Katie McGinty, vice president and chief sustainability and external relations officer at Johnson Controls takes a look at sustainability.

In 2026, sustainability is no longer a peripheral concern, it’s the ultimate competitive edge. Organizations that embrace efficiency and innovation are unlocking new value, redefining performance, and setting the pace for the future. And this shift isn’t about compliance or corporate responsibility; it’s about driving performance and pushing the bounds of what’s possible, while leaving the competition behind.

A recent Accenture report found that nearly 90% of companies now connect their decarbonization efforts directly to business value. This marks a profound transformation: Sustainability initiatives are no longer “nice to have,” they are essential for market leadership. Smart buildings, equipped with advanced automation, AI-driven insights and integrated controls, deliver measurable outcomes: reduced energy consumption, lower emissions and enhanced operational efficiency.

This isn’t theory, it’s happening now, with results that speak for themselves:

  • Johnson Controls’ YORK YVAM chiller for data centers uses 40% less power annually, zero on-site water and operates quietly – freeing up energy for compute power and helping customers beat the competition while reducing environmental impact.
  • Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital in Ontario connected building technology to reduce energy use by 19%, and now operates 33% more efficiently than the health care industry average. Digital tools saved 4,000 hours in manual troubleshooting and 600 hours annually in preventative maintenance – efficiency that allows facilities experts to focus on more strategic work that can support better patient outcomes and preserves uptime.
  • A North American university slashed energy use by 50% through improved heating, cooling, and ventilation – saving money while creating a healthier learning environment.
  • A hospital in Germany put a heat pump to work to tap heat energy 200 meters below the facility and realized a 30% cut in energy costs while producing enough heat to cover 80% of the hospital’s demand.

These wins are part of a broader movement where efficient, electrified and digitized systems deliver tangible value for people and the planet. Smart Buildings Magazine has consistently highlighted how integrated sensors, controls, and automation help building owners make smarter decisions about energy use and operational outcomes. Commercial buildings without smart technologies are at least 15% less efficient than those with fully integrated digital systems – a gap that is an indicator of who is wasting capital and who is putting capital to work to win.

Johnson Controls’ own journey – 140 years of innovation – proves that sustainability and technology together create environments that improve society and mission-critical operations. For example, our commercial heat pumps are delivering competitive advantage to customers and partners across all industries and in 2024 alone we helped cut customers' expenses by 53% and reduce emissions by 60% compared to conventional natural gas boilers. Against the backdrop of soaring global electricity costs, the prize is even greater for companies who embrace this technology and realize efficiencies that measure in the many multiples of energy consumed!

In 2026 and beyond, sustainability is the core strategy for businesses that want to win. It’s a catalyst for innovation, driver of operational excellence and a source of enduring competitive advantage. The leaders who act now will shape tomorrow, and define success in the future.