South Korean tech giant LG has established a division to promote its HVAC expertise as decarbonisation and electrification emerge as defining trends in the sector.

The ES division has a portfolio of HVAC products that align with current market trends, including versatile residential air conditioners for various types of housing, commercial air conditioners for buildings, schools and public institutions, and heating products that serve as efficient alternatives to traditional fossil fuel boilers.

The portfolio also encompasses chillers based on magnetic bearing technology. These chillers, known for their performance, precision and adaptability, are increasingly regarded as the best cooling option for AI data centres. To meet the rising demand for thermal management in this fast-growing IT segment, LG has partnered with a global technology company to build sustainable AI infrastructure.

LG recently showcased its chillers at AHR Expo 2025, an international HVAC tradeshow in Florida (www.iotm2mcouncil.org/iot-library/news/smart-building-construction-news/lg-advances-hvac-at-ahr-expo-in-florida). Among the innovations on display were an oil-free inverter centrifugal chiller, which highlights the company’s thermal management technologies, and a centrifugal chiller that uses active magnetic bearings to improve efficiency through the inverter system.

Addressing region-specific HVAC needs, LG has established a consortium dedicated to R&D for cold-climate heat pumps. The consortium now operates facilities in locations known for harsh winter conditions, such as Alaska, Oslo and Harbin in China.

In September last year, LG (www.lg.com) hosted the first meeting of the Global Heat Pump Consortium in Seoul, South Korea. The event brought together LG’s HVAC experts and academic partners to discuss collaborative projects driven by the consortium’s regional clusters. The gathering marked a step towards the realisation of innovative heating options.

LG’s latest heat pump technology underscores the company’s commitment to decarbonisation and electrification. At AHR Expo, LG earned an Innovation Award for a heat pump that operates effectively at temperatures as low as -35˚C, maintaining full heating capacity at -25˚C and 70 per cent capacity at -35˚C. This product will launch in the USA this month and in Europe in the second half of the year.