SYRACUSE, N.Y., March 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In another demonstration of leadership in environmental stewardship, Carrier Corp. President Geraud Darnis led a group of officials and dignitaries in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Willis H. Carrier Total Indoor Environmental Quality (TIEQ) lab at the Syracuse Center of Excellence (SyracuseCoE) in Environmental and Energy Systems headquarters in Syracuse, N.Y. Carrier Corp., a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) , is a charter member of the SyracuseCoE and was actively involved in all aspects of the headquarters' design process. SyracuseCoE is focused on research in global sustainability, including clean and renewable energy, indoor environmental quality, and water resource solutions. In 2005, Carrier pledged $1.5 million for the creation of the world class, 10,000-square foot laboratory named for Dr. Willis H. Carrier, the inventor of modern air conditioning and the founder of Carrier Corp. This first-of-its-kind lab facilitates cutting-edge research into the effects of multiple factors-- including temperature, humidity, air quality, lighting, and sound--on human health and performance in building environments. The mission of SyracuseCoE is to create innovations that improve human health and productivity, security, and sustainability in commercial buildings. SyracuseCoE's headquarters building itself is a showcase for environmental and energy technologies and building innovation. Carrier's sustainable building solutions can be seen in the application of water-to-water heat pumps and air treatment equipment controlled by Carrier's Comfort Network®. The air treatment equipment provides personalized comfort and air quality control for the human performance test simulators in the Carrier TIEQ Laboratory. SyracuseCoE also employs outdoor air quality monitoring, building materials testing, advanced underfloor air distribution and heat recovery systems. The facility is pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
