Carrier Convenes Green Building Education in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As Brazil prepares to host two worldwide sporting events in the next four years, Carrier, the world's leader in high technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions, is helping building designers and owners keep pace with global green building trends and initiatives, expanding its popular Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series with two events this week in Brazil. Carrier is a part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a business unit of United Technologies Corp. (UTX).

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Carrier's Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series, which was launched last year in the Middle East, is designed to deliver lectures throughout the year that feature international experts in the field of green building and sustainability.

"Carrier recognizes the responsible balance between the technology we provide today and the world we live in tomorrow," said John Mandyck, chief sustainability officer, Carrier.  "Brazil has an incredible opportunity to go for the gold by implementing green building initiatives. We are proud to take the lead when it comes to training building designers and owners on energy efficiency and sustainability." 

More than 140 building professionals attended the two Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series events held in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil on July 10 and 12. The events featured Rick Fedrizzi, president and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and chairman of the World Green Building Council, who shared the global perspective on energy efficiency, sustainability and green buildings, and the importance green building councils have in driving sustainable building development; Dr. Nils Kok, associate professor in Finance and Real Estate at Maastricht University in the Netherlands and a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, who discussed the global perspective on the economic value of green buildings; and Felipe Faria, director of government and institutional relations, Green Building Council Brazil, who spoke about building a sustainable future for Brazil.

"By convening thought leaders in the green building movement, we can discuss what is happening around the globe now, and we can look ahead to help green building professionals anticipate trends in the future," Mandyck said. "Given the pace of building development in Brazil, the opportunity exists to make the skylines greener through greater awareness, training and tools like those offered through the Carrier Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series."

Last fall, Carrier formed a joint venture with Midea Group of China for the manufacture and distribution of heating, air-conditioning and ventilation (HVAC) products in Brazil, Argentina and Chile, and does business in the country as Midea Carrier Brasil.

In addition to the Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series, Carrier held a special LEED 101: Green Building Basics and LEED, training session after each event to share information about the LEED rating system, key sustainability terms and concepts, green building best practices, and cost considerations of green buildings. Green building principles were introduced as well as current building trends, such as energy efficiency; motivators for green building; and conventional versus integrative approaches to building design, construction, and operations.

A pioneer in sustainability, Carrier offers a number of tools to help its customers worldwide be environmentally responsible. In addition to being a founding member of the USGBC, Carrier is a founding member of the Argentina, China, India, Singapore and France Green Building Councils. The company is a USGBC Education Provider, is the first company to license USGBC's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) curriculum, and is also the USGBC's largest global partner for LEED education.  Carrier also trained and deployed the first LEED certified instructors in Brazil to advance green building education.

The company expects to expand the Carrier Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series into India and Asia in the fall of 2012. For more information on Carrier and its sustainability initiatives, visit www.NaturalLeader.com.

About Carrier
Carrier is the world's leader in high technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions. Carrier experts provide sustainable solutions, integrating energy efficient products, building controls, and energy services for residential, commercial, retail, transport and food service customers. Founded by the inventor of modern air conditioning, Carrier improves the world around us through engineered innovation and environmental stewardship. Carrier is part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. Visit www.carrier.com for more information.

SOURCE Carrier