Johnson Controls Wins Joseph M. Brillhart IDEA Innovation Award at IDEA2026

University of Windsor’s hybrid steam-electric chiller project recognized for pioneering campus decarbonization in Canada

OTTAWA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The International District Energy Association (IDEA) has named Johnson Controls the recipient of the 2026 Joseph M. Brillhart Innovation Award for its work on the University of Windsor’s hybrid steam-electric chiller project. The project is expected to deliver 82% of the university’s 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target, reduce grid electricity demand by approximately 60% during Ontario’s peak demand periods, and generate significant cost savings by leveraging recovered steam instead of grid electricity.

The winning submission, “Pioneering Campus Decarbonization: Advancing Hybrid Steam-Electric Innovation at the University of Windsor,” highlighted how Johnson Controls helped the University of Windsor become the first higher education institution in Canada to implement a dual-drive hybrid steam-electric turbine chiller. The project transforms the campus’ waste heat into self-generated power, enabling the university to reduce electric grid demand during costly peak periods while advancing its long-term sustainability goals.

“The 2026 Innovation Award competition entries represented a variety of new products, software, and operational ideas, some of which have not been seen before in district energy applications,” said Robert Smith, Vice President at RMF Engineering, Inc. “Johnson Controls and University of Windsor blended two types of machinery to offer unique operational flexibility in solving energy and environmental challenges.”

Prior to the project, the university’s Energy Conversion Centre (ECC) accounted for approximately 40% of campus energy needs and its legacy boiler-steam system was responsible for roughly 88% of total campus emissions. Johnson Controls replaced an aging gas-fired boiler in the ECC with a 1,200-ton YORK® YST Steam Turbine Centrifugal Chiller paired with a 24,000-lbs/hour Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG), allowing the plant to capture exhaust steam and redirect it as a thermal energy source during peak demand events.

The University of Windsor is classified as a Class A electricity customer in Ontario, meaning its Global Adjustment (GA) electricity costs are tied directly to its share of the province’s top five peak demand hours each year. By operating the hybrid chiller on recovered steam during those hours (accounting for an estimated 140 hours annually), the university can reduce its grid electrical demand by approximately 60% during peak events. Each megawatt of demand avoided translates to as much as $300,000–$400,000 per year in avoided GA costs. The project is also projected to deliver 82% of the university’s 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target and received $200,000 in incentives through the Enbridge Gas Energy Efficiency Program.

“On behalf of everyone at Johnson Controls, we're honored to receive this recognition from IDEA. This project was made possible through a true partnership with the University of Windsor and what we accomplished together goes well beyond optimizing campus efficiency,” said James Rosner, Principal Advisor – Higher Education (North America), Johnson Controls. “We fundamentally changed the way the university uses energy, turning a legacy system into one that advances both its decarbonization goals and its long-term financial resilience. We're grateful to IDEA and proud of what this team built."

“The University of Windsor project is exactly the kind of work the Innovation Award was created to recognize,” said Rob Thornton, President and CEO of IDEA. “Johnson Controls found a way to leverage and modernize an existing campus district energy system into a more strategic asset. The result is a campus that is cleaner, more resilient, and better positioned financially. This is a model other institutions across North America should be watching closely.”

The installation itself required significant ingenuity. The ECC’s utility tunnel imposed tight load constraints, requiring the 1,200-ton chiller to be assembled piece-by-piece on-site and moved into place. The drives were arranged in-line rather than in parallel to fit within the existing footprint. The plant’s location directly adjacent to the Ambassador Bridge, one of the busiest border crossings between the United States and Canada, required coordination with the Canada Border Services Agency for crane operations.

IDEA also recognized Corix with an Honorable Mention for its Burnaby Mountain District Energy Utility (BMDEU) submission, which demonstrated how a biomass-powered district energy system serving Simon Fraser University and the adjacent UniverCity community has achieved an 85% reduction in campus GHG emissions and is operating at industry-leading efficiency levels.

“Through a single project, we reduced emissions across SFU’s campus and the surrounding community by over 80% annually, and through ongoing optimizations, we’re now consistently exceeding 90%. This recognition speaks to the power of collaboration and technical excellence in advancing decarbonization,” said Paul Holt, Vice President, Engineering & Operations, Corix.

The award was presented at IDEA2026, the organization’s annual conference and trade show, held June 23–26 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Now in its 14th year, the Innovation Award recognizes IDEA members who demonstrate emerging best practices, applied technology, and the value of industry collaboration. The award is named in honor of Joseph M. Brillhart, a former IDEA Board Chair and long-time Johnson Controls employee, who passed away in 2023.

You can view this year’s awards ceremony here.

About Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls, a global leader in thermal management, mission-critical building systems, energy efficiency, and decarbonization, helps customers use energy more productively, reduce carbon emissions, and operate with the precision and resilience required in rapidly expanding industries such as data centers, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, and higher education.

For more than 140 years, Johnson Controls has delivered performance where it really matters. Backed by advanced technology, lifecycle services and an industry-leading field organization, we elevate customer performance, turn goals into real-world results and help move society forward.

Visit johnsoncontrols.com for more information and follow @Johnsoncontrols on social platforms.

About IDEA
The International District Energy Association (IDEA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit industry association founded in 1909 and based in Massachusetts, USA. Representing nearly 3,000 members across more than 30 countries, IDEA champions district heating, district cooling, thermal networks, and combined heat and power (CHP) as reliable, efficient, and sustainable solutions. Its mission is to foster the success of its members as global leaders in advancing energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, and building resilient, sustainable communities.