologies) had sponsored the race since 2010. According to Beth Wytiaz, the DLC's executive director, Trane Technologies is DLC's largest corporate partner.
In addition, Trane Technologies joined the "Adopt a Park" program through Davidson Lands Conservancy and the Town of Davidson Parks this year. Trane Technologies has sent out a group of volunteers to Beaty Park (within walking distance from Trane Technologies HQ) to pull invasive species, pick up trash, and work on other park conservation efforts every quarter since we officially adopted the park in April of 2024 on Earth Day. A sign at the park explains how Trane Technologies volunteers support the park through this program.
About the Davidson Lands Conservancy
The Davidson Lands Conservancy is a Davidson, NC land nationally accredited land trust dedicated to conserving and stewarding local land and natural resources, connecting lives to nature, and promoting a conservation ethic. DLC advances its mission with education and through programs of land conservation, trails and greenways, urban forestry, and preservation of wildlife habitat.
Since 2000, Davidson Lands Conservancy has been preserving natural spaces in Davidson and the region east of Lake Norman. DLC currently stewards over 650 acres of protected land in the Davidson area and is working to grow that space by conserving key natural areas. DLC also partners with the Town of Davidson to permanently conserve and steward Fisher Farm (200 acres). In addition, volunteers have planted more than 700 trees - and counting.
“The partnership with Trane Technologies is integral to the work we do in the community to preserve natural areas; support wildlife habitats and the urban forest; and enhance and improve our parks, greenways, and trails. The relationship is grounded in a shared purpose to mitigate biodiversity loss and climate change on a global scale for Trane Technologies and for DLC in our local community.”
- Beth Wytiaz, Executive Director, Davidson Lands Conservancy
Trane Technologies + DLC: Now and forever
Scott Tew, Vice President of Sustainability and co-founder of the Center for Energy Efficiency & Sustainability (CEES) at Trane Technologies is on the DLC Board of Directors and is heavily involved in the corporate partnership phase of DLC’s Now and Forever fundraising campaign.
"Partnering with the Davidson Lands Conservancy for the Run for Green event is a natural extension of Trane Technologies' unwavering commitment to our local communities and sustainability. This event promotes health and wellness within our community while bringing awareness to the critical importance of preserving local tree canopies and green spaces. By supporting initiatives like Run for Green, it reinforces Trane Technologies' dedication to creating a more sustainable world, one step at a time."
- Scott Tew, VP, Sustainability and Managing Director, Center for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability (CEES) at Trane Technologies
The Healthy Giving Series
The Run for Green is part of the Trane Technologies Healthy Giving Series, which is focused on improving employee (and their families) fitness while helping others. The series helps improve overall health and well-being while supporting local needs through charitable giving and volunteer activities.
The Healthy Giving Series started as a one-time event in 2010 for a Couch to Finish triathlon benefitting the Ada Jenkins Center, a Davidson non-profit dedicated to helping people in the community achieve economic stability.
The series has grown over the years to include more than 11 events including the Run for Green, Wellness Workshops, and virtual events. Since 2010, the series has generated more than $900,000 in donations for the Ada Jenkins Center and other local charities.
One employee who ran in the Run for Green again this year is Karla Ward, Learning Instructional Designer, Human Resources.
“As a Biology graduate passionate about nature conservation, I've been coordinating the Trane Technologies employees' participation in the event since 2019. I find great joy in encouraging my colleagues to participate in an initiative that supports local sustainability.”
- Karla Ward, Human Resources Learning Instructional Designer
The Gigaton Challenge: Helping customers reduce carbon emissions
Our support of the Davidson Lands Conservancy is a small-scale example of what our company has committed to doing on a much larger scale. In the Gigaton Challenge, we've made one of the largest science-based climate commitments to tackle climate change and give our customers a clear path to significantly decarbonize in this critical decade.
According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), residential and commercial buildings in the US contribute to 40% of the country’s carbon emissions through the use of electricity and fossil fuels.
Customer use of our products is our largest area of opportunity to reduce carbon emissions. Through this commitment, we've set a goal to reduce one billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) from our customer's carbon footprints by 2030.
Our math shows that this reduction equates to 2% of the world's annual emissions – or, the annual emissions of Italy, France, and the U.K. combined. We are well on the way to meeting this goal. From designing and building more efficient HVAC products to sourcing more sustainable materials like low-carbon steel, Trane Technologies is leading the way.
You can track our progress in our 2023 ESG report.
What our sustainability commitment means for our customers
For Trane residential HVAC customers, our sustainability commitment can translate into increased energy efficiency, energy savings, and a reduction in your home’s carbon footprint. Our sustainable HVAC systems are a win for your wallet and a win for the planet.
Our heat pumps are the cornerstone of an energy-efficient HVAC system that can help you reduce your carbon emissions. Heat pump technology has improved by leaps and bounds just in the last few years. Contact your local Trane dealer today for a free consultation on energy-efficient HVAC systems and potential rebates.
Anne Fonda, Content Writer
A Content Writer with Trane Technologies, Anne Fonda researches topics and writes for Trane® and associated residential HVAC brands. She works in collaboration with Trane Technologies subject matter experts, offering easy-to-understand, informative content on complex topics. Her goal is to help consumers make informed decisions on the products and services they need.
She has written for HVAC and other service provider websites for over 16 years. Before transitioning to web content writing, Anne had a 14-year stint as an award-winning journalist. She graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.
When she’s not working, Anne enjoys playing word games, reading, gardening, spending time with family, and visiting gardens and museums.
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