VERMILLION — The University of South Dakota is part of a project funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation that will develop sustainable refrigerants to address climate change.

The NSF awarded six institutions a total of $26 million to establish a Gen-4 Engineering Research Center (ERC) — Environmental Applied Refrigerant Technology Hub (EARTH) — to create a sustainable and circular refrigerant economy.

The NSF ERCs bring universities and businesses together to strengthen the competitive position of American industry in the global marketplace.

The EARTH project includes USD, University of Kansas (lead institution), University of Notre Dame, University of Maryland, University of Hawaii and Lehigh University.

Haoran Sun, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Chemistry, is USD’s principal investigator and will collaborate with USD faculty and students to contribute to the project.

Both undergraduate and graduate students at USD will be involved in the ERC EARTH research project.

“The EARTH project will provide excellent education opportunities for our students through cutting-edge research, helping them explore various career pathways through the strong industrial connections EARTH project has,” said Sun.

As part of the ERC EARTH, the institutions will reimagine 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. The use of HVACR systems is widespread, 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, a significant challenge in combating climate change.