Cold Summit Delivers Industry-Leading Energy Efficiency in Cold Storage Design

Cold Summit launched an ambitious initiative to address one of the most pressing challenges in the cold storage industry—excessive energy consumption and its environmental impact. As a mission-driven company committed to reshaping the global cold chain, Cold Summit set out to design and build the most energy-efficient cold storage facilities in the market. Recognizing that long-term sustainability and operational efficiency must go hand in hand, the company commissioned an in-depth energy modeling study to compare its system design against both legacy and modern refrigeration approaches. The goal was to quantify the real-world benefits of its advanced technology platform and validate Cold Summit’s unique value proposition as a cold chain solutions provider.

Challenges

Energy usage in cold storage facilities is notoriously high, with refrigeration alone accounting for as much as 80 percent of total electricity consumption. As energy prices rise and environmental regulations become more stringent, operators and developers face growing pressure to reduce consumption, emissions, and long-term operating costs. The industry has historically been slow to adapt, often favoring lower upfront costs at the expense of long-term performance and sustainability. This disconnect results in inefficient facilities that are costly to operate and environmentally burdensome.

Cold Summit saw a critical opportunity to lead the industry by investing in long-term energy solutions. The challenge was not only to outperform traditional freon-based systems and modern CO₂ or ammonia systems, but to do so in a scalable, cost-effective way that could serve a broad range of cold chain users—from food distributors to pharmaceutical companies. The company aimed to prove that investing in energy-efficient infrastructure from the outset could significantly lower total cost of ownership and reduce the environmental footprint of cold storage operations without compromising performance.

Cold Summit’s Solution

To develop a breakthrough solution, Cold Summit partnered with Innovative Refrigeration Systems and leveraged its own engineering and modeling expertise. Together, they created a proprietary centralized refrigeration system designed around low-charge ammonia, paired with a suite of advanced features that maximize efficiency. These features included variable frequency drives on all major equipment—compressors, pumps, fans, and condensers—to fine-tune energy use in real time. The system also incorporated glycol-based oil cooling and floor heating to further enhance thermal performance.

One of the most impactful elements of Cold Summit’s approach was the integration of a proprietary digital Building Management System (BMS). This system allows for predictive maintenance, continuous energy monitoring, and digital twin modeling, enabling the facility to dynamically respond to operational needs. The design process also prioritized spatial efficiency and thermal optimization, ensuring that every layout element contributed to energy savings.

To validate its performance claims, Cold Summit commissioned an energy modeling study using standardized environmental conditions modeled on its Dallas I facility. Six competing refrigeration systems—including legacy freon, modern ammonia, CO₂ cascade, and transcritical systems—were evaluated to provide a true apples-to-apples comparison.

Results & Impact

The results of the energy modeling were striking. Cold Summit’s system demonstrated a 62 percent reduction in electricity usage compared to legacy freon systems—highlighting the inefficiency of aging infrastructure. Compared to modern ammonia and freon systems, Cold Summit’s proprietary design achieved a 30 percent improvement in energy performance. Even against the most advanced CO₂ cascade systems, Cold Summit’s solution delivered an additional 5.2 percent in energy savings, confirming its position at the forefront of efficiency innovation.

Financially, the impact of these savings is substantial. At an average industrial electricity rate of $0.075 per kilowatt-hour, the Cold Summit system can reduce electricity costs by as much as $750,000 annually compared to conventional systems. Environmentally, this translates to over 4,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions avoided each year—the equivalent of removing nearly 1,000 gasoline-powered vehicles from the road.

The analysis demonstrated that Cold Summit’s investment in efficiency is not just a sustainability story—it is a business strategy. The system’s operational cost advantages, combined with its environmental benefits, provide measurable value to cold chain operators and asset owners alike.

Conclusion

This case study affirms Cold Summit’s belief that energy efficiency and operational excellence must be built into cold storage infrastructure from day one. By combining proprietary technology, advanced modeling, and collaborative engineering partnerships, Cold Summit has set a new standard for what cold storage can and should be. The success of this system underscores the company’s commitment to delivering not only market-leading performance, but also meaningful reductions in cost and carbon impact.

As Cold Summit continues to expand its footprint across North America and Europe, this energy-efficient platform will serve as the foundation for future facilities. The company’s approach offers a compelling blueprint for the cold chain industry—proving that innovation, sustainability, and profitability are not only compatible, but mutually reinforcing.