Electric Heat Pumps for Space Heating and Cooling
As our electricity supply becomes cleaner, due to an increased use of renewables for generation and a growing number of local ordinances prohibiting gas installs in new homes, electricity becomes an attractive fuel source to designers and builders interested in reducing residential greenhouse gas emissions and creating zero carbon homes.
Dan Perunko of Balance Point Home Performance will present on efficiency gains, and overcoming common installation pitfalls from electric heat pump water heaters in new and existing buildings. Class discussion will cover the advantages and limitations of these systems, the available technology and refrigerant types, as well as features like load flexing.
Agenda:
- Introduction and safety announcement
- Heat pumps for space heating
- Case studies of zero net energy (ZNE) homes
- Energy consumption of heating and cooling
- Ducted vs. ductless heat pump systems
- Indoor air quality (IAQ)
- Refrigerant leaks and global warming potential
- Performance of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems
- Duct design and variable air flow systems
- Electric resistance auxiliary heating in heat pumps
- Q&A and course evaluation
The objective of this course is that at the conclusion, participants will be able to:
- Identify the benefits of ducted and ductless space heating heat pump systems
- Describe the potential benefits of HVAC-driven filtration and indoor air quality
- Summarize the performance parameters for proper installation of electric heat pumps
- Describe climate impacts from the release of refrigerants into the atmosphere and the procedures to ensure that systems don’t leak
- Interpret energy savings comparisons among existing equipment types in order to determine the total annual energy consumption for the equipment under consideration
