Grand Challenge Partnerships are part of the Scott Institute’s strategy to grow research in key areas on some of the most challenging questions facing the net-zero, climate-resilient energy transition.
“The Grand Challenges represent a growing family of big, system-level questions facing energy systems that must be tackled to achieve our mid-century climate goals,” says Valerie Karplus, associate director of the Scott Institute.
As we transition to sustainable energy systems, each of the Scott Institute’s Grand Challenges addresses a cross-disciplinary question that must be answered to advance deep decarbonization and resilience of our energy systems, drawing on expertise from science and engineering, infrastructure, policy design, and workforce and community engagement.
Rankin Family Grand Challenge
In late 2023, Yeming and Aaron Rankin made a generous commitment to establish the Engineering Resilience for Climate Adaptation Fund. The fund will support initiatives focused on engineering resilience for energy and climate adaptation and the associated Ph.D. student-led projects that will be overseen by faculty in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Scott Institute.
Resilience is the key to enhancing harmony between the natural and physical world to proactively reduce and withstand the impact of climate change. Climate adaptation builds on a system of thinking that integrates climate change modeling with the development of effective and equitable adaptation solutions. The result is a holistic approach within which nature, built environments, and societies can thrive.
Learn more about the research made possible by the Rankin Family Grand Challenge →
Trane Technologies Grand Challenge
Global climate innovator Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT) is working to advance clean, electric-powered climate control solutions that dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions in homes, buildings, and industry as part of its ambition to decarbonize the built environment and cold chain for a more sustainable world. The company’s vision strongly aligns with the ambition of Carnegie Mellon’s Scott Institute for Energy Innovation to accelerate decarbonization.
The result: Trane Technologies is the first private sector company to join the Scott Institute’s new and growing family of Grand Challenge Partners – a select group of organizations with an ambitious decarbonization vision and goals for their operations, products, and global markets. The multi-year collaboration will study the maximum penetration of electrified residential heating and cooling systems that can be expected across the U.S., given existing distribution infrastructure and household electrical capabilities.
“Trane Technologies is at the vanguard in its efforts to transform global business models to advance deep decarbonization,” says Costa Samaras, director of the Scott Institute and a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “We are fortunate to partner with them on this high-potential opportunity to decarbonize the residential sector.”
Learn more about the research made possible by the Trane Technologies Grand Challenge →
