High Efficiency Products

A collaborative of energy efficiency organizations and HVAC manufacturer representatives, convened by NEEP, recently completed new research on the “representativeness” of energy efficiency ratings for air-source heat pumps. In other words, how well do the ratings and test procedures we use to measure product efficiency in the lab match with performance in the field. 

The Northeast has long been a leader in several areas of clean energy. So, it’s no surprise that partners at the US Department of Energy (DOE) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) identified the Northeast as one of the most well-positioned regions to lead renewed efforts to transform the residential HVAC markets to heat pumps.

You’ve heard all about heat pumps – they're in the news more than ever lately and are being installed in more homes than ever

The landscape around heat pump performance specifications and data has evolved in recent years and in the process has raised new questions as to where specifications and performance reporting for heat pumps should go in the future. Let’s break down where we’ve been and look at where and how we can forge new frontiers.

If you’ve been following the world of heat pumps, you know this past year has seen a lot of changes, from new minimum efficiency metrics (SEER2/HSPF2) to an influx of public funding to support heat pump adoption. How are states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic incorporating these changes into their programs?

My husband and I are proud New England home owners. This means that our house, like many in the area, is old and leaks like a sieve. Every summer, for the last four years, we painstakingly lugged our window a/c units from our basement to our second floor bedrooms and back to basement at the end of the summer. In both these trips, we make promises to ourselves and each other to look into whole home air conditioning solutions.