Rheem, a leading global manufacturer of water heating and HVAC products, released its 2022 Sustainability Progress Report showcasing notable updates on its environmentally-focused programs. Since the company launched its sustainability initiative, A Greater Degree of Good, in 2019, the Atlanta-based manufacturer has proactively implemented programs to provide more environmentally sustainable solutions in North America and abroad. Two of the case study examples included within the newly released report showcase Rheem’s Friedrich and IBC businesses.

Zero Waste to Landfill: Reimagining Facilities for the Future 

To achieve an industry-leading Zero Waste to Landfill goal by 2025, Rheem’s global manufacturing facilities are redesigning, reducing, reusing and recycling materials that would otherwise become trash.

As a member of the Rheem family of brands since 2021, Friedrich plays an active role in the company's commitment to sustainability. Friedrich’s Monterrey, Mexico, plant began with a landfill diversion rate of 63%. In 2022, employees switched to reusable plates and cutlery in the cafeteria, routed leftover food scraps to a local pig farm and identified a specialized recycler for 9 tons of foam. Employees also brought the spirit of Zero Waste to Landfill into the community, filming videos with their families about how to help the environment and engaging kids in a recycled toy competition. By the conclusion of 2022, Friedrich's manufacturing plant increased its landfill diversion rate to an impressive 88%. 

Friedrich’s sustainability efforts don’t stop there. At the Friedrich headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, in 2022, employees placed recycling bins throughout high-traffic areas to promote increased recycling, expanded electronic and battery recycling, and evaluated the opportunity to implement composting for organic waste. Friedrich’s dedication to recycling and sustainability recently earned it a Gold Certification from ReWorksSA, an environmental program led jointly by the City of San Antonio’s Solid Waste Management Department and Office of Sustainability.

Conserving Water and Reducing Emissions: Innovations with Impact

Innovation is a driving force for sustainability. IBC, another Rheem family brand, is innovating its manufacturing processes for residential and commercial boilers to conserve water and reduce emissions from avoided gas consumption, saving money and creating a more comfortable environment.

Before any boiler at Rheem’s IBC plant in British Columbia, Canada, finishes production, its ability to bring large quantities of water to a high temperature is tested. Without a recovery mechanism, all the heat is rejected into the outdoor air, leading to an unfortunate waste of warmth in a cold climate. IBC’s production, operations and R&D teams developed a creative in-house solution. First, they diverted the hot water to air handling units to cool and cycle it back into production for continued use in testing. Next, they engineered the air handler system to push the concentrated hot air back into the building to warm the plant during cold weather, achieving both energy and cost savings. 

Comprehensive updates on Rheem’s A Greater Degree of Good efforts are provided annually in Rheem’s Sustainability Progress Reports at www.rheem.com/progress.