By Alook Mozinder… | Tue, April 23, 19
In January of 2015, NEEP launched a new program to more effectively differentiate air source heat pumps (ASHP) capable of high performance in cold-climate applications. A new specification had to be developed and manufacturers were invited to provide the necessary information to have their products included on the list NEEP creatively dubbed the Cold Climate ASHP Product List. NEEP has maintained and housed the list of products in an excel spreadsheet for download on our website ever since.
Two revisions to the specification (now on V3.0) and over 4100 products later, the list has grown to be an important resource to the expanding ASHP market. Energy and climate programs throughout the region now leverage the list in support of their programs to promote high performance ASHPs (see Program Summary). Contractors, engineers, and other practitioners have used the information included in the list to support their efforts to size and select appropriate systems for their customers. Increasingly, consumers are searching for more information related to ASHP performance in cold climates.
After living in excel spreadsheet land for the last four years, the Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pump Product List recently moved to nicer real estate. NEEP unveiled the list’s new web-based format, and web address, to stakeholders during a webinar on April 17. While the list format served stakeholders well since its launch in 2015, the new website promises to provide a far superior experience.
User-friendliness became the major driver for migrating to our new format. Instead of navigating the endless rows and columns that had become the spreadsheet, users can now simply enter any of the major product identifiers - brand, model number, configuration, capacity - and the website will present either the exact system or a group of systems that meet the entered criteria.
Product listing page
Product detail page
The main site offers short thumbnail technical information of products (see first image above) while the detailed view provides the full suite of performance information. Users can easily print PDF documents of the detailed views for a complete summary of system performance. This view allows users to see extended performance across a series of temperature points, as well as a number of voluntary reporting categories such as connectivity, integration, and diagnostics functionality.
While the site continues to offer the opportunity to download a comprehensive excel-based lists of products, this access is now limited to initiative subscribers. The subscription program was launched earlier in the year as a way to bring additional organizations into the market transformation initiative. Initiative participants now include regional, national, and Canadian interests spanning government, manufacturers, distributors and installers, service providers, program designers, national labs and research institutes, consultants, advocates, and other interested stakeholders. For more information about subscription and NEEP’s ASHP and Smart Controls Initiative for 2019, visit NEEP’s website.
The site also provides links back to NEEP’s home page, where visitors can find more information about the specification, installer resources, and more general information.
NEEP looks forward to working with stakeholders to make the ccASHP List an increasingly valuable resource. In its new form, the list is an exciting new tool that we expect will help drive adoption of high performing ASHPs in cold climates. Let us know what you think by sending comments to ccASHP@neep.org .