Ingersoll Rand Energy Leader to Speak to New Climate Change Research Findings at VERGE 2015
Owen Smith to discuss findings of new research addressing the ways in which companies confront climate change
DAVIDSON, N.C., Oct. 26, 2015 /3BL Media/ – Owen Smith, director, energy policy and strategy, Center for Energy Efficiency & Sustainability (CEES) at Ingersoll Rand, a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments, will join other thought leaders to share corporate perspectives on combating climate change at VERGE 2015 in San Jose, California. The conference runs Oct. 26-29, with Smith’s panel taking place from 4:30-5:30 p.m. PDT on Oct. 27.
Smith will join leaders from Microsoft and Belk on a panel moderated by John Davies, vice president and senior analyst at GreenBiz Group. The group will react to, and provide feedback on, initial results of research commissioned by Ingersoll Rand and Green Biz; the survey sought to identify current practices and techniques used in combating climate change.
“Climate change is of growing urgency and we need to better understand how corporations not only view this challenge, but also the actions currently underway to respond to and assume accountability for climate change,” Smith said. “Bringing a global audience of thought leaders together at VERGE provides an excellent opportunity to advance the discussion of how corporate responsibility merges with viable business cases for enhancing sustainable practices and policies.”
Following Smith’s panel discussion at VERGE, he and Davies will further elaborate on the research findings and offer conclusions in an in-depth webinar scheduled to take place from 1-2 p.m. EDT on Dec. 1. More details and registration information will be made available at a later date.
VERGE is GreenBiz Group's global event series focused on the technologies and systems that accelerate sustainability solutions across sectors in a climate-constrained world. The event brings together the world’s largest companies, technology innovators, utilities and cities, creating a broad ecosystem of players to accelerate opportunities for business, the environment and society.
Ingersoll Rand is committed to solving some of the world’s pressing challenges and in September 2014 the company made public its climate commitment to achieve a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) refrigerant footprint of our products by 2020, and incorporating alternatives with lower global warming potential across the company’s product portfolio by 2030; make a $500 million investment in product-related research and development over the next five years to fund the long-term reduction of GHG emissions; and a 35 percent reduction in GHG footprint of our own operations by 2020.
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About Ingersoll Rand
Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) advances the quality of life by creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments. Our people and our family of brands — including Club Car®, Ingersoll Rand®, Thermo King® and Trane® — work together to enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and buildings; transport and protect food and perishables; and increase industrial productivity and efficiency. We are a $13 billion global business committed to a world of sustainable progress and enduring results. For more information, visit www.ingersollrand.com.
About the Speaker
Owen Smith is the director of energy policy and strategy in Ingersoll Rand’s Center for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability (CEES). In this role he works with Ingersoll Rand’s businesses to develop market-leading strategies that reflect significant trends in the energy sector. His efforts expand and accelerate market opportunities for energy efficiency solutions by engaging with leaders from business, non-profit, academic and government institutions. He also seeks to ensure the company’s strategic brands are well positioned to thrive as they address society’s pressing energy and environmental challenges.
Smith came to CEES from Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), a thought leading environmental non-profit that engages with businesses, communities and institutions to advance market-based solutions to accelerate the transition to a clean energy future. As Principal of RMI’s Electricity and Communities Practices, he was accountable for programmatic goals to accelerate the transformation of the electricity system and to enable communities to capture economic benefits by leading on climate and energy challenges.
Prior to RMI, Smith worked at Duke Energy where he scaled renewable energy and energy efficiency across Duke’s regulated utilities. He also held positions in corporate strategy, mergers & acquisitions, finance and marketing. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Wake Forest University and a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial & Organizational Psychology from East Carolina University.
Contact:
Paige Muhlenkamp, Ingersoll Rand
704-990-3282, paige_muhlenkamp@irco.com
