Now he serves as the senior director of engineering and enterprise decarbonization at Loblaw Companies and has played a major role in the adoption of natural refrigerant systems. Over the last 13 years, Mehta has advanced the pilot and adoption of over 50 natural refrigerant-based refrigeration systems for Loblaw, positioning the company as one of the industry’s early leaders/adopters of natural refrigerants in North America. He also led Loblaw through the transition from HCFCs to low-GWP refrigerants through the strategy and execution of refrigerant retrofit projects. To date, Mehta is responsible for over 500 refrigerant retrofits in his organization.

Building on his leadership in advancing sustainable refrigeration technologies, Mehta has also taken an active role in shaping industry collaboration and regulatory progress.

“I was a catalyst to the formation of a refrigeration industry working group for the Province of Alberta that brought together retail end users, equipment manufacturers, contractors, engineers, and industry associations to advance solutions to safety codes and other regulatory challenges of the industry in collaboration with the provincial safety authority and the government,” Mehta said.

Looking ahead, Mehta is focused on using his experience to influence the broader HVACR community and help shape its future.

“My goal is to become a recognized knowledge and thought leader in the HVACR industry known for engaging, educating, and enabling my peers and the next generation of professionals in this industry — and other industry stakeholders, like academics, researchers, governments, standards organizations, and professional associations to succeed in this industry,” Mehta said. “In particular, I aspire to apply my end user experiences to convene these various stakeholders together to advance business-sustainable solutions that can respond to the ever-changing environmental, regulatory, and technological evolution of the industry.”