University of Kansas awarded $26 million for new Engineering Research Center from National Science Foundation

LAWRENCE — The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the University of Kansas $26 million to establish a new Gen-4 Engineering Research Center (ERC) — Environmentally Applied Refrigerant Technology Hub (EARTH) — that will create a sustainable and circular refrigerant economy.

NSF’s Engineering Research Centers bring universities and businesses together to strengthen the competitive position of American industry in the global marketplace.

“NSF's Engineering Research Centers ask big questions in order to catalyze solutions with far-reaching impacts,” NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan said. “NSF Engineering Research Centers are powerhouses of discovery and innovation, bringing America's great engineering minds to bear on our toughest challenges. By collaborating with industry and training the workforce of the future, ERCs create an innovation ecosystem that can accelerate engineering innovations, producing tremendous economic and societal benefits for the nation.”

KU’s ERC EARTH was selected from among hundreds of proposed centers.

“Working closely with industry partners, EARTH will have the resources and expertise to solve the technical, environmental and economic challenges required to create a sustainable refrigerant lifecycle that will benefit Kansans, the nation and the world. In doing this work, the center is a prime example of how the University of Kansas is driving economic development in Kansas," said Douglas A. Girod, University of Kansas chancellor.

KU is well positioned to lead this effort.

“The University of Kansas has a talented workforce and robust research capabilities,” said Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran. “This new research center will allow Kansans to lead the way in developing the next generation of refrigerant technology, increasing U.S. competitiveness in an important technology and industry. Through my leadership role on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee which funds federal scientific priorities, I am pleased to help fund the U.S. National Science Foundation, which is critical to advancing U.S. research and development.” 

KU is the lead institution and is joined by partners at the University of Notre Dame, University of Maryland, University of Hawai'i, University of South Dakota and Lehigh University. 

Mark Shiflett serves as director for ERC EARTH. Shiflett is a KU Foundation Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering and director of the Wonderful Institute for Sustainable Engineering.

“EARTH’s operational design will cultivate inclusive, interdisciplinary research collaborations and foster workforce development. The EARTH team will partner with community colleges and technical schools to ensure availability of the needed workforce at all levels,” Shiflett said. 

At the heart of ERC EARTH’s work is reimagining the process for heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) systems across the globe. EARTH will develop sustainable, accessible and equitable refrigerant technologies and practices through research, education and innovation that will improve quality of life and combat climate change. 

HVACR systems are widespread throughout society, enabling transportation and preservation of fresh foods, storage of medicines and cooling of buildings. Most current refrigerants are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which have high global-warming potential. As a result of leaks from existing systems and the energy required to operate them, HFCs account for nearly 8% of global greenhouse-gas emissions.

In response, the U.S. and 170 other countries are phasing down HFCs in accordance with domestic and international agreements signed in recent years, which creates a tremendous challenge to responsibly and sustainably replace billions of kilograms of refrigerants.

ERC EARTH will take a multifaceted approach to address this challenge.

“Multidisciplinary research teams will focus on three key areas: promoting the recycling and repurposing of refrigerants, developing transformative refrigerants and creating next-generation cooling and heating technologies with higher energy efficiency,” Shiflett said.

At its core, ERC EARTH will address a critical challenge facing society.

“There is a tremendous need to develop cooling/heating technologies that use less energy and new refrigerants that are safe for the environment. EARTH will be a critical national resource to address these challenges. The University of Kansas School of Engineering is proud to be leading this collaboration, which leverages multiple academic and industrial partners,” said Mary Rezac, dean of the KU School of Engineering.

This is one of the largest federally funded grants in KU history, with the potential to become the largest if the renewal option is successful. The project is renewable after five years for another $26 million dollars, for a total of 10 years and $52 million.