- Schneider Electric’s AirSeT switchgear won the WEF Sustainable Design Champion award for replacing SF6 with pure air and vacuum technology.
- The solution has cut 1.7million tonnes of CO2 emissions, advancing sustainable and circular electrical infrastructure.
Schneider Electric, a global energy management and automation leader, announced that the World Economic Forum’s Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders has named its AirSeT medium-voltage switchgear a Champion in Sustainable Design.
The award recognises how AirSeT reduces greenhouse gas emissions by replacing sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆), a gas with 24,300 times the global warming potential of CO₂, with pure air and vacuum technology. This innovation positions AirSeT as a key solution for cutting Scope 3 emissions in electrical infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Pim Valdre, Head of Climate & Nature Economy and Member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum, emphasised the power of sustainable design. “Product design is where downstream impact often begins,” Valdre said. “Sustainable design delivers exponential benefits, lowering costs, enhancing safety, ensuring compliance, and reducing emissions across the entire lifecycle.”
Since launching, AirSeT has helped avoid 1.7 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions as of June 2025. In addition, third-party auditors have validated this figure under Schneider Electric’s Sustainability Impact programme.
AirSeT also delivers practical advantages. It integrates smoothly into existing electrical systems, supports AI-driven condition-based maintenance, and embodies circular design principles through modular components, retrofit capabilities, and removable breakers that extend its lifespan.