November: It Isn't Rocket Science – It's Harder

Join NSF EARTH virtually for a presentation by Steve Kujak, Director of Next Generation Refrigerants Research at Trane Technologies.

Date: November 3, 2026
Time: 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET / 3:00 – 4:00 PM CT
Format: Online (Zoom)

Discover how refrigerants are developed, evaluated, and selected for HVACR systems in a rapidly changing regulatory and technology landscape. Drawing on more than 34 years of experience in refrigerant innovation, Steve will discuss the challenges of balancing performance, safety, environmental impact, and cost while advancing toward lower-GWP solutions.

Participants will learn:

  • How refrigerants are selected for HVACR applications
  • The impact of global GWP reduction initiatives
  • Key tradeoffs among safety, efficiency, and cost
  • Why developing new refrigerants takes years
  • The science behind next-generation refrigerant technologies

Steve has authored or co-authored more than 60 publications, holds more than 40 HVAC-related patents, and serves on the ASHRAE Board of Directors and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Refrigeration, Air-Conditioning and Heat Pumps Technical Options Committee (RTOC).

Bring your questions for the live Q&A and learn why refrigerant development may be even harder than rocket science.

Register today!

* Presented by EARTH (Environmentally Applied Refrigerant Technology Hub), an Engineering Research Center funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). For more information, please visit: NSF EARTH.

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