Trane President Speaks to UW-Madison Faculty and Students on Green Building

MADISON, Wis., Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ — John Conover, President of Trane’s commercial systems business in the Americas, will speak to students, faculty and university leaders at the University of Wisconsin – Madison on Thursday as part of the university’s Lindbergh Lecture Series.

The theme of the day will be “green building and sustainability,” and Conover’s presentation discusses the state of green building in the United States today, available technologies and applications for making green building a cost effective reality, as well as ways for students to learn more and get involved.

“Behind salary and benefits, environmental contribution is the most popular question asked by college graduates interviewing with Trane,” said Conover. “That’s why we’re talking to students at universities like UW-Madison about the state of green building in this country today and what students, professors, building owners and others in the construction process can do to contribute.”

While on campus, Conover will also meet with leaders from the UW Energy Institute, the Wisconsin Power Electronics Research Center and the HVAC&R Center, among others.

Conover discusses the topic of green building and energy efficiency, because nearly two-thirds of the points needed to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification are from energy use and efficiency.

“Buildings consume one-third of energy worldwide, and in most modern buildings, the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system represents up to 50 percent of its energy requirements,” said Conover. “Plus, over the next 10 years, the demand for HVAC professionals is expected to grow in double digits, while the industry faces a deficit of hundreds of thousands of engineers. Trane is educating students on issues such as green building and sustainability, and offering college graduates opportunities to chip away at these challenges today.”

About the Lindbergh Lecture Series

The Lindbergh Lecture Series is the primary lecture series for the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. It brings in speakers from across academia, business and government. It is named after aviator Charles Lindbergh, who studied mechanical engineering at the university.

About Conover

John Conover is the president of Trane’s commercial systems business in the Americas. Conover has been in the heating and air conditioning industry for almost 30 years where he has witnessed major shifts in Americans’ expectations for indoor air quality and comfort. During his long history with Trane, he has played an integral role in developing methods to better understand customer expectations and market needs such as the growing search for energy efficiency solutions. John earned a Master of Science in civil engineering from Lehigh University and is a registered professional engineer.

About Trane

Trane, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) , provides systems and services that enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and buildings around the world. The business offers a broad range of energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; dehumidifying and air cleaning products; aftermarket service and parts support; advanced building controls; and building and financing solutions including those that allow energy-efficient systems to pay for themselves through energy savings. Trane’s systems and services have leading positions in premium commercial, residential, institutional and industrial markets; a reputation for reliability, high quality and product innovation; and a powerful distribution network. The business has more than 29,000 employees worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.trane.com and http://www.americanstandardair.com.

CONTACT: Melinda Paulson, +1-651-407-3974, mpaulson@trane.com, or Perri Richman, +1-732-980-6386, prichman@trane.com, both of Trane