Events
Rheem® Unveils 2035 Sustainability Roadmap at 2026 AHR Expo
The company showcased more than 15 new and enhanced innovative products for residential and commercial applications
Rheem®, a leader in the HVAC and water heating industry for over 100 years, revealed its vision for sustainability and numerous product innovations at the 2026 AHR Expo. Rheem’s portfolio of 50 global brands, including Rheem Heating & Cooling and Water Heating, features advanced and environmentally conscious product solutions for residential and commercial applications.
Building a Sustainable Future
Rheem’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Chris Peel; Chief Operating Officer, Alex Housten; and Senior Vice President of Strategy and Sustainability, Chee Wee Gan, announced the next chapter in the company’s dedication to environmental sustainability at the AHR Expo with new targets that outline a bold vision for 2035 and beyond. Rheem is advancing its mission to engineer what is best for customers, the industry and the environment by establishing new goals through the company’s A Greater Degree of Good™ initiative, including:
Rheem’s 2035 Sustainability Goals:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 30% across the entire lifecycle of Rheem products.*
- Optimize packaging, ensuring 90% of packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable, or has 50% recycled content.**
- Maintain zero waste to landfill (ZWTL) status across all factories and extend the initiative to new acquisitions.†
- Reduce global waste intensity by 10% (ton/unit).‡
- Complete one million trainings for plumbers, contractors and key industry influencers worldwide, covering sustainable product use, refrigerant management, and best practices.
“I am proud of the work the Rheem team is doing to promote sustainability because it sets a great example for the industry,” said Mike Branson, Rheem Global Air president and 2026 AHRI chairman. “In today’s complex and fast-changing regulatory environment, Rheem now has a track record of surpassing its ambitious sustainability goals. As we head toward 2035, I’m confident that our team will be successful in this next phase of environmental stewardship.”
Industry Leading Education and Innovation
On opening day, Chris Day, Rheem’s vice president of product strategy, marketing and training, shared insights on trends in heat pump technology during an educational session. Day indicated that recent advancements in heat pump technology for Air and Water systems have expanded adoption across North America and are being driven by enhanced adaptability to various applications, increased affordability, and evolving customer expectations.
Rheem showcased more than 15 new and enhanced innovative products for residential and commercial applications from its brands Friedrich®, Gibson®, HTPG®, IBC™, Intertherm® and Raypak®:
Rheem Heating and Cooling:
Rheem Air Controls
ecobee Smart Thermostat Lite | Works with EcoNet® Technology
Launching in February in partnership with Rheem®, ecobee Smart Thermostat Lite | Works with EcoNet® Technology is an innovative solution that delivers energy savings, seamless compatibility, and enhanced convenience for homeowners and contractors. The ecobee Smart Thermostat Lite | Works with EcoNet Technology is designed to work effortlessly with non-communicating residential heating and cooling systems from the Rheem Family of Brands, including Rheem, Ruud®, and Friedrich®.
Rheem’s EcoNet infrastructure enables physical and digital products to connect and communicate with each other within a single ecosystem. The EcoNet system includes Rheem Family of Brands’ physical products, cloud platform, mobile applications, and a new digital product service, TotalView™, which will be available to Pro Partners®, later this year. Rheem’s soon-to-be-debuted TotalView is a new family of digital tools that enable near-real-time monitoring and configuration of EcoNet-connected products from anywhere with Internet access.
Rheem Air Residential
Endeavor® Line Prestige® Series Side-Discharge Universal Heat Pump
The Rheem® Endeavor® Line Prestige® Series Side-Discharge Universal Heat Pump (RD18AY) delivers energy efficiency, demand flexibility and consumer-focused convenience. With cooling efficiencies up to 20 SEER2 and heating efficiencies up to 10 HSPF2, the RD18AY minimizes absolute energy use, while its 7mm condenser coil reduces refrigerant requirements by 15% to further lower environmental impact. A truly variable-speed outdoor unit, RD18AY is compatible with any 24V thermostat, smart thermostat, or Rheem’s EcoNet® platform and comes standard with Rheem’s proprietary Universal Algorithm, which adjusts performance to ensure reliability, reduce unit cycling, and deliver long-term energy savings. Full integration across leading smart home platforms, including Amazon Alexa and Google Home, while additional homeowner benefits include ultra-quiet operation as low as 50 dB, air filter monitoring for improved indoor air quality, and a compact design that supports flexible installation.
Endeavor® Line Classic Plus Series Top-Discharge Universal Heat Pump
The Rheem® Endeavor® Line Classic Plus Series Top-Discharge Universal Heat Pump (RP17AY), available in 2–5-ton nominal sizes, delivers efficient, reliable year-round comfort with cooling efficiencies up to 17 SEER2 and heating efficiencies up to 9.5 HSPF2. Engineered for universal installation compatibility, the RP17AY pairs easily with virtually any R-454B HVAC system, including Rheem systems, whether EcoNet® enabled or non-communicating, and is designed as a true universal replacement that requires minimal adjustments. Contractor-friendly features include PlusOne® Diagnostics with Bluetooth® connectivity for faster setup and service, a PlusOne variable-speed twin-rotary compressor and inverter drive for consistent performance and energy savings.
Endeavor® Line Classic Plus® Series iR Packaged Dual Fuel
The Rheem® Endeavor® Line Classic Plus® Series Residential Packaged Dual Fuel (RDFXYC) combines a heat pump and gas furnace in one unit, available in 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-ton models in single and 3-phase, delivering cooling efficiency up to 15.2 SEER2 and heat pump heating efficiency of 7.2 HSPF2, with two-stage gas heat providing 81% AFUE on extreme cold days. The system automatically switches from heat pump to gas furnace based on outdoor temperature to maintain consistent comfort and help reduce energy costs, while a two-stage Scroll compressor with high- and low-pressure control ensures reliability. Designed for side or down discharge with a sound rating of 78 dB, the unit minimizes absolute energy use and features microchannel condenser and evaporator coils to reduce refrigerant requirements by 50%. Featuring Bluetooth® connectivity, the unit is simple to set up, service, and run diagnostics through the Rheem contractor and EcoNet® apps.
Rheem Air Commercial
Renaissance™ Commercial Classic Plus® Series Packaged Heat Pump
The Rheem® Renaissance™ Line Commercial Classic Plus® Packaged Heat Pump (RHPCYC & RHPDYC), ranging in capacity from 3 to 10 tons, is part of the latest addition to the well-featured Renaissance lineup. Offered standard as BACnet MS/TP- and BACnet IP- ready while also being compatible with universal 24V control, these new heat pumps feature higher efficiencies to deliver the powerful performance businesses need; up to 11 EER2, 16.1 SEER2, 7.2 HSPF2 in 3 to 5 tons and in 6.5 to 10 ton capacities, up to 12 EER, 17.6 IEER, 3.6 COP at 47°F and 2.5 COP at 17°F. With industry-standard direct-replacement footprints, up to 3 stages of heating and cooling, a backward-curve direct-drive indoor blower, full MicroChannel coils as well as ServiceSmart™ features such as the Qwik-Change Flex-Fit Rack, Qwik-Slide Blower Assembly, and Qwik-Clean Drain Pan, these units maximize value for customers by optimally balancing the benefits of easy, intuitive design with advanced technologies to deliver the performance today’s businesses need.
Rheem Water Heating:
Rheem Water Residential
Ideal for space and water heating, the new Rheem® FT™ Series Combi Boiler is a compact unit created with the installer and homeowner in mind. These super high-efficiency condensing gas combi boilers offer up to 95% AFUE, while the ULN (ultra-low NOx) burners reduce emissions by up to 75%. With a high heating BTU output, the FT Series Combi Boiler provides an ideal solution for homes that demand strong and consistent heat and hot water, especially in colder climates. A Four-Zone Temperature Control allows users to manage up to four heating zones with individual temperature settings, with no external controller needed. Backed by a 15-year heat exchanger warranty, units feature a full-color touchscreen for control as well as a stainless-steel plate fire tube heat exchanger, making them ideal for space heating applications, including hydronic radiant heat.
Rheem® ProTerra® Hybrid Electric Heat Pump Water Heater
Available in 40-, 50-, 65- and 80-gallon sizes, the award-winning Rheem® ProTerra® Hybrid Electric Heat Pump Water Heaters include quick install components such as new top-of-the-tank water connections and a duct-ready design, significantly reducing installation time. ENERGY STAR® 5.0 certified, ProTerra uses up to 75% less energy compared to standard electric water heaters.
Rheem Water Commercial
RheemÒ IKONIC™ Commercial Tankless
The Rheem® IKONIC™ Commercial Tankless Water Heater offers a single unit that caters to both natural gas and liquid propane commercial applications. The IKONIC Commercial Tankless Water Heater includes a fuel conversion kit, making installation a breeze. Designed to meet diverse commercial needs, the unit provides users with unmatched flexibility with design options that include Factory Pre-Built/programmed rack systems (RTRS) and Modular (DIY) built-on-site rack systems. Adding to its flexibility, the same unit can seamlessly transition between indoor and outdoor applications using an optional outdoor conversion kit. This best-in-class tankless commercial water heater uses common venting lengths, allowing businesses to extend the venting up to 170 inches on eight common vented units using only a six-inch pipe, which allows for application in various installation scenarios. Additionally, the system is manifold control-ready, allowing businesses to easily connect up to 32 units for seamless integration.
Friedrich:
A 2026 AHR® Innovation Awards runner-up, the Friedrich® FreshAire® Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner (PTAC) redefines performance, comfort, and indoor air quality in guest rooms with its inverter compressor and patented fresh air delivery system with 2-speeds of make-up air up to 52 CFM. Its integrated fresh air manifold complies with ASHRAE 62.1-2013 standards for indoor air quality in a superior way by delivering fully conditioned, MERV8-filtered, and dehumidified air. FreshAire PTAC boasts impressive efficiencies through Heat Pump and Precision Inverter® Technology, which adjusts capacity to meet the heating and cooling load for optimal comfort and energy savings. The addition of an optional wall controller with occupancy and humidity (RH) sensing further enhances energy savings and air quality by adjusting the fresh air damper based on the sensed room conditions.
To enhance the guest experience, the unit boasts ultra-quiet operation through the inverter compressor’s Soft-start™ and QuietMaster® technology that is engineered to deliver maximum airflow and air dispersion at low sound power levels (less than 60 dB(A), quieter than falling rain). Engineered for healthier indoor environments and efficient operation, FreshAire PTAC offers a superior guest experience in quiet comfort and fresh air in a wide variety of climates, operating in heat pump mode down to 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
Friedrich® Floating Air™ Ductless Mini-Split
Introducing the all-new Friedrich® Floating Air ® ductless mini-split series. The streamlined product lineup features 40 SKUs across three distinct lines—Pro X, Pro, and Select—optimizing inventory management and installation flexibility. FastPro® technology is featured in all wall-mounted units, simplifying maintenance and reducing labor time significantly. Built-in Wi-Fi enhances control with the ComfortPro mobile app, available for wall-mounted and ceiling cassette models. The Pro X Series offers the ultimate flexibility and performance in extreme temperatures, available for both single and multi-zone configurations, with a wide range of indoor options—wall-mounted, ceiling cassettes, concealed ducted, and ducted air handlers—from 9K to 42K BTU. The Pro Series focuses on high efficiency, delivering a SEER2 of up to 25.0 and an HSPF2 of up to 11.0 in single-zone wall-mounted units ranging from 9K to 24K BTU.
Friedrich® Breeze™ Universal Heat Pumps
The Friedrich® Breeze™ Universal Heat Pump is the ultimate solution for upgrading to efficient inverter heat pump technology. Designed for versatility, it seamlessly integrates with nearly any existing HVAC system or pairs with the Friedrich Breeze Air Handler for precise, year-round comfort. Additionally, inverter technology delivers efficiencies of up to 19.0 SEER2 and 10 HSPF2 for lower energy bills. Breeze simplifies installation by accommodating long lineset runs up to 246 feet and height differentials of up to 98 feet, all within a compact footprint that is 40% smaller than traditional top-discharge outdoor units. The unit saves on outdoor space without sacrificing performance.
Gibson:
Gibson® Condensing Air Conditioner 2 Ton
The Gibson® Condensing Air Conditioner 2 Ton (WSA4BD5M1SN24K) is built for dependable performance and easier service. The residential system, boasting 13.4 SEER2, features a best-in-class Copeland Scroll™ compressor, all-aluminum coils for corrosion resistance, and a composite base pan that reduces weight, vibration, and noise. Contractor-friendly features include a removable top grille, easy side access to controls and compressor, an auto-reset high-pressure switch, and a permanently lubricated motor. Additionally, protective mesh hail and wire guards help ensure long-term reliability in demanding conditions.
HTPG:
HTPG® EcoNet-Enabled Unit Coolers
HTPG® EcoNet-Enabled Unit Coolers are intelligent, electronically operated evaporators designed for walk-in coolers and freezers. They save energy in refrigeration systems through precise superheat and space temperature control, as well as fan cycling. With a focus on energy efficiency and ease of installation, the award-winning design incorporates factory-installed EcoNet® Controllers, bringing user-friendly smart technology to commercial refrigeration applications. This controller offers customers greater efficiency and enhanced control over their walk-in units, resulting in significant energy savings.
IBC:
The IBC™ SFC (Superflow™) Combi Boiler is a fully condensing, wall‑mounted unit available in three sizes—SFC 125, 160, and 199—that delivers dependable space heating and domestic hot water from one compact system. Built around IBC’s patented single‑pass Labyrinth heat exchanger with dual integrated copper waterways, the SFC delivers up to 95% AFUE while maintaining strong performance in hard‑water areas. Installation and servicing are straightforward thanks to a simple internal layout, only five moving parts, factory‑installed components, and a clear touchscreen control. Select models offer wireless cascade capability for up to eight units, eliminating communication wiring while providing scalable capacity and built‑in redundancy—making the SFC a practical, time‑saving solution for both residential and light commercial installs.
IBC™ VX™ Series Condensing Boilers
The IBC™ VX™ Series condensing boilers are engineered for fast installation and easy service. Available in three sizes (110, 150, and 199), each unit features the V‑10 touchscreen control with Express Setup, plain‑English alerts, USB programmability, and remote monitoring to simplify commissioning and diagnostics. A durable 439 stainless‑steel fire‑tube heat exchanger, 95% AFUE, and a 6.5:1 turndown ratio delivers dependable performance across a wide range of applications. Built‑in zone and pump control reduces external wiring, while flexible venting options (PVC/CPVC/PPs) and long allowable vent lengths make layout simple. Universal parts, built‑in safety features, and cascade capability of up to four units make the VX Series a reliable, installer‑focused solution for residential and light commercial jobs.
Intertherm:
Intertherm® E7 Series Electric Furnace
For more than a century, Intertherm® has manufactured HVAC equipment for a full spectrum of factory-built housing applications. Intertherm’s RightFit approach delivers fully integrated systems that are safe, reliable, and easy to install.
The Intertherm E7 Series Electric Furnace is designed to meet the needs of manufactured and factory-built homes with flexibility for installation in utility rooms, alcoves, or closets. Designed for reliable operation, the E7s are available in upflow or downflow orientation. This furnace is A/C ready (2 to 5 tons) and designed to work seamlessly with Intertherm matched equipment. With the factory-installed coil shelf and filter, these units make AC installation, replacement and servicing easy for the contractor. These furnaces have nichrome heating elements offering long-lasting, efficient heating and are available in six different heat inputs to ensure a proper amount of heat for any location in the country. Auto-reset controls protect the electrical circuitry, ensuring safe and dependable performance season after season. The E7 series units are designed specifically for factory-built housing, minimizing utility footprint while expanding living space. With these furnaces being 100% AFUE, they help reduce heat loss, provide energy savings and comfort without disruption.
Raypak:
The Raypak® XVers® + KŌR™ line represents the most intelligent compact condensing fire-tube boilers on the market, engineered for reliable indoor and outdoor performance with maximum uptime. At the heart of the system is the high-efficiency stainless-steel KŌR fire-tube heat exchanger, which delivers greater heat output in a smaller footprint—making it ideal for hospitals, schools, and multi-family housing. Advanced HO₂T™ Track and Trim technology continuously monitors oxygen levels and automatically adjusts fuel and airflow to maintain optimal combustion and peak efficiency. Installation is streamlined through the innovative 4 Thru The Door™ design—a 4 MMBTUH condensing boiler that fits through a standard doorway—along with a forklift- and pallet-jack-accessible base for simplified transport and placement. Smaller, lighter jacket panels provide easy access to critical components, enabling faster, more efficient service. With flexible venting options, Raypak’s Dynamic Protection, and intelligent controls—including Raymote remote access, also available on other Raypak products—the XVers + KŌR line combines cutting‑edge engineering with practical design to deliver easier installation, simplified maintenance, and long‑term reliability.
Additional information is available at www.rheem.com and www.rheem.com/sustainability.
About Rheem®
For over 100 years, Rheem has stood as a trusted partner for residential and commercial innovations. From its humble beginnings
in 1925, Rheem has grown into a leading global manufacturer of heating, cooling, water heating, and commercial refrigeration solutions, committed to sustainability, and enriching lives through innovative design, technology, and enduring quality.
To learn more, visit www.rheem.com.
*Rheem’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2035 from the 2023 baseline. This metric will be based on intensity emissions normalized by revenue and includes scopes 1-3 as defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
**Rheem measures reusable, recyclable, compostable, and recycled content in line with ISO and FTC standards.
† A Rheem plant is considered to have reached Zero Waste to Landfill when it achieves a rate of at least 90% diversion of nonhazardous solid waste away from landfill, waste-to-energy (WTE), and incineration, in line with the Zero Waste International Alliance standards and TRUE Zero Waste standards.
‡ Rheem measures waste intensity as a ratio of total weight of non-hazardous waste generated across all manufacturing facilities to total units produced from a 2023 baseline. At this time, figures for goals 1-4 mentioned in this article have not been independently verified by a third party.
